The Teddy Bear Stories - Teddy Bear Discrimination Read online

I began, "Master there are many more animals that are there now. Can they not take training as well and help protect their young charges?"

  Fugwhump's eyes grew larger and he smiled at me. It was not the kindest expression that I had seen as he was a Master warrior and reserved his true love for his cub. "That is another excellent question, young one. Would you see a cute little bunny rabbit tearing a Night Terror to pieces? No. More likely the bunny would freeze and look cute until the Night Terror tore him apart and then mauled the cub. Only the bears can fend off the dark. Still, it is a good question. What is your name, young one?"

  "I am called Snuggles, Master." I was not sure if I fully believed what the Master had said, as we were trained from nothing once.

  "Well, Snuggles, that was a good question, but we do not have all day to talk. We begin training, NOW!"

  With that, we leapt into action and spent the rest of our time there training and learning how the enemy acted. Still, a part of my mind worried away on why things were the way they were. Why could other animals not learn our ways of the Guardian?

  We spent every available moment in combat, learning the tricks and ways of the all of the new Threats. I still wondered.

  A YEAR LATER

  Our training was as difficult as ever. The whirl and clash of arms sounded throughout the training field as the sun sparkled off of the weapons that were in constant motion. I had finished my sparring with Rocker and was leaning on my sword while I recovered. Master Fugwhump had just finished showing my opponent a better blocking method for the attack I had used.

  I raised my paw to get Fugwhump's attention. "Yes, Snuggles?"

  "Master I have asked before and always the answer is that they are not strong enough. Yet if there are fewer defenders, we will need more. There are ten times as many of the other animals as there are bears. Why do we not test the best, the strongest and the smartest to be defenders and help with the defense of our cubs?"

  Fugwhump glowered at me. "I am an old-fashioned bear, and while I appreciate your questions, you tend to think too much on those lines. ALL you would be doing is feeding them to the Night Terrors. You have fought against them and seen how strong they are. How long do you think a cute bunny would last, or a kitten? This is enough of those questions. FIGHT!"

  6 MONTHS LATER

  We stood in a line ready for the next words of wisdom from Fugwhump. He was looking at the ground while stroking the pommel of his sword. He looked up at us.

  "Jumper will not be with us in our training today." Jumper was the astronaut bear with the jet pack who had a keen eye for tactics and using the high ground in a fight. "His cub's parents were watching a movie and forgot the cub. It was a horror movie. Jumper fought bravely against the Night Terrors but he has been horribly wounded. He continues to fight and is losing. The cub has not been grievously scarred, but cries in terror. If only we could go to his aide."

  I did not bother putting my paw up this time. "Master, Jumpers cub has seven other animals that could have helped...."

  "ENOUGH, Snuggles! The others are cute and worthless in the fight! We must train HARDER! FIGHT!"

  Again we were whisked away into combat.

  THAT NIGHT

  I returned home and after Stevey went to bed I removed myself from his arms and kissed him on the cheek. I leapt down from the crib (bears are trained to get between the bars, it really does help to get through with no bones) and put on my armor. So far the Night Terrors had been minimal, we had been lucky. Stevey was a very young cub and the parents were watchful and very careful what he was exposed to. The joys of protective parents. Stevey was not even two human years old, and they were still protecting him from the bigger kid fears. Unfortunately, there was a large family and some of its members were scary; they could be bullies eventually.

  I saw all the signs that Aunt Marge would be a problem for my Stevey. She was large, wore too much make up and was much too loud for my delicate little cub. Worse, she was a pincher; we had a family get-together on the weekend and it was just about time for the Terrors to hit. There were others, including the cousin that liked going "BOO!" I could understand how that would bring about a Terror in someone who could not even really crawl yet.

  I pulled out my sword and stabbing spear. I was just settling them for action when I realized I was being watched from above. I looked up.

  There were Bunny and Duckie watching me. "What are you doing Snuggs?" asked Bunny, with that cute little ear-lift.

  "The same thing I do every night, Bunny. I am getting ready to defend Stevey from whatever Night Terrors are coming from under the bed, just like I do ever night. You stay up there and stay safe with Stevey."

  I could hear them talking up top. Then I heard the scraping and I knew that it was coming. I had just turned and brought my shield up when there was a rush at me from the darkness under the bed and I moved forward to meet it.

  It smashed into my shield pushing me back and making my ears ring. I could hear it cackling "Sweetie, come here and let me pinch those cute little cheeks! GIVE ME A KISS!" It smashed into me over and over again pushing me further back. I was just under the bed still. While striking it was shrieking at me. It was hideous, with so much makeup that I could not even tell what its real shape was. Every blow was a hammer strike against my shield and pushed me back further. Finally, between blows I was able to pull out my sword and at the next strike, I struck and took one of the pinchy hands off at the wrist. Another strike and it was down to only two. It was leaking black goo heavily and slowing down.

  I timed it and struck cleaving the Auntie Terror from scalp to toes. It fell in two halves and twitched before fading away. It was strong but this was exactly what I had trained for. I felt pride in keeping Stevey safe.

  The blow from the side took me by surprise and flattened me, with my sword and shield flying away. The Terror was on my chest, pinning me down and holding my arms away from me in an awkward position. Its face was hideous and red with a big nose and it screamed "BOOOOO" in my face. The drool was slimy and hideous and it was laughing insanely. It started chomping at my face and those teeth were razor sharp and jagged.

  We were rolling around and I was getting slimed. Its grip was unbelievable. Every time it bit at me, those teeth came a bit closer. I couldn't get a better grip and I could not bring my strength to bear.

  I rolled on top of it but that only pushed me closer to it. I couldn't smash it into the ground and it flipped us back over onto my back. I was going to be badly mauled by this thing if I survived. I felt the heat and anger that this thing would hurt my Stevey because I failed, and my inner bear roared out.

  I head-butted the Terror and rolled on top. I was pushed closer to it again and then it lunged forward, using my body as leverage. Its mouth closed on my helmet and chomped. I tried to pull away and succeeded, but it ripped the helmet from me, snapping the chin strap. I was in trouble.

  Their strength is not ours but unless badly wounded, they can keep it up as they feed on the initial fear. It flipped me back again and was effectively pinning me to the floor. Its mouth yawned open and it giggled shrilly while leaning in, and its breath was of rotting bad things.

  A voice spoke up startling us both "Hey meanie, get off Snugs!" The Terror looked over, giggling, and took a spear in the side. Its howl was world-ending. I saw Duckie gripping the other end of the spear and was shocked. He was holding on for dear life and looked panicked as the spear was stuck in the Terror.

  The Terror contorted its body and the spear acted as a catapult, throwing Duckie up into the underside of the bed. The crunch was sickening and Duckie hit the floor with a thud and did not move. I was frozen - I was failing Stevey and the rest of the animals. I started to move but the Terror was faster. It whipped around and struck me a backhanded blow that caught me on the head. I flew and then rolled across the floor. I couldn't move. The Terror pulled the spear from its side and threw it away, then started walking toward me, giggling as it came near. I saw Duckie flopping aroun
d moaning.

  The Terror loomed over me and brought its hands up to cup its face and said, "BOOO!". That giggling never seemed to stop. It reached toward me and the fingernails were like razors.

  "Hi mister, are you going to hurt my friends and Stevey?" Bunny was on the floor looking cute.

  The Terror turned toward Bunny and giggled "unhunh" while nodding its head and clenching and unclenching its oversized hands.

  Bunny's eyes blazed red and she leapt like lightning. Before I could even blink she was past the Terror. The Terror looked wrong, all off-balance. Then I realized he was missing a hand and it was lying on the floor next to him. The Terror was frozen. Bunny turned and I saw the black goo on her claws.

  "NO ONE is EVER going to hurt Stevey. He is a beautiful kit and is good. You die now." Bunny's teeth gleamed and she leapt again.

  But the Terror was ready for her this time. For a second all I could make out was a flurry of movement and then Bunny was down, caught with a backhanded blow from the Terror's remaining hand. It turned toward me as I was the real threat and I was on my feet, stabbing spear in my paws.

  It stopped and looked at me while grinning "BOOOOO!" It started toward me.

  Terrors are unstoppable and do not care about injury. They only exist for fear and to cause pain. It was moving fast and then it leapt. As soon as it was in the