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"Where are we now," Bairi asked.
"The plains," Nina replied.
"And what's this stuff," Bairi asked, kicking at the grass.
"It's grass," Nina replied, "it's a king of plant."
"Plant," Bairi asked, "you mean it's edible?"
"A lot of animals eat it," Nina replied, "we don't though."
"Hm," Bairi said, then took a bite, and rolled it over in his mouth, before swallowing. "Tastes alright," he said, "and it's probably better than half of what I normally have." He glanced around and saw a gazelle. "What on earth..." he began to ask.
Nina looked around, then replied, "oh, they're only gazelle, they're no trouble."
"Really," Bairi asked, "well, I'll take your word for it."
"So," Nina asked a little later, "what animals did you get around your way?"
"Vultures," Bairi replied, "snakes, scorpions, and beyond that, only what could live on oases."
"Sounds barren," Nina said.
"In comparison to this place, it was," Bairi replied, "it was mostly just the dunes."
"Dunes," Nina asked, then worked it out, "you lived in the desert?"
"We did," Bairi replied, then looked around, "but this place looks nice enough."
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"Sires, I bring the morning report," Zazu said, as he landed in front of Simba and Kovu.
"Well, the elephant are complaining about the water buffalos again," Zazu reported, "and the cheetahs are claiming that the wild dogs are ganging up to disrupt their hunts..."
"Are we supposed to remember all of this," Kovu muttered to Simba.
"It's better if you take Zazu with you," Simba replied, "then you can ask about any group you can see."
"Oh, right," Kovu said.
"...And there appears to be a new type of creature in the Pridelands," Zazu finished.
"A new type of creature," Simba asked, "any description?"
"Brown-yellow," Zazu replied, "taller than a rhino, but not as tall as a giraffe, a long neck and an extremely large protuberance in the middle of the back."
"Sounds interesting," Simba said, "and since it 'is' new, I think it's worth sorting it out first."
"I think so too," Kovu said.
"Lead on, Zazu," Simba said.
At once sire," Zazu said, "this way please."
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"Interesting place," Bairi said.
"It can be," Nina said.
"Yes, can't it," said another voice. Bairi looked on in interest as they were surrounded by a group of skulking, scruffy animals, that didn't quite look like predator, but didn't quite not, either.
"Looks like we have a trespasser," said one of the creatures, with a long tuft of black fur on the top of its head.
"What are these," Bairi whispered.
Nina didn't reply.
"Oh," Bairi said, not realising he was speaking aloud, "should I be scared?"
"Should you be scared," the creature said, "I've rarely met anyone who wasn't."
"Really," Bairi asked, "well, excuse my ignorance, but you're the first I've seen of your species, or heard for that matter."
"Really," the creature asked, "well, we're hyenas, and most other animals fear us."
"Why's that," Bairi asked, decidedly nervous. The hyenas laughed at this, worrying him even more.
The hyena with the tuft managed to stop laughing, then said, "fair enough, you're ignorant."
"I am," Bairi said, "so why do most other animals fear you?"
"Because we eat them," the hyena replied.
"Not round here you don't," said another voice. The hyenas all stiffened, then a pair of different creatures stepped into view. One was dark brown with nearly black fur around it's neck, and the other yellowish brown with nearly red fur around it's neck. "Now, get out," the light coloured one said. The hyenas scampered away.
"Oh, er, thank you sire," Nina said, from Bairi's head.
"Nina," the light coloured one said, surprised, "good to see you, and whoever your friend is."
"This is Bairi, sire," Nina said, "and he lost his family in a sandstorm."
"Your entire family," the dark coloured one asked, "they're all dead?"
"I don't think so," Nina replied, after a few moments of silence, "as far as I can make out, he's just lost."
"Lost," the light coloured one asked, "where from?"
"The desert," Nina replied.
"The desert," the dark coloured one said, then turned to the light coloured creature, "nothing can live in the desert can it?"
"Not as far as I know," the light coloured one said, "but then, I've never seen 'anything' like Bairi before, so I can't be sure of that.
The light coloured one then turned back to Bairi, and said, "well, as king of the Pridelands, I welcome you to my kingdom."
"Thank you," Bairi said, "is there some title I need to use, when addressing you?"
The two creatures shared a look, then the light coloured one asked, "do you have leaders of any sort where you come from?"
"We have herd leaders," Bairi replied, "but I don't think it's quite the same."
"Hm," the lighter coloured one said, "you can call me either 'sire', or 'king Simba'."
"Very well," Bairi said, then glanced at Kovu, "er..."
"'Prince Kovu' will do," the dark coloured one said.
"Okay," Bairi said, "and I hope you don't mind my asking, but what species are you?"
The two creatures shared another look, then the light coloured one asked, "I take it you're young?"
"Yes, I'm young," Bairi replied, "but I've never heard even the elders talking about anything even remotely like any of this."
The light coloured one thought for a moment, then said, "we're lions."
"Thank you," Bairi said, then remembered, "sire." As the two lions turned and left, Bairi asked, "how did that go?"
"Alright," Nina replied guardedly, "though it could have gone better."
"Ah," Bairi said, following the lions, "should I have been afraid of, what were they, hyenas?"
"Yes," Nina said, "very much."
"Have to remember that next time," Bairi said, "although they were making me decidedly uneasy."
"I'm not surprised," Nina said, "they used to kill us."
"Oh," Bairi said, "er, not good then?"
"Not really," Nina said.
Something occurred to Bairi, and he asked, "neither of them were the friend you had in mind were they?"
"Not precisely," Nina replied, "but he works for them."
"So I might see my family again soon," Bairi asked, his voice suddenly wavering.
"Possibly," Nina said, "hey, no need to cry."
"Sorry," Bairi said, recovering a little, "I-I miss them."
"I understand," Nina said, "I'm sure you'll find them soon."
"Thanks," Bairi muttered, wondering for a moment, if he would ever see his family again.
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