A few days had passed; Jack hadn't seen Elsa since that day. But the chances of ever seeing her again, were now slight. From the cabin, Uncle North was walking down to his jeep, carrying Anna and Jack's things. He set them inside the open tailgate. It was time for him and his sister to return home. The white bearded man turned to the cabin.
"Come on, everybody!" he called out.
"We need to get to the city if we are going to catch that flight."
Aunt Tooth and Anna walked outside the cabin door.
"I don't want to go now." said Anna, looking up at her aunt.
Tooth looked down to her five year old niece. She could understand that wanted to say with her and uncle, she loved the company of her sister-in-laws children. But their parents had come to the decision that they were to come back, simply due to Jack's injury.
"But don't you want to see you Mommy and daddy?" Tooth asked, looking at the little five year old.
"Yeah, but...can't we stay a little longer." Anna asked.
"I like it here."
Uncle North came up to her niece.
"Aw, don't be so sad, Anna." said the white bearded man, as he kneeled down to the girl.
"You and your brother are always free to come and visit us again."
He rubbed the top of her head with his big hand. He then stood up and looked toward the doorway of the cabin. He saw Jack, making his way out the door with the help of the staff Elsa had given him. He hopped on his one good foot, using the thin wooden staff in the place of his injured leg. He hopped down the three plank wood steps and toward the jeep. Though along the way, he stopped and looked to the jungle that was behind the other three cabins.
He sighed, knowing that he may not be given a chance to see Elsa again. Though it was whether his parents had settled their argument that was the more mindset of the young boy.
"Jack!" said North as he came up to his nephew.
"Come now, we can't waste any time."
North took the staff from the boy and came to his side, putting his arm around the boy's shoulder.
"Your mother is going to be so eager for you to be home." said North, looking down to the boy.
"You've got her so worried with you leg and all."
Jack sighed; he wasn't looking forward about going home. For the most part, he wasn't sure what to expect. His mom and dad must still be upset with each other, the nights of hearing them argue, or even dad leaving the house for an entire night. He knew that it may not be the end of it. Jack and North came to the back left door of the jeep. North opened the door and Jack hopped closer and turned around, sitting upon the seat. He turned himself around, bringing his injured right leg in first. Once he was settled, his uncle closed the door.
"Do you think things will be better when we get home?" Anna asked looking to her older brother.
Jack turned to his little sister. He wasn't sure entirely, but he had some hope that it was going to be better.
"I think it will be." he said, looking to his little sister with a smile.
Jack then turned and stared out the window. He looked out to the jungle once more, wondering where Elsa was and if she was alright. North climbed into the driver seat and started the engine.
"Alright, we're off." said North and he began driving down the trail from camp.
Far back in the jungle, to the den of the lions, Elsa had been kept in the cave until her wound had fully healed. Diata left not dared to leave her side, only on times to bring her daughter some food to eat. It was here, the mother lioness had returned from a hunt with the other lionesses. She dragged the carcass of a gazelle to the lair, it being possible food for her and her daughter.
As the white lioness pulled along her catch of the day, it was then she heard a voice call her.
"Diata?"
She stopped and turned to see it was Kala. The brown fur gorilla came up, carrying some fruit in her left arm. Diata set down the gazelle.
"Kala." she said.
The gorilla came before Diata.
"I've heard about what happened." said Kala.
"Is she alright?"
Diata nodded to her.
"She's fine, Kala." answered Diata.
"But it was too close; I almost lost her like I had lost…"
Kala looked to her in sympathy, knowing what she was going to say.
"Pora?" asked Kala.
Hearing her first daughter's name, the lioness cringed. The memories of her first cub was but all she had left of her. She had loved Pora with all her heart, just as much as she loved Elsa. When she lost Pora to the hyenas, her world was shattered and hope was but so little. Only when she had found Elsa, was when she was given another chance. She couldn't bear to lose Elsa as she did Pora.
Kala saw Diata look so pained at hearing her lost cub's name.
"I'm sorry." said Kala, knowing that she had overstepped by bringing Pora up.
"It's alright." said Diata.
Diata looked to the cave where her adopted daughter was waiting.
"I only want to keep Elsa safe." she said to Kala.
"But I can't protect her from the world outside. Now she's been hurt by her own kind and I couldn't stop it."
Diata blamed herself for all this, for her daughter being in peril. She shut her eyes, and narrowed her head with great sorrow.
"None of that was your fault, Diata." said Kala.
"If it wasn't' for you, she would have perished."
Diata turned to Kala. She was truthful about that, if she hadn't been there like before, who knows what would happen.
"Elsa is lucky to have you as her mother." said Kala, knowing it to be true.
Diata smiled gratefully. To have such a kind friend like Kala was appreciated to the fullest, since the time of their childhood to now, where she has helped her raise Elsa.
"Thank you, Kala." she said.
The brown fur gorilla nodded her head to her. Diata turned and picked up the body of the gazelle by its neck. She looked to Kala and shrugged her head to the cave, telling her to follow.
Upon the stone plate form, Elsa was sitting along with Simba and Nala. Sarafina lay below, safeguarding the three cubs until Diata returned.
"So the leopard chased after you?" Nala said.
Elsa nodded.
"He chased all the way down the hill." Elsa explained.
"How did you get away?" Simba asked curiously.
"Well…someone kind of scared him away." Elsa answered.
"Really?" Nala said.
"Who?"
"You remembered what Baloo was talking about?" Elsa asked curiously.
The two lion cubs shook their heads yes.
"You saw one?" Simba said, with great anticipation.
"Ah-huh." Elsa said.
"Oh, cool!" Said Simba,
From the entrance of cave, Diata and Kala walked into the stone den. Elsa looked and saw her adopted mother and Kala coming up to the plate form.
"Mama, Kala." said the wild girl, turning to her mother.
Kala climbed up and sat before the wild girl.
"Why, hello Elsa." said the female gorilla.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." Elsa answered.
"I brought you some fruit." said Kala setting down the few melons and mangos.
Elsa smiled and gasped with delight. She took hold of a melon and looked up to Kala.
"Thank you, Kala." She said.
Kala nodded to the wild came up on the plate form, dragging the gazelle up on the stone surface. She let go of the corpse's neck and looked to her adopted child.
"What are you three cubs talking about?" Asked Diata,
"Elsa was telling us about what she saw on the other side of the river." said Nala.
"Oh, well, can you tell what you saw over the river?" asked Kala.
Elsa was but silent for a moment. She thought about what had happened, when she met Jack.
"Well… I saw someone." Elsa begun.
"She saw a man." Simba said.
Kala looked to Simba.
"Man!" She said.
"A-huh!" said Nala.
"Well, not really." said Elsa.
"Oh….?" said Kala.
"I saw a cub like me?" said Elsa.
"A cub?" asked Kala.
Elsa nodded her head.
"His name was Jack." said Elsa.
"He got hurt and I helped him, then…"
Elsa was silence once more; she frowned, remembering what had happened. Even now, the sound of the gun firing, it sent an unerring feeling for the girl. She turned and looks the bullet wound in her shoulder, what looked to be a dark mark of hatred, cruelty on the part of her own kind. Diata looked to her adopted daughter. She could see how horrified and sadden by the action taken by Jack's uncle.
"No, it's okay, dear." said Kala
"You don't need to tell me."
Elsa narrowed her head, feeling so sad about the day that had passed day. Diata looked to Kala, who looked to her.
"I think we shouldn't discuss what happened." said Diata.
"We won't go back on the other side of the river… never again."