Another two chapters to be added that were originally one but decided they were too long and/or didn't fit together naturally as one. Better this way, I promise. More drama in the next chapter. It'll be up soon!

Chapter 29:

The meerkats of the Outlands were gathering into the cave for a night's rest. Morake was lying next to the cave with his chin on top of his paws. He yawned and smacked his lips as he began to close his eyes. He opened his eyes and raised his head when he heard some footsteps coming towards him.

"Hey, Morake!" Bango cheerfully said as he trotted over to him. His mother Jina padded right behind him. "What's been going on here?"

"We've been allowed to stay for the night at least, otherwise no one told me what's going on inside. But I do know your dad and uncle left to find Rafiki," Morake said with a slight mumble.

"Huh? Why?"

Morake rested his chin on his paws with a sigh, "I guess Mr. Timon thinks Rafiki goofed on the location spell. He doesn't think Titus is in this colony." He looked up at Bango and Jina. "Rafiki doesn't goof, does he?"

Jina grimaced slightly, "Well, no one's perfect, and we haven't found any other meerkat colonies out here."

"Mom said Rafiki was never wrong. What am I suppose to believe if what Mom told me wasn't true?" Morake sniffled.

"Like I said, Morake," Jina said as she gave Morake a gentle nudge, "no one's perfect. Everyone makes mistakes, even mothers and mystic shamans." She smiled, "And besides, we haven't looked everywhere in the Outlands yet."

Morake exhaled and closed his eyes. "I guess not."

Bango looked at his mother for a moment, and then to Morake. He looked back at her, "Mom, can I--?" Before he could get the full question out he found her nodding. Bango smiled and laid down next to Morake, who immediately scooted closer to Bango and started to purr.

Jina softly sighed as she found herself a place to lie down outside of the cave. She looked upward at the stars. How are we suppose to know who Titus is? None of us have ever met him before... have we? She shook her head and laid her head down, closing her eyes.

Inside the cave...

Zuri laid in a nest with her eyes closed, trying to sleep. Unsuccessful, she sighed, opened her eyes, and sat up in the nest. She looked at Kito, who was sleeping next to her, quite peacefully. It's no use. I can't sleep in a nest this empty. Where did Timon go off to anyway? I haven't seen him since brunch. She rubbed her eyes, catching a brief whiff of the flower bracelet she was wearing. She looked at it for a moment and smiled softly. A small clump of dirt landing on her head brought her back from her thoughts.

She sputtered and dusted the clump out of her hair, growling. She looked upward to see feet climbing over the edge of the skylight directly above her. With a snort she rose from her nest, careful not to wake Kito, and climbed onto a rock. Once on top she jumped over to the nearby root hanging below the skylight and began to climb up. When she reached the top she exhaled and growled at the meerkat sitting with his back to her. "You have no consideration to a girl trying to catch up on her sleep!"

The meerkat turned to look at her and grinned, "It's not my fault you made a nest under the skylight, Zuri."

Zuri blushed slightly when she realized the meerkat was Sly. She lifted herself up and sat down next to him. "No, I guess not. So what are you doing up here all by yourself?"

Sly sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "I'd like to say it's insomnia, but it's not. I haven't really been able to sleep lately. Too many dreams I don't like or I don't understand. I come up here to try to understand them..." He shook his head. "But I haven't come to a conclusion yet."

Zuri rubbed a flower petal from her bracelet between her fingers for a moment. "I'm sorry. I'm sure my coming here made things a lot more complicated for you."

"Maybe, maybe not." Sly looked up at the stars. "Someone told me once that dreams can be a window into the future. I kept having dreams about you... and you came."

Zuri sighed and scooted closer to him. "But I didn't know you were here. If Kito hadn't left like that..."

"We'd still be wondering whatever happened to each other, wouldn't we?"

A moment of silence. Zuri tapped her fingers on her knee, trying to make conversation. "I heard dreams can also be forgotten memories trying to resurface. So... what else have you been dreaming about?"

Sly turned his eyes to look at her. "You wanna know?"

"If they're not all about me, I could help you think."

"All right..."

To be continued...