Mattias was sitting on the steps to the porch of one of the cabins. Laying to his right on the deck behind him was a dog who bared the resemblance of a husky and wolf, with dark grey fur on his back and upon the top of his body, while light grey upon his stomach and his paws.
With a large hunting knife in his right hand and a stick in the other, he swiped it across the brown bark atop the surface, revealing the light brown wood it covered. After a few more jabs upon the sticks at the then raised it up and stared at the finished result. Yet to follow was but a groan as her throw it to the side.
"Nothing like relaxing on the porch, eh Balto?" Mattias asked, glancing to the dog.
The dog shifted his to the side before looking back at him, moaned a bit in response.
"My thoughts exactly." The man groaned.
The man laid himself back on the step, tipping his leather hat as he laid his head back on both arms.
"Hakuna Matata." he said to himself
Though much to their enjoyment, the moment of aw and peace was short lived. Balto's ears suddenly twitched as the rumbling sound getting louder and louder. He raised his head up and gazed toward the trail at the front of the camp. The man of which flipped his hat back upon his head and looked the way of his dog was staring. It was there the two spotted a land cruiser and a white van approaching.
Balto of which started barking, as he got up and rushed off the porch.
"Who could that be?" he asked as he stood up.
Hans pulled over the cruiser, angling it toward the first cabin in the camp sight. Before the vehicle had settled, the group came to see the man and his dog approaching them from the porch. Anna gasped in awe.
"Mattias!" she exclaimed.
Jack unbuckled his seat belt before opining the passenger side door, stepping out of the vehicle.
"Who are you?" Mattias asked, curiously.
"It's me," Jack insisted to him.
"Jack."
Mattias stared in awe.
"Jack?" he asked in realization.
It was at that moment Balto ran up to him, barking and leaping around excitingly to the arrival of the stranger. Jack if which smiled as he kneel down to him.
"Hey, Boy." He said, petting the top of his head and neck.
"How's it going?"
The dog of which sat down before him, letting Jack pet him
"Yeah, you like that, huh?" Jack asked.
"Yes, you do."
"Balto seems to like you." Mattias said.
Jack looked up from the dog and saw the man, who was now standing in front of the land cruiser.
"What's his name?" Jack asked.
"His names Balto." Mattias said.
"He's a hybrid."
Jack of which stood up, adjusting his beg.
"A hybrid?" Jack asked, patting the dogs head.
"Which two breeds?"
"A Husky and a Wolf." Mattias answered.
Jack of which turned back to Balto, staring speechless at the two breeds his owner had mentioned. Being mentioned as being part wolf, he may issue the behaviour of either animal.
"Uh, well then." Jack said, pushing the door shut.
"Its been a while, Jack?" Mattias said, crossing his arms.
"North didn't tell me we were getting more guests today?"
Mattias's comment hardly came to be as a surprising component to him. All the attempts of skyping him all went unanswered, they also never did get back to them either. So it was only fitting that they wouldn't be aware that they were coming. Jack nodded his head, turning it leftward for a brief moment of time before looking back at the man.
"Well that's not surprising." He said.
The Native Guide smirked at Jacks comment.
It was at that moment, Hans had opened his side door and stepped out of the vehicle. Both Jack and the man looked his way as he came around and approached the two.
"Excuse me, Mr...?" Hans asked.
"Mattias," Mattias insisted to him.
"Well... Mr. Mattias." Hans continued.
"My name id Hans Fortrume, I'm a supervisor at S, I, I, Southern Isles Industries. We are here on official business."
"What kind of business?" Mattias asked.
"Science expedition." Hans insisted to him.
"We are in need of safari guide to take us through the Jungle and Jack tells me that his Uncle North is the perfect candidate for the job."
Though it was at that point the conversation proceeded no further for a single moment. There then called a voice from behind, one of which resembled that of a women's.
"Mattias?"
The three men turned back toward the porch of the cabin, to which the three saw a women standing at the now opened doorway. She looked to be at the age of her a early forties, tall with of an ice blond tied back into a bun, she had glasses covering eyes and wore a light brown short sleeved button shirt, shorts and a pair of hiking shoes. She walked our from the way of the door, closing it behind her before she walked down the three step stair way off the cabins deck.
"Mattias, who are they?" She asked, curiously.
Mattias turned and faced toward the women.
"Mrs. Ingrid." He said.
"These people are here on some science expedition like us."
Both Jack and Hans glanced to one another at that particular comment. It would seem that they weren't the only ones who were here to commit to the world of science.
"And this is North's..."
"Nephew." She said, abruptly.
Mattias was speechless upon hearing her say that. He glanced back up at her.
"Wait, you know who...?"
Ingrid came down the steps of the cabin as he came up to Jack.
"You must be Jack?" She said, extending her hand to him.
"Uh... Yes." He answered, taking her hand and shaking it.
"I'm Ingrid." she said, before taking back her hand.
"I've heard so much about you."
Jack placed his hand upon his hip, glancing to Ingrid in disbelief.
"Really?" He said.
The women nodded his head to the young man.
"Well, that is very nice to know," he said.
"They wouldn't happen to be here, would they?"
Ingrid shook her head no.
"I'm sorry, but they just left camp a few hours ago." she said.
"They went back to the village to stock up on supplies. They should be back soon."
It was then Ingrid glanced behind Jack to the cruiser, seeing Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi staring to her from the back seat. The young brown head of which smiled and waved back toward her. She then looked to the white van behind the cruiser, from the sight of the windshield she saw two men who barred the resemblance of trained X-marines.
"I see you brought your friends." Ingrid said, looking back at Jack.
"You are all here for an expedition?"
Jack glanced back to the vehicle before he shook his head, yes.
"Ah, yeah." He answered.
"We were hoping that my uncle could help us trek through the jungle. We're trying to find a herb."
"A herb?" Ingrid asked.
"Yes." Hans insisted, joining into the discussion.
"A very rare specimen to be exact."
Ingrid turned to the young CEO, curious by his phrasing of rare specimen. Being a biologist, she was more then eager to find anything to add into the list of known plants.
"A rare specimen?"
The two young men nodded their head to her. Ingrid pondered over their answer for a moment before she turned back toward Jack.
"Well, that's very interesting." Ingrid commented.
"What's the name of this herb?"
"Um, I'm afraid there isn't a name for it as of now." Jack answered, recalling there wasn't any name in particular that was mention in any of the journal entries he read.
"Like we said, this is a rare type of plant, it's only been seen by one scientist in particular."
By that statement, a particular look of interest came upon the women's face. She lowered her head down, pondering over the information which had come to be explained to her. All the while, Jack stared to her curiously through the moment of silence. She appeared very absorbed at the moment by all that they had come to tell here of their expedition here into the Congo, he also noticed that there was a bit of an excited expression while not fully smiling, it could still resemble the precise expression. As if for some strange reason, she knew what he was talking about. Although it sounded more enough just ridicules, there wasn't anyway in the world that it would be that way. So the idea was completely withdrawn from his thoughts.
It was at that point, Ingrid turned back to the young white haired man.
"Your talking about Professor Agdar, aren't you?" She asked, curiously.
Jack and Hans gazed to one another, both of which smiling with anticipation. Much to their luck, here was someone who might truly understand their reasoning for being here, what they had travelled all this way to obtain. To add to it all, she was a biologist and could understand plants and help them study it, further the research and may even find a way to make it into a medicine.
"That would be the scientist." Jack answered, shaking his head.
"Well, why don't we help you all get settled in." Ingrid offered.
She then turned to Mattias.
"Mattias, let's get the cabins prepared for our guests." She said
Mattias nodded his head as he followed her into camp.
"Come on, guys." he said, gesturing them to come out.
The back side doors opened as Anna and Tadashi stepped out from the right side of the vehicle, while Kristoff got out from the left. It was at the moment Anna stepped out of the cruiser, she and Tadashi were the rushed at by Balto, who came barking with excitement. The young brown haired gasped as she bent down to the dog, petting his grew coat.
"Aw, hey boy." She said, stroking her hand across his back.
Balto of which came force and began to lick Anna upon her cheek, making her chuckled as she held the dogs neck. Jack of which was observing the sight, although his reaction was of concern.
"Uh, guys." he said.
Anna, Tadashi both glanced toward Jack, as did Kristoff from the other side of the cruiser.
"What?" Kristoff asked, curiously.
"I'd be careful around that dog." Jack advised.
"Why?" Anna asked, looking back at Balto as she continued petting him.
Balto of which stared back up a him, giving a stern expression. Jack of which payed but very little attention to it.
"Guys, just take my word for it, okay?" Jack cautioned.
"He's half wolf."
It was right after they had arrived that Jack and the expedition began getting settled into the campsite. Ingrid and Mattias were preparing one of the cabins for their new arrivals. All the while, the group were unloading some of their luggage and supplies from the vehicles. Hans was at work with his hired escorts, some of them bringing out containers and begs from the white van, others were setting up tents on the other side of the camp.
Jack opened the back trunk of the cruiser and pulled out his begs along with his sister and friends who did the same. After they had cleared out the back of the cruiser, the four friends made their way to the middle cabin. Just as they came before the steps, Ingrid emerged from the opened doorway and out onto the porch.
"You guys will stay in this cabin." Ingrid said, walking down the small three step case of the patio.
"There's only two beds inside, but Mattias has gotten two camping beds set up for you. You can bring in your luggage."
"Thanks, Ingrid." Jack said, adjusting his camera bag which hung over his left shoulder.
"We really appreciate it."
Just as he walked past them, the four friends began making their way up into the cabin. As Jack came halfway up the steps, he stopped and looked back toward the vehicles, where he saw Jenna walking alongside Balto in the middle of the camp. The two huskies both looked to one another, appearing as if they were having a discussion. They both barked lightly to one another, appearing as if they were having a conversation with each other. While he was curious about the two, his concern for Balto grew all the more. Being part Husky, he seemed very appealing to Jenna, which all the more reason had him on edge. He brought Jenna because he was convinced it was safe for her, but with a wolf hybrid here, it seems the danger of wild animals was right here in camp.
Though he wasn't the only one to notice the two.
"She's beautiful" Ingrid said, looking back at Jack.
He turned and looked back at Ingrid.
"Huh?" Jack responded
"The husky you four brought with you." Ingrid said, looking back up at him.
"Oh, uh, thanks." Jack said.
"Is she yours?" Ingrid asked.
Jack nodded his head.
"Uh, yeah she is." he answered.
"I've had her since we were both eight years old."
Ingrid turned to Jack.
"What's her name?"
"Jenna." Jack answered.
"Well she and Balto are getting along quite nicely." She said, as she looked back to the two.
"In fact from what I can tell, I think they are starting to like each other."
By Ingrid's very insinuating suggestion, Jack felt very perturbed to say the least, mainly for Jenna's choice of acquaintanceship. He wasn't against the idea of Jenna being friends with other dogs or anything, yet what perturbed him the most was due to the heritage which made Balto out to be a hybrid. He was part wolf and as such, any behaviour consisting with that particular type of animal may as well be the behaviour Balto would be associated with. Which all the more made him so concerned for the well-being of Jenna.
"Like as in... Like, like?" He asked curiously.
Ingrid turned to him and nodded her head to him.
"No Jack, no." Ingrid said.
"They're only just getting to know each other. Right now, they are becoming friends."
"How can you tell?"Jack asked.
"I've studied animal behaviour a long time, Jack." She said.
"Since they're both huskies and the opposite gender, they're naturally curious about each other and the tone of their barking suggests they both seem happy to see each other."
"Well I think that's great and they all like each other." Jack said, his voice consisted of both concern and suspicion.
"But I'm not sure I like it, I mean, Balto being part wolf doesn't sit well with me. No offence or anything."
Ingrid turned to the young man.
"That's how the town we found him in, Nome felt." She answered, just as Jack looked down to her.
Jack glanced down at Ingrid, curiously.
"The people there were all afraid of him, they treated him so poorly because he's part wolf."
"Really?" He said, frowning
The young women nodded her head to him. It was indeed the truth, Balto had faced very unfair treatment due to his heritage, all considering him as being dangerous and shunning him for it. It was needless to say that that wasn't something which Jack very much agreed with. He never did like how some animals were treated by people, he found it to be sick just at how cruel they could be to them.
"I found him alone on a boat washed up on the beach nearby town." Ingrid explained.
"When we took him in with us, people in town wouldn't let us bring him into town and kept saying he was dangerous. But I didn't believe them. I took the time to get to know him and he really isn't as bad as you might think, he's actually like any other dog in the world. He's become one of my closest friends and I know he will be the same to Jenna."
Jack looked back to Balto and Jenna, considering all that Ingrid had told him about the wolf/husky hybrid. While his suspension was still present, he didn't exactly agree with the actions and mindset of the people of Nome. They all rejected him because they were all afraid of him, never truly getting to know who he was. An action he himself would have committed. But with what few things he saw of Balto, he did seem to be as Ingrid had put it, like any other dog. Perhaps a chance would be in order for him, after all, he only knew him for a short time.
"Maybe I could give him a chance," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Ingrid smiled pleasantly at Jack's choice of action.
"Thank you, Jack." She said.
The you man nodded his head. Just as he was about to climb up the steps, he was then faced with Mattias, who was about to come down the steps.
"Careful, mate." He said as he went around Jack and walked down the stairway.
Just as he passed by, Jack turned and walked up onto the patio.
Jack walked in through the open door way, staring back outside the cabin. As he turned his gaze to the surroundings of the Cabin, he came to find Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi getting settled in. Anna was sitting on the left bed at the very back of the cabin, the same one which she had slept in during their last visit over fourteen years ago. Tadashi and Kristoff placed the mats they brought for sleeping in tents atop camping beds which were set up both in front of the two beds. To his left was the one remaining bed beside Anna, the same one which he slept in, where he got treatment for his sprained leg.
"Well you guys looked settled in." Jack said as he walked over toward the bed, setting down his begs right at the foot of it.
He looked back to Kristoff and Tadashi.
"None of you wanted the bed?"
Kristoff shook his head.
"Nah, it's alright." He said, finishing straightening his mat on the camping bed.
"You can have it."
"Well thanks for your consideration." Jack said, accepting their generosity.
Jack turned around and sat down on the bed, hearing the screeching of the springs under the mattress. Jack glanced down to the bed before pressing his hands down on the mattress, hearing the rusted springs below him.
"Your welcome, Jack." Kristoff said, with a sly expression.
Jack stared back at him and Tadashi, unamused to say the least.
"Did Uncle North ever come in here since we left?" Jack asked as he gazed back down at the bed.
"These bed springs sound old."
Jack looked to the night stand which stood between the two beds, swiping his hand across the top surface before turning it over to see dust covering his four fingertips. The amount of dust seemed to cover the entire surface of his skin, blocking the entire whiteness of his skin. Not even a moment more, he whipped off his hand over his pants.
"Doesn't look like anybody's been in here for ages either."
Over by the bookshelf on the far wall beside Anna's bed, Jack's younger sister was looking through the few selections that were on the shelf. What few there was to see anyway. The shelf seemed pretty deserted, there were only six or seven books in total, four of which were cluttered together at the left end, the others were flat down toward the right. They looked mostly to be encyclopedias or books about animals known within this region. Yet as Anna browsed leftward of the shelf, she peered into a thin opening between two page-filled books, where she saw a light brown book small in size, She reached in and pulled the book out of the shelf and upon turning the cover, she gasped.
"Oh my god!" She gittered out, turning toward Jack.
"Jack, look!"
"What is it?" Jack said, getting up and walking to the other side of the room.
Anna held out the book she had found, showing the front cover, which was revealed to be Little Black, a pony.
"Little Black," He said, taking hold of the book from his sister.
"Hey, I remember this."
Jack flipped open the book and opened to both page three and four, right at the part the boy saw big red. The illustration had always been fixed into his memory, although the same could be said for the entire book. Aunt Tooth used to always read it to them before bed every night before bed, it was one of their favorite stories growing up. It was all about a little black pony whose owner was spending time with a big red horse and feels like he is being replaced. He and Anna must have heard this story over a hundred times when they were little. So many times that the entire story had at this point that the entire story had pretty much been memorized by him word for word.
Though it always taught him and Anna a lesson about neglect, of how you can never replace friends. That was one lesson that their Aunt and Uncle had taught them and one that he and Anna passed down to Jamie and Riley. Although as of now, it seems that Uncle North may have forgotten that lesson.
"What is it?" Tadashi asked, glancing over to the two.
"It's an old book My Aunt and Uncle used to read to us every night before we went to bed." Jack said, looking to his two friends.
Glancing back down at the book, Jack gave a slight chuckle, thinking back to his surpassed childhood before everything had happened.
"I think this was the only book Aunt Tooth and Uncle North ever had to read to us." He said, looking up at Anna.
"Although I always did like reading those autobiographies about animals."
Anna smiled and chuckled at her brother's statement, knowing exactly what he was talking about. When they had first visited, Uncle North and Aunt Tooth showed them a big book filled with autobiographies of all the animals of the world. They had so much fun looking through those things and reacting to some of the behaviour of the animals.
"Oh, yeah." Anna said, recalling reading some of them.
"I remember we used to imitate some of them. Remember when you acted like that eagle, you tried to jump off the deck while flapping your arms."
Anna began laughing, remembering what had happened when he jumped. Jack rolled his eyes, shaking his head with the feeling of complete embarrassment as one of his most humiliating moments of his life came to mind. It was back when Jack and Anna had first came to visit their aunt and uncle, he was about six and Anna was just four. They were browsing through a large book filled with facts and details of every animal known to man. While browsing he and his younger sister began running around the table, acting like some of the animals in the book. Jack pretended to be a lion while Anna galloped around as if she was a zebra, which she found to be pretty, he chased Anna around the table, roaring while she trotted to get away. Though when they were done they continued to flip through more of the book, it was at that moment in time they came across the eagle of the Sahara.
Jack got the bright idea to imitate it, he went outside onto the porch and kneeled down before the steps. Aunt Tooth tried to stop him but it didn't stop Jack from Jumping off the tried flapping his arms. Though rather than flying he fell straight down on the steps and slid down to the ground.
"You jumped off the deck?" Kristoff asked, who was laughing so hard he nearly fell over onto the bed.
Jack only glanced sternly to his friend.
"Yes, I did." He said, walking back over to his bed.
"I jumped off the deck and tried to fly."
Jack turned and sat back down on the bed, trying to just push the thought out of his head. Yet as it persisted to continue, there came the next moment that followed afterwards. While he was laying on the ground feeling the pain which struck his knee and his stomach upon landing, a shadow came over him. When he looked up he saw his white bearded uncle standing before him. He kneeled down to him and helped him back up onto his feet, then later with his big hand swiped off the dirt on the back of his shirt. After which he and his uncle walked back up into the cabin where Anna and Tooth were waiting for what had to have been one of the few good moments he ever had with his uncle. There were some others of course, but none of which was as powerful then that particular moment together.
Jack sighed as he thought back to that time, a smile curved its way upon his face. He looked down to the little black which he was still holding in his hand. He brought the book before him and turned it Over to gaze at the front cover. There were so many things here in this camp which he hadn't thought about in so long, so much he had yet to rediscover from his past here at camp.
Though there was one discovery which would prove to be the greatest out of all of them.
There was suddenly the sound of a vehicle's engine coming from outside, getting louder upon every passing second. Jack turned and gazed out the doorway, standing up from the bed.
"What is it, Jack?" Tadashi asked.
Suddenly the small glimmer of hope within Jack suddenly dimmed down. He frowned, knowing exactly what it was.
Ingrid and Mattias bot heard the sound of a vehicle engine coming from the main entrance of the camp. The two of which turned and gazed in the direction of the noise, where they spotted a jeep driving toward the camp sight from the trail which lead through the jungle to the clearing of the camp site. Ingrid of which turned and smiled with great anticipation to the sight, knowing of the ones that were too soon to arrive at camp. Over on the porch of the last cabin, both Balto and Jenna glanced out to the jeep that was soon to arrive in the clearing.
"Well look who's back." Mattias said, turning toward the direction of the trail.
"Best they might have the supplies that we need."
Up on the deck, Jack walked out of the cabin along with his younger sister and two friends. The four each looked out of the jeep, which had already entered into the clearing of the camp. The vehicle passed by both the van and the cruiser and drove into the middle of the camping site, where it then stopped and the engine then ceased. The driving side door opened and a familiar large man with a white beard stepped out of the safari vehicle, the passenger side door was to open afterward with Tooth to follow.
"What the, where did, huh?" Tooth said, gazing at the campsite.
He looked about the campsite, noticing the many changes to the camp since he and Tooth had gone.
"North, Tooth." Ingrid said, as she and Mattias walked up to them.
"What's all this, where did all these people come from? I don't remember expecting any guests."
Mattias smirked at North's statement.
"About the eleventh time in a row, mate!" He said.
He looked over to the tent which had been set up by Hans and his hired escorts had set up. Hans appeared from the entrance and approached the jeep.
"North Overland?" he said.
"Yes?" North asked.
"I'm Hans Fortrume, I'm a supervisor of Southern Isles Industries." Hans said, extending his right hand to North.
North in turn came up and took hold of Hans's hand to shake it. The moment Hans felt the grip of his large right hand, he came to feel how tight it was and the strength to contribute to the firm grip he gave. It was as if a python was wrapping its long body around him and started to tighten itself, crushing him within its coils.
"My group is here... On official business... My company has-uh, interest in this area. I-I... was told that you would be the perfect- guide to help us on our way."
"Really?" North said, smiling pleasingly, releasing his grip upon Hans's hand.
Hans couldn't have been more grateful for his hand to be freed from Noth's strong, tight grasp.
"We are very flattered, Mr. Furtome. We would love to be of help to you and your group, wouldn't we sweetie."
"Uh, yeah, of course." Tooth answered.
"It's nice that you asked us to help guide you."
"Well it wouldn't have been my first choice." Hans admitted.
"But two members of my expedition suggested you two. They said that you two know the layout of the land better than anyone."
Hans glanced passed the couple and looked to the cabin deck, where he saw Jack standing in the doorway. Just then Anna appeared from behind him and at the sight of her Aunt and Uncle, she gasped with complete delight.
"Uncle North, Aunt Tooth!" She called out to them.
North and Tooth both turned back toward the cabin upon hearing the voice which resembled that of a young woman. When their sights were laid upon the deck of the middle cabin, it was as if they had received the biggest surprise of their lives. There standing at the doorway of the middle cabin was a young man and women, both of whom resemble their niece and nephew that they haven't seen in years.
"Jack, Anna?" Tooth gasped out.
Anna quickly dashed past Jack and made her way down the steps, leaving Jack in the place where he stood. Though he followed after his sister soon afterwards. Anna ran up to Tooth, who came up before her and the two came to embrace each other.
"Oh my gosh, Anna, how long has it been!" Tooth said, just before they parted from each other.
Tooth placed her hands upon Anna's cheeks.
"You were so small when we saw you and now look at you, you're all grown up!"
"Yes, Yes!" Uncle North said, as he came up to Anna and Tooth.
Anna turned to her uncle and leaped into his arms, who caught her in return.
"You've grown so beautiful, just like your mother."
Jack came down the steps, though he stopped just as he stepped foot upon the ground below the last step. He looked over at the family reunion between Anna, Aunt Tooth and Uncle North. He couldn't say he wasn't happy that they were together, there was always the part of him that felt the joy of finally seeing his aunt and Uncle again, he missed them just as much as Anna. But still there was the void of damage left in his heart all through their absence. That very damage caused much anger to flare inside of him, seeing them acting as if nothing had ever happened, even though they knew their mistake perfectly well.
Though he refused to let that get in the way right now. He pushed away the thought and continued to walk forward. He came just approximately twelve steps away till he was then noticed by Tooth, who turned to him and gasped in delight.
"Jack!" She said as she came up and grasped him into his arms.
"Hey, Aunt Tooth." Jack said as he wrapped his arms around her,
As the two departed, she looked up at him with a smile upon her face. He always remembered that same smile from his childhood, something that he remembered fondly of his aunt.
"Oh my god look at you!" She said, proudly.
"Your all grown up, whatever happened to that sweet little boy I once knew?"
Jack merely gave a shrug along with his smile.
"You look just like your father."
Jack just tried to hold a smile to appreciate the comment, even though it made him cringe inside to hear of his father. All the more, it contributed to the suspicion that his Aunt and Uncle truly didn't know what had happened since they had last seen them.
"Ah, Jack!" North said as he came up to his nephew with his arms wide open.
Jack was then scooped up in North's embrace, being squeezed tightly up against the front of his uncle's body. Jack put his arms around his uncle, as least as far as he could get them.
"Hey, Uncle North." Jack said, sounding happy then he was at the moment.
"It's so good to see you again." North commented as he stepped back from his nephew, keeping his large hands upon his shoulders.
"Can it be, my only nephew is now a young man?"
North gave out a burst of laughter.
"Well you better believe it, Uncle." Jack said.
"So you two are part of this expedition?" Uncle North asked, glancing to look at Anna.
"Well, it was Jack that started the whole thing, Uncle North." Anna said.
"Really?" North said, turning to Jack, curiously.
Jack shook his head yes.
"Uh, yeah, I guess," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"They said they're on some science Expedition, North." Mattias said, joining the discussion.
North glanced over to him and Ingrid.
"Really?" North asked.
"And what does science contribute to this expedition."
"Well if you would come with me." Hans said.
"I can fill you in on the whole thing. We are looking to complete the research of a herb which is found in this region, it's a very rare specimen."
North raised an eyebrow, curiously.
"Rare you say?" He asked.
"And what might be this herb you speak of?"
"Right this way, please." Hans said as he turned and began walking back towards the tent.
North and Tooth followed after Hans, along with Ingrid and Mattias. Jack on the other hand stood where he was, the smile upon his face turned to a frown. His deepest concerns had but all came to pass, his Aunt and Uncle clearly didn't look or act as if they knew what had happened after they last visited. The mention of his father was all but proof of their lack of knowledge of their family's divorce.
"Jack?" Anna asked.
Jack looked to his younger sister, who looked concerned at him. He simply sighed and shook his head, before turning and walking back to the cabin.
