A Narrow Escape

The sun was setting as Kairi trudged down the path through the forest. Being unaccustomed to woodland terrain, she was having a tough time making her way. She kept tripping over roots jutting out of the ground and stepping into small holes that were covered by grass and leaves. Once or twice, she nearly twisted her ankle when she stepped into deep ones.

Her biggest concern, however, was her sense of direction. The trees started to blend in with each other, making the whole landscape look the same. So much so that Kairi was starting to worry if she was just going in circles.

Finally, she stopped to catch her breath. She leaned up against a big Sequoya tree sighed deeply.

"How am I going to find Kenai at this rate?" she groaned. "I need help."

Shortly after Kairi said those words, she heard an eagle call from right above her. She looked up and saw a bald eagle sitting on a branch staring down at her. Kairi stared at it, tilting her head curiously to one side. She wasn't sure if it was because of her Princess of Heart powers, or if it was because her Keyblade abilities had matured, but she could sense a strong light resonating from this eagle.

The eagle then leapt from its place and glided down to Kairi. When it reached her, a golden light swirled around it, and it transformed into a ghostly form of a man. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and was dressed in a brown fur coat with fur pants and black boots. On his hood was a pair of antlers. His black hair went down to his shoulders, and he had just a touch facial hair on each side of his chin.

He looked at Kairi with a warm smile, and she stared at him with amazement.

"Are you…a Spirit?" she asked.

The ghostly man nodded.

"Can you help me?" Kairi pleaded. "I must find someone named Kenai. He's being hunted by the Heartless. Please, can you help me find him?"

The Spirit responded by reaching out his hand to Kairi. Taking it as a sign, she took it. The moment she did, the Spirit before her began to glow. She shielded her eyes as the light grew even brighter. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation rush through her. It was like a small, painless burning sparked in her throat, and then spread throughout her body.

At the same time, she heard the sound of countless animal noises in her head. Above all of that, she heard a voice speak clear and strong.

"I am Sitka. Wielder of the Light; please help my brothers. Save them from this darkness. Do not be afraid. I will be watching over you."

Then, the light dimmed, and Kairi opened her eyes. The Spirit was gone.

"Sitka?" she whispered. "That's the name of Kenai's older brother. Was that him? It had to be."

Once Kairi's confusion and shock had subsided, she got up and looked down the path to her right. It was as if she had gained a six sense of some kind, and it was telling her to go down this path.

Steeling herself, Kairi set out on her journey once more. She hadn't gone more than a couple of yards when she heard two voices: one of a young man, and the other of a little boy. They were both shouting in confusion, frustration, and fear.

"HEY, GET OFF ME!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

At the same time, Kairi sensed a darkness resonating from where the voices were coming from, and ran for it as fast as she could. When she reached the location, she stopped at the top of a hill to see a terrifying sight before her.

Down in a clearing were two bears being attacked strange creatures that resembled oversized, demented squirrels. The biggest bear was caught in a hunter's trap and was dangling upside-down from a tree, swatting at the creatures with a clumsy kind of ferocity. The other bear, a little cub, was cowering over by a rock as the dark creatures closed in on him.

"Heartless!" cried Kairi.

She ran down the hill and summoned her Keyblade. When the Heartless sensed her presence, they all turned around and fixed their attention. Some jumped into the air to pounce on her. Thinking fast, Kairi leapt to their level, striking three of them with a spin attack. As she did, the hearts they had captured were released and floated away into the sky.

When Kairi landed, she pivoted around and rushed toward a Heartless closing in on the bear dangling from the tree. She struck it with excellent precision, her Keyblade missing the bear's face. She then whirled around and saw that more Heartless advancing. There were too many of them for her to take on one at a time.

Fortunately, she knew of a spell that could wipe them out.

Focusing her magic, she held her Keyblade high in the air. A small orb of light began to grow from the tip.

"Light!" she commanded.

In an instant, the orb burst into several small streams of light. They swirled around the area, wiping out the Heartless in a matter of seconds. Soon, they were all gone.

Kairi lowered her Keyblade and wiped her forehead. "Whew. That was a close one."

She then turned to the two bears. Both were staring at her with bewilderment, but with different expressions. The larger bear dangling from the tree was looking at her with curiosity, while the little bear looked at her with fear.

Kairi noticed the little bear's reaction and dismissed her Keyblade. She then knelt down towards the cub. He only cowered back against the rock even more.

"D-Don't come any closer!" it said in a little boy voice.

Kairi gasped. This bear just spoke! But how?

She quickly remembered her encounter with Sitka. That sensation. It must have been him giving her the ability to understand and speak to animals.

Kairi quickly recovered from her initial shock and shook her head. She looked back at the bear cub and smiled. She reached out her hand, the back of it facing the little bear, and he shrunk away.

"It's okay," she said gently. "Don't be afraid. I'm a friend."

The cub hung back for a moment longer. However, after looking at Kairi's eyes, he cautiously stepped forward. Finally, he reached Kairi's hand and sniffed it. Sensing no danger, he rubbed his head against it. Kairi giggled and began to scratch the little bear behind the years. The cub laughed as she did.

"You're a friendly little guy, aren't you?" Kairi giggled.

"Uh, hello! You mind getting me down?"

Kairi turned back to the older bear, who was looking rather irritated by now.

"Oh, sorry," Kairi quickly stood up. "Hold on, I'll get you down."

After quickly examining the trap, Kairi followed the rope to behind the tree, found the end of it tied to a wooden peg hammered deep into the ground. She got down, bracing herself on one knee and one foot, and grabbed it with both hands. With some effort, she pulled it out.

However, the mass of the bear was greater than her strength, and the peg slipped out of her hand. The bear flew straight up into the air, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"WHOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAA!"

The bear hit the ground a loud and painful "THUD". Then, the thick branch that was holding him up snapped off and fell on his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to gasp in agony.

Kairi hurried over to him and knelt down beside him as he rolled over onto his front.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said. "Are you okay?"

The bear coughed in pain. "As fine as I can be. Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Kairi. Who are you two?"

The little cub ran over and leapt onto Kairi's lap.

"I'm Koda!" he said excitedly. "Nice to meet you, Kairi. Thanks for saving us from those creatures."

Kairi laughed and gently rubbed Koda's head. "I'm just glad you guys are okay," she said before turning back to the elder bear. "What's your name?"

"Kenai," the bear said gruffly.

Kairi stiffened in alert. "Wait, Kenai?"

"Yeah, Kenai."

"Kenai! Thank goodness I found you." said Kairi, relieved. "I've been looking for you. We have to—"

Before Kairi could finish, Koda sniffed the air and let out a terrified shriek.

"RUN!"

The little bear cub dashed away from Kairi and Kenai and disappearing into the trees.

"Koda, wait!" Kairi cried.

Before she could go after the cub, Kairi suddenly felt a strange force drawing closer. It was a force of darkness, but it wasn't like the kind that she had sense before. It wasn't just mindless rage and hatred. It felt…painful.

At the same time, there was a rustle from behind. Both Kairi and Kenai turned around fast and saw a figure moving in the shadows closer to them. Kenai squinted as it stepped into the red beams of the sunset.

It was a human.

He was dressed in a bluish fur parka with fur pants and boots. He had a single bead dangling from a braid in his short black hair. He carried a satchel over his right shoulder, and long spear with a carving of a bear tied close to the spearhead in both hands.

He slowly approached Kairi and Kenai. But Kairi could see that his attention wasn't on her at all.

"Denahi?" Kenai whispered.

Recognizing the human, he smiled and got up.

"Denahi, you found me!"

Kairi tensed up when she suddenly remembered what Tanana had said to her, and her face paled.

"Kenai second eldest brother, Denahi. He thinks that Kenai was killed by the bear Kenai was pursuing. However, he doesn't know that he is hunting his own brother."

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Kenai said to Denahi, elated. "You wouldn't believe what a nightmare this has been!"

Kairi watched as Denahi raise his spear and advanced on Kenai. Kenai noticed it, too, and look of dread came over his face as he backed away.

"Denahi?"

Then, Denahi lunged forward, his spear ready to kill.

"DENAHI!" Kenai shouted. "IT'S ME! KENAI!"

Kenai quickly backed away from the deadly spear. In his haste, he tripped over a large root sticking up out of the ground, and the branch that was still tied to his foot became caught.

"KENAI!" Kairi cried out.

Denahi suddenly stopped and turned to the girl in utter shock. To him, what came out of her mouth wasn't the sound of human speech.

It was the cry of a bear.

Seeing his pause, Kairi rushed forward and rammed into Denahi, shoving him into a bush. She then summoned her Keyblade again and cut the rope around Kenai's ankle, releasing him.

"COME ON!" she shouted. "RUN!"

Frightened and confused, Kenai sprinted from his place with Kairi close behind. They raced down a hill and ended up leaping off of a small ledge. Kenai tumbled into the small stream below while Kairi landed half into the stream and half onto Kenai.

They both scrambled up and looked around desperately for a place hide.

"There!"

Kenai followed Kairi's pointing finger. Just a few yards away from them was an enormous glacier with a narrow opening in its side. The two dashed for crevasse. Kenai, being the fastest, reached it first and squirmed through. Kairi, being a lot smaller than Kenai, simply ran through the opening and joined her friend. Once they were safely inside the cavern, they both turned around to check and see if Denahi had followed them.

When they didn't see him, they relaxed. But it was short-lived. Above them came the sound of ice cracking. Kairi and Kenai looked up and saw the outline of Denahi stalking on the other side of the ice. They both back up against the icy wall, holding their breaths.

Kairi gripped her Keyblade tightly, hoping and praying that she wouldn't have to use it against Kenai's brother.

Then, from behind a corner, a small, fearful voice whispered.

"Is he gone?"

Kairi and Kenai jumped and saw Koda peaking from behind a small wall of ice. At the same time from above, Denahi's silhouette looked around sharply. He must have heard Koda.

"I think he was going to—"

"Shh!" Kenai hastily grabbed the little cub, pulling him in close and covering his mouth with his large paw.

Koda tried to speak, but his voice was muffled. He then caught a glimpse of the hunter's shape, and immediately fell silent.

The group watched with terror as Denahi scan the ice, obviously eager to find the large bear he was pursuing. Then, Denahi's silhouette ran off in the opposite direction and disappeared.

Kenai let out small, almost relieved sigh, but Kairi could see a lingering horror in his eyes.

"Hello!" Koda strained. "I can't breathe!"

Kenai, shell-shocked and dazed, released Koda. The cub plopped onto the ground and gasped for air.

Kairi breathed heavily and dismissed her Keyblade before hugging herself.

That was too close for comfort.