Anything to Help, My Friends

Long ago, the earth gave birth to two sister mountains: Teya and Karima.

For thousands of years, Teya and Karima gave animals of all kinds a beautiful home, full of food, play, and friendship.

Illustrator note: Owl, Bear, Fox, Mountain Goat, and Squirrel are all pictured here, though not the focal point.

Eventually, a new animal arrived: humans. And it wasn’t long before humans saw the mountains as something else...

Illustrator note: Show indigenous peoples living in harmony with the mountains. Show European settlers hunting, fishing, cutting down trees, transporting trees off of the mountains and being made into houses, cities, suburbs, etc. Show technology changing here, up to modern day.

Even though some humans continued treating them with care and respect, the mountains were changing.

Illustrator note: She isn’t the focal point, but Harper is pictured here as someone treating the environment with care—she is seven or eight years old.

Where it was once quiet it was now loud.

Where the air was once clean it was now dirty.

Where so many animals once roamed it was now empty.

“We could grow taller,” Teya suggested to Karima one night. “That way, our slopes would become too steep for them to climb.”

Illustrator note: As they talk, their words move across the valley between them.

“They’d find a way,” Karima replied.

“What if we made ourselves smaller, so they couldn’t see us?”

“Let’s just talk to them,” Karima said.

“Okay,” Teya finally said. “Let’s try.”

As the sisters were preparing to do just that, humans camping on Teya started a fire, and the fire quickly got out of control.

Illustrator note: Pictured is a sign that says not to start fires due to drought/dryness, as if put up by local land management—a sign clearly ignored by this group of humans.

Karima watched as the fire burned all the way to Teya’s chin.

Illustrator note: Fire goes through forests, over rivers and rocks, etc. Karima’s face is one of terror.

Several days later, the rain came, and only then did the fire wane. “Sister!” Karima shouted once it had stopped. “Are you okay?”

Illustrator note: The valley between them is full of smoke/haze, so these words are either lobbed over the haze in the valley.

“No,” Teya coughed. “I’m not.” Her voice was weak. A whisper.

“Get some rest,” Karima said. She didn’t know what else to say. And then she started to cry.

Because she didn’t want Teya to hear her cries, Karima did her best to hold them in. In doing so, Karima started shaking. The animals who still called Karima home were jolted awake: Squirrel, Fox, Bear, and Mountain Goat—even Owl, who could sleep through anything.

Illustrator note: Extreme close-up of Owl’s face as her eyes open.

Owl jumped off the perch of her favorite tree and flew to Karima. “My dear friend, what’s wrong?” Owl asked.

“Teya is hurt,” Karima cried, “And it’s all the humans’ fault, and I can’t walk to them, and I can’t talk to them, and I don’t know what to do.”

Owl thought long and hard. “I have an idea,” she said, and off she went.

Illustrator note: Owl flies through trees and halfway down Karima’s slope, to the home of Mountain Goat.

Owl told Mountain Goat about her idea and asked if she’d lend a hand. “Of course. Anything to help, my friend.”

Together, Owl and Mountain Goat visited Bear. They told him about their idea and he said the same thing: “Of course, my friends, anything to help.”

Illustrator note: We see the home of Bear.

As did the fox: “Of course, my friends, anything to help.”

Illustrator note: We see the home of Fox.

The four of them made their way off of Karima’s slope and to the home of Squirrel, who was very surprised to see so many of his friends at his doorstep.

Squirrel nodded as they told him about their idea. “I know just who to ask,” he said.

Illustrator note: Animals hurry over roads and creep through neighborhoods along the way. They arrive at a modest home with a wooded yard.

Squirrel led his friends to a house with a big green door. He hurried up a tree close to the house and jumped from the tree’s trunk to a windowsill. On the other side of the window, covers tucked to her chin, slept Harper.

Squirrel scratched at the glass until Harper woke up.

Harper smiled at her friend and opened the window. “I found you some acorns this afternoon,” she said.

“Thank you,” Squirrel said, “but we’re in a bit of a hurry.” Squirrel pointed to Owl, Bear, Fox and Mountain Goat.

Illustrator note: Harper, in seeing all the animals waiting for her, says to herself. “You’re not dreaming. You’re not dreaming.”

Harper quickly got dressed. Squirrel jumped on Harper’s shoulder and explained everything.

“What can I do to help?” she asked when they reached the rest of the group.

Illustrator note: Squirrel stays on Harper’s shoulder for the remainder of the journey.

“For now, just hold on tight!” Owl shouted as she flew off.

Bear guided Harper onto his back and the group ran, and ran, and ran—

Illustrator note: they run/alongside/over roads and fields. Air is still smoky.

—until they reached Teya.

Illustrator note: The land is scorched black from the fire.

Fox led everyone to a patch of ground untouched by the fire, and started to dig up— up-up-up—the mountain’s slope.

Illustrator note: Fox says, “Follow me!” as he leads them.

Fox dug and dug and dug, until he couldn’t anymore. He led his friends out of the hole and laid down on the grass.

Illustrator note: Fox says, “I must rest. Good luck, my friends!”

Everyone thanked Fox and continued up Teya’s slope. They soon reached a series of deep rivers with strong currents.

“I’ll carry us across!” Bear shouted.

They all climbed on Bear’s back and held onto his fur as he carried them across one river.

And another. And another.

Illustrator note: Like Fox before him, Bear lays down on the rocks in exhaustion. “I must rest. Good luck, my friends!” he says.

Soon, the rocks became slippery and the slope became very steep. Harper struggled to keep up.

Illustrator note: Owl flies overhead as they continue climbing. Mountain Goat says to Harper, “I’ll carry you.” Harper climbs on Mountain Goat’s back.

They leapt over crevices.

Up and up and up the peak they climbed.

They reached the last remaining slope of Teya. Owl flew ahead. Mountain Goat was so tired she could barely walk.

Illustrator note: Sun is starting to rise. Air is hazy/smoky.

“Rest, my friend,” Harper said. “You’ve done so much.” And Mountain Goat listened.

Harper sprinted as fast as she could up the slope. She could barely breathe. But she still ran—

—and ran—

—and ran, until she could see Owl ahead.

“Teya, this is our friend, Harper,” Owl said. And Harper saw something she’d never seen before: the mountain came to life.

Illustrator note: Harper sees Teya’s ears, and nose, and mouth. She sees the burn marks on Teya’s chin.

“Hello, Harper,” Teya said, her voice still weak.

Harper ran to Teya and gave her a hug. “I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Harper said.

As she felt Harper’s arms and heard Harper’s words, Teya felt her strength starting to come back.

Illustrator note: Almost like Teya is blushing because she’s overwhelmed by Harper’s words and actions.

“Thank you for saying that,” Teya said. “Your words mean a lot.”

Harper spent the whole day with Teya, talking about all the things the sisters had felt and seen, and the ways humans could treat them with kindness.

And after her friends led her off of the mountain and back home, Harper got to work.

She shared what she learned with her family and friends. And they shared it with even more people.

Illustrator note: Harper, her family, and the network she’s helped create work together to restore the mountain.

She organized conversations and invited all of her neighbors.

Illustrator note: Harper stands at the front of the room, at a podium, before a diverse crowd.

Little by little, all of Harper’s efforts started to make a big difference.

Illustrator note: People are buying in, helping. Planting trees. Removing dams. Riding bikes instead of driving. Changing their ways.

Where the land was once black from fire it was now green.

Where the animals had once roamed they now returned.

Where the air had been dirty it was now becoming clear once again.

Illustrator note: Teya and Karima can see each other very clearly at night.

As Harper grew older, with each season she’d climb to the top of Teya. Sometimes her old friends would join her.

Illustrator note: We see Harper as a teenager, and then in her 20s and 30s, and even older, in a different season each time (snowy in winter). Squirrel, Fox, Bear, Mountain Goat, and Owl all look older as well; these friendships will last a lifetime.

At the top, she’d catch her breath and say, “My dear friend, how can I help you today?”

“You’ve already done so much,” Teya would usually say. But one day, Teya smiled and said instead, “There is one thing you can do.”

“Anything,” Harper said.

“Sit with me for a while,” Teya said. And Harper listened.

Illustrator note: They look out together on all the beauty. Karima is pictured as well, across the valley—content.

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