Outlawed In-laws (A TNC Novel)

Chapter 20

The passage of the days went by quicker than Kiburi thought they would. Much quicker.

I wonder, is it because we are getting closer to home? Kiburi pondered as he limped beside Kellan. He peeked out of the corner of his eye to look at his companion. The older crocodile's face was blank as he stared at more of the jungle ahead of them. Or maybe it's because he hasn't threatened me in a while?

The thought made Kiburi laugh. He forced himself to be quiet, but it was too late.

"Find something humorous, do you?" Kellan asked, glancing over at Kiburi.

"Ah, no!" Kiburi quickly responded. "J...just, you know, a thought I had. Guess I couldn't help but laugh at myself."

Kellan turned away and snickered.

"Of course."

The crocodiles continued to trudge on through the jungle in silence. Or, what could constitute "silence" in the jungle. A wrong footstep here could land one in a ditch and produce cursing, and a wrong footstep there could make an unbelievably loud noise, thus attracting unwanted attention. Not that Kiburi and Kellan had to worry about the latter; as crocodiles, there was little that they feared.

Ironically, Kiburi happened to be travelling with one of his greatest fears, talking to him and actually enjoying his company. As if Kellan was any other crocodile, and not the monster that terrorized him from day one.

Wait, what if Kellan is just acting this way so I can let my guard down? This has got to be a trap! There's no way he would ever be this nice to me! Well, maybe "nice" isn't the right word, but the point still stands! He couldn't have changed. He hasn't changed! I know he hasn't! I saw it first-claw at the Springs, and then both times in the jungle!

When it came to Kellan, Kiburi only ever thought of one of them eventually killing the other. And when Kellan came back to the Pridelands, Kiburi thought that was going to happen. For a while, it played out almost exactly how Kiburi expected it to, but . . .

But then he turned it all around. Somehow. He surprised me. He probably surprised Makuu, too.

Kiburi stopped walking and let himself sink deeper into his thoughts, without realizing that he stopped doing anything else except thinking at all.

Now that Makuu comes to mind, it reminds me of what happened that day. When Makuu discovered me, Kellan changed. He was still commanding and ambitious, willing to go along with his plan, but he was no longer acting like himself. Everyone's used to his not-so-sane side, it was a shock when he suddenly became more in-control of himself. More focused. Of course, that's probably a bad thing. At least when Kellan acted irrationally, or how he used to, anyone could easily predict the outcome. But now? Is he really changing? Or is he playing mind games? And I'm being a complete fool for believing a single word or action of his? Or rather, lack of words and actions?

"Kunto, my dear! I'm so glad you're alive!"

"Kunto?!" Kiburi exclaimed, immediately snapped out of his trance when he heard his daughter's name. He did a rapid sweep of the area, but there was no sign of Kunto anywhere. The only other crocodile in the area was Kellan.

"I . . . Where is she, Kellan?" Kiburi demanded, sounding more pitiful than angry.

"That's not exactly my problem," Kellan said, shrugging his shoulders without a care in the world. "Besides, I only said that to get you back to reality. I'm not standing around all day waiting for you to come to terms with whatever is going on inside your head."

Kiburi just stared at Kellan, jaw partly open, incredulous by Kellan's response.

"...I hate you," Kiburi snarled.