A Crocodile's Journey

Chapter 21

Since that talk things seemed to be getting better between Kitwana and Makuu. The initial ice age between them had melted down considerably, and now they chatted rather amiably, though Makuu didn't have much to talk about regarding the time in captivity, and instead told Kitwana how things had actually turned very boring without him.

Kitwana spoke about his time with the humans, and all the things he learned from Jiji the 'pet'. The other animals approached to hear him out, curious to learn as much as they could from the 'two-legs'.

"What kind of animal would want to live with them?" Nurisha inquired a bit disdainfully, twitching her tail.

"That's the same thing I asked Jiji, and he didn't take it very kindly." Kitwana explained. "He really cared about that female human he lived with."

Julisha left her head from her grazing. "What about us? Does this mean humans want us as pets?"

"Not necessarily. Apparently, humans classify animals in two groups: domestic and wild. The domestic animals are those who are already accustomed and willingly serve to humans in exchange for food and care on their part. Animals like us classify as wild, thus not fit for being a pet. But there are other uses for wild animals, one of them being the zoos."

"Again with those zoo things, what does it even mean?" Jafari asked impatiently, snorting and stomping one hoof.

"Jiji made it sound like a sort of combination between an habitat and a prison. Wild animals are put in 'habitats' by species, and just... hang in there while humans come to stare at them."

"What do they win with that, just staring at wild animals? Don't they have better things to do?"

Kitwana shrugged. "I can't really say, I don't know much about humans other than what Jiji told me."

Makuu noticed there was one member of their party missing. "Where's Kiburi?" he asked, looking around the spring.

"Over the past days he's been keeping to himself a lot," Usian answered, licking his long claws for any leftover ants from his meal, and glanced at Kitwana. "I don't know what you said to him, kiddo, but I think it got him thinking."

"Kiburi? Thinking? I find it hard to believe." Makuu retorted, laying his head back on the ground.

"I hope I didn't hurt his feelings." Kitwana whispered, lowering his neck and looking down worriedly.

"If we're talking about the same Kiburi, you didn't. Still, I think I'll keep an eye on him, did any of you see where he went?"

Kalere pointed towards the direction of the waterfall with his wing. "That way."

Thanking the bird, Makuu set out in the direction of the waterfall, walking through the trees and the foliage. A few moments later, he emerged into the edge of the lake with the waterfall; like Kalere said, he found Kiburi on the edge of the water, looking at the waterfall forlornly.

"Kiburi." Makuu announced his presence.

"What?" Kiburi asked dryly, not bothering to even look at him.

"That's it? No sarcastic comment or prepotent insult?"

"Why bother? Nothing I say will actually affect you, so there's no point in it."

"Is it me, or you just admitted something? Usian wasn't joking, you really are weird." Makuu momentarily diverted his gaze, trying to figure what to say. He wasn't used to talking in such a... civilized manner with Kiburi. "Kitwana talked to you?"