Zazu was perched over the lower branch of acacia tree, peering down Simba, Nala and Diata who were gathered under the branch beneath him. Mufassa and the other Pride members had left some time ago and were headed back to the jungle. None of which suspecting the truth behind Elsa's disappearance. It was here at this time that Zazu shared with them of what he saw in the jungles to the far East.
Simba stood up and stared in awe .
"She claimed a den?" Simba exclaimed.
Zazu shook his head. He could not be sure of anything he had seen. Elsa had taken shelter in a cave far to the river beyond the border, but he didn't wish to jump to any conclusions.
"I can't say for certain, Simba." He said.
"I saw her enter a cave near the river."
"The river?" Diata said.
Zazu turned to her.
"Yes, I'm afraid." he advised her.
"But I'm sure, Diata, it is nothing to worry about. She may just be staying there for the time being."
"Zazu's right." Nala insisted.
"Elsa wouldn't make such a drastic decision like that. She's probably just staying there till she's ready to come home."
"But what if she's not?" Simba asked curiously.
"With all these feelings she's been having, what if she decides to do something drastic."
Zazu glanced to Nala.
"Simba may be right." Zazu advised.
"She has already left the Pride. What if she decides to seek out her own kind?"
Diata closed her eyes and turned away. The mere thought of Elsa doing such a thing brought fear and contempt to the white lioness. The memories of what had happened long ago ran through her mind. She knew her daughter would never do something so reckless. But with the feelings she has been having...
Nala glanced down at the white lioness. She then stood up and came beside Diata, sitting next to her. She nuzzled her side, comforting her.
Zazu leaped from the branch and landed before the white lioness. He placed his wing over her paw.
"Oh, Diata." he said.
Simba narrowed his head. He stood up and turned away, walking toward the ledge.
"Simba?" Nala asked, curiously.
He then paused. Glancing to his left, he ponder over what to do. Slowly the memories of Elsa laying motionless in the cave seeped into his mind. He remembered what had happened that day.
Nala narrowed her eyes. She knew Elsa would never make such a decision such as this. And Diata knew it as well. Her heart would never have allow her to. There was something else to it. And she needed to find out what.
Jack and Elsa walked up to the tree along the banks of the river. He glanced up to the tree. There was a group of grey parrots perched along the branches and several nests. Jack held up his camera. Adjusting the lens, he snapped several photo's of the parrots nesting. Elsa crept around Jack, peering curiously at the small object he was holding. She squinted her eyes, cocking her head. It didn't look like Man's staff. It didn't it flash lightning like it did in the cave nor did it roar like the blacken clouds of a storm.
But she heard two small beeps followed several small clicks. Elsa jumped back a bit, hissing the strange black box. Jack glanced down to Elsa.
"Wha-?" Jack asked, curiously.
"Whats wrong, El?"
Elsa continued to stare wea ry down at the thing in his hands. Jack turned and glanced down at his camera.
"What, my camera?" He asked, curiously.
Elsa glanced up to Jack.
"Cam-ra? She said.
"Yeah." Jack said.
"I use it to take pictures."
Jack lowered his camera and pressed one of the corner buttons below the screen. He held it to her. Elsa was hesitant. She stepped up to the camera. glanced down at the screen. She looked back up at him. Jack smiled back at her, nodding his head.
"It's alright." Jack reassured her.
Elsa looked down at the camera and saw the family of parrots in the small glass box. She looked up at the nest above and back down at the screen. It looked exactly like it, but this one was still. The bird stood motionless over the branches, not a single one bobbed their head to them. Elsa then touched the screen. It felt hard and solid like the stone cliffs.
"N-ess-t." She said.
"Yeah." Jack said, shaking his head.
"It's a picture."
Elsa glanced up at Jack, curiously.
"Pi-ct-ure?" She said.
"Yeah." Jack said, nodding his head to her.
"It's a still image of something. Like the waterfall."
Elsa looked down at the screen. The still image of the nest, it looked so strange and new. Like the words of man she had long forgotten. The tree was still. And it was not shaken by the winds of the east. But yet here in this small box it lays still like a Ogway the Turtle.
Yet like the Language of man, it somehow looked familiar. Slowly memories of her life long ago started coming her of something much like this picture. Stepping out from a room and along the wall, she saw places in these small boxed frames of different places. One a lake and a forest surrounded by three mountains, another of an open grass field that looked like the Serengeti where the pride hunts and the last of open water with a small boat in the near distance.
Elsa widened her eyes, looking up from the screen in realization. She turned to Jack.
"Jack make...Pic-ture." Elsa said, pointing at the screen.
Jack nodded his head.
"Yes, I made a picture." Jack insisted.
"I take pictures. I'm a photographer. I take photo's of places and share them with other people."
Elsa glanced up at the nest and pondered. Jack shared places with other people with his photo's of places. But yet she wondered how sight along was sharing someplace with another?
From the time she had followed him from his camp, she had watched his taking photo's of the jungle. Which meant that he wished to share the jungle with his people. But yet she couldn't help but feel his photo's showed only what he saw of the jungle. He seemed to be taken by how the jungle appeared to him. But there was more then what his small picture could show alone.
And she wanted to show him
Elsa turned to Jack and took his hand. She began pulling him along toward the tree.
"Hey," Jack said as he followed.
"Jack come!" Elsa said, gesturing for him to follow.
"Come!"
She came up to the tree and let go of his hand. She then turned to the tree and started climbing. Elsa came up to two separate branched and looked back down to Jack, who was staring up to her.
"Jack climb." She said.
"Climb?" Jack said, looking down at the trunks.
"Uhhh... Okay."
Jack came up to the tree. He slid his arm through the strap of his camera, fastening it over his back. He grabbed onto the trunk, placing his foot up and pulled himself up. He quickly reached up and grabbed onto the trunk and he raised his other foot. Elsa came up over the branch and came over the branch above. She gazed down at Jack. He was halfway up the tree before he felt himself slide down a bit, but quickly caught himself.
Elsa gasped, leaning down to Jack.
"It's okay." He said up to her.
"It's okay, I got it."
The wild women stared down at her betrothed mate. Jack didn't seem to be much of a climber. He could hardly keep up with her as she was now perched over the branch above. And he was still only halfway up the trunk. Elsa frowned. If Jack wasn't able to climb, he wouldn't be able to survive in the jungle like her.
Jack had pulled himself up and came below the branch from where she stood. He glanced up at Elsa.
"Uh... could I...?" He asked.
Elsa kneeled down to Jack as he reached up his hand. She reached down and took his hand, pulling him up onto the branch.
"Wow." He said, swaying to each side.
Elsa came up and quickly caught him. Jack breathed a sigh of relief, glancing down to the jungle floor below. He turned to and looked up at Elsa.
"Thanks." He said.
Elsa only looked up at him, staring into the eyes of the man she loved. They were a bright icy blue, shaped like a freshly fallen snow flake. They were beautiful. The wild woman became entranced.
Slowly her hands fell down his arms as he came to take his hands. She then pulled him along as she turned and climbed up between two branches. She turned and helped Jack up. He came up beside her and gazed up in awe. Several grey parrots perched over the branches and over several nests above.
"Wow." he said.
Elsa turned and looked up at the Parrots. She gave a small chirping sound. Several of the parrots leaped from the branch where they stood perched, sprouting their wings. They flew down to Elsa and jack. Elsa stretched out her arm as one of the parrots came perched over her arm. She brought the parrot close, rubbing it from under it's chin.
A few other parrots flew up from behind Jack. He glanced over his shoulder and hunched over as several parrots flew over him and perched over his arms.
"Hey..." he said.
Elsa glanced back at Jack.
"Uh..." Jack said, grinning.
He glanced up to one over his head, who bend over to look back at him. Elsa chuckled. She whistled to the parrots. They squawked back at the jungle woman, sprouted their wings and leaped from Jack's shoulder. He glanced up at them and watched them fly to their nests above.
He glanced down at Elsa, who came up to one on of the intertwining trunks. She turned back to him, gesturing for him to follow. She stepped atop the trunk and climbed up to one of the nests.
"Wait... El." He said as he came up behind her.
"I don't think we should... I mean..."
She glanced down at him.
"Come!" she said.
Jack looked up at the nest above. Grey Parrots were normally protective of their chicks. And the last thing he needed was an angry mam bird harassing him for going near her babies.
"Jack come!" Elsa insisted.
Jack glanced to Elsa. He sighed and came up to the tree trunks. started to climb. Elsa turned and came up over the nest. She glanced down and saw three chicks, bobbing their heads, chirping. Jack came up beside her, struggling to catch his breath. He then turned and looked at the three chicks in the nest. They cocked their heads at the two, bobbing them back and forth.
Elsa looked at Jack. She could see now that her mate was but entranced, seeing the jungle now then from his pictures. Yet still there was so much she wanted to show him, so much he needed to know.
Elsa reached down and took his hand. Jack glanced down and back up at the wild woman. She then climbed back down the tree as she pulled Jack along.
Elsa began to run, racing into the depths of the dense jungle. Plowing through the underbrush, she clawed her way passed several banana leaves and branches. Leaping over several roots that extended from the ground and crevasses along the jungle floor.
She came up over a tree root when she heard Jack calling back to her.
"Elsa!"
Elsa looked back. She saw Jack emerge from the brush, struggling to catch his breath. He staggered over several roots, tumbling to the ground.
"Hey El, wait up!" He said.
He got back up and came behind Elsa, leaning over as he tried to catch his breath.
"W-Where... are you... going?" He asked.
"Jack see Jungle." Elsa asked, curiously.
"Elsa want to show Jack Jungle."
"Well... we shou.." He said.
A sudden thought then came to Jack well at that moment. Back on the plane, he remembered Adgar's notes said something about a place called Kima Valley. Jack wasn't familiar with this part of the jungle. He had seen his Uncle's maps but he couldn't tell where they were and how far they were from camp. But maybe Elsa could take him there. Growing up in the jungle, she must have came across a valley full of monkeys.
And while he wanted to wait for his Uncle and the others to find him, they probably were heading to the valley. Maybe they could meet up with them.
"Actually," he said, glancing back to Elsa.
"Could you show me where Kima Valley is?"
Elsa glanced curiously at Jack.
"K-immm-a Va-ll-eeee?" She said.
"Yeah, you know?" Jack asked, curiously.
"Big Valley, full of monkeys?"
Jack reenacted a monkey, using one hand to scratch his sides and the top of his hand, making a small hooting sound.
"Tumbili!" Elsa said.
Jack narrowed his head, cocking his head.
"Excuse me?" Jack asked, curiously.
"Jack speak Tumbili!" Elsa said.
"Tumbili?" He asked, curiously.
"Tumbili Monkey people." Elsa said.
Jack smiled and nodded his head.
"Yes, monkey people." He insisted.
"Elsa take Jack to the valley of the monkey people."
Elsa turned and glanced ahead. The monkey people resided in the valley far to the East, near the mountain pass. She wondered why Jack would want to go there. The Tumbili were a people of chaos who brought havoc to all the people of the jungle.
She turned back to Jack.
"Why Jack want to go there?" She asked, curiously.
"I'm looking for this rare herb." Jack said.
"Herb?" Elsa asked, curiously.
"Yeah." Jack said, nodding to her.
"It's this small green plant. I don't know how to describe it but it contained several medical properties."
"Me-dicle pro-perties?" Elsa sounded out.
Jack nodded his head.
"Yeah, they're things that help people get better when their sick." Jack explained to her.
"We're trying to find a sample so that we can research it and create a new medicine."
Elsa narrowed her eyes. She pondered over what he had told her, though there was much she did not understand. He was looking for a small herb to make this thing called medicine, which would help those who are sick. Suddenly, she paused for a moment as then the realization came to her. She looked up at Jack, frowned hearing her mate.
"Jack take from jungle?" she said.
"Well... uh..." Jack said.
Elsa shook her head in disbelief, hearing the intentions of her mate. Wanting to take from the jungle in such a way was forbidden. The law of the Jungle said one must never take more then what you may give. It was as the people of the jungle has said of man. They care not for the laws of the jungle and only sought to take what they want.
Elsa then glared at Jack. She turned away as she leaped off the extending root and stormed off into the underbrush.
"Hey, wait!" Jack said as he followed her.
"Where are you going?"
Elsa brushed through the banana leaves and palms, ignoring Jack calling her from behind.
"Hey, slow down." Jack said as he came up behind her.
Elsa turned back at Jack. She scowled at Jack, growling like an agitated lioness. Jack paused for a moment, seeing her looking upset.
"Wow, wow." he said.
"What?"
"Jack take from jungle!" Elsa said.
"Jack break jungle law!"
Jack glanced curiously at Elsa.
"Jungle law?" He asked, curiously.
"Jungle law is sacred." Elsa stated.
"Man break jungle law. Take from Jungle and give nothing back."
"Break the law?" Jack asked, curiously.
"It's just a plant, how is that..."
Elsa hissed at Jack, causing him to back away.
"Wow, wow." Jack said.
"Okay, okay."
Jack stepped closer to Elsa, who gave stern growl.
"Look, I'm not trying to steal or anything. I'm just... I'm just trying to understand here."
Elsa narrowed her head. Jack clearly did not understand the laws of the jungle, nor the circle of life. Like her with the ways of man, man himself have forgotten the jungle's ways.
She glanced up at her mate.
"Law of Jungle say, never take more then give." Elsa said.
"Law of jungle is sacred and is old as jungle itself. All creatures respect the law. But man break laws. Man does not see Jungle as Elsa does."
Jack cocked his head, squinting his eyes curiously.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
Elsa turned an walked up to the tree behind her. She placed her hand firmly over it's trunk as she gazed up to the branches which towered above them. Several fruit hung down from the ends of the branches.
It was said by the elders that the jungle provides it's people. To follow it's laws was one to prosper, but for those who break it would die. And none more so then Jack and his people who dare defies the jungle.
"Jungle is great provider." Elsa said.
"Elsa's home. Jungle provide for Elsa as jungle provides for all free people."
Jack looked up and stared into the tree tops above, peering at the round fruit which hung from above.
"Elsa only takes what needed." Elsa said.
She reached up and pulled a single small fruit from above.
"And always gives back to jungle."
Elsa glanced back at Jack.
"But Jack's people always takes." She said.
Jack glances down at Elsa.
"Man takes more from Jungle but never gives back. Whole tree they would take, but leave the free people of jungle with nothing."
"El, that's not what I'm trying to do." Jack insisted to her.
"We're not trying to take from anyone. We're trying to help people."
"But does Jack's people out way the jungle's people?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Grey kites or lion pride?"
Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He was unsure of how to answer that. He cocked his head to one side, thinking of how he could explain it to her that she would understand. Although he couldn't think of much else to say. She seemed reluctant to listen. But he also found it hard to argue with what she was saying.
Elsa frowned at her mate. She knew he understood what she was saying. But also felt regret when she had disregarded him and his people. They were once her people after all. And it didn't seem that Jack understood what he was doing. Nor was he intending to break the law like she had accused him off. These were laws he did not know.
"Jack said he share jungle with others." She said.
"But how Jack share when Jack does not understand?"
"What don't I understand?" Jack asked, curiously.
Elsa came up to Jack. There was much of the jungle he did not see, much he needed to learn. Just as he had shown her the ways of man, she must show him the ways of the jungle.
(Okay so, i have something I need to admit. This story has been getting hard to do as of late. It took me a few rewrites just to get this chapter done and I'm still not sure if it's good or not. I would appreciate if you guys can give me some ideas or criticisms that can help improve the quality of the chapter. And as always, please comment and review!)
