It's morning at Brons cave, Bron was standing near the cave when he saw Leon about to leave. Bron stopped him, "Leon, can I talk to you?"

Leon looked at him and said, "Sure, what's up?"

Bron gave him a serious look and said, "Leon, where have you been two nights ago? I never even got the chance to talk to you last night."

Leon shook his head, "Nothing really, I was looking for your daughter."

Bron looked into his eyes, "You've been gone for a long time two nights ago. Are you hiding something from me?"

Leon shook his head again, "No."

Bron sighed, "Look Leon, I miss my daughter, and I have a feeling you're talking to her without me knowing. If you really care about what I want, then you would tell her to come home."

Leon just sighed, "Yes...Yes I have. I've found her a few nights ago."

Bron growled at him, "You've found her!? And you never told me!?"

Leon looked scared, "Your majesty listen. Jade's really happy right now, and she feels you've been smothering her. She wants to be with Casper right now. I'm sure she won't be gone forever. You just need to give her some time alone."

Bron glared at him, "Do you know where she is right now?"

Leon shook his head, "No, she never took me to where she was staying."

Bron said, "Oh."

Leon then said, "You know what Bron? I know you're very protective of her, but she's not a cub anymore. She needs some time to herself. In fact the only reason why she left here, is because she cares about Casper and what he wants. In fact Casper's not so bad, he's different than the other humans here. Honestly I wish you didn't banish him from your kingdom because he's a good kid. I could tell when I first met him."

Leon was about to walk away when Bron said, "Leon...Do you think I should let go of my past? Because the only reason why I'm very protective of her is, she reminds me of her mother Amara. I've lost my other daughter and I've lost my love. I can't lose my only other daughter too."

Leon looked back over his shoulder and said, "Your majesty, I could understand your pain. I can even understand your losses. But to answer your question, only you can let go of the past. And look forward and accept that your daughter's grown up. I know I would, I would let it go. When will you?" Then Leon took off.

Bron was standing alone now, he then looked up in the sky and said, "My ancestors, please watch over my only daughter that I have left."

*****

Me and Jade went to the savannah to find Leon, sitting a on rock waiting for Jade to meet him. You see I didn't mind that Jade was seeing Leon, and I really didn't mind that they're together, it's just that I was kinda nervous seeing him, but Jade reassured me that I could trust him. So I agreed to go with her today and now here we are, visiting Leon since about an hour ago, and ever since then, things have been good so far.

Leon had his curiosity bothering him, and ever since I started talking to him, he has been asking me a lot of questions. Like where am I from? Or what is it you humans do for fun? That kind of thing, it was pretty funny hearing Leon asking me twenty questions. He's a lot better than I expected him to be.

I was in the middle of telling Leon about there are other places other than his home when he interrupted me, "Wait, how many places are there? Other than your home and my home?"

I shrugged, "Well there are a lot of places, like-"

Jade interrupted me, "Oh Casper can I tell him that?"

I laughed, and motioned her, "Sure go ahead."

Jade then giggled and said, "Well there's Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, and a place called Alaska."

Leon then cocked his head, "Wow, I've never even heard of those places, come to think of it, I've never even heard of them at all."

Me and Jade laughed, then she said, "Well Leon, you need to get out more often." Then she giggled.

Leon then gave her a mock stare, "Hey I do get out more often, trying to pretend find you."

Jade laughed some more, "Well guess what? You already found me." Then she nuzzled him.

Leon then giggled, "Yep, I did. And you're very lucky I've started to pretend look for you to begin with."

Jade then swiped at his shoulder, "Whatever you jerk. Anyways guys, I'm going to get a drink, Casper you give him company for me, I'll be right back." Then Jade ran off to get a drink. Leaving me alone with Leon.

Now it kinda felt awkward, "So Leon, nice weather we're having."

Leon laughed, "Relax kid, I won't bite. I'm not the mean old king you know."

I laughed at his statement, "Well I'll admit Jades father can be a real ass, but you, you're way different than him. I'm just glad you're not calling me a bad influence on her."

Leon shook his head, "No, you're not a bad influence. You're a good influence. You really make Jade so happy, I've never even seen her like that before. And you know something else? I'm just glad she'll have you as her friend forever until the day she dies."

I giggled, "Well I'll admit we are very close."

Leon nodded, "Exactly, you guys are close. A lion and a human were never that close before."

I nodded, "Yeah." Then a thought came to me, maybe I won't be with her forever until the day she dies. Because I'm only staying in Africa throughout the whole summer, then after that I'm going back to the states. What would Leon and Jade think? Maybe I should ask Leon first, see if I really should tell Jade this.

I looked at Leon, a guilty look on my face, "Hey Leon, there's something I have to tell you."

Leon stared at me, and then cocked his head, "Yes, pal?"

I then said, "I probably should have told Jade this a long time ago but...I can't stay here forever."

Leons eyes went wide, "What are you talking about?"

I let out a frustrated sigh, "Because Leon....I don't really belong here. I mean I only came here because my parents are working here. But I'm only here throughout the whole summer, then after that I'm going back home."

Leon then got the picture, "The whole summer? The whole season? Then you're going back to where you came from? I thought you were staying here forever."

I closed my eyes and shook my head, "No Leon I'm not staying here forever, this whole idea really makes me feel bad. I keep forgetting to tell Jade this, and every time I forget I feel more and more guilty." Then I opened my eyes and looked at him, "Now I'm wondering if I should tell her this, I don't want to hurt her, make her feel alone like she did before."

Leon then said, "Casper, I thought you were staying here. But now I realize you have a home as well. But to answer your question that you're probably going to ask me. Well you care about Jade, don't you?"

I nodded, "I would do anything for her, even if that means I would stay here. But the truth is I can't."

Leon then got up on all fours and took a step toward me until he was close to my face, "Listen, I understand how you feel. I get it. But if you really care about her feeling, come clean. Because if you keep this secret any longer, then you're only putting her through more pain. She'll feel abandoned if you leave without telling her why. You have to tell her Casper. She'll understand."

I smiled at him and said, "Alright I'll tell her tonight, I won't put her through anymore pain."

Then Leon put his paw on my shoulder, "Good, and speaking of Jade, here she comes." Jade came running back and sat down in front of us, "Hey sexy where have you been?"

Jade then said, "Sexy? Wow Leon you've never called me sexy before."

Leon then nuzzled her, "First time for everything."

Jade then said, "Well to answer your question about what took me so long, a herd of zebra kept getting in the way for me getting a drink. There were so many of them!"

We all laughed, and then my thoughts went to what Leon told me to do. I will tell her, I won't hurt her. I will tell her.

I will.

*****

Me and Jade were lying on the grass together, staring at the stars. Leon left hours ago to go back home. I still haven't told her yet, I'm just trying to find the right time to do it.

Jade then giggled and rolled over a bit to face me, "Hey Casper can I ask you something?"

I turned over to face her as well, "Yes?"

"About the stars, what do your kind think of them?"

I smiled at her and said, "Well stars to us are so beautiful even my kind would like to fly up there and touch them."

She giggled, "You have a good imagination."

I giggled with her, "Well what would you do?"

She put on a grin, "I would roar at them, that's what I would do." Then we both laughed.

I was thinking about what I should say to her, about me only staying here for the summer. This is going to be tough, but I can't lie to her anymore, I have to tell her now!

I changed my expression and said, "Jade?"

She saw my face change and then she had a concerned look, "Yeah? What's wrong?"

I sighed and decided to sit up and stare ahead. Jade sat up as well, and said, "Casper?"

"Jade...There's something I have to tell you."

She cocked her head, "What's the matter? You look so sad. Did I do something wrong?"

I shook my head and looked at her, "No Jade, it's not like that." I then looked at my feet, "This is different, it's about me."

She still cocked her head, "What about you?"

Before I could really tell her, I asked he a question, "Jade...If I left you without saying goodbye, without telling you why. Or if I did tell you why and then left you, would you feel abandoned?"

Jade reared her head back and said, "Uh, why?"

I sighed and said, "Jade...I can't stay here. I can't stay here forever."

She giggled, "What are you talking about? Of course you can stay here forever."

I shook my head, "No Jade I can't."

Then she had a confused and sad look at the same time, "Why?"

I looked at her with a sad look on my face, "Because I don't belong here."

Jade then gasped, "That's not true, you do belong here."

I let out a frustrated sigh, and got up on my feet, "No Jade I don't. I wish I did, but I don't. This isn't my home."

She got up on all fours and stood beside me, "I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?"

I looked down at her, "Because it's for your own good. I'm sorry, I should have told you all this a long time ago, but every time I forget, I feel like I'm hurting you." I then stared ahead away from her eyes, "Jade I can't hold it in anymore, I'm only staying here for the whole summer, then after summer ends I'm going back home, back to Miami."

Jade then had a sad look on her face, "You...You are?"

I nodded.

Jade then said, "How long do you have left? To stay here?"

I said, "Maybe a few months, then after that I'm leaving."

Jade then looked at her paws, "You know I had this gut feeling that something like this was happening. I figured you wouldn't stay here forever, but I kept hoping you would. I thought we would be friends forever."

I looked at her and got on my knees to face her, "Oh Jade, we will always be friends forever. No matter where I go, I would never forget you. And besides that there's still time for me left here. I would hang with you every day until I leave."

Jade then raised her head to look at mine, a couple of tears in her eyes, "But you won't be here forever Casper. That's the problem, you'll leave me no matte what."

I said, "You think I want to leave? I don't. Because I feel alive here in this country. I feel happy talking to lions. Even though I've been through a lot of trouble, but still I'm happy that I've met you." Then I put a smile on my face.

Then she said, "Casper, do you think I would ever see you again? After you leave?"

I shook my head, "I don't know really. I really don't know if I'll ever come back. And besides that you would still have a home and you would have Leon."

Jade then cocked her head and said, "Casper is that why you didn't want to be with me, as a lover? Because of this?"

I shook my head, "I didn't think about me leaving that night, but right now that's the only other reason I could think of."

Jade then closed her eyes, "I wish I went with you."

I shook my head, "No you don't. You belong here, wild and free. Like me."

She giggled, "Well that's an understatement."

I giggled with her.

Then she said, "Casper, it's a long shot. But I want you to promise something."

I nodded.

"Promise me, that when you get the chance, you come back here, and you find me."

I said, "I promise Jade. If there's a chance I will come back."

Jade then wrapped her paws around me, "Oh Casper. I would miss you!" Then she started crying.

I hugged her back, and started to cry as well, "I know girl. I would miss you too."

Jade pulled her head back, and then she puts her lips to mine, I grunted in surprise. She done it for a second, and then she pulled back, tears staining her face, "I'm sorry Casper, it was just a spur in the moment kind of thing. I love Leon trust me, its just it's because you feel like you were my first. I won't do that again, I promise."

I smiled at her and said, "It's okay, I'm not mad, we would always be friends. No matter what."

Jade then said, "I'll never forget your sister, your aunt, Walker, Shawna, your mom and dad, most of all YOU. I'll never forget you, Casper."

I said, "I'll never forget you too, Jade."

Then both of us hugged each other real tight crying in each other arms.

Jade said, "I love you."

Then I said, "I love you too, best friend."

*****

Karone was watching Casper and Jade from a distance, sneering at them.

Then she saw them hugging, and a big surprise to her came when she saw her niece kissing her human friend on the mouth.

She gasped, and then an idea came to her. She started to giggle evilly.

"Perfect....This is just perfect."