I don't own any of the animals, apart from Bairi (Swahili for 'camel') and Aki (Swahili for 'brother').
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"Well, the water hole's just up ahead," Timon said, not too long afterwards. He waited a moment, then asked, "you don't mind if we grab some breakfast around now, do ya?"
When they reached the water hole, which they did fairly quickly, Timon turned to Bairi and asked, "you don't mind if we take a break, eh, just for breakfast?"
"Timmy..." Nina began.
"No, I don't mind," Bairi replied.
"Cool," Timon said, "see ya soon."
"Yeah," Bairi said, as Timon and Pumbaa left. He thought for a moment, then asked Nina, "you want to go with them?"
"No, it's alright," Nina replied, "I can wait."
"Fair enough," Bairi said, "just up ahead, was it."
"That's right," Nina said.
As he approached the water hole, Bairi suddenly became aware of a great deal of attention suddenly focussing on him. Shifting uneasily, he said, "er..."
"Wha...oh," Nina said, also noticing the attention. After a moment of gathering her confidence, she said, "just act as though they weren't there."
"They're...none of them are dangerous are they," Bairi asked.
"None are dangerous for you," Nina replied, "a couple might have a go at me."
"So, it's, safe," Bairi asked, "I can drink safely?"
"Drink away," Nina said, a moment later. As Bairi started to drink, she asked, "so, who's Aki?"
Bairi's eyes went wide, and he spluttered. Raising his head quickly, he asked, his tone half angry, half panicky, "how did you hear that?"
"You were talking in your sleep this morning," Nina replied. Suddenly wondering if she'd caused offence, she asked, "I, er, I hope you didn't mind me asking."
After a few moments of silence, Bairi replied mournfully, "Ari's, was, my brother."
"I'm sorry," Nina said, hearing Bairi's tone, "I didn't mean to cause offence."
"He was my brother," Bairi went on, not hearing, "he was a good brother." By now, his voice was barely a whisper, and he was beginning to cry.
Further sadness was cut short, though, when Bairi was shoved roughly from behind, and a voice said, "okay, move along lumpback, stop blocking up the drinking." He stopped crying, and raised his head to see a pair of water buffalo behind him. "I said, move along," the buffalo repeated.
After a few moments, during which Bairi continued to stare at the buffalos in confusion, one of them said, "okay then, maybe this'll help you along," and opened a shallow gash along the young camel's hump.
Bairi squealed at the pain, and rose, and was about to move away, when Nina piped up, "what d'you do that for?"
"Cuz 'it' was in the way," one of the buffalo replied, "and if it don't get out of the way pretty soon, we'll do worse."
"'What' is going on here," interrupted another voice sharply. Bairi, Nina and both wildebeest turned to the voice, and found themselves confronting a large giraffe.
After a moment of gathering its wits, one of the buffalo asked, "wha'd'you want longneck?"
"Longneck hey," said the giraffe, pausing a moment, as to consider the name, "just what I'd expect from a dull, brutish, grass-crusher like you."
"Brutish," one of the buffalo said angrily, "look pal, get out of it now, or I'll show you just how 'brutish' I can be."
"Try it," said the giraffe coldly, "and I'll kick what brains you have, out through your chest."
"What're you after anyway," one of the buffalo asked, "why're you messing in our business?"
"Leave the calf alone," the giraffe said, indicating Bairi, who looked surprised.
"That's a calf, one of the buffalo asked, turning, "my rear end."
"And what experience do you have with, camels," the giraffe asked.
"None," the buffalo replied.
"Precisely," the giraffe said.
"And what experience do you have the buffalo asked scornfully, "not much, I'll bet."
"I don't have much experience on the interpersonal level, I'll admit," the giraffe said, then, ignoring the buffalo's mocking snort, continued, "however, I know as much, if not more about them, as anything else living in the Pridelands."
"Yeah right," said, the buffalo, "what experience was that then, seen 'em in the distance kind o' thing?"
"I have watched them from afar, yes," the giraffe said, ignoring the buffalo's mocking snort, "but several years ago, I also had the fortune to travel with a herd for a few days."
"What were they like," one of the buffalo asked, still scornful.
"They made better travelling companions than water buffalo," the giraffe replied sharply.
A stony silence fell for a few moments, then Simba appeared, and asked, "what's going on here?"
There was a moment's pause, then one of the buffalo sneered at the giraffe, and taunted, "go on long neck, you tell him."
"Why don't you," the giraffe replied coldly, "after all, I only responded to your ill treatment..."
"Enough," Simba said, irritatedly, "if you two can't seem to give me a astraight answer, perhaps I should ask another, Bairi."
"Er," Bairi said, worried and unsure, "erm..."
After a few moments, Nina spoke up, "sire, perhaps I could explain."
"Yes," Simba said, sharply, then spotted, Nina, and his voice mellowed somewhat, "oh, it's you."
"Yes sire," Nina said, "shall I explain?"
"Do so," Simba said.
"Well," Nina began, "Timon and Pumbaa had just left us to have breakfast, so I asked Bairi about the nightmare he'd been having earlier, which might not have been such a good idea, since..." A look from Simba got her back on course, "anyway, while he was mourning, these two came up, and, while we were in their way, they could have walked around...Anyway," she said, indicating the giraffe, "and then he came along and began to argue with them."
Simba considered Nina's explanation for a moment then said to the buffalo and giraffe, "your conduct in this incident is demeaning to both of your herds..."
"There is one other thing," Nina said, tentatively.
"Yes," Simba asked.
"Turn around," Nina whispered to Bairi, who did, revealing the gash along his hump.
Simba looked at the gash for a moment, then turned back to the buffalo, and said coldly, "not only have you disgraced your people, you have unnecessarily injured an innocent creature." He paused for a moment, then went on, "if I ever hear of you again, I will be very hard, understand?"
"Bu..." one of buffalo began but was nudged into silence.
"Yes, sire," the other buffalo replied.
"Good," Simba said, "now, 'go'." Quietly, the two water buffalo departed.
Simba watched the buffalo disappear, then turned back to the giraffe, "And as for you..." He paused, then said, "tell me, why did you stick up for Bairi here?"
"Bairi is but a child, sire," the giraffe said.
"Simba raised an eyebrow and asked, "how did you know that?"
"When I was younger, I spent some time with a camel herd," the giraffe explained, slightly nervously.
"Hm," Simba said, thoughtfully, then sighed, and said, "dismissed." The giraffe nodded, and left. "And I suppose I'd might as well go, he said, then called to Bairi and Nina, "be more careful in future." the camel nodded.
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