The climb to the mountain was treacherous, but we eventually made it to the top of the mountain. We looked around and no one was there. "Sitka!" I called out. There was no answer and kept close to Kenai to try and keep warm. "Sitka, are you there?" Kenai also called out. Again, there was no answer. We looked down in defeat. We had lost so much to get here. What else could we do? Kenai must've thought the same because he said, "Please. Please, Sitka. I don't know what else to do."

Then, we spotted something in the snowstorm. A figure that looked like an eagle. "Sitka?" I wondered, but as the figure got closer, I realized that it wasn't Sitka. It was another hunter and it wasn't just any hunter.

"Denahi." Kenai said. He started backing up a ways, but I stood there frozen in fear. Denahi started to charge Kenai and he shouted, "Sitka! Hurry! Change me back!" Denahi was about to stab Kenai, but Kenai blocked him. I snapped out of my shock and yelled, "Kenai!" I ran towards him as Denahi and him were fighting. I jumped onto to Denahi's back and tried to use my weight to pull him away from Kenai. Then, Denahi grabbed me and he threw me against the rock and my vision grew blurry for a moments.

"Tehya!" Kenai shouted. He tried to run towards me, but Denahi jumped onto Kenai's back.

"Where are you, Sitka?" I whispered standing up and shook my head to try to clear my vision. Then, to my horror, Denahi and Kenai fell off the cliff. "KENAI! DENAHI!" I shouted. I ran towards the edge and saw that they had landed on smaller ledge. Both were out of it for a second, but Denahi stood up, but Kenai wasn't.

"Kenai!" I shouted. I quickly climbed down the cliff hoping that I would make it in time to save him. When I reached the bottom, I saw that Denahi had already been knocked to the side and it was by Koda.

"Koda?" I heard Kenai question. I went up to Koda and would've given the cub a hug under better circumstances. Then, I noticed Denahi was looking at his spear and I knew what he was planning. I glanced at Koda and we both nodded. We had to do what we could to protect Kenai. As Denahi charged, we started running towards the spear and we had a head start.

"NO!" Kenai shouted. We both grabbed the spear at the same time and starting running with Denahi close on our tails. "Leave them alone!" Kenai yelled. Then, we both tumbled, Denahi grabbed the spear, and switched around as Kenai had caught up to us yelling, "Tehya, Koda!"

"KENAI!" I screamed in horror. Suddenly, lights filled the entire mountain. Sitka was here. I started to cry tears of joy as I saw Kenai being lifted down and he was transformed back into a human.

"Kenai?" Denahi asked completed shocked. The eagle who carried him transformed into Sitka. I was so happy too see him, both of them. Denahi then questioned, "Sitka?" His mouth was hanging wide open as Sitka came and took off the cloak that Denahi was wearing and wrapped it around Kenai. He also took Kenai's totem, which was wrapped around the spear. I walked up to Denahi and rubbed my head against him. Denahi jumped and looked at me and was looking like he was trying to recognize me.

"Denahi, it's Tehya." Kenai pointed out. I gave him a smile in my bear form and I was wondering when Sitka was going to change me back into a human.

"Tehya!" Denahi exclaimed. He looked rather pale and looked as if he were about to pass out. Then, Sitka transformed me back into a human and rapped another cloak around me. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and ran to give Denahi a hug. I quickly embraced him and he embraced me as well and I could feel him shaking. I didn't blame him. I would be too.

"I thought that you two had perished by a bear's hand." Denahi whispered. My eyes widened at that statement and everything made sense now. That would explain why Denahi was hunting us to the brink of madness. Then, I heard something. A grunt of a small cub. I turned around to see Koda hiding behind a rock. Koda. What was going to happen to him? Kenai and I slowly walked over to him and Kenai said, "Koda? Koda, don't be afraid."

"It's us." I finished. Koda came out from behind the rock and I knew that he recognized us. He jumped into Kenai's arms and Kenai hugged him. I giggled and smiled at the two. Those two have a special bond. I noticed Sitka hand Kenai his totem to which he showed Koda. I got up and stood next to Denahi putting a hand on his shoulder. Then, Kenai turned to Sitka, Denahi, and I and said, "He needs me."

"You know... He did look better as bear. What do you think, Tehya?" Denahi questioned with a glint in his eyes. He messed up my bangs and I pushed him away laughing and said, "I do agree with him." Kenai laughed, then said, "But, Denahi, Tehya..."

"It's alright, Kenai." Denahi said.

"No matter what you choose..." I started.

"You'll always be our brother. My little brother to be exact." Denahi said.

"What about you, Tehya?" Sitka questioned. Everyone turned to me. I stood there frozen and asked, "What do you mean?"

"You have a choice, Tehya. You've questioned what your purpose will be throughout this journey. Do you know what that means now?" Sitka wondered. I thought about it for a moment. Throughout this journey, I had been wondering about what my purpose in life was. When it came down to it, I wanted to be with those who needed help. When I was offered to join Kenai, I did it because I knew that he needed me, then I saw Denahi and it broke my heart to see him hurting. I wanted to provide comfort for the hurt. I answered, "Yes, I think I do. My purpose is to be with those who need me."

Sitka gave me a proud smile as did Kenai and Denahi. Then, Sitka said, "As I said before, you have a choice. You can be with Kenai and remain a bear, or you can go with Denahi and remain human." I looked up towards Kenai and Denahi. I didn't know what to do, but I knew that I had to make a choice. I thought about my journey with Kenai. It was interesting being a bear and it wouldn't be a bad thing, but I thought about what my purpose was. To be with those who needed me. Kenai. As much as I hate to admit it, he doesn't need my help anymore. I know that he will be just fine with Koda. I looked towards Denahi. He would be alone. I couldn't bear to leave Denahi again.

I answered, "Kenai, as interesting as it was being a bear, it doesn't suit me as it suits you. Plus, Denahi needs me." Kenai gave me a slight smile understanding what I was saying and I could see relief flood through Denahi.

"I understand, but you'll always be my little sister." Kenai said.

"And you'll always be my older brother. Plus, remember the last time we left Denahi alone?" I whispered that last part to him and he snorted.

"What was that?" Denahi questioned.

"Nothing!" Kenai and I called back. The three of us gave a group hug and when we let go of each other. Kenai was a bear once more.

"Did I say little earlier?" Denahi teased.

"Hey!" Kenai exclaimed. My eyes widened and I stated, "Kenai! I still understand you!"

"Really?" Kenai questioned. The three of us turned to Sitka who explained, "Since Tehya was willing to turn herself into a bear when she didn't do anything wrong and made the choice to stay with Denahi, she will now have the ability to understand bears, but only bears, I'm afraid." I smiled and Sitka, Denahi, Kenai, and I embraced each other in a group hug, then we turned I saw that Koda was with his mother. My heart practically melted when I saw that. Koda so deserved to see his mother again.

Then, we watched as Sitka and Koda's mother depart from us. I was saddened but I felt blessed to have seen Sitka again. Kenai sneaked up behind Koda who shouted, "Kenai!" When he saw him as a bear again. Denahi and I chuckled at the scene. The two started wrestling and Denahi and I gave each other a knowing look. We joined in as well.

When we got off the mountain, it took a couple days journey to get back to the village. The four of us traveled back there together. When we got back, Kenai was ready to put his mark on the wall next to our ancestors. When I saw Ahanu, I quickly embraced him and, for some reason, he started to tear up when he let go. He explained to me that the village thought that a bear had killed me when they found my clothes torn at my tree fort and bear tracks leading away from it. The story of Kenai and I becoming bears spread throughout the village like wildfire when we explained everything.

The day of Kenai's ceremony came. Denahi and I had the honor of lighting the antlers on fire. Afterwards, we embraced Tanana. It felt so long since I had last seen her. We turned around and saw Kenai coming towards us. I glanced towards the children and saw Koda sitting among them. When Kenai reached us. Denahi and I grabbed his paw and together we placed his mark of the wall next to the hands of our ancestors. I felt so incredibly proud of Kenai and became thoughtful afterwards.

Throughout this journey, Kenai had desperately wanted to prove himself a man and he was able to achieve it. He showed Denahi and I that love is very powerful and I could tell that Kenai's story will be told for years to come among our tribe and possibly many others. This boy became a man by becoming a bear.