“Why did you have to be so insensitive?” Sasha snapped at Kovu.  He tilted his head in confusion and asked what she meant.  “Couldn’t you see that pup was alone in this world?  He was all raggedy and dirty.”

   “He’s not alone!” Kovu protested.  “He has that ‘oh-so-great’ father of his!  The great father that owned the property.  The great father that owned the prey.  The great father that owns everything and can give his son whatever he wants!”

   “I don’t mean alone physically.  I mean alone mentally.” Sasha explained.  “Didn’t you notice that when he mentioned anything even partially he corrected himself saying that it was his father’s?  It looked to me as if he was taught that everything was his father’s.  I saw a gash on his shoulder, probably from his father clawing him.  When I say mentally alone, I mean he has no one to relate to.”

   “At least he has a father.  My father ran off when he heard my mother was carrying a puppy,” Kovu said half angry, half depressed.  “He was a coward who cared only about himself.  He ran away from his problems like a rabbit runs from a rustling bush!  But we don’t have time to argue, Sasha.  Let’s just keep moving.” 

   The sun had set and the moon was rising with a bright orange glow.  The two pups had continued in silence ever since the argument.  The silence was broken by Sasha’s gentle tone.

   “I think we should find a place to rest,” she said, trying not to set Kovu off again.  He answered her sternly but not as angrily as before.

   “We wasted enough time with that outsider.  We must keep moving.”  And they did so.  It wasn’t until the moon was high in the night sky and shining white that Sasha spoke up again. 

   “Kovu, my paws are killing me.  Please, can we stop for the night?”  Kovu agreed that the amount of ground covered was sufficient for the day. 

   Sasha had found a nice pile of leaves and pine needles for bedding and Kovu caught two rabbits for dinner.  They ate the rabbits bare and settled down for the night.

   “Sasha, I’m sorry about before,” Kovu suddenly said.

   Sasha simply said, “It’s okay.”

   “No, I mean it.  I know I was a jerk today, and I shouldn’t have attacked that loner.  It’s just I’ve been given a big responsibility, and it’s a burden on me.  If anything happens to you, Sasha, Katia will send me strait to Deathclaw!” 

   “Don’t worry; I’ll do my best not to get hurt in any way,” Sasha gave Kovu an affectionate lick.  “And who says you have to go back?” she added in.  But Kovu knew he had to go back to save all of those wolves.  But first he had to find the Monster Snake Trail and destroy the golden fang.

   Kovu awoke the next morning to an unfamiliar sound in the distance.  It was the sound of a low toned bird call.  He looked over to see that Sasha was sitting up strait with her ears pricked listening to the sound.  “That’s it.  That’s the Monster Snake!” Sasha exclaimed.  Kovu was astounded; had they already made it to the Snake Trail?  But as Kovu listened more the distance factor grew to be well known. 

   “At least we know we’re on the right track,” Kovu pointed out.  Then the sound of the Monster faded and they knew it had moved on.  “I sure hope that was not the only one,” Kovu said.  He sniffed out some mice for Sasha and himself and they headed on.  The mice were not much of a meal but it would keep them going for a while.

.    .    .    .    .    .    .

   The duo continued on through the woods hearing the snake every now and then giving them relief that it kept coming back.  Every time they heard it, it seemed closer to them.  As night approached Kovu and Sasha grew hungry.  They had fought their hunger until then, but they could no longer ignore it.  So they hunted until the sun was gone and the moon was appearing over the horizon.  Sasha and Kovu each caught a rabbit and stripped them bare. 

   The snake was close enough for Sasha and Kovu to hear another sound Patchfoot hadn’t mentioned.  When it moved it made a chucka-chucka chucka-chucka sound. 

   “It has a nice rhythm,” Sasha commented.  Kovu agreed as they let the snake’s catchy rhythm carry them to sleep.