The fighting on the front lines was very fierce, and if not for the quickness cougars are known for, the battle would have been nothing more than a skirmish. It was all the bears could do to keep up with the cougars darting close to attack, then back out of reach of their dangerous claws. Occasionally a bear would have the fortune of striking a cougar, leaving claw marks across the legs or torso. A few of the younger inexperienced cougars met this fate, to their mother's dismay.
"Mind their claws! You are more fleet of foot than they are!" the King yelled. Several of the jackals leaped from off the bears onto the cougars. Still, the cougars fought tenaciously. Several bears were slain, but not without cost. Unbeknownst to the cougars, the hyenas had begun to advance toward the melee.
It was late in the day when Plucky and Djim reached the end of the mountain range. Per Plucky's calculations, this would be the last night of the Blue Moon – his last chance of seeing his mother slowly fading away before them was a cliff and a wooden plank bridge with ropes. Just beyond the bridge was the silver meadow. Plucky searched for his mother and the Witch but saw neither. His morale dropped. Was he too late? Did the Witch lie to him? Djim went ahead and tested the integrity of the bridge. The wooden planks were in a single line; each plank was two hind paws across. They were sturdy but wobbled as Djim tested them.
"Watch your step, Plucky."
Plucky walked up to the edge of the cliff and looked down. The ridge was extremely steep, and at the bottom, he could see a rapidly flowing current of water. His gaze followed the current until it flowed into the open ocean. A bead of sweat crawled down his forehead.
"Plucky, think of this as the watchtower, part two. Don't look down while you cross, and you'll be okay...." Djim said as he caught Plucky off guard. "You looked down again, didn't you?" Djim sighed.
"I'm sorry, Djim. I couldn't help it," Plucky said sheepishly. Halfway across the bridge, the wind began to pick up. The bridge started to sway. Plucky lost his footing but caught himself. His paws were sore from tightly gripping the ropes. He still held on tightly.
"Hold on, Plucky!" Djim yelled, now fully turned around. "I'm coming back for you!"
Step by precarious step, Djim inched back to Plucky's position.
"Climb on my back! We'll make it across together!"
Plucky nodded. He removed his pack and decided he wouldn't need it anymore. Upon setting it down, a gust of wind blew it off the bridge and into the raging river below. He leaped up onto Djim's back and hugged his neck. Djim, in turn, grabbed onto Plucky's legs, then let go so he could hold on to the ropes. Slowly but surely, they made their way across the bridge. "Plucky! Arch! I... Can't... Breathe!" Djim yelled in a throaty voice. Plucky loosened his grip.
Strangely, the wind subsided the moment Djim set foot on the meadow. The sun was setting, and the grass changed color to a pale silver. Plucky had a troubled look on his face.
"Where is my mother? Why isn't she here?" Plucky pleaded to the open sky.
The Great Lion gazed from one Lion to another, searching for signs of any possible sudden weakness. Suddenly, he turned toward the Lion of air. He began coughing, and his legs failed him. The Great Lion heard a few stuttered breaths, then a dreadful silence. A tear formed in the pit of the Lion's eye.
"This battle may yet be ours! Keep fighting!"
A joyous cry rang out from the cougar army – the remaining bears were dwindling in number. Their joy was short-lived, however. Before the bears finally retreated, one of them wounded the King.
"Protect our King!" Several cougars shouted out as a squad carried the King back across the river.
"Get the wounded out of harm's way!" the King yelled between gasping breaths. Back on the battlefield, the cougars scrambled to reform their ranks. They saw the surviving jackals return with a crowd of noisy, battle-ready hyenas.
"The Witch lied to me!" Plucky yelled.
"Plucky! We can figure this out! Are you sure this is the right meadow?" Djim asked. Plucky glared at Djim.
"Of course, this is the meadow! Have you looked at the map?"
"Now that you mention it, you only showed it to me once!" Djim said, tapping his chin. Plucky paused. He had not expected this response. In frustration, he picked up a small rock and threw it as hard as possible. To his surprise, the stone disappeared in thin air. Djim witnessed this oddity.
"Plucky, you're a genius!"
"What did I do?" Plucky could not believe what had just happened.
Djim walked over to where he last saw the rock. He stuck out his paw and gasped when it vanished in the air.
"Plucky, this is magic. I imagine the Witch did this to protect herself."
With that said, Djim stepped into the enchantment. Plucky looked around, shrugged his shoulders, and followed Djim into nothing. In the blink of an eye, it seemed Plucky had stepped through a doorway. He first saw a gnarly oak tree positioned in the meadow's center. The grass glowed a light gray, tinged with blue from the waning moonlight.
Suddenly, the Witch appeared from behind the tree.
"Plucky! You made it in the nick of time! I knew you could do it! But who is this with you?"
"His name is Djim," Plucky answered defiantly. "I couldn't have made it here without him."
"I never intended for you to have help. You have the ruby shard. It should have been able to arrive on your own."
"The important thing is that I am here now! Where is my mother?"
"So eager! Remember that our agreement requires you to unify the ruby shards before I help you find your mother."
"This smells of trickery, Plucky!" Djim interrupted.
"How inconsiderate of me!" The Witch exclaimed. "I have a special gift for your companion. I expect this will keep him from interfering with the matters of the ruby."
She waved her stick in a circular motion. Djim's ears instantly perked up. From behind the tree, a Lion stepped out, stalking and immediately homing in on Djim. This Lion's skin and mane were the color of gray stone. Djim's eyes widened at what he saw next. Stepping out from the opposite side of the tree from the stone Lion appeared a second Lion. This Lion had a bright red mane – it seemed to be constantly aflame. Despite this, there was no visible smoke or pain on the Lion's face.
Djim froze. He instantly recognized the threat before him. This was the Lion who had torn off part of Djim's ear all those years ago. More than that, this was the Lion solely responsible for the death of his parents. In all his terrible majesty stood the Lion of Fire. Plucky cried out in dismay as the realization hit him.
"Djim! Be careful!"
Djim heard this but did not so much as look at Plucky. Instead, he dropped to all fours. He was at his most agile in this position. His eyes darted back and forth between this new pair of threats. The Witch laughed, then turned her attention back to Plucky.
"As a sign of my kindness, I have decided to adjust the terms of our accord, Plucky. I will show you your mother, but afterward, you must make the ruby whole — no more unreasonable delays. Remember, your companion's life is on the line. Make the ruby whole, or else both your mother's and friend's life are forfeit!"
Plucky could not believe his ears. He stammered. Dare he risk never seeing his mother again to do what he knew in his heart was the right thing to do? This thought was interrupted by Olive's chanting. Right before his eyes and to the left appeared Plucky's mother. She was wearing the same dress Plucky last saw her wearing. This time, her paws were bound behind her back. She was tied to a pole. Plucky burst into tears. He ran toward her as fast as his legs would carry him. He hugged her as tightly as he could.
"Oh, Plucky! I was worried to death that I would never see you again! Tell me, are you hurt?"
Her gaze turned toward the Witch. She warned in a louder voice.
"If I find you so much as laid a paw on him, I vow I will...."
"What exactly will you do, I wonder? From my perspective, you are just as helpless as the Lions I left back in the Forest!"
At this, Plucky let go of his mother and rounded the Witch.
"Let my mother and Djim go, and I'll do whatever you ask!"
"Now that you've mentioned your mother, I wonder if she has ever told you the truth...!"
"What do you mean? She has told me tales of my father...."
"I see even now she has kept her darkest secret from you! What kind of mother would consistently lie to her cub?"
Plucky was perplexed. What could the Witch be alluding to?
He cautiously turned to his mother.
"Mother... What secret is the Witch talking about?"
She shook her head and then broke down in tears. The Witch called out. "Plucky... Your mother is over here."
Plucky turned out in disbelief as the shock welled up inside of him.
"I am sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, Plucky, but the bear you thought was your mother is, in reality, your aunt. I am your true mother."
Plucky turned back to his mother, still struggling to untie the knots.
"Are you my aunt?"
"Honey... I am so sorry! I never found the right time to tell you...."
"You should have found time! Why would you let me believe a lie???" Plucky then looked to the Witch.
"Why did you give me up?"
"I was banished from the forest. I couldn't take you with me. The Lions forbade it. I had no choice but to leave you with my sister. It was the only way... Please try to understand."
"Plucky! Please don't listen to her! She was using the ruby shard to spy on you!"
"Lies, and more lies! That is the only thing that comes out of your mouth anymore!"
After a pause, the Witch added, "Plucky, there is a reason I couldn't make the journey with you. I couldn't risk you failing your part of my plan." "Plucky, please! Listen to reason! She may be your mother by blood, but which of us has raised you? She has not earned the right to call herself your mother. Look, she just admitted she was using you!" Plucky looked at the Witch, his face flush with anger. He hesitated as if remembering something, then yelled at the Witch.
"Now I understand why you want the ruby! You never cared about me! All you care about is getting your magic back!"
"Plucky, I will always be your mother. I want what is best for you, and if I get something out of it, so much the better!"
Plucky looked down at his ruby shard. For a few tense moments, he did not say anything, then looked up at the Witch.
"I see now. I will reforge the ruby," he said as he walked towards the oak tree.
"Plucky! No! Don't!" His mother yelled.
A sly grin spread across the Witch's face.
