Never Let Go

Chapter 89: Wild Thing

6 MONTHS LATER

🐅🦒🐘

"We are in Zimbabwe, South Africa, exploring the spectacular scenery." I pan the camera around our surroundings, filming the rugged trees and bushes around us. "Viewing wildlife in their natural environment... It's incredible. We are travelling through the beautiful wilderness, taking a walk on the wild side, in search of lion, elephant, cheetah, and oh-" I abruptly stop the camera on Maya and gasp.

"Oh my god..." I grin, zooming the camera in on her. "What's this beautiful creature in front of me?"

Maya grins and shakes her head as she adjusts her beige woven fedora.

"She's a real beauty. I think they call her a Maya? I need to be careful, though - she's a wild thing."

"Stop!" She laughs and holds her hand up to the camera. "Stop goofing around."

I laugh and pan the camera around our surroundings again.

"Acting like David Attenborough over there."

"I'm documenting our honeymoon, honey."

Maya suddenly gasps.

"Look, Michael!" She points into the distance.

I look up from the camera and see cheetahs up ahead.

Badru, our ranger, begins to speak as he drives closer to them.

"Cheetahs are the only wild cats, other than lions, that live in groups. These groups of cheetahs are known as coalitions and are usually made up of a group of brothers."

"Wow." Maya said as she held up the camera to take a picture. "They're beautiful."

It's very surreal seeing all of these wild animals in front of us.

"What about the females?" Maya asks.

"A female cheetah lives alone or with her cubs. They usually only associate with other cheetahs during mating times."

"Hm, smart cats." Maya smirks.

I focus the camera on her and pull a face. She pokes her tongue out at me and giggles.

Further on, we come across a herd of elephants.

"Aww, look at the baby elephant, Michael." Maya frowns.

"He's cute." I smile widely, zooming in with the camera. "Or she."

"You like elephants, don't you?"

"I love them. They're gentle giants, and they're very smart."

"One fact about the elephants is that they are constantly eating." Badru speaks up. "They eat grass, leaves, shrubs, fruits, and roots. And when it's dry, they eat the woody parts of trees and shrubs like twigs, branches, and barks. They eat for up to 18 hours a day."

"Sounds like Wes."

"Michael!" Maya giggles. "That's on camera."