Care Bears III: The Search for Timid Heart
Chapter 1
...Meanwhile, in Care-A-Lot...
Thick clouds rose and fell in billowy mounds, effortlessly floating high above Earth. Dense islands of them weightlessly hovered over one another, creating graceful dancing shadows. The mid day sun lit the peaks in a glorious golden hue. Just beyond the horizon of the rolling heavens lay the beautiful land of Care-A-Lot, decorated with vibrant rainbow roads and bridges linking together a network of charming buildings; among them, a statuesque palace known as the Hall of Hearts.
Within the palace, the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins were gathered together for a very special celebration: the official graduation of Hugs Bear and Tugs Bear. No longer little cubs in diapers, but full fledged adults.
The whole Care Bear family stood in the center of the palace, facing the upper-level. On the upper-level stood the new graduates, Hugs and Tugs. Behind them, a table with an object sitting on it, covered with a sheet. With them were the founders of the diverse family; Noble Heart Horse and True Heart Bear.
The first row of the audience consisted of Tender Heart Bear, Grumpy Bear and, between them, Grams Bear. Older, with more gray hairs, and quietly wiping away tears of pride. Groups of Star and Heart Buddies hovered and darted around eagerly.
Noble Heart's deep voice kept everyone's attention.
"...And so, it is with deep pleasure that we award Hugs Bear and Tugs Bear with their assigned missions, and their diplomas, officially making them working members of the Care Bear family!"
The crowd cheered wildly as Hugs and Tugs accepted their diplomas and tightly hugged their care takers. Tears of joy were shed by all, particularly Grams and True Heart. Quickly regaining her composure, True Heart cleared her throat, commanding the crowd's attention.
"In addition to this most important ceremony, our very own Hugs and Tugs would like to introduce a project they've been working on. What have you got to share with us today, you two?"
Hugs and Tugs exchanged proud glances before stepping up to their peers.
"First off, we want to thank you all for everything!" Tugs started.
"That's right." Hugs chimed in. "We wouldn't be celebrating here today without all of you!"
The crowd cheered again; many a "we love you" could be heard among the applause.
Tugs continued. "That's why we're very excited to show you what we've been working on! We hope it will be a great tool for the future of helping people. Hugs?"
"Ready, Tugs!" She called to him excitedly, paws gripping the sheet. She yanked the sheet off the table, revealing a red and gold medium sized box-shaped object that looked like a computer of sorts. Next to it were a cluster of small, rainbow-colored flat devices, and what appeared to be a rolled up map.
Tugs turned a knob on the box device. A screen appeared with some writing on it. Then he grabbed one of the rainbow colored devices and hit a star-shaped button.
"This mobile device connects wirelessly to the main computer." Tugs explained. "The computer is programmed to show us where, exactly, on earth someone is having a problem caring or sharing their feelings. It literally detects when someone is not caring and sends us the location on this mobile device, enabling us to find the person with ease, and without getting lost!"
The crowd whispered and nodded approvingly to each other.
Hugs unrolled the map and tacked it to the wall. "Each time we head out to help someone, we'll put a colored pin on this map. This way, we'll have a visual record of where problems come from, and how frequently they occur in certain areas, thus increasing our chances of helping people solve problems in affected areas!"
The whispers turned into cheering.
"We call this invention, the "Global Caring System", or "GCS"". Tugs finished, throwing the crowd into an uproar.
"Oh, we're so proud of you two!" True Heart gushed.
"This invention is going to revolutionize the way we help people! You two are geniuses!" Noble Heart added.
"Well, credit where credit is due." Tugs shrugged. "Tender Heart and Grumpy Bear helped us with a lot of the programming. They deserve some of the credit!"
"Hey don't short change yourselves!" Tender Heart shouted from the crowd.
"Yeah!" Grumpy called. "This contraption was your idea!"
"Well, there's one thing I'm sure of." Cheer Bear called from the center of the crowd. "This calls for a celebration!"
"I'm with Cheer on this one!" Hugs sang out. "Let's get this graduation party started!"
And so, the Care Bear Family excitedly celebrated the terrific day by throwing a big party in honor of Hugs and Tugs' graduation and impressive invention. They played games, sang and danced and enjoyed generous portions of cake, ice cream and other delectable confections. Soon, the golden peaks of the clouds glowed bright pink, the sky aflame with the flamboyant colors of sunset. Many of the Care Bears and Cousins had already gone home, ready to rest after the festivities of the stimulating day.
Just as they were about to call it a day, Noble Heart and True Heart were suddenly confronted by a very excitable Star Buddy. The care takers listened carefully to the twinkling of the star, taking in the message. It was deciphered; Noble Heart and True Heart were being summoned by the Great Wishing Star himself. They wasted no time in hopping into a cloud car and taking off towards the Kingdom of Caring. True Heart seemed particularly nostalgic about the trip. They hadn't been there since they were first brought into the protective bosom of the clouds by the Wishing Star.
It was night by the time they reached the benevolent entity. It smiled warmly as they approached.
"Well now...if it isn't my old friends. True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse. I believe congratulations are in order. Because of you 2, yet another couple of Care Bears have been recruited, and you have inspired them to create a most wonderful invention. Bravo, you two. Bravo."
Nobel Heart and True Heart couldn't say a word. They blushed and looked away coyly, humbled by the Great Wishing Star's kind words. He continued.
"I called you here today for a very special reason. I have an incredibly important mission for the two of you. Are you up for it?"
The two looked at each other questioningly for a moment, then smiled and nodded to the star. The star chuckled lightly.
"I knew I could count on you!" There was a bright glow next to the star, where a small gray cloud suddenly appeared. "Now this is a very special package. More special than you could imagine."
The cloud slowly drifted to the care takers, who eyed it curiously. It stopped just a few feet from them. Then, the cloud started to gently bounce up and down, almost as if it were breathing. A coo could be heard from inside, followed by a tiny 'ka-chu!' The cloud suddenly popped, revealing a small blue fluffy cub in its place. True Heart lost her breath at the sight of its big, soulful yellow eyes.
"Oh my..." She managed to gasp out.
"Meet Timid Heart Wolf." The Star introduced with a warm smile. "This little orphan pup, if raised carefully, will have a very important Care Mission when he grows up. And I need you two to make sure he will be ready for such a big responsibility."
True Heart barely caught any of the Star's words. She looked at the little pup, captivated. He was deep sea blue with a white tummy and muzzle and a gray mask on his face. He had a black tipped tail, a black tuft of fur on his head and tiny black ears. But it was his eyes; golden as the sun, and just as big and round. The pup, too, stared intently at True Heart, tilting his over-sized head left and right, as though trying to figure out what she was. Finally, the pup smiled, waged his tail and lean forward to give True Heart a lick on her nose. She squealed in delight, unintentionally scaring the pup. He jumped back, his leg slipping off the edge. Noble Heart lurched forward and grabbed him before he fell.
The Star chuckled again. "One thing you should know about wolf pups, is that they scare very easily, and are easily traumatized. Take special care to make sure he stays safe and feels secure. In time, he will get braver."
"May I ask, Wishing Star...what is Timid Heart's special mission?" Noble Heart inquired as the pup curiously nibbled his mane.
The Star suddenly became sullen. "There's a sickness on Earth now. It's caused when a human suffers from a traumatic experience which inhibits their ability to trust and affects their ability to care and feel. We call it the "Care Scare". More and more humans suffer from it every year, and it makes them immune to your efforts. Timid Heart will be the one who helps people overcome their trauma so that your methods can be effective again. Without Timid Heart, The Care Bear Family will be unable to help those with Care Scare."
Noble Heart clutched the pup tightly, realizing his importance. True Heart looked proudly into the Star's face.
"Don't worry, Great Wishing Star. Noble Heart and I will take care of Timid Heart and keep him safe. You can count on us."
Confident in their abilities, True Heart and Noble Heart accepted responsibility for the little wolf pups' care. Not wanting to drive all the way back to Care-A-Lot that night, the two decided to spend the night in the old nursery where Tender Heart, Grumpy, Brave Heart Lion, and the rest of the Care Bear family were raised as cubs, at least until they were moved to Care-A-Lot and The Forest of Feelings.
Tired from the drive and the exciting day, Noble Heart and True Heart decided to get the pup ready for bed. But they quickly realized that the wolf pup was going to be a challenge. After 15 attempts at keeping a diaper on him, they gave up. Timid Heart ripped it off moments after they got it on him. He had a ravenous appetite, chewed up all the pacifiers and was gone the moment their eyes were no longer on him. After 3 short hours, the care takers were even more exhausted than before. The pup finally tired himself out and was placed in one of the cribs, where he curled up comfortably and went to sleep. Confident he was out for the night, Noble Heart and True Heart nestled into their perspective beds and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
But no more than 2 hours later, Timid Heart was awake again. And he was wanting to explore. He chewed through the wooden crib and tumbled to the floor. He crawled around in the dark, but quickly became bored of that. He wanted to explore outside the room. And that's when he noticed it. A sliver of light shining from under the door. He crawled to it and pushed on the door. It opened, spilling silver light through the opening and filling the room. The light didn't bother the sleeping care takers, whose faces were buried in their pillows. Timid Heart stepped outside with trepidation. Wolves don't like the unknown. But something caught his eye. He'd seen it on the way there, but was restrained by Noble Heart's protective grasp. But now, he crawled right for it, his large eyes aglow.
The object of his fascination; the Moon. The little wolf crawled enthusiastically towards the massive silver orb. As he edged closer and closer towards it, he struggled to stand up straight, and finally succeeded. He now stood at the edge of the cloud, staring longingly at the weightless balloon that seemingly floated just out of reach. He reached his short arm out towards the moon, stretching his chubby fingers as far as they'd go. He could almost feel his claws scrape against it. Just a little further. He inched closer, reaching and stretching with all he had.
So close. So close...
The cloud beneath him gave way suddenly. In a split second, Timid Heart was experiencing a strange sensation of a great wind whipping through his fur as it felt as though he were being pulled by an invisible force. The wind was deafening as it ripped through is tiny ears and cut at his eyes. At first, the sensation of falling was lulling, relaxing; felt like flying. But after a few moments of that, an even greater sensation set in. Fear. Like an alarm going off inside his head, Timid Heart suddenly became aware of his predicament and panicked. He flailed and flapped, causing his body to roll and tumble mid air. That didn't help. Rather, it made the situation feel even more out of control, for now Timid Heart couldn't keep track of how close the ground was. Falling, tumbling, plummeting. The wind stinging his eyes and numbing his body. He managed to grab a quick glance of the fast approaching ground below. It was getting closer. Closer. The last sensation set in. Bone chilling terror. An unyielding desire to live. Closer still. It would be over in seconds. Falling face down now, Timid Heart could only cry out in horror as he approached the hard ground below. And cry out he did; a long, desperate howl.
"AaaaahhhhOOOOoooooooooo!"
His tummy tickled, stung, and finally burned. Luminescence exploded from the pups' tummy, filling the entire area with a blast of blinding light and debris. A surge of power forcefully ejected out of a newly formed symbol on Timid Heart's tummy, sending a cloud of dirt from below into Timid Heart's face, eyes and mouth. The power hit the earth with a resonating boom.
About a half a mile away, a make-shift tent hung over a low hanging tree branch fluttered wildly in a blast of air caused by the distant impact. A hooded figure crawled out of the tent opening and stood tall in the shadows of the trees. Then came the blast of light. The figure turned towards it, eyes narrowed. The light shone bright for a few moments, the died down just as suddenly as it started. The hooded figure hummed suspiciously before bolting off in the direction of the blast. Even in the near pitch black of the forest, the figure moved with fleet-footed speed and efficiency through the hidden obstacles in the wilderness.
Dust filled the air, a cool breeze offered just enough disturbance to keep the cloud of dirt from settling. Within the cloud, Timid Heart struggled to catch his breath, choking and gasping violently. His tongue was covered with dirt. Dirt filled his eyes, making them burn and itch. He crawled around blindly, searching desperately for fresh air. Finally, he found refuge out of the cloud and under the open sky, where he collapsed on his belly, gasping desperately for oxygen.
There was no doubt that the blast from his belly had cushioned the impact of his fall, as well as caused the dust storm.
Once he was able to breath a little easier, he sat up and began rubbing his eyes, trying desperately to clean the dirt out. By the time he was done, he had smudges of brown around both eyes, and the eyes themselves were reddened and irritated. His vision was a bit blurred, but he was now able to see well enough to take in his surroundings. First, there was darkness. Then shapes began to fill in; tree branches, boulders and bushes. But still, so much dark. Timid Heart whined quietly to himself, searching for light. Then, his vision cleared fully, and the light caught his eyes. He looked up, and his heart sunk.
The moon. The beautiful silver orb that captivated him so; now sat high above him in the sky. Its greatness diminished to that of a small light far, far out of reach. Then a new realization kicked in. If the moon was that far away, then home must be...
It hit him all at once. He wasn't anywhere near home. He was lost. He was all alone.
His eyes widened. His legs turned into rubber and his knees shook. He wrapped his tail around his hip and grasped the tip tightly in his paws, and began to shake all over. His breathing was rapid at first as his heart beat forcefully against his chest. Then, he did the only thing he could think to do. Timid Heart sat on his bottom, still gripping his tail, and started to cry. He whimpered pathetically, using his free hand to wipe the dirty tears that streamed down his face, leaving a tiny mud trail in their wake.
He sat there, the poor baby wolf, and cried miserably.
A twig snapped. He ceased his sobbing with a sharp gasp, whipping his head around and struggling to see into the blackness of the forest beyond. Another twig snapped; another terrified gasp from the pup. His tear filled eyes were wide with fright and his tiny ears perked up when the sound of rapid foot steps became apparent. Someone—or something- was coming.
Timid Heart quickly scurried under a nearby bush. It was a poor hiding choice, and if it were daytime, it wouldn't have been of any use at all. But, perhaps in the shadows of the night, he may go unnoticed. He made himself as small as possible and watched in horrified silence as a hooded figure suddenly leapt from the blackness of the forest onto a fallen tree.
The figure looked back from where they came, then brought their attention to the clearing. The breeze swiftly blew back the figure's hood, revealing their face. It was a girl, around 14 years old. Her raven black hair was in a ponytail, clusters of shorter hair segments hung around her face and eyes. Her eyes were dark and large. Her face was stern and suspicious, but appealing and well proportioned. Her thick lips were parted slightly in a pant. She'd just run ½ mile after all, and so was slightly winded. Her hoodie sweatshirt bore a purple hood and arms, but from the top of the chest down was gray. The sweatshirt, along with her green pants, was baggy, a little dirty and a bit torn up; evidence of her living situation. She seemed a bit tall for her age, and all in all, was very fit.
She squinted her large dark eyes as she examined the scene. The dust was just about settled, but it was clear that something had disturbed it just moments ago. Some plants even appeared singed. The cause of the damaged area was seemingly an explosion of sorts. And it didn't look natural either.
From her perch atop the fallen tree, she scanned the area some more. Perhaps the culprit was still there. Her hard gaze scanned every bush and rock in the area. That cold, dark gaze. It was intimidating. Timid Heart shifted nervously under that gaze, stepping on a dead leaf.
The crackling sound in the silence was like gunfire. The girls' eyes were immediately on the bush. Then they were on Timid Heart's small, frightened form. Suddenly, her gaze softened. Her entire demeanor changed. Her dominant, rigid stance folded as she gracefully stepped down from the log and sunk to her knees. The great reduction in her size made Timid Heart find her less threatening. He lifted his head slightly to get a better look. The girl inched closer, her eyes never leaving the pup's frightened yellow ones.
"Well, now..." She spoke in a gentle whisper. ""What have we got here?"
She was right near the bush now. Timid Heart backed away, whimpering and shaking.
"It's okay little guy." She cooed. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Come on out."
Timid Heart wanted to, but his fear was too strong. He backed away, retreating deeper beneath the bush. But a couple steps into it made him realize that he'd run all out of bush to hide beneath, and was exposed once again. Before he could skitter back under, her hand was under his belly and he was scooped up. In the air he went for a brief moment before reaching the thick warmth of the sweatshirt. He found it comforting. He cautiously looked up, meeting with the girls' face in the moonlight. She smiled.
"Well aren't you the cutest little thing. Wonder where you came from."
Timid Heart listened to her query, and instinctively looked up at the moon. The girl noticed the reaction and looked up too.
"Up there?" She tilted her head curiously, then looked back down at the pup. "You must be a guardian angel, then." She teased as she inspected him closely, shaking her head. "What are you? You look like a wolf...but you kinda look like a baby too." She giggled. "I guess that just makes you a baby wolf, huh?"
Timid Heart smiled. She wasn't so bad.
"And look at that weird mark on your tummy. Never seen a wolf or baby with something like that. It must mean you're special."
Timid Heart looked curiously at his own tummy. To his surprise, there was a mark there! A bright red heart with a gray wolf silhouette howling against it. Above the heart were two gold stars. He didn't have that before. He brought his wide eyed gaze back to the girls' face.
"So, little guy...do you have anywhere to stay?"
Timid Heart lowered his head sadly. It would be impossible to get back home. He sniffled and, keeping his eyes down, shook his head no.
The girl frowned sympathetically. "Do you have anyone to take care of you?"
Again, the pup sniffled, more pathetically this time. He looked back up at her, eyes once again large and full of tears, and shook his head no. His lower lip jutted out and trembled.
The girl sighed, her heart aching for the poor lonely pup. She boosted him closer to her face, her expression soft and genuine.
"My name is Colette. Do you have a name?"
The pup nodded, wiping his nose with the back of his paw.
"Can you tell me what it is? Can you...talk?"
Timid Heart took a deep breath, and gave it his best shot. "Ti-Tim-Tim..." He struggled with his tiny voice. "Tim...Timi...ha..." His communication skills were not yet adequate enough. He grunted in frustration. "Timi-t...har...Timi-t...har."
Colette gave an amused half-grin. "How about I just call you 'Timmy?'"
Timid Heart smiled. Good enough.
"Well, Timmy," She held him up. "How about you stay with me? Would you like that?" She brought him back against her chest and cupped his bottom with one hand while rubbing his head and ears with the other.
Timid Heart smiled and wagged his tail. He reached up and licked her nose. Colette laughed and hugged the little pup closer. Timid Heart rested his head against her neck, hugging what he could with his short chubby arms. She whispered into his ear.
"Don't worry little guy. I'll take care of you, protect you, and never let anything or anyone hurt you."
Filled with joy and relief, Timid Heart snuggled closer, burying his face in her neck. Their hearts beat in unison and at that moment, a powerful bond was formed. The love in that hug was so strong, it pulsated across the field, through the trees and into the sky.
Well after midnight, Tender Heart sleepily wandered into the kitchen, drank a glass of water, and, in a state of half-sleep, wandered back towards his room. As he passed the window, there was a sudden jolt that made the whole house jump, followed quickly by an upbeat ring of the Caring Meter. Tender Heart looked out the window at the Meter, his sleepy eyes now wide.
"What the...did the Caring Meter just go up a few points?" He looked into the darkness and listened, but there seemed to be no further disturbance. He looked back, bewildered, at the Caring Meter. "That's never happened before. I wonder what caused that?" He pondered for a few moments longer before finally retreating back to his room. Sleep would not likely come easy now.
The sun crept into the sky, once again illuminating the clouds in its brilliance. It shone through the windows of the Kingdom of Caring nursery, casting its heavenly light on Timid Heart's empty crib.
And the serenity of the sunrise was shattered as True Heart's horrified scream cut through the air like a blade.