April 17, 2004

 

A blue cub knocked at the door to Ulisa’s home pleaded that she was there,

“ Neari is your mother home I need to talk to her“, Tanni said sounding a bit worried

 Neari blinked, "she's with the babies” Tanni nodded and headed in that direction. "Sorry to have bothered you Auntie but I need to talk to you,”

 Ulisa smiled at the girl, holding Lizzi on her hip, "come on in...what is it, Tanni?"

 It's Mamma," She girl told Ulisa

 The girl told Ulisa, Ulisa laid Lizzi down in the same cradle with her brother and she immediately quieted. "what is it?"

“you know those bandages that you put on her, well she doesn't know that I know that she took them all off, and is in a great deal of pain I know cause  I see it in her face” Ulisa growled and muttered something in Barbic

 “she kept telling us to go play and let Mamma handle everything and last night while she was working she collapsed” ulisa rolled her eyes and headed doubt to the time portal

 “where are you going Auntie?

 To talk some sense into that ahrd head of yer mom;s” she nodded and said good luck as she followed

 ulisa merely stormed up behind the working Gummi and flung her over her shoulder

 "what are you doing put me down I have work I have to get done

 no...yer gonna sleep...you have medics orders

 no I don't and I'm fine! Now put me down

 you do...and don't argue with me...I have authority over you by the Gummi way

 no you don't I'm 23 an adult come on let me down

 yes, I do,....the Gummi way says that anyone older may intervene over someone younger if needed. You're 23, Selena. I on the other hand, am 282 years old."

 but I'm fine let me go! I can take care of myself. I tell her ignoring Ulisa's words

 you are not fine...even yer kids see it” I shot them a glare that make them say their heading to the lake for a bit

 your kids see you're in pain”

 “'m not in pain I tell you, “

 ‘don't lie to me. I can tell. I've seen pain more times in my life than I care to recall...I can tell

 my cuts are fine “

 “they’re just scratches  I tell you”

 “I said stop arguing or I’ll take you to Grubbi

 well then let me go and finish the work that needs to be done

 no! Now stop it or I'll be tempted to tan YER hide”

 “you wouldn't dare”

 “Try me” I just glare at her  like I can't believe this not one has told me what to do since I was 4 ulisa merely says, "and someone should have

 “what’s that suppose to mean”

 “it means...what would yer parents think of you acting like this

 I have no idea, we never rested when injured or sick

 and I'm not about to start now” ulisa chuckled, "so you admit you're sick

 “was sick the other day I'm fine”

 “you just said you were sick...you just admitted it”

 “no I didn't I know that I was sick the other day but I'm fine today now I have things that need to get done, now those several piles of laundry aren't going to get themselves done and you won't be doing them." Ulisa had just dealt with Lizzi getting a fever and Mitchen had a sore throat...she'd had it. She smacked selena's backside, once...hard

 “hey that hurts!”

 “that's the point, now stop fighting me”

 “I'm telling you theres no need for all this,” I complained Ulisa smacked me again

 “would you stop that? I'm fine I tell you” Ulisa merely smacked her again Sighing I just glare at her

 Selena just mumbled I can't belive this

 ulisa smacked her again, "I heard that. now hush

 “Don't do that!”

 “then stop”

 “Your treating me like I'm a child and I'm not

 I haven't been since for ever”

 “yer acting like Elliot”

 “I'm telling you theres no reason for all this I'm still capable of taking care of myself”

 “now, that soudns familiar”

 “let me go and I can continue getting my work done”

 ulisa smacked her again, "everytime you say that, I'm gonna smack you”

 “Geez just put me down!” ulisa amde no reply

 I'll walk to my room if you just let go “No” “why I don't need carried like some kind of cub”

 “you act like one. and i've lsot faith that you'll stay there”

 “i'll stay”

 “sorry, don't believe you anymore" she storms through the time portal

 “what my rooms in there not in the time portal” ulisa merely walks into sick bay and dumps her onto the bed, "here ay go Grubbi

 why did you bring me here? I can handle myself

 you don't act it

 cause  you won't let me take care of myself I've taken care of myself no matter what since  I can remember

 you take care of yourself by letting yourself rest when you're sick...you've failed at that

 I'm not sick and I don't  need to rest

 Grubbi tell her i'm fine” grubbi merely comes up and sticks her, "yer sick

No I'm not

 yes you are." he merely pushes her down and restrains her

 Grubbi come on! Don't do this” he just gives her that famous 'don't argue with me" glare

 I'm not sick I tell you I feel fine

 yer sick, I'm the medic, don't argue

 This is totally cruel you know”  he merely says, "sleep

 not having a choice the injection startign to wear on me i fall a sleep for a bit

 grubbi merely sat by her, ready for her when she woke up

 Grubbi what are you doing?

 i know how you act...now rest

 I'll be fine you can do what you need to I'll stay  here

 you don't need to sit with me

 sorry, like Ulisa...I don't trust you anymore in this area

 Grubbi i've only been sick once in my life

 I'll be alright

 i'm staying, now sleep or I'll stick you again

 at least get me my smallest cub so he's near

 and so he can eat when he needs to

 no...stay there

 I'll stay just get him so he can eat when he needs to he doesn't take a bottle Gurbbi

 grubib merely nods, "ulisa has it covered...she'll bring him when he needs to eat...no sooner rolling my eyes I turn over facing away from Grubbi closing my eyes grubbi merely stays there, never moving As soon as I wake I stare at him like I can't believe your sitting here like this he merely raised an eyebrow, "I still hafta do it when ursa gets sick

 I'm not going to go anywhere, besides that kind of gives me the creeps having someone stare at me like that he says simply, "well, if you'd listened to my orders then you wouldn't be here, would you?"

 what orders

 you know what orders. I told you when you left to stay in bed didn't i

 I did kind of for a little bit he says, "for a "bit" won't cut it. Selena, it's important you rest after any illness but esoecially Barbic fever

 Grubbi I don't feel sick at all besides I had to go looking for the rest of the answer” he rolls his eyes, "i SAID stay in bed for a week

 Sitting up I told him I would be right back he merely said, "no...you arne't moving.

 I have to go to the bathroom I'll be right back” grubbi took her by the arm, led her into the bathroom and stood there outside the door. Soon as I came back out I tried to walk back over on my own "Grubbi  I know where the bed is I can get there on my own

 grubbi would hear none of it

 besides theres no way I would be able to get out that way even if I wanted theres to manny of you and I'm not that strong

 grubbi merely says, "you hafta keep activity to a minimum...I jsut hope you haven't done any damage already

 what damage, there is npne

 that's why it's important to rest after barbic fever for at least a week, with the strain you got, activity afterwards like that can lead to a stroke

 I didn't wind up with anything

 on the contrary, while you were sleeping, I was montioring you. you've got a 50% chance right now if you keep this up” grubbi blinks, "selena, do you know what a stroke IS?

 oh i'll be fine Grubbi geez

 yes I've seen millions have them everyday

 so you really wanna take the risk that you'll lose funtion and ability to work at all? or even risk death?

 no but thats not going to happen

 that's what my mother said

 it will never hapen to me if i can out run all those slave masters I can surely out run this stroke grubbi slapped her

 don't do that it doesn't tickle you know Grubbi got right in her face, "My mother lived through 5 wars, each of which gave her multiple injuries, she'd been caught by the enemy and tortured 3 times, lived through a drought and a breeched birth. She'd had her left arm severed in battle and her left leg permantely rendered useless...she got up an trained after barbic fever and died. so don't you dare tell me you can outrun this stroke, young bearess, GOT ME, SELENA WALKER GUMMI?!" i stared at him stunned, "no one had ever yelled at me like that not in a long time, not since,....... "I had talked back to to the masters that were incharge of that part of the slaves." I said grubib took a deep inhaled breath, "Look, I'm sorry i yelled but you can't beat this stroke risk. No one can. Do you want to risk losing your children?

 no I don't, but Grubbi I promise that i'll stay here you don't need to watch me like a halk” grubbi met Selena;s eyes, "I'll leave you...but I want your promise that you'll stay in this bed, except to go to the bathroom...on the memory on your sister' that wound to fresh to me, tears started to swell, as I nodded bygrubbi gave a nod and said, "I hate to bring up such fresh pain, Selena but I needed something you wouldn;'t break. Closeing my eyes hunting dreams started. Startling myself awake without a scream i looked around to seee where I was my heart still racing seeing that I was fine I started to relax again but left myself awake. Buddi, leanign against the wall, stuck his ehad in, "selena?"

 "I'm alright Buddi. Don't worry it ws just a rough dream thats all"

 buddi came in, limping a bit, "I was supposed to be in my bed but i heard you were here

 you better get back there before Grubbi catches you well both be in trouble buddi shook his head, "not yet. I wanted to see how you were

 I'm alright Buddi really, a little sore but thats about it

 i ehard grubbi yelling at you...you oughta feel honred, Miss Selena

 bluching i asked why and told Buddi not to call me Miss

 cause grubbi only yells when he feels scared that something is gonna happen to someone he cares about...he yelled at me when I decided to hide in the oven

 now that was not a real smart idea Buddi,

 he grinned, "I was 4

 as bad as when i would disobey the others in the camp like when I tried to get the extra food out of the locked cubboards I was about 4 at that time myself buddi smiled faintly, "well, i remember when iw as a little older that year, I got really sick...not an illness...just a really high fever. Grubbi didn't know if I'd live. he went outside and started screaming at Eruta, telling her "don't you dare take my grandson." Buddi paused, "Mama was cryi8ng

 That had to be something Buddi Now you better get yourself back to your bed before Grubbi heads this way he's lible to tan both of our hidesd buddi nodded, "I couldn't really see right but I remember Mama lying beside me and every so often, i felt her tears on my face...just know grubbi yelled at you cause he cares, kay?

 i know it just shocked me thats all since the last time was at that young age buddi simply nodded and then yelped as someone called, "BUDDI TIMBA BARBIC! I winced myself trying to see who was coming grubib and ursa walked through the door. Buddi grinned, sheepishly, "heh...hi guys

 He heard me have a dream and came to see if I was alright" I told them  buddi beamed, "Yeah...don't get mad at me Mommy...PawPaw..." he lowered his ears and made his lower lip tremble

 please don't he was just doing a kind deed thats all

 and was heading back grubbi merely shook his head but he smiled, "all right," he scooped the cub up, "Now, go with yer Mama

 I looked at Grubbi nervous he smiled, "it's oaky...neither of you are in trouble...I wondered how long it would take him tog et out of bed

 well concidering he was burned pretty good I thought it to be awhile. Grubbi could you do me a favor?

 grubbi merely nodded, "what?

 could you have my son go get my scrapbook for me, theres something i need to check about, something with that dream it eases it when that happens grubbi merely nodded just tell him not to look in it, it would scare him for life if he seen all of those

 he nods again. As soon as Timmy handed it over I thanked him and told him to be good and not to give any trouble while I was here, he nodded and took off. I sat up a bit and started looking through the pictures my fingers running over them one by one

 grubbi stayed close, under the guise of getting some herb potions mixed up I stopped and stared for a bit, then closed it and laid it under the pillow and laid down again the tears starting to really show grubbi watched her a bit and then slowly started to stroke her hair I quixkly pulled away and pulled  the quilt over my head a bit not enough to cover my face but enough to have the back of my head cover to keep from showing them grubib said simply, "if yer hdiing what' on the back of yer head, I've seen ut” slowly i reached to the back of my head and let my hand rub against it then curled back up

 that bothers you doesn't it

 no

 it does...I can see it

 “its nothing just a firm reminder of something that i did wrong thats all”

 “nothing you could ever do would earn that...let me look at it...maybe I can dull it...make it less noticable..”

 no thats alright you don't need to look at it.

 you don't want me to see if I can get rid of it?

 its been there since when i first started running away from the camps, no its fine

 it isn't...I can see it in your eyes but if you ever change your mind, I'm open'“ I nodded repeating what was told to me by my keeper sometimes one needs to live with the pain to learn grubbi shook his head, "no, Selena. One must learn from the pain not have to live with it I just stared at him "I tried to run, and believe me this was when they went easy on you" grubbi merely nodded, "and none of that pain was deserving. think about what you just said Selena...when buddi or one of the cubs falls and breaks a bone or something, do we let the bone heal without aid to make them remember>

 no

 what do we do?

 we take care of it

 why?

 we care too much to let that happen besides it can harm them later  and how do we know that they'll still learn from the mistake?

 Right they learned from that pain he ndos, "so why should you make yourself suffer through pain you didn't even earn?

 but i did earn those

 no one deserves pain like that

 besides it doesn't hurt its just there

 it hruts, I can see it in your eyes

 only from the memorys

 so you would purposely keep a reminder of memories that bring you such pain” “may sound weird but sometimes it doesn't reminds me of the last time my father and mother held me” grubbi raised an eyebbrowm "well..if you ever change your mind, you know I'd be glad to help, right?'

 i nodded every scar tells a story I told him grubib nodded, "as do all my scars, and all my wounds.“ and thats just another scar and it has a story as well the final chapters in my mother and fathers lives

 the last I had seen my brothers and sisters grubbi gives a nod, "Life throws many chapters one's way...i saw the females of my clan die off until only Ursa remained

 I nodded those two little ones that i need to have brought to you to look over are the last of my blood family grubbi smiled, "i lost the last of my blood family a while ago...my six sisters and two brothers

 I had twenty brothers and 9 sisters that were lost and one more that was on the way Mother was carring again when she was killed grubib nodded, "no one else knows about my siblings. they all died long before any of this clan was born

 I stared at him amazed he smield, "I'm 112 Selena. i was in my 80s when ursa was born

 wow!

 my father he was barbic. Mother was the other two grubbi nods, "I figured. I've seen a lot in my life...never imagined I'd be a father again with Ursa

 you have other children?

 almost...I had a mate once..she was prgnant with our first and last child when she was killed by human invaders” I stared at him stunned, maybe Ursa was the answer to the child that you lost

he smiled, "that's what I thought. My mate was best friends with Una, so I became close with her. when she and Warrio died, couldn't leave their daughter alone...

 I believe that about all my cubs I believe they were sent to me to help ease the pains even though it never goes

 grubbi merely nodded. "Ursa was a brat for at least four years...so full of anger and hate

 well so can a lot of cubs when they hurt pains so deep that they don't know what to do or think”  he nods, "oh hers was pure hate...that's when her hatred at the human race started...her mother's blood splashed on her face, she was so close

 I know my parents too were killed by the hands of humans thats who ran them camps they burned them alive “ grubbi nodded, "ursa was wondering outside the woods. the humans were after her. they died saving her

 honorable deaths still has she ever done anything that might honor that? grubbi nodded, "yes, as soon as we chased the humans off, she helped plan their passing and for the longest time, she spent that day reminishing, often pouring herself into training for them. she stopped 13 years ago

 I still do things to honor the death of mine, maybe sometime I could run some of the ideas by her and see what she,..." "Mamma don't let her do it I'm sorry It was a joke! Honest!" Kenya said diving under my bed I stared at Grubbi asking what the heck was going on grubbi shrugged URsa wondered in her hair sticking together in one big clump,"Someone decided to put Glue in my shampoo, and it won't come out." grubbi chuckled a bit but then called her over she walked over to Grubbi

 i've got some stuff to take that out

 well what are you wait for, get it out." grubib rolled his eyes but smiled, "flip your hair over and let it fall into the sink

 i would if my hair would move grubbi pulls her over and leans her head so it's in the sink. he pours some herbal water into her hair which loosens the glue on contact and after about five minutes of scrubbing it in the water, he manages to get it all out

 how'd you figure out that would work? I asked watching this grubib chuckled, "Ursa used to be quite the prankster herself. once you got yer fur glued a couple of times, you invent solvents pretty quick

 let me take some of that with me when I go home I mean I live with 20 cubs now grubbi merely chuckled and helped ursa comb out her hair but he nodded I then spoke in a voice that none had never heard and told Kenya to get out from under the bed and told Ursa that she was all hers, I wasn't dealing with her at this moment,

 ursa wasted no time herself, especially when two minutes later, she heard, "MAMA!"

 I asked what happened? buddi came in himself, nearly in tears. Kenya had no only hit ursa's hampoo but buddi's fur lotion  I sighed saying “Kenya Elisa Walker Gummi”

 I took hold of her the best I could grubbi took buddi, "c'mon, let's get you a bath and get that off"

 “Ursa feel free to use what you want” ursa nodded, her eyes narrowed. Kenya tried to back up but found herself still stuck by my grasp

 “tell me who eles you got,”

 "No one eles." I nodded and gave her a hard smack then waited for Ursa to take hold of her Ursa took her belt off

 “No Ursy no belt,  was only trying to play a joke”

 ursa merely took the girl, bared her and smacked her 6 times Kenya looked at me and stared before glaring at Ursa with tears

 ursa said simply, "No more jokes like that...nothing involving glue

 Ryo walks in his hair and fur muti colored

 "Where's Grubbi?

ursa smiled, "helping Buddi” “he needs to get this off when he's done with Buddi” Kenya looked at Ursa with pleading eyes

 ursa tossed ryo a jar, "wash in this stuff he nodded

 ursa was ready to turn to kenya when grubbi called, "URSA! GET IN HERE. I took  hold of my daughter again as Ursa headed into see what was going on ursa came back in, a while later, her eyes angrier than they had been when she came in

 “what did Kenya do Now?

 “when buddi takes a bath and washes off, that's the only time he takes those banadages...and now he has glue all over those burns” I turned and stared at my daughter before pulling her up on my lap to smack her a few then told ursa she could have her again

 ursa wasted no time, flaming her another 6 with the belt I looked at my cub and told her to get in the corner where I could keep an eye on her myself and looked at Ursa "its okay I have her do that isn't it?' she nods, "I did that with buddi...heck, I still do that. I approve..." a scream echoed from the bathroom, followed by "FYCA! As Ursa headed in I asked her to tell Grubbi that mt gash on my chest hurts now ursa nodded and soon grubbi came out showing him what i mean the stiching that was origanally done had ripped open grubbi nodded, "just hold still and I'll fix that up” I nodded and glared at my daughter again, when I get out I'll take her home myself, and she'll stay there for a bit grubbi nodded as he finished the stitching. "Just don't move around much...you can still go home at the end of the week” I nodded, I didn't mean to move like that I just picked her up to tan her he nodded, "I know." turning to kenya, he walked over to her and smacked her one himself before getting a jar and vanishing back into the bathroom

 A bit later I looked to see Buddi walking in the room,

"You alright?" buddi shook his head and whimpered. Ursa came out after him and picked him up. I glared at my cub again then turned to Buddi you know if you want you can do it he shook his head, "can't move...Mama and Grubbi had ta scrub the glue off...all the wounds on my legs ar reopened...I gotta stay here for a few days again

 “well I can have her do this. Kenya get over here NOW" not wanting to upset me more she walked over, and I told Ursa that she could pull Kenya over the bed and let Buddi flame her himself if they wanted him to or he wanted ursa turned to buddi who nodded,his eyes still wet with tears I nodded and told Kenya to get over the bed, which she started to buddi just watched at first. he was sitting on ursa's lap the four year old closed her eyes tears starting to fall again, i hissed save them Kenya Elisa buddi smacked kenya about 6 times with his hand, as hard as he could muster Ursa then handed Buddi her belt and said he could use it if he wanted. buddi looked at her and then Selena, stunned

 “I nodded, Buddi you've proved to be trust worth of such uses, I'd let you do that to Chace as well so go ahead” buddi did so then but he only used the belt 3 times Kenya screamed and grabbed her backside paying on mind I told her to get back to that spot Buddi and I have to rest buddi looked up at Ursa, "Mama...you're not gonna leave?' she said no I'm staying right here buddi crawled up into her lap, wrapped his arms around her neck and went to sleep right there I laid but started to lok at my bood again

 I looked to Ursa, would you like to look through it? ursa smiled, "if you don't mind...I have a feeling I'm gonna be stuck here a bit

 I nodded and asked if there was away for the bed s to be a bit closer, that way she didn't have to strain ursa moved them herself

 these are something that if Buddi's awake I wouldn't have out

 ursa nodded, "I understand that...trust me...he's out...he'll sleep through a war now” I laughed and opend it to the first set of pictures ursa laid against the headboard, buddi laying against her chest as she looked over

 you see the girl that looks about six? that who my new little gril looks like ursa smiled my sister left me two cubs, you heard about that didn't you she nodded, "yes" that one there is my father, thats who the little boy looks like

 ursa smiled, "a bit of a memory for you

 you bet,  I just wish i could hold them right now

 ursa smiled, "grubbi might let them come here, you just can't go to them. I guess you know what it's like to lose your family too

I've lost them several times over watched all burn to death then told her about mother carring at the same time she was to birth anyday when that happened

 ursa gave a nod, "I saw  my parents die. I was the only child they could have

 there was more but still theres only the three of us left of that family” ursa nodded, "I guess this is your way of honoring them?"

 I nodded, but I do other things as well. I go to that special spot every year and take their favorite thing to that sight every year

 Ursa smiled a bit "I used to throw myself into training for my parents on the day of their deaths...I stopped 13 years agp

 i did it mainly because that day brought me so much pain...the pain stopped 13 years ago the pain has hardly stopped for me, but I will continue on  well...the pain hasn't stopped completely but the horrid pain I felt that day has been replaced by joy

 I nodded i know what you mean by that  ursa smiled, "well...for me...13 years ago, i was starting the typical flow of training I always did. but something changed my mind

 what was that?

 Buddi was born. “I smiled the best gift that you could have

 she nodded, "yes...now that day is something worth celebrating, instead of pain. I still honor my parents, mainly by trying to raise my baby as best I can and be the best leader of this clan that i can

 I would do something like that but I don't know the date of the deaths

 I don't know what day it was ursa nodded, "Buddi was a real gift...he wasn;t supposed to be born for 2 months...almost 3

 about the same with Sukura, she was born just as early Ursa nodded, "Ola had a choice...she could live and her cub could die or vice versa...she chose to die”

 “a noble choice, her's didn't have that,... Ursa ca you keep something hidden?” ursa nodded “I knew her mother, her mother was a friend i had when I was in that place, she too was sold before they started the massive killing to rid of the evendice of the camp

 ursa sighed deeply "so much death..."

 “I know and I know that they meant to get both her and the baby

 but they missed and I happened to be there at the time. her mother too was named Sukura. at least they didn't get her." Ursa narrowed her eyes, "But I know what you mean...when Buddi was 5, he was kidnapped”

 most likely thats what they were getting him for” ursa shook  her head, "no...it was the same...bastard that killed my parents...he meant to get me...so he was going to use my baby to get to me

 I nodded as i cringes. i went after him...he's dead now

 I nodded ursa grinned, "you don't mess with my baby

 same goes for mine ursa nodded, "I raised buddi from the moment Grubbi pulled him from Ola's womb..." Ursa winced, "I'll always honor Ola for that...we really had no way to get Buddi out. she told grubbi to cut her open and take him out”

 “My sister and i had made a promise that if we made it to adult hood and had cubs and one didn't make it after the other would take and raise them as their own” ursa nodded. "Ola asked me before she went into labor that if she died, she wanted me to raise her cub. she gave me one boy's name and one girl's...but she left the middle name up to me." Ursa smiled. "The middle name is what gives a barbic's name its meaning

 I nodded “I'm going ot have Grubbi send for those two. They need to bond with me anyways and they need to get themselves looked over anyways” ursa nodded, "all right." she smiled at buddi who had laid his head inbetween her chest “plus I'm worried about one of the cub's legs he doesn't walk right” ursa gave a nod, "grubi can look it over” I nodded back and told her I wanted them as soon as I could get them ursa nodded, "grubbi is gonna be here soon for something for buddi's legs I nodded and grinned letting her look though the rest” ursa smiled and then said, "while we;re looking through pictures..." she pulled out a small envelope from the pocket of her tunic i sat up and looked ursa handed over a few pictures. the first one is one ursa when she was about 6. she is standing inbetween two adult barbics, one with long red hair and one with brown hair I looked at her and grinned, "You were cute a spitfire as well i can see it, ursa rolled her eyes, "don't tell me that." she handed another over, "this one is my favorite." she handed over one of ursa as about a twenty something year old. her hair was in a braid. she had a small bloody cub in her hands.

 I can see why, its the best that you can get and you were cute there too, both of you are” ursa smiled. "well, buddi was a Mama's boy from the start. even befoe his eyes opened, if anyone but I picked him up ,he'd scream his head off

 I don't doubt it ursa nodded and pointed to another. this one had buddi about two or so, curled up in a ball on one of ursa's pillows. ursa was still asleep and had one arm wrapped around his waist

 I smiled, and showed her one that was in my pocket still, "Don't ask how my bed held out," i told her showing the pitchure to her  there were most of my cubs sleeping in my bed with me, "Darcy got this one" ursa chuckled, "well...one time, shortly after we moved to ursalia, we all ahad to room together that first night. we slept in a cirle." ursa showed her a picture of the entire barbic clan sleeping a circle...in the center of the circle was buddi...the 22 adults formed a protective barrier around their only cub

 I don't blame you ursa chuckled, "well, here's us about an hour later..." this picture has buddi squirmed in between her and gritti and clinging to her like a leech I had to laugh, “what took you and Gritty so long, the two of you look as if you were ment to be together

 ursa shrugged, "we're both stubborn."

 I nodded, I once had a mate, and started to carry but neither turned out good ursa blinked but nodded, "when I was born...i wasn't born sterile Selena I started at her, neither was I when i was 6 I caught the nausea strand of barbic fever. I refused to rest while I had it or after...after that, I lsot my ability to carry cubs. i still hafta put up with that curse called a period and I could still produce milk but I would never carry to term

I was carring and was working like I do now adays, and fell off a ladder and lost my abitity when the cub died, and my mate left cause I couldn't bare any more he said that it was all that a female was good for ursa sighed, "well, in a way, I'm glad it happened. cause now i have my buddi. if i could have my own cubs I dunno what woulda become of him buddi's the only cub i could ever want. even if i could have cubs, I don't think i would

 I nodded its different for me, I can't get enough of htese little ones coming into my life

 buddi's enough for me and he's so close to me...I love it." Ursa suddenly burst out laughing I told her as Grubbi walked in, "Grubbi as soon as you finish with him would you get Jewels and Jaysa for me I want them here with me so I can bond at the same time with the, and they really be with their blood fornow

 whats so funny Ursa grubib gave a nod as he started to tend to the cub's legs I was jsut remembering the first time i had to leave. I'd pumped some breast milk but when gritti tried to give buddi a bottle, buddi threw it down and tried to get milk outta gritti's chest...then he told him he was "borken" had to cover my mouth withmy hand if Buddi ever found that out he would about die

 ursa chuckles, "needless to say, they were glad when i came back. buddi didn't even give me a 'hi Mama' he just jumped up in my arms and ripped my tunic open himself

 Jonni does that part he refuses anything eles” ursa chuckled, "Buddi was like that for a long time...he was almost three by the time I finally got him weened to a cup

 I don't doubt it, it does make the cub closer to you ursa nodded, "and it was odd...once buddi started to get his teeth, whenever I'd feed him, he'd look at me and then just use his lips, like he was afraid to hurt me

 I stared smart kid ursa chuckled "He taught himself to read on his 2nd birthday” I had to laugh, none of my cubs have done that that I know of, although I do know that Timba's not to far from Buddi's IQ ursa shrugged, "we gummies don't care about IQ." she grinned, "wanna see something interesting though?"

 “sure” ursa smild, "this on;y works when buddi's half-asleep." she whispered in buddi's ear, "math." the cub murmured, "any side of an isoleses triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side." she chuckled and said, "Barbic history" "The tallest trees were thought to have been planted almost 5000 years ago although the dates could vary from 5000-3500

 “Now thats amazing” ursa smiled, "it on;y works if he is half out of it. he can't be fully asleep and he can't be fully awake “i nodded you should have him take a test when he's half asleep

 ursa chuckled, "soemtimes, I think so too. he has no clue though. sometimes we;ll have him do this just to shock the heck outta any visitors we think he got all the info from reading a lot of books, a long time ago...he was a book fanatic until he was”  Grubbi took off as soon as he was finished and was walking into the room with the two cubs as I asked Ursa what happened ursa smiled, "he read all the books we had

 I can get him more if you like

 “he'd love that, much as he hates to admit it.” I then called to the cubs, they looked at me, I spoke in a nother tongue one that Ursa had never heard, but they twins smiled and the girl walked over, but the boy stayed in Grubbi's arms. "I'll do that then Ursa, I'll brign him a bunch ursa nodded, "what language is that?"

 "Glen it wasn't invented until later, us Gummies in the slave camp used it for safety reasons, as well as excapes" ursa nodded, "Buddi'd love to learn that, if he could. this kid loves languages." Ursa chuckled, "would you believe if I said he was fluent in 10 languages?

 I'll teach him

 he'd loove that." buddi stireed and opened his eyes, "huh/"

Buddi these are my two new cubs, Jaysa and Jewels

 buddi blinked, "yer neice and nephew?

 “yes but their going to be raised as my son and daughter as my sister wished” buddi nodded, "they're cute."

 thanks Grubbi, Jaysa won't walk would you bring him here to me

 it hurts him to much grubbi scooped  him up. "I cans ee whay" I reached out for the cub and looked at him and started talking to him in hte Glen language again he responded a bit, a tear slipped into my eye buddi listened, intrigued

 “Buddi some how this cub servived, if they would have seen his legs like htat they would have killed him before hand, some how his secret was kept” buddi merely shook his head

I know his mamma must  have died taking them to safety of that part of the woods buddi merely nodded again and laid his head onto ursa's chest again Grubbi can you help Jay and fix his legs

 i can give it my best shot

  I'll look in the city library of my time when I get a chance ursa nodded.

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