"Gary and the Secret of the Silent Valley" by Bryce Click
There was a secret valley where animals lived and spoke like humans high in the misty folds of the Himalayas, where waterfalls sang to the forests below and clouds wrapped themselves around mountains like soft blankets.
Gary, a humble red panda, lived in that valley with all sorts of animals.
Bears, deer, yaks, monal, sheep, the list goes on of families.
Gary had a spear that was nearly as tall as him, a striped tail that curled like a question mark, and soft, rust-colored fur. The spear was made of a plain pine shaft with a sharpened stone tip; it was neither lavish nor magical looking. Gary, however, carried it with care, as if it were significant.
Because it was to Gary.
Gary was always timid in his own ways, he was always the biggest help, but he considered his size to be a letdown. He didn't consider himself a hero. Actually, if you asked him, he’d scratch behind his ear, shuffle his paws, and say something like:
“Hero? Oh, no… I just… help where I can with what I can.”
But he could help with everything, and everyone in the valley knew Gary had a brave heart.
Gary emerged from his tree hollow one sunny morning in his neighborhood with other animals, raising his arms above his head.
"Ahhhhh—" he yawned, his tail spreading out behind him like a banner.
From the river below the animal hideouts came a splash.
"GARY!"
A sleek and small sea otter shot out of the water like a rocket, causing the water to shake everywhere as it skidded across the rocks.
It was Alonzo.
Drops flew from Alonzo's whiskers as he flexed dramatically.
"Good morning, warrior!" he exclaimed.
Gary gave a blink. "Good morning....... uh swimmer."
Alonzo picked up a stick and used it as a sword.
"It feels like a battle day today."
Gary cocked his head.
"Do you feel like every day is a battle day?"
"Yes."
Alright.
A slow rocking creak sounded from across the path.
Creeeeeeak, creeeeeeak, creeeeeeeeak.
Sam the Marmot was sitting in a wooden chair on the porch of a nearby burrow, rocking idly. As he observed the two friends, his gray whiskers quivered.
Sam's lap was filled with a thick old book.
"Good morning, boys," Sam said kindly.
Gary grinned. "Good morning, Sam."
Sam turned a page and read out loud.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you wherever you go.’”
Gary gave a contemplative nod.
Alonzo's chest swelled.
"You see? We should be prepared to fight, according to even the Good Book!
Sam laughed.
"Son, that verse is more about bravery than fighting."
Soft footsteps padded along the path from another nearby animal at that moment.
Eleanor the Koala came over with a basket full of vibrant berries. Her gray fur was spick and span, and her eyes sparkled like morning dew.
Gary straightened up instantly, holding his spear a bit awkwardly.
"Oh! Uh—hi, Eleanor."
Eleanor gave a soft smile.
"Hi, Gary."
"Your tail is fluffing up," Alonzo whispered loudly as he leaned in Gary's direction.
Gary attempted to perch on it.
It's too late.
Eleanor laughed.
"I brought berries for everyone."
Alonzo quickly took a handful.
"May God bless you!"
Sam gave a nod of approval.
But all of a sudden...
The woods fell silent.
The birds ceased to sing.
The wind ceased to blow.
Then—RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
The mountains trembled like never before.
A huge white shape appeared from the distant cliffs.
Apollo.
The snow leopard.
Like shifting ice, his muscles rolled beneath his pale fur. He stepped onto a ridge with a view of the valley, his long tail cracking the air like a whip.
Cruel amusement glowed in his golden eyes. Apollo's voice roared, "Animals of the valley." "I now own your rivers and forests."
Gary's ears became flat.
Alonzo leaped into a combat position.
"At last!"
Apollo went on.
"And if you oppose... I dare you to try me as I will strike you down!
He struck the cliff with his paw.
BOOM.
Rock and snow cascaded down the mountainside.
The valley shook.
Apollo then vanished once more into the mist.
Then there was silence.
Gary took a swallow.
"Well, that appears to be an issue. The valley is made for peace, it’s never been disrupted by anything!”
Alonzo smiled weirdly in amusement.
"Exploration!"
Sam swayed slowly in his seat.
"Remember, even giants fall," Sam said coolly. David once demonstrated that.
Gary glanced at his little spear.
“I hope so.”
Apollo's shadow hung over the valley for the next few days.
Rivers were blocked by him.
He stole food.
All of the families feared of him.
Gary and Alonzo did their best to help where they could.
One afternoon, the two attempted to move a fallen log blocking the stream.
He leaned, pushed, grunted.
“Unghhhh—”
Alonzo pushed too.
“Unghhhh—”
The log however didn’t budge.
They both collapsed to the ground in defeat.
Gary’s fur flattened dramatically against the hard forest ground.
Then slowly puffed back up.
Alonzo pointed.
“Physics has defeated us before.”
When Gary and Alonzo were young, the first met each other in a similar instance.
Alonzo cried in defeat at the base of a tree that blocked his families path to their house.
But then came Gary, full of might to help the sad little Otter.
The rest is and continues to be history…
So, they both got up after a moment and with all of their might they moved the log out of the way.
Gary sighed and exclaimed…
“Alright, now we need a plan to get rid of this Apollo monster.”
Eleanor approached again with some news.
“There might be something,” she said.
Her voice was timid, but hopeful and in that instance, hope was what they needed.
“In the old temple on the mountain… there’s said to be a magical spear.”
Gary blinked and thought to himself…
“…A better spear?”
Alonzo gave a gasp. and stopped here.
"A quest for a legendary weapon?!"
This spear was an heirloom of Eleanor’s family.
She had never seen it since her family vanished one day traveling through the land with the spear, but her only remaining family member, her grandmother, expressed this spear as it was a time of need.
She didn’t want the others to know, as she didn’t want to think about it herself, but it was exactly what the group of friends needed to save the valley from Apollo.
Back home before they left on the quest for this spear, Sam rocked slowly.
"Tools can be helpful sometimes, but courage is more important," Sam remarked.
Gary got up.
"All right... I guess we ought to give it a shot.
It was a challenging climb to the temple.
Along the cliffs, the path wound in arcs, had falling debris, slippery slopes, and unstable ground.
Without time to react, Alonzo lost his footing and feel down a dark hole
Gary and Eleanor yelled for Alonzo but heard nothing in return,
But after a few seconds Alonzo gave out a yell.
"A strategic roll!"
Gary and Eleanor quickly followed down the hole Alonzo was in.
There was a glowing pedestal inside the secret temple.
Above it, floating...
a spear.
Blue light radiantly shimmered on it.
Gary came over slowly.
He extended his hand.
The spear drifted into his paws.
He felt a soft warmth come over him.
not strength.
But tranquility.
His thoughts replayed what Sam had said.
"Be strong and courageous...."
All of a sudden—RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!
Apollo abruptly smashed through the temple wall.
Stones exploded and crumbled everywhere.
“You think a silly little toy will stop me from my reign?” Apollo sneered.
Gary’s body started to tremble.
Alonzo without thought or hesitation leaped forward.
“For glory!”
Apollo whirled his tail in Alonzo’s direction.
WHAM.
Alonzo went flying across the floor of the temple, crashing into the crumble of brick.
Gary stepped forward, held the spear tightly and in that moment…
Apollo leaped high like an arial attack on Gary.
The world slowed.
Gary felt as if he was in slow motion as he took deep breaths.
Slow in, slow out.
He remembered Sam’s words, Eleanor’s kindness. And especially the valley – his home.
Gary sprung with all he could, and the spear moved in a perfect swing.
FLASH.
The enchanted light erupted.
Apollo stopped.
Not hurt.
but encircled by illuminated bright light vines.
Like soft chains, the magic surrounded him.
Apollo had trouble.
Then gradually...
He came to a halt.
His eyes lost their rage, claws went dull, and demeanor changed.
Gary brought the spear down.
And after a long pause of silence and calmness.
He muttered, "You don't have to destroy everything."
Apollo surveyed the area.
He appeared unsure for the first time.
The enchantment relaxed.
Apollo took a step back, turned and vanished into the mountains without saying anything more.
The valley was finally safe.
All of the animals at home rejoiced.
Alonzo used a fish as a prop to dramatically reenact the fight.
"After that, I flipped—like THIS—"
Gary chuckled.
Sam softly rocking in his chair.
"See?" asked Sam. "Courage just as David had."
Eleanor strolled next to Gary. “You were very brave.”
Gary scratched his ear and ruffled his fur.
“…I was very scared.” Chuckling softly.
Eleanor gleamed with a smile.
“That’s usually how bravery works.”
Gary examined the glowing spear.
Then at his old wooden one.
He put down the magical spear.
and picked up his basic one once more.
Because Gary was now aware of something.
Magic was not the source of strength.
It was the result of courage and faith.
The clouds parted high above the valley.
Sunlight streamed down.
And in the distance from a ridge, a snow leopard silently observed.
Not as a devastator.
But maybe, one day something greater.
Someone faithful to the valley.
The End.