Grand Theft Safari Read Online Free

“I just didn’t really want to see it in action.”
    Dad put his arm around my shoulder as we headed back to camp. As we got closer, Elea began to bark excitedly.
    â€œGo girl,” Nigel told her. Elea ran ahead.
    â€œShe smells something out of the ordinary,” Nigel told us. “Let’s see what she finds.”
    We walked quietly back to camp, only to find Elea lying by the fire pit, whining.
    â€œWhat is it, girl?” I asked the dog. She stared at our group of tents. I didn’t see anything.
    â€œLet’s go find out what’s back there,” Tomas whispered to me.
    We crept quietly to the tents. I heard what sounded like licking noises. We peeked around our tent. Just behind our tent, a mother zebra was licking her newborn foal.
    â€œMari, look at that! It looks brand new,” Tomas said.
    The mother zebra saw us and flicked her ears at us.
    â€œIt’s okay, girl,” I said calmly to the zebra. She was probably too exhausted to run. The babywasn’t even standing yet.
    Tomas and I backed away so as not to scare the pair. The mother continued licking the foal, cleaning it. Soon the newborn stretched its long legs and wobbled around, trying to walk.
    â€œIt is so beautiful,” I said quietly.
    Mom walked up behind us, admiring the beautiful newborn zebra and doting mother.
    â€œJust think,” Mom whispered, “those lions could have gotten this one.”

    I knew what she meant. Because the lions caught an old, slow zebra, the lions would not be hungry for a while, giving this mother zebra and baby zebra a chance to grow strong and survive.

Chapter Five
    GIRAFFE ENCOUNTER
    Mom spent the next few days recording field data. After the lion attack, Tomas and I thought it best to stay close to camp. Nigel needed to drive to the field station to pick up supplies and food. My brother and I thought it would be fun to tag along with him.
    The truck bounced across the grassland, narrowly missing ruts and rocks. Nearing a patch of trees, Nigel stopped the truck. He looked through his binoculars.
    â€œA-ha!” He smiled. “You children are in luck.” He passed the binoculars to me.
    I looked through the lenses. “Giraffes!”
    â€œI want to see! I want to see!” Tomas shouted, grabbing the binoculars from my hands.
    â€œLet’s see if we can get closer,” Nigel suggested as he hopped down from the truck.
    Tomas and I followed behind him.
    â€œBe quiet and calm. You might get very close,” Nigel whispered.
    The giraffes plucked the leaves from the tree branches with their tongues. Three smaller giraffes trailed behind three larger adults. “Probably mamas with their babies,” Tomas said.
    â€œWhat a funny walk,” I remarked.
    Tomas gave me an amused look. “If you had legs a mile long and a neck like that, you’d walk funny too.” We giggled. The giraffes did have an unusual, almost swinging walk. But it was graceful in its own way.
    Nigel let us watch the giraffes graze a little longer until we needed to get back to the truck. Nigel wanted to make it to the field station and be back to camp before night fall.
    When we got to the field station, the park ranger helped us load dry goods and water canisters onto our truck.
    â€œI hear the elephants are on the move,” the ranger told Nigel. “Watch out for the lone bulls.”
    Nigel nodded his head.
    â€œHow is your ammo supply?” he asked Nigel.
    â€œFine. I haven’t had to use too much.”
    â€œGood, good,” the ranger said. “Keep the children close to you, just in case.”
    â€œWill do,” Nigel assured the park ranger.
    Tomas got closer to me. He whispered in my ear, “Is Nigel going to shoot an elephant?”
    I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. Isn’t that illegal? Aren’t elephants endangered?”
    â€œWhy did that ranger want to sell you more ammo? To shoot