[NatureGirl]

Keira sat along the edge of a pond as the sun sank a little lower in the sky. She sighed and wrapped her tails around her legs. Where is he. . . she sighed in her head. She turned her sightless eyes to the pond. Keira had gotten him to agree to meet her at the pond so they could talk in private. . . She sighed once more and settled down. Where is he? she asked again. She then turned to a sharp sound coming from behind her. She grabbed a rock with her tail and stretched into defensive mode.

"Who's there?" she growled menacingly.

*Spelling Edit*

[NatureGirl]

Maikel poked his head out of the bushes.

"Feisty, feisty," he grinned at her as he stepped toward the pond. He managed to stifle a laugh at her weapon of choice. "Don't worry, I'm here now. Sorry for being late. Had to drop some things off for Nature on my way."

Idalani Falls. Why here? he asked himself. It must be something important. He pondered while he let her calm down a bit.

[NatureGirl]

Keira felt the grin break out across her face as she dropped her rock.

"Maikel!!" she squealed and ran to hug him. "You made it!!!" Keira was delighted. Now they could talk. "Okay. . . Um, Are you ready to talk about that thing now?" she asked as she held him at a distance  now, just brushing him with her tail. She could feel the nervousness shaking her knees.

They had been together awhile now. . . and she wanted. . . she wanted to have family.

[NatureGirl]

Maikel looked at her with a smile.

"Of course I'm ready," he siad gently and smoothed her back with his tail. "Whenever you want to start, I'm ready to listen." Maikel cuddled against her as the sun approached the horizon. She seems nervous. . . he thought suspiciously. It really must be something important. . .

He shook his thoughts away and set his attention on Keira.

[NatureGirl]

Keira sighed and "looked" him in the eyes.

"I. . . I want to start over," she said with a hopeful glint in her eye as her paws shifted. "To begin with a new, clean slate." Maikel looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked, suspisions rising again. Does she mean she wants to kill herself?? he asked in his head. A new family, a new life if reincarnated. . . is that what she wants. . .? The very thought shook Maikel on the deepest levels of his sanity. He couldn't live without her. . .

Keira looked at him and gulped. Man up and do it already!!!, she could hear Karamell saying back from the Hollow. She sighed.

"I want to. . . to have a family with you, Maikel," she whispered. Her face turned red as she uttered the words she had wanted to say for so long. "I want to start over with a new life. . . with you, and children. . . so I can be happy with you, and have a loving family again." Keira closed her eyes.

"I love you. . ."

[NatureGirl]

Maikel looked into her eyes, relieved and happy. How long he had wanted to say the same to her!

"I. . .," he said, then hugged her. "I love you too. . ." Maikel smiled into her fur. "I would love to, Keira," he whispered. "You know I would." He looked at her and smiled.

"I would love to have a family with you."

[NatureGirl]

Her heart skipped a beat.

"I'm glad. . .," she grinned and stood up and shifted in to her human form. "I'm more than glad!!" Keira picked up Maikel in a hug and spun around. "I feel glorious!!!" Her heart felt warm and she loved him more than anything.

I can finally be happy. . . she smiled and looked off into the sunset. Finally start over. With Karamell, Maikel, my new family. . . It seemed to good to be true, but she didn't care. "Happy. . .," she whispered and sat Maikel down.

[NatureGirl]

Maikel rubbed his head against Keira's cheek before he was sat down. Then he shifted into his own human form, then lifted Keira into his arms, carrying her like in all of those romance movies.

"I love you," he whispered and leaned his forehead against hers. "And I'm glad you're happy. . . I am too." He leaned down and kissed her. It was just a little peck, and he felt his cheeks get hot. They rarely kissed, since they were kuhnas, and this was perhaps the second time they kissed? He smiled and hugged her to his chest. I'll finally have my own life. . . he thought. I'm free.

[NatureGirl]

Maikel sat her down onto her feet and took her hand. He led her over to a flowered bush and leaned behind it to grab something. Keira smiled in anticipation.

"Ready?" he said from behind the bush with anticipation.

"Uh-huh," she agreed with equal excitement. Maikel came back out with a basket full of cheese, berries and bread. Napkins and a cloth to sit on were tucked into the side, along with a jar to catch fireflies, she guessed. She gasped and hugged him.

"Oh, thank you!!!" she squealed with delight. She had almost forgot. It was her birthday. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!" A romantic dinner by firefly light and the sunset behind them. . . It was a dream date.

Maikel unfolded the cloth and started laying things out while Keira picked up the jar to catch fireflies. Even though she couldn't see, her hearing would help her out. She laughed as she jumped to catch one above her head. Maikel looked over. This was the perfect idea. . . he thought as he spread the food out. He had gotten things from Nature instead of giving things to her. It was a special day. . . It was a good thing he had bought the ring before she had asked.

Maikel had thought about buying the ring while shopping one day. He was with Karamell and she had urged him to buy it, suggesting that proposing on her birthday was the best idea for a present ever. He had given in and now he clutched the box at the bottom of the basket nervously. I hope this is the perfect idea. . . he sighed.

Keira, meanwhile, was bringing over the jars with a big smile on her face. "Got 'em," she laughed and sat down. She sniffed and sighed. "It smells wonderful!!!" She sat the jars in the middle of the set and was just about to dig in when Maikel stopped her.

"Um. . . Keira?" he asked with a waver in his voice.

"Maikel?" she asked with concern. "What is it?" I hope it's not something I said, she brooded in her head.

"I have something to ask you too. . ." he continued on, pausing again.

"Go on. . ." she urged, taking his hand.

"I. . . uh. . . um. . . . . Keira?" he fumbled as he pulled out the box. He sighed and got on one knee in front of her. "Will. . . will you marry me?" he asked as he opened the box, feeling lightheaded and nervous as the question sank in.

[NatureGirl]

Keira looked toward the ring, her mouth open as she gawked at the question.

"Oh my gosh," her mouth, still wide open, turned up into a smile of surprise. "Oh my gosh!!" Keira nodded as tears streaked down her cheeks. "Yes!!!!!"

Keira hugged him and tackled him to the ground. "Yes!!!!" she squealed. She sat up on him and leaned down to kiss him, her lips softly brushing his. A real family.

[NatureGirl]

Maikel shut his eyes and let the kiss linger on his lips for a minute before sitting back up, cathcing Keira before she fell. He sat her down and smiled, looking at her fading halo of light as the last of the sun's rays sank below the hills.

Maikel took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. He held that hand in both of his, then brought a plate of food over to her.

"Let's eat," he smiled.

[NatureGirl]

 
The two settled down and ate their fill. They danced. . . and sang. . . and laughed all night until dawn broke the horizon.

"Well. . ." Maikel yawned and lifted the basket from the ground. "It's time we get home. Nature will be expecting us."

Keira got up and bent backwards slightly, cracking her back as she yawned. "You're right," she tried to say. Instead it came out like "Herrrrr ite."Maikel looked at her confused and then laughed.

"Mind repeating that?" he teased. Keira smiled but smacked his arm.

"I said that you're right," she repeated slowly, making sure each syllable was drawn out for him. Maikel smiled and took her arm in his own.

"Wait!!" Keira gasped and she went back to the jars of fireflies.

"Keira??" Maikel asked and turned back for her. Keira picked up the jar and unscrewed the lid. she turned her face up and watched them fly away into the last streaks of night. She sighed, and felt herself tearing up at the sight of their flight. Maikel had walked up behind her. "What's up?"

Keira brushed at her eyes. "I'm finally free."

"Huh?"

"I'm finally free. Just like them. Don't you see? I have a new life. I can actually. . . be free. . . ."

~THE END~