Jungle fever

PICTURE THIS AS A VERY LIFE-LIKE ANIMATED SERIES, IN 4, 5, OR 6D. OR WHICHEVER 'D' IS 'EN VOGUE' AT THE MOMENT. THE STORY BEGINS WHEN SIAM APPROACHES:

"What are you looking at Mtumbo"? Siam asked her mate as she walked quietly up behind him.

"Meat, lots of meat". Replied Mtumbo.

Siam sat beside him and looked out towards the ocean. A large group of people were crawling, swimming and dragging themselves unto shore. Some were crying loudly, some were barking orders and others just sat around looking forlornly out to the waters where the large boat was slowly sinking into the middle of the waters.

"But what kind of meat is that, Mtumbo? I have not seen that kind before, but it sure looks tasty"! Siam licked her lips.

"I have seen them before Siam. They are not any friends of ours. Once, a long time ago, they had me locked up in a cage. Made me do embarrassing tricks, and lashed me if I didn't always get it right. I escaped to this island one day when their ship docked here for repairs. They searched, but couldn't find me. I ate a couple of them before they left in a hurry".

"Good for you, Mtumbo". She nuzzled his neck playfully.

Siam sniffed the air. Her heart was beating very fast. She could barely contain her anticipation at feeding the cubs this delicious smelling new meat.

The large Yacht belonging to the millionaire magnate Vincenzo Gregoria had been sabotaged. Emelia Dragonard had seen to it that there were no working technology on board. Did he really think that she would just let him walk away after the work she had put in to build his empire. Emelia had been jilted. Had been a woman scorned. She had planned for the yacht to sink and Vincenzo and his new fling LLana along with it, they would sink to the bottom of the deepest ocean and drown. Hopefully in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, if she had her way.

Vincenzo had planned an elaborate engagement party on the yacht, all of his rich friends had been invited.

She had broken into Vincenzo's house with all of his high-tech gadgets, the man could practically monitor the world. So she now monitored the yacht, turned off all the signals, and waited for the right time to ping the special phone which would detonate the charges she had hidden in the bottom of the boat. Luckily everyone had gathered up on deck at the time, so no lives were lost as far as they knew. The yacht just sank slowly as they managed to get to the nearest shore. An abandoned island.

So here they were sitting on the shore with nothing but the clothes on their backs, these rich spoilt childish adults. No one had the slightest idea how to survive in a jungle on an uninhabited island.

The animals watch patiently, biding their time. The lion Mtumbo, had to give the order when to strike. They did not dare disobey

Siam had no such patience, she came charging out of the jungle, snarling and gunning for blood. People jumped up and started running.

"OhmiGod, help, help". Someone yelled.

"Mauvre run, run"! David her friend, yelled loudly.

Siam stopped in her tracks. Why could she understand what the strange beings were saying?

She roared a question to Mtumbo?

"Holy hell, why did I just understand what the lion is saying'? Mauvre said to no one in particular.

Everyone stopped running. They all could understand what the lion had roared, or said, they weren't sure which.

Mtumbo came dashing out of the forest.

"What is going on"? He roared.

Nobody moved. People did not want to get eaten, and lions distrusted people.

All kinds of animals started walking towards the shoreline. Elephants, zebras, and a very colorful looking squirrel named Ratufa, among others.

Buka and Nila the island giraffes.

Standing beside Siam, the large lion surveyed the situation. He was not happy that Siam had run out, startling them and alerting them to the presence of the animals. He had wanted to isolate them and pick them off one by one.

But now, things had changed drastically. Now he could understand every word that they were saying. Maybe he could find out about the cursed circus that had held him captive, he wanted to know if his friends had survived. Yes, he still wanted a bite out of their succulent flesh, but that could wait.

Suddenly there were several low growls behind him. Mtumbo looked back to see what was happening.

Jakta and his pride of outcasts were moving slowly towards the group. Great, just what everyone needed right now, the lion mused.

People were beginning to panic.

"Don't move". Mtumbo growled, loud enough so everyone could hear.

Of course, everyone took off running. Mtumbo growled.

Rafe, the athlete, biceps to die for, and probably the bravest in the group, stopped and stepped forward to try to save his friends. Plus, he had to defy being ordered around by an animal, a lion which he was sure he could take if necessary.

Mtumbo leapt towards him, Rafe took off running like the devil was on his heels, Jakta took this as an invitation and tore off after Rafe. Siam and Mtumbo ran helter-skelter after the two, while the other large animals blocked Jakta's friends from joining in the melee.

Mtumbo overtook Jakta, and the two faced off, but Jakta was a coward, when faced with strength, he cowered.

"Get back to your friends and leave here immediately"! He commanded.

People looked back as the huge lion, now humiliated, ran at top speed into the bushes, followed by his friends. Mtumbo knew that this did not bode well for the people here. Jakta was vindictive and cruel, he would bide his time and he would be back.

Everyone came back slowly, laughing, as Siam had got hold of Rafe by the scruff of his neck and was dragging him back like a baby cub while he yelled and shouted.

Siam dropped him near the group and walked over to Mtumbo. She watched the beings for a while in silent contemplation. They are just like us, she thought to herself. They look different, but they need the same things, food, shelter and protection from their enemies. Maybe the fact that they could understood one another was a blessing. They had to work together to help protect each other.

Mtumbo was thinking that these idiot people had just brought a whole world of hurt upon themselves. He was mad, because now he could not just eat them, Siam would not be happy with that right now, he could tell by her silence that she had already adopted them. Still, if he were honest, he would admit that he was warming to them. He knew just where to lead them where they would be safe tonight.

So begins the hilarious journey of humans and animals speaking and understanding each other. Teaching each other how to build houses, hunt together, exist in harmony and, unfortunately, try to evade their enemies and stay alive.

Back at Vincenzo's home and business, Emelia had taken over everything with the total belief that they were all dead.

How long would it be before they would be rescued?