Hello everyone!

Man, it's crazy how much things have changed and gone crazy since I last updated this a few months ago. That's partially why I haven't been in the mood to write lately, things just haven't been fun and I took a lot of hits.

But nonetheless, I hope all of you are safe and doing your best to get through this. This is a very short chapter with not much happening in it, but I wanted to try to force myself to get back into writing again so let's hope this works!

I hope you enjoy! Stay safe.

"And… well, that brings us to today, and what you saw earlier," Taka finished his tale with a sigh, looking up at the sky and realizing that it had started to change colors already. That had taken him longer than he thought it would.

But then again, he did have a lot to tell.

Funny how memories can be ignored for so long, and still come back with vengeance when you finally allow them to surface. Before he started talking, Taka had thought it was all long gone, and it could no longer affect him.

But the heavy heart and watery eyes he had right then proved him wrong. He had never cried in front of Kopa, and he would die before he would. But right then and there, that was the moment when he got the closest to.

Can you really run away from your past, when you will always take it with you no matter where you go? It had taken Taka that long to understand that it was as much of a part of him as his beating heart, as his soul.

And to think he believed he could run away from it.

Kopa blinked a few times, laying down by Taka's side. He had remained quiet for most of Taka's story – with a few interruptions here and there in the beginning before Taka quickly cut him off – and although he knew he was finally allowed to speak now, he found himself not knowing what to say anymore.

He had known Taka, no, he had known Asante, since he was a cub. But in just one quick afternoon, he learned more about him than all of those years they spent together combined.

It was a lot to take in at once.

So, Kopa just nodded and looked up the sky too.

They stayed in silence until Taka got up and stretched, "So now you understand why I have to go into the Outlands."

Kopa's eyes widened and he got up as well, positioning himself between Taka and the bridge that led to the Outlands, his ears folding back as he shook his head. He opened his mouth to object, but then, he realized he didn't have an argument to make. At least not one that would convince Taka.

So he frowned at Taka and bit his lip like an upset cub who wasn't getting enough attention.

"Kipawa…", Taka raised an eyebrow.

With a sigh, Kopa sat down and looked at the Outlands.

"I understand you want to try to fix things. Trust me, I really do," Kopa looked down at his paws, thinking of just how true that was for himself, "But how can you expect me to let you go into the Outlands alone, just like that? That place is dangerous. I'd never forgive myself if… if…"

Kopa couldn't get himself to finish the sentence, but he didn't have to for Taka to understand his fears very well.

"I know," Taka reached over to scratch Kopa's head with his knuckles; suddenly realizing just how thick and long his mane had gotten since the last time he had cared to notice it.

His neck no longer had only a thick line of fur on it, but small tufts began to sprout from it, forming an uneven mosaic of fur on each side as the tufts made their way to his chest – that was sure going to be covered soon as well.

Where had the time gone?

"I've been running away most of my life, and heavens know I don't have much of it left now," Taka sighed when Kopa rolled his eyes after hearing that, "Besides, we got a chance to fix things when it seemed impossible, after all these years. Why waste it?"

Kopa frowned, "We?", He tilted his head.

Taka raised his eyebrow and looked down at Kopa with a knowing look.

"I'm not the only one who's run away from things now, am I?"

Kopa gasped and turned his head away from Taka, much like Taka suspected he would do. Some things just never changed, did they?

"Hey, I'm not telling you what to do," Taka shrugged, "Far from me, especially because as long as you're safe, I couldn't care less what you do with your life."

"Wow, I love you too," Kopa groaned, still looking away from Taka.

"You know it's true," Taka then reached for Kopa's chin and held it, tilting Kopa's head so that he was looking at him again, "You can do whatever you want. But the thing is, so can I. And right now, that is what I want to do."

Kopa stayed still, not moving his face away from Taka's paw. He then sighed and looked into the Outlands.

"I know that. And I want you to do what you want as well. But you must realize that you, going into the Outlands, alone, is a really bad idea. You can't possibly expect me to just… be ok with that."

"You don't have to be ok with anything I do. And I really do understand your distress and I'm sorry," Taka shrugged, "But regardless, you can't stop me."

Kopa stuck his tongue out in disapproval, but then retracted it when he realized he was being childish. (A/N: cub-ish?)

"Any chance I can change your mind about going alone?" Kopa finally spoke and gave a shy, hopeful smile; but already knowing the answer.

Taka shook his head, returning the smile.

Kopa gave one last long, exasperated sigh, "Fine, but can we at least decide a curfew, or something? Just so I'm not left completely in the dark while you're there?"

Taka let out some air through his nose in a poor excuse for a laugh, "When did you become the adult out of the two of us?"

"I'm serious," Kopa frowned, "You want to go alone, into a dangerous place; do you want me to just… stay here, not knowing what's going on with you or if you're even alive?"

Taka shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright," He smiled at Kopa, and then looked up at the sky, "I'll do my best to come back right after the sunset. Does that sound good?"

Kopa looked up at the sky and tried to figure out how much time that would be. It would not be that soon, as the sun was still high above them, but the morning was already long gone as well.

"Alright," Kopa sighed, "And let it be known that if you're not here by then, then I will go in there look for you. Understood?"

Taka chuckled, "Yes, sir," He said in a mocking way before he sighed and spoke seriously, "We have a deal."

"Great," Kopa said and laid down on the same spot he had laid on to listen to Taka's story.

Taka looked at him and then at the Outlands.

"Are you just… going to stay here until the sunset?"

"Yep," Kopa nodded, "And time is running out, so you better go."

Taka looked up and started taking a step towards the Outlands, telling himself to just go and not turn around; but then sighed and did just that.

"Listen, Kipawa, there's still quite a bit of time before the sun sets," Taka looked down at him, but doing his best not to seem condescending. It never ended well with Kopa when he did, "Why don't you go do something else while I'm there, instead of being bored here?"

Kopa looked up at Taka without raising his head from the ground.

"Like what?"

"That I don't know. Like I said," He turned around to face the Outlands again, "I decided I have to stop running away. Now, what you want to do, is up to you. Go hunt, or have fun, or just, something."

Kopa watched as Taka got to the bridge, holding his breath every time the water hit it and made it shake. Had he known that was the same bridge that had collapsed before and put Kion on their way, he might not have let Taka go.

"And Kipawa," Taka called from the bridge, not helping with Kopa's anxiety at all, "Go do whatever you want to do."

Kopa rolled his eyes, but nodded regardless. The last thing he saw Taka doing before he disappeared into the opening between rocks that lead to the Outlands was smile at him.

But Kopa didn't find the strength to smile back.

Like I said, short. But hopefully the energy to write comes back after this. It does feel good to publish something at last!

Also no, the title is not a reference to Frozen 2, I just couldn't think of anything else to name this haha.

Again, I hope you all are safe and alright! And hope this was enjoyable, as short and rushed as it may be.

See yall next chapter! (Which will hopefully be soon, and better)