I don't own any of the animals, apart from Colin and Ibura (Swahili for 'wonderful').


It was mid afternoon when Zazu and Ibura finally returned to the rest of the group. "Good day was it," Vitani asked, "find out what you wanted to?"

"Yes on both accounts," Zazu replied, "and the Pridelands are only about half a moon away, although some detours may be necessary."

"Half a moon," Vitani asked, "that seems rather along way."

"Many of the migration trails are much longer," Zazu replied.

Vitani shrugged, then asked, "which direction?"

"Southwest," Zazu replied.

"So, half a moon or more southwest," Vitani said, and when Zazu nodded, she shot a glance at Alex, who was watching, and nodded surreptitiously.

"You were out there for quite a while," Melman said.

Zazu was surprised that it was Melman who had spoken up, but nevertheless, replied, "he was an old friend, it was good to see him again."


"Now remember what I said about breathing," Vitani whispered to Alex, as they stalked the impala.

"Yeah, I know," Alex said, "deep and slow."

"And why's that," Vitani asked.

"Because shallow breathing is louder than deep," Alex replied, "and deep breathing gives you more air."

"Good," Vitani said, "and now, which one would you take?"

Alex examined the herd for a few moments, then indicated a young female near the edge of the herd, "that one."

"Why that one in particular," Vitani asked.

"He's out from the rest of the herd," Alex said, "it'll be easier to split him off."

"Competent reasoning," Vitani said, "the wrong gender, but that's not essential."

"So which one would you have gone for," Alex asked.

"Got a choice," Vitani replied, either the female, or," pointing out another, "that larger male."

"Bigger risk," Alex said, looking at the horns.

"Bigger prize," Vitani replied, "anyway, those horns are for mating displays, not real protection."

"But they're still faster," Alex said.

"True," Vitani replied, shrugging, "so the female it is, shall we?"

"Yes," Alex said, "let's." He and Vitani leapt out of the bush, hoping to drive the female off from the main herd so they could catch it, but before they reached the now fleeing female, it was bowled over by a blur of motion that resolved itself into a cheetah. It took them a moment to realise it was the one they had met recently who had been pregnant, though now her figure was normal, but she had the drawn look of little sleep and overwork. The cheetah growled at them for a moment, then realised who she was confronting, and stopped, looking nervous.

They stared for a few more moments, then Vitani turned and said, "come on Alex."

"What," Alex said, "but that's our..."

"Yes, I know we were chasing it," Vitani said, "but she got it first, and we don't need it anyway."

"But it's..." Alex began, but stopped when Vitani whirled and cuffed him across the muzzle.

"I said, come on," Vitani said, growling.

Alex was surprised, almost shocked at the sudden swing in Vitani's mood, but he wasn't stupid, and so he turned and followed after the lioness, wondering what had suddenly got into her. "What was that about," he asked, when they safely out of earshot of the cheetah.

"Firstly, don't disobey me," Vitani said sharply, "secondly," her expression went wistful, and her tone softened "I'm missing my daughter, and any little bit to help another, helps."

"Oh, okay," Alex said, silently cursing himself for forgetting, that despite all appearance at the moment, that Vitani had concerns on her mind other than training him.


"So how was it this time," Marty asked when Vitani and Alex appeared, "any luck?"

"Almost," Alex replied, "gave it away in the end though."

"What, why," Gloria asked.

"Well, more sort of Vitani gave it away," Alex replied, then went on before Gloria could protest, "she'd got her own reasons, and I wasn't about to argue."

"What kind of reasons," Glorai asked interrogatively.

"Personal ones," Alex replied.

Gloria continued to glare at both Vitani and Alex, and the lion returned it. Nearby, Marty indicated for Melman to follow him a little further away, and when this happened, he turned to the giraffe and asked, "d'you think there's some chemistry going on there?"

"Between Alex and Vitani," Melman asked, and when Marty nodded, replied, "well she seems less snappy with him these days, so I suppose there might be something in that."

"And have you noticed how happy Alex is as well," Marty asked, "got a smile on his face as often as not, and even Madagascar couldn't do that."

"Actually, I hadn't really noticed it before," Melman said, "but you're right, he seems more relaxed these days."

"Gloria still doesn't like it though," Marty said, "can't figure that one out."

"I think the problem there is, they're too similar," Melman said, "they're both overbearing, and they can't stand each other seeming to have any control."

"Never figured that," Marty was surprised at Melman's explanation, "I mean, I know Gloria can be a bit overbearing sometimes but I never really figured she was overbearing."

"Well, I suppose it never really came up before," Melman said, "back before Vitani, she was just a friend, now it's a bit more obvious. He thought for a moment, then said, "and a bit of it could be the fact that she liked it back in the zoo, and she'd finding it difficult to adapt to life here."

Marty was surprised at Melman's apparent depth of understanding of the situation, then realised he shouldn't have been, after all, the giraffe had always been the quietest of the four of them, the most thoughtful, so was it any wonder he sometimes picked up things the others didn't? "You told Alex about it," he asked.

"Not as yet," Melman replied, "these days it's so hard to catch him away from Vitani."

Marty nodded to this. Even as happy as he was for Alex to be learning about the life he ought to lead, he still sometimes missed his friend's old vibrant ways. "Well, maybe I'll get him tonight."

"Good luck," Melman said, "somehow, I don't think that's going to be easy."

Marty shrugged. Alex was still his best friend, and the Zebra wasn't prepared to believe that even Vitani's overbearing ways regarding the lion could keep his friend from a semblance of his former life.