What just happened? For one second, Ihaan was by himself in the lake, trying to help Fred and Scooby, then the gang was there with him, and then…
“Ro!” Ihaan hopped up and limped toward Ro’s motionless form.
Behind, Fred coughed and rubbed water from his face. Voice shaking, he said, “I jumped out of a burning tree.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I jumped out of a burning tree.” He directed his following sentence at the gang. “Why did I jump out of a burning tree?” Fred rubbed his eye. “Tha-Thank you, gang. We-We’re okay.”
“Um, I’m not sure about that, Fred,” Velma said, gesturing at Ihaan and Ro.
The Mystery Gang stood and followed Ihaan to the Spirit Animal, who looked so different from what she was only a few minutes earlier.
“No. No! No! No!” Ihaan said, sinking to his knees. This wasn’t happening! He brushed the charred feathers surrounding Ro away and picked her up, holding her close. “Come on, Ro, wake up.” Ihaan gently shook her. “Come on, Ro.”
The bird didn’t move, so Daphne came in and sprayed the Deet before Ro’s nostrils.
Nothing.
Daphne tried again.
Nothing.
“Ro, please,” Ihaan begged. “You didn’t mean to.” A few tears dripped onto Ro’s head.
Nothing.
Ihaan cried harder and hugged her. “I’m sorry, girl—I’m so sorry.” This was his fault. He pushed the Mystery Gang away when they told him, and now he had lost his closest friend—the one who had been with him for his eleven winters alone in the wilderness… a Thunderbird in disguise.
Scooby whimpered and nudged Ro, and the Mystery Gang locked hands.
No one spoke—they stayed with Ihaan—but then Velma asked, “Hm?” and looked into the sky. “Hey, look, gang.”
They did.
A new cloud rolled in, but the area around it was clear. Familiar figures, the Spirit Animals, dropped out of it. The deer, wolves, bears, and others circled overhead, and three more Spirit Eagles soared down to Ihaan and the Mystery Gang.
They landed before Ihaan and folded their wings, cocking their heads toward Ro.
At first, Ihaan tightened his grip on her, but then he felt Daphne clasp his shoulder.
“It’s okay, Ihaan,” she said.
But the Spirit Animals made Ihaan fend for himself during the mystery, unless... That was part of his rite of passage. Was letting Ro go part of it, too? Would the Spirit Animals finally let Ihaan know if he handed her over? Ihaan wasn’t sure, but he still had to know; however, he bumped foreheads with Ro before following through.
“I love you, Ro.” And just like that, Ihaan held her out to the Spirit Eagles.
They lifted off the dirt, and Ro flickered with subtle electricity, floating out of Ihaan’s arms.
The Eagles took her to an imprint in the site, where the picnic table had been, and circled her.
Ihaan stood, and the Mystery Gang surrounded him. They watched in awe as the electricity engulfed Ro in a bluish-white light that grew larger and shone brighter until…
The light faded, and Ihaan’s eyes widened.
No longer were the Spirit Eagles and Ro at the imprint. In their place stood a woman who looked to be in her early thirties. Faint electricity outlined her, and her two black braids dangled over her deerskin dress, which was donned with beads. Dirt covered her moccasins, and she wore a beaded tiara around her head. The woman’s face resembled Ihaan’s: calm, confident, and she shared his wide, deep brown eyes.
She checked her hands, flipped them, and faced Ihaan. “I-Ihaan?” she nervously asked.
Ihaan’s jaw dropped. Was she—? Was Ro really—?
“Mom?” Ihaan choked out.
Kate nodded. “Ihaan.”
“Mom!” Ihaan’s feet moved on their own. He hurried to her and fell, but quickly got back up. Ihaan wrapped his arms around Kate and sobbed.
“Ihaan,” she said, returning his hug. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you or your friends.” She released him but kept her hands on his shoulders. “Look at you. You’ve grown up so much.”
“Mom…” Ihaan’s voice trailed. “I thought I lost you.”
Kate lowered hers. “I thought I did, too. I couldn’t control it, Ihaan—I was so scared. But then I saw you jump in after Freddie and everyone working together to help him. That was when I realized I never should have been scared in the first place.” She rubbed Ihaan’s cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Ihaan apologized. There was silence, and then he and Kate smiled and hugged again.
The Mystery Gang soon approached them, and Freddie blushed, getting close to Kate. He started to open his mouth but shut it.
Freddie’s friends pushed his back, and it wasn’t long until he stood right beside Kate.
“Freddie has something to say, Kate,” Daphne teased, and Fred glared at her.
Still holding Ihaan, Kate glanced at him.
Fred’s face reddened further, but he soon said in a squeaky voice, “I’m sorry, too, Kate. I didn’t mean to tell Ihaan that early.”
He exhaled when Kate said, “It’s okay, Fred. You were excited, and so was I.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Freddie’s shoulders relaxed, and he carefully studied Ihaan and Kate. “You guys look so alike.”
Daphne fluffed her hair. “Except for your hair, of course. You should teach me how to make braids like that, Ro—I mean, Kate.”
Kate giggled and ran her fingers through Ihaan’s hair. “Ihaan got his hair from his father.”
His father. Ihaan felt the familiar hole in his stomach, but he held back from asking because he already knew the truth.
Velma raised her finger. “You’ve always been the Thunderbird, haven’t you, Kate?” She gestured around the site. “And this was where you had your accident, right?”
Kate paused, then nodded. “Yes.”
Ihaan knew it—that was why Ro’s powers were so strong on the island.
Shaggy gave Velma a confused look. “Like, really?” He and Scooby gulped. “When did you figure that out, Velma?”
“With the burning tree,” she answered, looking proud of herself. “That was the final clue. It takes an incredible force of nature to create a storm like that, and given how much power Kate had here suggests that this island was where her Thunderbird powers awoke.” She cleared her throat. “Am I right, Kate?”
“Sorry, Kate,” Fred said. “Velma always needs to do this.”
“It’s okay—I understand.” Kate’s voice switched from hopeful to guilt-ridden. “You’re right, Velma.” She released Ihaan and exchanged glances with the gang. “The truth is—I flew here on Ihaan’s sixteenth birthday a few months ago.” She gave him a gentle look. “He was growing up so fast, and I wasn’t ready.” Kate faced Ihaan again. “This was where we had our canoe accident all those winters ago, Ihaan.”
The canoe accident… There?
Kate shuddered and gripped her arm. “Your father had just died. You were sad, but I knew how much you loved canoeing. So, we left the Reserve for a weekend canoe trip out here, and, well...” Kate tightened her grip on her arm. “A lightning storm popped up, and you were severely injured. I saved you, but I couldn’t save myself. When I woke, I was Ro, and the Great Spirit told me that once you came of age, Ihaan, I would return here and awaken the Thunderbird powers to help you through your rite of passage.”
Kate faced the Mystery Gang next. “Aside from the broken wing, I was fine, but then you meddling, wonderful kids came with your gifts, and I just got overwhelmed. I couldn’t control it anymore, but you helped me fly again. For that, thank you. You’ve shown me that there is still good in the world.” She patted Scooby’s head. “Even you, Scooby-Doo.”
“Aw,” Scooby said, flicking a tear away.
“The Thunderbird appears with stronger powers when someone needs help,” Kate finished. “We both needed help, Ihaan, but now I see you’re ready. You don’t need me anymore. I know your father is just as proud of you as I am.” She took Ihaan’s hands. “My little American Pie.”
“American Pie”. Ihaan thought back to how Ro reacted when Velma tested her theory. Although he didn’t catch all the lyrics, he understood the messages about grief and nostalgia, which perfectly summed up what was happening.
“That was one of your father’s and mine’s favorite songs,” Kate explained. “It stuck even more after your father passed.”
“Oh, wow, look at that!” Daphne had grown excited again, and she turned to Shaggy and Scooby. “Once again, Shaggy and Scooby, you uncovered the most important clue—with food.”
Shaggy scratched the back of his head and placed his arm around Scooby’s shoulders. “Like, hey, that’s what Scoob and I do best, just like Snorlax.”
“Reah, Rorlax!” Scooby agreed. His and Shaggy’s tummies rumbled, and they covered them together.
Everyone laughed, but then Ihaan told Kate, “Thank you, Mom, for everything. I understand. And I think I’m ready, too.”
“Here, take this.” Kate reached up and removed the tiara from her head, holding it out to Ihaan.
“Tiara?” he questioned, examining it. “It beautiful, but I can’t take it.”
Kate handed it to him. “Something to remember me by. Your father gave this to me, and now it’s yours. You can also always play ‘Lucilla’.”
“Lucilla”. That song, known as the “Song of the Forest”, was something Ihaan played on the leaflute to connect with Spirits. He always felt like someone had taught him “Lucilla” a long time ago. Was that someone…?
“Yes,” Kate responded. “I taught you that song. ‘American Pie’ inspired it. Keep it and that tiara close, Ihaan.”
Ihaan sniffed. “Niá:wen. I will, Mom.”
Kate tapped his nose. “There’s my grown-up son. Whatever you decide to do after today, Ihaan—the Mystery Gang and I will support you.”
Ihaan’s bottom lip quivered. “I love you, Mom.”
Kate grasped either side of his head and kissed his forehead. “I love you, Ihaan.”
At her words, the Spirit Animals overhead broke apart and soared down to the group. They seemed to dance like leaves in a zephyr, and Kate’s feet lifted off the ground.
She floated toward the towering cloud, surrounded by more Spirit Eagles, and waved at Ihaan and the Mystery Gang, who waved back.
Scooby howled, leaving Shaggy to say, “Like, don’t cry, Scoob old pal; you’ll make me cry.”
“Rorry,” Scooby said.
With one final wave, Kate nodded, and the Spirit Animals flew before her. She and they vanished into the cloud, and it disappeared, replaced by a single eagle feather that floated down to Ihaan.
He caught it and repeated, “Niá:wen.” After that reunion and Kate confirming that his father had died, too, Ihaan already knew where he belonged, but regardless, he would never push the Mystery Gang away again. They were his family, and the forest was his home. Ihaan had the best of both worlds, and it seemed like the gang knew that, too, because they nodded and remained by his side for a few more minutes, watching the sunny sky above Red Squirrel Lake.
Eventually, Shaggy and Scooby’s tummies rumbled again, and Shaggy blurted out, “Like, I could really go for an American pie now.”
“Are you kidding?” Daphne jogged before the others and jumped up and down. “I’m ready for the next mystery, Ihaan!”
“I still can’t believe I leaped out of a burning tree,” Fred quipped, chortling. “That… was… awesome!”
“And you were actually scared for Freddie, Velma,” Daphne said, turning to her next.
“Oh, gosh, Daphne!” Velma’s face reddened, and she threatened Daphne with her index finger. “Never mention this to anyone, gang! I wasn’t scared—just concerned.”
“No,” Daphne teased, “you were definitely scared.”
Velma blushed harder and clenched her fists. She mumbled and stormed away from the group, and they hooted behind her.
It took a moment, but Ihaan stood tall and repeated to his new family, “I love you meddling kids.”
“And we love you, Ihaan,” Fred admitted. He moved toward him, but Scooby hopped in between them.
He barked a few times and then announced, “Scooby-Dooby Doo!” to all of Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park.
Ihaan truly was home.
32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQFeSyxzPx
Prompt: "This is Home" - Switchfoot
Current Word Count: 25,889
Stay tuned for the Epilogue!
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