The Lion Guard: The Northern Crocodile

Chapter 40

"At least it's better than nothing," Gahiji muttered.

"Yes, and I am very much happy that I sent Makini to go get more water."

"Zula and the boys wouldn't happen to be with her, would they?" Kiburi asked, setting Tuma's body on the ground.

Rafiki saw this, and his face turned grim. The mandrill knew all too well what they all unhappily awaited, especially Kiburi.

"Yes, and they should be back any...oh, never mind."

Approaching from the direction of the watering hole was Makini, followed by Zula, Adisa, and Zuberi. They all looked happy and content, while Makuu and everyone else knew that that was not going to last long.

A few tail lengths away from the tree now, Zula looked away from Makini, and as soon as she saw Kiburi, rushed over to him and ducked her snout under his jaw.

"Oh, Kiburi, I'm so relieved that you're okay!" Zula exclaimed.

"I told you that I would be fine, didn't I?" Kiburi replied.

"You did, but I can't help but worry sometimes."

"What about our father?" Adisa interrupted.

"Yeah, did you guys find him?" Zuberi asked.

"Oh! That's right! I nearly forgot!" Zula said as she pulled away from Kiburi. "Where is Tuma, anyway?"

Everyone kept quiet, uncertain of how to break the news. Then again, no one wanted to, but someone had to do it.

"Uh...what's wrong?" Zula stammered.

Most of the animals backed away, while Kiburi stood in front of Tuma's body, still blocking it from view. Kiburi glanced sideways to look at Makuu, then took a breath and turned his attention back onto Zula and the brothers.

"Zula, Adisa, Zuberi, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but..." Kiburi started, then almost immediately interrupted by Zula, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"No...that...he can't be...Kiburi, please tell me that he's not...it's just...it can't be possible."

Kiburi hesitated, then sighed.

"Zula...I...I'm so sorry."

Then he walked over to stand by Makuu and the other animals, tears now forming in his eyes. And when he walked away, he revealed Tuma's body to Zula and the two boys.

"D...dad?" Adisa choked, he and his brother moving closer to their father's body.

"Z...Zula, he's not...is he?" Zuberi asked, breaking into tears beside his brother.

"I...I...uh..." Zula stammered, then sniffled and walked over to comfort the brothers. "It...it's going to be alright. It'll be alright. Everything's going to be f...fine. I...I...pro...promise."

Adisa slid his head underneath his father's head, while Zuberi draped his head over their father's neck. Zula planted her snout and front claws against Tuma's side, her back legs digging into the ground, and entwined her tail with his. Tears not only flowed out of their eyes, but out of the eyes of everyone else standing by, watching them mourn over the loss of someone very close.

Time seemed to stop. Everyone just stayed where they were, none of them so much as moving a muscle. Makuu could hear the faintest whimpers from Adisa and Zuberi, and the constant mumbling of the word 'no' from Zula. Eventually, Zula continued to say 'no' louder and louder, until she actually screamed it. Listening to her grief-stricken voice call out of pain from the loss of her closest friend was enough to send shivers through everyone, but Makuu knew that Kiburi was taking it harder than everyone else.