~ Golden lion tamarin: In some places, a symbol of hope. ~
…
Ruendi watched the lion as he moved with the steady beat that seemed to emit from out of nowhere. The beat grew as the animals in nearby tree tops began making bustling noises that sounded more rhythmic now. Everywhere things were starting to liven up, and the lion monkey could feel his feet starting to tap the rich green ground again. "In the jungle…" voices now sang in a hush. "In the, in the jungle. Where the pace is slow, but the beat is always right. And we're wonderin', can you feel the beat as it races to your feet and through your, your heart tonight…"
On 'tonight' the voices grew with more resplendent harmony, Ruendi moved around with wide eyes and a 'wow' across his pink thin lips. But when he looked around, he saw that Simba was no longer with him. Ruendi gave a little scared whine-mutter and knuckled his way around the area, calling for his friend. There was a low swoosh and a collection of lights that were gathered high and out of nowhere suddenly descended the large opening and fell in mergence on to one person in particular. Ruendi watched as a long shadow cast across him and a creature moving at an eloquent flow traveled across the jungle floor. He felt suddenly alone, just a mere spectator.
"I can't say its right, but it feels right… because I've been struck down before." An alto voice let out an energized solo as the creature with the voice ascended a hundred-foot-tall fallen tree on the ground. "Caught up in my own galore." As he moved, he gave incisions on both of its sides.
"But its riiiight." Everyone vocalized.
Simba appeared in a burst of light at the top, Ruendi looked up and saw a four-legged creature with flicks of golden dots moving while shadows made from spinning and twisting leaves flicked onto him, then down to Simba, something long roped the log's end and Ruendi watched as the log was levered up to a mid air side-ways slant. He was about to cry out for Simba to stop --- he was sure to fall off, when the lion switched about and moved backwards to the now choral and instrument accompanied production. Monkeys and birds in the trees joined in melodic splendor while the ground dwellers improvised with different instruments. Ruendi smiled, ear-to-ear, as the procession continued. Simba sang at the top of his lungs, and yet sounded soft and mellow.
"It's the beat I can feel in my feet as it races through my heart --- it feels s'right, especially roun' night. We hope it doesn't end, can't wait for it to start." He emphasized with every motion that he expressed, leaving precise cuts in the long log as he then hoped down and another vine fell to rope the other end. Ruendi watched enthusiastically as it began to rise up into the air slowly.
A long train of monkeys fell now, they were laughing and hollering as they all dove down with their palms flat out, scooping up great handfuls of grubs. Ruendi hopped around as the music went from being singled out to being loud and explosive on all parts of the jungle. Simba came up from around him suddenly, and scooped him up onto the top of his head as they all formed a congo-line down across the jungle ground. Ruendi grinned down at Simba, and he up at him.
"It's the beat!" He sang out.
"It's the beat…" Simba joined him, encouraging him to sing louder.
"We can feel it in our feet… racin' through our heart… don' want it to end but ta start…"
They now looked up into the jungle sky and were surprised to see a long thread bearing many a primate swooping down on them. Ruendi gasped; Simba grinned. The monkey lion was ready to try and run when the lion he was on raised his paws up and they were instantly gripped by the wrists. Ruendi squalled as they were jettisoned up by the aerial force, the duo flashed by in a great rush of light and music into a catapulted anomaly. Simba laughed, caught up in the rush, as they were whisked high above the jungle trees. Ruendi looked over at him and smiled now.
Tears began to spill from their eyes as they were caught by another vine spewing force and were then snagged back down to earth. Ruendi yelled out in excitement as the two flew into a trampoline/safety net waiting for them. From there they swung into several more with great ricocheting force. They held onto one another, striking back and forth each time now with an even greater sensation then before. Finally, they came to a back-sliding finish across the same log as before. Simba held Ruendi to his chest and landed to a stop on the bark-curling up end.
"Will that be two grub-gobs, Simbs?" A taper- waiter asked.
"That'd be nice, yes please." He replied politely, acting as though they had not just come out of a big theater show. Ruendi was aghast. "Oh, maybe add a little fur to it. He likes his seasoned."
"Simba!" the lion monkey exclaimed. "That… that was amazing!"
He shrugged. "That's the full power of Hakuna Matata."
"It's a way of life." the taper explained with a cool smile as she returned.
"But you 'aint ever gonna get better at it then Simba here." A passing primate stated.
"Never has been dethroned." A female hornbill tossed in.
"Of course," a black leopard appeared; Ruendi moved closer to Simba's side. "Who knows?"
The lion was to his paws and passing two over-flowing bug platters to Ruendi. "You're flighty."
Ruendi cowered closer at the intimidating presence.
"You're not scared, are you little guy?"
"Of course not, Kurou," Simba glanced down at the lava-colored primate. "Are you, Ruendi?"
He nodded honestly. "Sorry."
"Hmm." the leopard mused to himself before taking off. "The end of an era may be comin'."
Simba cocked his head, confused. He then remembered and rushed off from Ruendi.
"Hey, wait, Kurou! I need to ask you something."
The leopard turned his mysterious yellow eyes on the lion.
"It's… well, it's about Ruendi's family. He, um, we're looking for them."
There was a sudden incision to a vine above and, Simba recognized quickly, the leopard was going to attempt to swipe up Ruendi! He caught the primate swiftly and rolled off to the side, sending a warning look up to the sneering cat as he rotated away back up into the trees tops.
"Are you okay?"
Ruendi nodded. "Why'd he try and attack me?"
"He wasn't attacking you… it's just that Kurou is… well, different."
The leopard suddenly re-appeared in a crouch behind them, twirling around on an askew log that was vine bound and eyeing them up as a female arachnid might her prey from the safety of her web. "It's called the food web," Kurou explained, "All things eating other things to get by…"
"What'd you eat?" Ruendi peered up at the leopard from Simba's chest.
"Better the question is," the leopard moved in and out of his rotation in deliberate emphasis, his tone of voice edging on ominous, "What do you eat? And, where do ya originate from my little monkey man?" Simba kept giving him a look to stop intimidating Ruendi. "Do you know?"
"Where I original from?"
"Where you come from." Simba explained. "Ruendi, stop shaking. He's just eccentric."
"What?" Kurou asked slyly.
"Uh, brilliant!" He said quickly. This could be there only chance of getting Ruendi help.
Ruendi stood up more stoutly on top of the lion's shoulders. "I come from the Forests of Rain."
"Hmm… Forests of Rain you say? It sounds to me that it's a place… where it rains a lot."
Simba rolled his eyes. "Brilliant deduction. But have you ever heard of it?"
"Indeed I have not," the leopard sighed and lounged back, "Kurou suggests leavin' it as an afterthought. Live in the present, and say away with the past. Live young, live long and fast."
Ruendi wrinkled his pink face and leapt forward onto the teetering log. Kurou looked up in surprise and Simba tried frantically to get him back down. "I want to try and find my family."
"Do you remember what they look like?" the leopard sat up and brought the log to a stop.
Simba watched in beguilement. He had never seen anyone try and talk down Kurou before.
"No. I don't even remember how I got here."
"Amnesia?" Kurou suggested with a toothy grin. "Unintended mental block?"
"No." Ruendi hopped down and onto the end of the log Simba was on. "I just can't remember."
"It'll come back to you," the lion told him reassuringly, "But don't dwell on it."
"Hmm." Ruendi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Where's your mom and dad, Simba?"
Everyone paused from their noisy communion.
"Uh, what?" Simba asked.
"Maybe if you tell me about your parents that will help bring my memory back."
Now the lion did not know what to say.
…
To be continued…
