Hi guys! This is the second chapter of my first fanfic, The Golden Sunshine and the Silver Moonlight. Sry for the long wait! Couldn't update b4 now! Anyway, plz R&R! Btw, I am currently working on another Diego & Shira story called Diego and Shira Romeo and Juliet. We are studying Romeo and Juliet at school and this idea came to me one day. I will always try to update ASAP. I would also be updating my profile sometime (at least try to!). Anyway, R&R, no flames, and enjoy!

Shira's POV

Something warm stirred beside me. Diego! I blinked open my eyes just in time to see him walk out of the cave. What was he doing so early? It was only dawn! The sky was clear, promising a nice weather.

I wasn't sleepy, so I decided to follow him. Kinda like spying. But he shouldn't be keeping anything from us in the first place! If he's keeping anything from us. I reminded myself. I didn't see him, but I could see his pawprints. I sprinted along the track of prints, and I finally saw a golden-orange shape ahead of me. I sped up, not wanting to lose him from my sights again, but not close enough for him to notice me.

I don't know what to think. Something inside me made me think that whatever I'm going to see is going to disappoint me. Why do I get this feeling? Because I think he might be doing something he shouldn't be? Or because I wish he'd told me where he would be going? Or is it just because I wish he hadn't just gotten up and left me alone in the cave?

All this is getting confusing, so I just focused on running. I kept him in sight. What bothered me yesterday came back to my thoughts. I couldn't catch up! I'm never too far behind but I just can't get closer or even past him. Maybe he knows I'm here, so he wants to go faster. Or maybe I'm just not trying my best.

Now this is really bothering me. Not caring if he sees me anymore, I sped up but found that I still can't catch up! What's wrong with you? Diego kept running not stopping anywhere, and we got to a river. Well, I followed him to a river. It was really wide. The current was so strong it could wash away anyone who goes in it, however hard s/he struggles.

Diego jumped right into the river. He jumped right into the river! Is he mad? I was about to call for help when I saw that he'd jumped onto a rock, barely visible from the flowing water. Is he trying to cross the river? From where he stood crouched on the rock is only about 1/4 of the way if he tries to cross. There's no way he could leap the other side, and there's no other rocks or pebbles.

Suddenly, he leaped into the river. Not onto a rock this time, I'm sure of it. My heart twisted as I watched him being washed downriver by the current. Is he dead? But what was he doing in the first place?!

That was when I saw a golden orange blob of fur floating. He swam strongly against the current, not even being pulled down by the water. He reached to original rock, dragged himself onto it, and leaped back to land, shaking droplets of water from his pelt.

Then I saw him drag something large and silver with him. A fish! Now I'm really confused and worried. Diego ran all the way around the huge forest then came back to this river close to our den and risks his life just to catch a fish?!

I couldn't take it anymore. I leapt out of my hiding place and jumped on him. He pushed me off and growled, then relaxed when he saw it was me.

"What was that for? I almost choked on fish! And what are you doing so early?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." I replied smoothly.

"I just came on a run. I do that every day." He said.

"And the fish?"

"I caught it for breakfast. Besides, I could do a nice swim." He shrugged.

"And risk your life to do so?" I exclaimed.

"Risk my life? What are you talking about?" He asked.

I sighed in frustration. "You jumped into that river with that strong current just to catch a fish. You could've been washed away, you know."

"I wouldn't. I could swim, you know. All animals can do that even when they're still babies." He assured me.

Am I a weirdo? I don't know how to swim.

"Can you teach me?" I asked.

"To swim? Sure, if you want. But later. Why don't we finish this first?" he said.

"You caught it for both of us? Thanks."

"Why not? You said you like fish."

We dug in. There was still a mouthful left. He nodded to me signaling for me to eat it, then licked his paw and drew it over his face and began to wash. I nodded back to him signaling for him to eat it. He probably wanted to be polite, and said, "You have it."

I said it back. I thought he would probably just push it back toward me and I really want to finish it quickly so I could learn to swim, so I just bent down to eat it.

But apparently he gave in to me and bent his head to eat it. That was when we smacked into each other, lips to lips.

We quickly broke away, both of us blushing wildly. We didn't say anything to each other. I was too embarrassed to. He probably was too.

Then we just walked back to our den together, not saying anything.

And the fish was left there, with one mouthful left.

~Later that day, at the swimming lesson~

Normal POV

"Just claw, kick. Claw, and kick."

"But…"

"Want me to demonstrate? Here." Almost right after Diego finished his sentence he jumped into the strong current. He clawed and kicked, just as he'd instructed Shira, and swam strongly against the current. It was the same river that he'd caught the fish, and Diego eased at the icy touch of the water.

He climbed back onto the land and shook the water from his fur, making sure some sprayed onto Shira.

"Hey! What was that for? Now I'm all wet." Shira complained.

Diego chuckled. "Well, you'd be getting wetter in a moment. Now, your turn."

Shira was still unsure. "But…"

Diego sighed. He'd thought Shira was strong and confident before. But now? Huh, she might be more like a spoiled kitty. Then he reminded himself he wasn't so keen to go into water himself either, until the water shattered his herd and he had to save them.

"If you think this current's too strong, we can go to the other side of the clearing. There's a nice sized lake we could use." He suggested.

Shira looked relieved. She nodded, and Diego led the way to the lake.

Once they got there, Diego instructed her again. "All you have to do is claw and kick. Remember, all animals could swim when they're still babies. We're sabers, we're stronger than other animals; you would be able to do it too. Oh, and sometimes, hold your breath until you come up to the surface."

Shira made up her mind. She slowly dipped one paw in, then another, then another, and started wading across to the deeper parts of the lake. Diego went after her. She went underwater for a moment, then resurfaced, then started paddling like Diego was.

Diego jumped in after her. The water didn't feel as cool as the one in the river, but it was comforting. Shira continued to paddle.

"Hey! I could do it!" she yowled to Diego in excitement, her eyes bright. The yowling made her choke on water, and she went under. Diego laughed at that, but also choked on water, and went under as well.

They soon finished their swimming lesson and they cleaned themselves up (Shira made sure she sprayed water onto Diego), then they walked back to their tree cave, feeling accomplished.

~Late-afternoon~

Diego's POV

I paced at the mouth of the cave. I wasn't really doing anything, or thinking anything, I just can't keep still.

I looked toward the horizon. There was something bright and huge near it. The sun! It's almost sunset! We have to get to the waterfall!

I quickly went back into the cave, to wake Shira. She'd dozed off after swimming, and she's still sleeping, peacefully.

I prodded her softly on the side, wanting to wake her up, but she was sleeping pretty deeply. Unlike usual sabers. Sleeping sabers are never truly asleep. Anyway, I prodded her harder and she groaned.

"Uh! I was chasing a deer! I almost caught it!" she complained.

I shrugged. I was pretty amused but if I showed it would probably just tick her off. It just seemed amusing that a rugged saber like her would have a dream about chasing deer.

I said, "Quick! It's almost sunset! We have to get to the waterfall!"

She was on her paws instantly. She must've really looked forward to seeing it. Heather colored sky.

We raced over to the waterfall. It didn't take too long. When we got there, the sun was just near the horizon line.

She lied down on the soft grass and focused on the blazing sun. The late-afternoon sunshine felt warm on my pelt.

The sun was going down the horizon; the pale blue sky then was streaked with purple, then slowly turns heather blue over time, with hints of dark violet and pinky-purple in the heather blue sky.

Shira was lost in the sunset and she didn't move a muscle the whole time. I sat a little behind her, taking in both the beautiful sunset sky and her, at the same time.

Everything was perfect. The cool breeze, the warm blazing sunshine, the sky, and her. Everything was perfect, for that many moments.

Everything was perfect. Until…

Thump. Thump. Thump. Crack. Thump. Thump. Thump…

Oooo! A cliffhanger! What is it? Tell me in the review! And what do you think of this chapter? Review! Also be sure to check out my new story Diego and Shira Romeo and Juliet when it's out! Thx!