Mya passionately brushed the fur on the side of his face... dusty and a little ashen in appearance than the usual rich golden tan.  For a second it made her feel a sense of panic.  But she reasonably noted how after spending nearly 2 weeks underground all the soil had tainted Timon's fur, which helped to further her impression of pallid sickliness.  Still, looking into his eyes, she could see the paleness in his tear ducts and the skin around his lips when he opened his mouth.  Inside her she still felt that deep down chill of a worry, waiting to grip at her heart if she did not control herself.  She didnt want to go back to what she was like over 6 days ago..... where she wondered in great terror that he may really be dying.
Timon let go a series of strong coughs... horrible sounding things.  Mya instantly reached out her hands to steady him.  Timon worked to regain his composure his fist in front of his mouth.  He forced in a number of strong breaths as best he could.  The fight was not over yet.  
"Its allright.. huh.. its all right..ack!" .... "im ok Mya."  
He eased back into his little bed, the blankets and pillows dusty like him from his regular occupation. 
".... thanks to that savannah bergamont you brought me."  He wheesed carefully... "that stuff really has been working, its just , slow honey..."  
Mya couldn't help but put her arms around him again and fall into the bed.
"I know I know Mya...."  he said lovingly running his hand up and down her back slowly.  "But i AM getting better,  This is not going to stop me if I can help it... more than anything in the world, I dont want to let it stop me..."He nuzzled the top of her head and kissed it. "so please dont panic." 
Together they laid there a moment.
"Do you remember the black mamba?" 
Mya melted a moment at the memory, the sickness seemed distant.  She smiled.  "and how ridiculous you looked when you dashed around"  
Timon snorted and his body heaved a bit with a few little chuckles.  "Dont remind me!  All the other kats had a field day afterwards...I didnt think I was ever gonna live that down........ Fair enough though, I was pretty scared."
"No sweetie you were incredibly brave!  You ran directly in front of that snake between the babysitter kat and the den kits.   Youre 'scared' dashing panic was the most selfless thing, making the snake take all its attention on you!  The others joking on how wimpy or embarrassing your distraction was had no idea!  You absolutely saved the lives of those four kats and I am so so proud of you.  Even if you're fur was all bushed up and you were tripping over yourself."  She squeezed him tighter than ever.
Mya could feel his warm core.  she remembered how cold his hands and cheeks were on the 7th day.  Repeatedly she reminded herself of this warmness and how he must be on the road to recovery.  His cough is not as violent as it was.  Timon must be getting better, its just takes a while.  And right then she immediately thought of the savannah bergamont.
Shuffling out of his bed, she said "I have to go get more bergamont sweetie.  You need youre medicine and its getting late in the season."  She hurriedly checked over the bowl filled with drinking water... a quick lap... still fresh enough to drink.  Frantically she gathered up her basket and her blue cloak that her mother had made for her long ago.  "I'll find more right away just you wait sweetie!  Youll be just fine!  I'Il also bring back some of your favorite wheat grains and grub worms you love so much! "
Timon looked lovingly at her flighty activity, trying to show her a sense of calm assuredness.  She always was so worried and fretful about him.  Inside he was amazed to have someone like her.
"Mmmh I do love those big soft grubs just slurping them down in one gulp.,,,, and my nice hearty grains."

"Oh yes!!  Grains that give you such energy to be so acrobatic and nimble like you are!"  she said as she rushed about to make sure all was in order before she left.
Timon chuckled again.  "when was I even nimble and graceful?  Im definitely the most badly coordinated meerkat on the savannah."  
"Noooo!  You're thin and healthy and lithe and fast and you're a hero sweetie!"  She hurried up to him one last time and landed on the bed again to give him another hug.  "Now i must go but I will be back in a few hours or less so dont you worry!"
Timon knew there was no way the hunt for the bergamont would not take up into the mid afternoon.  "Its fine Mya I can take care of myself no problem.  I know you'll find the bergamont and dont overwork yourself to get any special grubs."  Mya waved her hands ready to protest. "Its fine honey, Really!"
Timon shook his head.
"Look, this is all done Mya, you and i will have a real treat well get a nice tasty mouse to share together and have one great meal, Im sure i could eat 2 mice by then!"  
"I know u could sweetie!  me too even!"
"oh my God yeah, sure well have FOUR mice and get totally fat. why not, hooray."  Timon said with a smirk of absurdity.  He clapped his hands lazily while lying back in the bed.  Mya finally pulled away and then grabbed up the basked and wrapped her cloak around her.
"I get it all sweetie!  You just keep resting and soon you'll have more medicine, just you wait!"  She said as she hurried out of the den.
Timon eased back, feeling in his mind Myas caring embrace.  She was such an amazing kat.... and truly his best friend.  A mild tingle in his lower half played in his mind and looking down the blanket he could see a gentle rise in it between his thighs.  Casually his hand slid down across the top of the blanket and gave a little bit of pressure to the bump.  This had to be a good sign that things were slowly improving if he could get this familiar feeling once again.  He let out a sign hand turned his head sideways into the down pillow, his hand lazily easing pressure on and off the surface of the blankets between his thigh and the bump.  He coughed a tiny bit and wondered about probably needing a bath after being in bed so long.

-----

Mya sniffed the dry air again.  The rainy season must be coming to a close soon, the weather was just not as damp as it had been and dust was in the breeze here and there.  Her fine sense could pick up the aroma of rotting fish she knew indicated that the rivers were beginning their seasonal drying.   Carefully she scanned the air for the balsam aroma of the plant she was seeking so urgently.  She knew it well buy now... sharp, cool, earthen. minty.  Still so far nothing yet.  and it really gnawed at her.
Mya carefully thought over her plans with a level of heightening urgency.  Already she had been over most of the landscape around the lone den she and Timon lived in.  She had gone and checked over the ravine area and moved along the whole length of it but by now there was not any of the plants to be found.  Most had withered due to the change in the rainfall and she had picked the fresh ones.  The next step was to follow the ravine, pass through the forest grove, and take the big hike to the river wash area.  The plants only grew on disturbed soil that was fairly wet.  Like after a landslide in a flood or a big rainfall.  The river wash was this massive area far off near the big river.  Floods for the last few years have been changing the pathway of the mighty river and a result was lots of grassland hillside being washed away and broken apart.  And at this time in the season, the inundated bluffs would be drying out into small loose soil canyons.  There could be some of the bergamont there near the bottom where the dirt was still wet.  But it was far away, far from their burrow, even farther from the meerkat colony her and Timon had struck out on their own from after she fell in love with him.  
Mya grabbed a random large branch lying on the ground near her and in a fury swing it hard into he flowering plants she was searching through,  shredding the flowerheads to pieces.  NOTHING!  She threw down the branch and grit her teeth knowing that she had no choice but to make the long trek to the river wash and that she would be gone from him for nearly all the day just to do this.  It might even be nightfall by when she returns!  
Mya ran her paws across her face and clinched her fists.  Inside she began to try and rationalize the situation, remember the things Timon had said to her.  She knew she didn't want to let herself sink into another crippling panic.  Timon WAS getting better.  He is not totally helpless now.  He said he would be fine, she had to trust in that.  He was getting better, its not going to suddenly reverse and go critical in just less than a day.  Mya let out a long sigh.  She took off down the ravine towards the distant forest.  All she had to do was do this one thing and stay focused, do it quickly, but not over-exert herself so much that she wont be able to get back quickly.  She had to remain calm and conserve her strength.  Maybe on the way back once she found the plants that the large log near the pond will still have a few of the soft juicy wood grubs Timon loved in it as well.  And she could be home with not just the medicine but his favorite food and a loving smile on her face.  Her mind quickly went to the feeling of Timon's arms around her and his chin resting on her head.  The idea was both joyful and anxious at the same time.  
---
By around mid afternoon the sun was bright and blazing right down.  Not a cloud in the sky,  It was though still only mildly warm with a soft wind in the air.  The ground under Mya's feet was mostly bare, some areas still muddy and others dry.   Above on the rides there was patches of green grass where once there had been a totally uninterrupted savannah.  Mya turned her nose to the air.  The breeze was not as strong here in the little gorges made by the floods.  Earth, dead fish, grasses, roots, no bergamont just yet.  Damn this was a stupid time for Timon to have gotten sick.  The bergamont was not nearly as common as it was only 3 weeks ago.  Damn if the rain came one more time it would create another quick burst of fresh young plants she was sure of it.  But it hasn't been anything for many days now, just dry sun.  
She kicked her way around some rocks.  Pushed past various branches of trees that had been toppled from the floodwaters washing it away.  She looked up into the clear blue sky.... midway... no further... the sun has passed midday... shit!  This is a fucking disaster!  And shes just stuck wandering like some idiot here in this ditch with no discernible scent of the bergamont!  God why cant I get anything done!  I always screw it up!.
Mya paused a moment, breathed in heavily.  She closed her eyes and reached into a tucked away fold of fabric deep in hear heavy, somewhat frayed and tattered blue cloak her mom had made for her years ago when she came of age.  Rustling in the pocket her hand came out wrapped tightly around a piece of worn metal.  She opened it up.  revealing a little carved otter.  It was sleek and stout in shape, though its design was simple even almost crude.  Made with a level of inexperience, but with a lot of effort to look as graceful as it could be.  The metal was well tarnishes, little edges where the feet were bent a bit and worn with signs of constant handling.  She looked at it and turned it over in her hands... Timon's favorite animal as a little pup.  It was made of a piece of natural silver found in the ground and partly cut by the meerkat blacksmith, but then a teen Timon shaped it himself.  He gave it to her as an adult when the two of then saw an otter at the river while spending time together.
Mya turned it over and put it back in her cloak pocket where it nearly always stayed, her free paw rubbing it as she cleared her mind.  She heard the wind blowing so pure and voiceless.  The shadow of a stray cloud fell across her in the ravine and her space between the moment.  
A minty aroma!!!
Just a moment!  for just a moment about 3 seconds she caught it in the air.  sahe turned her head and moved backwards, 
There it is again!  
It lasted less now but it was most definitely that scent!  By now the aromatic had become so deeply ingrained in her brain she could not mistake it!  Its definitely here!  
Mya's fur stood up on end with anticipation, she grabbed the basket, hung it around her neck, and quickly scampered on all fours across the sandy dusty wash, her fine nose picking up any aroma she could.  The breeze was drifting south... she ran north, moving up the sandy wash and into steeper ravines.  The ground became more wet and she leapt over many muddy spots.  Water had still been running here very recently.  The top of the ravines rose high above her and were dotted with more trees.  The basin also was more filled with debris.  Numerous old growth trees had their roots washed out above and had collapsed into the washes, their leaves drying up on the broken branches around the valley.  The lithe female meerkat scampered around and over them deftly. For a moment she thought she got the scent again though now it was not as clear with the smell of wet soil and freshly cut wood in the air.  Mya passed a couple large dying trees and into a spot with even higher ridges and there were numerous pools of water here and there on the ravine ground. 
And next to a large patch of fallen soil still covered in green savannah grass she saw dark green small, toothed leaves with dull red crowns of flowers!  Bergamont!
Myas hands shook as she put her paws against the delicate plants, square stems, toothed leaves.  She broke one up and sniffed the deep cooling aroma, as if she was checking over to be sure, even though there was no doubt about it.  Its bergamont! Its bergamont!  Oh my God Mya you're making yourself insane over this!  You got to stop working yourself up like this its, it going to give you some disorder!  Her mind continued to  talk to herself as he instincts were already cutting stems and wrapping up the stalks in a cloth in her basket.  Oh my god they smell so good!  By now she adored the strong pungent smell of the plant.  Its just like Timon had said, things will be fine.  And she'll go home and bring him his medicine and maybe a grub too!  She thought of lying in bed with him again holding each other.
Mya sagely left about 3 stalks behind to help pollinate the plants.  Or in case she needed to return again.  Hopefully not,  She quickly went over to a puddle, her feet tramping through the mud of the drying wash.  She took the cloth that wrapped around the stems and put it in the pool, letting it get damp with water in order to keep the plant from wilting.  She then hunched down and took cups of water in her hands and drank them.  Mya drank her full and trudged her way out of the muddy spot, before her was the ravine facing south lined with fallen trees... facing towards home. 
Mya let out her breath, feeling a weight off her shoulders, all that was left was a trek back she smiled to herself....
She began to walk down the ravine.
And just slightly to her right was a large break of branches in the wash, their bark red and raw. Angled.  and a mess of angles on the periphery of her sight.  But it instantly also was with two black brilliant sparkles in the sunlight.  It was like it was already there in her side view amongst all those branches, always had been there, the fine black sparkles and a red triangular smooth furry outline of a big marten head, perfectly the same color of the red wood.  Just the biggest, largest marten face she had ever seen and it just moved.

Mya's body exploded.  in only a half a quarter of a second she was at full sprint down the ravine.  All fours.  Behind her horrible sounds, the crash of brambles and the scattering of gravel and the dull pound of big furry paws slamming into the earth.  She zagged around a giant tree and looped up over a big branch running the whole length of it and jumping off behind a huge pile of fallen wood on the opposite side of the ditch.  She looked behind her. A huge huge red serpentine monster cleared the entire wall of debris, rising above it lead by two sparkling black eyes full of life and followed by the most brilliant red coat of a creature that seemed to just keep coming over the branches with this incredibly long body and even longer bushy tail.  In slow motion it curved its giant tail like a rudder and tuned midair through the leap and directly onto her path as it staked the landing with poetic precision.  The black shiny eyes just screaming pure terror in her, the black inkiness seemed to even have a red tint under it.  Mya forced everything she had into her legs and ignored every crash of a branch or slam of a stone into her body.  She spun around a ravine corner and leapt over another tree trunk and then dashed down the clear dry wash, the sound of the pursuer still behind her unrelenting.  No matter how much speed she put on it she looked back and there was no outrunning an amazingly agile marten.  She dodged through more brambles and branches and leapt over more pools of water and ledges.  Still the huge creature cleared it all without a break.  Anything it was too big to squeeze through it leapt over.  Nothing she was doing could expand the distance.  All she had was to hold out at breakneck speed, but for how long???  She rounded another corner and into a much wider wash, making an about turn and running upstream on it.  The marten followed in perfect precision.  The area was clear of most debris.  Looking frantically, she knew the wash would soon start to narrow, there might have to be a mad climb up the ravine side.  Or if its too steep she could be cornered in one of the ends of it and then death for sure.  She drove herself around another bend and saw 2 huge fallen trees just ahead.  between then barely a space to pass.  Mya dove directly into them with barely a space to clear, once again to entangle the marten, but this time her head accidentally slammed into a much larger branch than the twigs that gave way as she dove.  She spun out and landed into the knots of dead wood onto her side.  Immediately she squirmed back to her feet and tried to force her way out of the trap, her head pounding in agony.  Even then the jammed her way forward through tangles intentionally striking her head once again, kicking with her back feet to break through.  The branches behind her caved in with a massive weight on them.  She thrust forward with all fours, and burst out the other side, her arms clawing frantically out of the tangles.  Mya's basket broke free from her neck torn by a snapped off branch and the bergamont scattered all over the ground.  Only just less than a second it went through her head.  Having no time to respond, she scrambled free and immediately she saw the face directly above her... onyx black eyes and dense red and yellow fur and suddenly a huge maw of shiny rose pink flesh and long needle sharp fangs moving in.  Mya screamed and kicked off with all limbs again and barely cleared the snap of the jaws, the 'tock' of the teeth clamping together and the burst of hot breath blow across her body as she escaped.  Off up the ravine again.  There was a huge massive crash behind her as the giant tore and leapt free of the entanglements and back in pursuit and instantly they were at full speed again.  Pain of the exertion and her sore head shot through all her body and down into her flailing limbs.  Mya desperately looked around the narrowing ravine.  Far above on a large rock situated on the grassy top there was a lanky figure.  A distant meerkat lookout?  But there was no burrows here.  Myas full exertion choked her throat, she could not call out.  But the distant kat heard the pandemonium and looked their way from its relaxing position.  Mya shot forward down the straight way of the ravine.  Looking up again the distant meerkat on the rock had not moved and continued to just lie back watching.  What the fuck!?!! They're just sitting there!!  She glanced forward at her path and then back up.  Indeed the meerkat was just casually stretching and yawning and didn't seem to think any of this was their problem at all!  Mya glanced forward again just barely in time to dodge a large boulder in the ravine and ducked around it kicking up a huge splash of mud.  The marten leapt over deftly.  She turned a corner and passed by and on from the other meerkat's high up position.  Her body shot with pain again but she kept going.  But this couldn't keep up much longer.  As she rounded the next ravine the overhead a voice shout out "Fuck!' off in the distance behind her.  She though only behind her saw shiny back death eyes and fiery fur and black long fuzzy legs, the back arched like a rising cobra in its lope and her heart nearly leapt from her throat.  Run!  Myas mouth gulped in breaths and her hands and feet pounded the soil.  Her blue cloak flying behind her like a flag in a hurricane.  The ravine was getting shorter and shallower,  Soon she would make a turn into another split in the wash and it would be a dead end and she would be climbing to escape.  Just then to her left she saw a raised tail up on a grassy incline on the ridge top and saw the meerkat now at full speed dashing along just ahead and above her.  They looked back and then gestured their head forward, pointing their snout to the right at a series of diverging cuts in the wash.  Mya blazed forward.  the kat leapt clear over the first narrow gorge and then sprinted ahead along the top of the next one,  somehow she knew that she had to follow down that gorge.  She leapt across the pool in her way and dashed through the muddy wash and into the area.  The marten followed in.  Ahead it was narrow, she could no longer see the other kat.  The path continued down a way and then to a dead end at a huge tangle of flood ravaged branches and woody trees broken up and pounded into the end of the gorge.  Nothing else was left she dashed at it, he whole body full of lighting pain at the over exertion.  What now?  Could she climb up this and escape or would she be caught on it???  The the head of the other meerkat popped out of a large opening in the tangles and looked at her, then dove back down.  Thats it.... no climbing.  Mya just simply leapt over the first large log and dove headlong into the mass of wood where she was the kat poke out and braced herself for the crash.  As she did, she saw the kat rise up to her right and yell out as she dove in past him.  Mya crashed to the ground and rolled forward collapsing onto the twigs and leaves and onto her back.  The other kat raised up a huge long piece of dried branch snapped off at the tip just as the marten was already in dive onto them.  As its forefeet came to land the ground, the sharped splintered end of the huge branch pressured against the marten's chest and then easily pierced through, sliding smooth and deep into it as its whole weight went into the landing.
There was a strange shrill alien like cry, high but hissy and musical as the marten then leapt back up into the air and doubled backwards.  Its forepaws raised up in front of it and the branch sticking out the fur on its chest.  The onyx eyes flashed brigher than ever and its fang filled mouth hung agape.  The gaint creature stood frozen, its forepaws slightly reaching forward as if slowly about to clasp onto the protruding branch, but it then collapsed backwards limply onto the dusty ground, panting forcefully and struggling against it all.  The other kat and Mya watched in total shock as the marten tried to get back to it feet, clawed at the steak tip,  Ruby red blood began to glisten in little drops all over the gravel.  It could not get back to its feet and then fell ragdoll back to the earth again its breath fading out, the air hanging with the scent of fresh blood.
Mya was ghostly, her limbs shaking and her blood pounding in her ears.  All she could hear was the pounding.  Her hands rose over her mouth as she began to realize her narrow escape.  
She looked up. The other kat had turned and looked head on at her, his eyes wide and panting with as much adrenaline as her.
"Jerom!!!"
Mya was stunned, she couldn't believe that it was him.    
"Oh my God..." she gasped for air.  "I was.......  I was trying to gather bergamont for Timon, hes sick and... pant pant... the gulp.... pant pant.. I saw the marten..."  Mya looked over at the huge weasel, crumpled up on the ground like a fallen dragon, no breath anymore, its black gemstone eyes staring empty.  "I ran and I... i dodged and went for every bramble but... it just kept coming!... I.... pant pant pant, I thought I was about to die.."
Suddenly Jerom's hands gripped the biceps of her arms. and pushed her against a log as she lay on the ground.  She looked at him and his face was mad looking, like an enraged animal.  His teeth were bared a little.  His eyes stared directly at her, into her.  Mya felt his panting breath against her and she looked at him.  She saw that the fur loincloth around his waist was fully tented, his meerkat-hood at full arousal.  With one hand Jerom began to paw at it.  His cock must have already been erect as he was trying to save her from the marten!  Mya was speechelss.  Jerom on full instinct thrust down the fur loin covering, his cock popped out and he began to work himself into position above her.  Mya's senses were suddenly filled not just with the aroma of the spilled blood but now a waft of rich male meerkat musk.  It fired off so much in her mind she could only just lie there as it unfolded.  The emotional rush of that near bush with death just did the strangest thing,  Her desire rose like a flood.  Jerom already was fully on it.  Once he had realized the meerkat in the ravine was in fact Mya he suddenly was a full force to rescue her before it was too late.  And all that panic life and death struggle they had successfully overcome now left him only wanting one thing... just to mate her as his. Jeroms hands went on her, she saw him began to position his pulsing cock between her spread thighs.  She felt his warm pants on her shoulder and cheek.  Just like in the days of her youth.  Those days with her first boyfriend, her and Jerom embracing under the tree.  No matter what, that memory, every time she felt it, it ALWAYS melted away any resistance in her.  Always.  
Mya reached up and began to kiss the panting Jermon.  The big kat all on instinct didn't even react, only set about mounting his mate  His cock began to push against her lips, then part them and slide into her.  He came in slow but steady and Mya whimpered and them let our a giant gasp.  She reached up and put her hand over Jerom's back and gripped hard into his fur over his shoulder blades.  He growled menacingly but Mya didnt let go, and he responded with a hard and fast pull back and thrust into her.  She yelped out in pain but she still determinedly held onto the wild meerkat and buried her face into the nape of his neck.  Jeroms head bent down, gritting his teeth, and just began pounding at her with no hold back.  Mya held on as the hard pounds threatened to overwhelm her senses. Things were a murky haze in her consiousness.  She fought her way through.  Her resilience kept her conscious and she began to hold onto herself in this incredibly intense moment.  Jerom let out steam pump like breathy grunts through his clenched teeth and Mya dug into his neckline and shoulders, his fur brushing against her face as he exerted himself and his aromatic body filling up her nose.  She could feel the damp spots on her shoulder from where a few drops of his saliva or sweat would fall onto her.  Her mom's blue cloak getting wet drops between her legs as fluid dripped from her and the slick wet cock that worked hard on her body.  Jerom was moving so fast and determined, a wild kat going of just biological drive.  He had his job to do.  He had his reward for rescuing the female.  Mya hands gripped harder onto her mate.  She was happy to do her task.  She would be the big kat's mate.  And the sensation made her whole self tingle with arousal.  Just wild, animal kats doing what they were naturally made to do without thought.  Mating as much as they could in the open on the bare muddy ground.  She clenched her teeth too in a passionate smile.  Her peak hit then and she way just one loud cry of delight after another,  Her hands releasing and digging in on his back fur.  Jerom roar/growled and his tightly packed dick pulsed with pressure and gushes of his sperm shot deep inside her. He threw his head back.  Their toes spread out as all their muscles went taunt.
The two fell back to the earth slowly, Mya going limp on the ground, Jerom coming to rest on top of her.  Their lungs gulping in the air.  Mya could taste it... earth, blood, musk, semen.... Jerom.
Timon eased back in his bed, breathing heavily, a warm glowing sensation through his whole body.  His head bent to the side and he buried his face in the soft fur of the cheery little pastel Easter bunny plush he had in his arm.  He looked at its bright face and flowery bows.  His eyes looked back down his body, seeing the long ropes of jizz across the fur of his bare belly and chest.  He had not masturbated in two weeks but was still surprised that a causal pawing resulted in a spurt that nearly got to his neck and nose.  He kind of regretted losing it all just now, it could have been a nice surprise for Mya to have watched if she had been there.  She would have loved that.  He went back to nuzzling his gentle bunny plushie that had helped him excite himself.  He imagined after his rest Mya would be back that evening.  She may not have been there for the moment but he imagined she would giggle and be amused to see his chest fur with his dried on spunk on it.

Mya gathered up her senses and came to.  She must have fallen asleep for a bit.  The day was starting to set.  She seemed to be alone.  By her she saw the giant marten's body still limp and with a smooth pool of blood around his middle from where it trickled down the side of his chest from the steak.  Groggily she came to her feet, it had hit on her just then.... Timon.... sick at home.  And the bergamont somewhere down the ravine scattered all over.
She felt that panic return again and she knew she had to get back, she was more than late.  Her nose began to sniff wildly again trying to sense the air once more for the plant, hoping to pick up on where she may have lost it.  Marten blood.... she scent of sexual fluid on her cloak,..... damp evening fog... Jerom's musk... bergamont!  It was surprisingly near.  It was just then that her vision filtering through the evening light saw the form of her meerkat lover resting against the side of a large boulder with his arms crossed.  His fur loincloth was back over his waist.  Mya went up to him, maybe to explain she needed to leave immediately and find the basket she dropped.  As she came up Jerom looked over at her panicked face with his still same slight scolding.  As if to chide her for going alone in this area..... or maybe for Timon....?  Before Mya spoke, the meerkat uncrossed his arms.  Clenched in one hand was a bouquet of the bergamont she had picked.  He handed it back to her.  A flashback of long ago... a smiling young, ever boastful and confident kat handing her a large white mallow flower he partly mangled while trying to run to her.  Mya took the bergamont in her hands.  
"Allright get on back.  Youre basket got broken up I'm afraid.  So you better walk back or find a way to tuck it into your cloak.  You REALLY need to watch what youre doing!"  he casually put his arms up behind his head and rested back against the rock face.  "You got super lucky you happened to run by me.  Ya know, don't expect I'm always going to be there to save your little ass."
She bristled a little at his disrespectful tone.   Yet, Mya reached out to him her free hand.  She was unsure what to say.  He then looked at her and snuffed with a snicker in sort of a mocking manner.  As she stood there his face went stern again. 
"Welll??? Get going!"
Mya clamped up and started.  
"Thank you, Jerom!"
She quickly turned and hurried off back homeward, the bergamont tight in her hands.