Outlawed In-laws (A TNC Novel)

Chapter 12

"So . . . cousins, huh?"

"Not now, Kiburi."

"What does that make them? Your distant uncles or something?"

"I said not now, Kiburi."

Kiburi rolled his eyes at Makuu's irritated remarks. It was a wonder how he hadn't completely snapped and flew into a rage just yet. If he did, then he at least had the chance to do something, unlike Kiburi, who couldn't do much of anything with a broken leg. He turned his attention back to the much older crocodiles, -- Kellan and his cousins Chibali and Kasim -- who were huddled together a few tail lengths away, discussing what they were going to do, now that Makuu had shown up.

"This place is no longer an option," Kellan said.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Kasim asked.

"Move to somewhere else, duh!" Chibali retorted.

"If we leave, fish brain, then the messenger won't know where to find us. And even if we did leave behind a message of some sorts for him, how could we trust him to be smart enough to follow it?"

Chibali did not have a retort immediately at the ready that time.

"So," Kasim started, turning his attention away from his brother and onto Kellan. "I say we wait here until the messenger comes back, and then after we send him away with an update, leave."

Kellan didn't show much of a reaction, but it did seem like he was thinking about it.

"Who's this messenger they're talking about?" Makuu whispered.

"I don't know," Kiburi whispered back. "Only ever saw Kellan."

"What about Chibali and Kasim?"

"They don't really hang around all that much. I think they prefer to keep to the shadows, out of sight and out of mind from everybody else."

"Except us."

"Right. Except us."

"You two do realize we can hear you, right?" Kasim called out.

"And you three must realize that we can hear you, too," Makuu stated.

A long, uncomfortable silence followed, as the two younger crocodiles and the three older crocodiles stared at each other.

Suddenly, the beating of small, feathered wings could be heard approaching the animals. The crocodiles all looked at the newcomer, but when Kiburi and Makuu recognized the bird, they were not happy.

"Talib?!" Both exclaimed simultaneously.

The hoopoe didn't seem to notice them at first, but when he glanced in their direction, his eyes alighted in surprise.

"Makuu?" Talib said. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here?" Makuu questioned, his temper rising.

"I...I..."

"He's here doing his job," Kellan defended in Talib's place.

Kiburi knew that Makuu wanted to snap at his father, but he also knew that he wasn't going to pass up a chance to question Talib, either.

"Why are you working with my father, Talib?" Makuu asked, getting down to the business of things. "What is he having you do?"

"Your father?" Talib said, tilting his head to one side.

"Yeah. You didn't know?"

"No, but then again, that isn't any of my business. If it isn't related to the objective, then I don't care about it. Just one of the . . . things . . . of the job."