Thank you, treemist ^_^ And moonandvenus, I'm not really sure what you're referring to.
Chapter 2: One Part Missing
"I still can't believe it." Maurice shook his head as he spoke to his king on their walk. "Clopar really tried to kidnap her?"
Julien nodded his head. "I know, Maurice, such craziness. If only I had been awake when she was."
"Don't be hard on yourself." Maurice told him. "You didn't know. None of us did."
"This is true." Julien agreed as he straightened up.
Maurice then smiled. "I'll never forget the look on Mort's face when you came back with Isobel."
Julien laughed himself. He remembered it well: He had carried Isobel back all the way, for she had been too weak to walk. And when Mort saw them, he had said something about Isobel looking as limp as a noodle. But he had stayed by Isobel's side day and night until she was better. It was only a few days, but Mort was completely concerned. And within those few days of recovery, Isobel had laid in her favorite spot; on Julien's throne.
"So, hey, what're we doing tonight?" Maurice asked. "It is Saturday. Everyone is already gone and nobody comes to the zoo tomorrow."
Julien shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. I think we were doing something with the penguins though."
Maurice nodded. "It's weird hanging out with the penguins. I mean, it's cool, just not used to it."
"Isobel is friends with them too, you see, Maurice." Julien explained. "She is bringing us together."
? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?
It was very humid inside of the reptile house. It did not bother Isobel in the least, but Mort had grown accustomed to the dry heat of New York and was getting hot. He had looked at everything from the slender green anoles to the color changing chameleons.
"Can we go home now?" Mort asked.
"Alright, let's go back." Isobel decided.
On their way out, she had an uneasy feeling. Her heart pounded, but she figured it was just anxiety from her previous experience, and so she brushed it off. She kept Mort close beside her as they walked back.
? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?
"And one, two, right kick! Left wing out, side sweep!" Skipper was putting his team through exercises on their cement platform.
"Skipper," Private said between moves, "I'm certainly glad Isobel is better."
Skipper agreed. "We all are, Private." It had scared him half to death that they had nearly lost her. He had felt –
"Skipper." Kowalski interrupted his thoughts. "Are we still getting together with the lemurs tonight?"
"I don't see why not." Skipper replied, dipping into a warrior's pose. "We should be done training by then."
? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ? ﾟﾒﾢ?
Mort sat in the long shade of a palm tree as he happily gnawed on a mango. The sun was fading fast. Julien and Maurice were back, sitting on the cool grass with Isobel. They were talking about anything, occasionally laughing as they passed time before meeting up with the penguins.
Isobel leaned back on her hands and tilted her head towards the sky, searching for the first star of the night that hid stealthily between exquisite bluish clouds. Julien watched her, and knew that a piece of her was missing. But he also knew that she would be back.