Kala was roaming the treetops when she discovered a very sweet site. There was Kerchak rolling and frolicking around with the children. They were running about all over him as he pretended to break free beating his chest some of the younger kids copying him. Kerchak allowed himself pinned down by two of them holding his hand down. He was also holding two others up in his feet in the air making them giggle. Two of the babies stood on his chest and beat their own. Giving in, Kerchak released the children from his feet and they started bouncing on his big, round belly like a trampoline while the other children holding him down ran about all over him. Kerchak lay down still smiling contentedly. He never had this much fun since ... since .. he chose to leave the painful memories in the past.

He heard a soft chuckle to see Kala watching their antics.

"Erm, okay children," said Kerchak clearing his throat. "I better get back to duties. Off you go."

The children scattered away in a group to return to there families.

Kerchak looked rather sheepish as Kala smiled in a manner of relief.

"It's nice to see you playing with the children."

"I do it all the time," Kerchak defended.

"You don't," smiled Kala.

"I don't?"

Kala smiled and shook her head.

"I was just showing them how to defend themselves."

"I'm just saying," said Kala kindly. "It's been twenty years since I've seen you smile - and laugh for that matter."

Kerchak thought about all this. He knew Kala was right but couldn't bring himself to say it for some reason.

"I know he differs and is not if our blood," Kala continued "but perhaps if you have faith in Tarzan to protect you and let him see that he wants your approval. After all, he did avenge our child's life by taking Sabor's."

"Yes," said Kerchak rather bitterly. "But I wish it was I since I failed to protect him."

"Kerchak," said Kala sternly, "It wasn't your fault. It could been me for all you know - and it even could have been Terk, Heaven forbid."

Kerchak considered this and knew she was right but something inside him still stung. Something still made him feel angry. Even while he knew Tarzan saved everyone and killed the vicious leopard Sabor he was still not of their kind. He remembered all to well as a cub. His father was all he had since his mother died from an unknown cause. He had the best father anyone could wish for, the amount of times he romped with, ate bananas with him, climbed trees with him and beating his chest with him. Those memories flourished back like they had happened yesterday. Especially at night when he was cuddled against his chest in his huge, warm arms. Then one day as they were romping about by the beach, Kerchak and his father, out of the blue, were captured by Tarzan's kind. They shot a bullet into each ape and they had fallen asleep. They woke up to find themselves in a cage. When they came to feed them, his father attacked them. He broke the cage free and made his cub run for his life. As Kerchak watched everything, one of the creatures held a stick and struck his father. He escaped with a broken heart as he floated on a lifeboat to a new island. That was where he met the young Kala whose family took him in. While he was now a strong leader he refused to tell anyone the harrowing past, even Kala.

"I know it's difficult to take in but you need more faith," said Kala. "I took him because he needed a mother. Perhaps he also needs a father. Kerchak, you won't be here forever. You know you won't. You need a next of kin to lead the others."

Kerchak sat down on night guard watching all the other female apes with their mothers sound asleep. He thought deeply about what Kala said to him today. But thinking on what happened to his father, it was difficult to accept Tarzan no matter how many good deeds he had committed. Slowly, Kerchak drifted off to sleep deep in thought.

He woke up and found himself on the ground in a sunny patch of the jungle. In the distance he saw a young ape.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kerchak. "Where is your mother? You shouldn't be wandering without a grown-up."

Same time, it disappeared.

"Child?" asked Kerchak getting up and looking around and worrying. "Where are you?"

He ran top the patch where it stood. He ran to find himself facing a beautiful valley full of green surroundings and a huge waterfall. It was the very island he and his father used to live before the tragedy. He ran all the way down to it and the memories flowed back into him when with his brilliant father. But a sound, an unsolicited sound appeared among the bushes.

Out from them appeared Tarzan's kind, wearing things to cover their bodies and holding the very sticks he remembered. He stood up, roared and beat his chest.

The creatures just laughed menacingly and got ready to aim when - something flew by and whisked away their weapons one by one. Kerchak watched in amazement to realise it was Tarzan. The semi-ape he felt he could never trust. The thing he only allow his ape to keep so he would survive. What he saw next was the hairless wonder attacking these men, no punch impacted upon him whatsoever. He attacked everyone of them, arm-locked them to the ground and slammed them making them groan in pain. However they were strong enough to run for it and flee the figure their kind and the armed silverback.

Kerchak watched his son in pride as he walked up to him and bowed down to his father. Kerchak did the same. He avenged his first child and saved his life.

Kerchak jerked awake to realise he was back at his post where he was on night duty. In the distance among the sleeping mothers with their infants, he saw the young man also standing guard. It was all a dream obviously but for some reason, something in Kerchak made him want to give Tarzan some sort of benefit of the doubt. After all, he ridded the jungle of Sabor and he had been trying to prove to Kerchak that he was no threat although he was evidentially clumsy as a child - he would never forget that incident with the elephants. After that dream, he felt it must have been a sign. He told Tarzan to keep the family out of harm's way and maybe it was supposed to mean these strangers with that thunder weapon were intending evil only for Tarzan to protect them.

Maybe Kala was right in telling him to trust the boy.