Hello! I apologize greatly for not writing a chapter for about a week. The recent storm knocked my power out for a couple days and I have been incredbly ill. I am still not feeling well, so this chapter is going to be very brief and most likely pointless. Again, I apologize for lack of chapters!

The circus animals woke sluggishly one morning as the 103 degree heat slammed into their faces. They practically fell from the short drop from their train cars to the ground. Alex jumped down first from his car and politely helped Gia from smacking her face into the ground.

Gloria was fanning herself with her hands with Melman blowing on her to try to keep her cool.

"What are we going to do today?" Marty asked, panting. The heat was making it very difficult to breathe.

Gia, slumped at Alex's side with her fur slicked back with sweat, shook her head. "It has never been this hot before. I do not know what to do about it."

"Well, we've got to do something," Gloria responded. "Is there some water nearby?"

"Vater?" Vitaly asked, his Russian accent strong but confused.

"Yeah, so we can go swimming?" Melman added.

"I love-a swimming!" Stefano shouted.

"I do not think I have ever been swimming," Gia stated.

"Nor I," Vitaly admitted.

The rest of the circus animals looked at the felines as if they were insane. Alex pulled Gia off of the ground and bounced over to Vitaly.

"Then we're going swimming!"

About five minutes later, the circus animals stumbled upon a rather large pond. The water was unusually clear and beautiful. It was very strange to see such clean water. Without hesitation, the animals cheered and leaped into the water. Gia and Vitaly, however, remained on the bank of the pond. Alex resurfaced below them in the water.

"C'mon, guys! Hop in!"

"I am not sure I want to," Gia said, looking a little wary of the water as a drop landed on her foot.

"Awh, c'mon! The water's fine!" Marty exclaimed, swimming backwards over to the felines. Vitaly took a step back before running and launching himself into the water. Gia moved away from the splash zone with her ears flattened to agianst her head. Vitaly resurfaced with a triumphant smirk.

"This is vonderful!" he exclaimed. "Gia! You must join us!" Said jaguar backed up away from the water and sat down, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"I will pass. I think I will just watch."

"C'mon, Gia! You look absolutely miserable! This water is incredibly cool and refreshing!" Alex said. She shook her head and closed her eyes, flattening her ears again.

The lion, however, would not stand for this. He hopped out of the water and made his way towards his friend. She put up her paws in defense and squealed when he picked her up. Alex then proceeded to walk with the fidgeting jaguar in his grasp over to the water. Without hesitation, he flung the frightened cat into the water.

Gia's reaction was instantaneous. With a loud, desperate mew and a gasp of air, she leaped from the water and into the nearest tree. Her claws were dug into the bark of the branch and her fur was soaked, dripping to the ground below. All of the circus animals, who were splashing around and cooling off, stopped and stared in shocked silence at their feline companion.

"Gia?" Alex asked, his tone apologetic. Gia shook her head and leaped from the branch, stumbling back towards the train. He turned around to the other animals in confusion.

"I think you made the pussycat mad," Skipper said, breaking the silence. Vitaly began to growl at Alex. He held up his paws in defense.

"I didn't know she was going to react like that!"

"Maybe you should go apologize?" Gloria suggested. Melman and Marty nodded.

"I just don't understand what happened," the lion said.

"She once-a confided in-a me about a fear of-a water," Stefano stated. Alex rubbed his paw over his face in realization.

"I'll be right back," he said before running off. How could I be so ignorant? he thought.

The train sat on the tracks in the quiet clearing. The sun still shone brightly above.

Alex made his way over to his and Gia's train car. The door was shut, but he could hear faint sniffling inside. Worried, he opened the door without knocking.

Gia lay curled up in her bed, still soaking wet, with her face buried in the soft cushion. Alex flashed a sympathetic look and began to walk towards her. He put a comforting paw on her shoulder. Surprised, she jumped and looked up. Tears had made their way down her face but were masked by her already wet fur.

"I'm so sorry, Gia. I didn't know," he said softly while wrapping an arm around her shivering shoulders.

"You could not have known," she whispered. "I do not want to be afraid. I assume it is my natural instinct to fear water as a feline."

"Will you let me teach you to not be afraid?" Alex asked, looking into her amber eyes. She sniffed, wiped her tears on her arm, smiled, and nodded.

"I would like that."

Later on, during the night when all of the other circus animals had retired for the night after a fun-filled day, Alex hopped from the train car, helping Gia jump out as well.

"Are you ready?" he whispered. She nodded confidently.

"I am ready."

They walked to the site of the large pond and nearly gasped at what they saw. Under the light of the moon, the crystal-clear water shone a bright blue, illuminating the surrounding trees.

"It looks much less frightening at night," Gia giggled, earning a chuckle from Alex. He walked to her side and grasped her paw in his own.

"We're going to take this one step at a time." They began to slowly walk into the water up to their ankles. Gia shivered and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Alex looked at her for permission to continue, walking forward once more when she nodded her approval. They continued the same routine until the water was up to Gia's chest. Her eyes remained closed as she nearly sighed in content at the cooling feeling of the water.

"I'm going to let go. Is that okay?" Alex asked.

"Yes," she replied, finally opening her eyes. The lion swam to the middle of the pond and looked back at Gia still in the shallows.

"You're going to swim to me now."

Gia's eyes widened as she shook her head rapidly. "I cannot swim!"

"Yes, you can," Alex disagreed. "It comes natural. Give it a try." She took an unsteady breath before nodding. Slowly, Gia began to walk further into the water. It was now up to her neck. She pushed off the bottom of the pond and began to tread water instinctively. Her eyes lit up with success.

"Alex! I am doing it!" she shouted gleefully. She started swimming around in circles, enjoying the feeling of flying, and made her way over to Alex. He scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around in the water.

"Hold your breath," he ordered gently, still holding Gia in his arms. She took a deep breath before Alex dragged them both down underwater. She opened her eyes after a few seconds to find her lion companion staring right back at her. The light of the moon and illuminated pool made her fur and eyes shine beautifully. They smiled at each other underwater until they began to run out of breath. They took a deep breath when they resurfaced and began to laugh.

"Maybe we should add water to our circus act," Alex suggested teasingly. Gia giggled before she pushed him underwater and quickly swam away, still laughing as he coughed for breath.

The next morning when the two felines didn't come out of their train car, the other circus animals began to worry. That is, until they heard the giggles of their Italian feline friend coming from the direction of the pond.

Vitaly smirked, his striped arms over his chest. "He apologized."

Again, I am deeply sorry for the lack of updates and if you think this chapter is short and/or pointless. I will make sure to write a better one when I am feeling better! Thank you once again for the wonderful reviews! Have a wonderful day!

-Elettra.