Chapter 1

Percival Grimm of the Central Park Zoo had just locked the food storage for the night. But left the door to the Reptile house and the bird cages unlocked. He closed the gate. But was to drunk to lock it, walked past the enclosures one last time, opened the door to his house, drew himself a last glass of beer. And fell a sleep on his bed, his uniform still on.

As soon as the light went out there was a fluttering and a stirring all throughout the habitats. Word went round during the day that Busara the prize old lion had a strange dream the night before, and wished to communicate it to the other animals. And so all the animals decided that as soon as the place was deserted they would all meet at Busaras enclosure to hear what he had to say. Busara was an old lion, he was separated from the other lions and lived in a retirement enclosure for the past 3 years. His mane hasn't been cut in many months, he was almost unable to walk, and his teeth were very worn down. Yet he still had a regal looking appearance as well as still ferocious and fearful.

Soon enough the rest of the animals arrived and began to take there seats. First came the big cats. The Cougars, the Jaguars, the Tigers, and the 2 brother lions Kion and Kopa along with their harem of lionesses and their 5 cubs. Next were the primates. The Aye Aye, the Lemurs, the Chimps, the Mandrills, the Capuchins, the orangutans, and the gorillas. Both the cats and monkeys took seats in front of the platform that Busara was sitting on, minus the orangutans and Gorillas who moved back a bit to make space for smaller animals. And soon the lemurs and the Aye Aye jumped on their enormous shoulders once the saw the fossa had snuck in to the enclosure unnoticed. It was known that Fossa ate their kind. Though the Fossa were tame, this sadly didn't convince their former prey and they all hid behind the chimp known as Tarzan.

Tarzan was a handsome looking chimp and the smartest animal in the zoo when it came to literacy. Next to him was Clayton the Mandrill. A fierce looking creature who was know for getting his way. Both were in the very front along with a Capuchin named Julien, who despite his dumb appearance and voice was a clever talker, and very good convincing other animals. It's said he could turn black to white.

Soon came the Warthogs, the Komodo dragon, the pandas, the tapirs, and the bison. The Eagles, Owls, Hawks, and Macaws perched themselves on the tree. The bats hung themselves from it. The antelopes, mountain goats, camels, reindeer, and zebras all sat behind the cats and began to chew the grass they had in their mouths. The penguins and flamingos came in flocks though not really orderly. They sat next to the ostriches and the cassowaries.

The elephants all came in together, a total of 9. All in much better order as they stood behind the fence along with the giraffes not wanting to squish a small animal. The leader of the herd Hathi was an enormous beast. Nearly 9 ft tall he was larger than all the other elephants, despite being the only Asian in a herd of Africans. He had a some what stupid appearance, and he was not of first rate intelligence that was expected from elephants. Yet his steadiness of character, hard work in preformences, and leadership made him one of the most respected animals in the zoo. Next to him was Rachel his adopted Daughter. She was a shy character and rarely ever talked to any other animal that wasn't her father. This is mainly due to her being sold from a circus that closed after they killed her parents. The only other animal that tried to talk to her was Molly the giraffe, the most attractive animal in the zoo by most votes. She despite her looks she was a motherly creature and always try's to help those in need the best she can.

Just as Molly took her place a cheeping noise was heard as the group of baby flamingos who lost their mothers began circling around her leg. Using her long neck she picked each one up one at a time and put them on the fence in front of her. Soon a small hole was seen as the meerkats came out of it along the Platypus and the Tasmanian Devil. The Sea Lions arrived next with the otters. The koalas climbed the giraffes necks to reach the enclosure. The kangaroos leapt over the fence. the hippos stood next to the elephants along with Ike the Rhino and the Sloth hanging from his Horn. Ike was the oldest animal in the zoo and the worst tempered. Ike seemed to hate socializing with other animals, even the Sloth who he agreed to give a ride to the meeting so she wouldn't be late, even though she was barely paying attention throughout the meeting anyway. Though without admitting it he was devoted to Hathi. The fellow pachyderm was close to the only friend he had.

Finally, after the Grizzlies, Polar Bear, Hyenas, Wolves, and Bear cubs came the rest of the reptiles. The crocodiles squeezed rudely to the front. The Cobras slithered through causing a bit of panic for the more energetic animals. The Geckos climbed up the wall next to the flamingo chicks. The tortoises sat near the Bears. And the Anaconda named Kaa Slithered over the fence and sat down near the carnivores. She was a very motherly creature like Molly, though she also was one who never trusted another carnivore completely, calling them savage creatures after a tussle with a jaguar she befriended in the wild, which could be remembered by the scar on her eye. Soon all the animals in the zoo where present except Tobias the Dolphin. Though it's mainly due to the fact he couldn't leave his tank. But he wasn't to far from the place and used his echolocation to hear what was being said.

At last Busara was able to speak. "My friends you should already know about the dream I had last night, but I'll get to that in a minute. I do not think comrades that I'll be with you for many more days. And before I die I have something I need to tell you. Now tell me comrades what is the nature of this life of ours? We are born, we are given enough food to keep the breath in our bodies, then we are presented to other humans strictly for entertainment. And once we have lost their interest we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty." This lead to a uproar of despair amongst the crowd. Busara raised his paw for silence. "As I was saying, Animal kind is born to a miserable laborious and short existence. But is this simply due to us not being in the wild anymore, is Central Park Zoo simply unable to keep us happy. No comrades, The land of Central Park is rich with Grass. Its climate is good and its soil if fertile. This single zoo alone could handle many more animals from 20 elephants, dozens of Giraffes, hundreds of zebras, all of which living in comfort and dignity we can not begin to imagine. So why is it comrades that we suffer they way we do? It can be summed up in a single word, man. Man is our enemy. Remove man and the cause of our misery will be abolished forever. Man is the weakest creature on earth. He has no Hooves, no claws, no fangs, no fins or wings. He cannot push down a tree, he cannot fly, he cannot run fast enough to catch prey. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, gives them enough food to keep them from starving and the rest he keeps for himself.

You Camels that sit I front of me how much milk have you produced? And what has happened to the milk that is used to breed up sturdy calves? Every drop of it goes down the throats of our enemies. And you birds that sit in the tree. How many eggs did you lay? And how many actually hatched into chicks. The rest go to market and are illegally sold to bring in money for Percival and his men. You Arctic creatures tell me, why is it that you are somehow cold in the winter? Because you fur is taken and used to make rugs. And what about our families. Where are those family members that we used to live with. All were shipped off to other zoos, you'll never see them again. And yet our lives we live can't reach the natural end. You Hathi the minute your strength disappears Percival will sell you to the slaughterhouse." Rachel grabbed he fathers leg with her trunk and began to silently sob. Busara noticed this but continued. "For myself I do not grumble for I am a lucky one. I was given a nice and quiet rock ledge for retirement. Yet other animals that have aged have been slaughtered once they have began to have trouble walking. So what is it comrades that we must do? It is simple my friends. Rebellion!

I do not know when the rebellion will come. In a week, a month, or in a hundred years. But I know that sooner or later the rebellion will come. Picture it comrades a zoo that has risen beyond the levels of a farm where animals are free to enjoy their lives with out the fear of humans. Over through your tyrants and we shall be rich and free." This lead to another uproar, though this one of a more positive type. Once again a paw was raised for silence. "But remember once you defeat man, do not adopt his vices. We must never come to resemble man in anyway. Amongst us animals there must be unity and comradeship. All animals are friends. All humans are enimies. No animal should live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or smoke tobacco, or drink Alchohol, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of man are evil. And above all no animal must tyrannize of his own kind. We animals are brothers. Large or small, clever or simple, fur, scales or feathers. Now and forever all animals are EQUAL!" Once again a roar of excitement filled the zoo. "Now my friends I will tell you of a song I learned in the dream. A song of justice and freedom." He cleared his throat and began to sing. His voice was a little horse but we was still able to get the job done. The song ran

Beasts of the world we shall unite
Rise up and ready for the fight
Soon or late the day will be
When mans defeated and we are free
Soon or late they day will be
When mans defeated and we are free
Though our lives be lives full of misery
Our limbs be tired and worn
Our dreams will not be broken
And our hearts will not be torn
Our dreams will not be broken
And our hearts will not be torn

Almost before he finished the other animals began to sing it for themselves. The smarter ones already learning it by heart. Soon the whole zoo was singing Beasts of the World in perfect unison. The cats Roared it. The elephants Trumpeted it. The Penguins chirped it. The snakes hissed it. Even Tobias was able to squeak it. The animals were so excited they would have kept singing it all night long but soon a gun shot rang out. Percival had woken up and thinking there was a fox or something in the zoo grabbed his gun and fired two shots in the air. The whole zoo soon was a stampede ground as all the animals rushed back to his or her enclosure. After three minutes the whole zoo was asleep. Percival closed his window and went back to bed, though not before having another glass of beer. Busara looked at direction where the sound came from and growled. 'Man may rule over us now' he thought to himself. 'But one day the rebellion will come. One day'.