For all the Zazu lovers out there... Enjoy this one :)
The night is warm and inviting, and Zazu leaves the festivity of the gala for the quiet yet serene environment of the tree in which the mystery female hornbill sits. She appears to be admiring the sight of the Pride Lands. Zazu clears his throat in an attempt to begin a conversation with her and hopes he won't make a fool of himself in the process.
"Good evening, miss. I don't believe we've met. Are you new around here?" He greets her eagerly.
The hornbill notices his presence and immediately warms up to him. "Oh yes! I was taking a little trip and decided to stop by this area. What a glorious place!"
To Zazu's relief, she sounds enthusiastic, and her lively but soft eyes entrance him.
"Well, then. Allow me to welcome you to the Pride Lands. Home to King Simba and all the animals, including myself."
"Fantastic! I have met King Simba. In fact, he invited me here. Where I live, he is highly regarded, and I first met him when he was visiting my territory with his queen. I've been hearing nothing but praises for his peaceful ruling everywhere I go."
"May I take you on a little tour around the area tonight? If you are not with company, that is," Zazu offers to accompany her, hoping she would want to spend the night with him. Just the two of them.
"I'd be delighted. My name is Binti, by the way. And what's yours?"
"I am Zazu, and I work for Simba. I've been a majordomo for his family for quite a long time."
"Well, then, Mister Zazu, you'd make the best tour guide."
"Let's skip the formalities and call me by my name, shall we?" Zazu says encouragingly.
"Alright, then, Zazu. Let's take off into the sky," Binti grins.
Zazu couldn't be more thrilled to hear this. "Very well. Let's go."
Zazu flaps his wings and starts to lead the way. Binti follows him, and once both of them are in the air, they settle into a relaxing position and fly side by side as they look down towards the wondrous scenery of the savannah.
Stay calm, Zazu, you'll certainly ace this, Zazu tries to remain interesting to his female guest.
"So... Binti, you have such a beautiful name, and it's as beautiful as you are."
Uh oh... Am I being too direct?
"Oh, my. Thank you, Zazu. You are charming yourself. And you definitely impress me with your expertise. These views are exquisite!" Binti compliments him. Her eyes are glowing as she's taking in the surroundings.
"Thank you. Indeed, they are. You can never get tired of these views. I always take my time to enjoy them on my way to and from work."
"Bird's eye views are like no other," says Binti.
"I can agree to that. Us birds simply get the best views," Zazu adds. They both share a laugh.
"So where's our stop for the evening?"
"Hmm... How about the waterhole over there?"
"The waterhole? What's so great about the waterhole?"
Zazu is instantly reminded of that time he escorted young Simba and Nala to the same waterhole he's about to take Binti to - except the last time he did that with little Simba and Nala, the cubs hatched a plan to head to the elephant's graveyard instead. But that's ancient history.
"Well, the trees there have delicious bananas and berries. You'd absolutely love them," Zazu tells Binti.
"Oh, very well. I could use a banana snack," Binti says eagerly.
Zazu feels like the king of the night knowing that Binti seems to enjoy his presence, and he hopes that it could be something more. He has been committed to his duties all this time, and of course he would never stop. But perhaps it's time to add romance to the mix for real.
The two hornbills continue to soar all the way to the waterhole under a bright full moon that promises them a lovely night. Both are savoring the moment, unaware of the shadows moving below them.