See part 1 for disclaimer…
Part 4
As the soldier took aim, ready to fire, Catriona came running out of the surrounding grass and placed herself between the elephant and the riffle, effectively shielding him. Instinctively, Alexei took a few steps forward and wound his trunk tightly around Catriona's waist, trying to move her out of harm's way. Catriona pleaded with the soldier in Russian, "Please don't shoot. He is harmless!"
"Corporal, lower that weapon, now," Mac ordered the man in Russian.
Still not convinced, the soldier made no move to comply.
Catriona continued, "Please don't shoot him, he's all I have."
Reluctantly, the soldier lowered his riffle and backed off. Emile immediately strode forward and began to scold Catriona in what Harm and Mac took to be French. They climbed back into the jeep and Emilie joined them, telling them that Catriona would make the journey back on foot. They could all see that Alexei still had his trunk firmly wrapped around Catriona's middle and that he was pretty much carrying her around. She was trying to calm him down enough to let her go, with soft, comforting words, in a language that neither Harm nor Mac could decipher, but which sounded like perhaps one of the many tribal languages that were spoken in the area. On the journey back, Emilie explained to Harm and Mac how she had been brought to Nigeria by her French native parents, 20 years before and had learned English from the missionaries who ran the school where she was educated. When she had left school, she had studied Veterinary Science and returned to Nigeria to work at the safari park that had been run by her Uncle, until he had passed away a few years later. After that, she explained, she had become a foster parent and the Nigerian Social Services had filled up her big farmhouse with children, who all helped out in the park, many of them aspiring to grow up to hold positions like hers at wildlife sanctuaries and safari parks throughout Africa.
Not long after they had arrived back at the compound, Catriona strolled into the front yard, clutching Alexei's trunk in her hand.
Emilie went to Catriona, reminding her in English, "I want to see you at that table in an hour, washed and ready for dinner. Comprenez?"
The girl nodded, then walked around to the water collection tank at the side of the house, with Alexei in tow. Emilie again joined Harm and Mac on the porch and explained to them, "I'm afraid we don't have any running hot water in the house but there is a water collection tank around that side of the house. Also, during the day, it will be safe to go down to the nearby stream. We usually bathe and wash our clothes down there, early in the morning.
"That sounds like a wonderful way to wake yourself up in the morning," Mac commented as Emilie returned to the house, to continue with the dinner preparations. Harm and Mac moved down to the porch steps to watch the disappearing sun and discuss the night's excitement. Just then, they heard peals of laughter coming from the side of the house, where Catriona and Alexei were washing up. They stood up and peered round, to see Catriona, fully clothed, backed up against the wall, being sprayed with water by Alexei. Harm and Mac joined in the laughter, but fell silent when Emilie stuck her head out of the kitchen window to reprimand the two mischief-makers.
"Catriona, ça suffit!"
The two immediately ceased their antics as Emilie closed the window, exclaiming, "Petits singes!"
Mac turned to Harm, who was still watching the partners in crime.
"Harm, do you really think that we're doing the right thing here?"
At his questioning look, she continued, "I know that they're her parents, but she hasn't seen them since she was two years old. It's…it's just that she seems so…so settled here…"
"I know, Mac," Harm replied, "I've been thinking exactly the same thing, but it's just not our call to make."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just hope that she settles well, when we hand her back to her parents," Mac concluded.
Both officers sat in silence, trying to think of what to say next, both unsure of how to start talking about the subject that had often been avoided, lately. They both watched as a Russian soldier emerged from one of the several one-man tents pitched on the compound. The soldier dragged behind him a sleeping bag, which he grabbed by the corners and shook violently, to dislodge any dirt, which might be trapped inside it. However, what he dislodged was substantially bigger than mere dirt. The large, sleepy black cobra reared up, facing the soldier, angry that its sleep had been disturbed. In an instant, Catriona had sprinted across the yard and was behind the snake, clapping her hands and stamping her feet to divert its attention. Harm and Mac barely had a chance to get to their feet before the snake turned and lunged at the girl. Without a second thought, Catriona jumped high into the air, over the snake, keeping her legs out of reach of its fangs. She landed skillfully on the other side of the snake and before it knew what had happened, Catriona had grabbed its tail and killed it with one painless whip.
She coiled up the dead snake and turning to the speechless soldier, placed it in his arms.
"There you go," she told him in Russian, "How about sampling some of the local cuisine?"
She walked back calmly into the house to change out of her wet clothes, leaving an astonished Harm and Mac in her wake. After an uneventful dinner, Harm and Mac sat out on the front porch, where they watched Catriona show the Russian group how to roast snake meat, Dziwala and Nkululu (traditional bush-cuisine) over an open fire. Catriona approached Harm and Mac later on and offered them a sample of the fine meal she had prepared. Mac declined, telling the girl, "Sorry, I couldn't eat another bite. But that sure does look…interesting!"
Catriona laughed good-naturedly and replied, "That's what they all say! What's wrong, are you vegetarian?"
Mac just scoffed and said, "No way! But Harm is."
"How about it, Commander? I can understand the snake, but why don't you try the Dziwala or the Nkululu? They're just insects."
"No offense, but even so, I don't eat bugs!" Harm opted out.
Catriona just grinned as she popped one of the insects into her mouth.
"Mmm, tastes like chicken! You sure? They're high in protein!"
Harm and Mac just laughed as they shook their heads, getting up to go to their rooms. Catriona went back into the yard to join the Russian soldiers around the fire. After retiring to their rooms, Harm and Mac fell asleep to the chirping of the locust outside, each one's thoughts on the person on the other side of the wall.
OOOO