Kala bears, wicked mutations of Australia's koala bears (marsupials), are on the rise.
Humans were destroying the koala's whole world, their trees. They were powerless to resist until, under pressure, a mutation occurred. Their eyes went from brown...
We rose in the purple dawn of Sirius Blue Star. The wolves milled around affirming pack. Butch whined and paced, watching them. "Go on then," said Silverfox and Butch ran over to join them. Then, as one, the pack was off, Butch bounding along with them. As the blue sun rose a river of wolves flowed across the plain below.
The Bears were a bit slower, a bit dozy. It took them an hour or so to greet the morning and each other, then they too ambled off. Mind you, an amble for a Sirius bear is a pretty fast trot for we humans. Keeping up soon had me huffing and puffing.
Some kind bears stopped for us. A big grizzly, name of Bumble Bear, came over to me. He bowed.
"Honoured Earth man, might I offer you a lift?"
I also bowed.
"Honoured Sirius bear, thank you. That would be great."
So I climbed up on his back. He's huge. His four-footed amble was surprisingly smooth though and his fur, so soft. I could wind my hands in it.
"I must warn you Honoured Earth man, I ..."
"Please, call me Neil."
"As you wish, Honoured Neil."
"No no. Just Neil."
"Of course ... my friend. As I was saying, I must warn you, I'm known as a bit of a talker. If you like, we could maybe swap some tales of Sirius and Earth and so we will pass the time. We have a three-day trot ahead of us comrade."
Nice one. I am partial to sharing stories.
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The Earthling Neil:
Ambling along in the morning sun it was easy to forget the unknown, and unwanted, before us. Bumble Bear proved to be not only a comfy ride, but also a warm-hearted and delightful story teller.
I'd heard the name Bulga Bear spoken of at the campfires, from Bulga the mighty to Bulga the mad, so I asked if might hear his story.
I offer the following as I heard it from Bumble Bear.
Bumble Bear:
"Ah yes, Bulga the mad. He really was.
"Bulga Bear was a monster, the first bear in modern history to revert to carnivore. Ate his own children in fact.
"He was huge, a half stand taller than any bear since. And vicious. He was also a shaman. He belonged to a sect where the bravest bears consume hallucinogenic fungi, day and night, for life. Brave because they know rapture and horror in equal portions. They gamble they will finally die during a rapturous state and so be released from the wheel. Of course that means an equal chance of dying within a nightmare and rebirth in some dreadful hell.
"They say it was the fungi that gave the demon GUteater control of Bulga's soul."
(My ears pricked up at the mention of GUteater.)
"With his mighty size and personal charisma, empowered by the evil tongue of GUteater, Bulga built a huge following among the bears. He fed his followers the dream fungi and that, in turn, fed their souls to GUteater.
"Any bear that stood against him was slaughtered and eaten by the rest.
"Determined to install himself as King, Bulga brutishly crushed Sirius into submission. The wolves, however, would not be cowed and so began the canine/bear wars. Many sacrificed themselves fighting Bulga and his fungi addled followers. It was the sacrifice of these wolves that finally awoke our lord, Gold Eye.
"Gold Eye manifested himself in body, just as he has now.
"Our lord is rarely seen embodied. Gold Eye is the soul of Sirius, like your Lady Gaia is soul queen of Earth. And just as your Lady Gaia would never let an alien evil flourish on her soil, so it is with our lord. The demon GUteater was not from Sirius, and yet he empowered Bulga's bid to dominate us. Gold Eye could not allow that. With his intervention the end of Bulga the Mad King loomed.
"His death was assured and efficient. Gold Eye ducked under the swipe of the giant paw, circled 'round, bounded up Bulga's back and ripped out his jugular.
"As Bulga died GUteater emerged from his body. Confronted with our lord, GUteater shrieked and blew himself apart. They say he reformed in some far corner of the galaxy, never to return."
(Never to return? I wonder.)
"That was some 500 years ago now. Gold Eye has rarely manifested since then, which is why we're are so thrilled to see him now.
"Not only do we have his presence, but we witness the return of Commander Winnie. With Silverfox and Green Dog.
"Not only that but Winnie brings a company of Earth folk.
"I can't tell you how exciting all this is, for a quiet old bear like me."
The Earthling Neil:
I'll end my report here Milinda, with one note.
Bumble Bear tells me the talk around the campfires is that Bulga the Mad has returned, that he's holed up in Crystal Mountain, that he is somehow poisoning the land.
Evidently Bulga the Cannibal, Bulga the Cruel, represents primal brute terror to these modern vegetarian bears. They can't imagine anything worse than his return.
I put it to Winnie.
"Could this be the return of Bulga Bear?"
"no. is not bulga bear. bulga bear too dead. this is much wors."
He did not say what it is though, that is much worse than Bulga Bear.
I'll sign off now Milinda.
I just thought the tale of Bulga might have a place in the Archive.
Pic : Bulga Bear.
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