Although Plucky could not see where he was being carried, he could feel the firm grasp of a paw on each limb. His feet dangled in the air. He wept with pain, his infected arm throbbing under pressure. Even so, his capture did not loosen their grip. An indefinite time later, the blindfold was quickly removed from his eyes. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sudden influx of light. When his eyesight returned, he saw a fully grown cougar on either side. The cougars lowered Plucky so that he could stand. Plucky's head reached their elbows. They seemed to be dressed in battle uniforms, or so he guessed. They had on two leather straps crossed in an x across their chest. In their other paw, the one not holding onto Plucky, they held a large stick capped by shiny steel claws on both ends.
As Plucky continued to take in his surroundings, he realized he was in a broad valley. A river divided the valley in two. It peacefully flowed straight for a distance, then ended in a delta at the far end, where it opened up to the sea. Plucky remembered seeing this on the map. There were three skilfully crafted wooden bridges, each adorned with a superb filigree pattern that ran along the length of the bridge. Both hillsides of the valley were dotted with layers of caves. He could see cougars going into and out of them. Some were seated on the ledge in front of their respective home. Others were cleaning what could be regarded as their porch. Cougar cubs of all sizes were engaged in a game of pursuit. This sight reminded Plucky of the carefree days he spent with his friends in the forest.
Organized in parallel lines on both sides of the river were beige tents, with the most spacious tents at the rear. It was apparent these tents housed the soldiers. Many of them were sitting around bonfires. Some were busy sharpening their claws. The guards led Plucky beyond all of these. He felt the steel gaze of countless eyes boring into him as he passed. Even the cubs stopped playing their game and eyed him hungrily. Plucky broke a sweat as he fixed his eyes on the ground before him.
All of a sudden, his captors stopped. Plucky raised his eyes to see the most enormous tent he had ever seen. A brown pennant atop the tent flapped in the wind. The cougars finally released him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
A solitary tear trickled down his cheek. The three entered, Plucky first. He immediately noticed the tent was in the shape of a T. The tent's inner walls were decorated with silhouettes of cougar paws, alternating with an artfully painted filigree – the same motif found on the bridges. It was then Plucky noticed it was significantly cooler indoors. His tender arm continued to throb. The guards remained close behind him. He slowly paced forward, unsure of what to expect. It was hushed, thought Plucky. He reached the corner and instinctively turned right. He was momentarily taken aback when he saw nothing but the inside of the tent. Suddenly, a voice behind him boomed, "SO! THIS IS THE INTRUDER!"
Plucky spun around and beheld the King in all his majesty. At the far end of the opposite wing, King Cougar remained seated upon his throne. He wore a small velvet crown bordered by a finely carved golden band. Centered on the King's forehead was a single jade jewel set within a golden ring. In his right paw, he held a silver scepter with three jade stones arranged in a triangle. He was dressed in an exquisite leather loincloth that covered his lower body.
The King's throne was elegantly carved out of wood with the same pattern adorning the tent and the bridges. The throne had three more jade stones perched atop three iron studs projecting from the top of the chair's back. On either side of the King stood a guard, clothed similarly to the cougars who initially captured Plucky. They each wielded a stick with metal claws at both ends. King Cougar coughed as Plucky looked on. Then, remembering something he had heard in a story once, he knelt and bowed his head. The King spoke.
"Tell me now... What business does a lone bear cub have within my realm?" In a trembling voice, Plucky recounted his journey this far. When he mentioned Olive, however, the King blinked and leaned forward. In response to this, Plucky paused his narrative. The King interrupted on cue.
"I am curious about her dealings with a little bear, though I have since learned not to underestimate her craftiness. By our law, you will be taken before the Owl."
The King leaned toward the guard to his left.
"Tend to his injuries and see that he is fed."
The guard nodded and pulled out a small flute from a pouch on his side. He played a short three-note melody. Immediately, the two guards who had accompanied Plucky into the tent were beside him again, motioning him to leave the King's presence. Plucky was thankful they did not squeeze his arms this time. Outside the tent, he was given a few moments to stretch; then, Plucky stood up and jogged to catch up with the cougars. They stopped in front of a smaller tent, distinguished by a red plus sign on the entry flaps. Plucky was lightly shoved as he entered the tent. There was an aged cougar inside, yet he moved with a grace matching Plucky. His eyes darted toward Plucky's arm.
"Come here, young bear cub. I must tell you your arm is infected. You came to me just in time. I will make a poultice for your wound."
Soon after, Plucky left the tent, feeling much better as far as his arm was concerned. They led Plucky to a log by the riverbank. He sat. One of the guards left and returned with a plate of roasted chicken. Plucky's stomach growled as the aroma reached his nostrils. He devoured the chicken as quickly as he could. He thought to ask for more, but as soon as they saw he was done, they ordered him to follow them. Plucky was led back into the valley. Plucky gazed upon the mountains. He was still impressed by their size. After passing the last tent, they turned right onto a well-worn trail up the western mountain. The climb upward was steep; Plucky thought it was the highest mountain in all the valley. The sun shone brightly as he struggled to keep up with the cougars, who made the ascent appear effortless. He broke into a profound sweat. The guards, noticing this, returned to him. One of the guards lifted him by his unwounded arm and carried him on his shoulders. Even with the added weight, the cougar bringing him kept up with the other cougar. Eventually, they arrived at a ledge. The cougar promptly set Plucky down. The path they were on led into a giant cave. This cave was so dark, Plucky could not see very far inside, despite the daylight.
One of the guards pointed inside as he looked at Plucky. The other guard ordered Plucky to repeat his story to the Owl. Plucky stumbled as he entered the cave but wandered in nonetheless. Deep inside the cave, his ears detected the ruffling of feathers. He was close. Plucky shuddered at the sound. It was very chilly inside, even for a shelter. The restless flapping became more prominent now. Plucky could now discern the outline of a bird as large as he was, perched on an equally large stone. Their eyes met as the Owl screamed.
"SPEAK!"
Plucky composed himself and recited his adventure once more. When he told of his conversation with Olive about his ruby, the Owl howled and beat his wings, screaming, "LIES! LIES!"
The racket frightened Plucky, and he turned around to run toward the sunlight, nearly stumbling over his feet. In a flash, the two guards appeared, intercepting Plucky before he could go any further. One of the guards squeezed Plucky's uninjured arm, and the three descended the mountain. When they arrived at the bottom, they continued past the tents, but this time they crossed the river via the first bridge they reached. The guard released Plucky's arm and lightly shoved him forward. There, in front of him, was a large boulder. Plucky watched as the guards rolled the boulder out of the way, revealing another tunnel burrowed deep into the mountain. Plucky sheepishly entered the tunnel. The first thing Plucky saw were several prison cages and cells. Many were occupied by feral cougars, one to a cell. Plucky winced as they threw themselves at the cages he passed by, scratching at the air in a vain attempt to seize him. The guards fended off any claws that got too close to harm Plucky.
In one of the cells, Plucky saw a younger cougar seated against the rear wall of his cage. The cougar slowly sniffed the air, then looked straight at Plucky. They locked eyes for a brief moment, then the cougar almost as quickly dropped his head once more. Plucky wondered at this as he was shoved into the car next to him. The cage door slammed shut with a clang. How will I ever find my mother now? Plucky thought to himself. He curled up into a ball and cried.
