Ingrid kneeled down to Elsa, who slid back from her. The wild woman uttered a hiss at Ingrid, as if to warn her to stay back. The many years she had spent with animals, studying them and learning the behaviors they distributed, she recognized Elsa was warning her about getting close. It was clear to the biologist that she was acting out of fear, weary of her presence. With how she was being treated by Mr. Fortrume and his hired Mercenaries, it was no surprise she was hostile toward other people.
She needed to show her that she was no harm to her.
And luckily, she knew just what to say.
Ingrid came down onto he knees, where she raised the palm of her hand to the wild woman.
"We be of one blood, you and I." the woman the said.
Elsa suddenly stopped struggling in her bindings. She glanced back at the woman, She was both surprised and in awe. To hear this woman, someone from the world of man, speak the master words of the jungle. No man had ever known or ever spoken those words other then her.
Ingrid smiled, seeing that the wild woman had calmed herself. It was clear to see that she was familiar with the words she said.
"You know these words, don't you?" Ingrid the said.
"The jungle has taught you well."
Elsa squinting her eyes curiously.
"Wh- who are you?" Elsa then asked.
"How do you know the words of the jungle?"
Hearing Elsa speak, it became clear that her time with Jack she had been reminded of her own people. Of their language and the world of which she came. Just as she had feared would happen. For so long she had kept the outside worlds from knowing of her. To keep her safe from something as this. From ever having to to endure the true nature of man.
Though now that she can speak the language of man, this would make things a lot more easier.
"My name is Ingrid," She insisted to her.
"I'm a friend. I'm here to get you out of here."
It was then that Ingrid reached down to her side and pulled out Elsa's hunting dagger. She had retrieved it where they were keeping all the belongs of North2m and the others. Luckily she was able to slip in without being noticed by the Mercenaries with a little help. She came up behind Elsa, where she kneeled down and pulled out the dagger from it's sheath. She then proceeded to cut the ropes around Elsa's wrists, freeing her.
Elsa brought her hands arounds, rubbing her wrists. Ingrid then came back around and cut the roped around her knees.
Once free from her bindings, Elsa the stood up off the ground. She then turned to Ingrid, who was glancing back at the entrance.
"Why are you helping me?" Elsa asked, curiously.
"How do you know who I am?"
Ingrid turned back to the wild woman.
"We are more alike in so many ways," She insisted to the wild woman.
"But that is for another time. We have to go, now!"
"I can't leave without Jack." Elsa insisted to her.
It was right at that moment they her voices from outside the tent. The two two and glanced to the entrance, where they saw several shadows emerge from the small thin opening beneath the the entrance.
Hans gazed down at the unconscious mercenary laying over the ground in front of the tent. he squinted his eyes, curiously, having grave suspicion. He then glanced up to the tent. Brushing aside the door flaps, he came into the tent. Inside, he found several strands of rope laying over the floor. He then glance to the back of the tent, where he saw a large tare, as if someone had slashed it with a knife.
Hans widened his eyes.
"Damn it!" He cursed.
Elsa and Ingrid ran far from the sight of the camp. Emerging from the foliage, the two came into a clearing. It was then that Elsa paused, gazing back in the direction of the camp. She felt so torn and heartbroken having to had leave behind Jack and his family. She wanted to go back. But at the same time, it was far too dangerous. There wasn't anything that she could possibly do for them.
Though that is what made it so hard.
Ingrid turned back to Elsa, where she saw that she had stopped. Staring back back in the direction they had came. She came up to Elsa, taking her by the hand.
"Elsa, we cannot stop here," She insisted to her
"We have to keep moving!"
Elsa turned back to Ingrid.
"But, Jack and the others," she insisted to her.
"We can't just leave them. They'll kill them!"
"They will kill them either way!" Ingrid proclaimed to her.
Ingrid frowned. It wasn't like she herself were concerned for the others. Especially Mattias and Balto. But there wasn't anything that they could do for them. Not against Hans and his Mercenaries.
Not to mention, they were not what she should be concerned of.
"I know that you are worried for them," Ingrid insisted to her.
"But they are not your people. You people are of the jungle and they need you now."
Elsa squinted her eyes in disbelief as she glanced back in the direction of the camp. While Ingrid was right and that they were not her people. That her people were the lions far to the west. But even so, she couldn't just abandon Jack. Nor could she allow anything to happen to him or his family.
Ingrid came up to Elsa.
"I understand you care for him," She insisted to the wild woman.
"But you are of different worlds. He could never live in the jungle with you. He has a family of his own and his place is with them."
Elsa narrowed her eyes, frowning. Slowly the guilt she felt before then returned to her. Of forcing Jack to live in a worlds he did not belong, taking him away from his family and the comforts of the world of man.
"And yours is with your family," Ingrid insisted to her.
"You must return to them."
Elsa looked back at Ingrid with eyes of sadness and heartbreak. She knew that Ingrid was right. She could never have Jack, for they were of different worlds.
It was right at that moment they heard voices in the distance. Elsa glanced back into the jungle behind them. They sounded like they were coming back in the direction of the camp.
"They're coming!" Ingrid insisted to her.
Ingrid grabbed Elsa's hand as she pulled her forward. She then pulled her ahead of her, gesturing her head for her to keep going.
"Go, Hurry!"
Elsa hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Ingrid. Only to see her nod her head, encouraging her to keep going. Elsa then glanced ahead in the direction of the voices. From the sound of it they were getting closer. She glanced back down at Ingrid. Unable to wait any longer, she then turned and ran ahead into the jungle.
Ingrid watched as Elsa disappeared into the foliage. It was right at that moment that the mercenaries emerged into the clearing behind her. Raising their guns and flash lights at her.
"Freeze!" One of the mercenaries exclaimed.
"Don't move."
Ingrid raised her hands in the air, turning to face the mercenaries.
Elsa plowed through the jungle undergrowth, clawing her way through the leaves and palms. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, trying to put distance between her an those that were hunting her. Despite the guilt she felt at leaving behind Jack and his family. In the distance she could hear the voices of the mercenaries coming from back in the clearing. She glanced back in the direction she came and saw small bright lights in the clearing far back in the jungle behind her.
They didn't appear to be coming after her. Though she was worried that Ingrid might have been captured by the mercenaries. Despite the danger posed by the Mercenaries, he wanted to go back and help her. But like Ingrid had said, there wasn't anything she could do for her. She had keep running, just as she told her to do.
Four mercenaries emerged into the mess tent, where they were keeping Jack and the others. Inside, Jack was sitting along with his sister, Kristoff and Tadashi. Next to them was North, Tooth, and Mattias. All of them with their hands tied behind their back with black rope. They glanced up at them, curiously as they came up to them.
"Get them up!" one of them said.
Jack glanced back at them as they pulled his uncle, Mattias and Kristoff onto their feet.
"What's going on?" Jack asked.
Only for one of the mercenaries to grab him by the colour of his shirt and pull him up onto his feet. Once everyone was up, it was then that they raised their guns and gestured for them to walk forward.
"Move!" One of them said.
Pushing Jack forward with the side of his gun, the group then turned and walked out through the entrance of the tent. They came outside, where they saw Hans pacing back and forth. He then glanced up to Jack and the others, looking frustrated. He then came over to Jack and delivered a hard punch right into his stomach. Jack gawked as he fell to his knees.
"Jack!" Anna exclaimed.
"I thought we had an understanding, Jack," Hans said.
"And after I stuck out my neck for you and everybody else."
Jack glanced up at Hans.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Jack groaned.
It was right at that moment that the group he sent after Elsa had emerged from the foliage of the jungle in front of him.
"Did you find her?" He asked.
The mercenary shook his head to him.
"She got away," he claimed to Hans.
"But we found this one in the jungle. Might have helped her escape."
The two mercenaries behind him the walked up with Ingrid, holding both her arms behind her back. North and the others gasped at the sight of her. From inside a cage several feet from the tent, Balto stood up at the sight of his master.
"Ingrid!" Balto exclaimed.
Hans came up to Ingrid.
"I knew there was something off about you," Hans insisted to her.
"Where's the girl?"
Ingrid stared blankly back at Hans, unintimidated to say the least. Not a word to be said to this man driven by his greed. Ingrid has had many encounters in the past with the predators of the jungle. In an encounter with that of a lion or leopard, she was taught to never show fear in the face of danger. Thus she feared no man. For they could not compare to the dangers of the Jungle.
"She back to where she belongs," She insisted to Hans.
"Someplace where you'll never find her."
Hans glared, angrily. He glanced back at Jack and the others, suspecting that they had something to do with this. Jack gazed up at him and Ingrid in awe. Both shocked to hear that she had just left them. But also relieved that she was somewhere safe. He then gestured to one of the mercenaries to stand him up. The man grabbed Jack's shoulder as he pulled him back on his feet.
"It seems your jungle girl has backed out of the deal," Hans claimed to Jack.
"So I guess things get real simple."
Hans then turned to Anna, pulling his gun out from his hoister. He then came up to her, gabbing her by the arms as she pulled her along.
"No, No," She pleaded.
"Hans, Please!"
Jack and Kristoff gasped.
"Anna!" They both exclaimed.
They attempted to follow them. Only for one of the mercenaries to raised their AK at them, causing them to stop. They glanced back at Hans, who continued to drag Anna along as she pleaded to him.
"Hans please!" Jack exclaimed.
"I gave you a choice, Jack." Hans said to him.
He then kneeled Anna down onto her knees.
"Now you'll see what happens when someone tries to back out of a deal with me." Hans said as her pulled back on the barrel of the gun.
He then turned back down to Anna and pressed there tip of barrel against her head. Anna sobbed, feeling the gun against her head. Jack gazed helpless at her sister. Unable to just stand there. But at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it.
That is, except for one thing.
He narrowed his head, closing his eyes. He hoped Elsa could forgive him for what he was about to do. But for the sake of his friends and family, he had to do something.
Jack then raised his head to Hans, just as he was about to pull the trigger.
"I know where the City is!" Jack proclaimed.
There was a moments pause. Hans then lifted his gaze, glancing back at Jack.
"What did you say?" he asked, squinting his eyes, curiously.
"I know where the city is." Jack insisted to him.
North shook his head to his Nephew.
"Jack, no!" he exclaimed.
Hans tilted his head, slightly, squinting his eyes to him.
"Where?" he asked.
"I'll take you to it," Jack volunteered.
"If you let my friends and family go... and let her go, I'll show you where it is."
Hans cocked his head, keeping his glance on Jack as he pondered. He had little trust in Jack or his friends given the circumstances. This could be just another ruse to buy them time to find a way to escape. But then again, why would he lie. Especially when he had his sister at gunpoint.
And at this moment of time, what did he have to lose. If he really knew where the city is, then it was a chance he had to take.
Hans slowly lowered his gun from Anna's head.
"Alright, deal." He said.
Kristoff and the others all sighed in relief.
"But just so we'll clear," Hans said as he came up to Jack.
"If you are lying to me. I will kill you, them, and that jungle bitch too."
Jack glared back at Hans, hearing him threaten his friends and family. Though he gave a reluctant nod, accepting the terms of their deal.
"Good," Hans said, turning to his men.
"Lets get everything underway. We move out in one hour!"
Elsa emerged from the foliage which grew below the trees. She came up to a nearby tree. She then clung hold to the tree, narrowing her head as she sobbed. The guilt she felt of what she had done. Endangering her family. Leaving the man she loved. The family and friends for which she had promised to help save. And even the woman who had helped her escape.
She glanced back the way she had came.
"Jack..." She sobbed.
Slowly Elsa turned away, closing her eyes out of her guilt and shame. She then fell to her knees as she continued to sob. This was all her fault. She was the one who broke the law of the jungle. She was the one that brought man to the jungle. And now man would continue to come. Taking all that the jungle could give and without giving back.
How could she face her family after all she had done? Would they even forgive her for this?
Elsa bowed her head as her tears seeped from her eyes.
"Simba, Nala... Mother," she said.
"I'm sorry. I did this. I'm the reason man is here."
Elsa once more curled herself, wrapping her arms around herself. Though it was right at that moment that she felt a hand press against the back of her head. Followed by a voice quite familiar to the wild woman.
"Oh, Elsa." The voice said.
"You mustn't be sad. Did Rafiki not taught you to not blame yourself for your mistakes."
Elsa opened her eyes as she glanced back, where she saw Rafiki standing behind her. It was the sight of the mandrill that Elsa smiled, relieved for a moment from her sadness and guilt.
"Rafiki?" Elsa said.
"What are you doing here?"
Rafiki smiled and nodded down at her.
"I came looking for you, Elsa," The mandrill insisted to her.
"It is time!"
Elsa turned to the Mandrill, curiously.
"It is time?" Elsa asked, curiously.
Rafiki nodded his head to her.
"Yes, Elsa!" Rafiki claimed to her.
"It is time! They wish to see you!"
Elsa frowned, glancing to the side. She turned from Rafiki as she wrapped her arms around herself. She wasn't sure if she was ready to go back and face her family. Not after what she did.
"I don't know if I can," she claimed to him.
"After what I did, I don't know if the Pride will forgive me."
Rafiki shook his head as he came up to her, placing his hand firmly atop her shoulder.
"No, not the Pride." He claimed to her.
Elsa glanced back at the mandrill, curiously. If it wasn't the pride that was asking for her, then who was?
"Then who?" Elsa asked, curiously.
"The great Kings, Elsa," The Mandrill insisted to her.
"They speak this very night. And they wish to see you."
To hear that the Kings of the past wished to see her, Elsa was both amazed and confused. For so many nights that she tried to speak to them, they were silence on their part. Never have they spoken to her. Not since that Night when her mother brought her to that sacred place of the jungle.
"They... want to see me?" she asked, curiously.
Rafiki chuckled as he turned and scurried toward a nearby tree. He then paused as he glanced back at her
"Come now!" The Mandrill said.
"You follow, old Rafiki. He knows the way!"
It was then that Rafiki turned and leaped up into the tree above. Elsa followed after as she came up to the tree and began to climb after her. Rafiki came up upon a branch above, where he grabbed a nearby vine. He glanced back at Elsa, who came up over the branch.
"Come, hurry now!" Rafiki proclaimed to her.
It was then that Rafiki leaped from the branch and swung ahead through the trees. Elsa leaped off the branch as she grabbed the vine in front of her. She then swung after the mandrill, grabbing one vine after another as she followed Rafiki. Swinging through the dark jungle, the instincts and sight of the wild woman guided her along. Allowing her to grab the vine that lied ahead or seeing a branch that she could land upon or grab to swing herself forward.
Rafiki continued to swing ahead through the trees. Though Elsa was not far behind him. Having learned from him to take to the trees, Elsa swung as swiftly as the primates themselves.
Though it was not long before they came to a clearing from the jungle. Rafiki landed over the branch of a tree along the edge of the clearing. It was there her paused, hunkering down as he stared out into the clearing. Elsa swung up to the tree branch, landing next to Rafiki. She glanced down at the mandrill, who then pointed down at the clearing.
"Down there," The Mandrill proclaimed to her.
"They are waiting for you."
Elsa turned and looked down into the open grass clearing. Without hesitation, she leaped down out of the tree and landed on all fours. She then stood up and walked out into the middle of the clearing. It was there that she gazed up into the sky above, where an opening in the clouds above that revealed the stars of the night sky.
Elsa stepped under the clearing of stars.
"Hello?" Elsa said.
"Are you there?"
But only the silence of the night was what followed after her voice. The silence that she had heard before.
"Please," Elsa pleaded with them.
"My family is in danger. Man has come to the jungle. I need you guidance, what must I do to save the jungle?"
Elsa narrowed her head, frowning.
"Please, no more silence," she claimed to them.
"You've chosen me for something. I need to know. Please, show yourself!"
But once more, there was only the silence of the jungle. Elsa narrowed her head, frowning as she was once more left without answers.
Though it was right at that moment, she felt a sudden gust of wind. Followed by a voice.
Elsa.
Elsa raised her head as she glanced around the clearing. Only to see that there was no one there.
"Hello?" she asked, curiously.
Elsa.
It was then she heard the sound of thunder from above. Gazing up into the night sky, she saw the shadow a lion walking toward her from above. Not just one, but five of them. Elsa gazed up in awe, seeing the lions in the clouds above. The lions all paused, gazing down at the wild woman.
"We have been watching you, a long, long time." The middle lion then said.
Elsa widened her eyes upon hearing them speak.
"Wh-who are you?" Elsa asked, curiously.
"We are who came before," The lion claimed to her.
"We are who ruled the jungle before each other."
It was right at that moment that Elsa gasped at the realization. Tears of joy seeped from her eye as she cupped her mouth with both hands.
It was them!
They were the Kings of the Past!
"It's you!" she exclaimed to them.
"I can't believe it's really you."
Though her moment of excitement was followed by the confusions that they now revealed themselves to her.
"Why did you come?" she asked, curiously.
"We have come because we have chosen you." The past King decreed to her.
"For what?" Elsa asked curiously.
"To be the Guardian of this Jungle." One of the other Kings proclaimed.
Elsa gazed up in awe at the kings.
"Guardian of this Jungle?" Elsa asked, shaking her head in confusion.
"I don't understand."
"We have chosen you to protect this jungle from the danger that has come," The centre king insisted to her.
"With the advent of man, the jungle must be protected. And thus, we have chosen you to be it's Guardian."
Elsa narrowed her head, shaking her head. she deserved no such honor at this. She was the reason that man had come to take from the jungle. She had no right to be it's guardian.
"I- I can't," She proclaimed to them.
"I was the one who brought man here. I was the one who brought this danger to the jungle. I have no right to be it's Guardian."
"That is all in the past," the King proclaimed to her.
"Look around you. What is it that you see?"
Those very words Elsa remembered well from her past. For they were the same words that Kaa had said long ago, that showed her her true place. And it was upon looking to what was around her, it was the jungle itself. The jungle was her true place. It was her home and where she had always belonged. And it was the jungle that now called to her now.
"The jungle calls to you," the king proclaimed to her.
"And so, it is your destiny."
Elsa narrowed her eyes.
"Remember, it calls to you."
Elsa turned back to the kings, only to see them fading away into the clouds above. Their voices now becoming dying echo's, telling her to always remember. It was there in the middle of the clearing that Elsa stood, pondering their words. The kings did indeed speak true. The jungle may be in danger for what she did. Thus she was the only one who could save it.
It was then that Rafiki leaped down from the tree and scurried up to Elsa. He came up next to her, where he glanced up at her.
"Guardian of the Jungle," The Mandrill said, stroking his white beard.
"So few worthy of such a title. So, what are you going to do?"
It was right at that moment that there came a sudden sound off in the jungle. Elsa turned and saw Hathi and his herd emerged from the foliage. The elephants came into the clearing. They came up before Elsa, where they then paused. Elsa came up to Hathi, where she placed her hand firmly atop his trunk.
"I think I know." She proclaimed to him.
