This is what Plucky saw. Just beyond the valley, where the river opened up to the sea, were two rapidly approaching barges – each carrying several hyenas. Their laughing and barking could be heard throughout the valley. Not a moment later, the rear rank of cougars had closed in. Plucky saw they were vastly outnumbered.
With renewed vigor, Plucky grabbed his banner and spun around to warn the others. To his surprise, he saw a rank of ants had formed, standing between the embattled cougars and the river. These ants snapped their pincers at any who dared approach.
"This cannot be happening!" Plucky shouted as he waved the flagpole as urgently as he could manage. His arms grew heavy, but still, he waved. He noticed a moment too late that the banner had come loose. It flew over the edge of the best and billowed down toward the ground. He dashed toward where he last saw the banner fly but could not grasp it in time. Plucky could only watch as the flag reached the valley floor. In desperation, he cried, "What can I do now?" He turned back to the other side of the best and saw the last defending cougars fall before the advancing hyenas. They barked and laughed with joy. The cougar cubs had long since been corralled into caves very high up the mountains. Their mothers protected them very well, Plucky thought. He began to think about his mother and where she could be. At that moment, his attention returned to the unchecked hyenas wreaking havoc. It seemed they were seeking something else. Suddenly, one of the taller hyenas barked and pointed toward the uppermost cave, and suddenly the witch's true intent was revealed. Plucky watched helplessly as the hyenas found and trod up the same path Plucky had been forced to climb on his way to the Great Owl. His instinct then prompted him to look down. To his horror, he spotted three hyenas at the base of the watchtower – his tower. One of them had begun to climb the ladder.
Meanwhile, along the opposite river bank, the cougars dodged and parried the ants' pincers as best they could. Curiously, none of the ants toppled over, despite receiving various wounds from the steel claws of the cougars' staves. Their feet were firmly planted. One of the defending cougars jumped back and landed directly in front of another ant, whose pincers snapped shut around the cougar. The pincers surprisingly did not cause the cougars any harm. Then the King yelled out, "The ants are an enchantment! Fear them not!"
The surviving cougars crossed the river and returned in haste to their valley. They quickly spotted the trio of hyenas who were threatening to harm Plucky. "Protect the cub! He is the King's steward!"
The two hyenas who hadn't climbed the ladder had fled to join the hyenas running toward the barges, the Great Owl in tow. They abandoned the third, who was now nearing the top of the ladder. Plucky cowered and backed up against the far wall. Plucky watched as the hyena poked his head up and locked eyes with him, a hungry-toothed grin on his face. Suddenly, the ladder began to wobble, and the hyena looked down for a moment. When he looked back up at Plucky, the hungry grin on his face was gone. In its place was a look of sheer panic. The ladder and the hyena at the top swayed backward, then fell before the hyena could grasp the nest wall. He disappeared out of Plucky's sight. Plucky breathed a sigh of relief. A few moments later, the ladder was returned to its original place, minus the hyena. Plucky then heard someone climbing the ladder and leaned over to see who it was. This time it was Djim who climbed into the nest.
"Are you okay?" He asked Plucky.
"Yes! How can I ever thank you?"
"You can worry about that later. Let's get you down from here." "Did we win?"
"I wouldn't be here if we were still fighting, now would I?"
Back on solid ground, Plucky heard the King barking various orders.
"Scour the caves for hyenas! See that our wives and cubs are safe! Tend to our elders and the wounded!"
Suddenly, two cougars rushed up to the King and bowed their heads. One of these shouted, "Your Majesty! They've taken it! They've taken the Owl!" The King turned to an officer and replied, "Let us deal with the Owl later. Now we must care for the slain and wounded."
The officer grimly nodded and went on his way.
"Are you okay, Djim? Are you hurt at all?" Plucky asked. "An ant landed on me, but I am okay now."
"I'm glad! I w... "
"Who am I kidding? I'm not okay!"
"What? Why?"
"I've never actually been in a battle before. I was having fun until the ant landed on me. After I got out from beneath it, reality set in. There were injured and dismembered cougars and hyenas everywhere I turned. I never imagined war could be this terrible. I..."
With that, Djim shook his head, looked down at his paws, then walked away. Plucky started after him but felt a paw cradle his shoulder.
"Give him time, Plucky," said the King.
Later that evening, Plucky met up with the King once more. He smiled when he approached. Together they solemnly watched as the procession of elegantly robed cougars carrying bundles tied with ropes up the eastern side of the valley on a part Plucky hadn't noticed before. It took him a moment to realize what was happening.
"Are they...?" Plucky asked, looking up at the King. The King answered by looking up at the mountain and placing a paw on Plucky's shoulder. As the first robed cougars in the procession reached the summit, they began to sing, joined by each pair of cougars behind them as they reached the top. Their song of woe rang out throughout the valley. This is what they sang:
You gave your lives for us this day;
How great the cost! Yet still, you paid!
Your previous lives we now shall mourn
From this night until the morn.
Our cougar kind shall not forget
How you paid our freedom's debt
May these torches light your way
And protect your families from dismay!
At the word 'dismay,' the King knelt and faced the torches as they were lit two by two, illuminating the path back down the mountain. Plucky knelt as well, tears flowing from his eyes. The King looked at Plucky and solemnly began to explain.
"For our kind, losing one's life in defense of our land is the greatest sacrifice a cougar in our tribe can make. As such, the fallen cougar earns the grandest honor to their family's name. We value sacrifice because it reminds us of what we sacrificed to escape the Witch's shadow of destruction."
Plucky rubbed his eyes, sniffled, then looked up at the King. He continued. "Even though I maintain a standing army, my ultimate intention is to remain a peaceful tribe. We were once loyal allies to the Lions in your forest." Plucky blinked his eyes in surprise. In all the stories his mother had told him, he had never heard this detail.
"About eight years ago, we received word of an army of plains' ants advancing on your forest. Our tribe was split between coming to the Lions' aid and ignoring the help the Lions requested. Our debate ended when our lookouts spotted several ants marching in our direction. At first, it appeared the ants sought battle against our tribe, but then they suddenly turned and retreated into the forest. We gave pursuit and entered the forest with reckless abandon. The ants were quickly overtaken and slain. Despite this small victory, my eyes beheld something I could never have fathomed. Your father, Plucky, was in the throes of battle with a sorceress I had never seen before. They were yelling something about a ruby when she waved her stick and sent a burst of energy in his direction. At that moment, he looked at me. The energy blast struck him in the chest. The next thing I saw, a powerful beam of red energy enveloped your father and shot into the sky. I began running toward him, but a few of my guards grabbed me and pointed me in a different direction. A pack of hyenas was running directly toward me. I then ordered us to retreat. We barely escaped with our lives. The hyenas stopped chasing us when we reached the plains. That was the last time I saw your father. I am telling you this because a part of me still believes he is yet alive. So should you."
Both the King and Plucky stood in silence as they watched the torches burn through the last of the oil.
"I hope you are right about my father," said Plucky.
The King smiled.
"Is Djim going to be okay?" he asked.
"I expect Djim will be fine... in time. Going to war for the first time changes a cougar. What happened to Djim after the battle also happened to me. Most of the time, the affected cougar recovers and grows into a battle-hardened warrior. I am counting on Djim's recovery so I can command him one last time. I want Djim to join you on your journey. I expect he will readily assent and appreciate this opportunity as much as I see you seem to.
Plucky couldn't hide the grin on his face.
"Now, Plucky, I really must rest. I feel more exhausted now than I have been in many moons. May you rest well."
With that, the King stood up and staggered off toward his tent. Plucky climbed the watchtower once more. As he untied his blanket from the flagpole, he thought about his father and hoped the King was right about him.
