Savanna Discoveries

The Illness Begins

I slowly woke up, the sounds of crackling and the sweet smell of food wafted over me.

I sat up and scooted out of the tent, brushing small pebbles and dirt off my pants.

"Good Morning!" Jones chirped and looked over at me hearing the crunch of pebbles under my feet.

I waved after rubbing the sleepy feeling from my eyes.

A part of me felt alone but when I was in a large city or my home town I felt out of place. I felt like I was overdoing my stay there, but here it feels to me like a mother's embrace after you've had a long day.

"We are patrolling again?" I asked and plopped myself down onto a wooden log.

The smells were coming from the small metal grate placed above the fire that held bacon, sausage, and eggs.

Jones nodded, "It should be simple, just around the perimeters of the reserve and back to camp. After that we have free time, you could go looking for birds or something."

I smiled and nodded eagerly. "Thank you for actually...mentoring me Jones."

He laughed and rolled the meat and eggs off the fire and onto a polished wooden slab.

"You're welcome, it's no problem at all. Teaching a new generation about abnormalities in animal behavior and how to protect wildlife from poaching is vital." He said and nodded, handing me a plate of the fire roasted food.

I smiled and blew air on the burning hot plate until it cooled to a desirable temperature.

I ate the food quickly and sighed in satisfaction at the end.

~

All was well until half way through the patrol we spotted a carcass with flies scavenging it.

"Oh shit..." Jones muttered and started to run towards it.

I followed behind him quickly, my eyes widening at the terror.

There was a lion sprawled out on the dry ground.

Blood soaked into the brown grass and small tufts of fur scattered around the lion.

There was a long slit across his stomach were his vital organs and intestines started to push out.

His huge amber eyes were wide with fear as blood trickled down them and out of his mouth as well.

His claws were pressed out and his mouth parted.

Jones crouched down and examined the corpse.

Small foamy bubbles dripped from the the lion's mouth and I pulled Jones away quickly.

"Stop, foaming at the mouth is never good." I said quickly and pointed.

Jones nodded, "I don't think it was a poacher because they wouldn't mutilate their prize like this...the blood from the eyes and foam. We must remember this incase any other animals exhibit this.."

My eyes started to noticed the black and deep red sores, oozing with bright yellow pus and maggots starting to eat at the flesh.

I shuttered and turned away as did Jones and we were on our way.

~

For the rest of the day Jones and I tried to think of any known illnesses with those symptoms.

Neither of us could think of anything so we went to sleep.

I was lulled to sleep by the calming sounds of birds and roars of lions.

A/N: Thank you to those who are actually reading my story, I'd love for more people to see I but ya know why would anyone want to read this trash! Anyway new chapters should be pretty consistent so check back soon! ♡