Chapter 32:

Thank you all for your really encouraging reviews for this story over the last five months. (is a flying cookie 22, animelove22, Guest, Megan F, and Sturm and Drang)

Megan F. thanks for such a thoughtful and encouraging review. Unfortunately, romance between Zoro and Tashigi won't happen until much later on. There is definitely going to be a long section for romance as there has been for action, but not yet.

:D

Don't worry, I can't wait for it either. In fact it I might just cheat….

:D

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From the previous Chapter….

I stayed out a little longer and then followed suit. I wasn't sure if it was because of the scary child's story or whether it had to do with being outside so long in the darkness, but my dreams where all filled with darkness, being in deep water, and searching for a light that always remained just out of my reach.

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Tashigi's Heart: The Search for Survivors

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Jandorlan was a lot more pleasant than I had expected. It was an island with a beautiful and luxurious Jungle with huge trees and ancient ruins that appeared to be as old as the jungle itself. The air was hot, moist, and rich with a stifling sense of life so thick with oxygen that it made you feel ten times healthier than you had been in years to only after 15 minutes worth of walking or running make you feel sick from it. The walking and burrowing throughout the jungle was exhausting.

My group was stationed to search through the north east side of the jungle. We stayed in groups of six and kept in sight of one another. We searched the area and looked high and low for any traces of a struggle, a fight, or simply bodies. We also continued to lay down sensing equipment every twenty meters to check if we could get any clues during the night when we couldn't be there to observe.

But everything seemed so peaceful… Which was strange given the horrors surrounding the place. Especially since all the stories and promises behind the island was always about how dangerous it was. But so far, we haven't come across anything suspicious. Unless of course you are afraid of birds, in which case the sound of the fiery red Ketcha Birds screeching "KETACHA!" every other second hour might give you the creeps. But I didn't think it all that unusual in a jungle, and I also think they look really unique. And in my book unique is special.

After three full hours of initial surveillance Smoker called us back in to report. And we all came back looking a lot more worn out than we had been a few hours before.

Smoker, it appeared had also thought that the Ketcha Bird was interesting as he had apparently caught one and kept it's attention by feeding it handfuls of our food supply. That I was surprised the creature even liked to begin with considering all the food that was available in the jungle.

"Here you go girl." Smoker grabbed another handful of dried fruits and oats and held it out to his new interest. She had a small golden head with a bright red slender beak that looked to be designed to slice through fruits and pick out seeds. Her wings were long and graceful almost at a diameter of two meters. But unfortunately her body and feet were bright red fat and very odd looking considering that everything else about the bird would be almost predatorial, but she just simply wasn't.

"Smoker, Sir!" I came to attention in front of him. "We have found no evidence as of yet that there are any survivors, or if there was anyone one on this island for half a century."

The Ketcha Bird squawked at being interrupted and pecked at Smoker's cigar that flaked down onto the bird's beak causing it to get more excited and to ruffle its wings.

"There, there…" Smoker growled out his comforting words, patting the bird's long neck and back, "It's only Tashigi, and a little bit of ash, they can't hurt you." He sat back down on a mossy rock face behind him and put the bird on his shoulder. For the briefest of moments I had a horrible vision of Smoker as a pirate warlord who governed many lands but as soon as the thought came it went.

"Is that all Tash?" He muttered, and pulled out another cigar to replace the one that had been bird pecked.

"Yes, sir."

"Then organize and prepare the camps on the North Ridge. I'll set Captain Turx to be in charge of surveillance on the South end."

"Yes sir." I nodded.

"Remember what our primary motivation is for being here. And tell the men they need to have all the security systems up by sun down."

"Yes sir, but many of the men are exhausted." I said.

"Like hell they are. Then tell them if they feel so tired to go and jump into the ocean. I don't want any sleeping slackers in this operation. This is a surveillance look out not a marine's holiday."

"Yes sir."

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This is a short one I know, but I'll be bringing up the next one soon I promise. :D