Tarzan departed from his home, talking to his mother. Learning the truth about his human family. He met them in the beach with his father's suit. He saw as Jane and Archimedes were relieved to see him and greeted him. 

Tarzan looked around but frowned as he didn't see Kaia anywhere. He shook his head in worry. But stopped as he heard shuffling steps behind him. Turning around, his eyes softened to see Kaia standing in front of him. 

She looked beautiful as she stood in front of him. He reached a hand out to her which she gently grabbed and stepped next to him. 

Jane and Archimedes gasped in awe to see the girl. They knew how she detested wearing Jane's long dresses but smiled softly that she wore a loose blue skirt with black flats along with a black shirt. 

The leopard spots were long gone as she followed Tarzan to the boat. Tarzan and Kaia briefly glanced at each other, realizing they had so much to talk about before they leave to the new world. 

The captain was kind to row the boat towards the ship. Several men dropped the ladder as everyone started climbing up. 

"Tarzan, Kaia, you can't imagine what's in store for you," Jane smiled at them. "You're going to see the world. Everyone's going to want to meet you. Kings, and scientists, and famous writers–"

"Yes, Darwin and Kipling," Archimedes grinned. "Queen Victoria!"

"I haven't met her, but I heard she's awfully nice," Jane smiled as she started climbing up the ladder with Tarzan's help.

Kaia goes climbing too but stopped to look at her home. She felt Tarzan's hand on her waist. She smiled at him assuringly and started climbing up. She climbed over the ship, landing on the flat metal ground. 

However, she didn't expect hands to grab her arms and a cloth to cover her mouth. She gritted her teeth, squirming in their holds. 

"Stop moving, lady!" she heard a man groan. Her eyes slit dangerously as she tossed her shoes off and jumped high before backflipping behind them. She snatched her arms from their hold and socked the two men in the jaw. 

They screamed as they felt a crack and fell to the ground. Kaia snarled at him and stepped back but more men grabbed her. "Agh!" she screamed. 

Tarzan climbed aboard, seeing several men heading for him. He jumped over them and landed on a metal cage. The men weren't to give up and started climbing for him. 

As they neared, Tarzan started climbing up the nest but started to get difficult with the clothes and shoes restricting his movements. 

"Ahh!" Tarzan looked to the side, his eyes widening to see other several others running for her but she managed to gouge someone's eye with her feather before slitting someone's throat, kicking them away. 

She snarled at them and started to climb up the ship but her long skirt kept getting pulled and yank her hair. 

"Kaia!" He gritted his teeth, launching himself towards her but stumbled as a man grabbed his ankle. Tarzan was about to fall, but held tightly onto the mast and kicked him away. 

He climbed higher and jumped and grabbed hold of the funnel. His eyes widened in horror as he couldn't climb on top with the shoes not digging into the metal. He grunts in frustration as his hands slipped and fell, crashing onto a pile of wood. Some of the splinters dug into his skin too as he groaned. 

"Tarzan!" he heard Kaia scream but he was unable to move much farther as two men grabbed his arms and pushed him against the wall, aching his bruises more. 

He squirmed in their hold until they heard a familiar gunshot in the air.

"What's going on here?!" Clayton demanded, gripping his rifle. 

"Clayton!" Tarzan's eyes widened in relief. "Clayton, help!"

Clayton frowned, looking at him. He frowned further, "Have we met?" Tarzan's eyes widened in disbelief as Clayton later smirked and lifted his chin with his rifle. It was still warm. "Ah, yes...the ape-man."

"Clayton," Tarzan growled, seethingly glaring at him. "You, you...–"

Clayton saw the threat coming close and slammed his rifle at Tarzan's abdomen. Tarzan grunts in pain and falls to the ground. Tarzan heard more grunting ahead of him, looking up slightly to see Kaia in five men's hold, each one grabbing a limb as well as a large knife under her neck and on her back to restrict her movements. 

However, Kaia's eyes slit dangerously as she glared at Clayton. 

"So sorry about the rude welcome, children," Clayton spoke. "But I couldn't have you making a scene when we put your furry friends in their cages," he smirked devilishly. 

"Why?!" Kaia growled. 

"Why?" Clayton turned to her, gripping her chin. "For three hundred pounds of sterling a head. Actually, I have you to thank, my girl."

Kaia frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"Couldn't have done it without you. Your interest in our junk caused Tarzan to keep Jane for a while. Enough to find the nests."

Kaia's eyes widened and briefly glanced at Tarzan. "Tell me that's not true..."

Tarzan only glared at Clayton, taking advantage of them to get what he wants. Clayton huffed, "Lock them up with the others."

"Come on, chief. Let us play with this one for a while," One complained, holding Kaia's wrists. 

"Yeah! She killed Kenny and Roe! And she gouged my eye!" a man seethed at the girl who snarled at him. 

"Lock them up," Clayton ordered causing everyone to grab the wild couple. Tarzan gritted his teeth as he tried to pull away but his guilt was overwhelming him. He caused this. His family are in danger because of him. 

"AAAH!"

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Tantor stopped, looking around as a scream echoed in the jungle. "Uh, that sounded like Tarzan," he spoke. 

Terk scowled, betrayed that Tarzan didn't bother saying goodbye to them. It hurts. All the seasons being best friends yet he didn't care enough to say goodbye before leaving forever. 

"He sounded like, like he was in trouble," Tantor frowned. 

"Yeah, well, why doesn't he get his new friends to help him? I don't care," she grumbled. 

Tantor snapped. "That's it!" he grabbed her and pulled her to face him. "I've had it with your emotional constipation! Tarzan needs us and we're going to help him! You got that?!"

Terk's eyes bulged widely, never seen him this mad and at her! She tried to speak but Tantor wasn't having it and threw her over his shoulder. 

"Now, pipe down and hang on tight! We've got a boat to catch," Tantor's eyes narrowed as he bolted towards the boat. Seeing the ocean, he ran faster but his stomach dropped as they ran off the cliff. 

Tantor and Terk screamed as they were free falling into the water. Tantor swam to the surface as they both coughed but Tantor laughed, "I've never felt so alive!"

"Good!" Terk snapped. "Because I'm going to kill you!"

"No time for that now, missy," Tantor took a gulp of air and sunk back into the water. Terk kept hold of him as they swam under a small boat heading back to the jungle. Tantor raised his trunk to breathe and swam towards the ship. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Tarzan grunts as he slammed his fists on the walls. He jumped from cold wall to cold wall, slamming his fists in frustration. The banging on his fists made everyone inside flinch. 

"Tarzan, it's no use. Dont!" Jane tried but Tarzan wasn't having it, banging on the walls. Landing on the ground, he desperately looked for a way out. His heart pulled rapidly as his breathing picked up. 

Jane ran towards him, Tarzan wasn't all right. Sensing someone going at him, Tarzan snarled at her. Jane pulled away as Kaia snarled at him back. 

Tarzan's eyes softened as he snarled at them. "Clayton," he growled. 

"Yes, Clayton," Jane frowned apologetically. "Clayton betrayed us all. I'm so sorry, Tarzan."

"No," Tarzan frowned, his body weak and useless. "I did this. I betrayed my family. Kerchak was right."

"No."

Jane and Tarzan turned to Kaia who was looking around their imprisonment. "You don't get to say that, Tarzan. Sure, we're in this dump," she kicked the chains and ignored the offensive sound from the captain. 

"But we're not giving up. Not yet. Mother Nature always does something when I'm in need of something," Kaia walked around. 

"Mother Nature?" Archimedes frowned, realizing the girl lost it. "Oh, those magnificent creatures, shivering in cages! What is this world coming to?" He slammed his fist on the metal wall, causing the ship to tilt to the side. 

Everyone exclaimed in shock as they started sliding to the side of the room, crashing against the wall. Tarzan managed to keep hold of Kaia as she held onto Jane. 

Tarzan managed to stop in time to not crush Archimedes but looked down at the girls in worry. 

"Oh, by Jove," Archimedes stood up. "Don't know my own strength," he flexed his muscles as the ship tilted again, causing everyone to slide to the other side. They managed to catch themselves and look around. 

"What was that?" Jane frowned. 

"Mother Nature always does best," Kaia laughed as they heard a loud trumpet from above. 

An elephant foot crashed through the ceiling, just a few centimeters from crushing Archimedes. 

"That sounded just like an elephant," Archimedes blinked, unaware of the elephant's foot over his head. 

"Tantor!" Tarzan grinned in relief. 

Tantor trumpeted again as Tarzan started climbing on his trunk. Kaia did too, thanking the elephant greatly fo his help and standing beside Tarzan who was currently being hugged by Terk. 

"I thought I would never see you again, and here you are!" Terk cried before being pulled by Tantor. 

"Sometimes you embarrass me."

Kaia ran towards one of the familiar men and punched him, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the ground. She snarled as she went through his pockets, finding her feather. 

She nodded to Tarzan as they both dived into the sea.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Kaia ran far away while Tarzan headed straight for his family. It can be a risk, but she knows she can count on her family. She ran and swung as fast as she could, knowing it would take days to get to her territory but she had to hurry. 

Clayton can't win. 

Crossing several rivers, she climbed on the rocky walls before running towards the familiar territory. 

"Father!" she roared, gathering the pack of leopards. 

"Kaia?" some of the leopards growled, confused. "What's going on?"

"You have to help me. The humans are capturing the apes," she tried are the leopards laughed in glee. 

"Not our problem–"

"Listen to me!" she snarled, quietening everyone down. "We have always been against the apes for seasons but someone special to me needs my help and I need your help too!" she pants and turns to her father who looked at her with uncertainty. 

"I adapted to your morals and suffered greatly from it and I know your pain when it comes to the apes. But...we don't have to be against them. We can prove to everyone that you're not completely monsters but misunderstood creatures who fight to survive.

"I really need your help. I can't do it without you."

Kaia waited for anything but saw several leopards crawling away. Her eyes saddened but sighed, already wasting time being here when she should be helping Tarzan. 

She spotted her bow and arrows next to her father's tree and grabbed them, stripping her clothes and wearing her braces on her arms, wrists, and ankles. 

"You take long."

Kaia turned around, finding everyone waiting for her. She spotted the leader nodding to her and she smirked.

"Let's go!"

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Clayton stopped aiming his rifle at Kerchak who was currently being tied down by his men. He frowned as he heard a strange cry. It wasn't until he saw Tarzan swinging in, bringing an army of animals towards them. 

Tarzan managed to swing by and kick Clayton's face. Clayton tried to run away from the incoming elephants and rhinos when he felt a tremble in front of him. He managed to jump away in time for Jane and Archimedes to charge on Tantor's back. 

Clayton gritted his teeth and slammed his fists on the ground in frustration. Tarzan ran over to Kerchak and slice through the net with his spearhead. 

"You came back," Kerchak's eyes widened. 

"I came home," Tarzan smiled. 

Kerchak's eyes softened before roaring, pushing Tarzan away to punch an incoming human. Tarzan saw this and smirked at him. 

Some of the animals scared the humans away. But some of them weren't able to go far as they screamed, being dragged in the darkness. Hearing their splitting screams, made Jane and Archimedes stop and pale to see an army of leopards and panthers heading for the humans. 

"Oh, dear," they clung to each other as the leopards and panthers ignored them and went to attack the others. 

"Jane! Professor!"

They turned around to see Kaia on top of a leopard with her bow and arrows. Her face was painted in red with claw marks as well as her signature leopard spots on her side and arms too. 

"Kaia, you're on–"

"Where's Tarzan?" she demanded. 

They weren't able to say a word in shock but Kaia growled and urged the leopard to keep going. She saw many men run away from the animals, but she would aim her arrow at them, hitting their mark. 

They're not getting away. 

Kaia spotted Tarzan on top of the nets and helped his family down. She goes to help him when she heard urgent hoots behind her. She growled, stopping the leopard. 

Looking back, her eyes widened to see some men taking Kala, Tarzan's mother away. She snarled as she and the leopard headed for them. Jane seemed to think the same thing as she grabbed a vine and swung towards them. 

Kaia jumped off as the leopard tackled one and dragged him away while Jane kicked the other. Kala's eyes widened in fear as she saw the leopard ripping the man into pieces and turned to see Kaia and Jane in front of her. 

The man stood up, glaring at the girls. Kaia snarled as she shielded Jane but the sound of growling was heard behind them. Turning around, they saw the herds of baboons snarling at the man. 

Jane clung to Kaia while Kaia grinned as the baboons ran for the man. The baby baboon oddly had Jane's boot as a hat and jumped on Jane's shoulder, giving her a sloppy kiss on her cheek before running off. 

Kaia ran to Kala's aid with Jane. She frowned at the cage and turned to Jane. "How do we get her out?"

Jane looked around, finding Tarzan landing behind them with a metal bar in his hand. Kaia grinned and snatched it and inserted it as a key. Jane helped her as Kala looked at the girls. 

Tarzan opened the cage while Kaia helped her down. Kala smiled at them in relief but horror struck her expression as a loud bang echoed. 

Kaia's eyes widened as blood poured out in front of her. She screamed as she fell back, feeling the burning pain on her right side. Tarzan's eyes widened in horror while Jane gasped loudly. Tarzan was quick to catch Kaia and hold her in his arms. 

He shook his head in disbelief as blood kept pouring out of Kaia's wound. 

Kerchak noticed this, seeing Tarzan worried for the girl, and turned to the culprit. His eyes narrowed as he saw Clayton reloading his rifle. He roared and ran for him. Clayton was aiming at Tarzan next when Kerchak was heading for him. 

Clayton gritted his teeth and fired at him. Kerchak loudly grunts as the bullet hit his chest and fell to the ground. 

Tarzan heard the bang again and turned. His eyes widened in disbelief to see Kerchak on the ground. 

He desperately turned to Kaia who was panting and holding her wound. Jane immediately went to her aid and press down. Tarzan gritted his teeth and ran to help Kerchak. 

Seeing Kerchak tired and wounded and Kaia hurt brought rage in Tarzan. He seethingly glared at Clayton and roared as he ran towards him. But Clayton fired at him, making Tarzan dodge the bullet. 

He dodged more as he started climbing up the tree. 

"Hiding, are we?!" Clayton taunted loudly. "Go on!"

Jane shook her head as she tried helping Kaia who was paling at the second. Kala hoots and helps her. Smelling blood, Zaava turned to find the culprit. Only to see his daughter on the ground. 

"Kaia!" he snarls and ran for her. He saw as Kala growled at him but he snarled back, checking on his daughter. 

"Who did this to you?" he worried. 

Jane deeply apologized to Kaia and ran to Clayton, grabbing his rifle. "Clayton, you! Look what you've done!"

Clayton glared down at her and hit the but of his rifle at her head, knocking her unconscious. He smirked up at the tree Tarzan resides. 

"I could use a challenge because after I get rid of you, rounding up your little ape family will be all too easy!" Clayton maniacally as he started climbing up the tree. 

As he climbed to the nearest branch, he frowns. Looking everywhere, it was too eerie as thunder clapped in the midst of the night. Clayton gripped his rifle tightly and looked around, but no sign of Tarzan anywhere. 

That was until he felt Tarzan kick him down to another branch. Clayton didn't expect it as his rifle fell out of his hands. Tarzan tried to immobilize him but Clayton wasn't having it, he punched Tarzan's abdomen where the faint bruise from earlier was. 

Tarzan grunts in pain but Clayton used it enough to climb over him and try to push him off to die.

Tarzan grabbed Clayton's shirt tightly and tugged his legs over his chest and kick him off. Clayton grunts as he stumbles down to several branches, groaning as he fell face first on the last one. 

He shook away the dizziness and smirked as he saw his rifle on the branch in front of him. He reached for it but Tarzan pulled his legs back and jumped over him to grab it and aim it at him. 

Clayton flinched and pressed his back on the tree as Tarzan aimed his own rifle at him. 

Clayton chuckled darkly, "Go ahead, shoot me. Be a man like Kaia who killed in cold blood."

Tarzan's eyes darkened as Clayton laughed loudly. Tarzan knew he didn't have it in him to kill. Not like Kaia. He gripped the rifle and shoved the end at Clayton's neck, shutting him up. 

Tarzan clicked his tongue, sounding like a gunshot and scaring the lights out of Clayton. Clayton pants in fear as he looked at Tarzan. 

"Not a man like you!" Tarzan shouts as he slammed the rifle on the ground, breaking it into pieces. 

Clayton exclaimed in shock and goes to grab it but it was already broken. It was the last straw. Tarzan ruined everything! His gorillas escaped! His fortune is gone! He belittled him with a stare!

Clayton screamed and pulled out his machete and swung at Tarzan. Tarzan's eyes widened and jumped back to a vine but Clayton cuts it.  Tarzan was falling and reached for a vine, he managed to grab one and climb through the mass of vines but started to get difficult. 

Tarzan moved back just as Clayton cut through the vines and swing at him. Tarzan moved in time as Clayton's machete dug into the tree. Tarzan looked at the vines and used them to tie Clayton's arm and leg. 

Tarzan raised himself lightly and brought down more piles of vines as they now circled around Clayton. 

But Clayton didn't give up, he furiously bit through the vines and cut them one by one, unaware of a vine tangling around his neck. Tarzan noticed this, his eyes widening. "Clayton!"

Clayton kept going and going as he was now holding onto one vine. 

"Clayton, don't!"

Clayton stopped and panted. He shivered as he felt cold all of a sudden. He doesn't know this feeling. It was like something was aiming at him. He begrudgingly turned around. 

His eyes widened as the thunder lit on the figure a few branches away. Her silver eyes stoically stared him down and held her bow and arrow. 

Clayton paled as she aimed for him, never been intimidated by a girl. It was like he was staring at the reaper herself. Her silver eyes glowed from the thunder, looking more menacing than he ever saw.

"He may not be a killer...but I am." 

Kaia softly let go of the arrow as it flew above Clayton and cut through the vine. Clayton's eyes widened in horror as he screamed while he fell, dragging Tarzan with him. 

Tarzan dropped to the ground as Clayton's body dangled in the air. Flashes of lightning briefly illuminate a tree behind Tarzan and revealed the gruesome shadow of Clayton's hanged corpse swaying ever so slightly.

The jungle has claimed him.

Tarzan looked up in time for Kaia to drop on the branch in pain. Mother Nature cried once more, giving Kaia comfort. She heard steps coming towards her, seeing her father crawling towards her. She leaned on him as she watched below. 

Tarzan frowned as his family gathered around Kerchak. Tarzan walked towards them, his heart breaking to see his mother holding onto her mate and silently crying. 

There was nothing they can do. 

Kala moved away as Tarzan stepped next to Kerchak. 

"Tarzan," Kerchak weakly spoke. 

"Kerchak," Tarzan gasped in guilt. "Forgive me."

"No," Kerchak shook his head, out of breath. "Forgive me for not understanding...that you have always been...one of us." 

Tarzan's eyes saddened, closing his eyes as guilt hurt his chest. He opened them as Kerchak placed a hand on his shoulder. It was weak but Tarzan held it tightly. 

"Our family...will look to you now..."

Tarzan's eyes glistened, "No, Kerchak."

"Take care of them....my son."

Tarzan's eyes softened in guilt as he always wanted to hear those words from him. But not like this. Not when Kerchak should still be here with them and leading the family. 

"Take care of them," Kerchak lightly gasped as the light dimmed from his eyes. His hand on Tarzan's shoulder dropped to the ground, gone.

Tarzan frowned as he pulled Kerchak but saw as the gorilla wasn't moving, he pulled him in a desperate hug, thanking him for everything. 

Everyone can only watch in sadness and silence for Tarzan's loss. Zaava comfortingly leaned on Kaia who leaned on him back, her heart breaking for Tarzan. 

Tarzan looked back to his family, realizing that this is a big burden Kerchak shared. But he knew that Kerchak always loved their family and protected them to the end. 

Tarzan closed his eyes and stepped forward as the sky rained down on him. The gorilla's eyes widened as Tarzan looked at them, giving them a silent sign that he will protect them from now on and lead them. Tarzan growls as he punches his chest repeatedly and walked away, his family following behind. 

Published: February 21, 2023

Word Count: 3909