Author’s note:
“[If some one talks like this]” they’re talking bear/animal language
^If something was written like this^ it means Ladni’s talking into his head
A well-lit cave was hidden behind a thick curtain of vegetation. In it, five
kids (one unconscious) gawked at a black juvenile bear. It was approximately
three to four years old; its body was scrawny and wide-awake. Very strange
considering the fact that it was already winter, and a blizzard was active
outside.
“I knew it. You DID understand.” Exclaimed Link. The bear shied away,
“You knew?” it accusingly looked at the Hylians, making sure that they
weren’t going to attack.
“Don’t worry.” Assured Lisa. “We did trick you, but we only did that so you
can trust us.” The bear slightly relaxed.
“So. Is that white stuff mine?” he indicated towards the stew Naia had made.
“All yours.” Confirmed by the brown haired female, the bear started gobbling
down the sweet soup.
“You two. Can you help us wake Endu?” called Ren.
“I’ll help” Lisa volunteered, “Naia. Please stop that. He isn’t a peace of
garbage.” Naia was crouching beside the two boys, poking the unconscious
Endu with the end of her wooden spoon. She shrugged in reply.
“Just making sure he was alive.” She hefted herself away from Endu and the
twins and sat beside Link, who was on his stomach just to be at the same eye
level with the bear. “You like it?” she asked. It nodded in response, too
busy eating to reply. “What’s your name?” she asked again, and this time,
the bear responded
“Ladni.” Link extended a hand to him
“Name’s Link. Pleasure.” Ladni looked at his hand with intrigue and
confusion.
“What are you doing with your paw?” he asked.
“Oh. It’s a Hylian gesture to say hello.” Link explained as he gave an
example with the help of Naia. Ladni looked at them with fascination,
“We do this.” Without warning, he head butted Link . . . hard. “That shows
friendship.” Link grasped his head in silent agony, while Naia tried to
disguise her spluttering chuckles into coughs.
“Why did you save me?” Ladni asked.
“You saved us first. We just returned the favour.” Link grunted. *How can
this little guy give such a strong head butt?* he wondered.
“No. I didn’t. There were squirrels on a tree squeaking for help, but I
didn’t see you guys until I chased the other Hylians away.” Ladni’s lips
curled into what looked like a smile. “Dad’s going to be proud.” He cocked
his head towards Naia, “Why did you want to understand me?” Naia turned away
and covered her face with her scarf.
“I learnt that it felt nice to be thanked. I wanted to thankyou, that’s
all.” She faltered a moment and continued, “Thanks for trying to save my
squirrel friends.”
“Your welcome.” Ladni replied.
“Ugh!” Ren yelled, “Can we resort to violence now?” he pleaded
“What’s wrong?” Link asked, still rubbing his head.
“Endu’s not waking up that’s what!” Ren fumed, “I say we should slap him,
but Lisa’s not letting me!”
“Violence isn’t the only way to sort problems!” Lisa stuck out her tongue at
her brother. Naia sighed in annoyance and walked out the ivy curtain,
returning with a clump of snow. She knelt beside Endu’s face and dropped the
ice onto it.
“He’ll be up . . . now.” Endu rose from his unconscious state in a flash, as
if he just woke from a nightmare, “See.” Naia smirked.
“Wha . . .What?” Endu rubbed his eyes, trying to remember why he had fallen
asleep. “Guys. I had the most strangest dream. The bear that saved us . . .”
“It talked.” Finished Lisa. Endu’s face scrunched up in bewilderment.
“How did you know?” he asked
“Cause it wasn’t a dream silly.” she replied. Endu’s face turned pale as
milk. As slowly as a Frankenstein, his head turned towards Ladni.
“Hi.” Endu was ready to faint again. He pinched his face to make sure he
wasn’t dreaming. Link smirked at him. He pointed a finger at him,
“Told you so.”
“But this can’t be right. A bear that isn’t hibernating, talking Hylian, and
a boy and girl that understands bear language? Give me another impossible
aspect of today and I’ll scream!” Endu whined.
“Actually, there’s another thing that’s a little strange.” Ren pointed out,
“The bear has a triangular mark on his forehead, and so does Link.”
“What?” gasped Naia.
“How’d you . . .”
“Nice view of your forehead when you dived down and broke my sword.” Joked
Ren
“Oh . . . yeah.” Link remembered. Link suddenly noticed a noise. Ironic
chuckles were coming from Naia. She didn’t really sound healthy (by that I
meant crazy). “You okay there, Naia?”
“No.” she chuckled back
“Want to talk?” he asked. Her chuckles were silenced, and she looked at her
friends.
“It’s not much to talk about. Just laughing at the irony that’s all.”
“And that would be . . .?” Ren pushed. Naia pulled back her fringe to reveal
her half tanned forehead. There was a slightly paler patch above her left
eyebrow. It was a perfect triangular birthmark.
“Three sided shape, three birthmarks, three people. How ironic is that?”
Everyone was quiet until Endu started screaming just as promised. Endu
calmed down after a few minutes.
“I think we should go to bed.” Suggested Lisa. All of them agreed and
shuffled into their blankets. Just as Link had suspected, the blanket was
quite cold. He took a woven mattress of hay and dumped it on top of the
holey sheet. *That’s better* he mused with content.
“Hey Ladni. Since you’re our friend now, want to say your dream, wish and
biggest secret?” The cub felt stunned at the request.
“You regard me as a friend?”
“Uh. Yes! (Duh?) Gosh, you sound like a certain someone I know.” Joked Link.
“Who may that be?” Naia demanded.
“Never mind.” He replied teasingly.
“Ok.” The bear hesitated and began. “Um. . . my dream is to become the sole
protector for my clan, my biggest wish is to get rid of all bear eaters, and
my biggest secret . . .” he waited for a secret to pop into his head. One
came and this one made him smile, “is that the head butt greeting doesn’t
mean friendship.”
“What!?” shrieked Link, “That really hurt damn it!” Minutes of laughter
followed. ^I can really like these guys.^ Naia threw sand on the fire to
extinguish it. The cave was swallowed in darkness.
“You know?” Lisa considered, “This was a really good day. Good food, good
fun, another good friend and another memory to treasure.” Ren mock shivered
at what his sister said
“That sounds too deep for you.” He gagged. Lisa rolled her eyes.
“Good night.” Together, the children had wonderful dreams of the past,
present, and future.
