Outlawed In-laws (A TNC Novel)

Chapter 3

Kiburi couldn't believe what he was seeing. He refused to. Yet, he couldn't bear to look away, for his fear-filled gaze was solely focused on Kellan.

"Ah, Kiburi, what a pleasant surprise!" Kellan greeted. Kiburi, however, was far from feeling the same way. "Come, Kiburi, it's been years. Surely you have something to say to me?"

Oh, I have plenty to say alright, but I am a bit busy coming to terms with the fact that you are actually here!

Even though he didn't want to, Kiburi tried speaking anyway. However, he struggled to form even a single word, courtesy of the shock he still faced. And as he struggled to talk, Kiburi felt himself slowly backing away from the water.

"Hm? What's that, dear boy?" Kellan asked. "Speak up! I can't understand you."

I...I have to get out of here!

Moving the fastest he's ever moved in a long time, Kiburi swerved around and ran away from Big Springs. He gave no one any time to react, let alone a chance to try and stop him. Kiburi was not going to stick around, not while Kellan was there.

No no no no no no..., was all Kiburi could think of as he raced across the Pridelands.

Then, he heard a familiar voice calling his name, and while Kiburi didn't want to stop, he skidded to a halt anyway. Fear flowed through his scales as he turned around to see who was following him. It was Makuu, and much to Kiburi's relief, he was alone. Kellan was nowhere in sight. Still, Kiburi held his breath until Makuu reached him.

"Kiburi, I..." Makuu began.

"Kellan's back?!" Kiburi immediately interrupted. "Seriously, Makuu, what the hell is your father doing here?"

"Listen, Kiburi, I had no idea that my father was back until literally just before you showed up."

"You better not be lying."

"I'm not! Trust me, Kiburi, if I knew about my father earlier, you would have been the first animal I told. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have found out the news today if it weren't for Basi having his kid send me his message. When I got there, Kellan was just there. Well, not exactly, but he was there the entire time before I even realized he was there. I'm telling the truth, Kiburi. You have to believe me!"

"I know! I know, Makuu. I believe you. But by the stars, what is he doing here?"

"Well, I kind of sort of doubt it was for you. How would he have known that you were here?"

"He knows now."

"Yeah, I'd much rather not think about that."

"Well, did he say anything about why he's here or what he's here for or whatever?"

"Oh, trust me, I was going to ask him. That is, until you showed up all of a sudden."

"That's not my fault! I didn't know your father was going to be there!"

"None of us did!"

The crocodiles took a moment to calm down.

"As much as I hate admitting this, I'm going to have to inform Simba and the Guard about my father," Makuu spoke. "I mean, none of them know anything about Kellan. I have to warn them."

"Do whatever you have to do, but if you need me for anything, count me out," Kiburi said. "Unlike you, I have a family that I need to protect. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to get back to them."

Without waiting for a response from Makuu, Kiburi turned around and left. This time, he wasn't followed.

***

The moment Kiburi reached Lake Matope, he snatched Mosi and left with no warning, and no explanation, but no one was going to stop him. Kiburi refused to stop until his family was safe.

By ignoring any and all distractions, Kiburi was able to get home quicker than expected. His float was exactly where he left them, everyone still calm and relaxed.

They're not going to stay that way for long, Kiburi thought as he approached the others, who all looked at him as he opened his jaws to let Mosi out. While the youngsters did not sense anything wrong, the adults were well aware of quite the opposite.

"Kiburi, is something the matter?" Zula asked, standing eye-to-eye with her mate. "You don't seem like yourself."

Kiburi, however, wasn't too keen on telling Zula anything. Not right at that moment, anyway, and especially not when their young were present. If they heard about Kellan, they would be asking all sorts of questions, ones that Kiburi didn't want to answer just yet.

I can't keep the past hidden from them forever. Unfortunately, with Kellan around, I have the feeling that they'll be hearing about it sooner rather than later. At least I can hold out on them for a little while longer. Right now, though, my boys need to know.

"Kiburi?" Zula said, worried.

"Zula, I promise, I will tell you later, but right now, I want to have a private word with the boys," Kiburi whispered just loud enough for his mate to hear.

"But..."

"Please, Zula?"

At that, Zula understood that she shouldn't ask anymore questions.

"Come, you three, let's leave your father alone for a bit," Zula said as she coerced the young away from the adults. Only when the males were sure that they were gone did they decide to speak.

"Kiburi, what's..." Tamka tried to ask.

"Kellan is in the Pridelands," Kiburi stated, cutting Tamka off.

"WHAT?!"

Kiburi had a feeling that his boys would react that way, but he wished they weren't so loud about it.

"Shut up, before somebody else hears!" Kiburi hissed.

"Sorry," Nduli apologized. "It's just..."

"Kellan's back?! What is he doing in the Pridelands? I thought we saw the last of him when we left years ago!" Tamka exclaimed.

"Apparently it's just our luck that this kind of stuff happens to us, or rather, me," Kiburi snarled.

"Or our luck with bad luck."

"I think you mean our lack of good luck," Nduli corrected.

"Same difference!" Tamka argued.

"Shut it, fish brains!" Kiburi snapped. "Nothing matters other than protecting our home and this float from Kellan, no matter what."

The others nodded in agreement.

"And under no circumstances should the young be left alone. If Kellan gets a hold of any of them, he won't be the only one regretting their decisions. Have I made myself clear?"

Once again, the others nodded their agreement, but this time, they did it mostly out of fear. They knew better than to get on Kiburi's bad side, which meant no screw-ups.