Plucky had kept his fathers ruby for as long as he could remember. He recalled what his mother had said to him when he asked what the ruby came from. Why didn't she tell him the truth? He would have appreciated the ruby that much more. If only he had known. Or... Was Olive lying to him? She sounded so sweet and honest. Plucky thought of what Olive had told him. He had to move quickly if he was to find his mother. As he pondered all of this, he rushed back and forth throughout the house, gathering what he would need. His pack filled quickly, and there was yet more he needed. In desperation, he dumped the contents of his bag onto his bed. He decided to take only the most essential items. He repacked, and this time they fit snugly, with some room to spare. There was just room enough for the map, still in the kitchen. He ran to the table and grabbed the map. Time to move out, he told himself. With the pack on his back, he made his way toward the front door. I'm coming, Mother.
He paused outside his front door to look at the map. He studied it for a few more moments and committed the route to memory. He was to go north through the mountains. He froze. He realized this meant he would have to travel to one side of the field where the Lions were still sleeping. They could wake at any moment. He glanced at the Lions. They were still under Olive's spell.
Plucky rolled up the map and began walking north, alongside the field, to avoid losing his way. Passing by the Lions, he could not refrain from looking at them. To his horror, the Great Lion stirred, rose, sniffed the air, then spun around and charged towards Plucky. All Plucky could do was shut his eyes and await the terrifying impact. A few interminable moments went by. He realized he was still standing, then slowly opened his eyes. There before him, in all his dreadful majesty, stood the Great Lion. Plucky hopped backward with terror in his eyes. It seemed the Lion could not approach him, try as he might. Olive's magic yet held. The Great Lion called out to Plucky, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"I know you possess the ruby, Plucky. I also heard everything the Witch told you. If you continue on your path and leave the woods, the ruby which hangs around your neck will lose its magic, and you will lose with it all hope of seeing your mother again. Could you give me the ruby, Plucky? You know from the bottom of your heart that this is the right thing to do.
Without a moment's hesitation, Plucky yelled, "NO!"
Plucky ran as fast as his stout legs would carry him. He heard the Lion roar fiercely. Then a calm yet sharp voice spoke as its owner stood directly behind him. This magic cannot hold me forever. I will track you down, Plucky. The ruby belongs to me!
Shaken to his bones, Plucky ran for his life. His mind screamed, If I could make it to the Scar, I would be safe! He ran on for a while, ears listening for the Lion to roar again. The forest was silent. This could mean the Lion was still trapped or, worse, was on the hunt,
Out of breath, Plucky could run no more. Where am I? Plucky thought to himself. He remembered the map he had deposited in his bag and was relieved it was still there. He unrolled it. None of it had changed. If only the map could show him where he was compared to where he was supposed to go. The sun was still out, though it shone weakly. The night would come soon with its set of troubles and dangers. He took in his surroundings. There were thick trees and vegetation everywhere. He had no idea what to do next. Plucky sat down with his back to a tree. He couldn't go any further. After catching his breath, he noticed there were flowers all around him. He spotted varieties of orchids, several of which he saw for the first time. He gasped as he beheld the glowing blue amaranth, the rarest and most beautiful flower. Plucky felt a little better. He stood up and stretched. He chose a direction and hoped it was north. He trudged on.
As Plucky walked, the canopy thickened, blocking the moonlight and starlight from view. Hours had passed, Plucky thought to himself. Because Plucky was a bear, he saw clearly at night, despite the lack of light to guide his way. At length, he decided to climb a tree. He had experience climbing trees, though he had never climbed one to its top. As intimidating as these trees seemed, he decided it would not be much more difficult. The problem in his mind would be climbing back down. Plucky was mildly afraid of heights, you see. He looked around until he saw a tree with many low-hanging branches. Plucky set his pack down and started climbing.
It was a gentle climb. He had noticeably grown since the last time he went up a tree. The extra branches were undoubtedly a bonus. As he approached the canopy, he could not find a clear passage to the top. The branches were very dense and thick up here. A careless move could send him tumbling to the bottom. After some thought, he realized he could climb sideways until he found an aperture. He went left, paw by paw, hanging from the thick branch. A few moments later, to his delight, he saw the moonlight peek through the canopy. He reached the top and then caught his breath. There were trees all around, as far as his eyes could see. Far off in the distance, h could make out the faint outlines of the mountain range - the one he was supposed to travel through. Out of fear, he had run the wrong way. Plucky slowly looked around himself once more. He could not see the end of the forest. It was then a loud thunder crack startled him. Looking up, he beheld a thick dark cloud approaching. The wind began to pick up, and he felt a few large raindrops pelt his fur. If there was one thing Plucky disliked more than stirring mother's cauldron, it was getting rained on. Plucky began to climb down, determined to reach the bottom before getting soaked by the storm. His paws slipped more than once. He felt nervous and fell backward, landing on a dense cluster of branches. He cried out when he felt a sharp pain in his right forearm. He rotated his arm toward him. It was a gash but didn't seem too deep. There was no time to deal with that now. He arose cautiously and finished his descent in the pouring rain. It was then Plucky realized he had set his pack down by a different tree. He tried running, but his feet sank into the mud with each step. In his panic, he searched the area, suddenly spotting his pack. He hoped the map was still dry. Looking for shelter, he noticed an outcropped rock and ran toward the burrow beneath it. Cautiously, he opened his pack to check on the map. It was surprisingly still dry. The map has to be enchanted, thought Plucky. He slid his paws through the pack's straps and winced in pain. He remembered his wound. He took another look at his arm. It still stung, but the rain had since rinsed off the dried blood. Lightning cracked once more, this time much closer. He would have to wait until the storm passed.
Plucky was starving. Digging in his bag, he found a banana with a bruised peel. It would have to do for now. He ate it and dropped the skin on the ground. Some more time passed, and the rain reduced to a sprinkle before stopping. He crawled out from beneath the rock. He checked his wound once more. The stinging had since subsided, and there was no more blood. He wished his mother was with him - she would know what to do. Plucky's stomach grumbled again. He sat upon the rock and dug into his back some more. Not much food remained: another banana, a pair of red apples, and an orange. He should save them for later. Satisfied that the rain had stopped, he continued toward the mountain range. He was thankful for the occasional moonlight that peeked through the trees. His feet were throbbing. He thought he would stop to take a nap. He was cold, anyway, and thought he could start a small campfire for warmth. He then remembered the Lions were still out there. No fire tonight. Plucky shivered.
Finding a fallen elephant leaf on the ground, he collected it and returned to his makeshift shelter. Curling up beneath the leaf, he quickly drifted off to sleep.
Plucky was at home. He saw his mother in the living room. She looked up and smiled at him as she gently rocked in her chair. She wore a stunning floral green dress that she had just completed sewing. It was adorned with different flowers she had grown in her garden. She beckoned Plucky over to sit on her lap. He merrily ran over to her and leaped up. She grabbed him midair and, in one fluid motion, cradled him in her arms. Then she began singing Plucky's favorite lullaby. His eyes drooped as she sang:
The stars in the sky bring hope to all
Who gaze upon them, great and small
The moon has smiled upon us
The sun spreads its warmth over us
There is nothing but love I have for you
By all I say and all I do
Dream sweet dreams, O little one
The day is gone, the night has come
Rest my child, and hear me sing
Of magic only dreams can bring
So make a wish and close your eyes
And think of peaceful starry skies
There is nothing but love I give to you
There is nothing but peace I offer you
Good night, sweet dreams, my little bear
Remember, I am always there...
Plucky felt his eyes close one more time, smiling at his mother. She stood up and carried him toward his room and bed. Without warning, he and his mother were startled by the road of several angry Lions. They crashed through the front door and leaped towards Plucky's room, immediately overwhelming his mother. Plucky screamed as they dragged her limp body away. An instant later, the Great Lion was upon him, trapping him in his bed. Plucky couldn't help but look into the bloodshot eyes of his captor. The Lion's mouth opened and, in an ominous voice, growled, "I am coming for you!"
