"Kunto, where are we going? You know mom said not to wander off again, right?"
"Technically, she told us not to go far. Besides, we're just going to Lake Matope. There are plenty of other animals there all the time, so if something was to happen, at least somebody would see something."
"Seriously? Have you not learned anything from the time you were gone?"
"I have, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop being me."
"I wish you would."
Once they reached the Lake, Kunto stopped beneath the shade of a patch of underbrush. She turned around to face Berko, who insisted on coming with her to make sure that she didn't get into any more trouble. At first, Kunto thought it was weird that Berko would choose to tag along with her on one of her little escapades instead of Mosi. However, she couldn't deny that Berko was just as adventurous and troublemaking as her, whereas Mosi prefers to stay out of harm's way as often as possible.
"You know, couldn't you at least try being a little nicer to me?" Kunto asked.
"Why should I? Dad's gone and mom's a mess because of you!" Berko pointed out, sounding more disappointed than angry.
"...I know. And, I'm sorry. I didn't realize my mistake until after everything happened. I just wanted dad to..."
"What?"
"D...dad?"
"Yeah, I got that part, sis. But what about dad? What did you want dad to do?"
"No, Berko! Look!"
Kunto grabbed Berko and forced him to face what she was looking at. Outside of a gap in the underbrush, the young crocodiles could most of Lake Matope. Straight ahead of them, on the other side of the Lake, were four crocodiles. However, only one of them was worth Kunto's attention.
"No way..." Berko trailed, his eyes and jaws widening.
"Dad. It's dad! He's alive!" Kunto chirped as quietly as possible, bouncing up and down on her claws. Her entire body heated-up, without assistance from the sun, and tears burned the corners of her eyes.
Thank you, spirits! Thank you thank you thank you!
"Who are those crocodiles with him?" Berko asked. Kunto stopped bouncing and immediately became serious.
Whatever's going on, we need to help dad, now. But how?
After a few minutes of brainstorming, Kunto formulated a plan. Well, the first step to one that will, hopefully, pay off in the end.
"Berko, I have an idea..." Kunto started.
"Oh no," Berko interrupted. "You're not asking me to trust you, are you?"
"Yes, I am, and before you turn this into one of our silly sibling arguments, just remember that dad's life is on the line, and I don't believe that either of us wants to botch that up. Got it?"
"...What's the plan?"
"I need you to go get mom and Uncle Makuu. Get the floats, tell them what's going on, and then get back down here as quickly as possible."
"Yeah . . . can I just ask, why me?"
"Because you're faster than I am! Besides, I can't trust . . . I mean, I don't think that you would be able to keep them here if they decide to leave. I can't risk that!"
"Oh, so now you admit that I'm faster than you?"
"Just shut up and get going!"
***
"Where is that damned bird?" The smallest of the older crocodiles hissed. "And where is that damned crocodile?"
That's Kellan. I recognize his voice. But who are the other two? Family? Friends? A pair of randos? Who knows, and who cares? I don't! It's not like I can do much of anything right now, anyway. Not until Berko gets back, which I'm hoping is very soon, since it looks like Kellan is running out of patience at the same rate as I am.
It hasn't been long since Berko took his leave, but to Kunto, – hiding in the underbrush, out of sight of her father and his captors – it felt like an eternity.
Come on, Berko. What's taking you so long? If he doesn't make it in time, I swear I'll...
"KELLAN!"
Wait, that's Uncle Makuu's voice! Berko did it!
For a second, Kunto felt like something was coming up. She forced herself to choke it back.
And I can't believe I just said that. Granted, in my head, but still.
Kunto shuddered to rid herself of the feeling of having complimented her brother, as well as the residual strands of anxiety that had wrapped themselves around her. Once composed enough, she left her hiding spot and made her way over to the others, swimming slowly and quietly through the shallows in order to avoid enemy detection.
". . . I'm getting my brother back, whether you like it or not!" Makuu threatened before charging into the Lake and straight for Kellan. Other crocodiles followed suit, going after the other two crocodiles instead of assisting their leader.
With Makuu and his float going head-to-head with Kellan and his associates, Kunto realized that staying in the water would not be the safest thing in the world. She made a beeline for the shore, waded out of the water, and ran for it.
Apparently, her father had the same idea; Kiburi reached Zula and the boys before Kunto did.
"Kiburi!" Zula cried, rushing forward to embrace her mate. "Oh, Kiburi. I was so worried! Thank the stars, you're all right!"
"I...I missed you, too, love," Kiburi whimpered. Even from her distance, Kunto could still see her father's tears melding with her mother's. Kiburi's boys were also crying as they surrounded their friend and leader. Big-hearted Mosi and even big-ego Berko were shedding tears as they reunited with their father.
"W...where . . . where's Kunto? Is she . . . is she alive?"
"She's..." Berko was about to say.
"Right behind you," Kunto interrupted, having finally made it over to her family.
Kiburi turned around and stared at Kunto. It's as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. His daughter, whom he thought he had lost, was standing right there, staring back at him.
"Hi, dad."
"Oh . . . oh, Kunto!" Kiburi broke down, laughing and crying, as he came forward and embraced Kunto. Once again, Kunto didn't try to push an affectionate parent away. She realized how much pain she caused them, and now, was making up for it.
"Dad, I'm so sorry for what happened," Kunto apologized, tears beginning to form in her eyes now. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just..."
"I know, I know," Kiburi repeated, gently stroking his daughter's head with his lower jaw. "You just wanted to know the truth, and because I was so afraid of how you and your brothers would take it..."
"Repeating what you said, dad, I know."
The loving embrace of a reunited father-daughter, however, could not last as long as they wanted it to. The crocodiles fighting have moved to the opposite side of the Lake and continued their violent scuffle. Well, sort of.
On the opposite shore, there were only four crocodiles: Kellan, his pair of cousins, and Makuu. The three older crocodiles surrounded Makuu, preventing him from escaping, and from others trying to get in.
"Why do you insist on getting in the way?" Kellan asked. "I thought you wanted Kiburi dead?"
"If you want Kiburi dead so badly, then why is he still alive?" Makuu countered.
"You know why."
"So what? Last time I saw you, I thought you were taking Kiburi away for good. I thought I was never going to see either of you ever again, yet here you both are. So, let me ask you, why are you here?"
"Because..."
Kellan didn't finish his answer. He appeared to be at a loss for words. Either he was thinking of a way to change the subject without answering, or he really didn't have an answer and was now thinking of something to say.
"What's the matter, Kellan? Run out of tricks?" Makuu taunted. Kellan still didn't answer.
During the silence, the other crocodiles gathered around the opposite shore, closer to Makuu and Kellan, so that they can really gauge what's happening, up close and personal. Kunto and her brothers were squished between Kiburi and Zula, but she wriggled forward just a tad in order to avoid total suffocation.
Out of the blue, seemingly for no reason at all, Makuu began laughing.
"What's so funny?" One of Kellan's accomplices asked.
"Oh, nothing," Makuu said, stifling his laughter. "I just remembered that, the last time I saw you and Kiburi, Talib was there, too. Apparently, you two were doing business together. Now, if there's anything that my past experiences with Talib can tell me, it's that he always has a trick at the ready. You can't trust that bird. I'm sure you knew that, and yet, you still believed him."
Throughout Makuu's speech, everybody could tell that Kellan was progressively becoming more and more angry. Even his cousins were slowly backing out of their circle formation, away from him and the other crocodiles.
"Played you for a fool, didn't he?"
With a roar of frustration, Kellan lunged forward with surprising speed and tackled Makuu to the ground. Some of the crocodiles in the water tried to intervene, but Kellan's crocodiles quickly got over their fear and intercepted them.
"I didn't trust him! Not one little bit!" Kellan yelled, his claws forced against Makuu's throat.
"And yet you let him drag you along on a wild goose chase," Makuu continued to taunt, despite his predicament. "All because you can't let go of your grudge against Kiburi."
"It's not about Kiburi! It's about his father! His damned rogue of a father! And if I just knew who he was..."
"His name was Ade."