Chapter 3: Matchmaking...

"Uh, um, uh..." Tiku stammered, unsure of what to say. Kiki rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "We were just playing around and ended up 'stumbling' into the uh pride lands did you say? Well anyway when we saw how beautiful the place was we decided to explore." Tiku turned. "We?" he said, "You're the one who bounded off when I said it wasn't such a good idea." Kiki rolled her eyes.
Bailey cocked his head a bit at Maya. He had grown over the last few weeks, but still remained mute. Maya ignored the two bickering older cubs and turned toward Bailey. When Bailey saw this he pinned his ears shyly and hid behind Kiki. Maya smiled and circled around. "Hey, where are you going?" she asked. Bailey peeked around and looked at her. Maya smiled at him and then said, "I'm Maya what's your name?"
Kiki turned and gave a short, almost mother like growl. "Hey what're you doing?" she asked. Maya pinned her ears, "I was just trying to make friends with him." She said. Kiki looked down at Bailey. She sighed, "I'm sorry, I guess I get a little over protective of him sometimes." She laughed. Bailey saw that she was ok with Maya and came out. Maya smiled again.
"I told all of you my name, but you never said your names." Maya said. Tiku laughed, "Yeah, I guess that was sort of rude huh?" he said. "My name's Tiku," Kiki stretched a bit, "I'm Kiki and that's Bailey." Kiki said, gesturing toward Bailey. Bailey smiled and rubbed his head against Kiki's shoulder.
Maya seemed a little stunned at first. "He could've told me his name you know." She said. "Actually," Tiku began, "He couldn't, he's a mute." Kiki finished. Maya gave them a quizzical look. "Mute?" she asked. Again she cocked her head sideways and looked at them. Kiki sighed and then explained. "A mute means he can't talk." She said. Maya shook her head, "Sure he can, he's just never been taught." She said. Kiki shook her head. "Mute's are different than us, they just can't talk." She proceeded.
"I'm sure he could if he tried," Maya said, refusing to understand. "Go ahead Bailey, try and say something. Say your name." Maya said. Bailey opened his mouth, but nothing but a raspy sort of sound came out. Maya stared at him. "T-try again." She said. Bailey growled and shook his head. He knew he was a mute, and he sure wasn't going to sit here and convince this cub he was.
Maya sighed. "Well I guess he is a 'mute' then." She said, her ears drooped in sadness. Kiki sighed. "There's nothing wrong with it, he just can't talk like us, that's all. He can make little noises though to let us know what he wants. And you know what, you understood him." "Huh?" Maya looked up at Kiki. "When he growled, you realized he wasn't going to try again, right?" "Right," Maya said, still a little confused. "Well, by realizing that, you were able to understand him without him even saying a word. So see, it doesn't matter that he's a mute, you can still understand him." Maya smiled. "Yeah, now I get it!" she said.
Far off in the distance, a lion roared. Tiku listened to the roar. It was a call for Maya to come and eat. Maya looked up at the sun, it was beginning to set. "Well I have to go, maybe we can play tomorrow, now that we know each other?" she asked. Kiki and Tiku looked at each other. "Um, well maybe, I don't know though..." Tiku said. "Aw come on, please?" the roar sounded again, this time becoming more impatient. Bailey made a raspy noise and pleaded to Kiki with his eyes. Kiki smiled at him and looked at Tiku. Tiku sighed and rolled his eyes. "We'll see what we can do." He said finally. "Yay!" Maya yelled, laughing and then running off. "See you tomorrow!" she yelled. Bailey gave a little yip of excitement and then bounced off. Kiki and Tiku followed him, knowing he was heading back toward the Lone lands.

"Where have you all been?" Kita growled. "I was worried sick!" Tiku had his ears back. "We were just exploring Mom." He said. It was the truth, they had been exploring. "I guess I shouldn't have gotten so worked up, but you need to come back every so often and check in with me ok? I need to know that you're ok." Tiku walked forward and nuzzled his mother. "We will from now on Mom." He said. Kita smiled and nuzzled her son.
Taka was using his tail as a play toy for Bailey. He turned it this way and that, flipping it up, holding it in the air for a few seconds, twitching it a bit, and then putting it down on the other side. Bailey practiced pouncing on it or trying to anyway. He growled and pounced, but always missed.
Tiaru yawned and watched the sun go down. Kiki watched Bailey play and thought of Maya. She wondered why the little cub had denied Bailey being a mute so much. Then she thought of the look Bailey had given her before they had left. She smiled and then turned toward Tiku.
"Hey Tiku, come here." She said. Tiku got up and walked over to his friend. "Come with me, I want to talk to you." Kiki said. Tiku followed her to a tree a little ways away. "Was it just me or did Maya really deny Bailey being a mute?" she asked. "Did you just bring me over here to ask me that or what?" Tiku asked. Kiki rolled her eyes. "Just answer the question Tiku." She said. "Yeah she really denied it until you gave that little speech." Kiki nodded. "And did you see that look Bailey gave me when Maya asked if we'd return tomorrow?" Tiku cocked his head and thought a moment. "Uh, no I don't' think so..." "Well it was really cute, but," Kiki stopped, trying to think. "But what?" Tiku asked.
"I don't' know for sure, but it was something. It was almost as if he really wanted to be with her again." Tiku sighed. "Well I told her we'd see what we could do." He said. "Tiku, I think I have an idea though." Kiki said. Tiku got up and looked at her. "Oh yeah and what might that be?" he asked. "I think we should play matchmakers!" Kiki said, smiling at him. "What!?" Tiku exclaimed. "You've got to be kidding me!" He growled. "No, wouldn't it be neat if they got together though? I mean, lets face it, there aren't that many lions willing to even be friends with mutes. Most mutes are just cast out, they become outsiders Tiku. Do you want that to happen to Bailey?" Kiki asked.
"Kiki, think about it, that' s not going to happen, Bailey will always be with us, in our pride, so he'll never become an outcast because we would never do that to him." Tiku explained. "Ok, but still, wouldn't it be better if he found a special someone? I mean, I think Maya would be perfect, she accepted the fact about him being a mute after I talked to her a little bit." Kiki said. "Yeah, but that's her, what about her parents huh? Ever take them into account?" Tiku asked. Kiki sighed. "Well, no." she said. "See?" Tiku said.
Kiki shook her head stubbornly. "Tiku, they were interested in each other! I know they were! We can just help push it along, I mean, why not? Come on Tiku, please?" she gave him a puppy dog like look. Tiku rolled his eyes. "Man do you have to do that? You know it gets me every time!" Kiki smiled. "I know, that's why I do it. So we can play matchmakers?" Tiku sighed. "Do I have a choice?" he asked. Kiki cocked her head and looked up. "Hmmm, no." she said, looking back at him and shaking her head. "Alright then, I guess we'll play matchmakers." Tiku sighed. "Great!" Kiki exclaimed, nuzzling him and running back to the pride.
Tiku sighed and shook his head, "Lionesses," he mumbled as he walked back. Once there he found a spot next to Kiki and Bailey and settled down. He looked up at the stars and saw his grandfather Tiku smiling at him from the stars. He smiled back and then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

OK that turned out like really long, I really did not mean for it to be that long...anyway what do you think? Good, bad? Well review ppls! Err I mean, plz review...yeah plz review, we, as in C.a.b and I would greatly appreciate it, oh by the way what did you think C.a.b? Just email me, we'll leave the reviews for the other ppls...well ttfn everyone and don't forget to leave a review!