Let's see, what excuses do I have for being so incredibly late with this update? None, well, no real ones except for having gotten bored writing. Anyways here's the update you've been waiting for and something is about to happen in this chapter... no spoilers. And another thing, this chapter is highly experimental and not my usual writing style, I hope I have kept the two cats well enough in character.

The Pond. Two felines - to be exact Shira and Diego - arrived on the clearing. Literally at that moment Diego's jaw dropped to the floor. They had found one of the most beautiful places on Hyrax Island.

In front of them there was a Waterfall dropping from a cliff on the back of the clearing and into the pond itself. Also a rock had crashed down from the cliff and has come to a stop on the edge between water and grass so you could use it to jump down.

"Did you know this place before?" Diego asked

"Yes, actually I do remember this place from our last landing on this island. I actually know a little secret of this place."

"What is it?" Diego asked curious to what Shira had found.

"Well, let's say you teach me to swim and I'll show you afterwards."

"Sounds fair."

"So, how does one swim then?"

"Let's get into the water first, I'll show you there."

With that Diego took a step back and leaped into the water splashing Shira in the process.

"Hey! Why did you do that?"

Diego just chuckled at that. "Come on in now, I can't teach you to swim outside of the water."

Shira took some very careful steps to the water and then stopped dead in her tracks.

"Come in Shira, the water won't hurt you."

Shira still didn't move.

Diego suddenly had a good Idea and gave Shira a playful smirk.

"Awww, is our Kitty here scared of water?"

Shira couldn't help but return the smirk as she pounced on Diego.

"Don't call me Kitty. Never."

"Almost thought you were serious there."

"Dead serious." Shira said, but Diego could tell she wasn't.

"Well, now that you're in the water we've got something to work from."

"So, how does one swim now?"

"It's a bit like stalking your prey, actually quite simple. You just kick and claw and kick and claw..."

Diego was swimming circles around Shira.

"Come on, try it. It's really not that hard. Come here, I'll hold your paw so you don't sink and you try it with your free legs."

"Sure this will work?" Shira asked visibly concerned.

"Yes, sure."

After a few moments of struggling Shira got the hang of it and was now nearly swimming on her own.

"I'm doing it Diego!" Shira cheered

"Ok, I'll slowly let go of you paw now but I'm right here if you need help."

Diego let go of her paw and amazingly Shira stayed above water. Soon she was swimming circles around Diego.

"Yes! I'm doing it! No water will scare me anymore!"

"Well done Shira. Just don't get distracted now or you'll..."

"Aaaaah! Diego! Help!" Shira had lost her rhythm and was sinking down helplessly slapping het paws at the water.

"I'm coming Shira!" Diego immediately swam to Shira and dove under her lifting her up to the surface on his back. As soon as Shira had recovered from the shock she got off Diego's back and was now swimming on her own again.

"Phew, thanks Diego. I'd be dead without you."

"Anytime Kitty"

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

"Must have slipped my mind..." Diego smirked "...Kitty"

Shira chuckled "You really wanted it like this didn't you?" With that Shira shoved Diego under water.

When Diego got back to the surface he laughed "Oh, you're gonna regret that"

"Gotta catch me first"

"You're on Kitty"

Shira was already on dry land and waiting for Diego while he was still swimming to land. When Diego got out of the water Shira gave him that playful smirk he knew so well. Then she shoved him into the water again.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Payback because you tricked me into the water"

"Don't say you aren't happy you know how to swim now."

"Still I had to give that back to you" She chuckled. "Also ..."

Shira couldn't finish her sentence because while she was speaking Diego hat found a steady stand under water and tackled her trying to pin her down. Shira however took advantage of their momentum and flipped the pin around, pinning him instead.

"How do you always do that?" Diego asked a bit puzzled.

"A lady never tells her secrets..." Shira chuckled. "If I remember correctly you wanted to know the little secret of this place"

"Yes, I'd like to know that"

"Well who said I'd tell you?"

"Hey, we had a deal, I teach you how to swim and you show me the secret of this place"

Shira decided to do something daring. "And why do you think I should tell you, Tiger?" She asked seductively and got off Diego releasing her pin. "You know, recently you seem to be a bit jumpy around me" She purred circling him.

"I want to know that and we had a deal and I Don't Get Jumpy" he said proudly.

Shira took one of her claws and lightly moved it up his hind leg. Diego let out a small yelp.

"So, what do you call that then, Softie? Just follow me for a moment" Shira said seductively.

Shira went around the lake and up to the waterfall, Diego following closely behind her. Then she made a step forward and went through the waterfall. Diego just stood outside the waterfall wondering what just happened. Then he heard Shira's voice from inside.

"Don't just stand out there, come in"

Diego also took a step forward and had a look into what was behind the waterfall. There was a spacious cave behind it, soft patches of moss on the ground and roots hanging from the ceiling, though not so low that one would hit his head on them. Another aspect that was adding to the beauty of the cave was the sunlight being scattered and reflected through the waterfall leading to dancing dots of light in all colors of the rainbow inside the cave.

"Wow, this is beautiful!" Diego said in awe and took a few more steps so he was completely in the cave.

"Yes, it truly is" Shira said. Then she remembered her idea from before. She took a step forward so she was face to face with Diego. She put a paw on his shoulder and just pushed him on his back, him showing not the slightest signs of resistance. Shira proceeded forward and pinned him down before he could do any moves to get back up.

"What are you doing?" Diego asked, obviously a bit confused.

"You'll see..." Shira softly said. She licked the male sabres stomach making him purr uncontrollably. She herself had a hard time holding back her own purrs as well "Heh, told ya you are a Softy"

"Hey, you would do the same if you'd receive the same treatment."

"Yeah, sure" Shira said a bit sarcastic

"Oh yes you will..." Diego grinned and flipped the pin around. Now it was Shiras turn to just lay there and enjoy the treatment. Diego decided it was time to tell her what he felt for her. After all she had done just before and how well they've been around each other she just had to return his feelings. But what if she didn't? Would she dare leaving the herd? Would it destroy their friendship forever? Maybe she was just being nice. But then she wouldn't...

"Diego?"

"Uhhh, yes?"

"What's going on? One moment ago you were forcing me to purr (chuckles) and then you just freeze up staring right through me. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that... Well... How do I say this... Ummm... . Alright, Shira, promise me whatever I'm about to say will not ruin our friendship."

"Nothing can hurt our friendship, Diego" Shira said almost a bit too happy, then she noticed the seriousness in his voice and went silent for a moment. "So what is it you're so concerned about?"

"Alright... You see Shira, ever since I first saw you on the Deck of the pirate ship, the night I brought you water when you were our prisoner, the moment on the cliff when you made the decision to switch sides I came to realize that I really cared for you, that you didn't deserve having to live with pirates. You deserved something better. When we got separated and you stayed back to save us which was incredibly brave of you, I was afraid Gutt would kill you for doing that. On our entire journey back to the landbridge I felt sick, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Our journey went by sirens and Icebergs, Granny making you go crazy with her constant calls for her dead - or so we believed - pet. Yet all I could think of the entire way was you. On our second fight with Gutt you saved our lives once again, fighting your own crew and captain. Now you're a full member of the herd and I couldn't be more happy about that. All the good times we've had together here on the island... Your personality is wonderful and your beauty puts everything around you to shame. What I'm trying to say is yes Shira, I do think you are something special. I love you."

Shiras maw was left standing open at this confession, she had suspected something like this but still this overwhelmed her.

Getting no immediate response Diego closed his eyes. Oh no, I've ruined it all, how could she love me back, how could someone as pretty as her like me back. What was I thinking? I should have never...

Diego's thoughts were cut short when his lips met hers. She was kissing him. She Was Kissing Him. Diego's mind was blown completely empty, he collapsed onto her as he was still pinning her down and didn't even get the chance to kiss back before Shira broke the kiss.

"Does that answer your question, Softie?"

Diego pulled her back into the kiss, now finally being able to kiss her back. After a few minutes they broke the kiss both gasping for air.

Shira giggled "And there's your proof, you really are a softie... It's ok though, you are my softie."

"Same could be said for you, Kitty"

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Shira said and licked Diego's throat making him purr. This time though she didn't hold back her own.

"If you're gonna call me a Softie I might as well call you Kitty."

"You mean like pet names?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"That's so cheesy, I like it."

"You know, it's quite comfortable lying on you" Diego said and snuggled a bit deeper into her.

"Same could be said for me, Softie." Shira wrapped her paws around Diego and pulled him even closer

"You think the others would worry about us if we stayed out just a little bit longer?"

"Don't think so, they'll assume we're still hunting"

"Well, I have found my prey and I'm right on top of it" Diego smiled

"It has only been like 10 minutes but honestly I could stay here all day."

"Couldn't agree more, Kitty. You don't really hate your pet name, do you?"

"Not since you came along."

"It's just that... well... We've had so much fun playing around and teasing each other with these nicknames... I honestly don't want to lose that, Kitty"

Shira let out a playful growl hearing her petname and then licked Diego again. "No one said we can't have fun with that anymore." She whispered with a slight teasing undertone.

And there you have it, the third chapter of Sometimes, life is just perfect. Im happy to hear your thoughts in the reviews and sorry again for updating so infrequently.ACertainSabre over and out.