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Speaker 1: Yea, hello. My name's Josephine, and this is the Animal

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Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.

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There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,

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with a third premium only story every Friday. If you've

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particularly enjoyed an animal tale story, then please do let

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your friends know so they can enjoy it too. Zia

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is from California in the U s A. And she

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would like a story featuring a black panther, a lemur,

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and a white blizzard leopard gecko. You can learn more

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about these creatures in the animal facts after the story. Okay,

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are you ready? That's good, then I'll begin. The diamond

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cutter sire arrived at the apartment right on time. She

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was a black panther who considered herself a very reliable

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and trustworthy animal. The door was answered by a much

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smaller creature. He was an unusual kind of leopard gecko,

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as he didn't have any pattern upon his skin, making

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him almost white. What's more, he was very old, with thick,

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black rimmed glasses that looked too large for his head.

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You must be sire, said the leopard gecko. I'm Ralph,

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do come in Sire entered the nicely decorated apartment, taking

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a seat on an arm chair. You come very highly recommended,

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said Ralph as he sat opposite her. You're just the

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sort of protection that I need, if you don't mind

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me asking, responded Sire, protection from what Why would somebody

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like you need a bodyguard ands for two weeks? That's

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a fair question, said the leopard Gecko. I am, or rather,

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I was a cutter of diamonds. Sire looked unsure. You

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cut diamonds as a job. That's right, said Ralph. When

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a diamond is dug from the ground, it's not all

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shiny and sparkly like the ones you see on jewelry

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or in movies. They're rough and bumpy, so to transform

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them into something spectacular they need shaping and polishing by

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an expert. It takes a long time, but the end

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result is something beautiful to behold. That still doesn't explain

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why I'm here, pointed out Sire. I was coming to that,

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smiled the leopard Gecko. I was once considered to be

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the finest diamond cutter of them all, and then I retired.

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Then last week I was offered considerable amount of money

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to cut one last stone, and it's arriving here shortly,

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I see, said Sire, nodding her fury black head. And

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you need me to stay here to protect both you

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and the diamond while you work on it, precisely, smiled Ralph,

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just as the doorbell rang. Ah, they're early. Sire was

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already on her feet. I'll get it, she insisted. She

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was here to keep the gecko safe, and that job

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began the moment she'd arrived. Waiting in the hallway was

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a Samatran rhino wearing dark sunglasses and carrying a black

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leather briefcase. Beside him was a serious looking bintarroon in

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a pinstriped suit. We're here to see the gecko, the

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Bintarong said gruffly. Zia invited them in, where the two

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visitors made no attempt to sit. Show me where you'll

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be working, said the bintarroon to Ralph. Through here, he answered,

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showing them to a neighboring room. It was small, with

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a blind at the window, a desk and chair, and

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a safe. The bintarroon went straight to the window, peering

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through to a brick wall opposite. You work with the

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blinds closed. He asked, always, answered Ralph, and is this

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here your security, said the bintarroon, gesturing to Siah. It is,

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and she comes very highly recommended, said Ralph patiently. Very well,

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said the bintarroon. Larry, open the case. Larry, the Samatran

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rhino lifted the case on to the table, revealing that

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it was attached to his wrist by a chain. A

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key was produced, The lid opened and there was the cut,

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rough diamond. The bin Turron placed it into Ralph's hands.

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This will look quite exquisite once I've finished, smiled the gecko.

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Two weeks, said the bin Turon. Then you get paid.

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We'll be back, and with that he and the rhino left.

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Shortly after Zia had been shown her room and unpacked,

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she returned to find Ralph had already begun to work.

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What should I do, she asked? For now, not much,

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replied Ralph. Keep the front door bolted, make me a

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drink every now and again, and keep your eyes and

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ears open for anything suspicious. That's it, asked the black panther.

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For now, smiled the gecko and got back to work.

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For the next thirteen days, Ralph worked and Zia kept

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watch the black Panther paid attention to cummings and goings

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in the hallway. Outside, she organized the delivery of groceries

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so she didn't have to leave Ralph unattended, and for

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the rest of the time she read books and watched

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TV in the living room. Occasionally she'd stand at the

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window overlooking a rain forest city park and watch the

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world go by. It was a far more entertaining view

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than the brick wall opposite where Ralph was working. The

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leopard gecko started early and worked late, taking most of

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his meals at his desk. He clearly intended to meet

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the two week deadline. The evening before the Binterrong was

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due to return, Ralph called Sire into his workshop. Is

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something the matter? Asked the black panther. Far from it,

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smiled the gecko as he held up the finished diamond.

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What was once a rough, shapeless lump was now a fabulous,

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sparkling gem. It's beautiful, said Zia. Ralph then placed the

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diamond in the small safe. Oh I ache all over,

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he said, stretching his back. I'll certainly sleep well tonight.

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But Zia did not sleep well. She didn't even go

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to bed. She had been hired to protect both Ralph

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and the diamond, and now that the diamond was completed,

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it was worth far more money than when it had arrived.

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If anyone was going to try to take it, they

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were more likely to do so now Before the bintero

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On returned, so Zia made sure the door was locked,

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pushed a sturdy cabinet against it to make doubly sure,

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and then took a seat facing towards it. At around midnight,

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a noisy couple stumbled down the hallway outside, shushing one

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another and giggling. Zia heard them drop their keys before

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tumbling into an apartment. Later, her sensitive ears detected softer footsteps.

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She crossed to the spy hole and saw the spoon

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bill that lived opposite coming home carrying a pizza. It

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smelled good. At around two in the morning, Zia became

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aware of a disturbance in the park. From the living

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room window, she could see that a fire had started,

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sending up thick coils of smoke that rose up to

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block the stars. The fire was too far away to

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determine what was burning, but Zia could already hear sirens.

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She'd walked through the park two weeks ago on her

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way here and had passed a small kiosk selling ice cream.

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She couldn't be sure, but it seemed likely that this

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was a light. She allowed herself to be distracted a

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moment longer before telling herself to return to her chair,

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But before she took a seat, she poked her head

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into Ralph's makeshift workshop. She gave the door a gentle

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push to reveal the desk and safe, which was open.

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The diamond was gone. It was then that she saw

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the long ringed tail dangling from the window. A Leama,

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dressed all in black, was looking at her, a look

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of sheer pleasure on her face. Too late, said the Leama,

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and leapt Zia darted forward in time to see the

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lemur scaling up the side of the apartment building. She

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was quick. For a second, the black panther thought of

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trying to follow, but decided she'd be faster going another way.

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She wrenched aside the sturdy cabinet and unfastened the door,

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then bounded down the corridor and up the stairs in

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a way that only black panthers can. She burst out

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onto the roof seconds later, in time to see the

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surprised Lema clambering onto the ledge that overlooked the alley.

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I hope you're not going to cause me any trouble,

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said the Lema. I'm being paid a lot of money

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to steal this diamond, and I've gone to a lot

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of effort to do it. She nodded towards the park,

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where the emergency services were tackling the blaze. So you

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started the fire as a distraction, said Sire, But instead

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of answering, the ringtailed Lima jumped from the building. Limas

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are built for taking big leaps, but even so, the

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gap across the alley was quite a distance, but she

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made it unable to resist, directing a smug grin towards Sire.

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Zia sprinted forth, covering the gap to the ledge of

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the building so quickly that the Lema almost forgot to run.

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The black panther launched herself, covering the width of the

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alley with ease, before continuing to give chase across the rooftops.

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They ran, and the only reason Zia didn't catch the

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Lema quickly was that the thief was smaller, able to

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take more direct routes between and under objects that crowded

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the roof spaces. A particular set of air conditioning equipment

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forced Zia to go the long way around, meaning that

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when she got to the other side, the lema was

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nowhere in sight. Growling under her breath, Zia prowled back

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and forth, looking for the lema's hiding place or escape route,

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but the longer she took, the further away the lema

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might get. Then, looking down into a side street, she

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spied the distinctive ringed tail of the lema disappearing into

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the back of a large black car. It pulled away

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almost immediately. Zia broke into a run again, jumping from

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roof to roof as she followed the car's progress. Fortunately

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for her, even late at night, there were plenty of

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vehicles on the rainforest city streets, not to mention traffic lights.

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If she could keep going, she just might catch them. Yet,

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the black car was heading towards the river and the

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Riparian Bridge, which meant Zia was running out of rooftops

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to run along. At the Cocobola Feeta, she was able

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to drop onto the canopy that covered the entrance and

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from there swing down a street light. This was where

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being a cat came in really handy, allowing her to

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land softly on the black car's roof just as it

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turned onto the Riparian Bridge. Through an open window, she

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could hear the Lemur talking, No, I'm not handing it over.

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She was saying, not until you pay me. Larry will

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give you what's coming to you. Shortly, said the familiar

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voice of the bin Tarroon. But he's driving at present.

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Oh yeah, snapped the Lemur. I don't think you're going

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to pay me at all. You're just going to rip

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me off, just like you did that old gecko. Don't

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be so hasty, replied the bin Turron calmly. Getting you

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to steal the diamond means we get back something that's

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now far more valuable than when we first handed it over.

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And now we don't have to pay the old fossil

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because he allowed it to be stolen. Best of all,

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we can claim on the insurance. There's plenty of money

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for every one. I don't believe you, complained the impatient

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Lemur as she thrust her hand out of the open window.

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It was holding the diamond. Pay me now, or I'll

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chuck it in the river. I'll take that, thank you,

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said zire As she plucked the diamond from the lemur's grip.

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The diamond screamed the Binturon, lunging at the window. Distracted

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by the commotion, the rhino took his eyes off of

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the road ahead, clipped the side of a bus, and

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crashed the car into the bridge's barrier. It didn't plunge

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into the dark waters below because Zia was poised on top,

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keeping it perfectly balanced. Unless the three of you want

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a very cold bath, I'd suggest you'll sit tight until

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the police arrive. She told them. No one in the

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car wanted to argue with her. The three crooks went

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to jail for their wicked scheme. Because Ralph hadn't been

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paid for his work, the Court a Water did him

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the diamond as compensation, which he sold, splitting the money

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fifty fifty with Zire. But that's far too much money,

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protested the black panther. Maybe admitted the gecko, but if

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it wasn't for your daring chase, we wouldn't have a penny.

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So Zire quite rightly went home much much richer. Animal fact,

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black panthers can refer to both leopards from Africa and

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Asia and jaguars from Central and South America. Their black

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fur is as a result of an abundance of dark

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pigment called melanin in the animal's skin and fur. Lemurs

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are only found on the island of Madagascar. The ring

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tailed lema has a tail longer than its body, which

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it uses for balance when climbing and jumping. White blizzard

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leopard geckos aren't found in the wild, but have been

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developed by pet breeders As a species. Leopard geckos are

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one of the most popular lizards kept in holmes worldwide.

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Thank you for your suggestions, sire. We hope you enjoyed

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the story, and thank you to all of you across

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the world for listening to it. Remember, if you prefer

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your stories advert free, then please consider our premium service

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through Apple or supercarst for a tiny fee. The stories

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are advert free. Join us next time for another great

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animal tale. Good Bye,