Gifts and Sacrifices

Into the Woods

Part Two: Back to the Trees

Chapter One: Miracles

            Buddi didn't wake up, just stirred faintly. Ursa patted his cheek, gently.

            "Come on, Buddi. Wake up."

            The cub let out a moan and stirred. Ursa gave his cheek a second pat. Slowly, the cub's eyes fluttered and opened. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. Ursa sat down on her knees and let Buddi get off her back. The cub immediately saw what had happened and clutched Ursa's waist. The elder Barbic put a hand on her cub's head. The cub looked first at her, then to the other adults and finally back to her.

            "Ursa? What…what happened?"

            Ursa was still pale and shocked beyond belief. So slowly, she gathered her breath and stammered,

            "I…I don't know Buddi."

            The cub was not scared so to speak but he sounded the part.

            "You're an adult. You guys are supposed to know everything!"

            Gritty cut in. "She can't give you an absolute answer right now, partner. We're as stunned as you are."

            Lundi looked around and gradually every Barbic felt the bark and inhaled the scent to see if it was truly the same woods they saw burn to the ground a year ago. The events rang fresh.

            "Did… is the whole thing reformed?" he finally asked. The adults exchanged glances and shrugged.

            Buddi beamed. Oh Gum, he wasn't dreaming. He ran through the adults, all anxiety gone and leapt to the branches, saying,

            "I'll go see!"

            Ursa lunged for him but he was still the swiftest, he still had the talent. Her worry escalated. They didn't know if the trees were the same yet and in any case it was dark and he was sleep-deprived. He could easily miss a branch and fall, breaking a leg or worse his neck. She got to her feet, slapped her hands over her mouth, cone-shape and shouted,

            "Buddi Barbic! You get back down here right now!"

            The cub was too far up to hear her. Ursa growled in frustration and slipped off her sword and sheath, handing them to Gritty.

            "Hold this. I'll be back in a few minutes."

            That said, she grabbed a vine and swung up after the youngest of them. She was a tad rusty but still managed to keep up a decent pace. But she was getting worried. Buddi was going too high. She had never let him go this high, even before the woods fell. Now, when they'd been in Ursalia when he went into the mountains she had a certain height at which he had to have her or Gritty with him. He was definitely beyond it here.

            The cub went on, his ears oblivious to everything. He had never felt so good in his life. Not even on his Test of Bearhood. After the test and the small celebration, Ursa had blindfolded him and the adults had surprised him with a huge party for his thirteenth birthday. He'd gotten dozens of presents and eaten enough sugar, in Grubbi's words, 'to make a sugarcane sick.' But that was nothing compared to this joy.

            Dear Gum it had been so long. The cub stopped near the top, gathered his balance and stuck his head up through the branches. He gazed around at the wide forest that was his home, where he'd been born. He felt an awe overtake him. It had reformed, every last tree, every vine, and every leaf. He could hear the waterfall that spilled into the swimming hole. But as he gazed around a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck and he yelped.

            Ursa's voice came out cold and angry.

            "Buddi! Gum's sake, what are you thinking?"

            "I was-"

            "You were going too high! What was my rule even before the woods fell?"

            "I…but Ursa…"

            She cleared her throat deliberately. The cub swallowed and stated,

            "Don't go more than twenty feet over the huts."

            She nodded. "You are disobeying it and you know it."

            The cub nodded. Ursa sighed. "Buddi, I don't want to hear you playing your flute for three days, understood?"

            Buddi's jaw dropped. "Three days?"

            Ursa narrowed her eyes. "Fine, it's now a week."

            Buddi sighed but said,

            "I'm sorry Ursa. But…it's been a year. I miss it. Do you know how it felt to swing up again? I didn't have so much fun even on my thirteenth birthday!"

            Ursa chuckled. "I don't doubt it. You ate so much sugar you were sick a week."

            The cub flushed. He remembered that. He'd been fine at first but by midnight as the party wound down, his stomach had started to hurt. Ursa had put him to bed with some medicine but it still ached for about a week. He was still embarrassed about that.

            Ursa smiled and looked at her child. "I know Buddi. I know it feels good but the point is that look how late it is. I know that you see well in the dark but this far up is dangerous."

            Buddi knew better than to argue. He sighed deeply. "I give."

            Ursa picked the cub up and then swung back down towards the others. She landed on the balcony of one of the huts. Gritty met her, saying,

            "It's safer in the trees than on the ground with the animals, Ursa."

            Ursa nodded. "Let's see what's left of our old hut, Gritty."

            The Barbic nodded and gestured to the others. They all landed on the balcony. Ursa gestured them in. They followed. The main chamber was in good shape aside from a few scratches and fallen beams. But their bedchambers were blocked off except for Buddi's. While the others set up the night cots, Ursa took Buddi to his room. She felt he'd feel better in his old room. He was nearly asleep by the time she got to his door.

            His bed was gone but she had her cloak, which would suffice. She set the cub on his feet and removed her cloak form him, laying it on the ground. She expected the child to protest as he always did when she came to get him to bed. But she ended up hiding a laugh as he yawned widely.

            Ursa moved the cub and laid him down gently. The cub looked at her so she reached into her sack and removed a small blanket. Draping that over him, she said,

            "We'll be in the main chamber if you need us. Get some sleep."

            "But…Ursa…I…I'm not tired."

            She chuckled. "And I'm the Queen of New Gumbrea. You are tired, Buddi. I can see it in your eyes. Sleep."

            The child gave in and Ursa left. The others had lit a fire and were in a circle around it. Gritty had a space saved for her, nearest the fire, right beside him. Or more accurately in front. She smiled and laid down. Exhaustion was playing with her. Telling her she was tired but her pride said she wasn't.

            Then, a gentle rubbing started at her temples. She looked back with her eyes. Gritty increased the pressure and using his superior strength, pushed her down. She sighed deeply. Gritty laughed and said,

            "Admit it. You're tired, Fearless Leader. And you deserve sleep. We all do."

            Ursa sighed but smiled. "Okay, you win."

            Then, like a child, she slept.

* * *

            Although the adults slept soundly, Buddi's sleep was troubled. He kept seeing Celina, laughing as if they were fools that had fallen into a trap so visible a blind man could see it. The cub was also troubled by the cold. In Barbic Woods, unlike Ursalia they had no easy way to keep warm. They kept warm by having fires in the bedrooms in the winter and spring. But Buddi's room was not equipped for that so Ursa would always drown him in blankets in those seasons. But they had limited blankets this time.

            Buddi tossed constantly, trying to keep warm. Nothing worked. Finally, it became too much. The child got to his feet and crept out to the main chamber. The adults were sleeping soundly, by a fire. Buddi crept over to Ursa and Gritty and knelt, tapping Ursa's shoulder.

            Ursa opened her eyes slowly and turned. Buddi was staring at her. Ursa kept her voice low and asked, "What is it, Buddi?"

            Gritty woke too and listened. Buddi sat down by them, trembling.

            "I…it's cold in my room, it's spring, remember?"

            The adults remembered. Ursa smiled and pulled Buddi under the covers between her and Gritty. Their body heat worked immediately. The child fell asleep in minutes. Ursa smiled and laid back down herself. Gritty stayed awake, watching the two a moment. Then, he too went to sleep, wrapping his large arms around them both, for body heat. It was strange, all the Barbics were like his friends but Ursa and Buddi had a special bond. And he had a special bond with them. He remembered seeing Ursa do this often when Buddi was younger. He smiled. Now it seemed history was repeating itself.

            As he fell asleep, he muttered, "Home, we're home again."