Written in the stars

6

Warning: description of death
———————————————-
Eddy fetches the field radio from the Jeep and hooks it onto his belt. Then he takes a pair of binoculars from under the driver's seat and hangs it around his neck.  He motions for Brett to get out of the Jeep quietly. Eddy takes the lead down the ridge, followed by Brett, with Jonas behind them with the gun over his shoulder.  As they reach level ground, Eddy uses the binoculars to look down the river on either side.  

"Oh no", he says, handing the binoculars to Jonas and pointing to the left side.  Without explain anything to Brett, they start walking in that direction.  Both forget that his legs are shorter, and he almost has to run to keep up.

Then out of nowhere a herd of zebras come down the embankment towards the water to drink.  Eddy grabs Brett without thinking, pushing him out the way.  They both end up on the ground, Eddy lying on top of Brett.  They both freeze for a second, locked in each other's gaze.  "Uh, thanks I guess", Brett manages.  Eddy jumps up, dusts himself, and mutters "you're welcome" as he starts walking again.  Meanwhile Jonas is laughing one of those deep belly laughs.  "Shut up", Eddy says in a mocking tone, which just makes Jonas laugh harder.

Brett caught up again after getting himself off the ground.  They don't walk far when Eddy holds up a hand for everyone to stop.  And then Brett sees it.  A dead elephant.  They slowly approach, Jonas keeping the gun ready in case the poachers are still around.  When they reach the carcass, Brett goes into auto mode, examining the entry and exit wounds and calculating the internal damage in his head.

"It was a bow and arrow, not a bullet", he says.  "The entry and exit wounds are both clean.  They must've taken the bow with them before they left".  Then he notices something else.  "She was pregnant", he says.  He carefully puts one hand on her abdomen, then turns his head and puts his ear against the body.  "It's still alive", he says calmly.  "It's still alive!" he yells after realizing his own words.  "Quick, bring the Jeep down here", he tells Jonas, who takes off running.

Eddy is too stunned to speak.  He watches in awe as Brett works to free the baby.  Maybe he underestimated him.  He has never seen a vet like this before.  When Jonas returns with the Jeep, Brett just about freed the baby.  The three of them stop breathing for a few seconds.  The little one is snow white.  So bright that the reflection from the sun almost makes it impossible to look at her. 

The three of them struggle to put the baby in the back of the Jeep.  It was a female, making her weigh less.  If it was a male they would probably not have been able to lift it onto the Jeep.  Brett sits in the back of the Jeep with the newborn.  "Give me your shirt", he tells Eddy, who obliges without asking.  Brett uses it to cover the little one's eyes.  "She has albinism.  Her eyes will be very sensitive to light, especially at this age", Brett explains.

When they reach the wardens camp, people rush to see what's going on, as the Jeep doesn't normally enter the residential area.  Some of the children seeing the white elephant start crying.  Some men run off to find Baba.  Brett and the other two carefully lift the little one from the Jeep.  "Bring water", Brett asks.  Some nearby ladies start filling buckets at the pump and bringing it over.  He carefully washes off the little body.  Making sure to clean inside the ears as well. 

Once he's done, he gives the baby a few smacks on the bum. She slowly tries to stand up on her feeble legs.  All wonky at first, but eventually standing up proper.  The little trunk swaying from side to side with no real purpose.  She turns around to face Brett, who was still sitting on the ground in a huge mud puddle.  She makes the strangest off-key piccolo sound and then goes to sit on Brett's lap, resting her head against his chest.