CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Jahari looked up when he saw Kayla running toward him. She had found him playing by the waterhole.
" Kayla? What're you doing here?" Jahari felt guilty for not meeting Kayla earlier that day. He had to spend half the day with his grandparents and it had been so boring! The only good part was when they took him to a part of the Heartlands that had a waterfall and lake.
" I'm running away from home." Kayla panted.
Jahari stared at her, " I thought you'd be mad at me."
" Mad at you? For what?"
" For not meeting you this morning." Jahari said, " Did you go to our meeting place?"
" Yeah and I waited for awhile but I figured you couldn't sneak away." Kayla paused, " but I'm not worried about that anymore."
" Why? What's wrong?"
Kayla told him all about it, " I don't want to go back home. Mom blames me for Linka's running away so I thought why don't I do the same?"
Jahari was quiet, and then he said, " Listen Kayla. Your Mom might not spend a lot of time with you, but she loves you. You're her daughter and nothing can change that."
Kayla frowned at him, " Since when did you become so insightful?"
" I don't know. It just makes sense." Jahari shrugged then looked around, " I better get you away from here. Mom knows I've played with your brother and if she finds out about you…well, it won't be nice."
" What will she do if she did find out about me?" Kayla asked. His mom sounded mean.
" I'm not about to wait around to find out." Jahari said, " C'mon, I know a place where we can hide." He got up and he and Kayla left the waterhole.
Jahari glanced at Kayla and his stomach churned. He had never noticed before but Kayla was beautiful with her shiny golden coat and big blue eyes.
Kayla was looking back at him with new interest. Jahari was kind and caring and he didn't look to bad either with his dark coat, a small black mane and dark green eyes that seemed to stare right through you…
Do I have a crush on him? Kayla wondered. I'm looking at him as of I've just met him. Is this what love feels like?
* * *
" Here we are." Jahari announced and Kayla looked around. " It's beautiful." She whispered in awe. The waterfall was noisy but elegant and the lake was so big! There were lots of pretty wildflowers too.
" This can be our hideaway." Jahari suggested, " You have water and food. You'd be safe here."
" What about shelter?"
Jahari hesitated, " I found a cave behind the waterhole." He said and showed her. The cave was small, dark and warm but to Kayla it was perfect.
" Thanks Jahari." Kayla said then nuzzled up against him. Jahari looked at her in surprise. He knew this was a sign of affection. He returned the gesture and Kayla settled down on the ground, " I'm tired." She yawned.
" We'll both take a nap then we can explore later." Jahari settled down next to her and placed a paw on her back. They fell asleep but were woken a short time later when a shadow loomed over them. Jahari opened his eyes and found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes.
" Who are you?" he squeaked, " What are you doing here?"
The stranger stared at the two cubs, " This is my home."
" You look familiar, " Kayla said, " Have we meet?"
" No, but I've seen the two of you around."
Kayla stood up and backed away, " We're sorry to intrude…we'll leave now."
" It's okay. I can do with the company." The lioness assured them, " You are Jahari and this pretty little cub is Kayla. I'm very pleased to meet you both."
Jahari frowned at her, " Who are you?"
" I'm Tamali-your grandmother."
" Simba, what's wrong?" Nala asked her mate as soon as he arrived. He had a very sad expression on his face.
" It's Linka." He said and her eyes narrowed.
" What about him?" she growled.
" He's dead."
Jahari looked up when he saw Kayla running toward him. She had found him playing by the waterhole.
" Kayla? What're you doing here?" Jahari felt guilty for not meeting Kayla earlier that day. He had to spend half the day with his grandparents and it had been so boring! The only good part was when they took him to a part of the Heartlands that had a waterfall and lake.
" I'm running away from home." Kayla panted.
Jahari stared at her, " I thought you'd be mad at me."
" Mad at you? For what?"
" For not meeting you this morning." Jahari said, " Did you go to our meeting place?"
" Yeah and I waited for awhile but I figured you couldn't sneak away." Kayla paused, " but I'm not worried about that anymore."
" Why? What's wrong?"
Kayla told him all about it, " I don't want to go back home. Mom blames me for Linka's running away so I thought why don't I do the same?"
Jahari was quiet, and then he said, " Listen Kayla. Your Mom might not spend a lot of time with you, but she loves you. You're her daughter and nothing can change that."
Kayla frowned at him, " Since when did you become so insightful?"
" I don't know. It just makes sense." Jahari shrugged then looked around, " I better get you away from here. Mom knows I've played with your brother and if she finds out about you…well, it won't be nice."
" What will she do if she did find out about me?" Kayla asked. His mom sounded mean.
" I'm not about to wait around to find out." Jahari said, " C'mon, I know a place where we can hide." He got up and he and Kayla left the waterhole.
Jahari glanced at Kayla and his stomach churned. He had never noticed before but Kayla was beautiful with her shiny golden coat and big blue eyes.
Kayla was looking back at him with new interest. Jahari was kind and caring and he didn't look to bad either with his dark coat, a small black mane and dark green eyes that seemed to stare right through you…
Do I have a crush on him? Kayla wondered. I'm looking at him as of I've just met him. Is this what love feels like?
* * *
" Here we are." Jahari announced and Kayla looked around. " It's beautiful." She whispered in awe. The waterfall was noisy but elegant and the lake was so big! There were lots of pretty wildflowers too.
" This can be our hideaway." Jahari suggested, " You have water and food. You'd be safe here."
" What about shelter?"
Jahari hesitated, " I found a cave behind the waterhole." He said and showed her. The cave was small, dark and warm but to Kayla it was perfect.
" Thanks Jahari." Kayla said then nuzzled up against him. Jahari looked at her in surprise. He knew this was a sign of affection. He returned the gesture and Kayla settled down on the ground, " I'm tired." She yawned.
" We'll both take a nap then we can explore later." Jahari settled down next to her and placed a paw on her back. They fell asleep but were woken a short time later when a shadow loomed over them. Jahari opened his eyes and found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes.
" Who are you?" he squeaked, " What are you doing here?"
The stranger stared at the two cubs, " This is my home."
" You look familiar, " Kayla said, " Have we meet?"
" No, but I've seen the two of you around."
Kayla stood up and backed away, " We're sorry to intrude…we'll leave now."
" It's okay. I can do with the company." The lioness assured them, " You are Jahari and this pretty little cub is Kayla. I'm very pleased to meet you both."
Jahari frowned at her, " Who are you?"
" I'm Tamali-your grandmother."
" Simba, what's wrong?" Nala asked her mate as soon as he arrived. He had a very sad expression on his face.
" It's Linka." He said and her eyes narrowed.
" What about him?" she growled.
" He's dead."