Chapter 3

Jane and Tarzan found Dr. Porter with some of the younger gorillas. As usual, they were playing with his things-this time he'd brought them pots and pans. As Tarzan crouched down to chat and wrestle with them, Jane sat down beside her father.
"Daddy," she began. "There are people in the jungle. Two journalists. They're looking for us."
Dr. Porter hardly seemed phased. "Oh, yes. I've seen them. City-slackers, if you ask me." He chuckled. "They can hardly move through the grass!"
"Daddy," Jane groaned, letting her eyes roll back in her head. "This is serious. If Jonathan and Anna reveal us, we'll be forced to leave!"
Tarzan stopped in mid-scuffle and looked over at his two human companions. Leave? He knew that word.
"Why, Darling?" Dr. Porter asked. "What makes you think that?"
"If the world finds us then they'll find Tarzan and the gorillas," Jane explained. "And I know there are more people out there like Clayton."
She buried her head in her drawn-up knees briefly before looking back up. "Daddy, I just can't allow that to happen."
Tarzan glanced down at the ground sadly. Maufii, one of the younglings, climbed up on his head. "What's wrong, Tahzan?" he asked in his babyish lisp. "What's Jane saying?"
All of the little apes loved Jane. Tarzan brushed his knuckles across Maufii's fur. "Just boring, grown-up stuff," he lied.
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That night, back in the jungle canopies where he slept and watched over the family, Tarzan tossed and turned, sighing and grunting. He pulled at his hair and shifted uncomfortably in the leaves. His mother finally sat up. "You sound like you rolled into an anthill," she joked. "What's bothering you?"
Tarzan sat up too. "Jane said she and her father might leave," he confessed sadly. "I don't want them to go."
Kala stroked some of his hair. "Terk told me that there are two other…humans in the jungle. This wouldn't have anything to do with them, would it?"
Tarzan glowered. "One of them is male like me, only like Jane too. He's smart and talkative, and Mom, I hate him."
Kala chuckled. "Sounds like somebody's getting a case of the green-eyed monster." When Tarzan only scowled harder, she added, "Jane really does care about you. You know that."
----

Jane sighed as she walked with Jonathan. She had to negotiate with him, somehow. He didn't seem greedy or cold-hearted, just curious and head-strong. As they walked, he remarked, "I love your illustrations."
Jane stopped walking. "You've read my father's books?"
"All of them," he nodded. "He-well, both of you have such a transcendentalist orbit, and you just seem to clear the city air, you know?" He smiled shyly. "I've always dreamed this is what the jungle would be like. Just the way you've described them."
They stopped at the edge of the pond and sat down. Jane tucked some hair behind her ears. "I want it to stay that way," she said quietly. "That's why my father and I disappeared."
Jonathan nodded. "You know, Jane, the best way to help the gorillas would be to educate people about them." He scooted closer to her. "I could help you! I could organize the funds to protect them as long as you help me enlighten the world!"
Jane smiled a little. "Really?"
The man stood up and walked over to the pond's edge, a shallow cliff. "You've certainly enlightened me," he said, shrugging off his shows. "I didn't realize how close we were to apes." He took off his socks and rolled up his pant cuffs and shirt sleeves. " 'cept they're not morally corrupt like us."
"Like Tarzan," Jane suddenly said.
Jonathan paused. "Come again?"
Jane joined him at the edge. "He looks human, but he's nothing like us. He knows nothing of dishonesty and cruelty."
She wasn't aware that she'd been walking and talking at the same time and lost her footing. She screamed as she plummeted down the cliff, and Jonathan reached for her, but fell down as wel.. They splashed into the water and when they surfaced, Jane was laughing. Jonathan was trying to spray water back out of his nose. "Are you alright?" he coughed.
"Are you kidding?!" Jane giggled. "That was fantastic!" She shook her hair and then shivered. "It's quite cold, though."
They swam to the bank and as they climbed out, Jonathan pulled Jane's petite, shivering form close to hm. "Follow me back to camp and I'll get you some dry clothes and hot tea."
Jane nodded and her teeth chattered. "T-th-thank you."
As they headed for camp, Jane spoke up. "So you really think I could teach people about gorillas?"
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Anna wandered around, exploring the jungle by herself. She hadn't meant to go so far, but she did and now she was lost.
"Ugh!" She leaned against a tree. "So much for giving this dump a chance."
She sat down on a root and took her shoe off to examine her blisters. She moaned miserably and stuffed her foot back into her shoe. "I'm so lost!" She kicked a rock and sent insects flying everywhere. "Gross!"
"Well," she stood up. "Might as well try and find my way back. AGAIN." She set off in the direction she had came, or thought she'd came, for that matter.
As she moved further, she kept hearing the sound of water, and eventually she came to the large pond Jane and Jonathan had just left.
"Wow." She approached the cliff and plopped down. She began scouting the area for a place to get a decent drink of water when something caught her eye. "Tarzan?"
Tarzan swam around leisurely below her. Ever since he'd discovered swimming as a child, he couldn't get enough of it. He surfaced and shook his head. As he did so, he jumped a bit, spotting the human female.
"Uh…" Anna's stomach flopped when he stared at her. "Hello, um, Tarzan."
Tarzan continued to stare and tread water as Anna made her way down the edge.
"Listen," she said, struggling. "I'm lost and- ooh!" She slipped and caught herself. "I was wondering if you could-" she stopped to concentrate on climbing. As she contemplated on a particular tricky step, Tarzan slipped quietly out of the water and appeared before her. Anna looked up, not expecting to see a glistening Tarzan before her, squeaked and lost her footing once more. Tarzan silently caught her and helped her down. He shook off and began to quietly think aloud, making soft grunting noises in his native tongue. His face brightened and he cleared his throat.
"Tarzan take Anna back to camp?" he smiled proudly.
Anna breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes! Exactly! Um, I'm not sure if I remember the correct way, however-"
Tarzan grabbed her around the waist and took off through the air, into the trees.
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Jane opened one eye sleepily and looked around. When she realized her surroundings weren't familiar, she sat up and became wide awake.
"Oh!" she let out a small laugh. "Right, Jonathan's camp."
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Anna screamed the whole time Tarzan swung on the vines. Tarzan didn't think anyone could scream louder than Jane, but how wrong he'd been. When they finally slowed to a stop and landed on the ground, he had to pry Anna's arms off of him. The young woman, close to hyperventilating, burst into tears and began a heavy, loud mixture of sobs and gasps. Tarzan backed away from her, unsure of how to react to her behavior.
Anna looked at him. "I'll walk from here, alright?" She sniffled. "Um, thank you, Tarzan."
She started off, unsteady against the jungle turf. Tarzan rolled his eyes and shook his head, quickly catching up to her. He took her by the wrist.
"What?!" She snapped and then softened a bit. "What's the matter?"
It took the ape-man a moment to remember her name. "Ann…Anna needs help going back."
"Why are you so sweet?" Anna took his hand in both of hers. "I guess all the good ones wind up in the jungle picking bugs off the monkeys."
Tarzan cocked a brow as she turned around, pressing her back to his torso, still gripping his arms. "You're perfect, actually." She turned back around to face him and leaned in closely. "Tarzan, I-" she closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his.
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"Anna, we heard you crying and-" Jonathan came into the clearing, followed by Jane. The brunette stopped short in her tracks and Anna pulled away from Tarzan.
Jane glanced at Anna, and then Tarzan, shaking her head, as if snapping out of a dream. Without another word, she turned on her bare heels and started in the opposite direction. Tarzan moved Anna out of the way and tore after her. He was much faster, so it didn't take him long to catch up.
"Jane?" He spoke. She didn't answer him. "Jane?" He tried again. She kept walking. "Jane-" he maneuvered in front of her, taking her hand. The young woman ripped it away and slapped him across the face. Shocked, Tarzan staggered backwards. Jane looked as if she might cry for a moment, and then took off running, tripping once, but got back up and kept going.

To Be Continued…