AN: well this is the second chapter, enjoy!

-------------Nicole---------------

I woke up remembering the events from the day before. I had figured out the the cut on my head was probably from a scrap of metal, and from looking in one of the portable mirrors I saw that it went down from my forhead to almost my ear. It was a shallow cut so it would heal fast. I knew that I couldn't stay there, eventualy I would need water and food. So I looked through my luggage and grabed some of the camping gear that I brought. I tried not to think about home when I went throught the stuff. It was hard, every item had some memory attached to it.

I then came up with a list of what I had with me.

1 sleeping bag

Dad's old knife

2 pairs of shoes including what I was wearing

1 bag of jerky

various shirts, pants, shorts

1 small first aid kit

and a water bottle.

I cluched the locket around my neck and hoped that I would live.

For some reson, somthing inside of me was screaming at me to live, to try and survive. So with that I got up and stad out on my quest for water.

After an hour of walking I nearly colapsed from the heat. The was not a tree in sight, and I already ran out of what water I had. As I kept walking I saw a cluster of trees and a waterhole. At first I thought it was just a me seeing things, but once I got close enough I saw the blue water shining and I knew it was real. So with burst of energy I ran forward and almost jumped in.

After I drank my fill I took my water bottle and filled it to the brim. I sighed and right as I was about to jump in I saw shapes in the distance coming this way. Quickly scrambling for my bag and bottle I ran behind a rock peering over.

"And so I told her 'you're crazy if you think the grazing there is better! have ever tried the grass by the stream? It's fresh and green!'" Zebra said.

"Honey, I totaly agree with you" the other replied

My eyes widened in shock, did I just hear them talking?!

"And so she said! Uhh well hello there Princess Kiara!"

"Hi, I was wondering if you two would like to play with me!" The young cub asked hopefuly.

"Ohhh sorry Kiara, but right after this drink we have to get back to our herd."

"Oh okay.." She said looking down.

As the two Zebras left the cub sat down and sighed.

Still in shock I shrank down behind the rock. Am I going insane?! Maybe I am dead and this is my internal punishment!

Slowly I went to get up and sneak away, but as I shifted my bag fell. I winced and looked around to see the cub comming closer.

"Hello?" She called out

Oh crap oh crap! What do I do?! If I scare her then her parents will hunt me down and eat me!

Before I could do anything I was face to face with the peach colored cub. I closed my eyes and waited.

"WOW!! What are you?! Are some kind of monkey?" She yelled out while jumping all mover me.

"Ow! Would ya quit that?!" I said pushing her off. I got a good look at her she was slightly bigger than my pug back home, I guessed around 3 months old. "So uhh you're not afraid of me?"

She laughed and said "Why would I be afraid of somthing as ugly as you?!"

I sighed Well it's better than being eaten alive.

"So whats your name? I'm Kiara!"

"Well, my name is Nicole"

"Where did you come from?"

"Uhhh..a land far away from here"

"Where's your pride? Arn't they looking for you? Why do look funny? Why do you walk on two legs? Why do you.." before she could continue I interupted.

"Kid I really don't feel like playing twenty questions with you, okay?"

"Oh hehehe sorry it's just no one ever plays with me, so I got carried away"

I felt bad for the cub, and really I nothing else to do "Well I guess I could play with you"

"Really?! Thanks! This is gonna be the best day ever!"

I played every game she wanted with her, tag hide and seek, and hunter. Of corse I was the hunted. As we were playing tag she spotted a butterfly and chased after it. Finaly she 'cornered' it on the rock and was ready to pounce. She jumped and missed only for her attention to be drawn to infront of her.

"Wow, the outlands! I wonder whats out there."

I looked to see a barren land that looked void of all life. "Well Kiara I can tell you whats out there, nothing. So lets go and play hide and seek or..."

"But my father says not to go there because the outsiders live there."

"Well you should listen to your dad and.." Before I could finnish somthing showed up behind me and when I turned around I screamed, then Kiara screamed, then the creature screamed. I looked behind me to see Kiara slip over the rock. Before I could react the creature jumped over the rock yelling "Don't worry Kiara uncle Pumba's comming!" I realized that it was warthog. I looked over next to me and saw a meerkat looking nervous.

"Pumba! Let me define BABY-SITTING!!"

The warthog got up and kiara apeared to the surface. The began to scold her not even paying atention to me. I was suprised, considering the fact that I tower over them. I coughed and they screamed and hid behind Kiara.

"RUN KIARA BEFORE IT EATS US!!"

Kiara sighed and explained who I was and that I was her friend. After being explained to, they then offered us some bugs to eat. I kindly declined and watched them argue about if crunchy or slimy was better. I laughed and turned to Kiara to ask if they do this all the time, but she was gone. I looked saw her sneaking away.

"Hey come back!" yelled chasing after her to the outlands.