A very dry day

Keiva trotted to the watering hole. She had been here before, but not often. She remembered laying in the cooling water on hot days to cool herself off. When she caught sight of the water, she yelled over her shoulder, "I see it! I see it! Come on!" She ran a little unsteadily toward the dark water.

Dumari trodded past The Plains, in half search of the cub, she stopped at the water's edge near to where the cub stopped. Shs lapped up some water, this dry day was horrid. She panted loudly between drinks, catching the wildebeest was no easy task.

Keiva stopped. 'Thats the leopard from before...' she thought to herself. It stopped at the far side of the pond, so she walked slowly to the water's edge. She bent her head to lap up the cool water. She kept a wary eye on the leopard, wondering why it was following her.

Dumari flashed her eyes at the cub, why was it staring at her? She had nothing against it, and only something interested her about it. She doesn't know what intrests her about it, but she knows it must be important. The memory of leaving her only cub on it's own clouded her mind, she had no right to do so, but she couldn't keep up with herself and her cub. She only hoped that her cub would surrvive on it's own until they may meet again. She licked her lips as she finished her refreshing drink, stopping next to the cub. "By any chance is your name Keiva?" She asked softly, hoping it was her.

Keiva flinched at the leopards gaze and stopped drinking. She was only curious as to why it was following her. She watched as the leopard walked over and stopped next to her. "H-how do you know my name..?" she asked, surprized by the question.

Dumari gasped to her answer, "Keiva! I've finally found you!" She licked her fore head happily, smiling at her, so very happy to see her again. "It's me, your mother, Dumari."

Keiva took a step back, "M...mama?" Tears filled her eyes and she rushed up to nuzzle her. Thats when she remembered her mother walking off without her. She stopped and stepped back. "Why did you leave me?" she asked, tears still forming in her eyes. Her voice was mixed in with anger and sadness. "Why didn't you stop when I called to you? Didn't you hear me?!" Her voice rose on the last words to an angry/sad cry.

Tears coated Dumari's eyes, the memory had haunted her ever since she left Keiva that day. "I-I never wanted to leave you.. I just couldn't take care of you and me both, ao I had to leave you. I.. I'm sorry, Keiva, darling." She nuzzled her gently, licking her to comfort her.

"So I was a burden to you afterall..." The tears that had been waiting to break finally flowed over. She backed up more and turned to run. She ran with her head down, tears still falling to the earth. She ran to a lonely tree and lay down in the shade, her head down and ears flat to her neck.

Shiba strolled in, sat, and swished her tail contently. She chuckled, and watched the reunion.

"No.. That's not it at all.." Dumari said to her cub, her ears flat against her skull from her sorrow. She walked slowly to Keiva with her head lower than Keiva's, stopping to nuzzle her once more. "It's so much differn't than that!.. I only left you for your own good, if I stayed with you one of us would have died, and I couldn't bare even more to lose you through death. So I left you, hoping you would be okay on your own and that I would meet you again someday." More tears flowed down her face, dizzolving in the dry dirt. She was more upset than Keiva now. "I..I..I'm so sorry, Keiva!"

Shiba, sighing, stalked away. 'My work here is done,' she thought.

Keiva looked up. Her mother was crying also. She stood up and slowly walked over. She lay down beside her and rested her head on her mother's short muzzle. She looked over to Shiba, she was walking away. Keiva stood up and ran after her, "Don't go!" she pleaded.

Shiba turned around. "I've brought you to your mother. My job is done." She turned back, and continued to walk away.

Keiva stopped, "Please stay..." she whispered under her breath.

(Couldn't think of anything else :p)

Shiba turned back. "Why?" she asked.

Keiva looked up into the lioness's eyes. "Because... because... your my friend..." She looked hopefully to her and lowered her head. She turned her back to her, "Leave if you want then." She was surprised by the tone she had in her voice, but let it go and she walked slowly away.

Shiba felt touched. But what could she so for little Keiva now? She looked over at Dumari. "You have your mama," she said. "I cannot to anything for you. I am sorry." Her eyes were slightly glossy with tears as she stalked away.

Keiva looked over her shoulder. She ran to Shiba, nuzzled her leg one last time, and ran back to Dumari. "I'll miss you," she said before she ran away.

Celine had followed the two leopards to the watering hole.She walked next to the to leopards and looked at them.

Dumari felt somewhat upset to the fact the Shiba felt her job was done, she could use a hand still, although not as much as before. "You don't have to go. You know, I could use a bit of a hand. It's not easy raising a cub on your own." Dumari nodded sweetly, smiling at Shiba, hoping she would stay. She flicked her tail and looked at Keiva, nudging her forward towards Shiba. "Go on, your the only one who could get her to stay now. So go on, try your best to get her to stay. And heres a secret: I like her too." She whispered to her, pushing her forward a bit more.

Shiba turned back. She would love to help Dumari. "Alright, alright," she said. "I'll stay."

"Yay!" Keiva exclaimed. "I'm glad you stayed." She smiled to Shiba and ran once again to the watering hole. She waded into the shallow water and lay down in the cooling water.

Celine watched as the leopards talked and said"Um..."

Keiva turned to see the tiger cub from before standing before her. She bounded over to it, "Hi!" she said in a cheery voice.