The Great Migration: Part Five

      "Scatter!" Mysson cried and the whole entire Bori colony took off in different directions.

      "Wait!" Borver yelled, "We must stay together or else the snow beasts will scoop us up!"

      Takeinia, who had heard Borver's cry, suddenly stopped. She turned to him and asked, "What do you propose we do?"

      Borver took a deep breath. "Just over there is the Great Negg River," Borver said, motioning towards the south, "on the other side of the river is the Eastern region of Terror Mountain. Over there is snow beast free. Because of the snow beast's fear of water, if we cross the river, they won't follow us. And even if they do, they will most likely fall through the ice. I know it seems risky, but you have to trust me. Trust me like a son."

      Takeinia thought for a moment. She hadn't trusted anyone in a long time, not since her father had died years ago. In remembering her father, Takeina also surfaced some older memories, including the dreadful day that her son had fallen into the river and drowned. Drowned. Takeinia stopped. How did she know that he had drowned? She had never found his body, or any signs that he had died. This red Bori, he seemed so familiar, maybe…just maybe…

      "Will you trust me?" Borver asked again, waking Takeina up from her thoughts.

      "Oh…yes, I will trust you. The fate of my colony rests in your better judgment."

      Takeinia then turned the the rest of the Bori, who were running in every direction. "Listen up," she hollered, "we must gather together!"

      The Bori crowded around Takeinia. "Listen, you must listen. The only chance of escaping our fate is to follow this young Bori's instructions." The Bori all turned to Borver.

      "All right," Borver grunted, "my two friends here, Arkatha and Elainor, aka the killer Lupes, are going to take you across the river while I distract the snow beasts. Got it?"

      The Bori turned to each other. They were nervous about trusting a total stranger, but it seemed to be the only way.

      "Before I leave with the others, are you sure you want to do this?" Takeinia asked.

      Borver paused. "What is your name?"

      "Takeinia."

      "Takeinia, I've never been surer in my life, now hurry and catch up with the others"

      Takeinia turned to rejoin the colony, as she did; she looked back at Borver one last time. "Good luck," she whispered, "my son."

      Borver made sure that Takeinia rejoined the group before turning to face the ugly group of snow beasts.

      "Hey, big hairy guys bet you can't catch me!" he yelled.

      The snow beasts roared and charged at Borver, but he jumped out of the way and the snow beasts ran straight into each other. One of the snow beasts, dazed, but not shaken, got up and pounded its chest. It then opened it's mouth and ducked down to take a chuck out of Borver, who yelped and rolled out of the way just in time. He then got up and leaped at the snow beast and dug his claws into its eyes. The snow beast screamed and fell back onto the ground, just as another one leaped at Borver, landing right on top of him. Fortunately, Borver wiggled his way out from underneath the immense creature unharmed.

      "Hey Borver," he suddenly heard Arkatha cry, "Everyone is across safely, now it's your turn!"

      Borver jumped to his feet and ran straight for the river, but he was not alone. One brave snow beast was following him, determined not to let Borver go. Just as he reached the ice, the snow beast leaped into the air and tackled Borver to the ground. The two slid out into the middle of the river and broke through the ice.

      "Borver!" Arkatha cried.

      "Mysson, give me and hand," Takeinia motioned for her friend to fallow her.

      The two wandered out into the middle other the river. Takeinia stopped and sniffed the ground. "Dig here," she ordered.

      Mysson and Takeina scrapped away at the ice while the other Bori and the two lupes watched. Tension was building. Finally, the two managed to break through the ice. Takeinia reached into the fridged water and search around for a little bit before finally pulling out a soak and wet Borver. Then, with Mysson's help, she dragged him to shore.

      A nervous crowd gathered around Borver as his eyes slowly opened. "Borver, my son" Takeinia asked in a raspy voice, "is that you?"

      "Mother!" Borver cried, "it's me!"

      "Oh Borver," Takeinia sobbed as she embraced her son, "I thought you were dead! I've missed you so much! I can't believe you're alive!"

      Mysson looked from Takeinia to Borver. "He's Borver? Your long lost son? But that can't be! How did you know?"

      Takeinia smiled. "Let's just say, my dear friend Mysson, that when you love someone as much as I love my little Borver here, you will never forget them. Let's just say that when I first saw that strange red Bori, I knew immediately that he seemed familiar."

      Mysson nodded wisely. "That makes sense. I would never forget Candice, no matter whatever happened."

      Meanwhile, all the other Bori were busily buzzing around Borver. They were all filled with millions of questions to ask Borver, such as about what life was like on his own and how he had survived. But no Bori was filled with more questions (and sarcastic remarks) than Candice.

      "Wow, are you ever lucky to be alive!" She said, her eyes twinkling with awe.

      Borver smiled, "I probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for my friend, Arkatha." Takeinia turned to the Lupe, who was standing with his tail wagging.

      "If you are looking for a family, you are more than welcome to join ours," she said.

      Arkatha shook his head. "No thank mam', I'm a free spirit, the world is my oyster, I hope you understand. Anyways, I should get going now before it starts to snow or something."

      Takeinia nodded. "I understand."

      Borver slowly Approached Arkatha and gave him a good hit on the shoulder. Arkatha yelped and smiled. "Thanks for all your help buddy," Borver murmured.

      Just as Arkatha started away, Elainor stepped in front of him.

      Arkatha sighed. "What do you want Elainor?"

      "What I want is to come with you, Arkatha, as soon as I catch up to you again, you run off! Not this time!"

      "Very well then, you can come with me. If you can keep up that is!" And with that, Arkatha took off.

      "Hey! Wait up," Elainor shouted as she ran after him, "don't I get a head start or something?"

      Takeinia laughed as she watched the two disappear beneath the setting sun. She then straightened up and turned to Borver. "Did anyone ever tell you about your Uncle Rory?"

      Borver shook his head. "I don't think so."

      Takeinia face lit up. "Two years before his death, during the great migration, half of the migrating Bori were crossing the river when the ice gave away and they all fell through. Your uncle worked hard and saved many of those Bori from drowning. He was a hero, just like you are today, my little Borver."

      Borver looked up at the sky and smiled. It was great to know that there were some heroes in this world at one time. Heroes like his uncle. Heroes like himself. A hero. Borver liked that title.

Epilogue:

      Soon after rejoining his colony, Borver and the other Bori managed to make their way back to the rest of the migrating Bori. Borver soon fell in love with Candice, another Bori from the colony.

      Borver's acts of heroism didn't just stop with his colony. Later on his in life, Borver a young blue Lupe from drowning. That young Lupe went on in his life believing that there was such thing as a hero. Years later, that same Lupe defeated Lord Kass.

      Borver never did see his beloved friend, Arkatha again, but he heard some rumors about the infamous traveling Lupe. Including one that claimed he wrote what is widely known as the "Neopedia".

      What Borver didn't know is that Arkatha eventually went home to his pack, and to his surprise, he found that his father had actually missed him. Arkatha decided to try to lend a hand by helping the pack hunt, and to the surprise of the other lupes, he was an extremely skill full hunter because of the research he had did on his prey. Afterwards, the lupes, including Jackal, were practically on their hands and knees begging for Arkatha to teach them how to read so they to could become skillful like him.

      Now, you may be wondering if Borver's descendants walked in his footsteps and chose to become heroes rather than villains, well, if you'll kindly skip forward a few hundred years to present date, you'll find that the answer is yes. Just ask Borver's great, great, great, great grandson, Armin the small.

The End