"Tarzan!" 

"Tarzan! Where are you?" Tantor, Terk and her friends wandered around the jungle to look for their friend. 

"Let's hope we find him before Kerchak does," Mungo looked around. 

"Maybe he's lost," Flint shook his head. 

"Or found something more interesting," Mungo gave them a pointed look. "Did you see him taking the human away?"

Terk scoffed, "What, are you nuts? What could be more interesting than us?"

"I don't know," Flint shrugged. "Tarzan would disappear for hours until he comes back again. He did say he was with a feline. Did you see the leopard prints on her?"

"Could she be the feline?" Mungo's eyes widen. "Her?"

"Well, did you see how she mourned for Sabor? She was probably someone she knew."

Terk rolled her eyes, she'll just have to talk to Tarzan about it. It did confuse everyone when the human girl lured Sabor to her and snarled in the leopard's language. But leopards are monsters. They wouldn't raise a human...can they?"

The gorillas stopped and gasped as they moved the bushes. Tantor stopped behind them, frowning. "What's everybody looking at?"

He looked up and paled to see so many unfamiliar objects around the area and gasped in horror, dropping to the ground and shielding himself. "The horror! It's gruesome! Hide me!"

He dug into the dirt and started burying himself but Terk grimaced, seeing everybody stare at him. "Pull yourself together. You're embarrassing me. These things aren't alive."

Terk walked around the area, looking at the delicate objects. They look like the objects she found in the deer-skin bag a few weeks back but cleaner. 

"Tarzan!" she calls out as the others followed, calling out to him. 

"Hello?" Tantor cautiously crouched as he looked around. 

Terk wasn't sure what it was but stopped to see something bubbling. "What kind of primitive beasts are responsible for this mess?" she shook her head. She frowned as she saw something and couldn't help but touch it. 

She certainly wasn't expecting it to move as she touched the buttons and flinched back. Seeing as it didn't move more, she leaned closer and tapped more. "Whoa! Wow! Come here, you guys! Come here, come here, come here. Look at this!"

"What is that?" Flint and Koro walked next to her and saw her tapping on it because it made a ping, playing with it more. 

They all got curiously involved as they played with every object they could find and break it, creating music for their entertainment. Looking for Tarzan swept over their heads as they had fun playing with everything. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Kaia and Tarzan landed at Jane's camp. Kaia's eyes widened as she never saw so many trinkets in her life. And shiny! She saw as Tarzan's family was brutally destroying everything and playing around. 

"Gorillas!" Jane gasped, watching everything in awe.

Tarzan was the first to move and he crouched and ran toward the first ape he saw. "Terk!" he grins. 

Terk stops what she's doing and runs after him and tackles him as they playfully wrestled on the ground. Jane's eyes softened, "He's one of them." She glanced at Kaia whose eyes were narrowed at them but stayed by her side. 

Jane's eyes caught the girl's form and spotted leopard prints on her side, making her eyes widen. She shook her head, not possible.

Jane saw as the gorillas stopped to stare at them but more directly at Kaia who tensed at their stares. 

"It's the feline," Mungo whispered, nodding to Kaia. The others hoot, walking closer to them. Tarzan urged Terk to go to them. Terk looked at the girls, seeing how different yet how alike they are. 

Jane saw as Kaia's eyes slit and grabbed her feather in alarm. "What is going on?" She received her answer as a large gorilla stood behind them. Her eyes widened and gasped, "Oh, my–"

Kerchak roared, punching his chest, causing Jane to drop to the ground and shield her head. His eyes glared directly at Kaia who growled at him back. 

Jane watched their interaction in fear as the large gorilla roared and slammed his fists on the ground in front of Kaia but she didn't move. In fact, she snarled at him just as louder. 

Kerchak glared at her heavily before sniffing her. His eyes widened in realization and roared to the family. Jane looked at them confused as the gorillas slowly started following him. 

Kaia watched their every move as they walked away. Her eyes met with Tarzan but looked away as he left too with his mother. Kaia stiffened as she heard bushes rustling not far and jumped on a tree, swinging away. 

Jane gasped as everyone left, leaving her on her own. Her mind was in a daze. She saw everything in front of her. It all happened. She snapped out of it as her father tackled her in a hug. 

"Jane!" Archimedes sighed in relief. "Oh, Jane! Oh, thank goodness."

Clayton ran into the clearing and frowned at the mess of their camp. "Good heavens, what happened?"

"Are you all right?" Archimedes slapped her face gently. "We've been everywhere looking for you. I–"

"Oh my goodness!" Jane gasped, turning to her father. "Daddy! I was out walking. I was–"

Archimedes and Clayton nodded, listening to her shock but grew confused as she was now speaking gibberish. 

"Little baby monkey. I drew a picture."

"Yes, go on."

"Suddenly the monkey starts crying!" Jane's eyes widened.

"Oh, poor thing," Archimedes tried to catch up. 

"I turned around and there's a whole fleet of them!"

"Of what?"

But Jane didn't let him ask what he meant as she continued, walking behind Clayton who walked towards them. "There's an army of monkeys. A huge tree full of them!"

"Monkeys?" Clayton frowned. 

"Monkeys!" Archimedes grinned. 

"Screaming at me! Ooo-ooo-aaa-oo!" she crazily mimicked them as the men now started to think she was delusional. 

Clayton looked at her weirdly and turned to Archimedes while the old man nodded, looking at her patterns. "That's Theripithiscus baboons. She's very good at this."

"Oh really?" Clayton deadpanned as Jane continued. 

"Terrified I was. Terrified! And suddenly, I was swinging in the vines up in the air!" she swung on her step. 

"With the monkeys, yes?" Archimedes asked. 

"Swinging, flying. I was in the air!"

"In the air, yes, I know."

"And I'm all surrounded," she huffed. 

"What did you do?" he curiously asked. 

"She gouged one of them with her arrow!"

"Arrow? Gouged?" Clayton frowned but Jane wasn't done. "And Daddy, they took my boot!"

"They took–" Archimedes blinked, looking at her bare foot. "Those are the ones I bought you."

Clayton sighed, rolling his eyes at her antics. 

"And I was saved! I was saved by a flying wild girl and a wild man in loincloths!" she dazedly walked off, thinking back to the couple who saved her.

"Loincloth? Good lord," Archimedes frowned. 

"What is she talking about?" Clayton frowned at her. 

"I haven't the foggiest idea," Archimedes shook his head. "Takes after her mother, you know?" he chuckled. "She'd come up with stories like that. Not about people in loincloths, of course."

"And there were gorillas!" Jane continued, getting the men's attention. "And she challenged one!–"

"You saw gorillas?" Clayton grabbed her arms. "Where, Jane? Where?"

"He left with them," Jane nodded to the bushes. 

"Who, dear? Who?" Archimedes walked towards her. 

"Tarzan," she stated, confusing them. "The ape man. Kaia also left the other way," she nodded. 

"Kaia?"

"A girl with silver eyes."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The sun was lowered on the horizon, a long day of travel away from the humans. Kerchak led the family deep into the jungle and into their territory. Everyone was frantic to know what is going on. They were all confused about what to do. They can be dangerous. 

"Everyone," Kerchak spoke, quietening everyone. "We will avoid the strangers. Do not let them see you, and do not seek them out."

But Tarzan frowned, "They mean us no harm, Kerchak."

"Tarzan, I don't know that," Kerchak shook his head at him. 

"But I do, I've spent time with them," Tarzan tried. 

"You may be willing to risk our safety, but I'm not," Kerchak narrowed his eyes at him. 

"Why are you threatened by anyone different from you?" Tarzan snapped. His words give a deeper meaning to himself and Kerchak. 

Kerchak snarls lowly, staring down at him. "I've been meaning to ask you that...What is your relationship with that feline?"

Tarzan's eyes widened before narrowing them. Kerchak noticed his silence, speaking loudly for everyone to hear. "You're gone for days and come back with scratches and bruises. She had Sabor's scent and her attitude."

Tarzan hesitated, "She was raised by leopards. Sabor is her mother."

Everyone's eyes widened and gasped in shock and muttered to themselves. Kerchak's eyes narrowed at the information. "I forbid you from going near her again."

"Why?" Tarzan snapped. 

"She could be using you to get revenge on her mother. So, protect this family, and stay away from them."

Tarzan glared at him, grunting as he walked away. Kala stopped him, "Tarzan, for once, listen to Kerchak–"

"Why didn't you tell me there were creatures that looked like me?" Tarzan glared at her before storming off to look for Kaia. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Kaia went to her tree, frustrated about today's events. She was confused. Kaia believed that she was the only one who looked different from her family. Her father made it seem that she was born differently. But meeting Tarzan changed her views as she somehow can eat fruits like he can, and she can swim like he can. 

But after meeting Jane, and seeing those creatures, she wasn't sure what to think. Now she can speak their language too, sort of. Looking down at her hands, her bloody dried fingers had long sharp claws. 

She looked at her behind, seeing no tail. 

Just what is she?

Kaia stopped as she heard a thump behind her and sighed as she can smell Tarzan coming towards her. "Feline?" she asked, glancing at him. 

Tarzan sighed, sitting next to her, seeing her look at her claws. He looked down at his hand and reached for hers, feeling the nostalgic warm feeling in his chest. 

"They don't want me near you," he murmured as he rubbed his nose at her cheek. She sighed as she lightly ran her fingers on his chin. "Not surprised. I'm different...dangerous to your family."

"You're not dangerous," he murmured. "Not to me."

Kaia closed her eyes, leaning on his chest. "What about those creatures? They could be the answers we're looking for."

Tarzan hummed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him, looking out to the jungle and seeing the moon shining dimly. 

"We'll see them again," Tarzan promised. "We can know more..."

"But what about us?" Kaia leaned back to look up at him and pressed her hands on his chest. "Your family don't want you near me. Your father already treats you poorly and–"

Tarzan placed a thumb on her lips, stopping her. He softly looked at her. "I'll deal with that. Right now...just stay with me."

Kaia's worries didn't leave her but sighed as she climbed over him and leaned on his chest whiled Tarzan wrapped his arms around her as they were both confused at their speeding hearts from being near each other.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

It was the next day. Archimedes was confused to see her daughter bringing two chalkboards next to each other and started to draw. He walked over to her and saw her drawing in detail of the couple.  

Archimedes saw as she drew a girl on the chalkboard, no details missing out. He blinked as Jane also drew faint lines on the girl's body but saw as she also drew a dagger with a feather on the end. 

"Are these the ones who save you?" Archimedes spoke. 

"Yes," she nodded and pointed at the girl. "That's Kaia."

She started drawing on Tarzan, explaining their details to him. "They didn't stand upright. They sort of crouched, like that."

"Really?" Archimedes observed, seeing Tarzan leaning on his knuckles while Kaia had her long nails digging into the ground. "Tarzan supported his weight on his knuckles while Kaia stood balanced by digging her nails as she stepped."

"On the knuckles! And nails!" Archimedes observed more. 

"He's exactly like a gorilla!" Jane grinned. "What about the girl?"

"She didn't seem like in good terms with the gorillas but I saw leopard spots littered around her side, thigh, and calves!"

"Leopard spots?" Archimedes looked back at the drawing. "She couldn't be perhaps raised by leopards," he chuckled. 

"It was amazing," Jane grinned, crouching down. "Tarzan bent his elbows out like this and walks like this," she demonstrated as she tried to stay balanced by her fingers like Kaia but found it difficult to do so. Archimedes laughed as he tried too, jumping around. 

"This is capital!" he exclaimed. "Oh, Janey! Jane! What a discovery! A couple with no language, no human behavior," he listed. 

"And no respect for personal boundaries," Jane chuckled. 

"How do you mean?" Archimedes frowned but stopped as Jane neared close to him, her face a few centimeters from his.

"He was this close, Daddy! Staring at me!" Jane's eyes widened and backed away to draw their eyes. "They seemed confused at first as if they'd never seen another human before. Their eyes were intense and focused and–" she stopped briefly to draw in detail of their eyes. 

"Their eyes were sharp yet so beautiful. I've never seen anything like it."

Archimedes blinked, looking back to her daughter and to the boards, and chuckled, "Oh, shall I leave you alone and the blackboards alone for a moment?" he joked. 

"Stop it," she laughed. "I just believe they were both amazing. They were perfectly in sync with each other. He was more of a softer and frontal person but she's more of a sterned and grumpy kitten, waiting to strike. The point is, think of what we could learn from them," she tried which was getting on Clayton's nerves. 

They were all she talked about. She wouldn't stop talking about them during dinner last night and during breakfast. There's no way humans can be this savage. 

"We must find them."

That was the last straw as Clayton finished shaving and slammed his towel on the ground. "Professor!" he growled before he put a smile, "You are here to find gorillas. Not indulge some girlish fantasy," he rolled his eyes, walking away. 

Jane's eyes widened in disbelief. "Fantasy?! I didn't imagine them! Tarzan and Kaia are–"

She couldn't finish her sentence as the topic of her conversation dropped down in front of them. Clayton's eyes widened in shock and gasped as Jane smirked, "Real."

Tarzan walked towards Jane while Kaia looked around in interest. Kaia growled lowly as Archimedes walked towards her and look at her. "It's them! It's, it's, it's them! Tarzan and Kaia!"

"Professor! Jane! Stand back!" Clayton shouted, aiming his rifle at them. 

Jane's eyes widened as Kaia snarled at him and aimed her bow and arrow at him but Jane ran in front of them and pushed the rifle in the air, "No!"

A loud bang clashed their ears as Jane winced and looked at Clayton in disbelief. She can see the instant distrust in Kaia's eyes and cautiously waved her hands down for her to move her weapon down. 

Tarzan wasn't at all worried as he looked at them. "Clayton."

Everyone stopped and turned to look at him. Tarzan saw as he grabbed everyone's attention and puffed his chest, "Clayton."

Archimedes' eyes widened and laughed to see the boy talk. He continued to stare at Kaia's weapon and her perfect posture to aim. 

Clayton frowned, looking at them. "Have we...met? How does he know my name?"

"He thinks it means the sound of a gunshot," Jane chuckled as Kaia couldn't help but crawl over to one of their tables and grab Archimedes' glasses. Tarzan followed her and looked at the object in her hand, his face very close to hers as he hoots and she snarls lowly at him. 

"I see what you mean about those personal boundaries," Archimedes chuckled, seeing them. 

Tarzan's attention turned to Clayton as he circled the man before standing on two feet, trying to mimic him. 

"What's he doing?" Clayton frowned as Tarzan clenched his fists on his chest, making it seem like he was holding a rifle too. 

Jane and Archimedes laughed in amusement. "Look at him, Jane. Moves like an ape but looks like a man. And her!" he turned to Kaia who sat on the ground, narrowing her eyes at them. "She's like a cat but looks like a woman! They could be the missing link!"

Clayton's eyes widened as a smile spread his lips and smirked at Archimedes. "Or our link to the gorillas."

"Ah, yes, yes," Archimedes nodded. 

Clayton cleared his throat and walked towards Kaia who growled. "Where are the gorillas?"

His eye twitched as the girl kept glaring at him. "She's useless," he muttered to himself and turned to Tarzan. "Where are the gorillas?"

Clayton regretted his decision as Tarzan started climbing on top of him and grab his thin mustache. "GO-RI-LLAS!" Clayton shouted. 

"GO-RI-LLAS!" Tarzan shouted back just as strongly. 

"Shouting won't help, Mr. Clayton," Jane sighed. "They don't understand English."

"Then I'll make them understand," Clayton gritted his teeth, walking over to Tarzan's chalkboard and erasing his drawing. "If I can teach a parrot to sing 'God Save the Queen', I can certainly teach these savages a thing or two."

Clayton grabbed a chalk and drew poorly a picture of a gorilla. Kaia walked closer to look at it but frowned as it looked more like a bear.  

"Go-rilla," Clayton smirked, knowing this can make them understand.

Tarzan looked at the drawing while Kaia reached for the chalk, curious that it carves thinly on this small wall. 

"Go-rilla," they both stated simultaneously, making Archimedes and Jane grin. 

"Oh, ho! They've got it!"

Kaia grinned as she dragged the chalk on the wall and jumped on it to draw more. "Gorilla!" she laughed as Tarzan tagged along wanting to draw too. 

"Perhaps not," Archimedes sweatdropped. 

Clayton snatched the chalk from Kaia's grasp, "No, no, no, no!"

Kaia glared at him, snatching the magic stone away from him, "No, no, no, no!"

"No, no, no, give me that!" Clayton snatched the chalk from her again and pushed her away as she started climbing over him to grab it back. 

She was surprisingly light but difficult as she couldn't stop moving around and digging her long nails into him. Tarzan tried to get it too as both of their weights caused Clayton to fall to the ground. 

Jane managed to grab the chalk from Clayton's hand and crossed her arms, making them stop. "Mr. Clayton. I think I'll take it from here."

Published: February 21, 2023

Word Count: 3133