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Chapter 3

_WNC data entry: D23-003.

Employee# P64-81F

Name: Lochlann Fitzpatrick

Assignment: Job Order#R7812

Location: African Savannah_

_Day 10:

Connection restored. I have sent in my past few documents, but unfortunately the camera is temporarily out of my hands. I will be reacquiring it within the next few hours. The images within the camera can back up all of my claims from the time I was off network. Hold tight, and I should have the images uploaded within the day. Every shot will be worth it.

I have stumbled upon one of the greatest discoveries in all of the wildlife industry's history. There seems to be an undocumented part of the Savannah that can only be reached through, what I can only classify it as: a gate. I don't know what else to call it. I will have a full report including hundreds of photos that will back up my claims of an undiscovered land. Please make sure Mr. John Lindel, (Senior Engineer of Research and Development) is present in the meeting. His conspiracy theory surrounding "Hollow Earth" will be shattered. But I assume he'll support my findings as well.

Let's schedule a meeting with marketing next week on Wednesday. The material I have will be worth its weight in gold to the whole corporation. Bring champagne. _

---

Logging off, I quickly closed my laptop. My satellite phone was ringing.

"Ugh, I'll get it later," I mumbled under my breath.

I had to continue speaking with Ok'wana. Our conversation was growing more volatile by the minute.

“Ok'wana, just listen to me," I held the large mito fruit close to my chest, “I'll give it to you, but I need to trade it for the others you have in your satchel."

The female mandrill was gripping her walking stick so tight, I swore she was going to break it.

“You had one task. You get the mito fruit, and you come back. I get to go home," her eyes shut as if she was through looking at me, “but your involvement with the royal family really made a mess of things."

“I didn't get involved with the royal family," I stated, eyeballing the satchel slung around her shoulder, “I kept my distance, and only spoke with-"

“You spoke with Askari. He is the Royal Family!" she snarled while flashing a wide maw of sharp yellow mandrill fangs.

Her form slumped, “Most know him by his other name."

I didn't know what to say.

She continued, “Most know him as Scar," her voice was heavy, “but your deal with him will not end well."

She explained to me that Scar was Mufasa's brother. He was next in line to be seated as ruler of the Pride Lands kingdom after his own father. He was also in love with Sarabi, Mufasa's current wife and queen. She loved him just as much. But tragedy struck when Scar and the guards had defended against an invasion of an enemy kingdom of cobras. Scar was wounded and the venom racked his body. He never fully healed and lost his ability to sire children, the next generation of royalty. Because of this, the kingdom thought it best to declare Mufasa the new ruler. This way, the royal bloodline would be secure. Mufasa also took Sarabi as his queen, leaving Scar to suffer a slow poisonous death alone.

“So that's why he wants the fruit of Life and the fruit of Rebirth," I paused to think, “what do they do again?"

“The fruit of life, extend your lifespan. If you partake in the fruit, you become an observer of the circle of life without being a part of it," she adjusted her satchel while looking at the mito fruit in my possession.

“The fruit of rebirth heals your body's ailments, and can even make one youthful again, taking a step backward in the circle of life."

“So, why don't we give the fruit to him? Then he can be the rightful ruler," I stated in an uneducated and ignorant tone.

“Scar's greed and thirst for revenge - combined with the poison in his body - made him an insufficient successor. The kingdom found that Mufasa was more just, strong, and kind. Pride Rock thrived under his rule."

My mind flashed to Crix and his son, both bound and helpless.

“Listen, Scar is holding a family hostage to encourage the trade. I need to at least save them."

“You think Umbra is a kind-hearted place for all creatures?" she chuckled, “Some go through their circle faster than others. It is not worth-"

She paused. In the corner of my eye, I saw leaves in the tree ruffle ever so slightly, but there was no wind nor creature present. Ok'wana closed her eyes and tilted her head to listen. She opened her eyes again, only to look at me with curiosity and determination. She slowly bent down to grasp a few fallen dried leaves, and crunched them in her hand. She then let the crumpled fragments float slowly to the ground, and watched the pile with intent.

I began to speak, but was silenced by her finger in the air.

She sank to the ground, almost as if she was defeated, “The winds tell me you must go back. You must take the fruit with you," she pulled out the fruit from the satchel.

“Leave the mito fruit to me. I must not partake in the nectar yet."

I was about to question her when my phone rang again.

This time I picked up, “Hello, this is Lochlann."

There was some static on the other end, but a recognizable female voice was on the other end, “Mr. Fitzpatrick, this is Susan, from communications. I see your location on the satellite visuals. Why are you not with the herd? They are almost 15 kilometers to the north of you."

“Susan, listen, I-“

Susan continued, “Not to mention the data you just sent back. I might have to report this to your supervisor. Looks like the heat is making you crack. What's this about walking dogs? Hollow Earth?"

“Susan, there is a lot to explain from the twenty-four hours since that report," I spoke as I walked to Ok'wana, and wordlessly made the trade with the fruit.

“But as soon as I get the camera-"

“Twenty-four hours?" she asked in confusion, “the time stamp here shows you logged this in less than an hour ago."

My brain was cracking, “I gotta go," I said while I disconnected the call.

I looked at Ok'wana, “How long was I gone for?"

She looked up at the sky, “Maybe an hour. Probably less than that."

“I spent an entire day there. Slept for several hours even. How could I have been gone for only an hour?" I asked while packing the fruit into my backpack.

“Time flows differently between the passages. At least that is what the winds tell me. I'm not entirely sure. I have only crossed over once," she explained.

“What else did the winds tell you?" I looked around to the surrounding trees in the grove, seeing if I could spot what she was hearing.

“It tells me your heart is in deep pain from the loss of a loved one. But the healing comes from helping those in need, like the family in danger you told me about."

Once she reminded me, I made sure the fruit was secured in my pack, and turned to walk back in the lake. But once my foot touched the water, my socks got soaked, and I did not fall through. I looked back at her alarmed.

“Remember, the Sun's first light of day opens the path. And only if the tree chooses the one who walks between lands. The winds tell me it is still you, but you must wait for the next morning."

She was walking away from me, towards the cliffs in the distance. I looked up at the sky. It was mid afternoon. I guess I would wait till morning.

---

_WNC data entry: D23-004.

Employee# P64-81F

Name: Lochlann Fitzpatrick

Assignment: Job Order#R7812

Location: Umbra_

_Day 11:

I made it through to Umbra again. I know I cannot connect right now, but I need to continue documenting my experience here.

There seems to be some sort of time dilation each time I cross over to Umbra. I'll explain. There was a family of jackals that had been taken captive before I left. A father and his son. When I returned, there was nobody near the lake. I traveled to the village I had visited the day before, the one surrounding the monolith. But the village was much larger upon my return. It was now more like a large township. I was only gone for twelve hours, but when I asked the locals how long it had been since the prince was born, they stated close to ten cycles (which I assume is equivalent to years)._

Ten years. I was only gone for twelve hours. I think we may have to revisit the hollow earth theory. This could be a parallel existence. Didn't we have someone from public relations department who had a similar theory? Mr. Gwan I believe. Once I am back in the office, we need to bring him aboard to analyze the data I will be bringing in.

After speaking with the locals, most of which had been an upright-walking feline species of some sort, I was able to locate the lion named, Scar. Well, his home at least. His “staff" informed me that Scar released the son of Crix, but made a trade agreement with a neighboring region called Uji, using slaves as bargaining leverage. Crix happened to be one of them. I informed his associates that I had the fruit that Scar had been waiting for (Yes, it had been ten years, but he is still alive and still requires the healing properties the fruits bring).

I was told to speak with the ambassadors of Pride Rock, which reside right next to the monolith. After speaking at length with the head ambassador (which happened to be an African, red-billed, Hornbill named Zazu, one who lacked any humanoid characteristics but spoke in clear local dialect), the members took the situation seriously. But not serious enough to send armed soldiers to the Uji to release Crix. Just enough to assign me a liason to assist in bargaining for his release.

I soon found out that the nation of Uji had been a two-day trip on carriage. Please note: The carriages are drawn by Zebras. Also to note: There was no payment for the transportation.

Don't worry about company expenses for now. The township of Pride Rock doesn't accept cash. However, they've shown interest in the American coins I had on hand. For one quarter, I was able to acquire several rations of food for the trip.

The companion I was assigned is named Sarafina. She, just like most of the royal family in the monolith, is a lioness. Apparently, Sarafina has an advantage in these bargains. Mostly because she isn't directly tied to the Pride Rock kingdom. She had arrived from another lion-populated region far east a few years ago. Because of this, there will not be any political ramifications if something goes wrong.

We have traveled north toward Uji and the sun is down. I need to rest for our journey tomorrow. I haven't acquired the camera yet, but once I return to Pride Rock, I should be able to get it back, along with the denizens of photos it holds.

_WNC data entry: D23-005.

Employee# P64-81F

Name: Lochlann Fitzpatrick

Assignment: Job Order#R7812

Location: Umbra. North of Pride Rock in the region known as Uji_

_Day 12:

Sarafina is a great guide. Not only has she been instrumental in getting us to the destination safely, but has also proven to be an invaluable source of information on the local cultures, lands, and natives.

We eventually arrived at Uji, one seemingly populated solely by reptiles. The upright-walking kind. They are shaped exactly like humans, but varies in size and stature. If I can pin point the breeds, they look to be varieties of alligators, monitors, chameleons, geckos and skinks. Some can speak the dialect I am familiar with, but most communicate with guttural noises that only Sarafina can translate._

_Crix, the jackal I set out to find, is still alive. I haven't located him in Uji, but am told he is here. It has been several years since we last met. He probably doesn't even remember me. The sun is down and I have to turn in. We are still working out details for Crix's release. I'll continue my report tomorrow. _

---

I shut off my laptop. The battery was at 75%. But I still had the solar array. I should've been able to charge it if I needed to.

A plate of food slid over to me. A small roasted animal of some kind, spiced with something that smelled like peppermint. I looked up to see Sarafina staring at me. She was chewing her meal as well.

Both of us were housed in one of the nicer “huts" in the main village. We had been treated with the utmost respect. Well, as far as I know; the lack of expression and the natives' language barrier made it difficult to tell. The reptiles of Uji seemed to run on a strict caste system, and organized themselves by strength.

I didn't put this in the document, but Sarafina was a fine specimen of a lioness. She reminded me of the grace of the queen I saw yesterday - or should I say - ten years ago. Sarafina's body was more built. Thicker in the legs, and her arms had some tone to them as well. During my travels with her, I caught myself lost in the movement of her hips, and the way her tail swayed with her backside. She wore a form-fitting leather top that kept her breasts perfectly molded to ease her breathing but kept them from flopping about. She wore a long decorated cloth that wrapped around her hips down to her knees, but gave her freedom of movement while she climbed onto the carriage. She wore jeweled leg rings that wrapped halfway up her toned calves. Her waist and her tail had been particularly adorned with trinkets of wealth. This, for sure was a sign of diplomatic and political power.

Stop it, Lochlann, I thought to myself. She is a creature of the natural wildlife. I have taken enough photos of Savanna's habitat to know these are animals. Yes, she has the body of a well built woman with all the curves that makes both men and women linger in their stares. But Sarafina is a lioness, with fur, and claws and a tail. Why would a human like me……

“Why do you do that?" she asked, interrupting my inner dialogue.

I snapped myself out of a daze, not realizing I was gazing at her toned waist, “Huh? Oh, uh, what do you mean?" I brought my eyes back down to my food.

“You watch my every move."

Her accent was different than the others from Pride Rock, “Don't think I didn't notice. One of my gifts is to observe the eyes and mouths of others. If you do it long enough, you can predict what they will do or say next."

My mouth was full of meat when I spoke, “So, what can you tell me about me?"

She moved closer, putting her plate down on the small table fixed in the middle of the hut.

She sat on the floor across from me, “At first, I thought you were easy to read, but the more I am around you, the harder it is to find who you are," her eyes narrowed, and bored into mine.

“You... you have something missing in your life. A lack of purpose. There is no direction for your place in the circle."

I laughed, accidently spitting out some meat. I was about to tell her she was way off. But I paused, and chewed the rest of the food to swallow. I looked deeper into myself, and she was closer than I realized. After my wife died, our goals to start a business, travel the world together, and potentially start a family vanished as her coffin was lowered into the ground.

I cleared my throat, “Ahem. Uh, I think we need to discuss the next steps in bargaining for Crix. Isn't there a council of Elders we are supposed to meet tonight at the great hall?"

She didn't break her stare into my eyes, and a small smirk cracked her expression, “Yes. Pay attention to the oldest. He has ruled this part of the lands for almost 150 cycles. They call him," she paused, the smirk vanished, “his name can't be pronounced in our tongue, but it means The-Bloody-Thorn."

I thought for a moment, “Has Uji ever gone to war with Pride Rock?"

She stood up from her sitting position, and walked over to a window to look out at the night, “Never. Uji is too small to conflict with Mufasa's Pride. They do control the major harbors north of here however, and have supplied various lands with provisions. So the reptiles know they have leverage for trade purposes."

“So, what is our bargain?" I asked, “It can't be much. Zazu trusted us instead of a major diplomat to make potential contracts."

I finished my food, and got up to lean on the table, finding myself watching the moon cascade over her figure.

Without turning back to look, she spoke, “You're doing it again."

“Sorry," I said.

I had to become more transparent with her.

“I, uh, I come from a land that doesn't see women like you," I stopped to correct myself, “I mean, anyone like this," as I gestured to the whole world. “I'm still getting used to all of it."

She looked back from the moonlit window to address my last statement, “Nor I with you, Lochlann."

She fully turned to face me and leaned back on the wall, “I have seen apes like you, but not ones with such," she paused to find the right words, “smooth features."

Her eyes narrowed a bit, “I have never seen your kind before. Why travel all the way to our region alone with none of your kind to accompany you?"

“Heh," I scratched the back of my neck, “long story."

I changed the subject again to keep us on track, “Is there something Pride Rock can offer to give Crix his freedom?"

Sarafina leaned her head back to rest on the wall and thought, before she spoke, “The region of Uji don't like to lose their slave labor. The harbors are hard work, and with the growing nations around them, their effort to fulfil trade agreements have become more intense."

“Can Pride Rock offer up a temporary paid labor force, or even ask for a lighter trade for a few months? That might relieve labor pressure."

I was just spitballing. I was a photographer. Not a diplomat.

“This region in particular respects strength," she was deep in thought, “We have a few options to offer something small for Crix."

She propped herself up, and clasped my shoulder. No worries, Lochlann. I've got a few ideas. Just follow my lead."

Flashes of Crix holding his son during the celebration with absolute joy crossed my mind, then another image of them both gagged and bound followed.

“Crix needs to be reunited with his family. I will follow whatever plan you have to get him home."

She walked to the door and beckoned me to follow, “Come, Lochlann. I see in your eyes you have direction. The care you have for your friend gives me confidence we can see this through."

We walked wordlessly to the main hall. It wasn't monolith size, but it reminded me of the ancient Viking halls found in Norway. Shaped like an upside down boat hull, it seemed to be large enough to seat everyone in the village. From a distance, you could tell there was plenty of activity from the glowing interior.

Sarafina and I walked through the front doors as they were opened by two beefy alligator guards.

The first thing I noticed was the stench. What was that? Rotting cabbage? No. It was fishy. Like boiled cod. The next thing I noticed was the place's pure reptilian presence. It could have been a few hundred sitting around cheering on what looked like a fight between two reptiles. One of the participants had been missing an arm. Freshly torn off, it was dangling from the jaws of its reptilian opponent. It hadn't slowed down the victim at all. The wounded reptile lunged at the other, and used its free arm to uppercut their opponent. The crowd cheered in absolute triumph.

We looked at each other. Sarafina saw the confusion and some fear in my eyes. She softened her expression, trying to comfort me. It worked. She was good. If only HR at the WNC could pull this off.

Then the crowd got quiet. I looked from Sarafina back to the center. Even though the wounded reptile stood above an unconscious victim, he, as well as the whole hall, had been staring at us.

A guttural noise came from the opposite end of the hall. The crowd parted to let us walk through. This is when I noticed the one Sarafina called the Elder; or as they called him, The-Bloody-Thorn.

Age did not grace this creature. You could tell every century matured his scales and face. One eye had sunken in from age, while the other seemed to have been clouded over. Thorn had no teeth, and part his upper nose was gone, leaving a dried gap of mouth completely open to the elements. He was hunched over so much that I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be six feet, or three feet tall. If I were to guess his species, he looked similar to a Nile-Monitor lizard from this markings. He was accompanied by a few female Nile-Monitors lizard servants. They must assign them when they are young to contrast his aging wisdom with their..uh...beauty? These two couldn't have been older than twenty. Their scales hadn't been around long enough to create the ridges that you'd see in most other natives there.

Thorn made another guttural noise.

Sarafina nodded, and spoke back in her own dialect, “We are here for the release of a labor worker in your employ."

One of the servants spoke to him quietly, seeming to translate what Sarafina said.

Sarafina motioned me to move forward with her.

I spoke nervously in the clearest dialect I could muster, “I want to thank you for your hospitality. We have traveled from Pride Rock to bargain for Crix, a short-"

I looked back at Sarafina to make sure I pronounced the word “jackal " in the local dialect correctly.

As she mouthed the word, I continued, “A short jackal in your labor camp."

Sarafina spoke again, “After further discussion, we will be offering a trade for Crix. We will be offering-“

I cut her off, reaching into my pack, “We will be offering a fruit of rebirth from the Tree of Life in exchange for the Crix's freedom."

I held out the small purple bulb in my hand.

I heard a gasp behind me as Sarafina stepped up next to me with eyes as wide as saucers.

She spoke quietly behind her teeth, “Lochlann, what are you doing?! Nobody has seen this type of fruit for generations. Why are you offering this to a low level ruler just to save a jackal?"

Without breaking my gaze, I replied quietly, “Because...saving Crix is my direction. My purpose."

One of the young female monitors slowly stood up in the silent hall. She sauntered over to us. Each step was followed by a gentle click of her clawed toes on the stone floor. Her body structure was similar to a thin runway model, except the fact that her thick tail swayed with grace behind her. Her light blue wrappings just barely covering her innocence. I held out the fruit for her to take. She walked past the fruit only to place her reptilian snout within a foot of my face. Her long forked tongue slithered out from her mouth to taste the air within centimeters of my nose.

I held my position, gaining courage. Knowing my purpose. Her tongue retracted quickly and closed her slitted eyes. She placed her hand gently on my chest, maneuvered it to my shoulders, and stroked my bicep all the while keeping her eyes closed.

I glanced back at Sarafina. Her face was that of a warrior. I had taken photos of lionesses in the Savanna; ready to pounce on their prey with absolute focus. I studied these photos, only to pick the best one to be published in the latest magazine issue. If I could have taken a photo of Sarafina's expression in that moment, the WNC would have sold millions of copies.

The female monitor turned to face her master. She said something in their tongue. She then sauntered her way back. My male instinct would have been to look down at the swinging hips of her curves, but Sarafina caught me a few times before. I needed to keep my composure.

The slender servant spoke quietly to Thorn. He then made a noise that might have sounded like a laugh. He spoke loudly, spittle coming from his maw as he addressed the crowd. I couldn't understand what was said, but the cold steel expression Sarafina held began to crack as Thorn spoke. I could see a hint of despair.

She quickly grabbed the purple fruit from my hand and held it towards Thorn's direction, “My companion has stated the terms. You can accept the deal, or we walk."

Her voice hinted of panic.

A door opened near the back of the hall, and a reptilian guard pulled out a figure in chains.

It was Crix!

I could hardly recognize him. Years of forced labor made him a husk of who he once was. His face was gaunt. His eyes stared at the ground. His hands seemed to have been bandaged over and over again. He barely had any hair on his back from the scarring of what I assumed was whips.

I turned back with anger, facing Thorn. But Sarafina was between us. She was looking at me with broken fear.

“What's going on, Sarafina?" I asked.

She spoke as she looked past me, “The-Bloody-Thorn doesn't want the fruit. He wants you to win Crix's freedom in a trial of Skerkte?"

The crowd immediately roared in excitement again. I followed Sarafina's gaze, only to see what she was looking at.

I consider myself a sizable person. Standing at 6'2", 215 lbs; I seemed to be slightly larger than most of the reptiles in the tribe. But the monstrosity I witnessed get up from the bench was shocking. This brute of an alligator towered over the crowd in the hall. His body looked as if it was built from granite. The muscles, which created a ridged canvas over his body, forced the scales on his joints to protrude outwards like natural blades. While he wore a simple garment on his lower half, the rest of his body was bare to show the world what the death machine was capable of.

The creature grinned, I think.... Hard to tell from a alligator facial structure. The crowd between us parted. He began to walk towards the center of the hall where Sarafina and I stood.

There was a moment of doubt and fear. But to my surprise, when I glanced at Crix's mangled body and thought of his family, I felt like I could hold my ground.

Fifteen years.

Fifteen years of weightlifting and kickboxing training.

Sarafina grabbed my arm to pull me away from the upcoming conflict.

Her voice was shaking as she spoke, “Lochlann, you don't have to do this. We can go home."

As a few reptilian natives grabbed her away from me, I stared down my opponent and said three words to her, “I got this."

[Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/1864814]