down.

            “Why are you slowing down?” Ketara asked.

            “Shh. Crouch down. Its so the lookout doesn’t see us.” His voice was hushed, and Ketara realized he had done this many times before. Slowly, they crept forward. After a couple minutes Kavik stopped and pointed with his paw.

            “Look!” He whispered. “The lookouts post is empty.”

            Ketara looked to where he was pointing and saw a rock jutting out just above the grass. It was empty. Kavik hurried forward and Ketara darted after him. She looked back over her shoulder. I wonder why it’s empty? She kept looking over her shoulder and ran into Kavik.

            “Why are you stopping?” She asked.

            He motioned at her to be quiet and then pointed. A large male lion was prowling around the dens. Instantly Ketara shrunk back, her fur bristled. She tried to hide behind Kavik, but their size was not that much of a difference. Kavik looked at her, hiding behind him and then back at the lion. He boldly stepped forward and waited for the lion to notice him.

            “What are you doing here?” he said.

            The lion growled. “It is none of your business what I am doing. What do you think your doing with a cheetah?”

            Ketara shrunk back. The male lion was standing right in front of them, his claws extended. She huddled down as close to the ground as possible, hiding behind Kavik.

            “Why should it matter if she’s with me or not?” Kavik replied.

            “Because.” The lion put his face right in front of Kavik’s. “You are my son, and my son does not make friends with cheetahs!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

 

My father was not at all happy about finding me with Ketara. He forbad me from seeing her again, but you know cubs. We like to disobey our parents. And as it grew closer for my time to leave, we had to be together…one last time.

 

 

            The deep black sky was speckled with stars. The moon was high, casting a pleasant light over the African savannah. Movement stirred the grasses. Two doves flew up suddenly, their white feathers standing out against the darkness.

            Ketara watched the two doves settle in a nearby tree before continuing on. Any movement that caught her eye made her freeze. She and Kavik were meeting by the watering hole. It had been his idea. For her the weeks didn’t seem to be long enough. Kavik was leaving a week from that night. She grew nervous as she ran over what she wanted to say to him.

            She smiled as she approached the watering hole. Kavik was sitting by the waters edge, his mane now hanging low over his forehead. Some even was creeping down his neck. Ketara walked over to him and sat down.

            “Hi.” She said

            “Hey…” Kavik did not look at her as he spoke. Ketara cocked her head, confused by his actions. She stood up and walked around to the other side of him. He turned his head the other way, looking at his reflection in the water.

            “Kavik…what is it?”

            Kavik finally looked up at Ketara. He looked into her eyes and saw the same sadness he felt inside. He sighed, and looked back down into the water. He squeezed his eyes shut. How am I supposed to tell her? He looked up and saw she was still staring at him.

            “Ketara…” he hesitated, “My dads coming to take me, tomorrow.”

            He looked at her for her reaction. Her eyes grew wide, and then an even greater sadness shone brightly. She looked at the ground and a single tear fell onto her paw.

            “But that doesn’t matter though…” He said quickly, “All that matter is that we are…”

            “Together for you last night on ‘The Cheetah side’?”

            “Yeah…”

            More tears fell down Ketara’s cheeks. Kavik sat there, unsure of what to do. She looked up at him, and he suddenly felt like he had a gapping hole in his heart. He was instantly beside her, nuzzling her cheek, and trying to comfort her. He heard her stifle a small sob. He rested his head on hers and sighed.

            “I can’t tell you it will be all right.”

   al">            “Hi.” She said

            “Hey…” Kavik did not look at her as he spoke. Ketara cocked her head, confused by his actions. She stood up and walked around to the other side of him. He turned his head the other way, looking at his reflection in the water.

;         “I know.”

            “And you know, the next time we might see each other…”

            Ketara shut her eyes, “I don’t want to think about it.”

            Kavik lifted his head towards the sky. It was growing close to midnight. They only had a few more hours until dawn. He stood up and looked out across the savannah. All the other creatures were sleeping, except for a small lizard, which skittered past them.

            “Come on.” He said. “Lets go for a walk.”

            Ketara nodded and stood up. The two cats walked away from the watering hole, side by side. Ketara saw her home in the distance, and just behind it was Kavik’s new home. Kavik followed her gaze.

            “What is your home like?” He asked.

            “Its basically a pile of dirt, with dens dug out around the bottom.”

            “Only the bottom?”

            “Yes, there aren’t any on the top, other wise it might collapse.”

            “Oh.”

            “What about yours? What’s Pride Rock like?”

            Kavik laughed, “Its just like it looks. A giant rock with a cave in it.”

            Ketara smiled, “it must be much more though. You know that.”

            “And you know, the next time we might see each other…”

            Ketara shut her eyes, “I don’t want to think about it.”

            Kavik lifted his head towards the sky. It was growing close to midnight. They only had a few more hours until dawn. He stood up and looked out across the savannah. All the other creatures were sleeping, except for a small lizard, which skittered past them.

            “Come on.” He said. “Lets go for a walk.”

            Ketara nodded and stood up. The two cats walked away from the watering hole, side by side. Ketara saw her home in the distance, and just behind it was Kavik’s new home. Kavik followed her gaze.

            “What is your home like?” He asked.

            “Its basically a pile of dirt, with dens dug out around the bottom.”

            “Only the bottom?”

            “Yes, there aren’t any on the top, other wise it might collapse.”

            “Oh.”

            “What about yours? What’s Pride Rock like?”

            Kavik laughed, “Its just like it looks. A giant rock with a cave in it.”

al">            “Maybe so, but I see nothing grand about Pride Rock.”

            “Well, of course you don’t. You’ll be living there your whole life, where as I’m stuck with a stupid pile of dirt. And don’t say I don’t know what I’m talking about when I say I was born in a

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