Rafiki had been wandering for some time at that point, and had learned much about what this place was like, but why this place was as it was still alluded him. There were no plants… but there were strange formations that were much like them in appearance. And yet, he could smell food on the air, so there was plantlife around… just not where he could find it. It wafted out around the little offshoots of the cave, which smelled also of many other things… They were the living places for the creatures that lived there.

The more common creatures were blonde-furred animals that stood up like meerkats on watch. They smelled similar to the monkeys and baboons he was familiar with… but they all smelled… odd. Their scent was strong, yet wasn’t as complex as he felt it should have been. However, some of these meerkat-walkers were different. They were more complex both visually and olfactorally.

Rafiki had been observing some of the flowerlike formations, when one of the creatures approached him… and addressed him. The mandrill turned to face the meerkat-walker, using his staff to help him stand fully erect. He momentarily gave the creature a scrutinous look. Blond fur, blue eyes… yet this one was different, his peculiar plumage aside. The scent was dissimilar, for one, and for another… this one had gone out of his way to speak with the old baboon.

“And hello to you!” Rafiki gestured with a wide sweep of his hand, which came to point at the boy’s chest. However it was then that he caught a scent that was familiar! This meerkat-walker actually had a bit of meerkat scent on him. How peculiar. And how interesting.

“And what is it that brings you to Old Rafiki?”