Hey ya'll, it's me, Silva. I just wanted to say sorry for basically deserting this fic. Honestly, I'm surprised I'm still the only LIVEALIVE fanfic on this site. Anyway, thanks to all who are still following, I plan to focus my time on finishing this and Zero Beginnings. I took a comment to heart saying that all of my stories are incomplete, and I plan on fixing that. I'm going to focus my time on Tales Through Time and Zero Beginnings, then complete my other stories. And thanks to all for reviewing, following, and favoriting, it means a lot!
Anyway, sit back, relax...and LIVE.


Pogo snapped awake once more for the second time that day…er, has it been a day? He didn't quite know, but through cracks in the wall, he could at least tell it was still night. He rubbed his head, groaning at the rough sleep he was getting. He had a weird dream, even weirder than his last one. In this one, he was in a field of flowers, sun shining brightly onto his face, as he bathed in its glow…then it felt like he was falling hard and fast until he bolted awake. Yawning, he turned to fall back asleep and put the dream behind him, coming face to face with Gori.

…Or where Gori was supposed to be. Instead, Pogo's trusty monkey buddy was nowhere to be seen. The caveboy instantly bolted up, grumbling to himself. He knew where the gorilla had to be. The place where they kept all the leftover food for the tribe. Every once in a while Gori would go there trying to sneak a bite and it was Pogo's job to drag him back to bed. Such is life for him.

Sighing, he grabbed a bone from dinner earlier, dragging it lazily behind him as he headed to the storeroom. His eyes were bleary and frankly, he was wondering if just this once he should ignore Gori and go back to bed. He would get punished by the Elder, the entire tribe would be angry at him, and he wouldn't get to go hunting until winter, but he would get a few more winks of sleep.

The cave the tribe resided in was creepy at night, at least to Pogo. He wasn't the bravest lad, and he increased his walk to quickly make his way to the storeroom, breathing a sigh of relief as he passed the threshold into the safe space.

Inside the storeroom, the meat from earlier was stacked for later, with piles of hay in the corner. Gori was currently sniffing the hay piles, Pogo coming over to look at him for a second. Usually, Gori would be devouring the food here, but seeing him ignore all the food was throwing Pogo off.

WHACK! Bringing the primate back to sanity, Pogo began to berate the ape, he's done this lots of times before, would he ever learn?

However, even with a bruise on his head, Gori still seemed to be looking for something, looking among the meats and hay piles. Pogo was still ranting, before a quick flash of something darted between the hay. The cave boy and the gorilla glanced at each other. Pogo raised his bone high, as Gori held up his fists. The two began to inch closer to the hay pile, sweat pouring off them. Pogo seemed to be the brave one of them for the moment, reaching over and poking the hay. Hay shrapnel flew fast, blocking Pogo and Gori's vision as something bolted away from the pile. Gori quickly reached out, eager to grab this strange thing before he tripped over the hay itself. Guess it was up to Pogo.

The cave boy steeled himself, reeling back with his bone, and throwing it to the floor. It stuck defiantly to the ground, making the figure that was bolting away trip on the weapon and fall over. Pogo whooped in excitement, clapping his hands as he maneuvered over to the tripped-over figure, ready to enact fury on the intruder.

What he saw made his little cave boy brain practically explode. It was…a girl. With long flowing purple hair and a seashell perched on it, along with more seashells acting as bikini wear. Huh. Pogo had never seen one before…a girl or a seashell. In fact, he'd never been by the sea.

Oh, right, the girl. Right now she was crawling away, a piece of meat in her mouth, frightened. Pogo immediately his bone behind his back, letting his free one wave to her, letting the girl know he wasn't going to hurt her. The girl squinted her eyes, getting a good look at the kid. He was definitely younger than her, but his height was too small for someone his age.

And the way he nervously waved and the thin smile on his face…she knew he wasn't going to hurt her. With a nod, she decided to stand up, showing her full height.

Whoa.

She was taller than Pogo, and from this view, he got a perfect look at her…whatever was on her chest. The elder had told him all about women, but it was his first time seeing one up close. He didn't know what to say, what to do, or if he should say anything. Or if he should do anything!

Pogo's staring must have gotten the girl's attention, as she waved a hand in front of his face, asking him if he was alright. That snapped him out of his delirious stupor, blurting out his name on instinct while blushing. He immediately mentally chided himself. He was gonna embarrass himself, she was gonna think he was weird, and Gori-
…Gori? Oh, yeah. Upon seeing the girl, Gori decided he didn't give his ass if this human had two extra flesh bags, she was in his territory and talking to his pal, so he was just tackling her into a bale of hay as Pogo groaned in annoyance. Welp, time for some good sense knocking with his good ol' bo-

Gori swiftly came flying out of the hay bale, smacking into the wall and sinking to the floor, a noticeable bruise on his head. The girl strutted out of the haybale, not a blemish or scar on her. She looked down at Pogo, whose face was one of amazement, and uttered her name since he told her his.

Bel. Or, was it Beru? No, it was definitely Bel.

Immediately, Pogo registered that into his memory, then began asking the questions; What was she doing here? Why was she munching on their supply? How exactly did she get in here anyway? Those quite invasive questions made Bel shrink back and stammer for something to say, and Pogo once again chided himself. Okay, they could figure that all out later…like tomorrow! She needed a place to sleep and he wasn't going to let her sleep outside in the wild, and what better place than his bed!

Bel cocked an eyebrow, wondering if Pogo was trying to insinuate something, but his innocent looks made her smile. He was too cute, and she was thankful he was helping her. She supposed sleeping in a boy's bed was fine.

Giggling, Bel nodded, motioning for Pogo to show her the way. Pogo couldn't believe his luck. He became a man, and a bonafide female was going to sleep in his bed? The little guy was on Cloud 9.

Picking up Gori to carry back, Pogo and Bel walked through the cave, and back to the boy's room, thankful none of the tribe were sleepwalking. At the mention of that, Bel asked if that happened often. Pogo looked up at her and let her know never to wake a sleepwalker. She would have laughed, but the thought of waking everybody up and his serious expression force her to nod.

Once they got in, Pogo unceremoniously dumped Gori on the floor and guided Bel to his bed. The animal pelt blanket was a bit too small for her, but she wasn't picky and was thankful for something comfortable. Seeing her getting comfy, Pogo went to lay down next to Gori until Bel called out to him. It was his bed, she wasn't trying to kick him out. He shook his head, telling her she needed it more than him, he would be fine.

She furrowed her brow, rising from the bed as she walked over and picked up the boy, making him release a nervous sound. She laid him on the bed next to her, letting him know she was not allowing him to give up his bed for her. Trying to hide the red on his face, he nodded dumbly as she softly smiled. He was almost too cute to handle.

Snuggling up under the covers, Bel glanced over at him, thanking him for allowing her to stay the night before closing her eyes and nodding off to sleep. Taking a look at her one last time, Pogo adopted his own smile and laid his arms behind his head, drifting off to sleep.


Pogo weakly opened his eyes, looking around. He wasn't quite sure where he was. There were trees, real trees, and not just dried husks like those he had seen in the Hunting Grounds. He looked around, a primal(well, current) fear gripping him. He was alone. He always had Gori near him, having him away was making him nervous and scared.

He called out again, for Gori and Bel, shouting for them. For them to come out. For them to come help him. He stood stuck to the spot, not moving an inch as fear restrained him.

Finally, he could hear the frightened shouts of his best friend and the mysterious girl that appeared in his life. Shunning his fear, he ran towards their shouts, moving through the unfamiliar terrain as he leaped off trees coming to a stop as he stared at the visage before him, and he was shocked to his core.

A hunched figure held both his companions in its grasp, and it was nothing like he had seen before. A shining predator clad in what looked like gems, with bloodlike veins running across it. Claws were sinking into Bel's figure and Gori's fur, and all Pogo could do was watch as the figure turned to him, towering over the boy.

"You claim to have found love after a short time. You are a fool. You know not the meaning of love, the pain it can inflict on you. You are but a primal child, whose intellect is exceeded by the beasts you hunt. Cowardice follows you, and the love you have will fester like a wound. YOU ARE A FOOL, AND ALWAYS SHALL BE."

And as the predator took a step toward him, Pogo cried out in fear…


…and the chanting of the tribe and the smell of cooked meat made Pogo blearily open his eyes. He glanced around for that monster, but he was in his room, safe. It was just a dream. But a far scarier one than what he usually had that clung to his mind and he couldn't understand what it meant. He shrugged, figuring it was probably just from eating bad mammoth meat from last night.

Yawning, he turned to lay back down, looking at Bel's beautiful backside … and got something a lot more fuzzy as he was face-to-face with Gori's gorilla mug.

He uttered a horrified shout and woke Gori up with a delirious roar. They were definitely up and about now.

Standing up and dusting himself off, Pogo shivered, figuring they would not mention or think of what happened, and decided to wonder something else; wherever could Bel be? He glanced around his room, looking for something that could hide someone taller than him and Gori as he locked eyes on the piles of hay stacked in his room for recreational use.

Of course. A likely hiding place for a beautiful young woman.

Pogo reached out and patted the hay, revealing Bel's tired eyes and yawning mouth that gave a good morning. Pogo quickly glanced away, a blush rising in his cheeks as Gori snickered. Pogo began to open his mouth to shout at his primate pal when Bel walked out of the hay. She stated she didn't want anybody coming in the middle of the night to see her, so she hid in the hay. It actually wasn't half bad.

Stretching, she yawned that she had extended her stay for too long, and she would go as to not cause trouble. Pogo shook his head, stating she wasn't being a bother until a deep rumbling stomach rose from none other than Bel.

Pogo gasped. How could he be so foolish? Of course, his guest would be hungry. Eager to please and desperate to impress the only girl he had ever met, Pogo gently grabbed Bel's hand to guide her back into the hay pile. Both Bel and Pog realized that was the first time either of them had touched the other. Pogo's hands were rougher and smaller than Bel's, hers feeling like a smooth rock. Bel felt the blush on her face first and was surprised by it. She had never felt it before, and she was feeling it now? Pogo hid his like usual as Bel his herself in the hay.

Pogo turned to Gori, telling him to keep watch while he got food. After all, if the Elder found out about this, Bel would probably be kicked out and Pogo would be on lookout duty for the rest of his life.

Before Gori could protest, Pogo was out the door, ignoring all the other tribesmen as he barreled past them. Bel and Gori were left alone together. The awkwardness was palpable between the girl and the gorilla as they glanced away from each other. One couldn't talk and the other had nothing to say. And thus, the first awkward silence was created.

It went downhill from there.

Pogo bolted through the cave, going as fast as he can, past the tribe cooking breakfast, past the mouth of the cave, past the lookout, and out onto the Hunting Grounds.

Bel would want fresh meat, he reasoned. A lady having yesterday's kill would be just rude. Glancing around, Pogo locked eyes with his prey, an Archaeotherium that was just minding its own business. Before it knew, Pogo had jumped on its back, straddling it as his bone collided with its skull. The hit made the tusked beast buck its legs, struggling to get the human off. Pogo leaned over, grabbing its tusk for leverage as his other hand raised the bone and brought it once more over its head. The constant hits were too much for the prehistoric pig, and one final hit on the cranium was enough for it to slump over, fresh meat ripe for the picking

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Pogo admired his kill before slinging it over his back. He began to fantasize about Bel, and how she might thank him for getting her this amazing gift. He imagined her showering him with hugs, tell him how great he was…maybe Pogo might even get a 'kiss'. He had only heard stories of the wonderful action, and he hoped the stories would live up to reality.

It took a while for Pogo to heft the game back to his home, but it was worth it, as he could already hear cheers!...wait, no, those were screams. Screams that sounded suspiciously high-pitched.

The young cave kid quickly ditched the meat, raising his bone as he jumped into the cave. The lookout was…knocked out, face down, and what looked like tire tracks on his back. Ignoring this and chalking it up to a rouge pair of boulders, Pogo headed to the main cave, nearly giving himself away at the scene before him as he hid.

The first thing he saw was Bel, tied up and gagged, struggling to get out. The next thing he saw was Gori facedown and twitching. And the last thing he saw was multiple other cavemen that weren't a part of his tribe, with red hair and blue loincloths.

The Ku Tribe. Pogo had sometimes heard the Elder ranting about them, but this was his first time seeing them as they kept to themselves and lived in the Wild Lands. And boy, did they look intimidating. And it seemed like the leader of this group was a tall man, with a row of bones over his chest, animal teeth adorning his neck, and a deep scar going across his right eye.

There was also a lizard on his junk, but that wasn't important right now. What was important(at least to Pogo) was the Elder looking hurt, Bel nearly crying, and Gori probably foaming at the mouth.

Pogo could barely hear what they were saying, something about how the Elder didn't know Bel was even there, and the leader of the group calling him a liar. Seething, Pogo bopped his bone against his palm, already formulating a plan.

Stone devices that Pogo had never seen before were parked next to him, stone wheels crafted on them. Pogo was no stranger to 'push-thing-and-thing-go', or gravity as some called it. Clambering into the vehicle, he reached out with his bone and pushed, and the rest was set.

The leader of the group nearly got hit along with his troops as the stone cart barreled into them, launching them across the room, landing in a pile next to Pogo's fellow tribesmen. The cave kid in question was likewise launched from the vehicle as it crashed into a wall, sending him to land right next to the pre-occupied Bel trying to wriggle free.

Rising from his state, he ignored the furious cries of his Elder and went to bite down on the vines restraining Bel, ripping them apart and setting her free.

She squealed with joy, leaning down to give Pogo a big hug. His body froze, a strange sound echoing from his lips as he nervously hugged back. It was his first time hugging a girl in…ever. And with Bel doing it, he felt like he could do anything.

Especially when, with a rosy tint to her cheeks, she kissed him on the cheek for his troubles.

Now he really felt like he could do anything, cheering with excitement after finally getting a 'kiss' that he had long thought of. Bel's embarrassed face and the way she tried to hide it with her hair indicated she didn't expect him to react like that.

A firm cough let the two currently-friend birds know that the leader of the group was still there, and he still had his mission; Bel. He was to bring her back to the Ku Tribe immediately by orders of his Chieftain. Pogo protectively placed himself in front of Bel, growling at the intruder. He came in here, attacking his tribe, his friends, and his Elder! And he expected him to give up his new friend.

The leader rolled his eyes, nodding as if Pogo was being the moronic one at the moment. Pogo was getting sick of this guy's attitude, taking out his bone to knock some sense into his system. One-on-One, man vs man. Bel should stay back in case…Bel?

Pogo glanced around for Bel and found her crouched by the prone form of the clan Artisan, rummaging around in his mammal prints to pull out a decently sized stone club. Pogo began to speak up that such weapons weren't for ladies before she shot the leader a murderous look that could scare a mammoth.

Pogo decided that women could wield weapons.

With a furious cry just like Pogo's own(but cuter, at least to Pogo) she struck the leader across the face, absolutely wrecking his perfect cheekbones and sending him reeling to the floor.

Pogo was shocked. He had never expected adorable, tall, amazing in every way, kisses like a-oh, he was going off track. He had never expected Bel to do something like that. And it seemed that she hadn't either, standing with the club shocked before cheering, looking to Pogo to make sure he saw.

Oh, he saw alright.

The leader growled, leaping up and furrowing his brow. He dramatically flipped his hair away He, the great and amazing Zaki, would not stand for being hit by a woman of all things.

Pogo wanted to speak up that women were not 'things' but Bel seemed to beat him to the punch, literally as she clocked Zaki again with her clenched fist. It was by now that Gori had awoke, and after making sure he was okay, he and Pogo simply watched in awe as Bel layed the smackdown on Zaki. Pulling his flowing hair, dragging his face to the floor, making him cry uncle by pulling on his leg. She even yanked the lizard off his junk before slapping it across his face, all while shouting he had picked the wrong girl to kidnap.

He certainly did.

After Bel was done with him, flipping her hair dismissively and strutting over to Pogo, Zaki was near a shell of a caveman and was thankful his cronies weren't conscious to see this. Grabbing his troops and slinging them in their carts, he turned to scowl at the three. He yelled that this wasn't the last they had seen of him, and he would be back to take the girl to his tribe. She couldn't run away. It needed to be appeased. It would be appeased. It-

Bel raised her club and gnashed her teeth at Zaki, making him shriek in fear as he furiously pushed the stone cart out of the tribe's cave, biting his lips so water wouldn't pour from his eyes. He'd have to go back to the Chieftain empty-handed. His pride had been trounced, had honor vanquished. Bel, Pogo, and the weird little monkey would get their just desserts.

Once Zaki had left with his lizard's tail between his legs, Bel groaned and sat down next to Pogo, folding her arms over her mouth. Pogo awkwardly looked to Gori, who shrugged. Pogo had the brain cell for the next hour, Gori couldn't help him. Looking back to Bel, he stammered a bit, before managing to croak out if she was okay.

She looked to Pogo. His short demeanor, squeezable face, heart too big for his own body…huh. She was going off on a tangent. Bel had never done that before.

She shook her head no, she wasn't okay. Pogo meekly asked if she wanted to talk about it. She shook her head no again, before bringing him into another hug, thanking him for rescuing her. Pogo blushed again, about to say it was no big deal until the furious shouts of the Elder made them jump.

The other tribesmen were waking up, delirious for some moments as the Elder shouted and ranted at Pogo. it was pretty easy to see what was going on here. Pogo had kept a woman from the tribe, which caused the Ku tribe to attack! Why was he keeping her from them.

Bel cast her eyes away, finding it difficult to speak, which meant Pogo had to do the talking. He tried to let it out the Bel was quite scared and hungry, and giving her to the Ku tribe didn't sit right with him, but the Elder shouted over him. Shouted at him that this was stupid, shouted that he could have gotten them killed, and shouted that he thought Pogo of all people would tell somebody about this.

Pogo took all of the verbal abuse, finding it hard to speak up. He took it full force, his lip quivering. This was pretty stupid of him, huh? Pogo had bungled it again and made a mess for the tribe. He was such a failure. Such a loser. He didn't even know why he was here. It should have been him. It ALWAYS should have been him…

Bel cast a wary glance at Pogo, wanting to know how he was taking this, and felt her heart sink. He looked so small and scared, not like the boy that had saved her, not like the compassionate soul that took her in. This wasn't the Pogo she knew. And she wasn't going to stand there and let him take the blame.

Rising to her full height, towering over every male around her, she declared that it was her fault they were attacked. SHE snuck in, SHE told Pogo to hide her, SHE was the one that caused all this. Pogo was just helping, and the Elder had no right to lay the blame on him when it should be on her. Glaring sharp rocks at the Elder, she could see in her peripheral Pogo was looking at her. Not in shock, in awe. It made her blush so much she had to look away lest they stared more into each other's eyes.

The Elder sighed, closing his eyes and stroking his beard. It had been so long since the tribe finally had peace. The Elder swore to always keep this peace. After what had happened winters ago, he vowed to keep the peace. Their short scuffles with the Ku tribe were nothing like this. It could turn into a war if not settled.

And little Pogo…the youngest in the tribe. Always shy unless Gori was with him, and tried his best to help…even though sometimes it didn't. The Elder should have known he would somehow do this.

But to keep peace…he had to do something drastic. Just like they had done those many winters ago. It was the only way.

Whispering to the other tribesmen, the Elder turned to the three, Gori having been busy scratching his behind and not listening, to let them know their fate; banishment.

Immediately, Pogo, Bel, and Gori were grabbed by the other tribesmen, thrown over the shoulder, and marched off. Pog struggled in the firm grasp, shouting out to the Elder he didn't have to do this. They could talk it out, do something, anything.

The Elder suddenly, shouted for them to stop, the tribesmen carrying the three turning around. The Elder, walked over, looking up at Pogo.

He sighed, and let Pogo know…he and Gori could stay…but Bel would have to go. She was too dangerous. The Ku tribe would come back for her, and when they did, they would lay waste to the tribe to get her. Pogo's eyes widened, about to shout that what he was saying was, quite frankly, absurd until Bel called for him. Turning to see her, she shook her head, calling to him to let her go. Pogo had a life here, after all, and she had ruined it after only one night here. She was happy Pogo had allowed her to stay, but if it meant endangering the tribe, she would have to go.

Gori looked to Pogo, cocking his head as the cave kid gulped. He was torn between two decisions, and he didn't know which one hurt more. Leave Bel to the dangers of the wild, having her fend for herself alone and living comfortably in his old life? Or go with her, banished and spending who knows how long with her and Gori in the lands not for hunting?

Pogo looked down at the Elder, a defiant look in his eyes he had never used. If Pogo couldn't help his friend in her time of need, then maybe he wasn't fit to be in the tribe.

The intense non-verbal faceoff between the Elder and Pogo made many feel like they should leave the room until the elder let out another sigh. If that's how Pogo wanted it…so be it.

With a stomp of his foot, Pogo, Gori, and Bel were carried through the caves, past where they would hunt, and into where Pogo was told never to go.

With the darkness creeping from the night, it made it look scarier. Dead trees separated them from the Wild Lands, an untamed valley of creatures that were too tough for the tribe. Sending them out there would be the same as simply killing them.

The first one over was Pogo. With a whispering apology from his tribesmen, Pogo was held over their head, spun around, and tossed over the trees, landing on his back on the hard rock. He groaned in pain, finding it difficult to stand up until Bel's shrill scream forced him to stand. She was the second thrown over the trees, and Pogo held out his arms to catch her. His position was great, his form was that of an expert, He was ready.

Too bad his stature worked against him. Bel's weight and height sent him back onto the ground. But at least Bel wasn't hurt. Before she could thank him, Gori was thrown as well, and Bel didn't catch him. The primate landed right on her and Pogo, and the pile of fugitives groaned from the pain of the gorilla pile.

The tribesmen, done with their duty, turned to go, but not with one last look back. Sending a kid, his pet, and a girl out into the Wild Lands? They wouldn't last a week.

And when the trio stood up, they could understand why. What lay before them was a gloomy valley filled with creatures that could eat them in two bites and have more for leftovers.

Pogo was absolutely terrified. Being here was the worst possible thing in his life. He wouldn't last a week. That's what he thought until he felt Bel grip his hand in hers. Looking up, he could tell too she was frightened beyond belief. And looking at Gori, his normally stupid and wistful expression was replaced by mere confusion. Pogo wasn't alone.

With a sharp breath, and a slow exhale, Pogo nodded forward, walking off to find shelter, Gori and Bel following close behind. They would survive, and they would try to figure out a way to live. Together. After all, that's all they had going for them at the moment.