"Not another one," mumbled a very annoyed Layla as she started up the old and dust-covered jeep. Until now she had found little wildlife, so little in fact that she mused about an animal conspiracy to scatter and hide from her every time she got close.

One creature, however, was not in on this secret scheme- the African wild dog. In fact, it went out of its way to make its presence known. Wherever Layla tried to stop for a moment and orientate herself, one of these native canines would come up to her and bark its head off. The dog might think that it had scared the blond off its territory, but in truth she was just irritated by the constant high-pitched yapping.

Finally, stopping some distance away, under the not-much-cooler shade of a tree, Layla took a moment to see where she was heading. She had kept in mind the general direction of where Paddy's Camp was and made an effort to remember visual landmarks so she could get back.

Layla started thinking how angry old Paddy would be when she finally returned- he might even report her to the authorities. When it came right to it- she had stolen a vehicle in a foreign country. To Layla, however starting a criminal record didn't really bother her, moreover she thought it would be an amusing tale to tell when she got back home.

The former Kaleido star would however firstly reveal this to one person and one person only. Layla was starting to imagine how low Sora's jaw would drop when she heard the tale of her prim and proper friend committing a carjacking. I'm sure you'd visit me in jail Sora or even bail me out if necessary,Layla joked to herself as she smirked just slightly.

"Back to the matter at hand," the woman said to herself.

Talking out loud like that was something she was starting to get more used to, it gave her a greater sense of freedom of expression. Years she spent as the silent type and only in moments of great distress would she mumble to herself, but now she talked as if there was someone next to her listening.

In the distance Layla saw what she thought were some gazelles, but the heat- haze made everything hard to see and the sun was much too bright for even her dark shades to filter. Movement confirmed her suspicion- a herd of some kind were gathered around a group of trees a good distance away.

Whilst on the road the jeep handled well and was moderately fast here in this rough and oddly shaped terrain. Her tires slipped at times and rocks were plenty.

Layla now understood why Paddy was as upset about this car as it indeed moved slowly in the terrain. But with the concept of "slow and steady wins the race", the blond slalomed around rocks, dirt and vegetation to the destined trees where she had seen the herd of animals, leaving dust clouds in her wake.

But as she reached the area, all the animals seemed to have vanished completely. Layla was surprised and a bit frustrated at how a group of creatures could have disappeared so quickly. With a sigh, she resumed her earlier idea on the highly unlikely animal conspiracy against her.

However that thought didn't last long as again she heard the annoying bark. Disappointment turned into annoyance once again. Layla now started a new theory that these dogs were intent on following her- to either make her their dinner or to drive her insane.

At the end of her tether at that very moment, she sunk her head in defeat onto the steering-wheel. A loud "BEEP" resounded in the air. Birds flapped away in alarm.

Jolted, and heart-rate going a mile a minute, Layla quickly removed her head from the wheel. After a moment, she turned her head and looked down. Hopefully the new and shrill noise scared off that unwanted canine.

Big black eyes stared straight into Layla's annoyed blue ones. She sighed in defeat- the dog was still present, and apparently unfazed. If it were capable, Layla was sure it would even laugh at her.

Layla decided to try a new tactic. She decided to wait, because surely the animal would become bored with her inactivity in the vehicle. She grew determined to simply sit it out with patience and tire it out.

Strangely, Layla recalled how May used to bark like a dog as well when angered, and fantasized the Chinese girl confronting the dog in a barking match; she would probably chase it away for good measure.

Layla however couldn't bring herself to argue with the creature on its level, and sat for a while listening to the repeating sound of the non-stop canine chorus.

Putting her hands on the steering wheel Layla wondered whether she should drive on, or if she should chase the dog in her jeep. A passing thought of animal cruelty crossed her mind. But it's being cruel to me!

A seeming stroke of good fortune occurred as the African dog became suddenly silent. It now sat there almost like its domestic relatives in front of its master. It looked over its shoulder and then turned back to Layla who finally could get some silence. As it sat, Layla could start her safari with this…rather persistent creature. Its coat was a mixture of spots and layers of brown, white, black and a light orange. The ears were quite large even for a dog, but it was still a dog.

The study was however short-lived, as the canine started barking again much to Layla's irritation. As if it had tried to mess with Layla and give her false hopes of silence, it even barked louder than before, replenished by the short break.

Layla's response was to let out her short-lived aggression on the steering wheel she had previously rested her hands on. The result of the frustrated punch caused the glove compartment to open, revealing all kinds of junk. It never occurred to her to look there for anything, because she was already jumping the gun by "borrowing" the jeep.

However she found two magazines there, thankfully both in English. One was a novel entitled "Life in the Savanna" which she put back out of lack of interest, but the other one seemed a kind of magazine similar to National Geographic entitled "Africa revealed".

Starting up the old engine again, Layla moved on out of the range of the wild dog that seemed to enjoy annoying her to no end. Finally after a bit she found a spot where nothing bothered her. A few meters away, she stopped the jeep, and peered for any signs of wildlife. Seeing that she was safe for now, Layla turned off the engine and flipped open the magazine and instantly noticed the sticky-notes throughout the pages.

Upon closer inspection Layla noticed two sets of writing on certain notes. One was an almost scribble-like style whilst the other was in very a calligraphic but elementary style- the kind a second grader would use. Layla pondered a bit on that, and concluded the childish writing probably belonged to Thulani, because those notes contained terms not in English. The magazine probably belonged to Paddy and was used as reference-book for a guide-in-training.

One section of the book was highlighted in bold- it was an article about elephants.

"Musth" Layla read aloud, and recalled the old man talking about how the male elephants entered it.

In the book it was described as a state of hormonal arousal in which male elephants become increasingly aggressive. The animals would not eat for this period, and this state of aggression could last for some time. A male during musth could be easily be identified by a secretion on both sides of its head. This slick should be a clear warning sign to all, that the elephant is much more dangerous at this point.

Layla found a sticky note written by Paddy in the margin, "If you ever run across a bull elephant in musth you're…" The rest of the note was illegible because it had had been crossed out completely- probably by Thulani. But Layla clearly got the message and made a mental note to avoid it at all costs.

Africa was not just a beautiful getaway Layla reminded herself, but an intense battlefield where only the laws of nature were abided.

Skimming another few pages, Layla found something that interested her and began to read aloud like some school-grade science teacher.

"Despite its apparent barren landscapes, the plains of Africa, even in the height of summer are teeming with life. One just needs to know where to look for it. There are a few simple things to look out for in order to have encounters with most of the African wildlife.

First, the vegetation is a dead give-away most of the time. Where there are plants close to each other or progressively getting closer there must be a water source somewhere nearby. Most typically, there will be a waterhole or a river depending where you are. But once you have found such a place your search is over. Now all the animals will come to you- as all life needs water to survive. There are however, only certain times at which certain animals will show up, so one should prepare for a long patient wait. Whether you are an ace wildlife photographer, or a novice explorer, this is where you would want to be.

However, and you probably guessed it- you won't see much action there besides a fierce drinking contest. In order to get to the predators whilst they do what they do best, you should look out for our second wildlife indicator – the vulture."

Layla raised an eyebrow, her interest now piqued.

"This bird mainly scavenges, so whenever you see two or three circling above you, you know something happened or will happen in that direction. Don't feel smart using them as a beacon, as all animals, mostly carnivores- are drawn to them."

Layla finished and drank some water out of her bottle, feeling the need to moisture her dry mouth. She considered what she read so far and saw that Paddy also underlined this part of the magazine.

With the article in mind Layla looked around at her surroundings, using her hand as a shield to wade off the glare of the sun which was starting to get to her. The trees seemed all similar to her in density so she directed her vision towards the sky, where after some time she spotted a bird flying in circle.

This was the blond's lucky break; she quickly started the jeep and raced towards the destination, hoping not to arrive too late.

The terrain was tricky however and she had to be careful not to accidentally flip the vehicle. A rather large log diverted her off course, and she got a burst of acceleration as she headed down a slope.

Surprised by the sudden speed Layla slammed the brake before stopping in the middle of some sort of depression. Calming herself after this little shock, she looked around and realized where she had driven into –a dry riverbed. This unexpected detour turned into a pleasant surprise to the blond; the riverbed provided a flat surface she could easily drive on.

The vulture which she had spotted earlier was also in the general direction this river once flowed so she could get there with ease. More luck also seemed to be cast upon her as the single circling vulture had been joined by half a dozen in the air.

Something BIG was definitely there and Layla didn't waste time to put the pedal to the metal.

At a bend in the river the former Kaleido Star found herself in a pinch. The river flowed away from her destination so this is where she needed to leave the riverbed, but the dried up river Layla had driven into was a big one, and the slopes here were pretty steep as well.

She tried to drive up the bank, but soon she found her two front wheels now grounded on nothing but air, and the jeep began sliding down. Still she pressed on, but halted as she realized the jeep would tip on its back if she were to go further upward.

"Not good, not good."

After but a moment, Layla put the jeep in reverse, which was surprising considering that she had never before driven- let alone gearshift. This blond had more than enough common sense to realize that this was not the way she would get up. But time was of the essence, so she backed up even farther until the she reached the opposite slope. Without a second thought, Layla then jumped it in second gear and accelerated the hell out of the vehicle.

The slope she had tried to conquer previously now became a stunt ramp and Layla found herself air-borne for a few seconds before landing relatively safe onto the ground with a heavy thump…at least three of her wheels did. The fourth wheel was suspended over the edge, but Layla was too close to her goal to give up and strained the jeep even more.

"Come on!" she impatiently demanded as she changed between gears to get her fourth wheel onto solid ground. Suddenly she felt all four tires touching the earth, was quick to continue her chase.

As the distance to her destination grew closer, Layla's excitement grew bigger, and new things were picked up by her senses. For one thing, an incredibly strong odor reached her nose; it was quite unpleasant. The smell continued to intensify, and as she approached closer, sounds of life were audible. Some were the vultures up above whilst other were bovine-type sounds, but growls could also be heard.

As a large herd came into view she was presented with her first major wildlife nature scene.

A herd of buffalo were all clumped up standing some distance away, appearing to be wary and alert. Defensive as they appeared, Layla could see why as she instantly recognized the cause for the disturbance- lions.

Fear took a back seat in favor of curiosity as Layla drove slowly closer to the scene, until one of the female lions took notice and let out a low growl at her. Even with the engine running, Layla heard it and took the warning seriously; she quickly reversed some distance until she felt safe again.

Unfortunately she couldn't view the scene too well now, and needed a pair of binoculars. However after a search the blond could not find any; there was nothing in the backseats or in the glove compartment. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to try, she reached underneath her seat. She felt something under there, but didn't even want to speculate what it was.

After a bit more probing, she felt something solid she could grab onto and pulled it out. She held in her hands, a pair of old binoculars that had duct tape in a few places. At least the lenses were in impeccable shape. At least the old guide knows what's important to observing these animals.

She checked their focus and quickly (and quietly) stood up on the back seats.

Surprisingly close, Layla could now view the lions a lot more clearly and it positively thrilled her. Although the dead buffalo was far from a pretty sight, Layla knew to respect these predators and to understand their need for survival in this wild place.

Layla drew her attention to the nearby herd of buffalo, and found they were starting to move on as a single unit. So she turned back to the scene of the feast. Layla watched the animals, fascinated at their behavior while tearing apart skin and meat with their huge teeth. Some even fought each other for prime pieces. She could now verify for herself how intimidating lions could be, but she did notice something peculiar.

All the lions present were female. To her it seemed odd why only the lionesses had hunted and a group this big should have a male leader. Opening the magazine she searched for any specific article regarding lions and their society. She quickly found what she was looking for, and read the part to herself. She made sure to keep quiet this time as she didn't want to draw attention and become dessert.

Lions form prides with one or more leaders controlling them. It can be a single male, or a coalition of two, or a maximum of three males. Usually these males are from the same family, but there have been cases where this did not apply and the number of leaders was even larger.

Even though they are normally outnumbered by the females they dominate, they rule through pure strength and intimidation- making them more than a considerable threat. Whilst we look at a lion's mane as a symbol of pride and nobility, for lions it is just a display of virility and power.

However, even though they are physically stronger than the females, they almost never hunt. That mane that is used to impress is their biggest handicap and it makes them easy to spot by any of the potential prey. As a consequence, the males almost never hunt for themselves and would rather gorge on the work of the lionesses, or if they do not have a pride- scavenge from other animals they can overpower.

As if to confirm what she was currently reading she heard a powerful roar. Startled, Layla quickly turned to the source of the startling sound. A huge blur of dark gold was running towards the kill. The darker mane was indeed distinctive and as the huge animal stopped by the dead buffalo, all the females backed down away from it. The male lion sniffed the kill a bit, and approved by roaring even more loudly.

Layla felt herself shaken by the sound. Although impressed by their strength, the blond didn't really consider them such noble creatures as she once did as they preyed upon and used the weaker animals.

However the females didn't seem to mind, and after the male had his fill, they ate to their heart's content before moving away to rest with the male in the shade of some high rock formations.

This pause in action also made Layla pause her observations to continue reading the article.

Despite looking like spoiled kings, male lions still have the huge task of having to defend the pride from other males and predators. Such a reign doesn't last very long in most cases. If it however, wasn't for the protection of the cubs the lionesses would not need the male lion in their groups.

Layla took another look to see if any of the females had offspring with them, but either they were hidden or had been left safe in some other place.

She took another few minutes to observe the napping animals before moving on. After reading that lions sleep most of the day especially after they have eaten, she decided that this is as good as it was going to be.

Seeing the pride of lions up close was all very exciting, and probably more than most expect to see, but it somehow wasn't enough. Layla was ready for the next wild adventure, which now left her in a dilemma.

"Which way should I go?" she asked aloud to herself. Suddenly she remembered the direction the herd of buffalo headed off in. Driving in a wide arc around the sleeping pride she again had to deal with the bumps and rocks of the terrain; there would be no shortcut this time.

As she drove to what seemed to be in the direction the sun was going to set, she stopped for a bit as her skin started to burn. The African sun was much more potent than the Californian one she had to admit. She already reprimanded herself on not bringing any sunscreen a long time ago, so now she just had to keep herself hydrated. She had another bottle and a half of water which would probably last her for the rest of the day, but she definitely had to retrace her steps back to the camp before the day was over.

Layla slowed down as she entered a new plain of the savanna, this one much larger than the other ones. Trees were even scarcer here. The grass here seemed to be a bit higher, or maybe it was the absence of trees that made it seem so. Close by, were the same herd of buffalo. Apparently these animals were in no rush to get to their destination, which Layla assumed was a waterhole.

Naively, Layla presumed they would walk in a straight line so she drove far ahead of them. In the guide she read that sometimes animals will get much closer to the observer if they have seen it for a while. A tree in the distance seemed to be the only dispenser of shade in the immediate area so she drove towards it.

But out of nowhere, Layla began to hear some kind of disturbance. It sounded like running. Just as she turned to the side, a herd of gazelle raced close to the jeep, and barely avoided colliding with the vehicle. After a few short moments, they stopped running, their heads held high and their eyes alert. Their ears swept the whole area for something unseen.

Layla turned her engine off again to not to disturb the animals. Unlike these grazers, she was much more secure against predators in her jeep. But what had caused this commotion was not yet clear and how quickly the herd appeared was a surprise to her. They ran incredibly fast, but now they were all standing still.

Layla took a moment to observe them carefully. The most outstanding features were the arched back horns and the black stripe on either side of the slender yet strong body. It took a while for the herd to calm down, but eventually they did. To her surprise and amazement some of the animals started prancing around and jumping to impressive heights.

Even with this apparent relief, Layla could sense there was still tension in the air. A quick look at the trusty magazine answered her question.

According to a short tidbit in a corner, she learned that gazelles jump to great heights in order to portray their fitness. Any hunter would thus know that such a healthy animal would take far too much effort to catch and take down. This behavior is specifically directed at cheetahs, which are the greatest threats to these gazelle- called Thompson's Gazelles, or nicknamed Tommie's.

Layla looked up again at the gazelle. All the animals here were bred to perfection through hundreds of years of evolution and that alone impressed Layla. However, she did not envy these creatures that were pressed by necessity and not their own desire to such extremes.

To rear of the jeep, a very faint, short rustle was heard. The blond turned and saw the higher grass bend out of the way, something was definitely behind her. The need to identify the source of the sound was most important, and risking her safety, Layla climbed atop the driver's seat.

However, Layla was not ready to see such a huge feline coming around the back corner of her jeep, let alone brush so close to the vehicle. The only thing that Layla could do was remain still. She remembered that all felines abide by one rule: if it moves it's alive, if it's alive- it can be eaten. I'm alive. I can be eaten!

Just as the former Kaleido Star devised a plan to foolishly defend herself, the slender feline walked right past her. At a better angle, Layla identified the spotted creature: a full grown and beautiful cheetah- a cheetah that was in the midst of food. Something was going to happen.

Still shaken as the animal had snuck so effortlessly behind and past her, Layla let out a deep breath. She wondered, while rubbing her arms, how in this dazzling heat she was able to experience cold sweat. The close contact was a little too close for her liking.

As the cheetah moved farther from her, the blond wondered why the animal had walked so close to the vehicle when there was so much expanse of land. She deduced that since they were out in the open, the jeep made for good cover in this cheetah's stalking of the herd of gazelles. The gazelles, Layla noticed were still on high alert.

The odds seemed staggered against the feline as there were more than a dozen pairs of eyes doing nothing but looking out for such threats. However Layla also knew the reputation that preceded the cheetah as the fastest land living animal, and wondered why it just didn't dash after its prey.

As the cheetah came crept closer to the unsuspecting gazelles, the grass was getting progressively thinner and shorter. The grazers knew how to use the terrain to their protection.

However, the hunting cat was skilled in the art of patience. It would only start to crawl towards them when the watchful sentries would either look in another direction or lower their head to nibble off the grass.

Layla looked at the feline, its tail twitched slightly in anticipation and Layla was starting to feel it as well. Nature was offering Layla quite a spectacle. And not wanting to miss it, she dared not move, let alone blink. She knew that a fast paced chase was close at hand and kept her eyes glued to the scene.

A kill was indeed at hand, and craving for the loss of life was not a thing to be desired, Layla knew, but put into this context- she was eager to see the cheetah live up to its reputation.

Judging by the direction of the predator's head and crawling path, the blond unconsciously started to narrow down the possible victims. The prancing Tommie's were not even considered as possible prey as they would offer too great of a chase. No, it would be one of two fauns eating grass.

Each cautious step now became much more careful, the smallest increment would make the chase easier. Layla, for her part did not fully understand the challenge even such a small animal could pose, but the cheetah surly must know better.

It seemed to have reached its optimal distance, and now stood very still, crouched impossibly low to the ground. But rather than dash off, it decided to remain stationary for another few moments, possibly waiting to see if the unsuspecting animal would come closer.

Layla, still perched atop the seat, daring not to breath, began anticipating the best chance to catch the prey. The faun lowered its head. Now! No sooner had she thought that, the cheetah sprung from its hidden position and was off!

A dash so fast Layla didn't even get the chance to blink or even begin to think. The speed was phenomenal, and the unlucky fawn had to turn itself around and start its race for survival.

The dust that was created by the cheetah's claws ripping the ground was blowing towards Layla. As irritating as it was, the blond could still not get herself to remove her eyes from the chase.

Instead of a straight course, the chase was starting to turn into a slalom with tight and unexpected turns. This was the fawn's trump card, it could turn in a much smaller arc and it decided where and when to turn.

In the meantime, the rest of the herd moved away from the action. Birds in the trees and air broadcast the message further to other animals. The feline didn't even take notice of the racket; total concentration was on the prey as it was nearly in its grasp. Almost touching the faun's hind legs, the cheetah gambled and stretched out a paw in its stride in attempt to trip the young gazelle, but the timing was slightly off. The fawn jumped at the right moment and took a sharp turn.

With this quick maneuver, the gap between hunter and hunted increased, but the cheetah was quick to catch up. Running for its very life the young Tommie utilized all the techniques it was born with, and did quick zigzag maneuvers, even faking turns to further throw off its persistent pursuer.

Watching all of this, Layla felt the excitement, the exhilaration of the chase and had lost all sense of time. In reality, less than a minute had passed, but to her it felt a lot longer and she wondered just how much longer it would last.

Unexpectedly, the cheetah slowed down as it missed yet another turn of the crafty young gazelle. The loss was sealed; it didn't even bother chasing the fawn any further. Today, the gazelle won, and was rewarded the gift of life for a while longer. The feline on the other hand, would participate in other chases. It headed off in the direction of some nearby shade to recuperate.

It took a while for Layla to finally look away and blink moisture back into her dry eyes. Even though the former Kaleido Star felt slightly disappointed, that chase was something she would remember for the rest of her life.

Layla, calming down herself, compared the Cheetah to a drag-racer. Both were undoubtedly fast, but only for a short period of time, and if they tried to prolong their maximum output their "engines" would fail.

It seemed a bit unfair to leave such a great performance un-rewarded. But then again, Layla had underestimated the gazelle's speed and ability to out maneuver the predator.

To think that such spectacles happened many times every day was an amazing notion, and Layla was very impressed with both the winner and loser.

Like the resting cheetah, Layla needed a break and took some time consulting with the neglected magazine. Surprisingly, she found an extract stating that cheetahs actually run the risk of overheating. In fact, many of their hunts failed and those that succeeded could be exploited by larger predators such as lions or even hyenas.

In Layla's eyes, the cheetah was faced with such harsh competition, so she proclaimed it the underdog of the savanna.

However the polite respects she paid to the animal were instantly interrupted as the animal she was just thinking about- which was not far away in the shade anymore –was in fact walking towards the jeep. Layla just sat there, frozen in the driver's seat.

What the feline wanted was not yet clear, but it kept coming closer. With each approaching step, the blonde's heart rate increased and fear was starting to surface. Trying to keep her cool, Layla kept the tactic of remaining absolutely still and at the same time, thinking of something she could use to distract the animal with.

Without any noise or warning, the cheetah closed the final distance and leapt onto the hood of the jeep.

Layla's only response was a short, startled "Eep!" which the feline picked up. It looked over to the human and its eyes met sky-blue orbs which it then looked into.

On the other side of that stare, Layla was feeling a bit relieved as the look the animal gave her was just one of curiosity. The feline eyes she gazed into were breathtaking. Such an intense shade of red and brown could only be described as a brilliant amber color. They seemed strangely friendly, but more uncaring.

Having looked enough at Layla it turned its attention out into the open savanna. The former Kaleido star guessed that this wild animal was used to the presence of humans due to the various tours that covered this region. Thankfully, it seemed that humans were not on the menu today.

By the way the cheetah's gaze was sweeping the landscape, Layla now understood the meaning behind this encounter. The jeep simply provided a vantage point for the cheetah to look for other prey. After a few moments the cheetah stilled, and shortly after, leapt down from the hood and headed off far into the distance. Just as quickly as it had come, it was gone.

"Woah" exhaled Layla. The up close and personal look she got of the animal, the particular scent it gave off, the distinctive black marks running from its eyes as if they were past tears, were all features etched into her memory. But most important were those captivating eyes which betrayed a finely aged and experience soul.

Layla didn't get a chance to determine its gender, but after this encounter she dubbed this animal Amber.

This was the type of encounter every tourist wished for, and Layla knew just how lucky she was. Once back home she would tell people about these amazing encounters. Some, she suspected would not take her seriously, but one person she knew would believe her word for word. Thinking about that one special person Layla resumed her journey.

From the rear view mirror, a small dust cloud had risen a short distance away. It appeared that the buffalo had finally caught up to her and were still on their direct route. Knowing she was not part of this convoy she drove ahead again, remembering that her original objective was to reach the supposed waterhole. Still the unexpected encounter with the cheetah was a more than enough reason for her delay.

Her journey thus continued but came to a stop much faster than she had anticipated. The waterhole the buffalos were headed to was only a couple of hundred meters away, but because of the heat haze you could not have seen it from a distance.

Layla didn't drive too close to it; her jeep might have rolled down and sunk into the water, scattering the peaceful animals.

In close proximity, Layla spotted a group of three trees and determined them to be a good point to observe the incoming animals. Parking the car between two of the trees until it bumped into the third. She hoped that like this, the animals would consider her a boulder jammed between some trees and just part the natural background. If it didn't work she would at least have a very well-shaded place to sit and wait for the slowly approaching buffalo.

Unlike the earlier events, this setting was far more peaceful and relaxed, a nice change from the feeding frenzy and the fast paced chase she had witnessed. However the animals that came to this place to quench their thirst weren't really new to her. The buffalos she had been observing for some time and the gazelle that were here before her were probably from the herd that was attacked by the Cheetah.

Even so, Layla looked on with interest. For the first time since observing the grazers, she noticed the small birds resting on them, especially on the buffalo. The big bovines seemed very comfortable with the small passengers as they would groom their hides and catch any insect that was attracted by the strong odor. Layla smiled at the thought of these feathered companions being kept around for maintenance- a convenient relationship of mutual benefit.

Overall, she was presented with a nice scene, and her decision to stay amongst the trees worked out as she could very easily see the animals. The strong odor she still couldn't get fully used to, but it became easier to tolerate over time.

However such a peaceful scene seemed to Layla as if she was wasting time. Up until now, she had been confronted with intense action no documentary could ever hope to achieve, and consequently she was not used to this lull in action, though she knew that she had been riding on her luck the whole time.

Like a child robbed of her fun, Layla became bored. One good thing about being out here, was that no one could tell her that she was behaving inadequately and she didn't run the risk of being caught acting this way. Before she even realized it, Layla started humming some silly refrain while tapping on the steering wheel before she abruptly stopped.

"Wait, what am I doing?"

This was certainly not the professional character she had built up and perfected so many years ago. She composed and seated herself in the dirty chair in a more refined manner, hoping to regain her seriousness.

Only to then chuckle as she realized how silly she looked in the front seat of an old beat-up vehicle, acting like she was sitting in a five star restaurant about to order champagne. Not knowing which posture to take, Layla struggled to understand her behavior but something else quickly put that thought on hold.

It was not hard to overlook, the massive body with equally large ears made them visible enough to see from a distance. However, they had been so silent in their approach, that they were already about 30 meters to her right- much to Layla's shock.

And even more unfortunately, the elephants did not think her jeep was a boulder, and immediately took notice of strange vehicle.

Escape would not be easy as the trees she had surrounded herself with, would make backing out very difficult. Slowly, she extended her hand to the key in the ignition, but even her slow movements were detected by the pachyderms who then signaled to their companions that she had been spotted.

How surprisingly similar the blast sounded to a trumpet call Layla thought for a moment before fear returned to her in full force.

She saw the biggest elephant taking point and standing her off, the ears flapping to their full extent, to increase the animal's already more than considerable size. It then took one step forward, testing its ground whilst Layla was about to turn the ignition key. At the last second, she halted her action, thinking that the sudden noise would provoke the elephants to charge. She had no choice but to sit it out and hope for the best.

The elephant took another step forward shaking its head, flapping its enormous ears trying to appear as intimidating as it could to Layla. The blond however did not need further proof of its colossal stature and might, and was reconsidering an attempt to escape in her vehicle.

But before she could execute her plan, the animal charged. Bracing for impact, Layla was sure she had seen the animal run towards her, but when she looked to see what had happened in that fraction of a second- the elephant was still in the same position.

The mock charge to which Layla had only given a response of a startle seemed to assure the pachyderm that this creature behind the tree was not a threat. The blond on the other hand, had been scared quite severely for the second time today. But unlike the cheetah, she would not have had the slightest chance of fighting back.

Now the elephants didn't seem to care about Layla and moved on to the waterhole. The elephant that had mock-charged Layla, moved along with its companions, but kept a careful eye on her in case.

Not for the first time that day, the former Kaleido Star felt her heart beat uncontrollably in her chest. She let out a huge breath she didn't even know she was holding. Knowing what could have happened, she smiled to herself thanking fate that it didn't end there.

It always seemed absurd how people escaping tense situations would laugh at their life and death experience, but Layla now understood that the adrenaline and consequent exhilaration provoked the euphoria. Shortly put, if one was happy to be alive, they would smile.

Using their trunks to take up water, the elephants had obviously been thirsty for some time, which reminded Layla that she was thirsty as well. After a long drink, Layla spotted just why the giant animals were so defensive.

Amongst the towering legs there was one small baby elephant, so vulnerable yet so safe amongst its kind. Unlike its elders the little one drank the water directly with its mouth, which it could with its small stature. Layla wondered if the tiny pachyderm knew what its trunk was actually for, as it seemed to move it in an uncoordinated fashion. At least it was small enough to fully bathe in the water unlike the others of the herd.

Again suffering the curse of boredom, Layla began to consider joining the elephants for a dip in the waterhole, or to try and hop on the back of one of them ala Tarzan.

Maybe all this nature is getting to me.

Suddenly the little elephant ran up the slope and wedged itself between the larger animals. The rest of the herd started to flap their ears and began show signs of agitation. Then they actually took point to defend themselves.

Confused by what was happening, Layla reached to the magazine for an explanation.

Just as she was about to read an entry about elephants, a loud trumpeting resounded throughout the land. Layla dropped the book, only to look up and see that all the animals were staring right back at her.

But that didn't make any sense; the pachyderms had endured her presence for some time now as had the other herbivores. Suspecting something worse she turned around to see the real cause of the disturbance.

A huge elephant, much larger than the one she had encountered before had come up behind her car without her noticing. The other elephants must have sensed it far sooner than she had.

Layla didn't need a guidebook to know that this elephant was the real danger.

As it drew closer to the jeep, it spotted Layla and took a dominant stance towards her. Just then the wind blew and a very peculiar scent wafted up to Layla's nostrils. She then noticed, much to her horror- moisture of sorts dripping off the sides of the elephant's massive head.

A shiver much more profound ran down Layla's spine. Fear was telling her to run, but her instincts stopped her, there was no chance to escape this animal. This was a test of nerve and Layla knew it, but somehow her instincts were telling her this was far more dangerous than that.

Instinct fighting fear and the urge to flee, Layla kept outwardly calm even as the animal stomped its feet and began to run towards her.

Fear won out, but Layla could only sit and stare as the massive creature charged the jeep. Layla was jerked along with the jeep as it rattled upon impact. Objects flew everywhere.

It all was so fast, but to Layla it all seemed so slow, and time seemed to have stopped.

Fully aware of what was happening and taken over by fear and adrenaline, Layla tried to jump out of the vehicle when it started to leave the ground, but she felt her legs being caught.

Instead, she was being flung around just like the jeep, her body no longer under her own control, flying like a rag-doll. All that Layla saw at the moment was drilled into her memory.

Everything that was happening to Layla was terrifyingly clear: the sheer force of each impact, the putrid odor, the sounds of the animals, the lush green of the trees, the magazine that was now airborne, its pages flipping in the wind, the glint of the cracked windshield in the sun, and finally the look of pure rage in the elephant's eyes.

The last thing she saw, was the relentless animal charging the dented jeep again, and then nothing as her vision tilted up until it met with the glare of the sun which made everything fade into a blinding white.


It's been a while and I am sorry, but I hope people will enjoy this chapter.

Big thanks go to Falling Awake for proofreading this and many other chapters.

After this the two storylines will start to merge a bit more as the plot now starts. Oh and cliffhanger, I'm sooo mean. :P

So for all reading this I hope you are not to mad at me for taking so long.

But as you all know: Read & Enjoy & Review.