Poppy on Safari

by Gillian Young

  As it came closer, she realised it wasn’t charging at them but trotting. By the time it stopped in front of them, her heart had settled back to its usual steady beat.

  ‘Hello,’ it grunted. ‘My name is Wylde. I am a southern white rhinoceros. Who are you?’

  Poppy whined and wagged her tail. ‘I am Poppy, and this,’ she looked over her shoulder to the little pup, ‘this is Harley. We are cream retrievers.’

  Wylde’s eyes sparkled as he looked down at the pup. Even though he was taller than Poppy, he didn’t seem very big for a rhinoceros. His face looked rounder and softer than the pictures Poppy had seen, and the horn on the end of his nose was still only a stump.

  Wylde stepped away from Harley, leaving him to hide behind Poppy. He smiled at her, his ears twitching. Poppy returned his smile and wagged her tail.

  ‘Will you be my friend?’ the young rhinoceros grunted.

  ‘Of course we will!’ Poppy barked.

  She rolled on to her back, waving her paws in the air to show she was no threat.

  This left Harley in full view. He stood looking from Poppy to the young rhinoceros until deciding to roll over too. Poppy flipped over on to her paws. She watched with amusement as the pup and the calf stared at each other.

  ‘So, you’re not Cain?’ Harley growled, tapping Wylde gently on the chin with his big white paw.

  Wylde blinked against his touch. He dipped his head and gently pushed Harley with his nose. ‘Who’s Cain?’

  Bushes began rustling and swaying. Branches snapped and fell to the ground.

  ‘Someone you do not want to upset,’ a voice bellowed.

  Harley jumped to his feet. Poppy didn’t move. Fear rendered her motionless as a huge rhinoceros stomped through the bush, crushing branches and leaves beneath its powerful feet.

  Harley was at Poppy’s side in an instant. Poppy pulled her ears back. She slipped her tail between her legs. She sensed that any sudden movement could be fatal for them. She watched Wylde, her eyes wide with fright as he turned towards the huge creature.

  A whimper escaped her lips. Despite being terrified, she knew she had to do something to protect the youngsters.

  But before she could make up her mind what to do, Wylde snorted loudly, ‘Mum, these are my new friends, Poppy and Harley.’

  Wylde’s mum stopped. With her head down, eyes fixed on them, she stood growling.

  Poppy gulped. She felt Harley press his body against her, no longer the cocky, confident pup he had been in the camels’ enclosure. She tried ignoring the two horns on the top of Mother Rhinoceros’ nose, her broad chest, the short neck rippled with muscle, and her three-toed feet, which could probably trample both her and Harley as easily as those bushes.

  ‘We mean no harm,’ Poppy whined, her voice wobbling and croaky.

  Mother Rhinoceros’ growls quietened into grunts.

  ‘We are looking for our family.’

  Mother Rhinoceros’ ears twitched.

  Poppy took a deep breath and continued. ‘We’ve been searching the park but we can’t find them. My family are in a big green car. My pawrents are called David and Kate, and my human brother and sister are Jack and Evie.’

  Poppy was about to mention Harley when Mother Rhinoceros stepped closer.

  ‘You poor things,’ she grunted softly. ‘To think of you both roaming this park alone…’

  Poppy and Harley pulled their ears back. Poppy whined quietly; she couldn’t help it seeing Mother Rhinoceros bearing down on them. But the giant rhinoceros only pressed her nose gently against them. Her warm breath tickled their fur. When she stepped back, Poppy’s fear turned into hope seeing the expression on her face.

  ‘I did see a big green car drive past…’

  Poppy looked around the enclosure. She watched the cars go by. Some of them stopped. Humans leaned out of the windows, pointing at Wylde and taking photos. Thankfully, Poppy and Harley were hidden behind the broken bushes and Wylde’s mum.

  ‘A little boy and girl were sitting inside, and I heard someone call the boy Jack.’

  Poppy’s heart raced. She wagged her tail and her mouth stretched into a beaming Goldie grin.

  ‘I will take you as far as I can,’ Wylde’s mum grunted. ‘I hate thinking of you two walking through this park alone.’

  Poppy fell in beside Mother Rhinoceros, while Harley and Wylde ran ahead. Fortunately, the humans were distracted by the rest of the rhinoceros family.

  ‘You have a big family,’ Poppy growled, watching the rhinoceroses walk slowly past the cars, unfazed by all the attention.

  ‘You mean crash,’ Wylde’s mum grunted, looking fondly at the others.

  Poppy tilted her head to one side.

  The rhinoceros glanced at her then smiled. ‘That’s what we are called. Other animals call themselves herds, flocks or packs, but we call ourselves a crash.’

  ‘I never knew that,’ Poppy growled softly. ‘My brother Jack knows a lot about animals. He has books, posters and DVDs…’ she whined. Jack’s cheeky face filled her mind. Her heart ached. Her jowls wobbled.

  Mother Rhinoceros pressed her cheek beside Poppy’s. She grunted softly against Poppy’s silky and wavy fur.

  ‘They are not far away. Their car has only just passed through here.’

  Poppy looked across the enclosure, seeing the road disappear around a bend and a cluster of trees. She felt comforted, seeing the smile on the big rhino’s lips and the gleam in her eyes.

  ‘Come on, I’ll take you to the gate. It’s just past those trees.’

  As they made their way across the enclosure, Poppy heard the sound of thundering feet. The ground trembled. Seconds later, Wylde raced past with Harley bounding after him. She barked and wagged her tail seeing the pup tumble over his big paws, rolling over and over in the grass. Soon, all of Poppy’s earlier fears were forgotten as she walked beside Mother Rhinoceros.

  ‘Call me Nami,’ she grunted, softly. ‘So, you and Harley are not from the same pack?’

  Poppy shook her head. ‘I found Harley not long after I escaped from the kennels. Like me, he was looking for his family.’

  ‘He is very lucky that you found him.’

  ‘I am determined to keep him safe and make sure he is reunited with his family.’

  ‘And what about your family?’

  Poppy looked up at Nami.

  ‘Tell me what your brother Jack knows about the rhinoceros.’

  Poppy lifted her chin proudly.

  ‘He says a male rhinoceros is called a bull, a female is called a cow and a baby is called a calf. There are five different types of rhinoceros: the white, the black, the Sumatran, the Indian and the Javan.’

  Poppy’s confidence grew, seeing how much the hulking rhinoceros was both interested and impressed with what she was saying.

  ‘Jack also said the white rhinoceros is nearly e-ext…’ She shook her head making her jowls sway. She tried again; ‘Ext…’

  ‘You mean, extinct?’ Nami grunted.

  Poppy barked excitedly, ‘Yes! Yes that’s it!’ But then she saw the shine in Nami’s eyes fade.

  ‘We are very close to extinction, and sadly we have heard that our relations, the northern white rhinoceroses, are already extinct.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  What Nami said next made Poppy whine.

  ‘It means there are no more of them left in the world.’

  ‘What? Not even one?’ Poppy pulled her ears back, seeing Nami’s eyes glisten as she nodded slowly.

  ‘But why?’ she cried.

  ‘Humans. Not all people,’ Nami added quickly, catching the shock and terror in Poppy’s eyes. ‘But there are some who kill rhinoceroses for our horns and there are others who kill for pleasure.’

  ‘That’s awful,’ Poppy whimpered, trying yet failing to understand
why someone would kill for pleasure. ‘But are you and your crash safe here?’

  Poppy was relieved to see Nami nodding her huge, broad head.

  Nami gazed lovingly at her son. ‘And all the humans here love Wylde. He is our little miracle. He is the first white rhinoceros to be born here in the park. We love Wylde so much, but he is young and we struggle sometimes to keep up with him!’

  Then Poppy heard something she never thought she would hear: the sound of a rhinoceros chuckling.

  Nami stood and watched Wylde and Harley play. ‘Harley is his first young friend,’ she grunted.

  Poppy noticed the little white pup’s eyes sparkle as he leapt and bounced around Wylde. She wondered if he was Harley’s first young friend too.

  Wylde charged towards the road and Harley followed.

  ‘Harley. Don’t let the humans see you!’ Poppy barked. She sensed someone watching her. Slowly, she looked across the road, unable to shake off the feeling of dread. What she saw confirmed her fears. Yes, she was being watched, by every single rhinoceros. Then, they all turned and walked towards her.

  Chapter 13

  It Takes All Sorts

  Poppy watched the crash separate into three groups. One group surrounded the cars, the second lined up in front of Harley and Wylde, shielding them from the road, and the third walked towards her and Nami.

  One of them lifted their head and looked straight at Poppy. ‘Who is your friend, Nami?’ it bellowed.

  Poppy sat down before her wobbling legs gave way. She pulled her ears back and tried to muster all the courage she had.

  ‘Poppy and Harley are looking for their families,’ Nami snorted. ‘I’m taking them to the gate. But,’ she looked at Poppy, ‘I have a feeling Wylde will not want you both to leave.’

  The rhinoceroses looked at Wylde and Harley, now safely hidden from the humans thanks to the crash. They raced at breakneck speed around a bush so many times Poppy was sure they would feel dizzy and fall over.

  She heard the others chuckling. Each one gazed at them playing. The love they felt for Wylde was clear on their faces.

  ‘It does him good to play with another his own age,’ one of them said.

  ‘He will be tired afterwards; we will not hear a peep out of him for the rest of the day,’ another grunted.

  Nami nudged an even bigger rhinoceros that stood beside her. ‘Maybe you will get some peace tonight without Wylde charging into you.’

  Poppy watched and listened, waiting to hear the large rhinoceros moan about the naughty young calf. But there were no grumbles or bellows of displeasure. Instead, she heard him chuckle whilst watching Wylde, fondly.

  ‘So is Wylde naughty?’

  They turned and looked at Poppy as if she had said the craziest thing.

  ‘Oh yes! He can be very naughty,’ Nami grunted.

  Poppy looked around at the other rhinoceroses. ‘So, if Wylde stole your food, would you leave him?’ she asked.

  To her shock, the others stared at her and bellowed, ‘No. Never!’

  Poppy thought about this for a moment, then, tilting her head to one side, she growled, ‘But you would still be annoyed with him?’

  ‘Poppy,’ Nami peered down at her. ‘Wylde will learn from his mistakes, and we are here to teach and guide him. We’re family, we look out for one another.’

  Poppy nodded. She watched Harley playing, but her mind was elsewhere. She thought back to that morning and the strawberry ice cream – Dad’s strawberry ice cream. Yes, she had eaten it. Yes, Dad was cross. Yes, she made a mistake. But she loved him, and they were family, and, according to the rhinoceroses, that also meant forgiveness.

  ‘I know a dog whose first family disowned him because he ate their dinner.’ Poppy sat and looked around at the other rhinoceroses.

  They all listened but it was Nami who answered.

  ‘But remember, Poppy, not all humans are like that.’ Nami turned, and the others stepped aside so Poppy could see what she was looking at.

  A family were sitting inside their car, smiling and watching two rhinos standing beside them. The little girl held her hand up to the window. She grinned, and her eyes shone as she gazed fondly at the huge animals.

  ‘Humans are no different from any other animal,’ Nami grunted. ‘I’m sure you have met both nice and not-so-nice dogs?’

  Immediately, Poppy thought of Rory the Alsatian. She nodded.

  ‘So, don’t think all humans are like that dog’s family, or like the poachers who hunt rhinoceroses in the wild.’

  Poppy smiled up at her. Had she really been so wrong about her family?

  ‘Maybe they do still love me?’ she whimpered softly. ‘Perhaps they are coming back for me?’

  Nami watched her. She narrowed her eyes and twitched her ears. ‘Come on,’ she grunted. ‘Let’s get you to the gate and back with your family.’

  Harley and Wylde fell in beside them. As they trotted, charged and dodged around each other, Poppy and Nami walked in silence. Poppy was too busy thinking about things. She thought about Rory, what the rhinoceroses said, and about her family. Would they really have abandoned her like Rory’s first family had done?

  When they finally reached the gate, Nami startled Poppy out of her thoughts by gently brushing her horn against her cream, furry cheek.

  ‘I can see you are much loved by your family, Poppy. Your coat is so lovely and soft. I bet your family spend a lot of time brushing you.’ She chuckled and pressed her nose against Poppy’s side. ‘And I can’t see your ribs so I’m guessing they feed you well too.’

  Poppy lifted her nose and grunted. How rude! Yet still, Nami was right. She sighed, thinking back to the times she lay on the soft carpet while Mum brushed her. Her stomach grumbled as she thought about the bowl of meat and vegetables she ate for dinner every day.

  She looked back at Nami to find her stood watching her. ‘Whatever you did, I am certain your family will forgive you.’ Nami grunted softly.

  Poppy looked up at her. It was as though Nami had read her mind. She sighed and gently licked the corner of the huge rhinoceros’ mouth. Nami closed her eyes and leaned gently into Poppy.

  ‘It was nice to meet you,’ Nami grunted. She stepped back and looked down at the pup. ‘And you too, Harley.’

  Harley bowed his head politely. Poppy looked on proudly, seeing how well-mannered the little pup had become. He then lifted his paw and playfully batted Wylde’s face.

  ‘Goodbye, Wylde,’ he growled, wrinkling his nose and sticking out his tongue.

  But the young rhinoceros stepped back and lowered his head. Nami pressed her face against his and snorted softly.

  ‘I don’t want you to go,’ Wylde grunted.

  ‘I will come back if I can,’ Harley growled, crouching down and swinging his tail.

  Poppy watched him fondly as he tried cheering up his new friend.

  Wylde looked at him. ‘Really?’ he said.

  ‘Oh yes. When I find my pawrents, I will do the best I can to persuade them to bring me back.

  Then we can roll in all that mud over there and charge at the tree stumps!’ Wylde’s eyes lit up.

  Nami turned. More cars were approaching.

  ‘You need to go,’ she grunted. ‘Just keep following the road.’ She dipped her head and brushed her nose across Poppy’s shoulder.

  Poppy, now completely relaxed with the rhinoceroses and feeling hopeful that her family could forgive her, didn’t flinch against Nami’s horn.

  ‘Thank you for your help,’ Poppy whined. She saw the cars drawing nearer. They had to leave now or risk being seen.

  Wylde grunted as he watched Poppy and Harley tread carefully across the metal grate.

  ‘I hope you find your families soon,’ Nami called, before nudging Wylde and turning away.

  They stood in the middle of the road,
blocking the cars and giving their new friends more time to pass through the gates unseen.

  Chapter 14

  Sky High

  ‘I hope I get to see Wylde again soon,’ Harley growled. He looked back, wanting to see his new friend one more time, but the open gate was at the top of a hill, and the rhinoceros’ enclosure now lay hidden behind it.

  Poppy looked down the grassy bank. She frowned, seeing not one but two roads veering off in different directions. Now which way should they go?

  Suddenly, from out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harley jumping and prancing around like a gazelle. He jumped across in front of her, his body twisting as he sailed through the air.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she growled.

  ‘I’m … trying … to catch … these … flying … things,’ he gasped between jumps, his paws swiping at the air in front of him.

  She turned and watched him, then realised what he was talking about.

  ‘You mean butterflies.’ She frowned. Now was not the time or place, she thought irritably. ‘Come on,’ she grumbled, then trotted down the bank, hoping the playful pup would follow.

  But Harley had other ideas. Poppy sighed, seeing him jumping around reaching for another butterfly.

  ‘Come on, Harley!’ she growled, eager to get moving and catch up with her family.

  He turned and trotted towards her, tail swinging. Then, he stopped in his tracks. He was staring at a herd of the tallest animals Poppy had ever seen. Some moved silently towards large cradles of food, while others walked gracefully between the cars. A few of these creatures lowered their long necks to reach into open sunroofs and windows to eat the special animal food that was offered to them. Harley’s ears twitched as he watched them lap up the food with their long, purplish-blue tongues.

  ‘What are they?’

  ‘Giraffes. They are Evie’s favourite,’ Poppy growled.