Dying Lands - Ocean Clan: Part 2

Umbra, Lycon (C) me

Nava, Niju (C) Universal Studios

For Lycon, it all seemed to happen in a flash. The bear raised his massive paw and swiped at the helpless cub. Lycon knocked against a tree trunk. A sharp pain shot through his side.The bear advanced towards him. He tried to move but he was in too much pain.
Nava ran to Lycon's aid. He growled at the bear, warning him to stay away. The beast was not easily fooled. Nava picked up Lycon, and ran. The bear galloped after him. Nava knew that he would be killed: he was far to old to run or fight. The bear loomed over him. The animal was about to strike when Umbra appeared from the trees and threw herself at the bear. It tossed her to the side and charged towards her. Niju arrived. He stopped and watched. He was too terrfied to move.
"Niju! Help me!" screamed Umbra. Niju just stood there.
What's the matter with me, he thought to himself. Why am I afraid? It's not like this has anything to do with change. Umbra, Lycon and Nava would be killed if he didn't help. He forced himself at the bear and sunk his teeth into its leg.
The bear roared in pain and in agony. It tried to shake him off but Niju's vice-like grip held tight.
Eventually the bear gave up and Niju let go. The grizzly roared, then walked away.
"That was amazing," said Umbra, as she caught his breath.
"A spectacular feat of courage," laughed Nava. He stopped abruptly. He could swear he saw a white wolf flash amongst the trees.

It turned out that Lycon had broken a rib. He was in a lot of pain, but everyone understood. Niju had broken three ribs in his lifetime, or so he had claimed.
"They heal quickly, especially if you are a wolf," he told Lycon.
Nava was worried. They had to move on. There was almost no food left. And they couldn't live on roots forever. They all craved the taste of fresh meat. He had achieved two pieces of the puzzle - charity and Courage.  The last one, what was it? Curiousity, yes that was it!

After a day or so, Lycon could just about walk. Niju was right, ribs could heal easily. He couldn't run, so he was very vulnerable. If he wanted to explore, someone had to go with him, usually Nava.
The old wolf was beginning to lose hope. What if all this was just his imagination. Maybe he hadn't met Aniu in his dream; that it was just wishful thinking. But her prophecy had already come true - in two aspects anyway.
"Nava, look what I've found!"
He was shook instantly from his thoughts. He heard Lycon howling. He wasn't far off. When he found the cub, he found something else too.
"I saw this whilst playing. I went to investigate It's like a huge pile of rocks." Lycon gave the entire details of his curious escapade.
Nava knew what it was. It used to be a pass in between two mountains, and the caribou used this pass to pass through the Ocean Clan's territory. But they couldn't come this year, because a huge landslide had blocked it. Nava had already guessed it. Curiousity. Lycon had saved them all. And to confirm this, the shape of a wolf appeared appeared in the clouds. It was Aniu. The prophecy had come true.

Nava told the others everything - Aniu. the prophecy, everything. They had to dislodge the rocks somehow, causing a giant landslide. It would unblock the pass, so the caribou could get through.
"It's dangerous," warned Umbra. "One mistake and we could get ourselves killed. Nava and I will handle the rocks. Lycon, you can watch from a distance. Niju, you stay with Lycon and guard him. You're the strongest wolf, it's your priority."

The next morning they set off. Lycon's rib was playing up again, so he had to be carried. That didn't stop him from giving precise directions.
Finally, they reached the landslide. Niju and Lycon wished them luck.
"I couldn't have done it without you two," Nava whispered to them. Lycon smiled, and Niju would have too, had his mouth not been full of wolf cub.

Nava stepped gingerly over the rocks. Umbra had located a large rock that, if removed, the entire landslide would collapse down the mountain, freeing the pass.
Nava slipped, managed to get a good grip, and continued. Umbra skipped over the rocks daintily, whilst Nava struggled painfully.
"Maybe you should go back," shouted Umbra.
"I can't," Nava yelled back. "I'm so far already."
"You can do it!" yelled Lycon from the safety of the sidelines. Nava finally reached where Umbra was standing. They started to pull away at the rocks until they found what they were looking for. The 'mother rock,' if removed, the entire landslide would come crashing down the mountains. Umbra pushed as hard as she could. Nava helped. Finally, it dislodged. Everything trembled.
"We've go to go, now!" shouted Nava as the rocks started to tumble. Umbra was nimble and managed to escape to safety on a ledge. Nava was not so fortunate. He jumped up and barely managed to hang on to the ledge.
Lycon and Niju watched in terror. Umbra tried to help the old wolf, but it was no use.
The rocks tumbled down, almost like a river of stone flowing down the mountain. Nava tried to grip on, but to no avail. He slipped, and despite his best efforts, he fell into the swirling mass of rock beneath him.
Nava was gone.

"I'm sorry," wept Umbra. "I tried to help him." They were back in the cave.
"It's not your fault," sighed Niju. "But I'll miss him. For a time, he was my only friend, my only ally. But at least I have you too. Thank goodness for that."

Lycon, although still in pain, managed to go back to the site of the landslide. The pass was free not, and beyond it he could see forests of green. The snow fell softly at his feet - the first snow that winter. His rib ached, but what was more painful was his little heart. Nava had been a good friend to him, always showing him new tricks, new ideas, new ways of life. He could hardly bear thinking about it.
His eyes were clouded with tears. But through the mist he saw blobby shapes coming through the pass. He looked closer. He rubbed his eyes, and couldn't believe what he saw. The bold beautiful silhouettes of creatures that brought life to the land.
They were the caribou.

Back at the den, there was huge feast. Niju and Umbra wasted no time in catching a young caribou. So much meat, so much to share. For once, hunger did not dominate the lives of the wolves. But they ate in silence, out of respect for their lost friend.

The landslide lay at the bottom of the mountain, rocks scattered everywhere. It was night now, and Niju was out looking for Nava's body. He wanted to say a last goodbye. But he couldn't find it anaywhere. He wept in despair. Niju was not one to cry, but now, he had practically cried an ocean of tears. It just pained him so much to see Umbra and Lycon so miserbable.
"Oh help me Aniu!" he howled. He didn't believe that Aniu existed, but still. A clear crisp howl answered. And, as if by magic, a snow-white wolf appeared beside Niju. She looked at him, and then at a large rock. After that, she disappeared.
Niju was too shocked to speak. He managed to calm himself, and walk towards the rock that Aniu had pointed out. He was hopig for the worst, but it didn't come. Had Aniu tricked him? He suddenly noticed what looked like a whitish-grey smear on the rock. Niju could have leapt for joy. Nava had done that old magic trick - becoming One with something.
"Come on out Nava, I know you are in their," He said.
Nava emerged, weak, but alive. He laughed.

"And I thought you said that my magic tricks weren't enough to save my life!"