Ruts and Routines

[morningreport]

[A certain Hornbill can be seen slowly flying over the land, his eyes wandering. It's unsure if he's looking for someone, or just keeping watch over things, but he seems to be extra huffy this morning.]

...Now where is everybody? Normally the giraffe would be out at the water-hole at this time of day...and there isn't even a meerkat to be spoken of.

An empty Savannah is unheard of, so where the devil is everyone?

[He circles around one more time before landing on a rock, sighing heavily before folding his wings at his sides.]

Surely something wouldn't be going on without me knowing about it, would it?

Comments

[ikilledmufasa]

You wouldn't want my brother to hear you speaking like that, would you Zazu?

[Scar has been more or less stalking the bird all day, waiting for the perfect chance to scare the feathers off him.

The fact he's hardly a foot away now should do that quite nicely.]

[morningreport]

[It works. The bird lets out a squawk of terror at the sudden familiar voice, and he's so startled by it that he tumbles right off the rock he'd been perched on, landing in the grass below in a heap of feathers.

Then he lifts his head a little with his wingtips over his heart, wheezing.]

Sc-..Scar! G-Goodness would you...would you not do that?

[He stiffly stands, digging his claws irritably into the dirt as he does. Then he brushes himself off with a tilt of his head, trying to recover some dignity.]

[i_killedmufasa]

Lighten up, Zazu, it was only a joke. You didn't think I would let Mufasa have all the fun surprising you?

[With a wicked grin, Scar flicks specks of dust off a few of Zazu's feathers.]

[morningreport]

[Grimacing, he steps back quickly away from those claws of his, rolling his eyes a little.]

R-right.

Speaking of Mufasa- ...do you know where everyone is? It's as if the entire populace of Africa has gone extinct all of a sudden.

[i_killedmufasa]

[Scar mocks a flinch as Zazu backpedals, then inspects his claws.]

Perhaps they've all been eaten.

[morningreport]

...Oh ha ha. And my mother was a hyena.

[Zazu sneers, putting his wings on his hips.]

[i_killedmufasa]

It certainly would explain your sour attitude toward everything.

[Scar turns his back and begins walking toward Pride Rock.]

Is there anywhere you haven't looked yet?

[morningreport]

[He's tempted to just let Scar leave- he'd definitely get more ground covered that way. ..But he huffs and takes to the air once more, circling slowly above Scar's head.]

....Not exactly, unless the Elephant Graveyard counts as a place I haven't looked.

..Rather, that is a place I will not look.

[ikilledmufasa]

If the entirety of the Pride Lands seems to have vanished I'm rather doubtful we'll find them making friends with all of your relatives.

[morningreport]

[His beak had parted to say something else- but Scar's comment catches him off-guard. ...Ooohh if he had half a mind to do something he would- ...but of course whatever that something was, he wouldn't ever act on it.

..Ever.]

...I- ...I beg your pardon??

[i_killedmufasa]

You'll never be able to take a joke, will you?

What about Rafiki's tree?

[morningreport]

Unlike some mammals, I don't have time for jokes.

Like I said, I've been pretty much everywhere. ..so unless everyone migrated to Pride Rock while I was looking elsewhere, I don't know where anyone is.

[His voice is quite stiff. Boy, that's a bit difficult to admit. ..Someone's been sleeping on the job perhaps..?]

[ikilledmufasa]

Then why don't we go back to Pride Rock?

[morningreport]

Mmm... I do suppose that's a....relatively fair idea.

Better than circling around the grasslands...

[With the luck he's having, he might as well call it the wastelands.]

[i_killedmufasa]

Though I do have to wonder if the whole of the Pride Lands isn't simply playing a joke on you.

[morningreport]

[He scoffs at that.]

Surely not.

[That just wouldn't make any sense. ...The entire population of the Pride Lands wouldn't go to those lengths to play a silly joke on him-

...would they?]

[ikilledmufasa]

How can you be so certain?

[Scar continues on his way toward Pride Rock, shooing a few small rodents back into their tunnels as he passes.]

[morningreport]

Well....don't you think that would be a bit... extreme?

[i_killedmufasa]

It sounds like something my brother would put them up to, doesn't it?

[morningreport]

[He's right.]

...Perhaps. I suppose we'll have to go to Pride Rock and find out, won't we.

[Zazu hisses this in an undertone. Somebody's feathers are a bit ruffled.]

[i_killedmufasa]

I suppose we will. Do you see anything from up there?

[morningreport]

Nothing but grass and termite mounds.

[The bird grumbles, rolling his eyes. ...If this was a joke concocted by Mufasa, he was going to have to have a word with him.]

[ikilledmufasa]

How very peculiar...

[morningreport]

[Zazu falls silent and continues to fly slowly, watching Scar out of the corner of his eye.

He can't keep up the silence forever though.]

...Now tell me again what you are...doing out here by yourself in the first place?

[Not that he's even remotely curious- ...he has to know! It's his uh- ...job.]

[ikilledmufasa]

Why, I'm out here on royal business for Mufasa.