By the early sunrise, Elsa made her way to the Eastern part of the jungle. It was from the watering hole that she had returned in hopes to find answers to solve her dilemma, the jungle women had now taken to the high tree tops. She leaped from branch to branch, grasping hold of vines and swung to the other side. She had but little notice of the way she was going, nor did she have much care of where it would take her. All that was of any matter to her was to be rid of these feelings and thoughts which had plagued her as of late, to no longer place that misery upon her animal family as it already had.
Esla swung up to the branch of a free and landed upon the long stretching limb. However she was not quick in continuing on her way, but rather she stood upon the branch as she thought of what may happen back home. It was by now that she suspected that her mother and the rest of the pride had come to realize that she was missing. She couldn't imagine how worried and upset her mother was right now, all the more adding flames to the guilt she felt.
She wanted to go back, she felt so homesick already for the den and she missed her mother. But she couldn't, not now.
"I can't go back." She told herself.
"I can't face it while I'm like this. But where else can I go?"
As she turned forward and faced what lay beyond, the Eastern border of the territory that was her home. The place from which she had came to this jungle, where the plane had crashed from the storm of that night and where Diata came to find her long ago. It was much too far from the pride and the one place where she could be alone, where no one would be able to find her. Though she knew there came great risks to that decision and knew that if she was faced with danger then there would be no one to help her.
But the risks would prove to be ineffective in deterring her from going through with this decision.
"I have to keep going." She said.
"I know I shouldn't but I have to. No one will ever find me there."
Like Rafiki had showed her years ago, she climbed up the tree and leaped out to a branch. She took hold of the branch and swung herself forward before she let go. She flew toward a vine which she quickly grasped hold of and began swinging through the trees. She soured for a moment before she came to another vine that hung just ahead of her, to which she grabbed hold of it and continued swinging onward toward the east.
Bagheera was laying high in the tree, for what had been all throughout the night. The panther opened his mouth wide, letting out a growling yawn before he raised his head from off his two front paws. Though as he opened his eyes, the panther had then spotted Elsa who swung by without taking a single notice of him. He turned his head to the direction she had gone, watching as she swung onward past him. The panther became curious of the wild women as he gazed in the direction she was going. Just at the sight alone she appeared to be heading to the eastern part of the jungle, far beyond the pride's territory.
The panther turned and gazed down to Timon and Pumbaa, who were sleeping down below beside the tree.
"Timon, Pumbaa!" He called out to the slumbering Meerkat and Warthog.
"Wake up!"
Bagheera stood up off the branch and leaped down to the jungle floor below. He then turned to Timon and Pumbaa.
"Timon, Pumbaa, wake up!
Meerkat and Warthog snorted before waking up. Timon leaned up off Pumbaa's belly, yawning. He then glanced to Bagheera.
"Bagheera?" He asked.
"What time is it?"
"Come, quickly!" The panther encouraged, before he turned and dashed the way Elsa had gone.
"Hey, where are you going?" Timon asked, curiously.
Elsa swung swiftly toward the east of the jungle, grasping vine after her vine as she soured through the trees. Never once was there a moment that she stopped, that was until she came toward a tree which stood in her way that the wild woman landed upon one of its long sprouted branches. It was from there the wild woman made her way across to the other side of the branch. Yet it was down below upon the jungle floor that Bagheera had come to have caught up with Elsa. The panther came up to a high stranding truck of a tree nearby, where he stopped and peered from around the corner and gazed up at the wild women.
It was by now that the curiosity which led him to follow Elsa had become a questioning suspicion of the actions that she was presenting. It was already that she had gone beyond the boundary of the pride's territory, an action that was forbidden by the law of the jungle. One that he himself would never have expected on the part of Elsa who respected and followed the laws like everyone else in the jungle.
"Baghie, hey!" Timon said as he and Pumbaa had just caught up with the panther.
The Meerkat and Warthog came to a stop abruptly in his tracks, trying to catch his breath through his exhaustion.
"Whats... What's the..."
"Keep quiet," Bagheera advised, looking back at the Meerkat and Warthog.
Bagheera peered back to Elsa, who had come to the back side of the tree and grabbed hold of a vine. She then leaped from between two branches and swung ahead. Bagheera came out from the corner of the tree which had hidden him away from any notice by the wild women. It was by now that she had climbed across to the other side of the tree, where she grasped her hands around a vine and leaped out from the branch that she stood upon. Bagheera then came around the corner of the tree and rushed to the one where Elsa had been. Timon and Pumbaa groaned with displeasure, to the notion that they were to go further than they had already. Though it was quite fortunate for the Meerkat and Warthog alone as Bagheera did not go as far as to what he suspected, but rather the panther came up to the tree and leaped high onto the branch above. It was from there that Bagheera saw Elsa, who swung ahead into the jungle.
"Uh, Bagheera?" Timon called from below.
"Would you mind explaining why we're all the way out here. I'm pretty sure we just went past the border."
"I saw Elsa." The panther stated.
"What?" Pumbaa asked, curiously.
Bagheera turned and leaped down before Timon and Pumbaa.
"I saw Elsa come this way." The panther stated.
"Elsa?" Pumbaa said.
"What would she be doing out here," Timon asked, curiously.
"This is way beyond the pride's territory?"
It was needless to say that Bagheera was just as surprised as the Meerkat and Warthog were at this turn of events. The law of the jungle was clear, that all who hunt remain in their territory, only with warning can they change the grounds that they hunt upon. It was forbidden for one to cross out from their territory and into another's, one which Elsa had just come to break when she had came this way. Never would he have expected her to commit such an action, for he knew Elsa respected and obeyed the law just as he and Rafiki had taught her to do.
"That I'm not sure." Bagheera stated, finding it to be just as odd as Timon and Pumbaa.
"Really I find this to be just as surprising as you both do. Elsa knows that she is never to go beyond the boundaries of the pride's territory, there shouldn't be any reason for her to have gone this far."
"Hey, you don't think this has something to do with..." Timon asked, referring to the particular rumors spreading the pride.
Bagheera knew all of the rumors and had heard them himself, really he had no other suspicions of what could be the culprit of why she would break the law. She was human after all and she had very powerful emotions that could cause her to make very foolish choices, he has seen it before himself. It was what got her captured by the monkeys of Kimpa Valley, who took to their fool of a king in hopes of learning man's secret of the red flower. It would make sense that her heart had been damaged by how those she had come to love think of her with this desire for a mate.
"I have no other guess to what it could be." The panther stated.
"But it would make sense, I've seen this happen before."
"So what do we do?" Timon asked.
The panther turned and looked back at the way that Elsa had gone. Timon and Pumbaa's question had a very clear answer to the actions that needed to be taken. Elsa had placed herself in unimaginable danger by leaving her people and venturing to where she did not belong. He suspected the pride had little idea of her actions; they would need to be informed of it. But it was also mandatory that they needed to go after her and keep an eye on her to ensure that no would bring harm to her.
Bagheera turned back to Timon and Pumbaa.
"Timon, Pumbaa, go to the pride and tell them about Elsa." He said.
"And what about you?" Pumbaa asked, curious of his position in the plan.
"I'm going after her." Bagheera said.
"Someone needs to make sure that she's safe. I'll follow her and then I'll meet you back here tonight."
"Alright, got it." Timon said, nodding his head.
"Lets go, Pumbaa!"
Bagheera turned and raced off East into the jungle.
It was deep within the pride's den, where Diata was laying silently in the back of the den. All the while, she was frowning with both her eyes narrowed downward, pondering over the sudden disappearance of Elsa. So too are all the rumors being passed through the pride that forced her into exile. As she tried to bear these thoughts and accept all that had came to pass, she sealed away her blue eyes and pulled her head in upon her front paws. It was long ago that she had lost the cub of her own blood, but now she had come to lose the one she had adopted as her own.
Nala walked in through the entrance and came inside the den. She only came to where the wide hole that led to the outside was right behind her, as she had come to find Diata in the far back of the den. The white lioness laid upon the stone floor below, faced away from the young lioness who would proceed to Sarabi and be the next queen.
As Nala looked upon the saddened mother and frowned as she felt much sympathy for her at this time. Much like Diata, Nala had found all these rumours and assumptions about Elsa had been so misguided to say the least. They had all cemented her in believing that she was a danger to the pride, that her desire for a mate would in the near future bring harm upon all in the jungle. But she knew well that Elsa would never do such a thing such as what they were falsely accusing her of. Her love and devotion to the pride was far too strong to have allowed that to ever happen.
The young lioness gave but a silent sigh, before she turned and walked back through the entrance of the cave. As she came outside, she was met with the sight of Simba who was pacing back and forth so anxiously. As Nala came out from the den, he stopped and turned to her.
"How is she?" he asked.
Nala first turned and looked back to the den.
"Not great." She answered, as she turned back to her future mate.
"She's not taking Elsa's disappearance well."
Simba gave but a brief sigh before turning forward, there was no other response which he would expect from Diata as of now. Her daughter had just ran away, any other mother would feel the same way as she did as of now. While there was the possibility which his father had insisted upon, that she just might be with Bagheera or Rafiki, or even with Zarya or Timon and Pumbaa, they knew well that their first suspicion of the matter was probably the true cause as to why she had left.
"We should be out there looking for her." He insisted, looking to Nala.
"We both know just as well what these feelings have been doing to her. She's already left the pride without any of us knowing, what if she does something far more reckless then that?"
Nala bowed her head, considering the possibility which Simba had insisted upon. She knew he was right about Elsa, that these desires she's been having may lead her to do something reckless. It was the other day that Elsa admitted to her that she still thought of the man-cub she called Jack, the one which she had met so long ago. What's to say that she would make a choice so risky as that, to find the one she thought so much of?
"I'm not waiting anymore." Simba said, turning and making his way over the steep pathway.
It was then that Nala raised her head, coming to her decision.
"Simba, wait up." she said, as she came after him.
He stopped and turned back to Nala, just before she came beside him.
"I'm coming, too."
Simba smiled at his mate, seeing that he was right to have counted on her. The two together made their way down the path to the jungle below.
Timon and Pumbaa ran quickly through the jungle. Pumbaa's draws of breath grew heavier and heavier the further he ran. Though he tried his best to push any notice of it away, for there was too much at stake. He needed to get to the pride and inform them of Elsa.
"Come on Pumbaa!" Timon encouraged.
"Have to find Mufassa and tell him about Elsa."
Pumbaa continued to pant.
"Can't... go... any... further." he said, breathing heavily
"Need... to stop..."
He began slowing down till finally his hind legs collapsed and he sat upon his bottom.
"Oh man." He said as he breathed so heavily .
"I really shouldn't have... eaten all those bugs last night."
As Pumbaa sat down, trying to recover from his exhausted state of being, it was then that he started hearing voices coming from overhead. The two glanced ahead. It was there that he came to see two familiar members of the pride, who were walking the other way and calling out for Elsa. It was right then that Timon and Pumbaa came to see the opportunity he needed, the saving grace that would spare him from their long misery of trekking all the way to their den.
"Hey!" Timon called out to them.
"Simba... wait up!"
The Meerkat and Warthog got up and with haste he raced over to meet with them. He came but a few paces away before he suddenly found himself tumbling down a steep hill. The bear rolled into the bushes below and came out the other end, laying flat upon his stomach before both Simba and Nala.
"Timon," Nala said as she turned to them.
"Pumbaa?"
Timon pulled himself out from under Pumbaa, where he shook himself.
"Simba, Nala," He said.
"Boy, are we glad to see you both."
"What's wrong, Timon?" Simba asked.
"Well, we were just heading to your den." Timon explained to the young prince.
"There's something... That Bagheera... Wanted us... To tell you..." Pumbaa said, still out of breath.
"What is it?" Nala asked, curiously.
"It doesn't matter." Simba said, shaking his head.
Simba then turned back to Timon and Pumbaa.
"Have you two seen Elsa?" Simba asked.
Pumbaa took a deep breath.
"That's why we were going to tell you." Pumbaa insisted to them.
"You saw her?!" Nala said with anticipation.
"Yeah." Pumbaa said, nodding his head.
"Where is she?" Simba asked.
"Well, that's the thing." Timon said, raising a finger to them.
"Bagheera, saw her... headed East."
"She what?!" Simba blurted out.
The two pride members glanced to each other. They both knew well that it was forbidden for any to ever venture out into someone else's territory. And of course they knew well that Elsa knew that law as they did. It was now that they came to realize that their fears that centered upon this matter had come to be. Elsa had abandoned the pride without any word of notice but she had also come to break one of the most vital laws of the jungle.
"We have to go after her." Nala insisted.
"Don't worry," Pumbaa proclaimed the two.
"Bagheera went after her. He told me to come and tell you and the pride, then we were supposed to meet back at the border."
"Take us there." Simba said.
"This way." Timon said, pointing in the direction they came.
Pumbaa gave out a brief sigh of despair, having begun to recover from his exhaustion. Only to now have to go back the way he came.
As day turned to dusk and the sun had by then nearly descended into the far horizon, darkness had began to loom over the tropical jungle land. Elsa was now walking upon the jungle floor below, after what had been a long journey from the tree tops above. It was by now she had come so far from the border of the pride's territory and far from her animal family. Even now, she had grown so weary after the long day of travel.
It was then that Elsa looked up to the sky above the trees, noticing that the last essence of sun was due to fade by the darkness of night which followed from behind.
"It's getting late." She said to herself.
"I should find somewhere where I can sleep for the night."
Elsa then proceeded forward into the unknown part of the jungle, in search for shelter or a place which would be fitting to rest for the night. It was as she walked through the nearly blackened jungle, that there suddenly came a sound from her left. It was then that her instincts had set in and she stopped abruptly, turning her head before inspecting her surroundings. Slowly and steady, her hand slowed down to her hunting dagger that was tucked away in it's quiver at the right side of her loincloth.
It was times such as this that Elsa came to remember everything Bagheera had taught her. To any danger that would lurk nearby, any rival predator who would dare attack, she must be ready at all times. She must rely not just on her sight alone, but also on scent and sound as well. And when it was that the rival was to make his move of attack, she must be ready for it and give it little chance of success.
Although it would come to be fortunate for her, that the slight sound which occurred did not lead to anything further. To come after was only silence, not a sight that could be deemed as suspicious could be seen by the wild women. Though sight of course can be very deceiving to one. She slowly stood back up from her defensive stance, still having her guard to be high for the unknown.
"It's probably nothing." She said, second guessing herself to rid her of suspicion and fear.
It was then that she turned and continued on through the jungle. She proceeded on for a short while, before she came into a small clearing from the vegetation. It was there that she gave up on the tree top. It looked to be a suitable place to spend the night, as it would keep her safe from any predators who hunted in this part of the jungle.
"That seems like a good place to spend the night." She said, before she turned and looked about the area.
"At least up there I won't have to worry about anything down here."
As all had come to be clear with no rival predator in sight, she turned and walked before the tree before she began to climb up to its high top. She had slept in trees many times before in the past, whether it was in the open Savannah fields that were the pride's hunting grounds or in the jungle when she was with Bagheera. It was frightening at first, when she had first tried as a cub. Overtime, under the teachings of Rafiki, being high in the treetops had become too accustomed to her. As swiftly as Bagheera, she pulled herself up the trunk and came upon one of its high sprouting branches. It was there she came to settle, sitting up against the tree trunk behind her.
Elsa laid her head back against the tree, pondering once more of her lion family and her mother. Were they thinking about her now? Did they miss her or were they relieved that she was gone?
She prayed that was not the case, though she knew well that her lioness mother would miss her regardless of that. Though as her mother came to mind, thought of how she must be at this moment.
"I wonder how mama is doing." She said to herself.
"She must be so worried about me right now."
She frowned, grieving, wishing most of all that she could be back there with her. She sighed, just imagining the pain her mother was enduring. Still it was better then what would be otherwise, how hurt she would have been if that had been. As much as that was to be comforting top know that she had just came to spare her mother that horrid misery, not even that could justify her actions and the guilt which preceded it.
"I wish I was home." She said, wrapping her arms around herself.
It was then that she raised her sad eyes and gazed up to the stars, which glistened above in the night sky. Her feelings and actions had but led her down a path where she was lost and confused, left with so many questions that she seeked to find the answers to. Yet even still the great Kings had remained silent on the night of her need for their guidance.
Elsa had then sealed her eyes away and bowed her head, her tears beginning to emerge and run down the sides of her face. She then pulled her legs in close, curling into herself as she started to cry.
However, unknown to the wild women that nearby she was watched upon by one she was being watched by one she was intimated with. For it was nearby in the trees and the blackness of the shadows, that Bagheera was staring out at the wild women in the light of the full moon. As he came to bear witness to her moment of sorrow and grief, the panther had then come to see exactly what was the cause of it and why she was here. It was the rumors and the gossip which he himself had heard from the pride and others in the jungle that had damaged Elsa's heart.
It was then that everything had become clear to him, why she had ventured out into the unknown regions of the jungle. It all had stemmed from the reason that she had become so torn from the things which had been said about her, despite the need for a mate of her own. Knowing humans, he knew for them to have very sensitive feelings and he saw the same in Elsa. For her loved one to have revealed such an outlook upon her, it was more than enough to hurt her as badly as he can see now.
It was by nightfall, the expedition had finished setting up camp within a nearby clearing . Before it was even dark, Hans's men had set up the tents and their equipment and everything was in place for what lay ahead the day that was to follow.
Jack, Anna, Kristoff, Tadashi and Hands were now all settled around an open fire with North, Tooth, Mattias and Ingrid having dinner. All the while, North was enlightening everyone with his stories of his times exploring the Ugandan jungle. Something that was an old tradition whenever his nephew and Niece came to visit him and tooth, one he hadn't done for many years and had always missed very fondly.
Though with the passing years that went by, he had ventured out into the jungle many times and had come to find some new ones. One in particular he was now sharing with Jack and the others, causing Anna to be at the edge of her seat like how she used to do when she was only five. When the thrill of her uncle's tale had come to captivate her.
"Okay wait, wait." Anna said, trying to get a clear understanding of what he was telling them.
"You came face to face with a tiger, as in a real live tiger?"
North nodded his head.
"Yes." North insisted.
"But this was not any tiger I saw. This tiger was the biggest one known in this very region. The villagers of Nyumba call him mtuhumiwa, the killer of their people and livestock. They say whenever he is around, vultures fly ahead, jackals and hyenas follow in hopes to feed off his kill."
"Really?" Hans said, fascinated by North's tale.
"Well, that sounds like a very fascinating folklore, North."
"Ah, but it is true, Mr. Fortrume." North insisted.
"It was just the other year that I saw mtuhumiwa myself when me and Tooth were visiting the chief. We first heard one of the villagers screaming and the tiger's roar the next. I first rushed to our jeep and got my rifle and by the time I got there mtuhamiwa was dragging away one of the villagers' goats."
Anna stared in awe, eager to hear what it was that came next. Everyone else gazed his way, interested in the story. That was all except for Jack, who sat back in his seat while facing toward the fire. He, like the others, listened to uncle talk, but he was far from feeling caught up in it. His uncle's tale could hardly reshape the mood he was in, it was far from amending after what Uncle had did.
"I went to take the shot but I missed." North explained.
"Mtuhamiwa then turned his attention toward me and he pounced..."
"And what happened?" Anna asked, curiously.
"Well North got lucky that day." Tooth stated.
"He came close to being Mtuhamiwa's next meal. Luckily the villagers came to help before he could do anymore damage then he already did."
It was then that North lifted up his right sleeve and revealed three huge scar marks embedded upon his arm. Anna, Kristoff, Tadashi and Hans stared with eyes wide at the enormous claw marks upon North's forearm. Anna turned and nudged her older brother.
"Jack, check it out." She said.
Jack turned and looked to his sister before he noticed his Uncle's arm. It was a very stagger he had to admit, though he had little to show of it unlike everyone else. Rather he merely nodded his head to all but suggest how impressed he was at his Uncle's one outcome when he had faced the tiger.
"Wow, that's uh... pretty cool." he complemented, before he looked back to the fire.
His tone however did not go unnoticed by North, who picked up immediately that his nephew was far from what he claimed to be. Tooth also came to notice what he did with their nephew.
"Are you alright, Jack?" Tooth asked, curiously.
"You've barely touched your food."
It was then that Jack rose up from his chair.
"I'm just not hungry right now." He answered before he walked around and departed from the group.
Anna, kristoff and everyone centred around the fire pit each looked to Jack, who passed by a set up table where he set his bow down before he walked on. Tooth and North looked to one another curiously, now suspecting that something was wrong.
"I'll talk to him." North reassured his wife.
North got up from his lawn chair and followed after his nephew.
Jack walked across the campsite, till he came to the far end of the clearing. He then came to a stop when he was then faced with the blackened jungle that surrounded the clearing. He sighed, placing his hands upon his hips before he then bowed his head. Jack then reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the stake of his and Anna's unread letters. As he gazed down at them, it only came to add more to his already frustrated state of being.
"Jack?" His uncle called with his Russian sounding voice.
The young white haired man glanced back, where he saw his uncle walking up behind him. He lowered his arm to his side before he turned to confront him.
"What are you doing here by yourself?" North asked, curiously.
"Why don't you come back and join us by the fire, no?"
"Not now." Jack said, turning away from him.
North came up to his nephew's side. As he came to see what was at the front of Jack, he came to see Jack's face was written with the emotions of anger and frustration. As to what could lead him to feel the way he did, he had little idea that could be a very prominent theory. But really he cared not for the reason but rather he wanted to find a way he could cheer him up.
"You know." He said, setting his hand on Jack's shoulder.
"I didn't get to tell you or Anna how great it is to have you back."
Jack glanced sternly back at his Uncle.
"Really?" Jack said.
North nodded his head.
"It's been a while since you visited us," North proclaimed.
"We were hoping that after you were well and when things were better with your mother and father, you all would come back and visit. How have your parents been anyway, did they sort things out?"
Jack glared angrily back to his Uncle.
"They're divorced." Jack answered, bluntly.
"What?" He said, frowing.
"When?
"After me and Anna got home," Jack answered.
"They've been divorced for fourteen years now."
North frowned, narrowing his eyes.
"Jack, I'm... so sorry." he said.
"Sorry?!" Jack uttered in frustration.
"Your sorry? I can't believe you didn't know about this. We wrote to you several times but you never wrote anything back to us."
Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out the letters he found in his uncle's cabin. He the shoved them against his chest.
"I found all these on your desk before we left camp," Jack said, angrily.
"I noticed that neither you or Aunt Tooth even bothered to open a single one."
North looked to the flat clear white surface, where he saw his name and Tooth's written in the writing of a child. He frowned.
"Jack, I'm sorry." He said, shaking his head.
"We were meaning to read them and get back to you but we've been so busy and-"
"Busy doing what?" Jack exclaimed.
"Busy chasing your wild fantasy?! Busy trying to find some lost city that doesn't even exist?!"
North stood silently, not knowing what to say.
"That's all you ever cared about!" Jack exclaimed to him.
"Trying to relive something about our great grandfather. While me, Anna and Mom were always the second priority to you!"
"Jack, you, your sister and your mother mean everything to me!" North argued back.
"Do we?!" Jack asked.
"Where were you when mom and dad split up?! Where were you when we came close to losing our house?! We needed you and you were never there for us!"
North narrowed his head, turning away as he pondered over what Jack had told him.
"I don't know what to say." he said.
"Neither do I." Jack said.
There was a moment of silence between the two before North spoke up.
"How is your mother?" he asked, glancing back to him.
"She's fine now." Jack answered.
"After her and dad split up, she started seeing this guy named Bill. They got married a couple months later and we ended up moving to San-Francisco because of some job offering he got."
North sighed of relief. Though he still felt a pang of guilt that he hadn't been there when she most needed her.
"Me and Anna have a new brother and sister now." Jack said, glancing to his Uncle.
"Really?" North said.
Jack nodded his head.
"Yeah, suppose it's probably the best thing to come out of this whole mess." Jack commented.
It was for a moment that North looked to his young nephew, frowning.
"I'm sorry, Jack." he said.
"You know I didn't mean to do what I did."
Jack sighed, knowing well that it wasn't truly his uncle's intention for his years of neglecting his family. Though this was still far from being excusable to do the things he had done. He was still angry about it but really he was upset that he was never around.
"Sometimes, I wish you would just let this and come back home." Jack said.
"Jamie and Riley need to see their Uncle and Aunt."
North bowed his head, looking away from Jack. It was at that moment which made Jack sigh, he turned and walked back into the camp, leaving his Uncle to ponder over his mistake.
