Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko, inspiration for this fic is thanks to Mewberries her site is advertised on my profile. Thank you for your time and attention.

Author's Note: Code: Pridelands has now beaten the record of most typed words! Six records of mine have been broken by this amazing fic, I am very proud! Thank you for all who have read and/or reviewed this wonderful fic!

Chapter 14

Apart yet together

Aelita pondered this as she laid by Jeremie, were her parents here on the replica? And how did her mother get away from the men that took her away? Aelita shifted a bit, she didn't doubt Zell but it didn't make any sense to her in the least.

“ Something wrong Princess?” Ulrich asked

Jeremie turned when he heard Ulrich speak up, Aelita lifted her head slightly and sighed.

“ Just thinking that's all.” Aelita replied

“ About what?” Yumi asked

“ Wondering if the lions Zell described are my parents.” Aelita replied

“ How could that be possible? Your mother was captured years ago.” Odd stated

“ I don't know Odd, but I feel that there's a connection.” Aelita replied

Jeremie nuzzled Aelita lovingly to calm her down, the pink furred female put her head on her paws and sighed as she cuddled closer to Jeremie. The female soon fell into a deep sleep, Jeremie put his head by Aelita's.

“ She has a really tight bond with you.” Zell stated

“ You have no idea.” Odd said rolling his eyes

“ We've been tight for a long time.” Jeremie said

A few hours later Yumi and Ulrich were fast asleep by the sparkling fire, Jeremie and Aelita were quietly dreaming as Odd and Zell slept peacefully. Their scarfs lay on the cave floor since they no longer needed, the weather was far too warm to wear them.

Odd awoke when sunlight hit his furry face, the male stretched and yawned, his purple fur was slightly messed from a restful night. He poked his head into Ulrich's backpack and grabbed some fruit and put them nearby, Odd turned when he heard a yawn he smiled when he saw it was Zell.

“ Morning Odd.” Zell greeted

“ Good morning.” Odd replied

“ Want me to wake the others?” Zell asked

“ No, they'll wake up on their own.” Odd replied

Zell stretched and shook off, the female looked at the sleeping couples and smiled slightly.

“ They're so lucky.” Zell stated

“ I know they are, I thought that I would have someone by now, but it hasn't worked out that way.” Odd said

Aelita moved a bit in her sleep but didn't awake she only moved closer to Jeremie as Odd and Zell conversed. Yumi awoke with a loud yawn, Ulrich awoke when he felt Yumi move, the male sat up and yawned.

“ Morning beautiful.” Ulrich greeted

“ Morning.” Yumi replied

Zell smiled as the two snuggled, they were so cute together, to Zell they were very lucky. Soon Zell heard Aelita yawn, she smiled when she saw Aelita nuzzle Jeremie lovingly the blond furred male awoke with a yawn.

“ Hey there Princess.” Jeremie stated

Aelita smiled as the male stretched and yawned, Jeremie sat down and pushed his glasses up with his tail.

“ Now all we have to do is find Lendar.” Ulrich stated

“ Then we're home free.” Odd added

“ I heard Zerno say that Lendar lives among the trees and river.” Zell stated

“ Come on lets start looking.” Jeremie said

The group left the cave and headed deep into the forest, Jeremie made sure Aelita stayed close as Ulrich and Odd made sure that Yumi and Zell stayed close to them. A pair of gray eyes watched the warriors as they walked through the forest, a light growl sounded as the eyes blinked and disappeared. Aelita saw something in the dried mud up ahead, she and Zell ran ahead to inspect it.

“ Looks like Lendar came through here recently.” Zell stated

“ About an hour ago I'd say.” Aelita said

The eyes reappeared, they could see Aelita and Zell inspecting the paw print that was apparent in the mud. The eyes blinked, evil sparkled in the gray orbs, a light growl sounded.

“ Did you hear that?” Aelita asked

“ I don't know,” Zell replied “ I think I did.”

Aelita shrugged as she inspected the print further, suddenly a ball of black energy hit the forest floor in front of Aelita and Zell, the two stumbled backwards in alarm. The two fell off the ledge and landed in the raging river with a splash.

“ Aelita!” Jeremie called

“ Zell!” Odd gasped

Zell gasped for air as she surfaced, her legs tried working against the current as she looked for Aelita, but she saw no sign of her. Zell's paws dug into the river bed but nothing was working, she then saw pink fur come to the surface of the river.

Aelita coughed as she tried to get some air, but she could hardly keep her head above the raging water that surrounded her small body. Aelita could hear something in the distance but her water-clogged ears made it hard to determine what it was.

“ Faster Odd.” Jeremie ordered

“ I'm doing what I can, but we can't out run a raging river.” Odd retorted

Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremie and Odd ran along the forest edge keeping the river sights. The four could see that Aelita and Zell were really struggling to keep themselves above the river's surface, Jeremie picked up his pace as the continued to run through the forest. Suddenly Ulrich came to a stop with the others right behind him

“ Oh no.” Yumi stated

The group gasped a waterfall was in their view! Jeremie searched the river for Aelita but he was having a hard time.

“ No, what are we going to do?” Jeremie asked

“ There's nothing we can do, the river is too wide.” Yumi replied

Zell yelped when a boulder greeted her back, the female shook her head a couple times but she ended up seeing the waterfall! Zell once again tried to dig her paws into the riverbed but the female couldn't get a good grip the river's current was too strong.

Aelita gasped as she surfaced again only to see the waterfall and Zell doing her best to stay above the water. Aelita started to dig her claws into the riverbed once again only to hear Zell scream, Aelita knew that she would be the waterfall's next victim. Aelita dug her claws in even deeper but ended up going under the water again.

“ Do you see her?” Jeremie asked

Ulrich scanned the river's surface the male said nothing as he continued to look.

“ Nothing yet, I know I saw her go under but I fear that the waterfall will claim another, it already took Zell over it's edge.” Ulrich replied

Aelita gasped for air as she surfaced again only to see her demise.

“ Aelita!” Jeremie yelled

A splash was all they could hear but the roar of the waterfall quickly replaced it a moment later.

“ No... Aelita.” Jeremie said

Jeremie sat down, his gaze was pointed at the ground, the others had their heads low as tears flowed down their muzzles.

“ Come on we need to find somewhere to sleep.” Ulrich said a tear sliding of his nose

“ Okay.” Jeremie replied tears sliding down his muzzle

Elsewhere...

Zell opened her eyes finding herself on a beach surrounded by the forest, she could see Aelita laying a few feet away out-cold on the dry sand. Zell lifted her head slight to see two light blue eyes in the darkness of the forest, the female blacked out her head moved to the side. The light blue eyes blinked a couple times and disappeared into the forest.