AJ was the light and eye to Melman and Gloria. He grew up faster than the other baby birdies. And when I mean the light and eye to Melman and Gloria… I really mean light and eye, because when Melman can't see a fruit up on the tree but he knows its there, AJ is the eye of Melman to look for the fruit that… really… wasn't there. And when Gloria tried to cross a log-bridge to get to her flower that she left at the watering hole but she was unsure about the sudden "creak-ness" of the log when she stepped on it, a lighter AJ was there to cross it and give to her, her flower.

So having kids was completely wonderful to the new parents, especially when it comes to fetching something that they are to lazy to get. But they were a very happy family together no matter what anyone else said…

"Do you think it's kinda weird that your parents are a giraffe and a hippo?" a lion cub said to AJ in a small playground-like rock area for the little animals.

"Nope, uh-uh, they are really nice to me," AJ responded, kicking a small pebble with his claw. "Even though my real parents aren't around,"

"So you don't know what kind of animal are you?" a small warthog piglet asked.

"No… now that you say that," AJ said thoughtfully. "I have no idea what animal I am!"

"That's just sad," the loin cub remarked.

"Then… if you don't know," the warthog continued. "How do we know what kind of animal are you?"

"Yeah and not the kind that eats us!" the loin cub exclaimed.

AJ was shocked at this moment, imagine questioning yourself… Who the hell am I?

"Well then, look at me!" AJ exclaimed. "What animal am I?"

The lion cub and the piglet just looked at him and stared. AJ had big brown eyes wings and feathers, but they still could not decide what animal is he.

"I give up, I dunno," the lion cub said.

"Me too," the piglet responded.

"W-w-we could still be friends right?" AJ asked quite sorrowfully.

The lion cub and the warthog glanced at each other before turning to AJ and sadly shaking their heads.

"Sorry AJ, it's just that… it's just, we don't know what animal are you," the loin cub said.

"Yeah, we just hafta be safe, you know? Cause maybe all of a sudden you'll come out and eat us," the warthog explained.

"No, no, I promise I won't eat you," AJ said, on the verge of tears.

"Sorry AJ," the lion and the warthog said in union as they walked towards the other end of the rock ground, leaving AJ all alone and sobbing quietly.

"MOM! DAD! I HATE THIS! I HATE THIS!" poor AJ yelled, or squawked. "WHAT ANIMAL AM I?"

"Sugar? Baby, its all right, just calm down, okay?" Gloria said sweetly, trying to calm AJ down who was having a tantrum in his room in the hole in the tree.

"But mom! No body likes me now because I'm… I'm…" AJ sobbed.

"You're what baby?" Gloria asked.

"… That's the thing! I don't know!" AJ shouted. "Not even my friends like me anymore,"

"But you are you, AJ, you are just perfect like that," Gloria said patting AJ's soft little head. "And no one should hate you just because you are being you,"

"But what animal am I? Where did I come from?" AJ sniffed. "I know I'm adopted but who are my real parents,"

Gloria turned to Melman, standing behind her, asking with her eyes to know what to do.

"j-just tell him," Melman whispered.

Gloria sadly turned to weeping AJ who was holding his adopted mother for some comfort.

"AJ, baby, you know that daddy and I love you very much, an' we jus don't wanna see you hurt," Gloria explained. "We found you as an egg, baby, a beautiful round egg. And when you hatched, ev'rybody wanted to see you, cause you were so special. And AJ there is nothin' to be ashamed of that,"

AJ sniffed and looked at Gloria with big shiny eyes.

"AJ, you are a… vulture…" Gloria finally said.

"A… vulture?" AJ repeated.
"Gyps coprotheres to be exact," Melman added. "Cape Griffon,"

"Then, who are my real parents?" AJ asked, feeling a little better.

"We don't know baby, I'm sorry," Gloria said, hugging AJ.

"I feel a little bit better now," AJ remarked. "Now, I could tell my friends who I really am and they could be my friends again,"

Gloria and Melman smiled. AJ hopped down off Gloria's arms and went off to the playground.

"Our little AJ just gotten through an identity crisis," Melman said, "they grow up so fast,"

But little did they know that someone was watching little AJ, watching very closely… like a vulture.

How was that guys? I hoped it was good. I wanted AJ to be an Egyptian vulture, but it lived too far from Kenya. I like for my stories have correct facts… but then that's me… up next a julien chap!

enjoi!

Poefreak