Chapter Six: Grumbling in the Camel Colony
Chapter Six: Grumbling in the Camel Colony
Ariel led the way as she and Koi left the Elephant Domain behind, trekking deeper into the zoo’s nightscape. The dusty path gradually gave way to coarse sand, dotted with spiky bushes and the occasional towering cactus. A low, star-filled sky stretched overhead, and the moon’s silvery glow cast mysterious shadows on the ground.
After speaking with the polite (and thoroughly British) elephants, Ariel and Koi were sure Mole the Meerkat had headed into the Camel Exhibit next. It made sense—if he’d gotten ice from penguins, peanuts from elephants, who knew what he’d be after here?
Entering the Desert Realm
They soon spotted a wooden arch with faded letters reading:
Camel Colony
“Mind the spit, and please watch your step.”
Ariel swallowed hard. “I’m not a huge fan of being spat on.”
Koi shrugged, his furry shoulders rising and falling. “Eh, I’ve seen it happen on TV. Looks gross, but I don’t think it’ll kill us.”
They stepped through the entrance, and the environment changed swiftly to mimic a desert. The sandy ground radiated leftover warmth from the day. Artificial dunes lay here and there, and scraggly palm trees offered patches of shade—if it hadn’t been nighttime, anyway. Lanterns shaped like mini pyramids cast a soft, golden light across the enclosure.
Up ahead, they could see hump-backed silhouettes, some resting on folded legs, others drifting around with slow, swaying steps. At first glance, the camels seemed half-asleep. But as soon as Ariel and Koi approached, a lanky camel with dark, fuzzy humps raised its head and addressed them in a deadpan voice:
“Good evening,” it said flatly. “We’ve been expecting you.”
Camel Introductions
The camel walked forward, long eyelashes batting lazily. Around its neck hung a little name tag: Chicken the Camel. Chicken offered a half-smile, as if life itself was vaguely amusing but not worth a belly laugh.
“Koi the Kangaroo, I presume,” Chicken drawled. “And you must be Ariel, the small but persistent human?”
Ariel exchanged a glance with Koi. “Uh, yeah. Have we met?”
“No,” said Chicken, “but rumor travels faster than a sandstorm around here.”
Behind Chicken, three more camels sauntered over, each wearing name tags of their own:
- Cat the Camel, who yawned dramatically every two seconds.
- Chimp the Camel, fiddling with a straw hat perched on one hump.
- Cobra the Camel, blinking slowly and swishing its tail with mild interest.
They all looked at Ariel and Koi with half-lidded eyes and an air of understated curiosity. When they spoke, their voices were tinged with dry, slow humor.
“Well, well,” Cat muttered in a sleepy tone. “Looks like we have visitors. Am I supposed to get excited?” He yawned. “Because that’s a lot of effort.”
Chimp smirked. “But, Cat, excitement is our middle name.”
“No, it’s not,” Cobra interjected flatly. “It’s ‘the.’ We’re Camels. We don’t do excitement.”
A Late-Night Trade
Ariel forced a polite smile. “We’re actually looking for a meerkat named Mole. Did he pass through here?”
Chicken nodded, chewing something slowly—like a big wad of grass, perhaps. “Oh, him. Buzzy little fella. He popped by half an hour ago, maybe. Traded us a handful of peanuts for some… how’d he phrase it? ‘Very special, supremely tasty grass.’”
Koi’s ears perked up, and he rubbed his paws together. “Wait, did you say tasty grass?”
“Yes, but sorry—” Chimp flicked an ear. “We might’ve shared the last bits of it among ourselves. It’s sort of a local delicacy around here. Super crunchy, sweet finish. Goes well with a side of…salt blocks.”
Ariel noticed Koi’s eyes glimmer. “Calm down, Koi,” she warned, suspecting the kangaroo was about to get as excited as a kid in a candy store.
Grass Distraction
Sure enough, Koi hopped closer to the camels. “Um, you don’t happen to have any left, do you? I’m a bit peckish…”
Chicken gave a measured blink. “We might have a few blades left, stashed behind that dune.”
Before Ariel could stop him, Koi bounded across the sand. A short moment later, he reappeared clutching a small clump of grass, eyes sparkling like he’d found the Holy Grail. “Struth! This smells incredible.”
He took a nibble, then let out a blissful sigh. “Oh, that is delish. Mate, I could munch on this all day.”
Ariel tried to wave him over. “Koi, focus! Mole is on the loose. We don’t have time for grass snacks.”
But Koi was too enthralled. “Just…give me a minute, yeah?” He nibbled more. “Mmm, so crisp—like fresh lettuce in the Outback. Haven’t tasted anything like this since Auntie Roo’s backyard salad.”
The camels watched with mild amusement. Cat the Camel grinned sleepily, lifting a brow. “Glad to see someone else appreciates quality desert flora.”
Ariel groaned. “Ugh. This is exactly like a pit stop we don’t need.” She turned her attention back to Chicken. “So, Mole swapped peanuts for grass. Did he mention why? Or where he was going next?”
Chicken shrugged, the motion of his large shoulders slow and deliberate. “Not exactly. But he muttered something about needing an ‘energy boost.’ Guess that grass was to keep him going on a long journey. He scurried off toward the far side of the enclosure—heading for that big rocky area near the Bear Enclosure, if I recall.”
Cobra the Camel piped up, voice still flat, “I recall him mumbling about ‘the final piece of the puzzle.’ But I didn’t bother to ask. I was busy chewing.”
Chimp yawned. “He left in quite a hurry. Didn’t even ask for our names. Rude or just busy, who knows?”
Final Clues from the Camels
Ariel nodded, appreciating any new information. “Well, we appreciate you telling us. Is there anything else you noticed—like a big bag or a bunch of items he’s lugging around?”
Chimp shook his head. “The bag looked heavier than a camel after a buffet. He was struggling, all panting and fussing with it.”
“That is quite the bag, I must say,” Cat added, running a hoof lazily through the sand. “We offered to help, but he said, ‘No time! Must keep moving!’ Then off he went, trailing peanut shells behind him.”
Koi waddled back over, still gnawing his last bite of grass. “If he’s heading to the Bear Enclosure, we should get a move on, eh?”
Ariel shot him a withering look, hands on her hips. “Oh, now you’re ready to move?”
He grinned sheepishly, stuffing the leftover grass into a pouch in his fur. “Wanted a snack for the road, y’know? This stuff is so good—try it?”
Ariel made a face. “I’d rather not be munching weird desert grass right now. But thanks.”
Onward Once More
They wove around a few sandy mounds, sure enough spotting a cluster of large rocks leading to another open gate. A small wooden sign read: Rocky Bear Enclosure in bold, weathered letters, with a cartoon bear drawn next to it.
“Come on,” Ariel urged, picking up her pace despite the oversized zookeeper jumpsuit. “We can’t let him slip away again.”
Koi followed, quietly snacking on bits of grass he’d pocketed. “You know, maybe we can talk the camels into shipping a bale of that grass to the kangaroo enclosure. That’d be…wow.”
Ariel shook her head in exasperation, but couldn’t help a tiny smile. “You’re impossible.”
“Aw, you know you love me,” Koi teased, taking a final bite of grass. “Seriously though, let’s find Mole before he trades for something else weird—like a scuba tank or a pogo stick.”
Ariel grinned at the absurd mental image. “No kidding. This is turning into the strangest scavenger hunt ever.”
They passed another sign that read Exit to Rocky Bear Enclosure, painted in brownish letters shaped like claw marks. The wind picked up a bit, swirling the desert sand around their ankles. Ariel took one last look at the camels, who were already returning to their half-slumped positions.
A Final Word from Chicken
Just as Ariel and Koi reached the gate, Chicken called out, “Good luck, mates. If you catch that Mole, remind him next time he can pay us in fish for some grass. It’s a better deal. …At least for us.”
He let out a low chuckle—so dry and flat, Ariel almost doubted she heard it. She raised her hand in a wave. “Will do. Thanks again!”
With that, she and Koi stepped out of the Camel Colony, only the starlight (and a few scattered torches) illuminating the path. Ahead, a rocky terrain beckoned, with large boulders piled high to form natural dens for the zoo’s bears. Another piece of Mole’s puzzle had been revealed—he was gathering grass, peanuts, ice cubes… The list kept growing, and Ariel’s curiosity flared hotter than ever.
But for now, they pressed on, determined not to let the elusive meerkat slip away again.
Comments
Post a Comment