A story about... An Animal c. 1999/2000 Dan Biemer, Damon Diehl, Rachel Rosenberg, Jack Welch	RACHEL	DAN	DAMON & JACK
				JACK & DAMON
			DAMON	DAN & JACK
				JACK & DAN
			JACK	DAN & DAMON
				DAMON & DAN

On her twentieth birthday, Mamma brought Abigail a cardboard box, closed over with twine. "Your father was a strange giraffe in many ways," she said as she handed it to Abigail. "He used to head off into the jungle for days at a time, and come back tired and worn, as if he had been chased for days across the Savannah. I tried following once, but the jungle was too dense. Your father moved through it like no giraffe I've ever seen. As if he were just as home in the dense jungle as on the plains." 

"When your father returned, he told me that he knew I had tried to follow him. He warned me -- for my own good, and for the safety of the children, he said -- not to ever try that again. He told me that he would always provide for us, and that he did...right up to the end". A tear fell down Mamma's spotted nose. 

"He told me that when you were old enough, I was to give this to you. He said that it would explain everything. He said that you were to follow the same path as he did. I don't know what he meant, but he said it with such conviction that I have held this box aside, all these years. And now that you are grown up, I am brimming over with curiousity...but I'm also afraid." 

Abigail nuzzle beside her mother and took the package. Carefully, she undid the bow and opened the cover. Sketched in charcoal on yellowing parchment, she saw what appeared to be a lion with wings. Above it, a crown. Below it, writing in some language Abigail had never seen. The Lion bore a shield. Puzzled, she turned the page.

 "What is it?" Mamma cried as she saw the color drain from Abigail's face. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Abigail accused. 

"Tell you what?" 

"You mean you really didn't know? He never told you?" 

"Told me what?" 

She fought back tears. "Pappa wasn't a giraffe! He was a Royal Flyin' Lion in disguise!" 

"No!" Mamma sank to the ground. "Then that smell on his breath was meat! My God, it was meat!" 

"He broke every taboo in the jungle! And made me - a monster!"

They sat together in stunned silence. Finally, Abigail spoke.

"He said I was to follow the same path he did?"

"Yes. But you musn't! Let's destroy the box before anyone else sees!"

"No... Horrible as it is, I must see what's inside."

As she lifted the lid she caught a glimpse of gold and feathers. She dropped it in surprise as the pair of wings inside burst free and fluttered to her shoulders. The crown rolled to a stop against a tree. Mamma raised it gently to Abigail's head.

Majestically, Abigail the Royal Flyin' Girion flapped her wings and rose above the trees to begin the hunt as Mamma softly cried.