Nestled deeply inside a cave within the northeastern parts of Avechna's Teeth rests a powerful brown bear.  She sleeps softly on the ground of the cave, one paw wrapped about her small cub of only a few months.  Her shaggy fur rustles as her labored breathing gently raises and lowers her chest, rocking the small cub she holds so dearly.

As dawn breaks, glorious rays of sunlight begin to pour into the cave, illuminating the jagged rocks strewn about the entrance and casting shadows that dance about on the walls.  His eyes being hit by a rather intrusive ray of sunlight, the young cub awakens and blinks the sleep from his eyes.  Excited by the prospects of the new day, he clumsily rolls out from beneath his mother and gently nuzzles her stomach with his snout.

"Momma!  Momma!  Get up!  Father Sun has chased away mean old lady Night.  It's time to explore, momma," shouts the cub, unaware of his own roar.  His mother grunts lazily and rolls onto her back, gently draping a massive paw across the young cub's snout to playfully pin his head against the ground.

"Oh little cub.  There are many days yet to live.  Many valleys left to explore.  You will see it all, one day.  I'm sure of it.  Until then, little one, patience is a virtue which you must learn."

The young cub stares silently up at his half-asleep mother before grunting softly.  This is something she's told him every morning since he can remember.  "The Basin is so large for such a small bear."  The words echo through his young mind as he thinks of all he's seen so far.  He remembers the story of the rockeaters he watched curiously munch upon the mountains as his mother led him through the Peaks.  She had told him that Tae and Bollikin created them in the image of Lady Viravain's fleas in order to wake the sleeping Dracnoris.  It worked, of course.  After all, Tae was one of the wisest Elders.

"Well, are you coming my little cub?"  His mother's words jostle him from his daydream as he looks over to see her standing at the mouth of the cave, smiling fondly.  He bounds across the floor of the cave, almost planting his face into his mother's rump as he loses control of his momentum.  He can hear the words of yesterday still ringing in his head: "You'll get better with those strong paws of yours soon."

Before long, the two find themselves standing before the Tolborolla Valley, carefully watching a young buck graze.

"Now, little one.  Follow close.  We must kill him quick, so he doesn't suffer.  There's no point in slaughtering for sport.  Only kill when you must eat, as we are all created from the same."

The young cub nods his head enthusiastically, remembering the stories of creation his mother has told him.  He always remembers the ones of Bollikin's creations most vividly.  She always tells him there's a reason for that, and one day he'll find out.  Until then, he follows his mother closely as she runs at full speed toward the grazing deer.  Before it has had time enough to react, she has tackled it to the ground and removed its throat.  Though covered in blood, the cub still finds his mother's smile heartwarming.

"Come, my cub.  Eat."

And so they do.  The meat of the deer is tender and warms the cub's belly.  Before long, his eyes grow heavy from the chase and he and his mother retreat under the shade of a tree to nap.

The afternoon sun greets them as they wake again.  With a mighty yawn, the two rise as the mother leads her cub to a small, secluded cavern with an underground pond.  They both clean themselves from the earlier kill, the mother bear gently rubbing the blood from her fur as her cub splashes about with a smile.

"All cleaned up?  There's work for us to do in the valley, my cub.  The squirrels are crying and their play has stopped.  It seems a great nest of hornets has made their tree home.  Our thick hides protect us from their stings, and as we are of the same, we must help them."

The young cub's eyes suddenly light up, remembering the stories of Tae and His Bear eradicating swarm after swarm of bloodthirsty bees in the days of old.  Perhaps he will one day become as great as His Bear?  Bounding out of the hidden pond, he follows his mother happily as she leads him away once more.

It is not long before he can hear the wicked buzzing of the hornets' hive.  Indeed, the squirrels have all been chased away, though the smell of hidden acorns lingers in the air.  He watches as his mother fearlessly lifts herself onto her back legs and, with one great swoop, sends the hive flying through the air.  Angry hornets have entangled themselves in her fur, but their stings are unable to strike true against her mighty hide.  And so, the two fill their bellies with broken pieces of honeycomb as the last of the hornets buzz away to pester another valley.

Father Sun once more chases away old lady Night as his smile gently wakes the cub once more.  With stomachs full of sugar, the two had fallen asleep, curled up around the base of the tree.  This morning, however, he remembers the lessons of his mother and patiently waits for her to wake.  The squirrels have returned to their tree, and two of them scurry down its trunk to thank the little cub for his help.  His chest swells with pride as his mother, who has silently woken, smiles at him fondly.

"What're we gonna eat today, momma?  Can we kill another deer?  The one yesterday was delicious!"  The cub's face shines with pride as his eyes twinkle with excitement.

"No, my cub.  There is much more for us to eat.  We must not hunt the deer too often, or else they will leave to a more peaceful place.  Besides, they deserve a bit of the peace we so often enjoy."  Her delicate, yet ferocious face holds its smile as she gently nuzzles her young cub.  He's grown so much, but there is still much she wishes to teach him.  And so, she begins the journey towards the Toronada River, clumsy little cub in tow.

The cub's eyes grow wide and fill with wonder as they reach the edge of a the swiftly moving river. The fish of the river are swimming against the rapids, flying through the air as they attempt to return to their mating grounds.  He's never seen something so wonderful before!

"Momma!  What are they doing!  That looks really hard!"  The cub simply cannot believe his eyes.

His mother nuzzles him fondly before speaking, "It is, my cub.  They are fighting against the current so that they may birth their young in the safety of the calmer parts of the river where there are few hunters.  We must remember this time, because it is far easier to catch these fish than it was to catch the deer yesterday.  But, little cub, remember what you learned of hunting yesterday, and be sure to practice it here, as well."

And so the cub learns to hunt when the opportunity is good.  However, what did his mother say yesterday?  He certainly remembers the deer being quite tasty.  As his belly rumbles, he remembers the speed at which his mother killed the deer.  That's right.  Be sure to kill quickly, so that your prey does not suffer.  But there's more, he remembers!  You mustn't be greedy, and must remember not to overhunt your prey.

He watches as his mother wades to the middle of the river, gently swiping at the fish flying through the air and ripping at their spines before filling her belly.  After he's found a spot where his growing limbs can withstand the flow of the river, the little cub begins to fumble at the fish jumping about.  He manages to finally catch hold of one, and just like his mother did, he kills it quickly.  It tastes even better than the deer, but it's not quite as filling.

His mother soon leads him away from the stream, so that the fish may return to their ritual.

"But momma," the cub whines, "my tummy is not full!  Surely we can eat just one more fish!"

With a gentle rumble of laughter, his mother smiles and says, "No, my cub.  We must not disturb them too much, as they are birthing more fish to feed us next season."  She gives the cub a pat on the head as she continues, "Though, there is still much we can nibble on until your belly is full.  Remember, not everything must come at the death of another.  Often times, it is best to rest peacefully and take from other of Nature's gifts."

She leads the cub downstream to a spot where bushes line the banks of the river, some speckled with bright red berries and some speckled with deep blue berries.  Careful not to break the branches of the bushes, she gently plucks a few of the berries, showing the cub how to feed himself without hunting others.  He finds he much prefers the blue berries over the red berries, and so his mother saves them for him.

It is years later.  The once little cub is now a proud, handsome bear.  However, his mother has grown quite old.  Her once powerful frame now creaks and cracks.  Her once mighty roar is now but a whisper.  She will soon slumber one final time, and it pains him to have to come to this understanding.  She is all he has known.  Managing a lazy smile, she beckons him to rest beside her, and he does.

"You have grown so well, my cub."  Her eyes have become dim and her breathing leaves her voice weak.  "You have done a good job.  You have learned much and you have seen much, but there is still a grand Basin for you to explore.  I love you, my cub, and I ask of you but one thing.  Remember what Tae's Bear has given us.  Remember the lessons you have learned, for they are the lessons He has taught us.  However, the most important lesson is one that I cannot teach you, but one you must learn for yourself.  It is a lesson that... that I have learned just now."

Her eyes twinkle as tears of joy begin to well within them.  Though her final few breaths are now escaping her once glorious frame, her cub looks on at her with strength in his eyes.  He refuses to show her the pain welling behind his fierce smile.

"My cub.  All that matters is that I have seen you become strong.  Tae taught His Bear how to live, and so I have taught you.  And so you will teach your cubs.  That is the greatest of all lessons.  I love you, my bear."

As the light in her eyes slowly fades, the now powerful bear sitting beside her can't help but notice her smile hasn't.  He curls up beside her for one final time.  He will hold her tonight as she has always held him, protecting her as she travels to be with her own mother.

"I love you too, momma bear.  Thank you."