I don't own any of the characters apart from Amili (Swahili for 'guide') and Najiri (Swahili for 'emigrate').


Marty Gloria and Alex waited expectantly as they saw the three giraffes begin to approach, wondering what was in store. The hippo had got a bit anxious when she saw Melman leave with Amili, and it had taken both of the others to calm her down, but now there was no calm in any of them, just tenseness.

Melman was leading the other two giraffes as they approached, and his drawn appearance didn't do anything to reinsure his friends. Amili and her father finally stopped about thirty paces from the other group, and seemed to be waiting expectantly. There was a quick, silent discussion between the two younger giraffes, before he finally said, "well guys, this is Najiri."

This didn't seem to do anything, because while Marty said, somewhat lacklustre, "pleased to meet you," and Alex at least nodded and smiled half-heartedly, Gloria immediately gave Najiri a stern look, which the older giraffe returned.

Melman and Amili had another silent discussion, then the female said, "father, I'd like to to meet Gloria, Alex and Marty."

"Charmed," Najiri said, though he obviously wasn't, and indeed followed the statement with a quick, almost mocking smile.

In light of this Melman and Amili quickly agreed, and moved off to the side, giving the other four time to get acquainted. "What d'you think of the chances so far," he asked.

"A little better than I expected," Amili replied, "not much, but a little."

"So is there anything we could do," Melman asked, "you know, to speed it up?"

"Not much," Amili said, "although Gloria isn't helping."

"She likes to be in control," Melman said, "Although I get the feeling it's the same with your father."

"You can say that again," Amili admitted, "still it could be worse, at least he's still there."

"So you think he'll warm up to them," Melman asked.

"Probably," Amili replied, "although I might just go and have a word with him now."

"And I'll do the same for Gloria," Melman said, "good luck."

"Likewise," Amili replied. She approached Najiri, and said, "father."

"Amili," Najiri replied, finally looking away from Gloria.

"Can I have a word with you," Amili asked, "in private?"

"Certainly," Najiri replied, "now?"

"That would help, yes," Amili said, leading him away from the others. Once she'd lead her father a good distance from the others, she asked, "so what did you think of them?"

"I have to admit, they're different," Najiri replied, "certainly I'd never have thought a lion and a zebra could be much more than predator and prey, or king and subject at any rate."

"So you don't think they'd be too bad as companions," Amili asked hopefully.

"I'm less than certain about that," Najiri replied, "I'll have to know more about them."

"Well I'm sure that can be arranged," Amili replied, smiling, "they certainly don't seem to be ashamed of their, well, quite frankly, rather unusual upbringing, in fact, they're quite open about it, or at least they were with me."

"Indeed," Najiri said, "which would lead you to suggest that they would be similarly open with me?"

"I'm quite sure they would be," Amili replied, "you'd have to ask though."

"Yes," Najiri said suddenly seeming nervous, "yes indeed."

"Is, there a problem father," Amili asked, surprised at Najiri's sudden change in temperament.

Najiri considered denying it for a few moments, but decided against it, and so, closing his eyes, said, "yes there is, one that's been with me for a long time."

Amili was going to ask what the problem was, but quickly guessed, "you're nervous about socialising."

Najiri opened his eyes in surprise, and looked at his daughter, "you knew?"

"I wasn't really that hard to guess," Amili replied with a smile, "you always got a bit tense whenever we were even within sight range of a herd."

"It was that obvious," Najiri asked, suddenly embarrassed.

"It was to me," Amili replied, "but you know, sometimes the best way to deal with a problem is to first admit it."

"I don't see how that would help me here," Najiri replied.

"And nor do I admittedly," Amili replied, "but if you like, I'll do the talking."

"I would be, most obliged," Najiri replied, "especially how I've treated you in the past."

"Well I'm sure you can make it up to me somehow," Amili replied, "now, are you ready to properly meet our new friends?"

Najiri took a few deep breaths, before replying, "yes, yes I am."

"Good," Amili said, "then let's go."

"You're back," Marty said, when Amili and Najiri returned, this time to within ten paces.

"Yes," Amili said, "and father would like to apologise for his previous behaviour, since my mother went missing he's been more cautious and less trusting." She paused a moment, before going on, "he would however be quite interested in, learning, how the four of you came to be companions."

"Would he now," Marty asked, then looked around at the others, "well I'm sure we can do that."


"Well it's certainly one of the most, interesting stories I've ever heard," Najiri said when they'd finally finished, "fantastical almost to the point of being unbelievable, any yet..."

"And yet, what," Gloria asked.

"And yet I can't conceive it to be a, falsehood."

"Would you care to explain that a bit deeper," Gloria asked.

"Certainly," Najiri replied, "the tale is either the largest falsehood..." The sudden uproar drowned him out until he said loudly, "please, may I continue?"

"Go ahead," Gloria replied after a few moments, "but you'd better have a good reason for accusing us of lying."

"I didn't actually accuse you," Najiri said, "but as I was saying, the tale is either a very large falsehood, or it's true, despite being fantastical almost beyond words."

"So how would you describe it," Gloria asked, clearly angry, "a lie or the truth?"

"The truth," Najiri replied, "it simply has too much consistency to be a plausible falsehood."

"I don't think I understood," Marty said, "could you explain it again?"

"Very well," Najiri said, "the truth is easy to remember, we hear and see it, we experience it if you will."

"Okay," Marty said, "and a lie is different, how?"

"A lie is simply a creation of the imagination," Najiri replied, "a complex lie, unless well thought out, will have a significant number of inconsistencies, and your tale didn't have any, or at least not of the number or scale that would show it to be a falsehood."

"So you're saying it's believable because we all agree on it," Gloria asked.

"Quite frankly, yes," Najiri replied, "of course, different individuals have different opinions on certain issues, which you had, but I didn't detect any real disagreements on the bigger issues." He thought for a moment before adding, "and of course, the fact that you disagreed over minor factors was another indicator of truth."

"And that works how," Marty asked.

"If it was a lie it would have some gaping inconsistencies," Najiri replied, "but you would also have all been in more agreement about the smaller issues."