Chapter 20: Interrogation

The sun shone brightly over the valley. Elsa turned on her side wanting more sleep, but sleep didn't return. The bright ray's shone threw her eyelids. Disgruntled, she opened her eyes. She felt around her, and felt nothing. Panicked, she stood up, "Alex?". He was nowhere to be found, "Alex!" She sat down, "Ah, crap."

Tenji was awaking as well. He had dreamed once again of his father's return, but the dream stayed in the realm of fantasy as he was thrust into reality. He awoke and stood up, "I knew it." He sighed. Suddenly, something caught his eye. It was Elsa. She was running towards him. "Hey Elsa," he waved.

"Tenji, have you seen Alex," she asked.

"Not since last night," he answered.

She stopped, "Last night? You saw Alex last night?"

"Yeah. We talked for a long time," Tenji told her.

Elsa was confused, "But, Alex was with me,"

"...really..." Tenji rose an eyebrow.

She nodded "Yeah. We were talking about stuff and we fell asleep together-"

"-I gotta go," Tenji started off towards the rock.

"Wait! Where is he?" she asked.

"By the plant-stuffers," he told her before walking off.

'I wonder what his deal is,' she thought. Tenji always acted strange in front of her. Quickly, she ran off towards the springs. She arrived. Marty and the others were awake, but Alex was nowhere to be found. She rushed towards the zebra.

"Hey Marty!" she called.

Marty was surprised to be called by name, "Uh, what?"

"Do you know where Alex is?" she asked.

"Yeah," he told her, "We woke up and we were going to eat breakfast together then King Kuju came and took him away. I asked to come with, but Kuju said it was a lion thing and I wouldn't understand... I don't think he likes me..."

"Marty," Elsa chuckled, "Kuju doesn't like anyone. Except Malik, but that's a different case entirely."

"Anyway, Alex is under the king's tree," Marty pointed to the indicated direction.

"I probably shouldn't bother him," Elsa decided.

"Uh, Ms. Elsa?" Julien came up to the lioness.

"What is it?" she crouched to see him better.

Julien clasped his hands together, "Do you think that I could possibly get you to take me to get some more of that godly fruit?"

"Of course," she smiled, "Get on." Julien nodded and stood on her shoulder, "I'll be right back, Marty."

"Oh. Ok." Marty waved as they left.

"What was that about?" Gloria asked, chewing on a mouthful of grass.

"Is there any tree that doesn't grow here?" Melman chewed on a bit of Acacia leaf.

Marty ignored the comment, "Elsa wanted to know where Alex was."

Gloria swallowed, "And where's Julien?"

"He went with Elsa to get some breakfast," he informed her.

Gloria smiled, "I like that Elsa. You can really trust her."

"I don't," Melman stated blankly still chewing on the leaves.

"Why not?" the hippo asked.

"I dunno. I just don't like lions," he answered.

Marty pointed out, "You like Alex. He's a lion!"

"That's different," Melman defended.

"You just don't like meeting new people," Gloria accused.

The giraffe shrugged, "Maybe."

"What do you think, Marty," Gloria asked.

The zebra thought for a moment, "I trust all of them... except Kuju...and Malik... and what's his face."

"Tenji?" Gloria suggested.

"That's the one: Tenji," Marty nodded.

"How can you not trust Tenji? You haven't even met him." Gloria defended him.

Marty nodded, "And thats why I don't trust him."

Tenji was having an argument within himself. Concernedly he paced back and forth on the large grey rock. 'What does that Alex think he's doing moving in on my Elsa!... ok, she's not my Elsa... ok he has every right to be with her... stop being so jealous Tenji!' he yelled at himself, 'How can I be mad at Alex?... I know he's here because of dad, I just know it!' he sighed, 'Dad can you give me a sign or something? I don't know what to do.' he waited for something to come, some kind of message. Nothing happened. Not a single blade of grass so much as moved in the slightest. He thought sarcastically, 'Gee thanks dad.'

At this time, Alex was under the king's tree with none other than the king himself. Malik was there as well, but Kuju did all the talking. And the talking he did. He had been asking Alex questions for an hour already.

The king continued, "So, Alex, would you say that the people wake up early?"

"Uh..." Alex felt incredibly awkward, "Only on weekdays."

"What's a weekday?" Kuju asked.

"Monday through Friday," he told him.

"... What are these day's you speak of? Everyday is a day is it not?" Kuju didn't understand.

"Never mind. They wake up early five out of seven days," he simplified.

"Ah, I see," Kuju stroked the longer fur on his chin, "Would you say that the people are heavily armed?"

"Well, in big cities, just about every human has a gun," Alex explained.

"Gun?" he asked.

"The sticks that make explosions and hurt you," he was forced to simplify again.

Kuju nodded, "Ah, yes. I saw those when I got tagged. The ones that make you fall asleep?"

Alex shook his head, "No. These ones kill you! Surely that's how Pala died."

"Huh? Oh, yes! I forgot," he tapped his head, "I tend to try and forget that dreadful memory, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah. I've been trying to forget all about last night," Alex agreed.

Kuju was befuddled, "What do you mean? What happened last night?"

"You guys were dragging a dead zebra around the place! Doesn't that bother you?" Alex was surprised at his indifference.

"Why does it bother you? Come to think of it, you weren't at the feast. How did you eat?" Kuju asked.

"I ate fish," Alex proclaimed.

"Fish! That's disgusting!" Kuju stuck out his tongue.

"How the hell can you live on fish!" Malik added.

"I've been doing it for a few days now, actually," Alex told them.

Kuju scratched his ear, "You just get stranger and stranger, don't you? Anyway, more about the people. Do they eat lions?"

"What?" Alex started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kuju asked.

Alex suppressed his laughter, "I'm sorry. Humans don't eat cats...except that crappy Chinese restaurant on 3rd, but that's different."

"So they don't eat lions?" Kuju asked.

Alex answered promptly, "No. In fact, a few big cat's have been famous for eating humans. There was this tiger in India-"

"Eat humans?" Malik licked his lips.

"Hold on, now. Don't get any ideas," Alex waved his arms.

Kuju sneered, "Are you taking the people's side?"

"No, well... eating living things isn't right," Alex supported his argument.

Malik pointed at him, "Well you eat fish!"

"That's different. Fish are dumber than dirt," Alex explained.

Kuju straightened his back, "You sound like a hypocrite to me!"

Alex sighed.

"Alright we're getting off topic," Kuju waved his hand, "So would you say that the people have a special defense against lions?"

"Why are you asking all these questions!" Alex couldn't bare to continue the interrogation.

Kuju smiled slyly, "For the hostel takeover of all mankind."

"WHAT!" Alex jumped nearly a meter in the air, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

Kuju rolled his eyes, "Aren't you in the least bit bit tired of dangling under an oppressive power?"

"Oppressive power? You guys are free," Alex gestured around the lush valley, "What do you have against the humans?"

"The death of our king, and most of all this," he pointed to the scar in his ear.

Alex put his hands on his hips, "You're still alive aren't you?"

Kuju held the back of his hand over his eyes, "Oh, but the psychological trauma I've endured."

"Take your past and learn from it," Alex instructed as he did with Tenji.

Kuju shook his head, "What kind of dribble is that?"

"Wise dribble," Alex crossed his arms.

"Look are you going to help us, or be a traitor to your very kind?" Kuju dealt his ultimatum.

Alex sighed, "I'm not going to be a traitor to my kind."

Kuju's face brightened, "Splendid, now w-"

"But I'm not going to help you, either," Alex turned his back and began walking off.

Kuju's ears frayed back, "You get back here!"

Alex kept on walking until he disappeared in the high green grass.

"Damn!" Kuju pounded the ground with his massive paw.

Malik drew closer to the king, "What are we gonna do now?"

Kuju remained seated. He huffed and released his stress. With a slow graceful movement he turned to his henchman. "We're going to have to resort to more drastic measures," the king smiled darkly, "And once he's on our side, the entire world of men will be under the rule of King Kuju!"