(Chapter 7: Revenge of the Belgian troops)
The Congo Jungle had been freed from the inferno; it took the entire night to wash away the flames. Smoke still lingered in the air and was smothering the life out of the plants. The animals were miserable as the air quality was the poorest it had ever been. The loss of life was more terrible than expected, and the animals of the Congo Jungle questioned if taking down Jacob Dupont was even worth it.
As the night had progressed, a few Belgians entered the small encampment which was nothing but charred ruins at this point, and they would discover the smoldering corpse of what remained of Jacob. He was reduced to a black skeleton, and the only way they could tell it was their leader was the golden saber laying next to his skeleton.
Despite Percy's warnings, the Belgian troops gathered up in a small battalion and had charged the jungle. They knew that the animals had to work together due to the fire being put out, and they knew they were tired.
The charred patch of jungle couldn't be destroyed more, or could it? Right now, it was a total warzone as the enraged Belgian troops attacked any animal that moved.
"Where's T when ya need 'em!?" Terk growled as a bullet grazed through her meaty shoulder, forcing her to take cover behind a fallen log.
The sounds of gunfire continuously burst through the air during all the shouting and roaring of the combatants and the stench of gunpowder was stronger than that of the smoke.
"They'll take the whole jungle at this point!" A male gorilla troop cried out before ducking down as a bullet shredded into his face, it wasn't fatal, but it dealt significant damage.
"We can only do so much!" An African leopard cried out as it darted through the dead brush to avoid the gunfire.
"We need to take out what they're riding or else they'll pick us all off!" A chimpanzee hooted after it knocked out a Belgian troop with a wooden limb.
"Get back!" A male gorilla roared as it dealt a fatal punch to a charging Belgian troop, but the gorilla was then slain by a rifle shell to the chest.
Tarzan's yell was then heard through the battlefield, and as a Belgian troop was aiming down sights towards Terk, the ape-man smashed a rock upside the troops head to kill him. Another Belgian troop charged from behind, but Tarzan could hear his boots pounding against the black grounds of the burnt jungle. He would spin around and smash his hand against the head of the solider before taking his rifle with the bayonet and ramming it into its former owner, killing the soldier. He would see another Belgian standing on a ridge, and he was taking aim at Terk.
"Get down, Terk!" Tarzan barked and his female gorilla friend did as was told before he opened fire upon the troop, killing him and successfully knocking him off the ridge, his body plowed through other Belgian soldiers.
"Those riders are picking us apart with their hit and run tactics, we can't expect to win the battle without great losses at this point." The leopard announced as it ran up to Tarzan.
"We need heavy hitters then, where's Tantor!?"
Just then the sound of an enraged elephant's roar was heard, followed by the panicked screaming of some of the Belgian riders. Their horses were heard neighing like mad as the massive elephant came smashing through them, bullets practically bouncing off its thick hide.
"Does that answer your question?" The leopard asked.
"It does, my friend." Tarzan replied with a smirk as Tantor approached him, continuing to knock away and even trample some of the enemy forces under his column like legs.
"Sorry I'm late, just woke up."
"Just woke up?" Tarzan asked with a laugh. "You've slept through all of this, so far?"
"We elephants are heavy sleepers ya know!"
"Enough joking, Tantor. We must win this battle."
Tantor wrapped his trunk around Tarzan's body and gently placed him on his back, the ape-man's eyes would shoot open wide when he noticed many Belgian riders approaching them while emitting a thunderous battle cry in unison.
"There's too many!" The leopard shrieked, and Tarzan was keen to agree.
"Fall back and find denser brush! We must utilize ambush strategies if we want to win thi—" Tarzan was stopped when a shell grazed against his ribs, creating a bloody streak across his side. The ape-man yelled in agony and clutched the wound as he fell off Tantor's back and hit the ground hard, his body rolling down a slope before free falling fifteen feet into a raging rapid!
"TARZAN!" Tantor cried out, his trunk reaching where he saw his friend take the fall.
"Everyone on me, we must get away from those riders!" The leopard called out as it ran for a healthy section of the jungle where everything wasn't dead and in smokey ruins, the gorilla troops, including Tantor and the chimpanzee that had accompanied them to the battlefield all fell back as the Belgian troops took control of the ground, yelling and letting out war cries of celebration.
(Later that morning)
When Tarzan woke up, he felt a cool sensation gently brushing against his lower body. His eyes blinked open, and he looked down to see that his lower body was submerged in water, he looked around to investigate his surroundings. Behind him was dense jungle and to his left was a small waterfall, must have been where he had dropped off before being washed ashore. To his right was a high ridge, this place felt familiar to him.
With a groan, he pulled himself up and began to head into the jungle, approaching the ridge to investigate his surroundings with a better view. The stench of rotting flesh would soon blast his nostrils, his face recoiled in disgust as he looked around to examine where the odor could be coming from.
To his shock, he would see the fallen bodies of dead Africans, and laying not too far away from them were gorillas. The darker shade of the gorilla's fur told him that these belonged to Tublat's group, and he took in a deep breath.
Rummaging through the jungle would lead him out to a clearing, there was no gorillas in sight, or so he thought. Tarzan would find another dead body of an African tribal warrior, and the ape-man kneeled to investigate it further. The warrior wore a necklace with a lion head relief attached to it, and his chest had been caved in, must have been trauma from a gorilla's punch.
"What happened here?" Tarzan asked himself before he was suddenly smashed into the ground with a thud! He tried to get up, but he was promptly pinned down by whoever or whatever his aggressor was.
"Stay down!" A rough voice bellowed at him from behind, Tarzan took a glance over his shoulder to see that it was one of Tublat's gorillas that had found him.
"Get off of me!" Tarzan yelled in response just get his head smashed into the ground by the mighty weight of the gorilla's hand.
"Tarzan!" The voice of Tublat shouted from afar, the rival ape sounded as if he was surprised.
"Gotta say, I'm astounded to see that you've made it this far…it would be a real shame if something happened to you now." He continued to speak, Tarzan growled and tried to inch his way further, but that proved to be impossible with the gorilla still pinning him down.
"Sure, why not? You killed my mother, you fiend!" Tarzan barked in response.
"I don't think you understand what's been going on in the past twenty-four hours. Allow me to te—" Tublat was stopped when a gorilla troop of his approached with dire news.
"Tublat, I've scouted movements from Kerchak's forces. They're closing in!"
"Blazes…we can't afford to lose anymore, or we'll be pushed back into our own territory…"
"Chances are highly likely that we'll have to make a last stand out in the field." The scout replied.
"If this is the case, then it has been an honor serving you as your leader." Tublat said with a sigh, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Your time is running out, Tublat!" Tarzan yelled; the old gorilla bared his teeth towards the ape-man.
"Let 'em go." The rival gorilla commanded of the troops that were holding Tarzan down, the three apes took a few steps away from the wild man and Tarzan instantly sprung to his feet.
"You stay out of our way, Tarzan." Tublat growled as he approached Tarzan, the three gorillas heard some rustling within the brush nearby and their attention was drawn to it.
"I can't promise you anything you old foo—"
"WATCH OUT!"
Tarzan grunted as he was shoved with force by Tublat, knocking him onto his behind as a streak of yellow and black zipped between the two of them. Tarzan looked up to see that it was an aged female leopard, one that had a collar around her neck.
"Is she with you?" Tublat asked.
"I thought she was with you…" Tarzan snarled as the leopard growled towards the two of them, Tublat retreated into the brush with the rest of his apes that were in the area as the leopard stared down Tarzan.
"Surrender, the chief demands it." The leopard snarled, her feminine voice deep and rough.
"What chief do you speak of?" Tarzan asked as he stood back up.
"Chief Mambu, we prefer you to be alive." The leopard answered.
"I'd rather die…"
"Wish granted, then."
The leopard's claws extended as she let out a roar prior to charging towards the ape-man, she lunged towards him with her fangs bared, ready for the kill but Tarzan fell on his back and kicked his muscular legs into her underside, launching her far back and behind him.
"Who are you?" Tarzan interrogated the leopard who was starting to circle around him like a predator stalking its prey.
"Sabor…the guardian of Mambu's tribe."
"We are allies, Sabor. Why am I wanted in the first place!?" Tarzan barked as Sabor ran at him, the ape-man fell back, rushing up a ridge by using the creeper vines to scale it.
"Because Mambu demands of i—" Sabor growled as she was grabbed by the tail and pulled down by an unseen force, Tarzan peeked over the ridge to see a younger male gorilla had grabbed her by the tail and proceeded to fling her against a tree.
"Terkoz, return to safety this instant!" Tublat called out from a tree above the two fighting animals.
This doesn't make any since… Tarzan thought to himself as he viewed Sabor taking down Terkoz, the leopard proceeded to tear into the yearling ape's chest with her claws, making deep slash marks diagonally down across the left of his large chest. The young ape growled in pain but fought back bravely by launching the leopard away.
Terkoz stood back up and pounded his chest with one arm, baring his fangs to try and intimidate Sabor, but she wasn't backing down.
"You can stay out of my father's affairs too…" Terkoz warned.
"This is mine and Tarzan's fight…" Sabor growled back.
"In OUR TERRITORY!" Terkoz roared as he and Sabor rushed upon each other, the two collided again, but this time the female leopard got the better of the exchange, sinking her teeth into his arm and flinging herself onto his back where she bit down into the base of his neck.
Terkoz was able to throw Sabor off, but the pain was too great, and he collapsed to his stomach, the leopard had already got back up to her feet and was circling around the downed ape.
"Those that desire to intervene in our conflict shall be destroyed too…" Sabor warned, Terkoz grinned and spat at her.
"You're o-one to talk…about getting inv-voled in one's c-con-fl-flict…" Terkoz groaned as he made a pathetic attempt at trying to stand back up, Sabor took this as a sign of weakness and charged.
Death wouldn't come to Terkoz.
With his signature yell, Tarzan had come flying in from the Heavens on a vine, now armed with a spear that he had stolen from one of the dead tribal warriors. His feet pounded into Sabor's side and launched her away from Terkoz. Tublat's eyes lit up at the sight.
"Get away from here, it's too dangerous for you." Tarzan demanded to the young ape, but all he got in response was silence. The ape-man looked back towards Sabor, who was already standing.
"Reunite with your father, if you value your life!" Tarzan screamed as Sabor let out a roar, charging towards both. Terkoz finally listened and darted towards the trees as fast as he could, when Tarzan turned his attention back to the leopard, she was already on top of him.
She went for the fatal bite to the jugular, but Tarzan was able to block with the spear. Growling and grunting with exertion as he grappled with the big cat, smashing his head into hers before kicking her away.
"If you don't surrender, Percy shall not be happy…" Sabor snarled.
"Percy?" Tarzan said, confusion burning in his voice. He ruled out the last person he slain wasn't this "Percy" that the leopard spoke of, as he knew the name of Jacob Dupont.
Sabor wouldn't stand the silence, and charged upon Tarzan, who retreated away from the clearing. Tublat and Terkoz swung in the treetops to follow them, to view the battle.
During his retreat, Tarzan would swing from a vine and land on a bent tree. He couldn't tell where his enemy had gone, he didn't think she would follow him. If the ape-man's assumption about Percy was right, then Sabor and this tribe wasn't the ones that were guilty. His subconscious was telling him that he was correct.
However, he didn't have time to properly think things through as a shriek was heard from above. Sabor descended on him from a high rock and smashed into Tarzan, but the tip of the spear caught her shoulder as she fell further down into another clearing.
Sabor licked the cut with a growl of pain, but her eyes widened upon the taste of it and she let out a roar. Clawing at the ground without remorse, Tarzan shook his head before leaping from the vine to meet her.
"The fire, the humans are the threat! Mambu and the whole tribe have been manipulated by this Percy! Why can't you see it!?" Tarzan pleaded for Sabor to fall to reason, but at this point, it was too late.
"The humans are the threat, you say?" She asked, Tarzan could have sworn he saw a grin on that feline face of hers. "Then that includes YOU!"
Sabor dashed at the wild man with unmatched ferocity and slammed into him, taking a slash across his chest with her claws, leaving three deep marks across his chest just like she had done to Terkoz. Tarzan groaned in pain as Sabor lunged at him, he tried to block, but the edge of the spear broke and fell down some rocks into another clearing.
The distraction allowed Sabor to pounce and pin Tarzan down again, but he was able to block with the spear once more. However, unlike last time, Sabor's aggressive attacks were creating cracks in the wood that Tarzan could see. These cracks grew and grew with each bite and swipe of her claws, and Tarzan knew he couldn't afford to stay under her for long. Gathering up courage, he smashed his head into hers again and kicked her away before retreating, leaping down into the clearing to grab the spearhead.
"You will not get away, you're my prey, MINE!"
"Sabor, no!"
Sabor fell upon Tarzan, and the weak ground beneath them gave way. Their bodies disappearing into the darkness under them. Terkoz gasped, Tublat couldn't believe what he was seeing.
After what seemed like forever, Sabor's body emerged first, but her arms limply dangled and swung from side to side in the air. Her body slumped to the side, and then Tarzan emerged. The entire broken spearhead was soaked in blood, and the ape-man was seen weeping with his head held down.
Terkoz and Tublat approached Tarzan, but the wild man still faced the ground, shaking his head as he wiped some tears away.
"Tarzan…?" Tublat asked.
"She didn't deserve to die…I hope you know that…" Tarzan growled.
"Sabor brought this upon herself." Tublat replied, Tarzan's head snapped up. His eyes were bloodshot from crying, the area around his eyes were swollen and red.
"NO, SHE DIDN'T EITHER!"
Even Tublat had to take a step back from this primal scream from Tarzan, Terkoz tried to remain brave but he too would cower away.
"Those that started the flame, those that tried to burn down my home…they…they manipulated her and her leader." Tarzan groaned, shaking his head again as tears flowed down his cheeks. "Now they'll all come for me…"
Tublat stood in silence and sighed, thinking about the looming confrontation between his side and Kerchak's side. The old gorilla that had brought the gorillas of the Congo River Basin Jungle into civil war started to wonder if anymore bloodshed was necessary.
"Do you see my point now, Tarzan?"
"I do…" Tarzan admitted with a laugh of disbelief… "I do."
"I have a feeling that this war between tribes is only going to lead to something much worse, with the humans now wanting to destroy you and take our home with you. We'll have to mutually accept that great losses will be inevitable." Tublat spoke solemly.
"I don't like to be pessimistic, but I'm not seeing it in any other light."
"You know what you have to do." Tublat said before taking his leave with Terkoz, Tarzan nodded his head in understanding before heading his own way into the jungle.
(A few hours later)
Percy Isaacs had surrounded himself with a battalion of British troops and the battalion of Belgian riders after they had successfully pushed Tarzan's animal allies back. They were mostly surveying the damage an examining what could be done.
"I still cannot believe what Jacob did, it was the most heinous thing I've ever seen in all my years of service." A soldier spoke with disgust.
"He was a different man with no morals whatsoever, can't say that he didn't deserve what become of him.
"Cap! I've found Sabor, she's been slain." An English scout alerted Percy as he ran through the brush with a few other scouts.
"Is that a fact?"
Percy and the rest of the men that had trekked through the jungle with him rushed through the shrubbery and brush before arriving at the leopard carcass. He kneeled next to the corpse and examined the collar around her neck, it was the same one he seen at Mambu's village.
"Is this Tarzan's doing, captain?" Another scout asked, Percy noticed a blood-soaked spearhead and he picked it up with a grin on his face.
"Undoubtedly…"