I'm, back again!! Thanks for the reviews once again! I feel special now! Now for the next chapter.
CHAPTER 5
Zazu had just awoken from his first night sleep inside the tree stump. He had managed to get a few hours sleep, but not many, this was partially due to Maha's light snoring but mainly due to the fact that Timon's skylight had offered no protection from the rain that had fallen during the night. Unfortunately as a result of this the floor was partially flooded, but thankfully the nests were high enough off the ground to offer some dryness. He looked over at Maha, who was sound asleep. Careful not to disturb her, Zazu slowly got out of his nest, placing his talons on the wet floor, he walked out of the stump through the ankle high water.
Once outside Maha's stump, the natural beauty of the area struck Zazu. Today was a particularly beautiful day with sunny weather and the lovely fresh smell that is always evident in forests and jungles after rainfall. The sunlight, penetrating the canopy gave him a nice warm feeling, so he extended his good wind to feel the light warm breeze.
'This is without a doubt the most splendid place I've ever been," he though fondly to himself while walking around the area.
Then it hit him.
"Oh no, I must get back to pride rock!"
Zazu started to think of how he was to make it back, and then realised it was hopeless. There was no way he could walk back on his own, because number one he would almost certainly be caught by a predator in his weakened state, and two, unless he was flying he didn't actually know the way. "They are going to think me very rude indeed for not giving them any notice."
Zazu's head was so filled with these thoughts that he didn't notice the large meerkat in front of him until it was too late. Crash.
" Hey! Watch where your going punk," said the meerkat he had just run into, while thrashing a small stick about. The meerkat spoke in a voice with the tone of an army drill sergeant.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry sir, was completely by accident let me assure you," said startled Zazu.
"Hmm," said the meerkat, looking him up and down. "Haven't seen your type around here before, state your name and business"
"I'm Zazu the Kings major-domo," began Zazu promptly, not liking the look of the stick the old meerkat was carrying. " And I am here strictly on royal business."
" Royal business you say…' said the meerkat who appeared to be in deep thought while he lightly tapped his cheek with his stick. "I don't know what kind business, could bring you here unless…hmm. Your not a friend my no good nephew and Pumbaa are you."
"One could say that, I suppose. My business is regarding them. Did you say Timon's your nephew?"
"Unfortunately yes," continued the meerkat in a tone that made Zazu unsure wether he was being sarcastic or serious. "Max is the name, and I give you permission to stay here as long as it's strictly business," he finished extending his paw for a shake.
"Are you the alpha here?" asked Zazu returning the handshake with his good wind.
"One of them, the other Alpha goes by the name of Maha, you probably will hear of her being referred to as Ma. She's actually my niece but since I have no mate she has for filled the duties of Alpha female. "
"Oh yes, I am well acquainted with Maha. I'm actually staying at her home until my wing has recovered."
"So you've already received permission to stay?" said Max sounding slightly disappointed that he had not been the first to accept the stranger.
"In a manner of speaking yes."
"Very good," Max nodded. Then he swang his stick over his shoulder and continued walking on his way.
"He was a bit odd," thought Zazu as he continued on he way, deciding to walk down to the stream to refresh himself. Once at the waters edge he crouched down very carefully to get have a drink. When he raised his head, he was shocked to discover not only his reflecting but Maha's in the water.
"I was wondering where you'd got to," said Ma.
"Good morning, Maha," Zazu replied.
"Morning," she said back, "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes thankyou," he lied.
"Really? Well' I don't know if you noticed, but it rained nearly all night. The house is completely flooded."
" Well… I guess I did actually notice that part of the night."
" So seeing as that was almost all night, what you should have said is that you got only a few good hours of sleep."
"Well…sort of." began, Zazu, while noticing the 'yeah right' looks Ma was giving him, "kinda…hmmm…yes," he finally ended, feeling silly for once again trying too hard to be nice.
" Now, was that so hard," said Maha, "You know honey, I don't mind if your honest, I didn't get much sleep either."
"I do believe I could actually fix your the skylight problem," began Zazu. "If we could just find a large enough leaf or piece of bark, I would be willing to make a lid that you could put over the hole, I mean …err...skylight in such occasions."
"Really? You would do that for me. Oh how sweet of you," said Ma, giving him a friendly smile.
Zazu couldn't help but smile too. In pride rock he was considered handy for delivering messages but never really very useful otherwise.
"OY MA!" came Timon's voice from a reasonable distance away.
This startled Zazu and snapped him out of his momentary trance. He lost his grip on the streams edge, tripped backwards and fell in. Splash.
"Oh dear! Grab my hand," said Ma as she reached out to his good wing.
Zazu did so, but he was a bit heavier than Ma had anticipated and while pulling she her heels slipped on the muddy streams bank and she too slide into the water almost on top of Zazu. Double splash!
Luckily it was a very slow moving, shallow stream so they weren't swept away. Ma got off Zazu, who was at this point covered in even more mud than she was. They just sat there in the water, looking at each other speechless.
"Sorry," said Ma to break the silence.
Then to her surprise Zazu did something he had never done before, or at least in a very long time. He began to laugh.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha," he laughed causing himself to fall backward again.
"Umm. Honey?" questioned Ma, sitting there with a gob smacked expression across her face. "Is everything alright?"
"Sorry, madam… I mean Maha… but it would seem that you have mud all over your face," Zazu barely got out between laughs.
" Well, so do you!" said a still very stunned Maha, as she splashed him playfully.
Suddenly Zazu put his usual straight face back on.
"Terribly sorry Maha, I don't know what came over me."
More silence followed, as they both looked away from each other, Zazu feeling embarrassed and Maha very confused and a little afraid for his sanity. Then they finally had the courage to face each other again. As soon as their eyes met both once again burst out in laughter. They did look quite silly.
" Did I miss something here?" a voice said, from the shore.
Both looked, to see Timon standing not too far away watching them.
"No sweetie," said Ma, looking surprised, a little embarrassed, but happy to see him all the same. "Just your old Ma being a bit clumsy again."
Timon was heading her way, and was about to go in to help her, only to find that Zazu had already offered her his good wing, to assist her in getting up. The two supported each other coming out of the water onto the land.
"Are you sure you guys are ok?" inquired Timon.
"No need for concern, we can handle ourselves, just a minor problem," assured Zazu.
"We'll see you at lunch sweetie," continued Ma, as they began to walk away, "we just need go to the less slippery part of the river to get cleaned up."
"Ok…see you then. I guess," said Timon, watching them leave.
"Ok, Zazu… you've helped her out of the water, already…you can let go of her hand now," thought Timon as the two continued their walk down the stream.
That's all for now!! I was going to put some pride rock stuff in this chapter too, but thought this was a very good spot to finish the chapter. This was my very first attempt of writing dialogue for Max, hope he sounds decent enough. Glad you like a bit of fluff Ralli (I do too). This chapter is getting things going but don't worry people they are not an item yet (trying to pace myself).