Takara lay on his back, eyes closed, dead to the world by all appearances. But he was wide awake, listening as the soft noise of padded feet over grass reached his ears and moved closer...closer...almost on top of him. His body tensed, he coiled up the tension and sprang....

Katali dropped to the ground as a dark shape flew towards him. Takara landed with a 'thud' behind him. Katali whipped around to face the angry cub. "Whoa, whoa, Takara, calm down! I just want to talk with you!"

Takara stood up and looked him in the eye. "And why would I want to talk with you?" he said in a surly voice. "I suppose Jabari sent you?"

"No," Katari said with a slight smile. "No, he didn't even want me to come. But we need to talk?"

Takara lay down again, chin resting on both paws. "Fine. Talk away."

Katali remained standing, nervously trying to find the right words, tail flipping around in an agitated way that the other was certain to see. "Look, Takara, there's no reason for us to let what our parents did make us fight all the time. We should just get along, you know, and be friends."

"We should jest be fwends," Takara mimicked in a squeaky voice. "Get real, Katali -- we can't be 'friends'." He grinned, white teeth showing and eyes narrowed to be almost shut.

"No, not right now we can't -- you're way too stubborn and nasty."

"Wait a minute...." Takara stood up.

"I'm not finished: you're rude, and hateful, and selfish and arrogant, you never listen, you never let go of grudges -- you treat the others likw dirt!"

Takara's teeth showed again, this time as he snarled. He stepped right in front of Katali, almost touching him. "Yeah? Let me tell what you are: everything you said, plus you think you're so right, you never listen to anyone but yourself. And--"

"Hold it." Katali took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 'No fighting,' he reminded himself. "I know I'm not perfect, but that's why we need to work together. Think about it -- if you can get that through your thick skull, things would be a lot better."

Takara had heard enough. He growled and crouched. "You think about this!" he shouted as he sprang at Katali.

(TBC....)