Thank you, teenchic2004 and Nausicaa of the Spirits, for reviewing this! Oh, and thank you, Nausicaa of the Spirits, for the comment on the trailers for my story "My Adventures With Kenai & Koda". Now I can post up this one last chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Bears Again

Silver Fang quickly got to his paws and looked around. He and Aika were on a ledge that stuck out from the cliff. He snarled in frustration, remembering that he had captured Aika instead of Warner.

His ears suddenly pricked upward, as he heard the grey-silver wolf's voice, along with others. "Aika! Aika are you alright! Please, speak to me! Say something...anything!"

A smirk spread across Silver Fang's snout. 'So, Warner cares about this girl..' he thought, 'Then killing her will be the perfect revenge for his betrayal!'

The grey wolf stalked toward Aika, who lay not too far away. As he came closer, Silver fang opened his mouth, revealing sharp, white canine teeth.

Just then, the girl's eyes snapped open, and she spotted him. Aika backed up until she up against the rocky wall of the cliff. There was no way out now..

Silver fang smirked, pleased at the sight of Aika backed into a corner. It would make her easier to kill.

As he drew closer, Aika reached into her coat pocket and withdrew a small knife. She had always kept it with her for protection, and now it really looked like she would need it!

"Ha!" Aika lunged at Silver Fang, knife ready. Startled, the large grey wolf staggered backward --only to discover he was now at the edge of the cliff. Now he was cornered...

Silver Fang yelped, as his back paws slipped, and held tightly onto the ledge with his fore paws, as he dangled over the edge of the cliff helplessly.

Aika smirked triumphantly as she saw his forepaws sliding down the edge, losing their grip.

"Looks like I win! You're going to fall! Ha!" she said.

Silver Fang snarled viciously at the child. "I'm not going alone!" he insisted.

Aika screamed as he grabbed onto her coat just as he fell, taking her with him. They seemed to be falling to their death below, but suddenly, Aika and Silver Fang landed on another, smaller ledge.

Aika was hit hard, and knocked unconscious. Silver fang quickly got up and prepared to kill the little girl.

Before he could get to the girl, he heard a loud crack. The wolf's eyes widened in surprise as the ground he was standing on gave way, and he was sent falling again.

He thought he might fall forever, but at last, Silver Fang crashed down into a tree, hitting every branch on the way down.

He landed on the ground with a hard thud, and slowly got up, brushing himself off. The wolf glared angrily up at the ledge where Aika lay, above. Silver Fang started away at a quick paced trot.

"I'll get those humans --and that traitor wolf-- some other day.." he growled under his breath as he retreated.

Kia glanced down from the top of the cliff worriedly. "Aika! Aika, please...Answer us! Are you okay!"

Still there was no answer from the little girl. Kenai watched too, feeling hopeless. What could they do? He glanced up as Kia turned and walked away.

"Kia, what are you doing!" he cried bewildered, as the bear-turned-woman tied a rope around her waist, then handed him the other end.

"I'm going to rescue Aika." she said. "She was right when she told us nobody cares about her. Look. Aside from us, the only ones upset are your brother and Tanana!"

She heaved a deep sigh as she saw Kenai open his mouth to protest. "I have to do this. It may be the only way to save Aika." she said.

Kenai sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Okay...You're right...Just..be careful."

Kia hugged Kenai quickly. "I'll be just fine! Don't worry! Besides, you and Warner will be holding my rope for me...I'll be alright." Kenai reluctantly freed the girl from his arms.

Against her protests, Kenai untied the knot Kia had made around her waist and retied it himself.

"There, now you're safe!" he said, a satisfied smile on his face.

Kia rolled her eyes. "I already was safe." she said.

"Oh...Well...you'll be even safer, now that I fixed your rope for you!" Kenai said proudly.

Kia held back a laugh. Kenai cared so much for her that he would go to the trouble of retying her rope, even if it had already been knotted!

Warner picked up the rope with his mouth. "Are you ready, Kia?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be." Kia said nervously as she glanced down below. "L...Let's do this!" she said, finally.

Kenai stepped back, and he and Warner slowly began to lower Kia down the side of the cliff.

It was a long, and difficult progress, but after awhile, Kia finally stepped down onto the ledge where Aika had been earlier.

As she looked around, Kia realized to her dismay, that Aika was not here anymore. Had she rolled right off the ledge?

"Kia! Is Aika alright?" Kenai called down.

Kia glanced up worriedly. "She's not here!" she replied. "I'm gonna see if she fell further down!"

Getting on her hands and knees, Kia crawled over to the edge of the ledge, and peered down. After a few minutes, her gaze locked on a form, sprawled out below on a ledge. Her eyes widened slightly. Aika!

Kia raised her head to the sky and called out loudly. "Kenai! I think I see Aika below! Send down more rope so I can check!"

In response to her request, the rope slackened. Being careful not to fall, Kia started to climb down to the smaller ledge where she had seen the small form.

After yet, another long, grueling climb down, she finally made it to the ledge.

Kia hurried to Aika and began to shake her gently. "Aika...Aika wake up! We've gotta get you out of here!"

The young girl did not awake. She just lay there, still out.

"Kia what's going on down there?" Kenai called down. "Did you find Aika?"

"Yeah but she's out cold!" Kia replied.

"Grab onto her then, and we'll pull you both up!"

"Okay!" Kia held on tig htly to Aika, as Kenai and Warner began to pull them up to safety.

"Just...pull...a little..harder!" Kenai said in a strained voice.

"I'm trying! They're...too heavy!" Warner cried out, in just as equally a strained voice.

His gaze shot back as a paw tapped his shoulder. "What..ar e you guys doing here?" he asked, struggling to keep hold of the rope as he spoke.

All the wolves from Silver Fang's pack had approached him. Now the brown and white one spoke up.

"We came to help, Warner." she said. "Remember, we're on your side now." As she spoke, the other wolves grabbed onto the rope, and started to pull. Then she joined in as well.

It was then that Warner noticed that Denahi had also joined in helping them pull Kia and Aika to safety.

"Thanks Denahi." Kenai said, smiling at his brother.

Denahi glanced at Kenai. "Don't worry about it, little brother. You know I've always got your back! Now, let's get your girlfriend and her little pal up to safety."

Kenai blushed awkwardly. "My...girlfriend..?"

Denahi laughed. "Oh, ocome on! Quit trying' to hide it, Kenai! I can tell you two are in love!"

Kenai started to answer, but stopped as Kia called up to them.

"Ok, grab Aika first...then I'll come up."

"I'll get her, boys. Don't worry about it." Tanana said, walking over to the edge of the cliff and taking Aika from Kia's outstretched arms. "You boys just focus and helping Nakia."

Kia sighed with relief, seeing Tanana take Aika.

Then she began to climb to the top of the cliff. It was a little easier, now that she w asn't holding a child in her arms!

She glanced down at the rope that was tied around her waist, and her eyes widened. The rope had grown weak from supporting both her and Aika, and was now beginning to rip! She cried out as the rope came closer and closer to breaking.

Kenai, hearing her cry let go of the rope and hurried to the edge of the cliff.

All of a sudden, the last string holding the rope together snapped, and Kia fell screaming.

"KIA!" Kenai reached his arm down, and caught Kia's hand just in time, stopping her from falling.

Kia looked up. "Kenai?" she said in disbelief.

She had not thought she'd ever see him again! Kenai smiled reassuringly at the girl. "Don't worry, Kia. I've got you! You're going to be alright! Just hang tight!"

Kia did as she was told, and Kenai pulled her up to safety, and le d her away from the cliff.

"That was a close one!" Warner cried.

Kenai nodded his head. "I know..."

Kia ran towards the boy happily. "Kenai!"

Kenai stretched out his arms and caught the girl. He lifted her up into the air and spun her around. Then he let her down, and the two of them embraced.

"Kenai, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!" Kia said, hugging Kenai warmly. "Thanks for saving me.."

Kenai hugged her just as tight. "You really scared me, Kia. Promise me you'll never do anything to get yourself into that kind of danger again!"

Kia was only too happy to agree. "I promise." she said softly, before kissing his cheek.

Warner walked over to them, head lowered. "I'm sorry to interrupt this tender moment...But I have bad news...It's about Aika.."

Kia quickly pulled away from Kenai and stared at the wolf. "What about her! Is she hurt!" she cried worriedly.

Warner sighed. "Come and see for yourself.." he said.

He led them over to a soft patch of grass, where Aika lay sprawled out.

Kia's eyes filled with concern, and she ran to the little girl's side.

She listened to the girl's heart, and found to her dismay that it was no longer beating. Aika wasn't breathing either.

"..No..." Kia whispered softly, as tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to cry.

Kenai, i mmediately sensing that something was wrong, hurried to Kia's side.

"What's the matter Kia?" he asked softly, looking into the girl's tear filled brown eyes.

Kia fought back a sob. "She's...she's.."

"...Dead..." Kenai finished for her grimly, having been unable to find the little girl's pulse.

Kia could no longer hold back her sobs, and she buried her face in Kenai's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. "She was so young!" she choked. "She had so much to offer in life!"

Kenai comforted Kia the best he could, though he too was fighting back the urge to cry. Suddenly, the sky lit up, and the great Spirits appeared.

Sitka came towards the two grieving humans. "Well done, Kenai and Kia. You succeeded in stopping the wolf pack's attack."

Warner watched curiously, as the two humans talked with the Spirit. He wondered what was going on.

"As I promised," Sitka said, "I will change you two back to normal now."

"Oh yes!" Kia said quickly, then she paused. "...But...Can you help our friend Aika, too? She was...killed...by the wolf pack leader."

The girl's voice trembled with emotion as she spoke. "If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have been able to stop him."

Sitka nodded. "Alright...I will do something to help your friend too. However, I must first keep my promise to you and Kenai."

As Sitka spoke, Spirits surrounded both Kenai and Kia, and lifted them a few feet off the ground.

As they were spun, Kenai and Kia began to change. In place of their fleshy skin came thick fur. They were becoming bears again!

Warner watched with the wolf pack, bewildered, as the two humans were transformed into bears.

Kenai and Kia were placed back onto the ground. "The transformation in complete. You two are back to normal." Sitka said.

Kia and Kenai looked happily at their furry paws, unable to believe that they were bears again! They folded their paws around each other in a big, warm, furry bear hug.

"Now, about your friend Aika.." Sitka said, once the two had pulled apart. "Are you two going to be responsible for her..? Or the villagers?"

"We are going to care for her, Sitka." Kia said. "Her own Mother doesn't treat her right, so I doubt she'll be missing her." she added quickly, and Kenai nodded his head. "It's all true, big brother."

Sitka smiled, though his smile faded after hearing about Aika's mother's lack of love for her. "Very well then...I will go help her."

Sitka reverted to his eagle form and lifted the lifeless body of Aika up, into the sky and spun her around.

As she spun, Aika began to change. Gradually, she was transformed into a grizzly bear cub.

Once the process was complete, Sitka lowered Aika onto the ground a few feet away from Kenai and Kia.

"Her energy and life have been restored completely. I hope you will keep her safe from anymore harm. Thank you again for your help. Good bye now."

Sitka flew up with the Spirits, and they left in a streak of rainbow colored lights.

Kenai glanced over at Aika the bear cub. "Hey..She got what she wanted.. She said that she wanted to come live with us."

Kia nodded. "Yep. It's just too bad she had to die to have her wish granted." she said, as she walked over to the bear cub.

"Aika...? Aika, dear, wake up." she said softly, nudging the cub's shoulder gently.

Aika's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at the white bear. "Kia..? Is..Is that you?" she asked.

Kia nodded. "Yeah..it's me."

"Wow, you look really different!" Aika exclaimed.

Kia chuckled. "So do you!"

As Kia spoke, Aika realized that something was different. How could she understand the grizzly bear!

Aika glanced down...She saw that she had furry brown spotted paws, and snow white fur, and let out a happy squeal.

"I'm a bear!" she cried happily, and jumped into Kia's arms in a playful tackle.

Kia hugged Aika tightly. "You're alright!" she cried, relieved. Aika squirmed, laughing.

"Hey, you're crushing me.." she paused and stopped squirming.

"...Does this mean...That I get to go with you and Kenai to the Salmon Run?" she asked excitedly.

Kia nodded, laughing. "Yeah! I doubt you'd really fit in the village now that you're a bear!"

Both the sow and the cub laughed. As they sat there, laughing, Tanana and Denahi approached them.

"Nakia...Before you go, I want to say thank you. I know this mission was more of a struggle for you then it was for Kenai, because he's been human before. So I want you to have this, as a reminder of all you've overcome."

Around Kia's neck, Tanana hung a small rock that was carved in the shape of a bear. It very much resembled Kenai's.

"Wow...thank you.." Kia began, but Tanana wasn't finished.

"I asked the Spirits what your totem was, and they said it was the same as Kenai's. Your totem could only be love...You've shown such a caring side during your stay, and so much love for Aika, even though you barely just met...You are already living by your totem, the bear of love. Wear it proudly, Nakia!"

A smile spread across Kia's muzzle. "I will...Thank you..."

Tanana could only hear soft growls from the sow, but she understood what she was trying to say.

"You are most certainly welcome, Nakia." she said.

Denahi approached her then. "So...This is the real you, huh Kia?" he asked, gazing into the grizzly's warm, brown eyes.

The white-brown marked bear nodded, and gave a soft, friendly growl in reply.

"Well then, I'm afraid I can't ask you out, now that you're a bear...So I guess...I guess you'll just have to stick to dating my brother." Denahi said jokingly.

Kia roared with laughter. Then Denahi and Tanana left her alone, so she and Aika walked over to Warner.

He and the wolf pack were staring at Kia in disbelief. "What just happened? Why are you and Kenai bears now!" he asked.

As quickly as she could, Kia explained about everything, from the Spirit's message, to how she and Kenai were changed into humans, in order to complete their quest.

"Us being humans was only a temporary thing." she finished.

"Ohh.." Warner said slowly. "I understand now. So, where will you go now?"

"The Salmon Run!" Aika chimed in.

Kia laughed at the cub's enthusiasm. "It's a big river filled with tons of salmon." she told Warner. "Kenai and I live there with his brother, Koda."

"Will I still see you around?" Warner inquired.

Kia nodded. "You can count on it! I bet we'll meet up on our way to the cave where we stay when we're not at the Salmon Run!" she said.

Warner smiled. "Okay...See ya' then." he said, giving a little wave of his paw.

"See you soon!" The wolf pack chorused.

Kenai approached Kia and Aika. "You ready to go home?" he asked.

Kia couldn't agree fast enough. Kenai, Kia and Aika waved one last time at the smiling faces of Tanana, Denahi, Warner and the rest of the wolf pack. Then they set out on the journey home.

A few days later, they arrived at the Salmon Run. "I wonder where Koda is?" Kia said.

No sooner had she spoken, then a brown blur tackled Kenai, knocking him to the ground. It was Koda!

"Yippee!" he cheered. "You and Kia are back! I missed you guys so much! Oh, there is so much I gotta tell you two! I-"

The cub glanced up then, and saw Aika on top of Kia's back. "Who's she?" he asked.

Kia smiled. "This is Aika. She's a friend we brought back from-" she paused and shook her head, laughing. "I'll explain later.." she said.

"Aika, huh...? Hmm..." Koda reached out a paw and tagged Aika's shoulder.

"Tag, Aika! You're It! Just try to catch the Salmonator! I dare ya'!" he challenged.

Aika looked shyly at Koda, unsure of whether to accept his challenge. After she thought it over, Aika jumped off of Kia's back, and she and Koda raced off into the water, laughing and playing.

Kenai and Kia sat down beneath a tree, tired from their long journey.

"You know, Kia.." Kenai began, turning his head to look at the sow, "You really surprised me during these past few days. You got used to being changed into a human better then I got used to becoming a bear at first!"

The two grizzly bears laughed. Then Kia looked at Kenai, a warm smile on her face.

"Well...that may be true...but I never could have got through it all without your help." She wrapped her paws around Kenai in a bear hug, and he blushed. "Thank you Kenai..Thanks for everything.."

Kenai hugged her back. "Don't mention it! it's like I told you before, in that cave. I'd do anything for you. There's nothing too big for me when it concerns you.."

The two bears fell silent as they gazed lovingly into one another's eyes.

"You know what else?" Kia asked after a moment, breaking the silence.

Kenai shook his head. "What?"

"I don't think we were changed into humans just to save your village."

"Well, what's the other reason?" Kenai asked.

Kia pointed a paw over at the two cubs, who were still playing tag in the river.

"Aika.." Kia said, "She needed a friend, and more importantly, someone to care for, and love her. I truly believe that we were sent not only to help the villagers, but Aika too. Kinda like a side mission, but still just as important. Only, we had to discover that mission for ourselves."

Kenai smiled and put his arm around the white-brown sow's shoulders. "You know what? I think you're right.."

All of a sudden, Koda called out to them. "Hey Kenai, Kia! Let's go fishing!"

The cub motioned for them to come with a paw.

Kia giggled and looked at Kenai, a smile on her face. "C'mon, Kenai!" she said, getting to her paws.

She ran as fast as she could, Kenai right beside her.

Then the two bears plunged into the river, head first, making a huge splash. It felt great to be a bear again!