Our Beginning

Chapter 8

Sailing, Sailing Over the Bounding Main

"You mean this is ours?" Horse exclaimed to the harbor master.

The brown-bearded man nodded, still reeling at the fact that he was conversing with a horse and a bear, continually insisting to himself it was the morning's scotch and water. "Yes, this beauty of a ship is yours," he told them. "It was brought to me earlier in the week by a man with the oddest set of clothes I have ever seen. Called this baby, "The Cloud Clipper" and said that it was to be given to an odd bunch of travelers who would visit me on this very day. Well, yer odd alright, so I can only assume he meant you." The man patted the side of the wooden merchantman.

Horse and Bear were flummoxed. This ship was really theirs, no doubt. "Well, um, thank you sir for holding it for us. Um, did the man say anything else, like instructions maybe." They had a ship, but that could mean any number of things, or any number of places where they were to go. And neither of them had ever operated a sailboat let alone something like this.

"Just this," Brown-Beard reached into his pocket and handed them a folded sheet of paper.

Horse looked it over and looked at his friend, and then to the cubs who were yawning. "Well, we're heading to Ireland. Apparently the course is already laid out and there is nothing to worry about." He looked back at the kind harbor master. "Well, thank you sir, again. We are to set out immediately."

Bear led the cubs onto the large boat while Horse took a moment to get some last minute instructions on operating the vessel. Only minutes later, they were cast off and sailing into the sunset.

Meanwhile….

"Well well, looks like the foolish creatures are heading out to sea." Dark Heart let out a hearty laugh. "How foolish indeed. Now they have no where to run. SUREL!!! TO ME!!!"

In a flash of smoke, his faithful minion appeared before him. "Yes master."

Dark Heart gestured to his watch globe. "Look at that, the so-called chosen ones, they are sitting ducks in the middle of the ocean. I want you to cause a tempest with the aid your cohorts. I will jam the powers of the elements long enough for you to sink their ship."

Surel hissed his laughter. "Yes, master, it shall be as you request…."

"Oh, and keep in mind, don't fail me again," Dark Heart added just as Surel vanished. In the meantime, he began preparing his ultimate plan.

"WOW! It sure is nice out here," Bear exclaimed. "Don't you think Horse?"

They had been sailing for almost two hours now. The cubs were down for their nap and the two of them were alone to enjoy the salty sea air. "Sure is, Bear." He took a deep breath, savoring the freshness.

"Beautiful…." she continued looking over the side.

Horse nodded as she turned back to him. Her deep, midnight blue eyes took him by surprise. This was the first time he'd ever really had the chance to notice. There was a slight sparkle to them that reminded him of the stars on a clear night, like the night when the stranger had set him free. "Yes, beautiful……"

She too took clear notice of him for the first time. His pale-violet colored fur, his blue and sea green mane, he was very handsome. How in the world could she not have noticed it before? And in moments, she was lost in the gaze of his piercing sea green eyes.

"Well, you know….it's not the only thing that's beautiful….you know," Horse stammered.

She blushed and turned her eyes downward, not even noticing how close his face was to hers. She picked her gaze back up at him, drawing closer and closer.

A bolt of lightning stripped the sky, causing both to snap out of their daydreaming. Clouds were beginning to boil just above the ship. Demon-like creatures, bright red in color, burst from the clouds as rain began to pour and wind began to blow.

"Ahhh!" Bear shouted as one of the creatures latched onto her. All of them ganged up on her, pulling towards the side of the boat.

"BEAR!!!" Horse made to throw himself at the demons, to fight. But then he saw more of the creatures bounding towards the cabin where the cubs lay asleep. "NO!" With a mighty kick, he threw them away. There were so many. He watched as Bear was being pulled over, she'd be killed…but…the cubs…what was he to do? How was he to choose? "Bear!!!!" He cried. He couldn't choose between them….but now he understood something. Without her…it wouldn't matter. Knowing this, he launched himself at the demons threatening to dump her into the ocean. "Let go of her!" He ordered throwing them off of her. "Come get me instead!"

Fear clutched at Bear as the demons did just that. "No! Please!" she shrieked. "Horse!"

Desperation-filled eyes looked up at her, for he was no match against so many. "Save the cubs!" he cried out at her.

"But…." Now it was her turn.

"Bear, please….protect them…..I…..love you!"

As the words reached her ears, a bright shaft of light pierced the mass of demons clawing at Horse. Squeals of pain and horror wrenched through them, causing them all to flee in panic. Bear raced forward to help a wounded Horse to his feet. Without a second thought they both ran to the cabin and flung open the doors to find that the cubs were still safe, and sound asleep in their bunks. Bear collapsed to her knees, sobbing in relief. They all had a real brush with death, and only a miracle had saved them.

"Shhh, it's okay, we're safe now," Her mind registered the words of her dear friend… no, of her love as his arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. His paw rubbed her back in soothing circles. "We're safe."

As if to deny his claim, lightning lit the sky, the thunder answering back with a mighty roar. One by one the cubs began to wake up wailing. Waves pounded the Cloud Clipper, threatening to turn it over. Horse rushed to shut the cabin doors, it was all he knew to do.

"It's…..it's okay….cubs. We're gonna be okay…." Bear tried her best to calm the cubs, but it was near impossible, she was hysterical herself. A clap of thunder cut off her attempts. "AHHHHHH!!!" She fell once more to the floor, clasping her head in her hands, trying to bury the fear away.

She felt the strong arms of her companion around her once more. "It's okay, we're going to be okay, I…I won't let anything happen….."

"Hold me, hold me, please."

"I am holding you," Horse reassured her.

Bear grabbed onto his shoulders and sobbed. "I'm scared….I'm so scared…."

Horse admitted. "I'm scared too…"

"I don't like being afraid, it scares me….."

Horse said nothing more but tightened his grip around her, praying for the storm to end soon. Why, oh why wouldn't it end already? The cubs were screaming, scared to death, but he couldn't get up with the ship tossing and turning, and Bear……she was practically paralyzed with fear.

Meanwhile, Wind and Water were beside themselves in panic. Something was not only jamming their powers but controlling them.

"What are we gonna do?!" Water shouted, "We have to stop this…."

Wind focused on the situation unfolding in the glass. "I don't know, brother. This is bad, I can only assume Dark Heart has something to do with this." He reached around and pulled out a white orb. "All I can do is absorb the power he has stolen from us. If I do that, the storm should end."

"Then do it! Don't just talk about it!"

Wind ignored his brother and concentrated on the storm raging on the Atlantic. His brow began to sweat and the orb began to glow.

Bear and Horse didn't notice a the waves beginning to die, or the cease of thunder and lightning. They were too lost in trying to comfort each other and the cubs. But slowly, they realized…

"I…I think it's over…" Bear stated hopefully.

"Yes….I think so too….are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, sorry if I kind of lost it on you, I wasn't much help….are you okay?" She looked him over. He was cut up pretty bad.

"Don't worry about me. Really, it's not that bad…." He knew she was staring at his cuts.

"But why, why did you do that!?" she demanded of him, frantically. "Why?"

"Well….because…they would have killed you…..I"

"You should have let them!!! You should have protected the cubs!!!"

"Yes. I know….but….I couldn't let them…..because….without you….life would be unbearable." He pulled her to him. "I love you, Bear….I love you." Horse ran a paw through her tuft of head fur. "I love you."

AN: The long awaited Chapter 8 of Our Beginning finally posted. Sorry for taking so long. Writing "Written in the Stars" has really helped me out in the writer's block department. I hope you enjoy this and the length helps to make up for the time it took.

Next: Arrival to Ireland, and Dark Heart's ultimate plan put in motion.