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"Impressive," Bairi said as Pride Rock got gradually closer, "you live there?"
"Yes," Simba replied.
"Big place," Bairi said, "looks important too."
"It is fairly," Simba replied.
"Good view up here," Bairi said, as they ascended the rock.
"Simba," a voice said, "who on earth have you brought back this time?" Bairi turned and saw, emerging from a cave, a maneless lion.
"Oh, er, he..." At this point Simba turned a questioning glance to Bairi, who nodded, "...was wandering around near the border."
"Interesting," the maneless lion said, "I've never seen his like before."
"None of us have," Simba said in reply, "nor he us, for that matter."
"We were actually hoping Rafiki could help," Nina said, still on Bairi's head.
"I am here," said a voice from just off to one side of Bairi, who stiffened in panic.
"Hey, cool it," Simba said to Bairi as Rafiki appeared, "what was that about?"
"The last creature that did that to me was a poisonous snake," Bairi replied, his tone somewhere between nervous and angry, "so 'please' don't do that ever again."
"Can you help us here Rafiki," Simba asked, slightly taken aback by Bairi's reaction to the shaman's sudden appearance.
"Unfortunately, I cannot," Rafiki replied, "because, though I know of camels, I do not know why one would turn up here."
"No," Bairi muttered, then dropped into a whisper, "please, no, please tell me I'll see my family again." His eyes began to tear, as he kept whispering to himself, "please, no."
"We're back" came another voice, "wh-what in the name of... ...Simba would you care to explain this, please?"
"Er, sure," Simba said, then waited as the lionesses approached, with several gazelle carcasses. On seeing the carcasses, Bairi stiffened, and his expression turned from interest to horror.
"What's that for," Nala asked, registering the change.
Simba followed Bairi's stare, then replied, "I don't think he's seen hunt carcasses before."
"That's ridiculous," Vitani said, "where does he come from, the desert."
"As far as I can tell, yes," Simba replied, and most of the pride thought he was joking, until they saw his expression.
"Really the desert," Nala asked.
"Yes," Nina replied, causing everyone to look at her. "He wandered into the jungle," she went on, "and he looked lost and sad, to me anyway."
"And so you guided him here," Nina asked.
"I thought Rafiki could help," Nina replied.
"Unfortunately," Rafiki said in reply, "I could not."
Everyone was silent for a moment, then Kiara asked, "so, what now?"
"Hm," Simba said thoughtfully, "I do not think we could decently turn him out now, yet, judging from his reaction, he would not be comfortable here at Pride Rock."
"So, what are you going to do," Kovu asked.
Simba thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Zazu, could you go and find Timon and Pumbaa for me please?"
"You're putting him in with those two," Vitani asked, causing everyone to look at her.
"Certainly," Simba asked, "why not?"
"Well, er," Vitani said, suddenly nervous now that she was the centre of attention, "they are a bit, er, different."
"That they are," Simba replied, "all the more reason to put Bairi here in their tender care, don't you think?"
"I suppose," Vitani said, "though they aren't always the most observant pair in the entire Pridelands."
"True," Simba replied, "are you offering to look after him?" This got a gentle chuckle from most of the pride."
"Well, no," Vitani replied, slightly stung by the laughing, "but I was thinking, since Nina's here already, maybe she could watch him."
"There is that," Simba replied, then turned to the meerkat, "would you mind?"
"Not at all," Nina replied.
"Okay," Simba said, "that's sorted then."
"Do I still go and fetch Timon and Pumbaa," Zazu asked.
"Yes," Simba replied, "please do." Zazu took off.
"So what do we do about him at the moment," one of the other lionesses asked.
"He does look a little disturbed doesn't he," Nala asked.
"I think I'll have a little talk to him in private," Simba replied. He rose, moved over to Bairi and said, "come with me."
Slowly, stiffly, Bairi followed Simba as they sought a more secluded part of Pride Rock. Nina was still on his head, but was remaining knowingly silent.
"I understand you were a little disturbed back there," Simba said, not unkindly. Bairi nodded, but didn't reply. "Don't worry," Simba said, "you weren't in 'any'danger."
"The bodies," Bairi squeaked, beginning to quiver.
"Yes," Simba said, "they are bad, but there is no way around it."
"The bodies," Bairi repeated, "I've never..."
"This is your first time," Simba asked. Bairi nodded, swallowing.
"No, it isn't nice," Simba replied, "but the alternative is starvation, you understand?"
Bairi nodded and swallowed. "Sorry," he said, his voice returning to something closer to normal, "but it's just, so, so, horrid."
"I know," Simba said kindly, "but listen to me, you were in no danger."
"How do you stand it," Bairi asked, almost breaking down, "how do you stand it, knowing..." his voice trailed off.
"Let me tell you something a wise king once told me," Simba said, "it may help set your mind at ease."
"Yes sire," Bairi said, but didn't seem convinced.
"Everything is in balance," Simba explained, "from the smallest insect to the mightiest elephant..."
"How do predators..." Bairi began to asked, then realised who he'd just interrupted, "sorry."
"Everything is in balance," Simba repeated, "and if that balance is upset, the consequences are terrible."
"And what of those..." Bairi asked, then trailed off again.
"If there were no predators," Simba replied, ", no meat eaters, the herd animals would very quickly overpopulate the land, and then die as they ate all of the available food."
"So you keep them in check," Bairi asked, though not happily.
"We do that," Simba replied, "and when we die, our bodies rot, and help the grass to grow, so our death helps the herd animals in a small way."
No-one spoke for a while, then Bairi said, "I think I understand now, I don't like it, but I understand."
"There have been times when I myself have questioned it," Simba admitted, "but then, is not the death of a few, through hunting, better than the death of many, through starvation?"
"I suppose," Bairi said, then thought a moment. "But I don't have to be there while you're eating, do I," he asked, "I mean, no offence, but..."
"No you don't," Simba replied, "I wouldn't even 'attempt' to put you through that If you didn't want to."
"Thank you sire," Bairi said.
"However," Simba said, "I think the others would like to ask you a few questions later."
"So I have to come down," Bairi asked, "will the bodies be there?"
"No," Simba replied, "I will make sure the bodies are gone."
"Thank you sire," Bairi said.
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