A Crocodile's Journey

Chapter 25

"Makuu?"

Akina had been looking for her mate for about half-an-hour, but he was not anywhere Lake Matope. He had last spoken with Kitwana, but then he had left. Kitwana had to explain to her what they had been talking about, which brought the revelation that he'd leave the Pride Lands once he learned how to fly.

No wonder Makuu had ran off like that!

However, this also gave her a clue as to where he had gone.

She went towards Big Springs, where Basi confirmed her suspicions. She walked into the group of trees, and found her mate resting in the clearing where everything began.

"Makuu?" she asked gently, stepping forward. "Are you okay?"

"I want to be alone..." he said, not looking at her.

"Kitwana told me he wants to..."

"I just can't believe it..." Makuu whispered, sounding almost mad. "After everything we've been through, despite all of that he's leaving. It's almost as if nothing really mattered..."

"Don't say that!" Akina scolded gently. "He just wants to see the world, but it doesn't mean it's easy for him."

"Then again, perhaps it was childish on my part to think things would go back to the way they were before this whole thing happened," Makuu said with a sigh. "And the kid is not a kid anymore, not to mention he has gained lots of wisdom. Don't take me wrong, I am proud of who he is, but..."

"You don't want him to go anymore." Akina finished, stepping closer to him and lay down next to him, glancing at her mate with compassion.

"What if he never comes back? What if he likes those other lands so much he'll decide to settle there?"

"I don't think it will come to that. His friends and family are here, and I don't think he'll be willing to cut off ties with all of this."

"I will certainly miss him if he goes."

"And he will miss you too," Akina said, gently rubbing her head against his comfortingly. "But it's part of the Circle of Life. New lives come into the world, and it's a parent's job to teach, care for and protect them... and then let them go."

Makuu released a snort, but it wasn't an annoyed one. He pondered on her words for some time, before sighing sadly upon realizing she was right. He had known from the beginning it would eventually come to this, but to him it still felt like yesterday when the little egg had just hatched and the chick followed him around, calling him 'mama'.

A few seconds later, he sighed again and then got to his feet. "Well, if we're going to part ways again, at the very least whatever time we have left should be memorable, right?"

Akina smiled.

XXXXX

Though Kitwana had mastered the glide in such a short time, he still was unable to fly. No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to fly at all. Instead he'd land roughly on the ground. Despite the float going to cheer him up, he still couldn't manage to take off even from the highest branch of the tree. It didn't help that many animals approached him throughout the day to inquire about the humans and whatever he knew of them.

In fact, this was the reason Makuu had started taking his crocodiles to Kitwana's flight lessons, other than to give his foster son some backup.

This went on for many days, until he got tired of it and got close to giving up. Thankfully Mshale wasn't around to mock him, since Bakshi had driven him away from the flock for a few days for picking a fight with a younger chick, which gave some of the other egrets (especially Dalila) a break.