Chapter 14

"All the Cats Join In"

While Jane and her friends were en route to their picnic spot, both Tarzan and Dumont could sense that there was going to be trouble. Just as Tarzan and his friends had picked up another piece of La's staff, they were soon confronted by the leopards who were growling and snarling at them.

"Tarzan, what do we do?" asked Basuli, crouching into a battle position. "There is too many of them."

"We stand and fight to the death," replied Tarzan, clutching his spear tightly. "We must protect Jane and our friends and family."

"I agree," added Simba, getting ready to pounce on the leopards. Just then, the leopards leapt into the air and the three friends did the same and soon, Tarzan, Basuli and Simba were fighting the hoards of Leopards that made their move on them. With each swipe of their claw and the gnashing of their teeth, the three friends responded by stabbing them with their spears or using their brute strength on them.

The battle raged on for a short period time and soon, the leopards were starting to gain the upper hand. One of the leopards that Tarzan was fighting against had knocked the broken piece of staff out of his hands and Tarzan struggled to pick it up, but the leopard was not going to let him get away that easily. Tarzan responded to this by kicking the leopard in its mouth and another leopard soon picked up the slack, by placing itself onto Tarzan's back, causing him not to move. Both Basuli and Simba had a chance as well, but were soon overpowered.

For a moment, it seem like everything would be over until a loud roar was heard and everyone turned to see that a leopard had been hit by a spear and fell over dead. Soon a barrage of arrows and spears came down on the leopards and many of them either ran away at that moment or were put to the death by the weapons that were being thrown. As to who was firing the shots, Basuli looked up and what he and the others saw next made them smile. A group of Wazari warriors came out from behind the bushes and ran over to their side and leading the charge was Keewazi, who looked down at his son as he got back onto his feet.

"Father," he gasped as Keewazi continued to look down at him. "Thank you for saving us. But, what are you doing here?"

"Why, we are doing the same thing as you," replied Keewazi, who let out a small chuckle. "Even the future leaders of our tribe need some help sometimes."

Basuli chose to ignore the remark as Tarzan walked over to his friends' side, followed by Simba.

"We found several more pieces of her staff," said Tarzan, giving Keewazi the piece that was knocked out of his hands during the fight. "Did we find them all?"

"Not quite, Tarzan," sighed Keewazi, examining the broken piece of staff. "Not quite."

"But we found plenty of others," replied Tarzan. "They are over at the treehouse where they are safe."

But, Keewazi had to disagree with Tarzan, for he had a greater fear than most his position would normally have as to him, there was much more to La's staff than even Tarzan didn't know about.

"They must not be there, Tarzan," he said, taking his attention off of the broken piece of staff. "If they are out in an open area, then La can easily command the staff to return to her and once she does, her power will return."

"Then what do we do, father?" asked Basuli, picking up his spear. "Do we destroy the staff or not?"

"The only way it can be destroyed is if all the pieces are destroyed," advised Keewazi as they left the battlefield. "If one piece is able to survive, then all the pieces will survive as well. Destroy the staff and you will destroy La's power, ridding her forever."

Hearing this message, the three friends returned to their search as the Wazari soldiers picked up the dead leopards and tied them to long sticks where they would disposed of at the Wazari village. Keewazi however knew that their time was running out for as far as he was concerned La would be getting stronger by the hour and even without her staff, she still possessed the body of a leopard and that alone made her more dangerous without her magic.

Meanwhile, Jane and her friends had arrived at their favorite picnic spot overlooking the waterfall and the leopard cub was allowed to be let out of the basket as began to run around wildly when it caught hold of a butterfly. This gave Jane and her friends an opportunity to set up their area as well as begin their small talk.

"He sure is cute, Jane," remarked Hazel, as Jane laid the blanket down on the grass. "It's too bad he will one day grow into a leopard."

"I know," Jane sighed sadly, as she placed the picnic of food down on the blanket. "It's too bad, but I will have to bring him back eventually. Care for some tea?"

Jane then took out a tea kettle and poured some tea for herself and her friends. The cub then crawled over and began to swipe its claw at the lace of Jane's petticoat. Knowing it was her best and only petticoat, Jane tossed a piece of bread at the cub and he ran off. Jane's friends chuckled at this, knowing that the cub was only trying to have fun. Jane didn't think it was because she was wearing her best and favorite yellow dress after all.

Nevertheless, they continued to have their tea and for a moment it seemed like everything was going to be coming together for a perfect picnic.

"You see, girls," she said to her friends. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. We can be quite civilized when we want to be."

Of course, little did they all know was at that moment, La and her panther warriors smiled at each other knowing that the time was now.

"It's time my loyal warriors," said La evilly and the two panthers agreed at this and growling quietly, they began to advance towards Jane and her friends. The cub had just finished eating the bread that Jane had thrown at it, when it began to grow nervous. The cub then began to roar feebly in an effort to warn them of the approaching.

"What is it now, you little-?" Jane began as she got up to see what was happening and then she and her friends let out a loud gasp as La, Nuru and Sheeta advanced towards them.

"Jane, at long last, you are mine," hissed La and she knew that this was the moment that she had been waiting for: the moment that her target, Jane Porter, was at her mercy.