Authors note! I am going through and updating all of the chapters in an attempt to continue the story. I felt very dissatisfied with the quality of it, and I am taking the time to go through and properly proofread it. I will make a few adjustments and tweak it. I have a vision for the story, but before I carry the story forward I want to revise what I have currently. The story will largely remain the same, just hopefully more developed in regards to grammar and plot. Thank you so much for your support of this story and the overwhelming love you have shown it. I love reading and rereading your reviews. Thank you. Posted 5/16/16
The jungle air was heavy with humidity bearing down on the apes as they marched through the trees. Kala and Tarzan were holding up the rear as usual because Tarzan just wasn't as fast as his young cousins. Kerchak was in the front guiding his family to the family to the feeding grounds. It had been a very routine journey, one they often made. It had been a peaceful walk until a shrill shriek sounded and all Kerchak could hear were apes shouting. Alarmed, Kerchak rushed forward. A young ape named Serap intercepted him.
"It's Kala! Sabor,-"without stopping to pause Kerchak let out a mighty roar and flew to the back of march. Upon approaching the rear he stopped and skid to a mighty halt. Kala lay with a gash in her chest and a chunk missing from her throat. Blood oozed quickly from her wounds and she lay painting the grass in a gruesome red. Sabor, the leopard, was nowhere in sight. Tarzan was at her side grasping onto Kala sobbing with Terk off to the side in silent horror.
"Mom! Please get up! Momma, don't leave me!" Kala looked at Tarzan from her position on the ground. Her eyes held the deepest love Tarzan had ever known. Kerchak was struck. That love was meant for his and Kala's child. Kala reached for Tarzan. Her furry hand made contact with his cheek. Tarzan latched onto her hand and held it to his chest. Pushing aside past memories and buried emotions, Kerchak approached the pair. Kala turned her gaze to him, the love in her eyes never faltered.
"Kala," said Kerchak. His voiced was tight with emotion. He understood the jungle and its malicious circle of life. Death was not new to any of them. He could see that Kala understood too. Kala looked into the eyes of her beloved mate and then looked over to her precious child.
"Kerchak," she began. "Tarzan needs you. He needs you to take care of him. Please, you must do this for me. Take care of him." Her voice falters. The realization of her imminent departure struck Tarzan like a spear to the heart. 'NO," he wailed. "Mom don't, I NEED you!" Kala's face pinched up with pain, physical or emotional Kerchak could not tell. "Kerchak, you must do this for me. Promise me!" There was an urgent tone to her voice, like she knew the end was quickly approaching. Kerchak leaned forward and grabbed her other hand. Looking solemnly into her fading eyes, he was completely unable to deny Kala her last wish. He said, "Yes. I promise." The tension faded from her face and her pained expression morphed into something of peace. "My boys. I love you. Watch out for each other. You need the other." With a fleeting smile Kala's spirit lifted into the heavens.
As the light faded from the most important woman in their live's eyes, both Tarzan and Kerchak released an anguished cry. Kerchak moved to pick up Kala. Terk, finally relieved of her paralyzed stupor moved to Tarzan. In an effort to allow Kerchak to pick up his beloved and move her to her final resting place, Terk tried to dislodge Tarzan from Kala's body. Tarzan was not easily deterred, but finally relented. Kerchak moved her to where their only child had been laid to rest all those years ago. Kerchak looked unto Tarzan who was now quietly mourning the loss of his mother. Terk and the rest of the family were gathered around. Sorrow filled them as they looked toward the grave and thought of the sister, aunt, mate and mother they had lost. Kerchak looked at his family now. "Come. We must make to the feeding grounds. It will be dark soon. We will eat and rest there for the night." He led the precession away from the grave. He looked back to see Terk leading Tarzan away from the grave and guiding him along. Satisfied for now, he looked on. He deliberately avoided their original route, he pressed on with his family dutifully falling in behind. If they noticed the longer route, none commented.
Upon reaching the feeding grounds, the apes began eating from the giant funnels made from the bugs and foraging in the tall canopies. After a while of watching Terk and her mother unsuccessfully coaxing Tarzan to eat from the funnels, he looked up into the trees to see ripe mangos weighing down the large limbs. A painful memory of Kala always picking them from the child when he was feeling picky about his meals. He recalled that the boy could never turn one down. With a heaving sigh, Kerchak reached up and with a bit of grappling finally snagged a few from the tree. "Tarzan," he began gruffly. Tarzan's head snapped in his direction. "Come here." Almost sheepishly Tarzan began the short walk over to Kerchak. His shuffling feet closing the gap between them quicker than Tarzan would have like them too. Tarzan looked up into Kerchak's eyes. Kerchak looked onto his otherworldly cerulean blue eyes. Kerchak, unable to read the emotion written in those blue eyes, jerked the mangos on Tarzan's direction. "Here," he began. "You must eat." Tarzan, cowed by the gruff voice, took one from Kerchak's giant hand and bit into it. Kerchak, satisfied with the success, bit into one too.
As the sun sank lower and moon rose higher, Kerchak realized that he would have to find a suitable place for both he and Tarzan to rest. Together. Trying to remain unbothered and keep his promise, he began making a nest. He had not made one since Kala took in Tarzan. He, Kala, and their child, Khari, would nest together. After his death, Kerchak continued to make their nest but Kala had withdrawn from him and spent her time alone in the treetops. When she arrived with Tarzan, her joy had returned, but Kerchak couldn't face her. It was then that he rested alone in the canopy. Knowing that Tarzan was likely to fall from the branches of the trees, he would have to make do on the ground. He tried to recall all the things he had seen Kala do when she prepared the nest for her and Tarzan. She would collect several large leaves and always rolled one up to go under his head. Busying himself with the task, he ventured a look at Tarzan. The boy was surrounded by the young apes. Terk in particular was trying to amuse him. Tantor emerged from the tree line with a grim expression on his face. When he reached Tarzan, he gave a genuine, if a little forced, smile at the boy. He then hugged him with his trunk. Accepting the affection, the manchild tried his best to return the smile. Turning back to the nest, now finished, Kerchak contemplated what to do next.
When the mothers started calling out for their young to nest, Tarzan looked torn. The boy was not sure what Kerchak would have him do. Would Kerchak tell him to nest with the juvenile apes who had matured enough to sleep separate from their mothers? He then began looking for Kerchak. He spotted him and slowly trotted up to him. Noticing the nest he had made, ha gave the tiniest of smiles. Suddenly uncomfortable Kerchak began, "I couldn't remember how she did it, but I tried to-," Tarzan stopped him. "It is perfect," said the boy. The child nestled into the leaves. Kerchak left to tend to the herd. After an hour he returned. Looking down at his new charge, he appeared to be resting. Kerchak knew it was customary for parents to sleep with their young for safety and warmth, and he awkwardly lay down in the nest, but stayed a safe distance from the boy's sleeping figure.
He rested his eyes. He fell asleep quicker than he thought possible. Not twenty minutes past mindnight he awoke to sniffling. With his back to Tarzan, he had to shift over to look at him. What he saw startled him. Tarzan was sobbing in his sleep. Unsure how to handle the situation Kerchak looked around. No one else was awake. Not sure what to do, he pulled Tarzan in closer to rest his head on his chest, right where his heart was. The steady thumping soothed Tarzan. The sobbing subsided and they rested undisturbed till morning.