by J. S. Skye
The warrior now pointed a smaller blade at Jack. Despite its inferior size, he knew how to wield it just as well as the larger one. They continued their battle for quite a while. Flurry, Drizzle, and Noah watched, helpless to do anything. Flurry occasionally tried to throw rocks at Jack, but the villain deflected them each time. “That worked once, you little brat, but it won’t work a second time!” Jack shouted at Flurry.
Strangely, Jack was deeply perturbed by Flurry’s presence. Their interactions took a toll on Jack for some unknown reason. Jack looked at Flurry and then back at the warrior. “I tire of this, and I have somewhere to be. We’ll continue this later.”
Jack jumped down from the tree and ran toward another tree that was much larger. Its proximity to Flurry was why Jack chose it. Flurry and Drizzle cringed as Jack drew near. A blue glowing sphere formed between his paws, and he cast the ball of frigid energy toward the tree. The towering piece of timber became frozen instantly. Jack swung his sword at the tree and sent it plummeting toward the cubs.
The mystery warrior leapt out from the branches of the tree and rushed to their rescue. The bear cubs were pushed out of the way by Noah. The red panda landed on the ground, ahead of the incoming tree, and struck it with his sword. The blade shattered the tree into numerous pieces. It looked like the tree had exploded after the warrior sliced through it.
The red panda looked up and found Jack absent from the scene. He was about to pursue the enemy, but Vallidore grabbed him by the tail. “Chingu, wait! Wait! Don’t leave us! We need you! We all need to rest. Stay with us until morning, and then we can continue the hunt. I know of a way to catch up with him.”
“Oh, so that’s his name!” Flurry commented. “I was just going to call him ‘friend’. Hello, Chingu. I’m Flurry!”
Chingu looked at Flurry and bowed. The three cubs bowed in return.
Meanwhile, back in Ursus, tension was high with war on the horizon. Christopher Kringle was completely attired in beautifully decorated battle armor and had a double-edged sword strapped to his back. His wife, Catherine, stood by his side with her bow in hand and a quiver of arrows at her side.
They had positioned themselves at the southern route into Christopher’s land. The couple waited in the cold for an assembly of horses to arrive with their riders.
As the warriors on horseback approached, Christopher put his arm around his wife’s shoulder and waved with his free hand. One rider broke away from the company and rode out ahead of the others to greet the Kringles personally.
“Welcome!” Christopher addressed the man and bowed. The gentleman was very tall and slender. He wore silver armor with gold decoration upon it. His hair was long, straight, and blonde. In fact, the entire company of soldiers that came with him bore a striking resemblance. The most noticeable trait was that his ears came to a point.
The gentleman rode up to the Kringles. Christopher bowed again. “Prince Suladnia, I am in your debt.”
“It’s been a long time since we prepared for battle together. It’s a shame that we have to meet under such dire circumstances,” Suladnia answered.
“Indeed! We should catch up over dinner tonight. All of us need to be strong to win this battle,” Christopher replied.
Suladnia revealed a hint of a smile from the corner of his mouth. The prince stepped down from his horse and approached Christopher. “That kind of thinking is going to make you fat, old friend; and if I remember correctly, you owe me dinner anyway.”
They both laughed, reached out their right hands, and grasped each other at the wrist. “Welcome back!” Christopher replied.
“Thank you! It’s good to be back,” answered the prince.
“You remember Catherine.”
“Indeed! My lady,” Suladnia addressed her and bowed. “My men are in need of food and lodging. Is it too much to ask if …”
Before he could complete his sentence Christopher spoke up, “You don’t ever need to ask a question like that. Preparations have been underway for quite some time. We’re honored by your presence. Please follow us. We shall lead you and your company to your accommodations in Polaris. There you can rest and have some good food as well.”
The elves trailed behind as the Kringles led the way to Polaris. The city of Polaris was much better suited for men than Ursus. Christopher had dominion over a very large region. Many people and animal groups in his land looked to him for protection and leadership.
Back at the forest, nightfall had caught up with the weary travelers. Vallidore snored throughout the night. The wolf finally acquired his much needed rest. Chingu and the cubs stayed up later than they should have, but Flurry and the others were infatuated with their new friend. Chingu turned out to not only be one of The Protectors, but he was THE Protector. He was the youngest of seven brothers, but had been deemed the most worthy to claim the sword of Tomodachi.
Tomodachi’s sword had been passed down for many generations. The family heirloom was quite a marvelous-looking blade. It had two different parts that interlocked to become one larger sword which was sharp on both sides with an engraving on the blade. The part Flurry liked the most was that it glowed blue when pure evil was present — blue was Flurry’s favorite color.
Eventually, the cubs grew sleepy enough to value their rest more than hearing stories. Soon they were fast asleep, and Chingu stood watch. He was a very devoted and faithful red panda. He always did what needed to be done, despite any cost to himself. Chingu valued honor and integrity above all else. He was also quite adept in his skills as a swordsman and master of Yujin Do, an ancient martial art named after Tomodachi the Great’s daughter, Yujin.
Chingu was very sharp and alert at all times. Very little ever snuck by or fooled him. It was like he had a sixth sense. His own brothers believed that he had never slept a day in his life. They often joked that he was always on guard.
The morning came, and Flurry woke up to find food that had already been cooked and set on a plate beside him. While he slept, Chingu had gathered and prepared food for everyone. It was still very early, and the sun had barely crept over the horizon. Vallidore was awake and on his feet. His gaze was fixed on a clearing in the forest. Flurry was not aware of anything at first, because he was quite enamored with the food.
After he had finished his meal, Flurry noticed that Drizzle and Vallidore both stared in the direction of the clearing. Being the curious cub he was, Flurry squeezed between Vallidore and Drizzle. He pushed his way to the front to make sure he had the best view.
Down in the clearing, Flurry spotted Chingu and Noah. Flurry could not exactly make out what was going on, but it appeared that Chingu was teaching Noah the art of Yujin Do. Noah held a wooden staff and received instructions from Chingu about how to use it.
It was uncertain how much time had passed, but the sun had climbed considerably higher in the sky, and Vallidore was ready to continue his pursuit of Jack. Chingu and Noah returned to the camp, and Chingu walked up to speak privately with Vallidore. “You’re right. I shall ask him,” the white wolf replied to Chingu.
Vallidore approached the cubs. “We’ve been discussing a strategy to deal with Jack, but we’re sorely outnumbered. We know where Jack is going. He’s on his way to Ursadoom, the impenetrable fortress of the polar bears. They’re Jack’s loyal subjects, and represent his strength at war. They’ve been hibernating for many years, but with Jack’s return, they’ll reawaken and attack the northern kingdoms without mercy. The only way we stand a chance is if we get help.”
Vallidore looked right at Noah, “We need someone who can cross the desert to the city of Gargarin. Chingu has written instructions to be delivered to the king. There you may be able to find help that can get here quickly enough to stop Jack’s attack before it begins. Without this help, we’ll certainly fail. Our numbers are too few. Even Chingu’s brothers are too far off to be able to get here in time. Are you willing to do this, Noah?”
Noah stood up straight and nodded his head to indicate that
he would do it. Noah’s job was to protect Flurry. He had promised their mother. The best way to do this was to get help so that they could win the battle against Jack.
“The desert is very hot and treacherous, but we chose you because we believe you’re the one who would most likely succeed, for you don’t require food or drink. Who would’ve thought that not having a mouth would be such a great advantage?”
Noah saluted Vallidore and headed off in the direction that Chingu instructed him. With Noah on his way to find help, it left Flurry and Drizzle to join Vallidore and Chingu. Together they rushed to Ursadoom to implement the second part of Chingu’s plan.
What Flurry and Drizzle did not know was that they would have to travel through another forest that had a dark reputation. Kraeburne Forest was legendary for being a place of doom to anyone that entered, but it was a shortcut, and Vallidore believed they could catch up with Jack with this alternate route. The wolf believed that Jack would avoid the danger and take the long way around the forest. Little did Flurry know what was in store for them. They rode on Vallidore straight to the dark and foreboding forest. Kraeburne Forest housed creatures of pure shadow in physical form. It was a place of nightmares.
CHAPTER 6
KRAEBURNE FOREST
Fall leaned over the armrest of one of the Kringles’ chairs and stared outside. It was close to midday, and she had decided to spend some time away from the rest of the teddy bear cubs. She occasionally needed time to herself to think things through, despite the fact she had done that very thing all evening long. She barely got any sleep the previous night. Fall had tossed and turned the night away with the same troubles she wrestled with now. The cub wondered where Flurry, Drizzle, and Noah were, what they might be doing, and if they were okay. She loved her brother very much, even if he frequently made her angry. She had also grown fond of her new friend Drizzle, and worried about how he and Flurry were getting along, if at all.
While she slouched over the armrest, she heard a commotion from the kitchen. Fall quickly jumped down and ran to investigate. When she entered the kitchen, she found Caboose on the floor with pots and pans all around him. He even had one on his head. “What are you doing?” Fall inquired. She was shocked that Caboose would be the cause of such a mess.
Before Caboose could answer, Boaz and Honja rushed in. “Oh no! This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t made me come back for you!” Boaz lectured the little rabbit. Honja crossed his arms and looked away. Boaz turned to Caboose. “Come on, Caboose! You’ve been at this all night long. I told you, Flurry isn’t here!”
Fall giggled. “You mean Caboose is looking for Flurry?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Boaz answered after a long sigh.
Caboose got up and sniffed around the cabinets before he opened them up to peek inside. “Why is he looking for Flurry?”
“He thinks Flurry is playing hide-and-seek. I’ve told him countless times that we quit playing, but he doesn’t believe me,” Boaz explained.
“Caboose, Flurry went away,” Fall told the little polar bear.
“He went away … to hide,” Caboose replied. He was so sure of himself. “Oh! I know where he could be!” Caboose turned around and ran out of the room.
“Here we go again! Come on, Honja! Are you going to join us, Fall?” Boaz asked.
“Sure. Why not? It’ll at least keep my mind occupied so I don’t worry about my brother as much.” Fall ran off with Boaz and Honja, in pursuit of their polar bear friend.
Unfortunately, Flurry was not having fun at all. He would have given anything to be back in Ursus with his friends. The forest was very dark and immensely creepy, even in the late afternoon.
“Doggy, why do we have to be in such a scary place?” Flurry spoke into Vallidore’s ear.
“Speak softly. We’re being watched,” Vallidore replied.
Chingu jumped down from Vallidore’s back and took point. He walked a few steps, raised his arm, and motioned for everyone to halt and be silent — and silent they were. In fact, the entire forest was still. No noise could be heard at all, not the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, nor even the whistle of the wind was present. If Flurry could describe it with one word, it would be “dead”.
Flurry was grateful they were not there at night, but the sunlight did not diminish the terror he felt in such a place. None of the trees had any leaves. The branches were not only bare, but were also black instead of brown. The ground, blackened with mud, sported small patches of thorns which only grew in a few places. Beyond that, no other vegetation existed. The entire forest gave Flurry a sense of dread and despair.
Chingu reached for his blade and pulled it from its scabbard. As Flurry expected, the blade glowed blue, which meant they were surrounded by something of pure evil. Flurry would have been more frightened if Vallidore had told him what lurked in the forest. The wolf did not want to disturb the cubs any more than they already were, but that was about to change.
Chingu believed they were about to be attacked by the shadow creatures. He simply knew them as the Kŭrimja. Their proper name was not known to him. Citizens of different nations each had a different name for these creatures of pure darkness. Chingu’s mother had told him that they were called the Kŭrimja.
“You two, get down from my back and take cover behind that stump in the path. We’re about to be attacked,” Vallidore softly commanded the cubs. “Chingu and I will protect you. They’re only hurt by light. Unfortunately, the clouds are about to cover up the sun in a moment. Chingu has the most effective weapon to defend us with.”
“But he only has one. He can’t fight all of them,” Flurry reasoned from the tree trunk he and Drizzle now hid behind.
Vallidore kept a sharp eye. He watched the shadows to see if any of them moved in a way that was not common for a true shadow. “Look out!” Vallidore shouted to Chingu.
The red panda glanced up and saw a large beast charge toward him with sharp teeth and razor-like claws. This was no ordinary beast; the creature was entirely made out of shadow.
Chingu swung his sword at his enemy. The creature took a leap back from him. Other creatures soon appeared and surrounded the group.
“I think coming here was a bad idea!” Drizzle shouted to Vallidore.
Vallidore growled and initiated his attack. He leapt at one of the creatures, gripped it with his mouth, and threw it down to the ground just as another one sprang onto his back and clawed at him. The white wolf howled in pain, but he continued to fight. Vallidore grabbed the creature by the head, threw it over his shoulders, and slammed it into a tree at the side of the path.
Meanwhile, Chingu was in a fierce battle of his own. He swung and stabbed at the various evil forms with a blade in each paw. Some of them he wounded, while others ran to escape his blade but returned again to make a second attempt at his life.
At first, it appeared that Vallidore and Chingu might win, but then the ground rumbled. The trees swayed as something drew near. There were loud screeches, groans, roars, and growls that came from all around them. Flurry and Drizzle had been hiding, but Flurry peeked out from the tree stump and saw what it was. Terror came across the bear cub’s face when he saw hundreds of shadow creatures that came from all directions.
The bear cubs continued to hide until Drizzle decided to try and help. He ran out into the battle and called to Chingu, “Give me your other sword!”
Chingu tossed the smaller blade to the cub. Drizzle caught the glowing weapon and swung it at the creatures.
Flurry knew it would end badly for all of them. He had to think of a plan, and it had to be fast — besides, his pride would not allow Drizzle to get all of the glory for being a hero. “Think, Flurry! Think!” the bear whispered to himself. Then, in a moment of inspiration, Flurry had an idea. He raced out to the battle and took cover under Vallidore’s legs. Vallidore swung at the creatures as their heated battle raged on. “Drizzle! I have an idea!”
“If you have an idea, we�
��re doomed!” Drizzle replied.
“Hey! Stop that! I have an idea! I mean it!” Flurry answered.
Drizzle ran up, and Flurry told him the plan. “That’s a terrible idea!” Drizzle adversely responded. “That could get you killed!” He was immensely concerned for Flurry’s safety.
“Well, if you think it’s a bad idea, that’s all the more reason for me to do it,” Flurry replied and darted up the path.
“Flurry, no! Stop!” Drizzle shouted.
Vallidore and Chingu looked, with horrified concern, when they saw Flurry race off on his own. “Flurry, stop! What are you doing? They’ll come after you!” Vallidore shouted, but it was no use. Flurry was well on his way. He ran as fast as his little legs would take him. He never looked back, because he knew full well that he was being chased by the evil creatures from the darkness.
“Vallidore! Chingu! Hurry! Flurry is the decoy so we can escape the forest! Let’s go!” Drizzle shouted.
“We can’t just leave him!” Vallidore replied. “He’s only a cub!”
“It’s what he wanted! He’s doing it so we can stop Jack! Stopping Jack is more important! We have to go! Now!”
Vallidore swallowed hard and fought back his tears. Chingu turned to them, nodded, and then leapt onto Vallidore’s back. On his way up, Chingu pulled Drizzle onto Vallidore along with him. Before they had a chance to blink, Vallidore was off. He bolted through the forest as fast as he could. The trio attempted their escape while the creatures chased Flurry.
Flurry kept running. He knew that his sacrifice was necessary to save everyone he loved and cared about. Jack had to be stopped, and they would never catch up with Jack if they could not make it out of the forest.
As Flurry ran, his mind raced. He thought about his parents and his sister. He also thought about his adopted family in Middleasia, and all of the new friends he had made. Flurry feared that he would never see any of them ever again. He worried that he might fail, and the next thing his parents would learn was that their son was no more. Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he kept running. Saving the lives of everyone else was more important than saving only himself. The creatures drew nearer. They howled, growled, and clawed at the bear cub.
