Bear With Me

    “Sugi! Stop rubbing on that tree and come on! We need to get to the top of the mountain by nightfall!”

    “Calm yourself, Tweety! We have plenty of time! Besides, this tree’s texture is-”

    “I don’t care about the tree’s texture! We are on a hunting expedition! Not a mission to investigate every single tree in this forsaken forest!”

    “Excuse you? I waited patiently for you to-”

    “Girls! Enough! C’mon, we shouldn’t be arguing. It’s too nice a day!”

    The two mares, a pangare tobiano bicolor palomino and a pangare chestnut cream pearl, turned to look at the stallion, a black tuxedo splash archetain.

    He stood ahead of them on the trail, grinning awkwardly as he swished his tail. “Hunting is a happy occasion! We should be fighting. Tweety, surely there are things you enjoy doing? You can relate a little bit, can’t you?”

    Tweety, the chestnut pearl, snorted and swished her tail. “I guess. But she is wasting time.”

    Sugi, the bicolor palomino, detached herself from the tree and huffed. “Had you just allowed me to investigate the tree, it wouldn’t have taken up near as much time.”

    Tweety glared at her, but instead of confronting her growled and brushed past the stallion. “Whatever you say, Naël.”

    Naël watched his half sister pass before he shot an apologetic glance at Sugi. “Sorry about her. Was the texture interesting?”

    Sugi raised an eyebrow. She couldn’t help appreciate his efforts to ease tension, but surely he knew it was a lost cause? Two dominate mares would never get along, no matter what efforts were made. “Yes,” she said slowly, hoping the stallion didn’t catch the doubt in her voice. “It was.”

    Naël grinned, missing the doubt completely. Or perhaps he was just looking to the bright side of things. It didn’t really matter.

    “Glad to hear it!” he chirped happily, turning and prancing up the hill after his half sister.

    Sugi followed a small distance behind the two. She eyed Naël with amusement. He didn’t walk, it seemed. No, he had to dance with every step. Happy-go-lucky, she honestly didn’t know a Ballator could be so happy.

    It was a nice day for a hunt, as he said. The sun was warm and bright, and it wasn’t too hot or too cold. A small breeze blew through and rustled the leaves on the trees.

    She glanced up towards the top of the mountain. While they had a way to go, they still had plenty of time to make it there. I have more than enough time to rub on a few trees! Who is she to tell me I can’t investigate textures?

    She fought to keep her mane from bristling. Another fight really wouldn’t help.

    I must only put up with her until we get that bear.

    She looked up and notice the two Ballators had stopped. Naël was still as a statue, every hair standing on end.

    Sugi frowned, trotting forward. What had they found? Reaching Naël’s side, she realized they were staring at a slow flowing river. The current was smooth, but Sugi could tell the water was fairly deep.

    They could swim across easily, though! Why had they stopped?

    Tweety glanced at Naël then waded into the water. She pushed off the bank and swam across. She dragged herself out onto the other side and shook herself off. Facing the two Ballators still on the opposite side of the bank, she yelled, “C’mon!”

    Naël shook his head and took a step back. His nostrils flared as he stared at the water with wide eyes.

    Confused, Sugi walked forward to stand beside the stallion. “Naël? It’s just water.”

    He shook his head and took another step back. “I-I can’t.”

    Tweety groaned and rolled her eyes from the opposite bank. “Come on, Naël! Your legs will be just fine!”

    His legs? What’s wrong with his legs? Sugi didn’t see anything wrong with them. Why would he be worried that his legs would fail?

    Naël wasn’t convinced. He continued to stare with wide eyed terror at the slow moving river.

    Sugi realized he wouldn’t be able to make it across the river in his current state, even if his legs were the best out there. He’d most likely panic midway, and possibly drown when he lost control of his legs.

    She brushed up beside him. “Naël,” she said softly.

    The stallion turned to look at her, eyes wild.

    “I’ll go with you. Come on.”

    He continued to stare at her, not saying anything. For a few moments, Sugi actually thought he’d refuse completely and tell them to go on without him.

    However, he nodded, the movement quick and jerky.

    Sugi gave him an encouraging nod and walked beside him into the river.

    Naël’s entrance was less than smooth, pausing every time he took a step. Sugi could feel his flanks heave beside her. When it came time to push off, Naël halted.

    Sugi tried her best to nudge him on. “You can do it.”

    The stallion took a deep breath, then pushed off. Sugi felt his flanks heave harder as he held his head as high as he could above the water. Sugi could see the whites of his eyes flash as he breathed in short snorts.

    Sugi felt his flanks deflate as they reached the opposite bank. The exhausted stallion collapsed on the bank, water streaming off his coat. Eyes closed, he rested his chin on the ground, panting.

    The bicolor mare shook her pelt off and looked down at him. What was his deal?

    She looked over at Tweety for an answer, but the mare had already moved off, searching for a trail. Sugi frowned and followed her. When they were out of earshot of Naël, she whispered, “What’s wrong with his legs?”

    Tweety glanced back at her. “Well, our mom had the Carey gene. While he didn’t get it, something isn’t right with his back legs. Sometimes they fail. He also has a bad fear of drowning.” She shook her mane with a tired snort. “It’s a bad combination.”

    Sugi blinked in shock. His hesitation made a lot more sense now. The water wasn’t deep or fast, but if she had an issue like Naël she would have thought very carefully before jumping into any body of water.

    “So when do his legs fail?”

    Tweety grumbled, “We don’t exactly have a timer to tell us his legs are about to fail at a certain time.”

    Sugi flattened her ears. “No need to be rude, Tweety. I simply inquired to better know how this hunting mission will turn out.” Why did this mare have to be so sarcastic?

    Tweety snapped, “It’ll be fine. Go get him. I found a trail.”

    The bicolor mare shook her head. She wasn’t going to get anywhere with this stubborn mare. She turned back and retraced her steps to the river bank.

    Naël still laid on the ground, eyes closed. As Sugi approached, he opened them and lifted his head. “Thank you for helping me. I… I’m sorry I couldn’t do it on my own.”

    Sympathy flashed through Sugi. The poor stallion looked positively mortified. It wasn’t his fault he had a fear of drowning. “Don’t worry, Naël. Come on, Tweety found a trail.”

    Naël nodded and pushed himself to his feet. Once Sugi had stepped away, he shook the remaining water from his pelt. Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile to his face, he trotted behind Sugi.

    Once they reached Tweety, the trio continued up the mountain.

    With her newfound information, Sugi realized she checked back on Naël more often than she should. While he didn’t acknowledge her gaze, she knew he could feel it on him. Poor thing was embarrassed enough. She shouldn’t make it worse.

    Sugi forced herself to keep her eyes straight ahead.

    It didn’t take them too long to reach the top of the mountain. They stopped outside of a large cave, the massive yawning mouth stretching high above their heads.

    Naël, back to his cheerful self, grinned and called, “Helloooooo.”

    The resulting echo lasted for longer than Sugi thought possible. How deep was the cave? Did it go all the way through the mountain? Was the bear inside there now? If it was, it certainly wasn’t sleeping. At least not after Naël greeted the cave mouth.

    Tweety frowned, sniffing the air. “Wait, that’s not right.” She breathed deeper. “The scent is stale. The trail and the cave scent are the same. This morning.”

    Sugi looked over at Tweety. “That means…?”

    Tweety looked over at her. “The bear’s not here.”

    It was Sugi’s turn to frown. “Not here? Where could it be?” Was it out hunting, just as they were?

    Tweety shrugged indifferently. “We can just go find it.”

    ROAR

    The Ballators all jerked their head to the left where the beast charged over the small hill.

    Naël shouted, “I think it’s already found us!”

    Tweety cursed and yelled, “Scatter!”

    Sugi leapt off to her left, back towards the slope. Naël jumped into the cave, the sharp sound of his hooves striking the rocks ringing around the cave and bouncing off the rocks. Tweety dashed to her right.

    The bear stopped in the clearing in front of the cave, swinging its broad head back and forth. Dark eyes settled on Sugi before it charged her.

    The bicolor palomino whinnied in fright and danced out of the charging animal’s path. She narrowly avoided the animal’s claws as it swiped at her.

    Naël called from the cave, “Do we have a plan!?”

    Tweety, face distorted in an angry snarl, spat, “Regroup further down! Sugi, down the hill!” She bolted and Naël followed close behind her.

    Sugi dodged another charge and raced down the slope after the pair. The tip of a claw nicked her back fetlock, but it wasn’t serious enough to slow her.

    After a breathless race through the trees just far enough to be out of danger but to keep the cave in sight, Tweety stopped, her companions following suit.

    Naël, breathing heavily as his back legs wobbled, grinned despite the tremor in his voice. “That could have gone better I guess!”

    Tweety looked at him, disbelief plain on her face. “Are you serious!?”

    Sugi looked back at her leg. A faint streak of red discolored the hair, but nothing serious.

    Naël replied to his half-sister. “We can try again in the morning! We have nothing to do tomorrow! We will get this bear!”

    He’s so upbeat. Even with a disaster, he remains cheerful. I don’t understand this stallion, Sugi thought, shaking her head.

    Tweety glared at Naël, then groaned and shook her head. “Fine,” she grumbled, finding a spot under a tree. She laid down. “We’ll attack first thing in the morning.”

    -----

    Sugi awoke to a faint light in front of her eyelids. She forced open her eyes with a groan. A faint pinkish light illuminated the forest, giving it almost magical look. She looked around.

    Tweety still slept under a large tree, but Naël was nowhere to be found.

    Sugi frowned and pushed herself to her feet. Where would he have gone? He wouldn’t have tried to go after the bear, surely. She sniffed the air. Catching his scent, she followed it to a cliff side overlooking the valley below. There at the edge she saw him looking at the birds far above.

    Sugi stopped behind a tree, something telling her not to bother him.

    His tail swished slowly and his flanks slowly fell as he whispered, almost too softly for Sugi to hear, “Oh, little birds. If only I could fly like you. I’d never have to worry about these legs. Yet I’m stuck here, on the ground.” He sighed. “But, perhaps someday I’ll join you. Until then,” his tail lifted, “I shall live every day with a smile on my face.”

    Sugi slowly backed away and headed back to Tweety. Poor Naël. All he wants is working legs. Yet, he’s always so happy. I’ll never understand it.

    As she arrived back at the small hollow they used for shelter, Tweety raised her head. “Where’d you go?”

    “I went…” She doesn’t need to know I spied on Naël. Even if it wasn’t intentional. “To rub on a tree.”

    Tweety thankfully bought the lie. She shook her head and pushed herself to her feet. “Why am I not surprised?” Her eyes shifted to something behind Sugi. “Did you go to rub on a tree too, Naël?”

    Sugi turned to see Naël trot out of the trees. “Nope. Watched the sun rise! It was really pretty.”

    To Sugi’s relief, the stallion didn’t mention seeing her if he had.

    Tweety shook herself off. “Well, we should make a plan.” She glanced between Naël and Sugi. “Naël,” she said after a moment of looking the two over. “You’ll bring down the bear. Sugi and I will distract it. Everyone clear on the plan?”

    Sugi cleared her throat. “How might we distract the bear?” She did not want to acquire another scar, no matter how small.

    Tweety glanced at her. “Get it out of the cave and keep it facing down the hill. Naël will sneak up behind it.”

    Naël nodded. “You can count on me. Now, round two!”

    *****

    Sugi approached the cave, every sense on high alert. They didn’t know if the bear was in the cave or if it had gone out again. As Sugi approached, she noticed a lump of dark fur near the cave front.

    The bear must have still been sleeping.

    She turned to ask Tweety if they should still go through with their original plan or if they should just rush the bear while it slept. However, the mare reared up and snarled.

    So much for that.

    The bear’s head shot up. Upon seeing Tweety charging at him, he bared his teeth in a snarl and lunged at Tweety as she grew close.

    Tweety stopped short, however, and wheeled around to kick at the bear. Her back hoof gazed its cheek before the bear could jerk away.

    It roared and swiped at her, but it missed her.

    Tweety jumped back towards Sugi but turned to face the bear again. “C’mon! Come and fight!”

    The bear took the challenge and charged out of the cave.

    But he wasn’t counting on Naël.

    “I’m a bird!” the Ballator yelled, jumping off the rocks above the cave.

    The bear wasn’t the only one shocked to see a flying Ballator. Sugi’s mouth dropped open as she froze.

    He became a bird after all.

    The bear barely had time to look up before Naël landed on top of him. The following killing bite to the back of the neck was practically unnecessary; Naël had snapped the animal’s spine with his weight.

    Sugi approached as Naël got off the now dead bear. The stallion grinned at her and Tweety. “Dinner,” he said with mock elegance, “Is served.”