The story so far: Malaika the elephant and Uhura the giraffe, two residents of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, are exploring the city after being turned into humans for a day.
Malaika and Uhura sat in the back of the cab.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
"We don't know," Malaika said. "We want to see what people are doing. Where should we go?"
The driver eyed them curiously.
"You mean the best place for people-watching? Well, it's Christmas Eve, and the last-minute shopping rush is on. So I'd say the malls."
"Then take us to a mall, please," Malaika said.
"You got it."
---
Outside the mall, they watched a woman with a red kettle ring a bell. People were dropping coins into the kettle as they went inside - apparently the cost of admission, Uhura figured, though many people slipped by without paying.
Uhura pulled a wad of bills from a pocket, provided by the mysterious Nicholas, and stuffed them into the kettle. The woman's eyes widened.
"Bless you," she said.
Uhura and Malaika walked inside the mall. It was already busy, shoppers roaming the hallways. But it was too much too fast for Uhura, and she bolted, racing out the exit. Malaika chased after her.
"I'm sorry," Uhura said. "We wanted to get to know people, but not that many people."
As they pondered their next move, they saw some kind of commotion in the parking lot. A woman struggling, a man pulling her arm.
Uhura reached them first.
"Hey," she shouted at the man. "What are you doing?"
The man, who by now had the woman's purse, shoved past Uhura.
And ran right into an angry Malaika.
Malaika pushed the man with tremendous strength, sending him skidding partway across the parking lot on his back. He scrambled back on his feet, dropped the purse and ran off.
Malaika picked up the purse and handed it to the woman.
"Are you OK?" Malaika asked.
The woman nodded. "I'm fine, thanks to the both of you."
The woman - older, attractive, with piercing blue eyes - ran a hand through her short gray hair.
"I'm Jean. Jean Loring."
"I'm Malaika. And this is Uhura."
"Uhura? Like the Uhura in 'Star Trek?'"
Uhura hesitated. "I don't think so," she said.
"Doesn't matter," Jean said. "Listen, that was very brave what you did. Let me thank you. Come get coffee with me."
Malaika and Uhura looked at one another.
"Sure," they said together
