Shawna was wondering where Casper was. He promised her that when he came back from walking he would go on a date with her to eat at the mess hall with her. He's been gone all afternoon.

Shawna decided to try to find him in the camp. She found Casper's parents heading to their jeep getting ready to leave. Shawna said, "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd."

Christopher Shepherd said, "Well hello Shawna, how's everything?"

She shrugged, "Hot as usual today."

Angie Shepherd said, "Well it'll always be hot here. Just have to get used to it."

Shawna said, "I guess, hey have you seen Casper anywhere?"

Angie had a concerned look on her face, "Why? You haven't seen him?"

Shawna shook her head, "No, and it's weird. Last time I saw him he was eating this morning. But now he's gone."

Christopher then said, "Well maybe he's with his friend Jade. He's probably in the savannah with her."

Shawna then glanced down, "I guess, maybe I should go to his tent I haven't been in there yet."

Angie said, "Well you might as well, because me and Chris here are heading off. You see me and Chris and several other campers here are heading off to help some elephants that were being held and abused in cages by poachers. So all of us are helping the Rangers out."

Christopher then asked, "Do you want to come with us? We could use all the help we could get."

Shawna shook her head, "No I think I'm staying here. Casper might be here."

Angie then giggled, "Well if you're staying here in the camp, you're not the only one. Eileen, Walker, and Tabitha are staying here as well. I think Charlie is as well."

Christopher then said, "So if you have any problems you go to Charlie understand? I don't know when we'll be back here. Tomorrow? Perhaps, it just depends on how we're helping the Rangers. Be careful, you hear?" Then he got into his and along with his wife.

Shawna waved her hand at them, she could see several campers leaving, driving away to help the elephants that were kidnapped and being abused.

Shawna went off in the direction to Casper's tent, she went inside and only saw Jade and Eileen alone together.

Eileen and Jade looked up and Eileen said, "Hey Shawna."

Shawna waved at her and said, "Hey best friend. Have you seen your brother? I'm trying to find him."

Eileen shook her head, "No, I went in his tent and I only found Jade all alone in here. I think Jade worried about him. I stayed in here for a long time waiting for him and trying to keep Jade company but he hasn't came back yet."

Shawna then had a curious look on his face, "That's weird. Why would he run off without Jade?"

Eileen then shrugged, "I don't know. I wish Jade could tell us. But we don't know what she'll say. Maybe he went for a walk."

Shawna then had a bad feeling and said, "Something's happened to Casper. I think we should go look for him."

Eileen then got up from her brother's bed and said, "Yeah I think you're right, we should go look for him. But what about Jade?"

Shawna said, "We take her with us. We may need her to protect us."

Eileen then shrugged, "Ok but I hope she comes with us. I hope she gets the fact that we need her to help us find Casper."

Shawna peeked out of the tent and then said, "Lets wait until everyone else is gone. Then we'll get Walker and Tabitha to come with us as well."

Eileen nodded, "Well me and Jade here will sneak out of the camp and meet you guys outside of it. If I can get her to come with us."

Shawna nodded and then left the tent.

*****

I was still in the mine tunnel, trying to find a way out. Well I escaped the cell, but now I need to get out of the mine somehow. I hope I don't get trapped in here.

I wondered in the tunnel for a while now, maybe thirty minutes by now. It was cold in here, no light was shining here at all. I can barely see anything. I could here voices echoing, probably Karone followers. I wish all of them understood that it's not worth the fight. All of them are the same to me. Them and Brons pride should live as one. Not as enemies. Because this is what Karone wants, not what they want.

Karone's face wondered in my thoughts. Karone...She was so cruel and cold. She didn't care about what anyone says to her. She has been through so much in her life and she's bitter about it.

Now that I think about it, who is her human friend? Was there really another human who can talk to lions other than me? Possibly because they seem to be talking to each other, but who is it? He lives in the camp, that's what Karone said. But I'm trying to remember about the faded photo of Karone and that young human. What did he look like?

Well he's probably not young anymore. According to Karone, he's old. But I'm wondering what he looks like right now. That faded photo is a little too faded, I couldn't recognize the person if I tried.

Wait? Now that I really think about it, did this human friend steal that photo without me knowing? While me and Jade were off to the savannah? Seems to make sense now, he knows about me and my ability, and now apparently he's in cahoots with Karone.

I've got to get back to the camp. I've got to warn Jade and the others. I've got to warn Bron as well.

I was about to take a break in the mine when I finally saw a wooden ladder. I sighed, it's about freakin time. I was getting cold in here!

I managed to climb on the first step, seems sturdy to me. I kept climbing slowly hoping not one of the steps wouldn't break because of my weight. So far so good, I could see the top of the ladder and not very long I managed to reach the top. I climbed out of the hole and realized I was in another tunnel, but the air seems to be warmer up here. I think I'm almost out of here.

I began walking in the second tunnel since my escape, I kept walking until I heard voices up ahead. Shit I need to hide! I found a small gap in the wall and I slipped in, too close for comfort two lionesses walked past me, not even knowing they were walking past me. As soon I was sure they were gone, I slipped back out of the gap, and I went back to looking a way out of here.

It was good my way wasn't far, because I could see the entrance to the mine. I ran outside taking in the breath of fresh air. No one outside, that's perfect! Time to get the hell away from this damn place!

I ran fast away from the mine as fast as I could. I ran and ran until I was running out of breath. I slowed down, taking slow deep breaths, and I realized I wasn't far away from Brons lands. I was finally out of the banished lands.

*****

"Casper! Casper, where are you?!" Tabitha said while she and the kids were out in the savannah during the night, looking for Casper. Jade came along as well, pretty sure she got the picture that her friends probably in trouble. They didn't tell Charlie about Casper, worried that if Charlie saw Jade he might hurt her by accident. No they went off alone without him.

Walker hollered, "Casper! Casper!"

All of them hollered, "Casper!!!"

Jade then roared, probably hollering for Casper as well.

Eileen looked at Jade and then said, "Oh the poor thing, she's probably worried about him. God why did my brother have to wonder off all day by himself?"

Tabitha said, "Honey, instead of wondering why he went off by himself all day, lets go find him."

Eileen nodded and said, "Good idea." Then she hollered, "Casper!"

Jade roared again, and then Shawna said, "God, I hope he's okay."

Walker said, "Look he's a big boy, alright? He's been out in the savannah more than once. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

Eileen then said with tears in her eyes, "Not when he's kidnapped or something. Oh god if something happens to him-"

Walker then cut her off, "Stop it ok? He's fine. He's probably screwing around."

Shawna gave him a look, "All day? By himself?"

Walker then thought about it and said, "Ok good point there."

Jade roared again, and then all of them hollered again, "Casper!"

*****

I wondered in Brons lands for a long time. Arrrg, where the hell am I? Am I lost? I made it back here but I can't remember where I'm going. I sighed, I can't give up I need to get back to camp.

But what about Bron? How am I supposed to warn him about Karone? I'll have to think of something, maybe Jade could help.

I jogged for a long time, but then I realized that I was getting tired again. I saw a river up ahead and decided to sit near it. I got on my knees and used my hands to pick up some water and have drink it. I sighed, I haven't drank anything since I got kidnapped, that bitch didn't give me any water!

I sat down completely trying to relax. I sighed and then I heard a snap of a twig. I got on my two feet and spun around. I called out, "Hello? Is someone there?"

I keep hearing footsteps and I saw a male lion coming around the corner of a rock. Leon!

I let out a breath, "God Leon. You scared me!"

Leon came to me, cocked his head, and said, "What happened? I saw walking around here and I came. What happened? You look like you've been through a lot."

Then I said, "Jade's crazy psychotic aunt kidnapped me and took me to the banished lands."

Leon's face went wide, "She what? She kidnapped you?! Are you alright?"

I nodded, "I'm fine."

Then he saw my punctured leg, "You look hurt."

I followed his gaze and said, "It's alright, I already patched it, so I have time."

He nodded, "That's good. So what did Karone want?"

I told him everything and then Leon said, "God really? She was gonna use you to get to Jade to do whatever she want?"

I nodded, "Yeah she thinks me and Jade are lovers, but we're not."

Leon said, "Goodness, so what do we do?"

I said to him, "I want you to find Bron and tell him everything I've told you. And I want you to tell him to make a truce with Karone's followers."

Leon's face went wide at that, "Are you crazy?! They're murderers!"

I shook my head, "No, they're not murderers, Karone is. All of this is Karone's idea. They just don't know what they really want and they don't see it. They're just like you. Them...Your pride. I mean think about them, they are you. What differences do you see between them and you? And I think Karone needs to let go of her past, and I need your help."

Leon thought about what I said, and then he said, "Casper....I think you're right. They don't deserve to be alone. Karone deserves it, but she's still Jade's aunt and we need to stop her from doing something that's dangerous and unforgivable. WE need to unite our prides as one."

I smiled at that, "Good, and while you do that, I'm going back to my camp and find Jade and my family."

Leon nodded, "Ok, I'll go find Bron, he's probably at the cave right now." He turned his back on me, looked back at me and said, "Promise me you'll protect Jade, Casper. If she dies, I don't know what I would feel."

I put my hand to my heart and said, "I promise. Now go!"

And with that Leon ran back home to find Bron. As for me I went off to find my camp.

I hope I'm not too late.

*****

After a couple of hours of treading through the savannah during the night, I've finally made it back to the camp. It looked like no one's here. I looked around in most of the tents, including mom and dads. I peeked through and said, "Mom? Dad? Are you here?" There was no one there.

I backed away from the tent and I hollered, "Somebody! Somebody! Somebody help me!"

I went to my tent, and looked inside, Jade's not here. No....Jade. She's gone.

Where could everyone went? Are all of them looking for me? Maybe I should wait here for a while. I was standing around when someone put a hand on my shoulder, I screamed, "Ahhh!" Then I spun around and saw Charlie. "Charlie?"

Charlie had a concerned look on his face, "Casper? Oh my god, what happened to you?" He then looked at my leg.

I said, "Look it doesn't matter, where is everyone? Where's mom and dad?"

He shook his head, "Your parents and several other campers went to help the rangers to rescue several elephants that were kidnapped and abused by poachers, and Shawna, Walker, your sister, and your aunt went for a walk in the savannah. They were in a rush or something, I don't know."

Shawna and the others are with Jade and they're looking for me. That explains why Jade's gone.

Charlie then urged me to go to the mess hall and the dormitory, "Look, let's clean that wound on your leg. It's going to get infected. So what happened to you?"

I didn't want to tell him what really happened, but I didn't lie to him about how I got my leg hurt, "I fell off a cliff and a spike punctured it. I pulled it out and I patched it with a piece of my shirt to stop the bleeding."

Charlie then said with a relieved look, "Sweet Jesus, well at least you're alright. Come inside my room in the dormitory and we'll clean that wound. Then we'll wait for your family to come back, ok?"

I nodded, and we went to the dormitory. We went inside heading to find his room and we did, we went inside and he told me to sit down on his bed while he was getting medical supplies. I waited for him not very long after he let me here. I glanced around his room. I've never been in here before, to be honest. While I was looking around something caught my eye, it looked familiar. I walked to his dresser and I saw it. I gasped, and picked up the object and realized what it was. The faded photo of Karone and her human friend.

What? What's this doing here? Unless....

Then I gasped again, "No way....He-" That's when I heard the creak of the floorboards behind me. I spun around and saw Charlie standing there with a grim look on his face. There's something in his hand as well.

I tried to say something, but no words could come out. Charlie?

Charlie then said, "You know something? I really liked you kid. But you didn't stop meddling, and now I have to take a drastic measure." Then what he had in his hand was a tranquilizer gun. He pointed it at me and fired a tranq dart at me. I cried out in pain, pulled the dart out of my arm. Then my head was spinning, my vision was getting cloudy, then I fell onto my knees and collapsed to the ground.

I looked at Charlie for a few moments, then everything went black.