22Disclaimer: I don't own the care bears, all rights and belong to their respective owners. I do however claim credit for both Pure Heart Bear and Lost Heart Leopard so please don't 'borrow' them without asking permission.
A Story of Pure Hearts
Ch. 1-Our First Night in Care-a-lot
I'm Lost. No, I don't mean that I don't know where I am, what I mean is that my name is Lost. Lost Heart Leopard actually, and I'm one of the care bear cousins. (though I'm sure you've never heard of me) I don't go on caring missions, so I kind of miss out on the fame. It's not that I don't want to help people, I'm just…I'm too scared to do it. After what happened…I don't think I can ever be a real care bear cousin. Everyone knows how True Heart and Noble Heart split up the cubs and cousins. They said it was to protect them from Dark Heart, but that wasn't all of it. And the story behind them splitting up the care bear family is the reason I never leave the forest of feelings. It isn't exactly a happy tale, but it's a part of our history that shouldn't be forgotten. So here is the story of the care bears beginning, of us cubs and what truly shaped us into the care bear family we are now-it is a story of pure hearts.
Sparkling red, blue, yellow and green in the darkening night sky, the snapping fireworks roused happy oohs and ahhs from the young care bear cubs and cousins. Their multi-colored fur created a rainbow on the clouds more colorful than the light display in the sky; soft reds, pales pinks sitting amongst bright yellows and splashes of blue with every other color of the rainbow in between.
True Heart smiled tenderly at them as she shot another sparkle into the air. Mouths open in awe the cubs eyes followed its flight upward, a few gasping or laughing when it exploded into a golden shower of sparks. She was so glad that the chase with Dark Heart hadn't left them upset; all of the cubs had been excited to get off the ship and explore their new cloud home. Yet the day's events had taken a toll on the babies, a few had fallen asleep as they sat watching the fireworks, curled up next to one another on the billowy clouds. Catching Noble Hearts eye True began to gather the sleeping cubs and cousins while he shot one last light skyward for the few youngsters still awake. True Heart gently picked up a small pink cub smiling when she saw the two hearts that made up her new tummy symbol.
"How perfect for you," she whispered quietly, cradling the cub in her arms. The little girl was all heart; she loved everyone and everything with no strings attached. Two purple cubs sat sleepily nearby, True scooped up the darker one who now had a large red heart flanked by two small pink ones one her tummy, Wondering if all the cubs were going to end up with some type of heart tummy symbol True settled the tired cub piggyback style picked up the lighter colored one. Then she slowly started up the small cloud hill, encouraging those cubs still awake to follow her.
"Come on little ones," she said gently, pausing a moment to wait for a yawning penguin and a gold cub who was rubbing his eyes sleepily to get up and follow her. Nearby, she saw Noble Heart carrying a sleeping lamb and lion balanced in one arm, gently pulling a bright yellow cub to his feet. Resuming her gathering of the cubs and cousins True Heart soon had more than a dozen on their tired feet and shuffling toward the building.
"Oh how perfect!" she exclaimed as she entered. Dozens of cribs formed from clouds surrounded the entryway, each with a different picture on the heart headboards. The cream colored bear spotted the cribs for the two purple cubs, immediately depositing them into the soft beds and tucking in the blankets. Next she dropped the pink cub off in her crib, also grabbing a yellow orange cub with a cupcake on his white stomach that was nearby. Quickly but tenderly she settled the other cubs and cousins in their beds while Noble Heart went back to the river to collect the remaining babies.
"That should be all of them," he said when he returned, a blue puppy and tan kitten nestled in his arms.
Nodding True Heart bent down to pick up the elephant trailing behind Noble Heart, whispering, "Bedtime sweetheart," as she settled him into his crib. Noble Heart put the puppy and kitten into their beds, and then snagged one of the cousins still awake and wandering around.
"You little rascal!" he teased the baby monkey, who had tried to sneak down the aisles between the cribs. "Never want to stop playing do you?" he tickled the youngster, making him laugh before laying him down for bed. Meanwhile True Heart cornered the last awake and wandering cub, a raccoon with a light bulb heart on his stomach.
"Bedtime." She told him firmly, lifting and carrying him over to a crib. Obediently he closed his eyes, but she could almost see the gears still turning in his little mind. He was a good baby, they all were really and a good thing too. If they hadn't been there was no way she and Noble Heart would have been able to handle them all on their own. Turning around she saw Noble Heart finish putting a teal cub into a crib, leaving just two more to be put to bed. The last cub sat sleepily on the floor, waiting patiently, and she held up her arms to be picked up as True approached.
"Tired little one?" the care bear asked sympathetically, cradling the black cub against her shoulder.
"These two would be the last ones wouldn't they?" came Noble Hearts remark as he joined her and picked up the last cousin, a tan leopard cub with dark brown spots.
"I think it's sweet how she always waits for him," True remarked, talking about the dozing cub she held. "He'll be playing in a corner all by himself when the others get up to leave, but she always makes sure that they don't leave him behind." True Heart paused, looking a bit concerned at the spotted cub sleeping in Noble Hearts purple arms. "I worry about him sometimes Noble Heart, he just seems so…so out of place around the other cubs. I mean they all seem to like him, but he just doesn't know how to act in the group. He always looks so lost when they're all together."
"Lost?" Noble Heart half stated, half asked. "Yeah, you're right True, he does seem lost sometimes. A little lost heart…" He muttered the last sentence almost indistinctly, tracing the outside of the cubs tummy symbol mindlessly. Interested, True peered closely at the leopards symbol for the first time,
"Lost Heart?…it does fit…" she said slowly
"Hmm?" Noble looked at her questioningly.
"Lost Heart Leopard, that's what we'll call him." True Heart bear stated as she shifted the cub she held to the other shoulder. Blinking in slight confusion Noble Heart looked down, his eyes widening in surprise as he actually looked at the cubs symbol.
"It's a map!" He said in surprise. And sure enough, on the cubs' stomach was a heart shaped map. The map heart was missing bits from its edges as though it were worn and ripped. A dotted line wandered between black outlined hills and mountain and jumped over a blue river at the bottom. However, at the end of the trail wasn't an X to mark the spot, but instead a question mark filled the top left of the map.
"Lost Heart Leopard." Noble Heart echoed True's words. "It does fit him…but it seems like such a sad name True!" He looked at her, the concern in his eyes matching hers from earlier.
"I know," True Heart sighed, continuing to look at the symbol on the cub now sleeping in Noble Heart's arms. "But being lost isn't necessarily a bad thing. I mean we were lost when we found the cubs." She reminded him, smiling at the memory.
"Yeah, you're right." Noble Heart agreed, but with a bit of uncertainty on his face. Then he suddenly grinned and met True Hearts eyes, laughing. "Oh man True, do you realize what we've gotten ourselves into? We've got who knows how many people on earth that we're supposed to be helping learn how to care and teach others too as well, all in between raising over two dozen cubs who we need to protect from Dark Heart because they can barely walk, and we haven't even had a chance to name them yet!"
For a moment True Heart looked taken aback by Noble Heart's outburst, then both the bear and horse broke down laughing. For nearly a minute both laughed hard, almost bringing tears to their eyes and it wasn't until the cubs they were holding began to wake that they were able to calm down.
"Well considering we have all of that to do we had better go to bed!" True finally managed to say. Noble Heart smiled in agreement and both walked over to the last two empty cribs. Lost Heart Leopard never woke up as Noble Heart tucked him in, but True Heart was still holding the black cub and staring around the room when Noble Heart looked up.
"They're all so innocent and pure right now Noble Heart. We can never let Dark Heart touch them!" True's fierce tone surprised the horse and he looked in amazement at her usually happy and gentle face. Her eyes were icy and her face was set in a look of determination.
"We won't." Noble Heart assured her, rubbing the head of the cub resting on her shoulder affectionately. "Nothing will happen to these guys." Nodding, True Heart supported the cubs' head as she laid her in the cloud crib.
"I want to name her Pure Heart." True said still in a protective mood. "She really is one—and I want her to stay that way." Again Noble Heart was surprised by True Hearts firm tone, but after all they had gone through with the cubs he understood her concern. The purple horse looked down at the cub as she was tucked in. She had the darkest fur of all the youngsters; soft gentle black that framed her now closed dark blue eyes. On her white stomach, a new tummy symbol made up of a heart, black and faceted like a diamond, almost glowed with its simple, pure shape.
"Of course, I think she'll like it too." Noble Heart squeezed True Hearts shoulders in a one-arm hug, happy with the grateful glance she shot him in return. "But come on now, there's no way I can stay awake long enough to name ALL of these guys."
True Heart laughed, "Yeah I suppose. All right, let's go find our own beds." The two strode side by side to a hallway off one side of the hall, glancing back one more time at the precious, sleeping cubs before flicking out the lights.
