A Crocodile's Journey

Chapter 14

"Psst. Hey, are you awake?"

Kitwana closed his eyes shut and tried to hide further in his good wing, grumbling.

"Wake up, kiddo!"

Finally, the ibis fledgling started opening his eyes, only to shield them immediately when he was met by blinding light. It took him a few seconds to get adjusted to it, but most of all, he wanted to see who was talking to him. "W-Where... where am I?"

"You're in the Serengeti National Park. More specifically, you're in the rehabilitation area."

Kitwana tried to move, but his wing broken wing was completely stiff and he couldn't move it. When he looked at it, he saw there was a sort of wooden stick tied to it. He started pecking at it.

"No, no! Don't take it off, it'll help heal your wing!"

This time, Kitwana did turn around to see who was talking, and he saw a black shape just outside this... place. It reminded him of a cheetah, but much more smaller with black fur, except on the tip of its tail and its chest, which were white. Its green eyes were curiously staring at him.

"Who are you...?" Kitwana asked, still dizzy.

"My name is Jiji, kiddo, and I'll be your companion and guide during your stay." The feline said cheerfully.

"Are you a cheetah?"

Jiji laughed heartily. "No, kiddo, I'm not a cheetah, but you could say I'm distantly related to them. I'm a cat."

Kitwana's head hurt, but he started remembering what happened before he woke up. He had tried to walk back to the Pride Lands, but the exhaustion and thirst made him collapse, and he fainted. "Hey, is this heaven?"

"Nop. You're pretty much alive, and you're lucky for that! If the rangers hadn't found you, you'd be in a vulture's stomach!"

"R-Rangers...? What? What are you talking about...?"

Wait a minute.... Once his vision adjusted, he realized he was inside one of those strange prisons he had seen the animals, the thing Dalila had been put into.

The black cat jumped back in surprise when suddenly the ibis started to yell in fright, and banged against the bars of the cage, trying desperately to get out of it. "Whoa, calm down, kiddo! You're going to hurt your wing even more!"

"GET ME OUT OF HERE! THEY'LL BE BACK AT ANY MINUTE!"

"Who?!"

"THE TWO LEGS! THEY WILL KILL ME!"

Jiji knew what was going on without even asking. This guy had probably seen the poachers in action, and now thought they were all evil. "Kiddo-!"

Kitwana was too frightened to listen. "PLEASE HELP ME!"

"Boy-!"

"LET ME OUT!"

Finally, Jiji lost his patience and gave the chick a smack in the head, but with his claws still sheathed. He didn't want to hurt him, he wanted him to calm down. "Listen to me, kid! You're not in danger! I'll explain everything to you, but I need you to calm down!"

Kitwana was momentarily stricken with shock by what just transpired, but he didn't want to receive another hit, so he rubbed his head with a whimper, nodding, though he did retreat further into the prison's corner.

"Okay." Jiji said, more calmly this time, and lay down. "First of all, the 'two-legs' are called men."

"M-Men?" Kitwana repeated.