We Bearly Found You

The brothers make their way across the bridge, finally on track to meet back up with Manea and her bad. They had lost so much time in that swamp as days had turned into months and Ricin had started to wonder if they would ever be able to find the purple wolf and her band. Since the last time they say the purple adult, the boys have sprouted up, growing into their paws as the time ticked past. The thicker fur on the back of their necks has grown along with their height, becoming longer with the top often flopping into eyes. Ricin casts a glance toward his brother and wonders if Chade insisted on meeting back up with Manea for his sake.

While lost in the swamp, the brothers had survived because of each other. They looked after each other, protected and defended each other. They had made it, a little worse for wear but not in horrible condition. In Ricin’s mind, he does not understand the need to be part of a band anymore but Chade had vehemently swore they still needed the band and Ricin had relented, following his brother across the land bridge. The lighter pup’s paws touch the land of this new place and crimson eyes look around, taking in the abundance of fruit and towering maple trees. Sniffing the air, the pup’s mouth waters at the innumerable intoxicating scents that fill his nostrils.

Chade’s comment about the band is lost on the lighter boy’s ears as hungry eyes fall onto a juicy patch of berries. Mouth opens, moving to bite the ripe fruit and burst the small orbs of deliciousness in his mouth. However, Ricin never gets the chance. From behind the light pup an all too familiar roar reaches his ears and dread settles like a block of ice in his stomach. Quickly, Ricin whips around, watching as Chade steps between him and the grizzly bear. The darker pup’s words are unnecessary but fear roots the lighter boy’s paws to the ground. The bear slaps Chade away, its large paw connects with his brother and Ricin is no longer fixed in place.  

Everything slows, time stretches as the moments elongate and Ricin hears his brother yelling at him to run. The lighter pup remembers a time past with another bear. Chade had saved his life then, sacrifice their sibling so Ricin could live. As the grizzly turns to face the downed pup, time snaps back to normal and, like a rubber band stretched too far, time speeds up as Ricin races straight toward the deadly predator. Shouting loud, unrecognizable words to get the bear’s attention off his brother, the lighter boy closes the distance to the grizzly. It is already turning toward him, pulling back a deadly paw and aiming it toward his face. Ricin doesn’t care about his safety anymore, the need to save Chade overriding any sense of self preservation.

Nimbly, the light boy dodges the swinging paw, lunching up toward the bear’s head. Mouth opens, a snarl of defiance piercing the air as his jaws clamp shut around the grizzly’s ear. Gravity takes hold of his body, pulling the pup’s back toward the ground, ripping the ear away from the bear’s skull as he goes. With a roar of pain and anger, the grizzly rears up onto its back legs and Ricin releases his hold on the bear’s ear. As his body moves back toward the ground, the enraged grizzly swings its massive paw hitting the lighter pup’s falling body and sending him spinning to the side. Lucky, the claws miss his flesh but the power behind the paw sends Ricin careening toward a large maple tree.

He tries to tuck his body to try and lessen the inevitable impact that is coming. With a loud ‘crack’ the back of Ricin’s head, neck, and part of his shoulder connect with the immovable tree. The world spins as his body comes to rest at the base of the tree. Nausea washes over him as the world tilts on its axis and he tries to blink away the stars that burst into his vision. He needs to get back up to protect Chade from the deadly bear but his body refuses to obey. He hopes Chade can forgive him that somehow his brother survives and is able to carry on. With his world rotating Ricin lays at the base of the tree, trying not to pass out or spill what little contents his stomach holds.


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