~𝒯𝒽ℯ ℒ𝒾ℴ𝓃 𝒦𝒾𝓃ℊ: ℳ𝓎 𝒮𝓉ℴ𝓇𝓎~

~Chapter 41~ Kesi, what have you done?

Season 3

~6 months later~

Bakari and I have gotten very close since Dad excepted him into the Southlands. The Lion Guard and the rest of the Southlanders have started to trust him and accept him more. Mom and Dad have started to like him and Kabira started to think of him as a brother. One day, Bakari and I were patrolling the Southlands together to give the others a break. I looked at him and smiled, "Hey. What's wrong? You've had that look on your face all day." Bakari looked up at me and said, "Oh. Uh, nothing. I've just been thinking..." Bakari told me, trying to shake it off. "Thinking about what?" I asked him with another smile.

Bakari's mind

This girl just keeps comin'.

"My pride. I haven't seen them looking over here at all. What if they don't even care that I'm gone?" Bakari said sadly. I smiled at him and bit and lifted up his chin. "Hey, I'm sure they miss you. But that sounded way different in my head." I said scratching my head nervously. "What I mean is, I think that you should go see them." I said. "Really?" Bakari asked. "Yes!" I exclaimed. "Really?!?" Bakari asked again excitedly. "Yes! You haven't even laid a thought on them for months and I think you guys need to reunite with them." I told him. "What about your dad?" He asked me. "He never said staying in the Southlands means you can't see your family." I said with a smirk. Bakari smiled big and said, "Thank you, Kia!" He smiled excitedly and before he left, he kissed my cheek. My ears perked up then I looked at him. He was silent for a minute then he chuckled nervously. "Uh, s-sorry, I, uh-" He stuttered then I stuttered too, "It-it's-it's fine. I-uh... g-go. See your... family, I mean, heh." He smiled nervously then ran off to the Northlands. I chuckled a little as he ran to the Northlands. Naju was watching and he walked over to me. I turned my head and bumped my nose onto his. He backed up and said, "So, uh... you and Bakari, huh?" He sounded kind of jealous. "Oh. No, we're not-he's not- uh... oh gosh." I stammered annoyed. Naju raised an eyebrow waiting for me to answer. "Why? You jealous?" I smirked with a raised eyebrow also. "Yeah, a little," Naju admitted. I stood there not sure what to say. "I was kidding..." I said. "Yeah, so was I," Naju smirked. I rolled my eyes and nuzzled under his neck that was covered by his mane. "What do you need?" I asked. "We were all wondering if you've seen Kesi. We haven't seen her all day." Naju told me. "No. But Bakari pretty much ditched me to patrol all by myself so I'll go find her." I said as I walked away, moving my tail around.

~A few hours later~

I was walking by the Northlands when I saw Kesi and some strange other lion. I gasped thinking she was getting threatened but a gut told me something else was going on so I hid behind a large spiky rock. The lion bowed down to Kesi and said, "Kesi. This relationship has never been easy. And we've had to be the only ones who know about it. We've had to hide it, hate it, and then love it again. But you're an amazing lioness with an amazing spirit. And I wanna learn more about you. I wanna live with you, I wanna have cubs with you and created a family. And the only way to ensure our love is real, strong, and true... is to ask... Kesi... will you marry me and be my mate?" Kesi teared up, pinned him down, laid on him and exclaimed loudly and excitedly during her "love attack", "YES!!!" The lion smiled and nuzzled her face because that was the only thing he could do since he was pinned down. But don't worry, it was all in love. Painful love, peeps! I gasped and said, "NO. WAY." As I said that, I heard somebody else say that, too. I gasped in shock as I looked to my right. I saw Luna staring at me in complete shock as well. I was about to say something quietly but Luna mouthed to me "Behind that rock". I didn't argue or give her a look and just nodded and walked behind and thin rock with Luna. "We still have to be quite. Who knows when those two lovebirds will stop making... that. I can't belive this! Right?!" Luna whispered but yelled quietly at the same time. "No! She never told me about this." I said quietly looking back at them real quick then looking at Luna. "Yeah, well sometimes people who are secretly dating don't SAY that they are dating." Luna said. I rolled my eyes and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this but... maybe we should team up and see what they're gonna do next." "What, like friends?" Luna scoffed. "Like partners," I glared. "Whatever," Luna said quickly. "Well until next time, fiancée," the lion said walking away. "OK, don't say ANYTHING to her, Kia! I mean it! I'll come over to the Southlands later today to figure something out with you." Luna demanded. "You'll come over to the Southlands?" I asked confused with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, you'll come over here. Or better yet, we'll just meet at the border and figure something out. And DO. NOT. SAY. Anything to her!" Luna said running off. I rolled my eyes and mocked her by saying in an annoying high pitched voice, "Do not say anything," I smirked and looked around then walked up to Kesi and said madly, "What is going on here?" Kesi gasped scared then looked at me. "K-Kia! Uh, how long have you been here?" She stuttered in fear. "Long enough to know you're engaged..." I said. "Kia, I-" Kesi started then I asked, "How long have you two been in a relationship?!" Kesi gulped, hesitated, sighed, then admitted, "1 year and six months..." "Kesi, why didn't you say something?!? To any of us?!? It didn't even have to be me!!" I yelled. "I know! Kia. But if I told someone I was dating a NORTHLANDER..! Imagine how that would play out..." Kesi yelled back. I groaned and said, "Just go back to South Rock and we'll talk more about it there." I demanded. "That's an order," I added firmly. Kesi put her tail between her legs and walked back to South Rock. I sighed and said to myself, "Kesi... what have you started?"

Thanks for reading! Love y'all! Sorry, guys, I would've published this chapter yesterday but my power went out all night.