They soared over the top of a cliff and landed on an empty plateau. Where there was light, sand could be seen underfoot. Anything beyond the lit area was black silent darkness. Once they’d landed, Tenderheart selected several care bears to go out and explore the surroundings. “I want 8 volunteers to break up into groups of two and go have look around. Take Care Bear and Proud Heart Cat, I want you to prepare a place for the injured.  Lotsa Heart and Swift Heart gather all the first aid kits you can find, then help Take Care and Proud Heart tend to the injured. The rest of us will try to setup camp.”  As they began to unload the wounded, the volunteers quickly organized themselves and moved out. Hugs and Tugs rushed forward with huge grins on their faces.

        "Tenderheart! Tenderheart! Didn’t we tell you that it was safe here?” they laughed. “We told you we had a safe place to go.”

       “This place is safe but where are we?”

       “We are in Her domain. We’ve been here befor and she’s nice. She feeds us and talks to us and tells us great stories. But we need to warn you, stay only where there is light.”

       “Huh? Why?” He marked a number in the sand where Harmony Bear and Share Bear had just disappeared into the dark area. He wanted to make sure that he knew exactly when every volunteer left and who went with who.

        “Even though this is Her domain, there are nasty things out there in the dark. Without her permission and no light, those nasty things will get whoever ventures out of the light. There are some things out there that not even a care bear stare will bother.”

       “Are you serious!” gasped Tenderheart. They nodded. “I picked a few care bears to go out and scout the area! They just left!”

      “Oh no! Hugs, you go tell Her what’s happened, and I’ll go see if I can rescue them.” Hugs gave her a thumbs up and rushed off. Tugs started to run off into the dark, but Tenderheart stopped her by grabbing her arm. “Tenderheart, let me go!”

     “If what you say is true, then I can’t send you out there!”

      Tugs yanked her arm back. “They won’t bother me or Hugs. We have been through the Dek territory several times and they know not to mess with us. But the others are fair pickings; I might be too late!”  She ran off into the dark, ignoring his shout for her to come back.

---------------------

5 hours later…

            Tenderheart was talking quietly to Take Care Bear, who was acting as a doctor to the more seriously injured patients. He was about to go talk to Funshine Bear, who was cooking, when Birthday Bear tapped him on his shoulder. “Tenderheart, Grams is asking for you.”

            He carefully picked his way around the camp, speaking to the care bears that were awake and pausing to check on a few that seemed to be a little too quiet. All in all there were 14 injured care bears, with each having a variety of wounds from concussions to a broken leg. Grams Bear seemed to have the worst of all the injured. Being the oldest of all the care bears, she was placed as close to the fire as comfortably possible and propped up on lots of pillows. Take Care Bear is worried the most about her. He recalled the seriousness of their conversation during their walk. “Her advanced age will be a problem in the healing process and she got the brunt of the wall when it collapsed.” He’d told Tenderheart.

            “But will she make it?” Grams Bear had been a nanny to all the cubs and was a beloved and valued member of the entire family. Her Rainy day cookies and Sunnyside cakes made even the dullest of days wonderful.

            “I don’t know. From what I can make out, she has a mild concussion and her left arm is broken. Her eyes have been going for some time now and that same blow that gave her the concussion, left a nasty bruise and a bump the size of goose egg and I think that’s what has affected the rest of her vision. As s she’s gotten older, presbyopia set in. This is a condition in which the crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for to focus on close objects.”

            Tenderheart could only look blankly at Take Care Bear, who sighed. “She’s totally blind now, Tenderheart.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yes, very sure……”

            Sighing, Tenderheart ran a paw through his head fur, ruffling it slightly. He knew that Grams had been in a bad way for some time, but he’d never have guessed that it would get any worse. Even as old as she was, no care bear ever thought that she might, well….die. As she’d aged, she’d become more and more dependent upon the other care bears, but kept saying that she wanted her independence and not be a burden on anyone. Even with the cane that Noble Heart Horse had made for her, she still had a hard time getting around. She’d sewn and cooked less every month until she rarely did more than just shuffle about in the Rainbow Rose Garden that Forest Friend Bear had planted for her. At times, her mind wandered and she seemed to forget who everyone was, or mistook them for someone else even after they told her their name—several times. Tummy symbols looked blurred to her aged eyes and that didn’t help at all. Now they were miles away from their home that didn’t exist anymore.

            Tenderheart squatted down next to Grams’ pillows and softly spoke her name. “Tenderheart? Is that you?” she whispered. She reached out and waved blindly about for him.

            He took her paw and placed it on his arm, patting it comfortingly, “I’m here, Grams. Birthday Bear said that you wanted to speak to me?”

            “Why yes, Tenderheart! You’ve been buzzing around like a little bee as usual, no doubt, and haven’t even come by to visit your Grams.” She gave his arm a light pinch.

Tenderheart chuckled. “Well Grams, you’re right. I have been busy.”

“And here I am, lying down on such nice soft pillows, listening to a fire all night and smelling that delicious food that’s been cooking, but for the life of me, I can’t understand why it’s so dark!”

Oh no! “Uh…it’s so dark because…because…um because I…we…are…going to have a big surprise for you later on!” he rushed. She seemed oblivious to her broken arm and he wasn’t about to even mention it. “And you’re wearing a blindfold.”

“Oh Tenderheart! Really?” she smiled in delighted surprise. “You don’t have to go through all that trouble for me!”

“That’s ok, Grams. I want to.” He took her paw and rested it over her belly. “Why don’t you take a nap for a little while? When you wake up everything should just about be ready.”

“Why that’s an excellent suggestion. I have been feeling a little more tired of late.” She yawned. “Yes, a nap does sound wonderful. Thank you Tenderheart, you’re such a dear.”

If you say so, Grams. Standing, Tenderheart covered her with a blanket and left.  What have I brought down on my family!

End Part 4