I don't own any of the characters apart from Amili (Swahili for 'guide'), Majana (Swahili for 'child), Chopoka (Swahili for 'stolen') and Chongo (Swahili for 'only child').

The moment he stepped outside Melman felt his skin twitch with the cold. Ignoring this, he cast an inquiring eye over the enclosure. It was large, a lot larger than he'd imagined, and seemed quite sparsely inhabited for its size, with the other inhabitants standing around in groups of two and three. There were a few trees spread around inside the fence, but that seemed to be about it as far as scenery went. Behind him, he could hear Amili's teeth clicking together, and he asked, "is it too cold for you?"

"No I can handle it," Amili replied, "it's just somewhat colder than what I'm used to."

"Yes it is rather chilly isn't it," Melman said, "you'll-we'll acclimatise eventually though."

"Mm-hm," Amili said, not sure what acclimatised meant, then turned her mind to other matters, "it's a lot bigger than you led me to believe."

"It wasn't actually this place I was talking about," Melman said, "that was my old enclosure back in Central Park Zoo." He thought a moment, then added, "but I have to say, this is bigger than I ever expected an enclosure to be."

They stood around for a moment, then Amili asked, "well, aren't we going over to introduce ourselves?"

"Well if I were on my own, I'd already be on my way," Melman replied, "I just wasn't sure what you wanted to do."

"Oh," said Amili, "well that was nice of you, but since I do want to go and get introduced..."

"Let's go then shall we," Melman said, then indicated an individual nearby who appeared to be alone.

"Yes, let's," Amili replied, and they began to make their way over.

As they approached the lone giraffe, which turned out to be a fairly elderly female, she turned, examined them, and said "oh, hello, you're new here aren't you?"

"Yes we are," Melman said, "and, um, do you happen to know 'where' we are?"

"Toronto Zoo or so I've been told," the elderly female replied.

"Well that would explain the temperature at least," Melman said, "oh, I'm Melman by the way, and this is Amili."

"Pleased to meet you," the female said, "I'm Chopoka."

"Chopoka," Melman asked, surprised, then slowly asked, "tell me, were you ever at the Bronx Zoo in New York?"

"Why yes I was, a few years back," Chopoka replied, "but how on earth did you guess that?"

"I was born there," Melman replied his voice softening in remembrance, "I was born there."

"Really," Chopoka asked, "well that's interesting, because I never remember anyone there being called Melman."

"Well I suppose I wasn't actually called Melman in those days," he replied, "it was the name the humans gave me, no, my real name if you could call it that, was...Chungo, Chango?"

"Chongo," Chopoka replied, tears glistening in her her eyes, "I called my son Chongo." Suddenly, though for Melman not quite unexpectedly, she necked him, gently, and murmured "I never thought I'd see you again my son."

"Nor did I mum," Melman replied, crying himself now, "nor did I."

Amili was stunned, both by the apparent connection had suddenly been made, and by the name itself, which had shocked her almost as much as it had Melman. Waiting until the others had finished their embrace, she turned to Chopoka and asked, did, did you ever know a male called Najiri?"

"Najiri," Chopoka said thoughtfully, "I, may have done once, why, is the name important to you?"

"Yes, very," Amili said, "could you try to recall please, it would mean a lot to me."

"Well I can't imagine why it would be important," Chopoka said, "but since you asked so nicely, "yes I will."

"Thank you," Amili said, "thank you very much."

Melman watched his mother going back through her memories, and whispered to Amili, "why d'you want to know if she knows your father?"

"Because Chopoka was my mother's name as well as yours," Amili replied.

"Wait a minute," Melman said, "I know she's my mother, but if she's your mother as well..."

"Then that would make us siblings wouldn't it," Amili replied, "or half-siblings at least."

"Well that would have to be the biggest coincidence in the world wouldn't it," Melman said, "you know, I don't think you ever told me Chopoka was your mother's name."

"Yes, well just hearing it brings my father out in tears," Amili said, "and besides, you never mentioned it was your mother's name either."

"I-it wasn't a time I remember with great clarity," Melman said, "in fact, I probably wouldn't even have remembered the name until..." He stopped, as Chopoka seemed to return to the real world.

"Yes I did in fact know a male called Najiri," Chopoka replied, turning to Amili and smiling beatifically, "I knew him very well indeed, and I remember having a very lovely daughter as well." Repeating then gesture she'd used with Melman earlier, the elderly female wrapped her neck around her daughter's and said "and I called her Amili."

Melman was a lot less taken aback by this connection because of what Amili had told him, and simply stood back a little until his mother and sister had finished their embrace, then said, "well this has got to be just about the biggest coincidence that I've ever heard of."

"It certainly is a very large one," Chopoka said, "I never expected to see either of my children again, ever." Suddenly though, she looked troubled, "were, were you together when you were captured?"

"Yes we were," Melman replied, "I'd been shipped to Africa for some reason or other, and managed, by freak coincidence, to meet up with Amili and Najiri."

"So where is he then," Chopoka asked.

"He, uh, he wasn't with us when we were captured," Amili replied.

"Oh," Chopoka said, "oh dear, he won't take that well I shouldn't think."

"No, I very much doubt he will," Alimi said, "he was almost inconsolable when he lost you, so losing me as well..."

"There, is just one other thing I'd like to know," Melman said, trying to distract the two females from their woes, for a moment at least.

"Yes, my son," Chopoka said in a dull voice.

"Do, do you know who my father is," Melman asked, "I mean, I suppose it's not important overall, but I would like to know."

"He is your father as well," Chopoka replied, almost instantly, "I had not long let him know I was pregnant again when I was snatched."

"Oh," Melman said, "well I guess that will make the reunion all the more pleasing for him."

"Reunion, what reunion are you referring to my son," Chopoka asked.

"The reunion we have with Najiri when we finally get out of here," Melman replied.

"I'm afraid, my son, that you have a forlorn hope," Chopoka said, "for I have little faith in us ever getting out of here again."