Brother Bear: Little Sister

Healing

       The moose caught up to them and they were breathing heavily. They were rambling a bunch of stuff like how's it going and I didn't know that you had a brother and a sister to which Kenai was about to correct them on, but the moose interrupted them. Wow. Something must've spooked them. Apparently, Denahi was still tracking us and the moose wanted us to protect them since we were bears.

        "We lost the hunter back under the glacier." Kenai stated.

        "So, you don't think that he'll follow those?" One of the moose asked.

        "They are quite nice." The other one said. We looked behind us and saw that we had made the perfect trail for Denahi to find us. I would've face-palmed, but I didn't want to lose my balance. Another problem is that Denahi is a great tracker and knowing him, he'll catch up with us very soon. I whispered to Kenai, "What are we going to do?"

        "I've got an idea." Kenai said. I looked at him strangely not sure whether or not I would like it. Soon enough, we were on mammoths. This has got to be strange for the other animals and doesn't exactly make us blend in with our surroundings, but I guess it was doing the trick, plus this is seriously fun. I began laughing and climbed up to the head of the mammoth and looked at the surroundings. I noticed Koda who said, "Okay. This is really weird." Couldn't blame the kid. The two moose whom I later learned are called Rut and Tuke were arguing about driving the mammoth. I rolled my eyes at the two and went up to the mammoth's head.

        I looked back at Kenai and smiled when I saw that he was having a good time. Things were turning out for the better after all. We can get through this. Suddenly, I slipped and rolled down the mammoth's trunk and would've fallen, but the mammoth caught me and lifted me back on it's head. I could hear Kenai laughing behind me and turned around and stuck my tongue out at him.

        I noticed that one of the other mammoths had lifted Koda up on it's trunk and Koda was able to stand up on it. Then, I noticed that Kenai was balancing himself on it as well. So, I decided to do it too. I nearly slipped, but I was able to catch my balance at the last minute. This was a lot of fun and daring as well. If only Denahi was here, he would join in on the fun as well. I had to shake that thought out of my head. I couldn't focus on him. I can't do anything for him in my bear state.

        Eventually, I joined Kenai on his mammoth and snuggled next to him listening to Koda drone on and on about all his crazy adventures. When he got to the part about what snow was clean and which one wasn't, I dozed off.

        I was there at the glacier again. The scene of Sitka's death kept replaying over and over again. Each time, getting closer to Sitka's face. His determination and sorrow. Grief rode through me. The pestering thought of if I could've done something kept relaying. I sobbed against what I thought was Denahi, but, it turned to a man that I didn't recognize at first, but, then realized that it was father and there was a women next to him that I knew was my mother. Their eyes were cold. Everything was reminded of death. I missed them so much. I wondered what advice they would give to me. Then, my parents' image cracked like broken ice and dissolved. I was met with Denahi glaring at me saying, "Why did you leave me alone during this time? Why?" Then, his image shattered as well and I was met with Sitka's now cold stare. The ice beneath him cracked and he fell into the icy waters below. I screamed his name.

       I jerked awake and it took me a moment to adjust to my surroundings. I was still snuggled against Kenai. I wasn't at the glacier. Dawn wasn't here yet, but I knew that the sun would rise soon. I took a deep breath trying to hold everything in, but I just couldn't anymore. I started to cry. I did my best to stay strong, but I just couldn't anymore. My heart mourned for my parents, for Sitka, and Denahi. I missed them so much. It hurts so much.

        "Tehya?" Kenai questioned. I quickly climbed back up the mammoth onto it's head careful not to hurt it or to annoy it. I tried to wipe away my tears, but I knew that I couldn't keep hiding them from Kenai anymore. He climbed up after me and said, "Tehya, are you alright? Please talk to me."

        I let the tears loose again. Not caring anymore who so saw them. I embraced Kenai and sobbed, "Kenai, I miss him. I miss everyone. I miss mother, father, Sitka, and Denahi. I want things to go back to the way they were before. I tried to be strong, but I just can't anymore. I'm so lost, Kenai. What is going to happen to us when we reach this journey's end? What is going to change? I know that life isn't going the way like it used to be. I'm so scared of what's going to happen to us."

        Kenai held me closer while I said these words. He said, "I don't know what's in store for us, Tehya. I'm just as confused as you are, but do you want to know what is keeping me going?"

        I stifled a sob and asked, "What?"

        "Well, first off, at the end of this journey, we'll finally be rid of you-know-who." Kenai joked.

        I chuckled lightly and shoved him playfully, "Oh stop. He's not that bad."

        "I know that now, but, what's really been keeping me going is you, Teyha. You've helped me more than you know and you're helping me by keeping me from going insane. I know that we'll be able to handle what comes next because we handle it together as siblings. What's that thing that you like to say because we're siblings?" Kenai questioned with a smirk.

        I smiled and said, "We'll always stick together."

        "That's right." Kenai said. I hugged him again and whispered, "Thank-you, Kenai."

        "Anytime, little sis." Kenai said.  It felt good to get that off my chest and I looked back and saw the first lights of dawn.

        The start of a new day.