Balto: Trust me; it took mea long time to get used to not worrying about her. Maybe you’ll be different.

 

            Balto finally started to walk away. Farris watched him as he left, then turned around again and continued to look at the sunset. He thought it was typical for a parent to worry about their daughter, but he thought it was pretty bad how much he did it.

            Boris came up to Balto as he watched Farris.

 

Boris: Is something the matter, Balto?

 

Balto: Nah. It’s just Farris.

 

Boris: What is wrong with him?

 

Balto: He’s just worried about Aleu, that’s all. 

 

            Balto started to walk past Boris, and Boris kept looking at Farris.

 

Boris: It sounds like you.

 

            Balto came back over to Boris’s side and sat down.

 

Balto: Yeah, I’ve noticed.

 

Boris: Do you think he’s in love with Aleu.

 

Balto: Nah, I wouldn’t say that. 

 

            Balto got up and started to walk away again, Boris followed him.

 

Boris: Why not?

 

Balto: Well, Aleu told me that they both agree that they’re just friends. 

 

Boris: Balto, look at him.

 

            Boris held the bottom of his jaw and pointed it to where he could see Farris.

 

Boris: The way I see it, he longs for her. 

 

            Boris let go of Balto’s jaw and looked at Boris. 

 

Boris: Think about it for a moment. Is there anyone in Aleu’s life that worries about her more than Farris that isn’t related to her?

 

Balto: Not that I know of.

 

            Boris crossed his arms and smiled.

 

Boris: Well, there you have it.

 

            Balto looked back over at Farris.

 

Balto: I don’t know, Boris.

 

Boris: Trust me on this one, Balto.

 

            They both started to walk away again.

 

Balto: Alright, if you say so.

 

Boris: I do say so.

 

 

 

Chapter 17

 

 

            It only took a few minutes for Niju and Aleu to get up to the waterfall near the edge of the forest. They didn’t talk much, just exchanged glances every few minutes. When they reached the water, the fish were jumping up the smaller waterfall up stream.

 

Aleu: Whoa, they’re all over the place.

 

Niju: Yeah. C’mon let’s catch some fish.

 

            Niju started to walk into the rushing current at his feet. But he then turned around when he noticed that Aleu wasn’t in the water.

 

Niju: Aren’t you coming.

 

Aleu: Uh, I wasn’t really the best at catching fish.

 

Niju: Are you serious? Well c’mon, I’ll show you.

 

Aleu: No, really, you go on ahead.

 

Niju: No, c’mon I’ll teach you. Come over here.

 

            Niju walked up to the edge of the waterfall. Aleu slowly walked into the water, then stood bedside him.

 

Niju: Look, there’s nothing to it.

 

            Niju brought his head closer to the water where the fish were jumping, but not too close. He waited a few seconds, concentrating, staring at the water. Then, when a fish jumped just high enough to his right, he snatched it! Aleu thought it was pretty impressive.

 

Aleu: Whoa, how did you do that?!

 

            Niju walked over to the shore and dropped off the fish, after killing it, and walked back over to Aleu.

 

Niju: Patience, a lot of patience, and concentration. Come over here and I’ll show you how to do it. Put your mouth close to the water. Not too close, but close enough so you can feel the cool rush of it.  

 

            Aleu put herself in the same position that Niju was in. Niju turned his head towards Aleu.

 

Niju: Now concentrate.

 

Aleu: On what?

 

Niju: Where the fish is coming from. There’s nothing on your mind right now but the fish. Pretend I don’t exist. It’s just you and the Fish.

 

            Aleu looked closely at the water. The fish were jumping here and there right under Alue’s head.

 

Niju: Now don’t try to catch every one that comes to you. And that’s just it, they’re coming to you. You have all the time in the world.

 

            Aleu concentrated hard on the fish. They were jumping far away from her sides. But when she saw one trying to swim closer to her side, it jumped and she grabbed it!

            Aleu put her head up with the fish in her mouth, feeling triumphant.

 

Niju: (Smiling) not bad. Actually that was pretty good.  

 

Aleu: (With the fish in her mouth) Thanks.

 

            Niju laughed a bit.

 

Niju: Come on; let’s put that one to the side.

 

            Aleu and Niju fished until all the stars were in sight. When they were finished they lied down next to each other beside the bank. They were silent when they ate. Aleu didn’t catch as many as Niju. When he noticed that she was finished. He walked over and put some down in front of her.  

 

Niju: Still hungry?

 

            Niju set them gently down in front of Aleu.

 

Niju: Here, take some of mine. 

 

            Aleu was surprised. She was still a little hungry but she didn’t want to take Niju’s food. 

 

Aleu: Oh, Niju that’s very nice of you. But I couldn’t. You caught them.

 

Niju: Yeah, but I want you to have them. If you’re still hungry, take them.

 

Aleu: Well, what about you.

 

Niju: Oh I’ll be fine. Go ahead.

 

Aleu: Oh…

 

            Aleu looked down at the fish and then up at Niju. She felt a little guilty, taking Niju’s fish, though it was extremely sweet of him to do such a thing.

 

Aleu: Are you sure?

 

Niju: Positive. Please, take them.

 

            Aleu looked down at the fish again, dragged one close to her, and looked back up at Niju smiling.

 

Aleu: Oh… thank you, Niju.

 

Niju: You’re welcome.

 

 

Chapter 18

 

 

 

            When Aleu and Niju were ready to go back, the moon was high above their heads. It was dark, but not too hard to see through the night. Niju and Aleu walked slowly and silently through the night. With Aleu close to Niju’s side, they listened quietly to the owls and the crickets as they walked along.

            They reached the cave after a while; they could see the lights of the town through the trees, switching off randomly, few by few. They both walked over to the cave and Niju stopped, standing, facing her side. He lifted up his paw towards the entrance.

 

Niju: Ladies first.

 

            Aleu walked forward and stopped next to him.

 

Aleu: Thank you.

 

Niju: My pleasure.

 

            Niju watched Aleu as she walked inside, then following her in when she was a few feet in front of him. Aleu looked all around the cave.

 

Aleu: Wow. It’s a little dark in here at night.

 

            Niju walked up beside her.

 

Niju: Who needs light when we have the moon and the stars? 

 

            Aleu took another look. It wasn’t too gloomy when she looked at it twice.

 

Aleu: Yeah. I guess you’re right.

 

            There was a little light coming in to the cave from the moon, and it was just enough.  

            Aleu started to look around the cave, and she saw something that she didn’t see the first time she looked. She saw a small opening. It looked like it leaded to another room in the cave. She turned back around, deciding she would come back to it later.

 

_

 

            Aleu and Niju weren’t really tired yet. A few minutes after they came inside, they sat next to each other in the entrance and looked at the

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