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Chapter 10- Making Things Right Again

Awhile later, Koda and the younger cubs arrived at the Salmon Run.

"I'm glad we're back!" Dania said. "This whole day has been tiring..I'm exhausted!"

Aquene nodded her head in agreement. "Me too..I'm beat!" she exclaimed, plopping down onto her stomach, being careful as she remembered the younger cub that was on her back.

"Koda! Cubs! There you are!" A voice cried.

Kenai and Kia suddenly ran over to them. "Where have you cubs been? We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"We missed you very much, kids." Kia said softly.

Cherokee looked up in surprise. "You..you missed me..?" she asked hesitantly, unable to believe her ears.

Kenai looke at Cheroke, a bit surprised by her question. "Of course we did, sweetie!" he said.

Cherokee was finally unable to contain herself. She let Catori off her back then ran to her father and wrapped her paws around his middle, as happy tears slid down her face.

Kenai looked bewildered at his daughter's behavior, but smiled and hugged her back anyway.

Kia smiled as she watched the tender moment between her mate and daughter, then she looked at Koda. "Where did you take them?" she asked.

Koda looked down at his paws. "I didn't take them anywhere.." he said. "I went and found them. They were all in the forest."

Kia looked alarmed. "What were they doing out there by themselves?"

Dania and Aquene started to answer, but Koda hushed them, smiling at Kia. "It's kinda a long story...I'll tell you about it later." he paused as one of the cubs' stomach growled. "Right after we eat!" he added with a laugh.

Kia nodded. "Okay..I understand." she said with a smile.

Dania and Aquene gavea tug on Cherokee's mane. "Come on Cherokee! We're gonna go get something to eat!" Dania said.

Cherokee turned away from her father and smiled at her sisters. "Okay, sounds good!" she said.

"Bye Daddy!" the light brown cub said, starting to leave.

Kenai got to his paws. "Bye? Hey! You're not the only one who's gonna get some food, Cherokee! I'm hungry too!"

The three female cubs laughed as their father, as well as Kia ran along besides them, followed behind by Koda and the five younger cubs.

Not far away, Kodi and Aika watched them. Aika had been talking with Kodi, and he had admitted he was sorry about trying to get rid of the cubs. They were discussing how he should apologize when Aika's stomach rumbled.

"Hey Kodi, I'm getting hungry. Want to grab a bite to eat and see your family?" Aika asked.

Kodi shook his head and sighed sadly. "No...My sisters are probably still mad at me...So it's better if I just stay here."

Aika frowned at Kodi. "Well...okay. But promise me you'll join us in awhile?"

Kodi sighed and said reluctantly, "Okay..I guess so."

Aika smiled and gave Kodi a comforting nuzzle before running over to Kenai, Koda, Kia and the other cubs.

"Hi kids! How was your day?" she asked the three older sows.

They looked sleepily at her. "Big day?" Aika added with a chuckle.

Dania, Cherokee and Aquene exchanged sideways glances. "You don't know the half of it!" Dania said, trying to hide a yawn.

Aika laughed, and walked over to Koda. He looked tired too. "Boy...everybody's so tired." she commented. "Busy day?"

Koda looked up from his half eaten salmon and smiled drowsily at her. "Very. Cherokee and Catori got stuck in the river, and we almost couldn't get them back. The vine we were using to pull them to shore was ripping." he said softly.

Aika gasped softly. "How did you save them?" she asked.

"I grabbed a stick and pulled them to shore that way." Koda replied.

Aika smiled warmly at Koda."My hero!" she said proudly. "My sleepy hero." she added with a giggle as the cub's eyes slowly closed and he fell backwards into her lap. The white cub hid a smile.

Kia noticed the white cub sitting with Koda in her lap, unable to get up and she laughed.

"Here you go, Aika." she said, walking over and giving the cub a salmon. "You seem kinda stuck, so here. Have my salmon."

Aika looked up at Kia. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Kia smiled. "Of course I am."

"But won't you be hungry now?"

Kia giggled. "No...Kenai said he wants me to eat more, now that I've recovered from having the cubs, and he's catching me more salmon than I can eat. So please. Have this one and spare my stomach a little pain."

Aika nodded, giggling at this. "Okay! Thank you!" she said, biting hungrily into the fish.

Kia returned her smile. "No problem, Aika." she glanced back. "Oh no!"

Kenai was approaching her, another salmon in his mouth. "Here Kia, I got you another one." the boar said, salmon still in his mouth.

Kia groaned and clutched her stomach while Aika tried not to laugh. "Oh, Kenai...You have that one. I'm full."

Kenai looked at her and frowned. "Are you sure, Kia?"

Kia nodded her head quickly. "I'm positive Kenai."

"You're sure you got enough to eat?" Kenai pressed, and the sow nodded yet again, patting her stomach.

"Yes..I think that eight salmon was enough Kenai. I'm fine. So please, eat this one."

Aika snickered as she heard how much fish Kenai had made Kia eat. 'Thank goodness Koda doesn't do that to me!' She thought, putting her paw over her mouth.

Kenai sighed. "If you really think you got enough.." he said. "I'll have this one."

"Oh yes, Kenai. Anymore and I'll explode." Kia said.

Kenai rubbed his cheek against hers. "And we don't want that to happen." he said softly.

The male grizzly stuck the salmon in his mouth and then spit it out a few moments later, the remains nothing but bones.

Kia giggled at her husband. "Oh Kenai...You're so silly!" she said.

Kenai smirked at her. "That's just me." he said.

"And I wouldn't want you any other way." Kia said, hugging her mate warmly.

The bears smiled at each other, then they woke Koda up and went inside the cave, to hear all that had happened that day.

---

Kodi sat by the river, head hung low and shoulders drooping. He was so sad.

'They'll probably never forgive me..' he thought sadly. 'I wouldn't, anyways, if I were them...'

The cub jumped and looked behind him as he heard what sounded like a leaf being stepped on. Coming up behind him were Dichali, Nitis, Catori, Deni and Kitchi. All of them had their ears flat back against their heads, and they all looked nervous.

"Hey kids.." Kodi said, his ears lowering as he saw their expressions.

The five cubs remained quiet. "Brother Kodi...mad at us?" Dichali asked after what seemed like a lifetime of silence.

Kodi sighed. "No...I'm not mad at you." he paused. "Are..you mad at me?"

The cub closed his eyes and looked away in shame. "I'd be mad at me if I were you."

To Kodi's shock, the five cubs shook their heads slowly.

"You're not?!" Kodi cried, stunned. "Why not?"

"We..hog mommy and daddy. Keep them from you and big sisters." Dichali replied.

Kodi nodded, his anger returning. "Yeah! You made them so busy, they had no time fo-"

The cub stopped speaking suddenly as he saw the looks on his siblings's faces. They looked so sad..and sorry.

A smile spread slowly across the cub's face, and he rubbed Dichali's head.

"It's okay, kids." he said softly, stretching his arms out. "Come here, you guys!"

The five cubs ran and jumped into Kodi's arm, in a big, warm bear hug.

"We love you, Kodi." Dichali said.

"Catori love." Catori agreed, licking her big brother's chin.

Kodi smiled happily and hugged his brothers and sisters even more. "I love you guys too. I'm sorry I was so mean today."

"It okay, Kodi." Dichali said with a smile so warm, Kodi knew instantly that he was forgiven.

Kodi let the cubs down and smiled. "Okay now, run along and play. Just don't go far." he warned. "It's getting dark."

Catori and the other cubs nodded, then ran off, laughing.

A few minutes later, he heard his parents call. "Kids! It's time for bed!"

The cub sighed and got to his paws. "I'd better go get the little ones." he decided, walking in the direction he'd seen the five younger cubs run.

Soon he found them, playing hide and seek in a berry bush, and approached them.

"Hey guys. Come with me. It's time for us to go to bed." he said.

The five little cubs groaned, but came along with Kodi.

---

Awhile later, they arrived back at the cave. Kodi was just going inside with the younger cubs when he heard Kia's voice.

"Kodi, can we talk to you for a minute befor you go to bed?"

"Sure." Kodi mumbled in reply. He knew what this was about.

Heaving a sigh and lowering his head, the cub made his way over to his parents and plopped onto the ground beside them.

"So...is everything alright?" Kenai began.

Kodi shrugged. "Yeah, everything's great." he replied, not sounding very convincing.

Kia smiled knowingly at her son. "Are you sure?"

"Because we heard from Uncle Koda that you tried to make your younger brothers and sisters disappear." Kenai added.

Kodi knew now that he was caught. He was in trouble, and there was no way out. The cub got to his paws and looked up at his parents.

"I'm sorry! didn't mean to be a bad brother! It's just I-I..."

Giving a defeated groan, Kodi hung his head, shifting his gaze to his paws. "I'm in a lot of trouble, huh?"

Kenai looked at Kia. "Well, dear, what you did is very serious." Kia said, trying to be gentle.

"Just think about what might have happened if your sisters hadn't gone after the young ones? Little Catori might've been lost forever in the river, if Cherokee hadn't jumped in and saved her."

Kodi hung his head even more. "I know.."

"However...I think there's a bigger problem here right now."

Kia looked at Kenai, silently asking him to speak. The male bear nodded and cleared his throat.

"Kodi, both Aika and your uncle told us that you feel like we've forgotten about you and your sisters. Is that true?"

Kodi sighed and forced himself to look his father in the eye. "Yes..It's true, Dad." he admitted, lowering his head again.

Kenai and Kia exchanged glances, then they looked back at their son. "Kodi...you must know that's not true. Your Dad and I love you and your sisters very much. We could never forget you, and you'll never be replaced. No matter how many more brothers and sisters your Mom may give you.."

"There will always be room in our hearts for every cubs, the new cubs and any other cubs we'll have in the future. We love you guys.. We always will." Kia added.

"Really?' Kodi said, trying to hide the tears of joy that were welling up in his eyes.

"Really." Kenai said smiling warmly at his son. "Come here, squirt!"

"Dad! Don't call me that!" Kodi said playfully, jumping into his father's arms and giving him a big bear hug. Then he did the same with his mother.

"Mommy...Daddy...are you coming to bed?" came a voice.

Kodi, Kenai and Kia looked and saw Dania, Cherokee and Aquene looking at them. "In awhile." Kenai said.

"Come here, kids." Kia said softly, holding her arms out.

The three female cubs gladly ran into the open arms of their parents, and the family of bears got together in one big hug.

"Have I mentioned we're going to Crowberry Ridge tomorrow?" Kenai said suddenly.

The cubs (except Kodi, who already knew) looked at him, surprised. "We are?" they cried.

"Yep. Just you four, your Mom and I." Kenai replied. "Your Uncle Koda and Aika are watching the younger cubs."

"Yay!!!!" All the cubs chorused. Kenai and Kia laughed, and smiled at each other.

Then Kia looked up at the sky. It was getting late. She turned her attention back to her four children.

"Now off to bed, you four. You need to get some sleep. We're leaving early in the morning, and I don't want you to be tired."

Kodi and his sisters nodded, yawning. "Okay..goodnight Mommy. Goodnight Daddy."

They all hugged their Mom and Dad one more time, then headed back into the cave. Once inside, they all went to their little brothers and sisters and laid down beside them, to help them keep warm.

They all lay there, too excited to fall asleep. A few minutes later, Kenai and Kia walked inside the cave and lay down together.

Soon the cubs could hear the sounds of snoring. That meant only one thing. Their parents were fast asleep.

Kodi turned to look at his sisters, and smiled. "Goodnight, Cherokee..Dania..Aquene." he said.

"Goodnight Kodi." Came his three sisters' replies.

Kodi lay his head down on the cave floor and closed his eyes to go to sleep.

"Kodi?" Cherokee suddenly said.

Kodi lifted his head and yawned. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for getting so mad at you earlier. I take back everything I said earlier today. Dichali and the others told me that you and them made up. I'm so proud of you."

Kodi smiled at his sister. "Thanks Cherokee. I heard you risked your life in the river today to save Catori. Well done, sis."

Cherokee smiled, though this was hard to see in the dark. "Thanks, Kodi. I was really scared." she admitted.

"Well I bet you were great..and I wish I could have been there to see it myself."

Cherokee blushed slightly. Then Kodi yawned again.

"Well, we'd better get some sleep now. Tomorrow will be here sooner than we think."

Cherokee nodded. "Yeah..Goodnight Kodi."

"Goodnight Cherokee." Kodi said, then lay his head back down and was soon fast asleep, dreaming of the next day's adventures.