The afternoon air was hot and sticky along the flourishing Kenyan safari. A long dirt road, coarse and uneven, stretched out as far as the eye could see, long into the distance until all that could be seen was a dusty haze of cloud. Animals, of any shape and size, from the biggest elephant, to the littlest ant, frollicked by the trees, drinking from the waterhole, as tall giraffes reached up to gobble tasty leaves and stripy zebra's galloped in the plains, no animal hurt by human hands.
Along the dirt road rattled an old green jeep, the paint busted and blotched, the wheels full of patches. The animals stopped short, watching the vehicle drive along, wheezing and rattling. In a front seat sat a man and a woman, one with dark brown hair, the other dark blond. Both had a light tan, and wore loose, camel clothing to combat the sluggish heat. A little girl, their daughter, curled up on the hard leathery back seat, clutching an Elsa doll with a blue icy dress and long, almost white hair. The girls own hair was a dirty blond, her skin a soft peach, with a light sprinkling of freckles around her nose, and big brown eyes that sparkled with life. She couldn't have been more than six years old, , always curious about the world around her.
"Hey Ana." The mother turned to look at her. "How're you doing?"
"Good Mummy, I like the animals."
"You do?"
"Yes, especially the funny fat hippypottymas."
The mother shook her head. "Ana, you know its not nice to call someone fat."
"I know, I know."
"Does Elsa like the animals too?"
"Yep." She pressed the dolls face up against the grimy window. "She loves them, but Olaf is her favourite."
"Olaf isn't an animal."
"Yeah he is! He's a snowman!"
"And snowmen are animals?"
"Yes."
"Wow, I didn't know that."
"They are the best animals."
The happy family started laughing at that, snorting like they hadn't a care in the world. But then, some foolish animal decided to step out onto the road, and end the familys cheer, abruptly.
The jeep skidded off the road, crashed against a tree, glass broke, screams could be heard from miles around, and birds scattered from the trees.
Then, there was silence.
The little girl crawled out of the wreckage, bruised and bleeding, tears streaming down her cheeks, still holding onto the Elsa doll. Her clothes, a simple t-shirt and shorts, were full of rips, exposing red gashes on her skin. She looked at the broken jeep, with her parents bodies slumping lifelessly in ther front, and shards of glass littering the floor, backing away, her trainers flashing in the sun, as she began to run, the doll bobbing along with her.
She ran and ran, far away from the wreckage, panting for breath, dirt and dust gathering on her trainers. Eventually she slumped against a tree, her little heart pumping fit to burst. The setting sun cast an orange glow over the land, as she collapsed, hugging the dolls plastic body tightly to her chest.
"Hee hee hee hee!"
She opened her eyes. It was dark now, and she was surrounded by four, blobby, spotted shapes, cackling psychotically, and forming a tight circle around her. Hyenas! She thought. She curled up against the tree, sweating furiously, as the whole pack surrounded her, licking their lips ferociously , ready to attack. The little girl opened her m,outh as wide as she could, and screamed "HELP!" at the top of her lungs. The sound echoed around the savannah, coming out shrill and desperate.
But nothing happened. The hyenas menaced closer and closer, their sharp teeth gleaming, dripping saliva. She screamed again, in terror, her doom approaching rapidly.
But then, overhead, lept another dark shape, But longer, more graceful.
"ROAR!" It sent more than half of the hyenas flying with just one whack of its paw.
"SNARL!" It scratched the remaining hyenas, sending them whimpering in pain.
The little girl watcxhed in awe as the hyenas ran in fear, leaving just the saviour remaining. Cautiosly, she stepped out, reached ever so slowly, and felt... fur!
Sleek, brownish gold fur!
It was a lioness, with warm brown eyes flecked with gold, a long tail at the back, four softly padded paws, and sharp white teeth. But the little girl knew she wouldn't bite her.
The lioness nuzzled against the girl, making little mumbly sounds, like she was purring. "Hello Mrs Lion. I'm Ana, thats short for Anastasia. Whats your name?" The lioness looked up at her with those big, soulful eyes.
"Oh, you can't speak English. How about I give you a name?"
She cocked her head. "This is Elsa." She showed her the doll. "Do you like her? Shes my favourite doll. I brought her on holiday with me. She's from a movie called Frozen that I saw on the telly. Hey, what if I called you Elsa, eh? Yeah, Elsa the lion. But you won't be all alone like the human Elsa. I'll be your friend." Elsa the lion butted her head against the girl happily, clearly adoring her new name.
***
Yes, that little girl was me. I went off with the lion I called Elsa (don't judge, I was only six!) and lived with her ever since that night. She was like a second mother to me, taught me the ways of the jungle, how to hunt, feed, drink from the waterhole, roar like a lion. I still knew English, but preffered not to use it, as barely any of the animals knew it. My name didn't change however. I was still Ana, little Anastasia at heart, now with dirty-blond hair spilling over her shoulders in a long, crazy waterfall.
I grew up a bit when I was with Elsa. I didn't really cry much anymore, and Frozen, while it will always have a special place in my heart, isn't really my favourite movie anymore, and the elsa doll I once cherished now hides away in a cupboard. She isn't that neat anymore, and her dress is ripped and torn from years of rough play. Elsa nearly chewed off all her hair one day, so now she has bald patches in her scalp. But I tried hard not to mind. Because Elsa was my friend, my surrougate mother, my protector, my teacher, my saviour, and I thought nothing could seperate us.
Oh god, how naive, gullible, stupid, and wrong I was.