Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has taken time to review during the writing of this fic. I really appreciate it and it's always nice to know that someone is interested. Again, thank you for your reviews, and for any comments or suggestions. I wrote this story before Brother Bear II came out, and I am glad I did so. This is a continuation of the root story and the beliefs that it embodied. It is complete, though I return to it now and then to tweak it a bit here and there. I hope you enjoy it enough to leave a comment or two.

And a special thanks to Eiko, who has translated this fanfic into Japanese and posted it on her site here: http:/www -dot- geocities -dot- jp/walken66/index -dot- htm She has also drawn a beautiful piece of Fanart for the story (also on her website) which is the best compliment I have ever received for anything I have written.

Disclaimer: I do not own Brother Bear or the characters from the movie.

Prologue

Denahi finished his story. The children sitting around him were smiling and clapping. Then, one of the older boys raised his hand. "Uncle Denahi, what about the rest of the story?" Nostalgia filled Denahi's eyes. He looked at his 14 year old nephew. He would be getting his totem soon. "Kenai, I know that your father and many of the adults here have told that story before, all the children already know it."

Kenai shook his head. "The other adults weren't there, they only know bits and half truths. And my own father," he looked at him over his shoulder, "his perception is different than yours. Besides, it's just as much your story as the one you just told was uncle Kenai's." Denahi looked at Kenai's father. He looked back and gave a slight nod. Denahi nodded as well, and looked out over the crowd of children. "Would you like to hear another story?" he asked. Shouts rose at his statement and the children clapped again. After the noise had died down, Denahi spoke. "Alright, I will tell you the next story. I will tell you of the bonds that hold brothers together."

Chap. 1

Kenai awoke with a start. He looked around quickly and realized that he was at the salmon run. Koda was curled up by his chest. It had been three weeks since he had made the change and he still wondered. He knew he had chosen the right path, but he missed his brother and his village. Though Denahi was accepting of his new form, He was still wary of the other bears and he had trouble telling them apart. He had only visited once after Kenai's paw was put on the wall two weeks ago, and even then, they had met a ways into the forest, so that the other bears didn't know. Kenai had seen the sadness in his eyes then, and knew that Denahi felt the separation too.

Pushing Koda very carefully, Kenai stood up and stretched. He walked quietly away and went up the hill to watch the lights on the mountain. Sitka was there, looking after them. Kenai wondered if Sitka realized the tensions between his other brothers. With no way to communicate, they were drifting apart.

"Kenai, why'd you get up? It's still early, besides, we were gonna go lookin' for a cave today remember?" Koda sat on a rock behind Kenai.

"Koda, go back to sleep, I'll be there in a minute. Besides, before we get a cave, you know I have to tell Tug about me. That alone could take a week to straighten out." Since his final transformation, he and Koda had decided that because neither he nor Koda could survive without more skills, they would have to ask for one of the other bears to teach them. Unfortunately this would lead to questions about why Kenai had never learned, and how Koda knew his mother was gone. Kenai had finally decided to tell Tug, who he felt would be the best to understand and also a good teacher. Koda didn't like the idea, partly because it brought up the sad memories of his mother, but he agreed to go along with it.

"Okay, but you're gonna have to go foraging with me today then. I want to explore the mountain more." With that Koda went back down the hill.

Kenai looked down at his totem. I wonder what other choices I could have made, thought Kenai.

Denahi looked out at the forest that surrounded the village. He could see the natural beauty of it, but it did not help his mood. Though Kenai was still alive and though he had agreed with Kenai's decision to remain a bear, Danahi mourned as if he had lost another brother. He pretended as if nothing was wrong when he was around Kenai, but both of them knew that a rift was growing between them. He had to come up with something, and the only way to do that was to go to where the lights touch the earth. He had to travel back to the mountain and ask Sitka for guidance.

Having made up his mind, he started packing for the trip. Last time he had gone, it had taken him 3 days to get there to see Kenai, and the weather was going be worse this week or at least that's what Tanana said.

Gathering his spear and bundle of supplies, Denahi stepped out into the morning light and began the march to the mountain.

It was a long hike, but Denahi had done this twice before and he knew the way. The weather held out on the first day and Denahi began to think that Tanana had been wrong about the rain. The next day however, brought a downpour that chilled him to the bone. Before he had moved more than three steps he was soaked as were all of his belongings. He continued his quest however, and by later afternoon the rain had become just a drizzle. He hadn't covered much ground that day and when the rain finally stopped, he made camp early so that he could dry out and start fresh the next day.

The weather was good the next two days and by early afternoon on the fourth day, Denahi stood looking up at the mountain.