A/N: I am going to skip The Rift and The Giant Beetles as Tarzan and Jane didn't show much in those episodes. I hope that is alright with you guys 😅. 

And I am deeply sorry for the late update. School started and it had been very busy lately. I'll try to update as I can, so please be patient. Thank you so much and enjoy the chapter.

A warm sunny day it is. The splendid sweet smell captured the jungle once more as the couple floated towards their home. Brook especially couldn't wait to see Mr. Porter and tell him about all they did with the Waziri tribe. 

Hugo drove the boat as they were getting near Dumont's Trading Post. 

"We'll be home soon," Tarzan spoke, glancing at Brook next to him. 

Brook sighed, smiling at the view. "As much as I enjoyed traveling, it's good to get back to our jungle."

Tarzan hummed, smiling at her. "The Waziri village was nice."

"It was wonderful!" she grinned, holding his hands. "But there's no place like home."

"Here Tarzan, give this a whirl," Hugo grinned, tossing an object at the man who caught it effortlessly. 

He frowned at the small, long object, twirling it around in confusion. "What do I do with this?"

"You don't know how to whistle, big boy? You just put your lips together and blow," Hugo explained. 

"It makes a sound," Brook also explained. 

Tarzan nodded, understanding them, and blew on the whistle. He frowned as it didn't make a sound at all. In fact, he only heard his breath in and kept blowing on it. 

"I-I didn't hear anything," he frowned, turning to Hugo and Hooft. 

"Of course, you didn't, nature boy. You see, it's a dog whistle," Hooft explained. 

"Yeah, dogs have super sensitive ears. They can hear things we humans can't," Hugo smiled. 

Hooft took more whistles out of his pocket, showing them to the couple. "We've got a couple hundred of these beauties already made."

"Yeah, we figure we'll corner the local market on dog whistles."

"So how many can I put you down for?" Hooft took out a clipboard. "10? 20?"

Brook frowned at the dog whistle before looking up at the men. "As nicely crafted as your dog whistle is, I must point out that I've never actually seen a dog anywhere near here," she handed the dog whistle to the men who were shocked at the realization. 

"Ooh, looks like we got a problem. Positive Pooches," Hooft glanced at his friends. 

"Yeah, real doggy drought," Hugo chuckled. 

"Canine catastrophe."

Brook chuckled at them and glanced back to see that they have already arrived at their destination and sighed. "Home sweet home."

Brook smiled, walking over to get off the boat as Tarzan tossed the rope to the man below who started tying the rope to the plank. Brook nodded in thanks as another man helped her down the boat as Tarzan jumped down and grabbed her hand. 

Brook's eyes widened as she saw the workers everywhere and busy. She has also seen new buildings near the post. 

"Dumont has been busy," she muttered, observing everything. She stopped in her tracks as she spotted a tower not far from them. "I wonder what's this all about?"

"Ahh, Brook," Dumont spoke as he spotted the couple. "You have returned," he grabbed Brook's hand and twirled her in greeting before kissing her hand, covering Tarzan from view. 

"Did you miss me during your trip?" he smiled. 

Brook chuckled, sweatdropping at him. "I didn't think much of you at all."

"Oh, you wound me, madam," Dumont chuckled. 

"But you'll be interested to see that my trading post is on the rise. We're installing more guest beds and a new radio tower, which will allow us to order supplies from all around the world, and by week's end hot and cold running water. All the comforts of home," he wrapped a hand around the girl's waist and leaned close which Brook leaned back.

"You should consider moving closer," Dumont smirked but Brook pushed him lightly to give themselves space. 

"I'm as close as I'd like to get, thank you," she smiled before walking to Tarzan who has been looking around the buildings. 

She noticed her husband is playing with one of Dumont's toys and walked closer to him. "Tarzan?"

Dumont spotted the toy and laughed. "My friend, this type of thing isn't your...uh strong suit."

Tarzan frowned, "What is it?"

Dumont took the toy from him and explained. "A puzzle, the object is to remove the ring without breaking the toy."

Tarzan smiled, understanding it.

"Unfortunately, the key to solving the puzzle is brains, not brawn," Dumont smirked before leaning back as Tarzan glared at him. "And what do you mean by that?"

Their conversation was put to an abrupt stop as they heard a gunshot outside of the post. Believing, the men were shooting animals, Tarzan and Brook ran out to see several men with rifles. 

Tarzan goes to attack them when Dumont stopped him. "No, no, Tarzan. It was merely a warning shot. The animals have been acting unusually...bold this week. But surely, you realize that I would never allow one of my men to harm your animals."

Tarzan stood up, glaring at the man, instantly distrusting him. "You fear me."

Dumont sighed, defeated. "I would be a fool not to."

Brook saw the intense atmosphere between the two and grabbed Tarzan's arm, directing him away from Dumont. 

"You would," Tarzan glared at him before they walked away to their treehouse. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Tarzan carried Brook as he swung on a vine. He frowned as he felt something off in the jungle and stopped on top of the tree. He looked around but he couldn't find anything. 

Brook didn't think much of it as she was worried about earlier that caused the little arguing between Tarzan and Dumont and hugged his arm. 

"What's the matter, Love? I hope it wasn't that ridiculous brains, brawns comment of Dumont's. You are a keenly, intelligent man," she smiled. 

"That's not what's bothering me," Tarzan spoke as he place a finger on her lips. "Listen."

They sat quietly as they didn't hear anything coming from the jungle. 

"I don't hear anything," she commented. 

"Exactly," Tarzan nodded which made Brook frown as she realized that she didn't even hear the birds or crickets. Plainly nothing.

"No birds, no monkeys, altogether too quiet," she frowned. 

Tarzan looked around, frowning in worry before glancing at her. "Maybe it's nothing," he stood up and carried her once again as they swung towards their home. 

Arriving at the root of their home, Brook gasped as she took in the mess in their home. The bridge was almost destroyed as if it was a rampage. Just what could have happened?

They both climbed inside the treehouse and their eyes widened at the mess inside. Most of the furniture was broken or ripped. Some tables have been toppled over. 

"It's like a riot in here," Brook frowned as she couldn't find anything that sourced through this. "Something's going on in this jungle," she spoke as she started picking some stuff up. 

Tarzan only looked around and sniffed to find a clue. "Something bad."

Brook's eyes widened and gasped, dropping a barrel in fear. "We have to find Mr. Porter!" she ran out instantly as Tarzan followed. 

They lowered themselves and ran to Mr. Porter's camp. It was worse than they thought. Everything was toppled over and destroyed but there was no sign of the man. Brook looked everywhere but couldn't find a trace of him. 

"Mr. Porter! Are you here?" she calls. 

Tarzan moved some of the stuff too, "Professor! Professor!" He looked underneath some of the man's stuff but frowned. "I couldn't find him anywhere."

Brook sighed, sitting down on a chair. "Panicking won't help," she muttered to herself as she picked up some papers that were on the ground and a pencil. 

"We'll have to figure out what's going on in this jungle," she started writing as reading it out loud. "First, both our treehouse and Mr.Porter's base camp have been thrown into disarray. Why? Were they searching for something? And if so, what?"

"We didn't see any animals in the jungle either," Tarzan shook his head. "Where are they?"

Brook nodded, "It is becoming a puzzle, isn't it?"

They stopped as they heard steps and huffs in front of them. They were both relieved to see Tantor and Terk in front of them. But they slightly frowned at their mad expressions. 

"Terk! Tantor!" she calls. 

"Where have you been?" Tarzan asked. 

"Trying to get away," Terk growled, looking around. 

"Get away? From what?" Brook stood up in worry. 

"The ringing!" Terk snapped, slamming her hands on her ears. "It won't stop!"

"It just rings...and rings!...and rings...rings!" Tantor pants. 

Brook and Tarzan glanced at each other in confusion at their behavior. "Animals acting peculiarly, rambling on about the ringing," Brook wrote but stopped as a shadow loomed over them. 

Their eyes widened as Terk snarled at them, raising her fists. "Make the ringing stop!"

Brook gasped in horror as she lowered her fists at them. Tarzan managed to move her away from Terk's strength as she destroyed the chair she once sat on. 

Terk growled at them, attempting to hit them but Tarzan kept dodging her. "Terk! What are you doing?!" Tarzan demanded but Terk kept attacking them. 

"Terk!" Brook called out in worry but the gorilla only kept glaring at them. 

Tarzan lightly pushed Brook, facing Terk. "Go!"

Brook shook her head in worry and took steps back as she couldn't understand what is going on with Terk and Tantor. Her back touched the windmill and started climbing. 

Tarzan grabbed a staff and swung at Terk but she dodged it and grabbed the staff. But Tarzan only gripped it tighter and threw her far, hitting her back against the windmill. 

Brook gasped, pointing to something behind her husband. "Tarzan!"

Tarzan turned and backed away as Tantor also tried attacking him. Brook shifted where she stood and looked down, only to see Terk growling at her and climbing up towards her. 

Brook gasped and tried climbing higher to put distance between them. She gritted her teeth in frustration as it kept spinning and moved away as Terk caught up to her and slammed her hands to get her. 

Brook moved at the last minute and moved far away from her, looking around to escape but it was way too high to jump. She yelped as Terk grabbed her ankle and gripped it tightly. 

Brook jumped down and held on to the windmill. But it made her shift higher as Terk also climbed on it. Terk growled, reaching out for her but Brook moved far away. 

As for Tarzan, he used a table as a shield to hide but Tantor only kept screaming about some ringing before smashing the table into pieces. Tarzan started climbing the tree, as he knows he can't harm his friend.

Terk was getting frustrated that she isn't getting anywhere and climbed to the middle. Seeing as it wasn't moving, she reached out for Brook who was at the top. She looked around and spotted another tower not far from her and took a deep breath. 

Brook jumped before Terk caught her. Her eyes widened as she was actually nearing the ground and closed her eyes. She sighed in relief as Tarzan caught her and swung on the vine away from Terk and Tantor on top of a tree. 

They panted as they looked down to see Terk and Tantor already forgetting about them and started breaking more stuff from Mr. Porter's camp. 

"What's wrong with them?" Tarzan frowned. 

"They've gone mad," Brook frowned too. 

They stopped as they heard chirps close to them and spotted a small bird, glaring at them and flying around them, more particularly at Brook. She didn't like the feeling in her stomach as she stared at the bird. 

"Tarzan, I'm not sure if I like the way this bird is eyeing us," Brook spoke as it started pecking her head. 

She crouched and covered her head, swatting it away. Tarzan noticed too and hugged her from behind, covering her from the bird. He swatted the bird as it flew away. 

"What is going on in this jungle?" she turned to him. The bushes rustled not far from them and paled as a flock of birds flew out and directly at them. 

Brook screamed as Tarzan grabbed her waist and jumped down as the birds followed. Tarzan gripped the nearest vine as it directed them to the top, losing the birds. 

Except, once they landed, a couple of frogs appeared out of nowhere and jumped on them. They cringed as more frogs jumped on them but Tarzan grabbed the girl's wrist and jumped down, removing the frogs from them as they slid down the tree. 

Brook exclaimed in shock as they were going fast down before they both caught a vine. 

Brook pants as she grabbed another vine, catching up to Tarzan. "What is going on?"

"I don't know," Tarzan frowned. "But I think it's safe for now."

He spoke too soon as a few baboons snarled above them and started biting through their vines. Brook's eyes widened and stiffened as Tarzan grabbed her to him. Brook screamed as the baboons bit through the vine as they both fell. 

Tarzan tried to get them safely on the ground but grunted as they both tumbled onto leaves and down to the ground. Brook yelped as she landed on her back next to her husband. 

Brook sighed, leaning her head on the ground in exhaustion. This is getting tiring and scary for her taste. 

She sat up and started to dust away the red petals that covered her as Tarzan crouched behind her, getting some of the petals off of her hair too. 

"This madness obviously isn't restricted to Terk and Tantor. I think all the animals have been affected," she spoke, taking some of the petals off of her. 

"But what's causing it?" Tarzan frowned as he grabbed her hands and helped her up to her feet. 

They started walking around but frowned as they have never seen such beautiful red flowers around them. Tarzan crouched, picking a red flower with yellow dots on it. 

"These flowers," he started. "I've never seen them before."

"There are some flowers that only bloom once every 50 years," Brook nodded as she saw the many flowers scattered around. 

"Could a plant make an animal go mad?" Tarzan turned to her. 

"Perhaps the pollen from these plants is causing some sort of allergic reaction. We should find a good specimen to study," Brook crouched and looked around. 

"The more I think about it, the more I'm sure we found it–" Brook paused, gasping at the familiar object on the ground. 

She trembled as she reached for the object gasping at the destroyed sight. She bit her lip and tearily gasped at it, getting Tarzan's attention. 

"Brook? What's wrong?" he turned to her and frowned at the forlorn expression she had as she showed the object to him. 

It was the same notebook Mr. Porter had. Brook's tears welled up as she gripped the notebook to her chest. 

"Mr. Porter," she whimpered as she silently cried, believing the worse. Upset for his wife's loss, Tarzan hugged her and wiped some of the tears that fell from her face. 

"I hope he didn't suffer too much," her voice cracked as she didn't want her husband to see her in tears but Tarzan cupped her cheek, grabbing her waist and placing her on his lap, hugging her from behind. 

"Don't give up yet. Maybe we can learn something from this," Tarzan placed a hand on the notebook, on top of her hand. 

Brook nodded, sniffing and blinking away the tears. "I suppose he would have wanted it that way," she opened the notebook and started reading. 

"I was taking a hike this morning, when I came across a beautiful red flower," Brook started, picking up the familiar red flower before continuing. 

"Unfortunately, while admiring the blossom, I had the most unusual encounter with a great form of woodpeckers. The situation looked grim. But thankfully, I kept a calm head. Used my formidable jungle skills and made it home alive. 

"Over the next few days, I had more and more alarming experiences with usually benign creatures. Why were the animals suddenly acting so curiously? The only new element in the jungle was that mysterious red flower. I knew that there had to be a connection."

"We were right about the flowers," Tarzan frowned at them before turning to Brook. 

"I began work on an antidote but my base camp was no longer safe. So I retreated to Tarzan and Brook's treehouse. I eventually concocted an antidote but while I was waiting for the chemicals to finish their reactions, the animals attacked in mass.

"I was forced to hide in the underdog and flee. If I fail to reach help and Tarzan, Brook, or some other poor soul finds this journal, then know that the antidote that will reverse all this madness is hidden under the P–"

"What's a Puh?" Tarzan frowned. 

"Not a Puh. The letter P. That's all he wrote," Brook explained as Mr. Porter wasn't able to finish his sentence. "Well, at least we know there's a cure for this madness."

"Somewhere in the treehouse."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

They walked back to the treehouse, making sure there were no animals to be attacked. Tarzan helped Brook on the boat and pulled on the cord to pull her up. As Brook reached the top, she got off and waved to him that she arrived. 

Tarzan nodded, leaving the cord, and started climbing up the tree. He failed to realize that some of the gorillas smelled them and started going after them. 

"He can stop the ringing," Terk growled to her friends. 

Tarzan looked back and saw them, starting to climb up the tree. "We have to hurry," he spoke as Brook already started searching. 

"It's under something that starts with the letter P," she hurried as he lifted some pots. 

Tarzan threw some papers away and shook his head as he kept looking. Brook moved some pillows as well but nothing there. 

Tarzan sighed, "We don't have much time."

They both started looking around in a hurry as the gorillas were getting close to them. Brook groaned, "We looked under everything that starts with the P in this house. Perhaps we misunderstood Mr.Porter's meaning."

Tarzan kept looking around and brightened as he spotted the phonograph and rushed to it. "A phonograph! That starts with the P."

He pulled the small drawer and grinned as he saw the antidote. "I found it!"

"A P word! Not a P sound," Brook grinned before smiling at him. "Those reading lessons are paying off."

Brook gasped as the door burst open as the gorillas entered, growling at them. She backed away from them as Tarzan jumped in front of them and sprayed the antidote on them. 

Terk and the other gorillas smelled it in but later growled at them, glaring at her heavily. Tarzan and Brook were surprised to see that the antidote didn't work on them.

"Ringing. Stop the ringing," Terk growled. "Ringing!"

Tarzan grabbed Brook's wrist and ran to the phonograph. Tarzan turned it on and left, leaving the animals in despair as they heard the music playing. They roared and smashed the machine into pieces, looking around but the couple have already left the place.

Brook sighed in relief as they swung away from their house, looking around. "I think we lost the gorillas."

"They're not the only ones we need to worry about," Tarzan spoke as the tree they were on shook. 

Brook hugged Tarzan in worry as they saw Tantor hitting himself on the tree they were on. "Make. It. Stop!"

Tarzan grabbed Brook and jumped to another tree but Tantor followed them and kept hitting against the tree. Tarzan grabbed the nearest vine but his eyes widened in shock as the baboons above them started biting through every vine in their reach. 

"We have to get out of the jungle," Tarzan gripped the broken vine. 

"But how?" Brook asked as they stiffened when Tantor screamed below them and hit harder on the tree, causing it to fall and slide down the small hill. Tarzan held Brook tighter as they sped through and landed on the river. 

But Tarzan couldn't wait as he grabbed her wrist and started trending through the river. It was unfortunate as the crocodiles surrounded them while Tantor and a rhino started heading towards them. 

Brook started paling at the sight of most animals almost catching up to them. She ran faster with difficulty and yelped as Tarzan started jumping on top of the crocodiles, dragging her with him. 

Tarzan neared the other side as he climbed up a vine. He pulled Brook as the crocodiles were close to snapping their jaws at Brook's feet. Seeing as they were getting close and fast, Tarzan started swinging around and tossed Brook to the other side. 

She yelped as she landed on the ground. She wasn't able to get up as Tarzan landed next to her and started dragging her once again with the animals close behind them. 

They arrived at the leopard territory but were relieved to see no leopards or panthers around them. Tarzan carried Brook over his shoulders and started climbing to the cave. 

They hurriedly went inside and backed away from the entrance. They stopped as the cave started to shake too as Tantor and other several animals were hitting the wall. 

Brook yelped as the entrance was now blocked by some rocks blocked it. She coughed up the dust and stood up, worried about any cracks. 

"Can they get in?" she asked. 

"Probably," Tarzan grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the entrance as it won't take long for the animals to try to get in. 

"Well, at least we're safe for the moment," Brook sighed in relief. 

But it was short as they heard something fall behind them and stiffened at the treat. Tarzan gritted his teeth and roared, attacking the culprit, and lifting it. He was surprised to see a familiar human in his hands. 

Tarzan looked closely at it and stopped as he knew who it was. "Professor?"

Brook laughed, grinning widely as she ran over and hugged the man in relief. She thought she'll never see the man who practically raised her. "When I found your journal, I feared the worst."

"I've been in hiding for days," Mr. Porter sighed, hugging her back. "The animals have gone mad, you know."

Brook chuckled, "Yes, we know."

They looked back at the entrance as they can see some of the rocks moving on the entrance, making them worried. 

"What's going on?" Mr. Porter paled. 

"They're digging," Tarzan frowned at it. 

Mr. Porter turned to Brook and grabbed her hands. "You must go to the treehouse and get my antidote. It's under the–"

"Phonograph," Brook nodded. "We did, Mr. Porter. It didn't work."

"Impossible!" Mr. Porter turned away in thought. "I was certain my attitude would counteract the flowers' pollen."

"Maybe," Tarzan spoke up, getting their attention. "It's not the flowers at all."

"What else could it be?" Brook frowned. "I mean, nothing has changed in the jungle. Nothing at all."

"There is one thing," Tarzan turned to Brook as he started thinking back to the moment they arrived. He ran to the other exit and started climbing up. "The tower."

"The tower?" Brook frowned in confusion. She stopped as the animals started digging more and more at the entrance. "Whatever you're doing, Tarzan. Please hurry," she whispered as she hugged Mr. Porter.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Tarzan grunts as he moved the boulder from the exit and looked down. Some of the animals spotted him and growled at him. 

"Stop the ringing!" Terk exclaimed as Tarzan ran away to his destination. 

Most of the animals followed him, leaving Tantor and the rhinos to keep digging the cave. 

Tarzan kept jumping and swinging, making sure some of the animals followed. He only hoped Brook would be safe by the time he gets there. 

As he finally arrived, he pushed the men to the ground and grabbed their rifles, glaring directly at Dumont. 

"Tarzan?!" Dumont's eyes widened. "You're as mad as the animals!"

"Maybe," Tarzan spoke as he started grabbing vines, tying them up on the towers, making sure the animals can trample through and destroy them. But it worried Dumont as he started calling out to Tarzan to get away from the towers. 

It seemed to work as the animals ran through, pulling onto the vine and destroying the towers. Everyone screamed as the towers were plummeting towards them and ran away. 

They all screamed louder as the animals were getting near them. They were all surprised to see the animals quieten and looked around, confused. 

"Uh...I got a question. How did I get here?" Terk frowned, looking around. 

Not far from them Brook and Mr. Porter backed away from the entrance as Tantor was getting near them. Tantor screamed, reaching for them when he suddenly stopped. 

"Mrs. Tarzan? Professor?" Tantor frowned as he spotted them quickly. 

"Tantor? Are you...all right?" Brook turned to him hesitantly. 

"Um...I think so. The last thing I remember was a really awful ringing in my ears. I thought I was going to go nuts," he laughed as he backed away from them as they stepped out of the entrance. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Back in Dumont's Post, the men have gathered to dispose of the wood from the towers. 

"My towers were causing the animals to go mad?" Dumont asked Tarzan.

"Yes. Humans couldn't hear it but the animals could."

Dumont chuckled, "I didn't realize you were such a detective, Tarzan."

"Well, there's much about me you don't know," Tarzan proudly smirked as he handed Dumont the old puzzle. 

Dumont was surprised to see that Tarzan was able to get the ring out of the string.

Brook only smiled as Tarzan walked towards her and checked for injuries. She pecked him on his cheek and hugged his arm. "What are you smiling about?"

Tarzan smiled, "Oh, nothing."

Tarzan hugged her to him and headed back home. 

Published: August 30, 2022

Word Count: 4392