Guilt and Fear-The Untold story of Zira

Chapter nine: Zira's point of view

Zira woke the next morning to Mabaya shaking her. "Mabaya," she started. "What's going-"

"Shh." Her brother interrupted. "Father's not awake yet." He dragged her onto her feet. "Let's go play, down by the waterhole." He motioned to the cave entrance. "Before training."

Zira looked outside the cave. The sun wasn't even up yet. Surely they could have a bit of fun before it rose. "Okay." Zira agreed. "But we have to be back before father wakes up."

She followed Mabaya out of the cave, then they both took off, towards the water hole, laughing and playing and just having fun. When they got there, Zira waded in up a bit past her paws. Memories of swimming with Almasi and her mother hit her like a rock, but then she became light-hearted. I'll do this for them. She thought to herself. I'll do this for mother and Almasi. She started wading in a bit deeper, Mabaya following closely behind. They started playing and splashing in the water, wading deeper in and swimming further away from land.

Soon, the sun began to come up, but when she saw dawn cracking, Zira realised that she and her brother had swam so far out that they were almost to the great river!!! Everywhere she turned, Zira saw nothing but water. If they did get so far out that they made it to the great river, the waters would be so rough that there would be absolutely no chance at getting back to land!!!! Zira couldn't even remember the way from which they had come, and eventually, they would get tired, and be forced to stop paddling, and sink beneath the waves.

But Zira already knew that it was too late. The rushing water behind her told her that they had met the great river, no way to escape.

Thinking quickly, Mabaya jumped onto a nearby rock and reached out to Zira.

"Zira!!!" He yelled. "Give me your paw!!!" She hesitated, but she was getting dragged back farther. "Come on, Zira!!!" Her brother called as she started paddling against the current and towards him. "I'll help you." He said reassuringly. Zira was sure that when he pulled her out and onto the rock, that they could stay there until help came. She grabbed his paw, and paddled as Mabaya pulled her. It seemed as they were going to get out and be able to go home.

But with one of Mabaya's front paws helping Zira, he had no support to keep him on the rock other than his back paws. His other front paw slid off of the rock, his back paws shoving him off, and Zira felt her brother's paw slip away from hers as they both went under.