Chapter by Shelby. If you don't like it, blame Skye n.n;;

Disclaimer: Must I say it? We don't own KH. BUT! I own Steve and Bob the bamboo plants n.n

Anyway, sorry about the neopet thing in the last chapter. Fanfiction wouldn't let me put underscores...

ON WITH THE STORY! n.n

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They walked for what seemed like forever. The didn't stop until almost sunset, when they reached what seemed like just a big...rock. The stared at it for a while until another lion came out, standing at the edge of the rock...thing. He seemed mad, upset at the least. Another, smaller lioness came out behind him.

"Daddy, why can't he stay?"

"He's not one of us, Kiara."

"He's no different than us!"

"Yes he is!" she jumped from the rock and ran towards the shadowed place. The older lion sighed. Shelby started to climb to the top of the rock. Riku followed her, but Ash and Skye exchanged glances. When Sora started to follow, Skye and Ash decided it would be ok. They sure do worry too much, don't they?

Shelby was the first one up, so the lion noticed her first. "Who are you?"

"Uhh...I'm Shelby.." She smiled. "We're here to uhh...help. Was that your daughter? If you don't mind me asking, what was she talking about?"

"Some lion from another pride. She thinks he's different than he really is. I can't get through to her."

"I bet I could." Shelby said. Riku stood next to her and nodded.

"Hopefully you can. But you should stay. Being out after dark isn't a very safe thing to do. And as much as I would like to find her now, I know she's at least half safe. They wouldn't hurt her...yet."

They decided to stay with the lion pride for the night. They would try to solve the problem tomorrow. After meeting all the other lions, they decided to get some rest. It had been a long, yet uneventful day.

Shelby lay near the entrance of the cave that was inside the rock, which they found out was pride rock. Riku appeared next to her and laid next to her. He sighed. She looked up at him. "You're staying?"

He looked up at the stars and took a minute to answer. "If you'll let me."

To answer, she pulled herself a little closer to him and rested her head on his paw (xD).

Skye glared at them from the back of the cave. Ash lay next to her, his paw laying lazily over her, and Sora was a few feet away. Mina, Kat, and Jay were next to Sora..Kat was next to Jay (n.n). Poor them...they had to be birds. "I don't think he's..."

"Skye," She looked at Ash. "It's ok. Don't worry. Okay?" Skye nodded reluctantly.

Riku woke in the middle of the night, feeling lonely and cold. He looked around. Everyone was sleeping around him, but Shelby was no where to be found. He stood up and walked outside, sighing with relief when he saw her standing at the edge of the rock (ok, what else am I supposed to call it? x.x)

"Shelby, what are you doing?" He whispered so he wouldn't wake anyone else.

She turned to look at him, slightly startled. "Just...watching the stars." They were silent for a while, then Shelby sighed and turned to Riku. "Let's go find her now. Just the two of us." Riku blinked.

"What?"

"Come on, please?"

Riku looked back towards the cave. Everyone was still sleeping. No one would know...unless they woke up...

"Ok." He smiled and Shelby bounded down the rock. He quickly followed. She was obviously hyper, which was weird, because she immediately took off running. Riku finally caught up to her, after about two minutes. "You sure are fast...for a girl." She jumped at him, and actually caught him. They tumbled to the ground, laughing.

They just laid there for a few minutes, catching their breath and laughing. They stood up and continued walking, slower than before. Shelby suddenly stopped, her ears perked up, and she looked around. "What is it?"

"Shh." Riku was quiet. After about a minute Shelby stopped. "I thought I heard something..." Before she could finish a lion, much like the one Riku had been in a fight with, jumped from a patch of tall grass. Shelby and Riku barely ducked out of the way in time.

"Run!" Riku commanded, and Shelby did just that. They ran. Luckily they were a little faster than the other lion. They ran until they reached a river. Riku was ready to cross; Shelby froze. "What is it? Come on!" Riku panted.

"I-I can't." She started to back away. Riku's eyes grew wide. The other lion was coming and now was not the time to freeze. "I just...I just can't."

"What? Why?" He swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. "Please. Just tell me."

"There's water..."

"Yes! It's a river! Of course there's water!" He hadn't meant to sound so mean, and he was glad Shelby didn't notice.

"I don't like water." He could hear the other lion now.

"Why? It's just water. We just have to cross the river. Please. Come on!"

"M-my father...and my brother...my brother couldn't swim and the water was too deep and my father tried to save him but he...he couldn't...neither of them made it out." She said it fast and Riku only understood half of it, but it was enough.

"I'm sorry, but..." A group of lions surrounded them, seemingly out of no where. Riku growled, "Not again, you're not." He wasn't about to lose this because of water. "Shelby, what would your father have done if he were here?"

She hesitated, not taking her eyes off the other lions, who were circling them. "He...he would go across the river."

"Shelby..." She jumped over the smallest lion and headed for the river bank. Riku followed, as did the other lions. Shelby ran towards a fallen log, and ran across it, careful not to get close to the edge. She made it across on pure adrenaline. Riku followed close behind, knocking the log and some of the lions into the flowing river.

They ran a little further before collapsing under a half-dead tree. It was then Shelby decided that was the scariest thing she had ever done. She leaned on Riku and cried.

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Another stall chapter. I had to get this part up so the next chapter would work. So...yeah. And AWWW xD

Shelby: n.n

Riku: n.n SMOOCH!

Skye: o.0;;;;;

Ash: EWWW! Get a room!

Riku: ok! n.n

Shelby: n.n;;

Skye: Um... ew-kay...