Chapter 9: I Am Yours
What felt like eons as I waked for the high hanging sun to make his descent to his resting place beyond the horizon. As the night final touched the landscape and the stars broke out to show their glory she still didn't show. As the moon shined its brilliance upon me I still waited anticipation mounting to a point that I felt like I was going to burst.
Negative thoughts began to strew through my mind as the moon peaked in the night sky. Rustling of dirt caused my ear to twitch as the sound of padding feet approached my sleeping quarters. "Sorry it was really hard to get away." Trying to act as nonchalant as I could to her voice even though my heart leapt for joy at her arrival. "It's fine let's go."
Smiling at her I took off into a sprint towards the thick lining of trees upon the horizon trying my best not to excide a pace that she could not keep up. "Where... are we... going?" It was remarkable that she was keeping pace with me since she never left my side for a moment. My response was cryptic as I just smiled at her breaking through the underbrush of the jungle ahead of us.
Fortune must have favored me as I looked at my surroundings as the location that I choose was were Rafiki took Kovu and Kiara.
"Why did we come here?" Her face was riddled with questions as to my motive and to be honest I don't really know why I came here either.
"I just picked a direction and ran and that felt like the best direction I guess I'm a bit spontaneous since I don't plan anything out."
She just smiled at me as her amber eyes filled with the night stars. Her grace and beauty was riveting as the soft glow of the moon transformed her into a goddess. Pushing her paw off my nose she took off in a ploy for me to purse her. My attempt was foiled as I was anchored by someone pulling on my tail.
"What are you doing?" I was startled to find it was Rafiki on my back playing with my tail.
"Um I don't know."
"Hahaha, boy you better not lie to me." The mandrill stood erect on my back and puffed out his chest.
"Well I'm going with the flow."
"The flow huh." Placing his thumb and forefinger along his chin as a face of serious contemplation came over him.
"Boy, I will show you the flow. Follow old Rafiki." He proceeded to pull on my mane and my tail in an effort to move me. Kiara looked back to see that I was not in pursuit of her and I was having my own problems. She returned to my side transfixed by the mandrill's efforts to move me.
"What does he want?"
"Come on, hurry up."
"I think we should follow him before he rips my tail off."
We turned to follow him at a leisurely pace but the mandrill moved with such pace that it caused us to run in an effort to keep up with him. Swinging from the tree branches he laughed hysterically as he goaded us to keep up. With our eyes on the mandrill we unprepared for the drop off that laid in our wake.
As placed our paws down to find no solid ground beneath it causing us to careen down the grass hill. Shock and fear ran over me as I though he had finally lost it and was trying to off us. Our descant changed trajectory as we hit the ledge of the hill and we went into free fall.
My stomach leapt into my throat as gravity took over and set us down to the river. Closing my eyes waiting for the impact of cold hard water was denied as I felt the rubbery slick feel of a leaf instead. Opening my eyes conformed my feelings as I was face first in a giant leaf floating on the river. The impacted of Kiara on the opposite side caused me to flip to a seated position on the leaf.
The mandrill returned to us as he broke out into song.
There's a place where the crazy moon
Makes the monkeys sing and the baboons swoon
And the sultry scent of the lotus bloom
Will carry you away
Where the hippos swing from the jungle vines
And the rhino rhumba in a conga line
And the pink flamingoes are intertwined
As the stars come out to play
In Upendi
Where the passionfruit grows sweet
And it's so divine
That you lose your mind
As it sweeps you off your feet
In Upendi
Without a worry or a care
It just takes two
To make it true
Your heart will lead you there
You better watch your step 'cause the path is steep
Better hold your breath cause the water's deep
It's a long way down over Lovers' Leap
But falling's half the fun!
In Upendi
Where the passionfruit grows sweet
And it's so divine
That you lose your mind
As it sweeps you off your feet
In Upendi
Without a worry or a care
It just takes two
To make it true
Your heart will take you there
You can beat the bush like there's no tomorrow
From Tanganyika to Kilimanjaro
But you'll find Upendi wherever you are
Oh underneath the sun
In Upendi
Where the passionfruit grows sweet
And it's so divine
That you lose your mind
As it sweeps you off your feet
In Upendi
Without a worry or a care
It just takes two
To make it true
Your heart will take you there
As our making shift raft raised to the heavens on a fountain of water we spotted a column of paired animals getting passion fruit from Rafiki. "Let's go join them." Kaira said before leaping off the leaf falling gracefully down without a moments hesitation I followed in suit. After a tremendous splash I swam as fast as I could to catch up with her. Making a sprint for the congo line she joined in on the motion as I follow placing my paws on her hips. In my best effort stay in rhythm I blindly followed her until we reach Rafiki as he tossed us some fruit. Leaping in unison we caught the fruit and plummeted into the water.
As we laid together in each other's embrace as we ran up and down the twist stream until the air was the only thing beneath us. A leaf ejected to slow our descent as we were wrapped in each other's embrace. Placing her paw on my chest she buried her face into my mane as a purr came from deep within my chest. Startled by this new thing caused me to panic. She looked up pulling my face close to her as her pink tongue slide across the side of my face instantly easing all my worries.
"It's okay I like it. It's cute when you're lost." I put on a brave smile as I nuzzled her causing her to do the same thing lifting my spirits.
Touching down on the ground was not as graceful as I thought it was going to be as we fell and rolled. Her laughter was contagious as we rolled down the hill entangled in each other. As we stopped at the bottom of the hill her laughing stop confused by what was happen I looked to see her pulling her head back in to the grass like Nala did with Simba. An unknown sensation over whelmed me as her amber eyes held my gaze.
Pulling her head to mine, licking her across the side of her face in an instant upon realizing what I had done, I went wide eye waiting for her response. In her ungodly beauty she looked at me and smiled as she nuzzled me purring send all my fears and woes away.
"Kiara."
We both broke away investigating where that noise came from. Simba was standing there at the top of the hill. I could not decipher if it was rage or worry that was painted across his face as he stared down upon us.
"Kiara its time to go."
She looked at me with that angelic smile as the morning sun painted her body a different golden glow she whispered. "Thank you." Bounding off towards her dad with what looked like the same joy and enthusiasm that I felt over the course of the night. Glancing back and smiled as she left with Simba to discuss whatever was on his mind.
Once they were out of ear shot I let out a bellowing yell expressing my over whelmed feelings to the whole world. Falling back into the grass wishing there was a repeat button so I could relive that moment as many times as I wanted. I was drunk in that feeling as her smell still infatuated my senses leaving me yearning for the next time I would be in her presence. Rustling came from behind me as the old mandrill approached.
"Pffft. What a crazy night that was."
"Yeah I wish it would never end. I hope she feels the same way that I do." He placed his hand on my chest and listened really close.
"You got it really bad."
"Got what?"
"The lioness case."
"Yeah I know." I felt the warmth of blood rushing to my face as I stared at the ground in embarrassment.
"But this is not how it's supposed to go she's supposed to be with Kovu not me." Letting his staff support his weight he lean in and locked eyes with me.
"Things are not always what they seem to be. Boy there is a plan for you and either you can run from it or embrace it." With that he left me transfixed in the meaning of his words as the sun began its ascending into the sky.
