Chapter XVI- Deep Jungle (Part 2)

"Kerchak, please listen to me."

Tarzan arranged a meeting with his leader Kerchak and his adopted mother Kala among the treetops. Kerchak glared between his son and the strangers that look like him. Kerchak was always hostile about his own kind, humans, but his mother was at least understanding even if she was unsure about Tarzan's new friends.

"My order is final Tarzan. I will not allow them to our most sacred place." Kerchak said gruffly.

"Tarzan you know this is not something to be taken lightly. It's too risky." Kala said.

"I know the nesting grounds are secret, but I trust them." He pleaded.

"Your trust in them isn't enough, your word doesn't mean anything about them."

"Kerchak!" Kala scolded her mate. She turned back to Tarzan. "Why is this so important for you to help them?"

"You see I want to help them because..." Tarzan looked back to his new companions. He trusted Jane but he didn't know the right time to take her to the nesting grounds. Clayton he didn't trust but the two young boys, they called themselves Sora and Koga, they were strange. He doesn't know much about them and they don't seem to know what he is saying and vice versa. But they seemed desperate to get to the 'friend' that the gorillas have protected for generations. They don't seem like they have any malicious intent rather like they lost something that means a lot to them. He doesn't know how the 'friend' can help but...

"...well, they need us."

Kerchak huffed and was about to say something but he heard something in the distance. Him and Kala followed the sound leaving Tarzan.

"Kerchak..." Tarzan sighed.

"Did you guys get any of that?" Koga whispered to his companions. All he heard was a bunch of gorilla-like grunts between Tarzan and his companions. But judging by Tarzan's disappointed face it didn't look good.

"No." Donald said. "But it looked like that Kerchak guy was heading somewhere."

"Tree... house." Tarzan said.

Sora and Koga's eyes widened as they looked at each other. They both knew they saw something at the treehouse but they didn't put much thought about it. Were they there the whole time?

"Tarzan, can you take us to the tree house please?" Tarzan looked at them confused but then nodded.

"Hey, where'd Clayton go?" Goofy said. The group looked around, not noticing Clayton sneaking off without them.

"He left after Tarzan mentioned 'Tree house', weird." Koga said.

Tarzan narrowed his eyes and looked around.

"Clayton!" He jumped across the vines and trees.

"Hey! Tarzan wait up!" Sora shouted as he and the group clumsily followed him. Koga had a easier time swinging through the vines rather than sliding on tree trunks.

"What's going on?" Donald asked.

Sora looked ahead grimly. "I don't know but I'm pretty sure it's not good.

Clayton slowly knelt and walked on his tiptoes as he approached the treehouse. He heard the creaking of wood inside as he calmed his breath. He glanced inside and saw his prize. It was a gorilla, a young female by the looks of it, she was playing with some broken junk in this old decrepit treehouse. Many years of training has prepared him for this moment.

He slowly lifted his shotgun and looked down the sights. His heartbeat stilled as he tried to contain his excitement. 'An eager predator often loses their catch' he always says. Both eyes open he aimed at the gorilla's chest. He put his finger on the trigger, ready to fire.

"WAAAAAHHH!"

Clayton was caught off guard as he pulled the trigger, but the sudden scare made him flinch and miss his shot. The gorilla jumped in fight and run off. Clayton silently cursed as he snapped his head to the side. It was Donald who ran up and spooked him. Tarzan and the other's were next to him. He glanced nervously between them.

"What is going on here!" Sora said, not seeing what happened as he just arrived. But he heard the gunshot and the running gorilla. Did Clayton try to...

"I-I can explain, there was a snake and I was trying to save that gorilla's life!" Clayton stammered.

Tarzan walked past Clayton and looked at a balcony on a higher level of the tree house. There Kerchak and Kala were looking disapprovingly at them thought Kerchak looked ready to rip the other's apart.

"Wait, Kerchak!" Tarzan pleaded.

"He almost killed Terk with that stick of his and you want to let them into our home!" Kerchak growled.

"But Ker-"

"ENOUGH!" Kerchak snapped. "They will never enter the nesting grounds." He turned his back to him. "Be lucky I still consider you one of us after that."

"Mother, please." Tarzan looked to Kala. She looked sorrowful at Tarzan but she agreed with her mate.

"I'm sorry Tarzan." She said as she followed her mate.

Tarzan felt his heart drop, even his mother doesn't believe in him. He then looked back at Clayton with anger and disappointment.

After what happened at the treehouse the group made their way back to the camp where they explained what happened to Jane. Clayton remained silent the entire trip and they dared not let him out of their sight.

"How could you do that!" Jane shouted at Clayton.

"Miss Porter, I said I wasn't aiming at the gor-" But he was cut off when Jane pointed a finger at his face.

"You are not to go near the gorillas again! Do I make myself clear?"

Clayton smiled. "All because of one mishap? Come now..." But his confidence faded when he saw everyone glower at him, even the newcomers. He chuckled nervously as he put his hands up in surrender and stepped out of the tent.

Jane turned back to the group. "I'm sorry that you can't find your friends."

Sora shook his head. "It's not your fault."

"But we are back to square one." Koga muttered. "What do we do...

Meanwhile Clayton stepped out of the camp for a smoke break to calm his nerves and avoid the group. He put his shotgun to the side as he puffed his pipe. He was furious, thanks to those fools he lost his chance at reaching his goal.

"Why do I still work with these imbeciles! Fools, the lot of them! They are beneath me!" He said to himself getting angrier and angrier. Not noticing a dark aura surround him as his anger increases.

"Blasted gorillas, I will hunt them all down! I'll do whatever it takes, bet my life on it."

He then heard a growl and a rustle behind him, knowing immediately what was behind him. He quickly turned around and brought his gun up. Unfortunately the leopard was too close to aim properly so he used it to block the incoming claws. He could do nothing as Sabor continued to snap at him but he wasn't afraid, he was angry.

"You damn beast, I will kill you!"

The was movement to the side as a creature came near and swiped it's hands at Sabor. Sabor was surprised and snarled at whoever interrupted his kill. But he froze at the creatures before him, more joining the one that attacked him. They looked like chimpanzees with blue fur and no face except two glowing eyes. It had a symbol of a heart on it's chest and had sharp black claws.

Powerwild

He has never seen creatures like this in all his years of living in the jungle. And they don't smell right, not like a living creature, something that made it's nostrils flare. It's human prey had a similar scent as well. Sabor slowly backed away and retreated, knowing it was outmatched and outnumbered. The Powerwilds looked to Clayton who was looking at them surprised. That surprise then turned to a evil smile.

"Well this is just what I need." Clayton said. "You will help me get the gorillas and bring them all to me." The monsters seemed to understand him as more and more converged. Clayton's anger was replaced with a strong burning lust to reach his goal. The aura around him growing and attracting more of the creatures. He started chuckling which grew to full blown laughter. The jungle trembled from the darkness invading the land.

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