Enjoy the new chapter!
Tarzan and Kerchak paced near a groove of trees, passing each other back and forth as they did so. Kala and Terkina's mother had long ago walked into the trees for some privacy, and Kerchak didn't like how long they had been out of his sight all ready. He remembered doing this same thing for his first son, and all had gone well then, but there was always a chance something could go wrong. He grunted softly as he paused in front of the trees and stared deep into them, trying to catch a glimpse of gray fur or something that would tell him Kala and his baby were okay. When he saw nothing, Kerchak paced once more, passing Tarzan as the child paced as well.
Tarzan had never been more worried for his mother. He didn't really understand why Kala would want some privacy to bring his baby sibling into the world. He felt that a moment like that should be more open and seen by everyone. But Kala had said it was a process and took time and was sometimes a little painful, so she would have a friend help her have her baby. Tarzan had volunteered to help, but all Kala said was, "That's very sweet, Tarzan." Tarzan sighed and paced to his left again, passing his father.
The two waited another half hour before Terkina's mother stepped through the trees, a small smile on her face. She glanced at both boys and shook her head in amusement at their worried faces.
"She's okay," she said. "She's right behind me."
With that, she walked off, heading back toward the family.
Kerchak and Tarzan watched her leave before looking through the trees expectantly.
Slowly, Kala emerged from the trees cradling something to her chest. She smiled at her boys.
Kerchak was quick to check out his mate, sniffing her and looking her over to make sure she wasn't too exhausted or hurt anywhere. Kala nuzzled him to reassure her mate, and when he gave her a pointed look, she angled her arm to show him the baby snuggled against her chest. Kerchak sucked in a breath, then melted at the sight of his baby, a smile growing on his face.
Tarzan watched the interaction from where he sat a few feet away from his parents. He wasn't sure what to make of all this or what he was supposed to do now. Should he ask if Kala was okay first and then ask to see his new sibling? Where was his sibling anyway? He had seen many young infants, but when many were first born, the mothers held them so close to their body, he would not see them until they were crawling up their mothers' backs. Would that be the case with this infant?
A soft grunt caught his attention, and he looked up at Kerchak, then at Kala, who were both smiling at him. Kerchak jerked his head in a motion that encouraged Tarzan to come over to them.
"Come see your new baby sister," Kala said.
Tarzan blinked. A new sister? Tarzan slowly inched forward toward his parents, who sat next to each other and waited as Tarzan climbed up Kala's lap and gently gripped Kala's arm that cradled the baby. He glanced down at the small, hairy face with big brown eyes that blinked up at him.
"She's . . . beautiful," Tarzan said, smiling at his new sister. "What are you going to call her?"
"We," Kala said, looking up at Kerchak, "we're thinking of calling her Kaphi if she was a girl."
"Kaphi?" Tarzan tried out. "I like it."
"Would you like to hold her?" Kala asked.
Tarzan shot Kala a worried look.
"It's okay," Kala said, sitting back so Tarzan could sit on of her legs. Kerchak helped adjust Tarzan back against Kala while Kala brought her baby around them both and assisted Tarzan in cradling his new sister before she detached herself from Kaphi's powerful grip. Kaphi transferred her grip to Tarzan, pinching at his skin, but Tarzan didn't mind. It tickled slightly when she first grabbed at him but now that she felt secure, Tarzan relaxed and held her as Kala had shown him. He smiled at his tiny sister, then smiled up at his mother.
Kerchak sat behind Kala and nuzzled his mate as he stared down at his beautiful children. Kaphi made a small noise as she readjusted one of her hands against Tarzan, and Tarzan lowered his head to nuzzle her, and she cooed softly. Kala and Kerchak both snorted softly.
Later that same day, as Kala was nursing Kaphi, Kerchak noticed Tarzan was absent from their nest. His son had stayed close to Kala and his new sibling all morning, so for him to suddenly disappear was concerning. He moved through his grounds, looking for any signs of roughhousing with Terk or just for a glimpse of his son among the family. Finally, he saw his son sitting at the edge of his boundaries high up in a tree, resting on a branch.
Kerchak sighed, then crawled up the tree and joined him on the same branch, sitting next to him.
"Are you okay, Tarzan?" Kerchak asked.
"Yeah, Dad, I'm okay," Tarzan answered, hugging his knees to his chest.
"You don't look it," Kerchak said. He moved closer to Tarzan, than used a hand to angle Tarzan's head a little more toward his direction so he could see his face. "Tell me, what is it? Are you upset? About your new sibling?"
"No!" Tarzan was quick to say. "No, she's great, really. I just . . . she doesn't look like me. Mom said she didn't think she would, but still, I guess I was kind of hoping she might. But she's normal. And I'm . . ."
Kerchak sighed heavily. He couldn't imagine how alone Tarzan must feel, especially after the birth of his new sibling. He was sure learning the truth wouldn't fix his loneliness, but it might help ease his troubled mind. Kerchak looked down at the rest of his family sadly. They were all stirring and gossiping about the new baby and when they might be able to steal a peek of her. He looked back at his son, then smiled.
"Come, Tarzan," Kerchak said, gently grabbing Tarzan's arm and pulling his son to his back. Tarzan held on to his father, frowning curiously. Kerchak crawled down the tree and headed back for his nest where Kala was just finishing nursing Kaphi. The little infant snuggled up against Kala and fell asleep quickly. Kala looked up and smiled at the sight of Kerchak with Tarzan on his back, but her smile fell at Tarzan's sad face, and she gave Kerchak a concerned look.
"What's going on?" Kala asked.
Kerchak pulled Tarzan off his back and set him down in the nest. He moved closer to Kala and said in a soft but firm voice, "It's time."
Kala blinked, then her eyes widened, and her face fell.
"Oh. Are you sure?" she asked Kerchak.
Kerchak gave her a single nod, and Kala sighed. She dislodged her baby from her chest and handed her sleeping daughter to Kerchak, who carefully cradled her against him as she latched onto his fur. Kala walked toward Tarzan, who looked very confused.
"Tarzan," Kala said as she helped her son climb on her back, "there's something I need to show you."
It was a long trip. It took nearly an hour for Kala to walk all they way to the location. Kala paused at the rope ladder that stretched for the huge treehouse precariously built on a humungous tree. It was starting to see some jungle takeover as vines were beginning to crawl up and into the house. The ladder was tattered in many areas, and some of the wooden planks were missing.
Tarzan gasped at the structure as he slid off his mother and admired the treehouse in the distance.
"Be careful," Kala warned.
Tarzan slowly stepped onto the ladder, pushing into it to see if it would give. When nothing happened, he slowly took another step forward. Kala followed behind him, being just as cautious in her steps, testing the wood as Tarzan was doing to be safe. They made it across the ladder, then climbed up the tree when they were close enough to reach the house, avoiding the rest of the questionable ladder.
Inside the house, a disastrous scene met their eyes, as it had for Kala all those years ago. She looked around, spotting the strange nest she had pulled Tarzan out of when she first found him. She was glad to note that the bodies, which she assumed were Tarzan's parents, were gone. Unfortunately, she was sure they had been dragged off or eaten in that very corner of the room. After her brief trip down memory lane, she turned her attention back to Tarzan.
Tarzan slowly moved further through the treehouse, studying the many items that scattered the floor. He stepped on something that crunched under his feet, and he lifted his hand to reveal a square wooden box with an image inside. Tarzan picked it up and looked at it closely.
There were creatures that looed like him staring back! Three, to be exact, a tall one with hair all over his head and face, a pretty one with long hair, and then a tiny one with big eyes. Tarzan frowned.
"This is where I found you," Kala said slowly.
Tarzan's jaw dropped as he glanced back at his mother, then looked back at the picture he found. Was the little creature an infant like Kaphi? Was it him?
"You . . . found me?"
"Yes," Kala answered. "In this . . . nest. It wasn't long after your brother had been killed by Sabor. You were crying, and I followed your cries to here. You were all alone, and Sabor . . . she had killed who I think were your parents. The ones you see there. I saved you from Sabor, she had come back to finish you off when she heard your cries. I was lucky to reach you first. The ones you see there."
Kala looked over Tarzan's shoulder and at the picture he held. She snorted at the baby.
"That little one is you."
"These . . ." Tarzan held the picture up higher. "Were my parents?"
"So you and Dad . . . I'm not an ape?" Tarzan felt his heart hurt, though for what, he wasn't sure. "Was I just a . . . replacement?"
"You are ape enough for me," Kala said. She rested her head atop of Tarzan's and closed her eyes, fighting back her own tears. "And you were never a replacement. You needed my help; you were just a baby in danger. I don't know what you are, but it doesn't mean I love you any less. You will always be my son, Tarzan, even if it may not be by blood. And Kerchak has come to love you just as much as I. You are apart of our family as much as you were theirs."
Tarzan closed his eyes as a few tears escaped. He was never an ape. That was why no one liked him. That was why Kerchak hadn't liked him at first. He was never one of them. He really was a freak. He didn't belong with the gorillas. He belonged with these creatures, and they were dead. He had no one to go to.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Tarzan asked.
"I just wanted you to be happy," Kala answered honestly. "And you were. I know you struggled for a while, but you've been doing so much better, and you were smiling more, and even Kerchak has come around to you. I didn't want to upset you."
"Are there anymore creatures like me?"
Kala's eyes softened.
"No. Not here. I don't know where they might be, but I've never seen one like you before, even before your parents."
Tarzan looked down, noting the bloodstains under his hands and feet. Kala nuzzled against him before lowered her lips to Tarzan's ears.
"I'll give you some time alone," she whispered. "Do whatever you must. I'll wait for you."
With one last nuzzle, Kala retreated to just outside the treehouse, and Tarzan could hear her soft, sad moans. He sniffled himself, then glanced around the space once more, taking in all the strange sights. He walked around the room, checking out a case that he couldn't get opened before jumping up and looking into a strange, tiny nest. He crawled down into it and sat down. It was rather comfortable, and it was here Kala had rescued him from Sabor. He couldn't believe he had been as small as Kaphi at one point.
Tarzan jumped out of the nest and explored the space some more, sniffing around at different objects, nearly cutting himself on a splintered piece of wood that soft materials were spilling out from. He felt the materials, and they were silky. He rubbed his face in them, enjoying the feel before he climbed over the wood piece and glanced at his reflection on the wall. He tried to see if there was water flowing on the wall, but his reflection was not from water. He touched the cold, smooth surface curiously, then tapped on it.
Jumping off the wood piece, Tarzan stared up at the ceiling, then trotted to the other side of the space where a window overlooked the forest. Tarzan gaped at all the trees he could see, then an idea struck him. If this is what his kind lived in, maybe he could see others like this from here.
Tarzan crawled out of the window.
"Tarzan?" Kala asked, as she stepped toward him. "What are you doing?"
Tarzan began climbing up the wood, then leaped for the slanted section of the house and clung to it to hold on as he nearly slipped.
"Tarzan!" Kala called to him. "Be careful! What are you doing? Come down from there. You'll get hurt."
Tarzan leaped up the slanted structure once more, using all his strength to climb up it, ignoring Kala's calls to come back down. He had to know if there were more like him. He had to know if he was truly all alone.
Finally, Tarzan reached the very top, and at the tip of the strange nest, it flattened just enough for Tarzan to sit and stare out at the forest.
"Wow!" Tarzan stated.
In one direction, for miles, there was ocean and sky. Seabirds played chicken with the waves that crashed into the rocks and earth. And in the other direction, trees. Lots of trees, trees climbing up mountains and forming valleys, trees bending this way and that, coming in all shapes, colors, and sizes. More birds flew high above them, while others filled trees in bright colors. Monkeys called out to other families, and insects buzzed loudly. It was endless, and the jungle looked bigger than Tarzan ever imagined it was from this height. And in all those trees, not a single nest like the one he was in.
Tarzan leaned forward, looking down at Kala, who was sitting in front of the house looking up at him with worry. She tilted her head at him when they made eye contact. Tarzan wondered why she had ever bothered to save him. He was the last of his kind no doubt. He would forever be alone. Why had she taken him away? Sabor should have finished him.
Tarzan looked back up at the jungle before him, tears welling in his eyes.
He shouldn't have lived while his actual parents had died. That wasn't fair. None of this was fair.
Tarzan stayed up on the roof for a several long minutes, allowing a good cry to escape his body. He mourned for the parents he had lost and never got the chance to know. He cried for the reveal that he wasn't an ape and would never truly belong with the family he had grown to love. He cried to release a weight he didn't know was burdening him.
Kala could hear him, and she let a few tears escape as well, then waited to see what Tarzan would do next.
When his crying turned to sniffles, Tarzan glanced over the roof again, and Kala's eyes met his. She had not moved. She had not left him. She waited patiently.
Tarzan sat back and felt more tears want to come out but he fought them and rubbed at his face. Even now, she stayed for him. Even with a new baby miles away, probably crying for another meal at that moment, Kala still did not leave Tarzan alone. And because of that, Tarzan knew that she was telling the truth. He was not a replacement for a lost son of her own. She rescued him because he had needed rescuing, and she raised him because no one else could do it. And she protected him, and loved him, and nurtured him. She raised him as her son because she wanted him as a son.
It made sense why Kerchak had been so distant at first. Maybe Kerchak had thought Kala was replacing her lost son just as Tarzan had first thought. And Kerchak had been right about him—he wasn't an ape and really didn't belong. But even the once cold leader of the troop had changed his mind about him. He even said that Tarzan was proving himself to be as much ape as the rest of the family. Maybe he wasn't born a gorilla, but could he continue to become one? Was that how it worked.
No matter what, he wasn't alone, after all. He had a family that loved him, and for who he was, regardless of what he was. And they loved him like a son. The whole troop was slowly coming around to Tarzan, and he was getting better at keeping up and not putting the family in danger. Maybe he could belong. Maybe . . . he did belong!
After a few more minutes, Tarzan slid down the slanted nest and jumped into Kala's arms, who welcomed her son into them and squeezed him close.
"Thank you for saving me, Mom," Tarzan said.
Kala let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm just glad to still be your mother after all of this."
"You'll always be my mother," Tarzan said, squeezing his mother back. "You always were."
Kala nuzzled her son before they pulled apart and stared into each other's eyes.
"And even if there's no one else like me left, I'm happy I'm an ape. I wouldn't want to be anything else anyway. Love you, Mom."
"I love you, too, Tarzan."
Content with how the visit turned out, Kala pushed Tarzan to her back and began the long trek home.
Another hour passed, and Kerchak was glad to see his mate and son return together and in good moods as well. He smiled as they approached, then nuzzled Kala as she head butted into him. He handed Kaphi over, who greedily reached for her mother to begin nursing. Tarzan slid off Kala's back, but before he could get too far away, Kerchak gently grabbed Tarzan's arm and pulled him into his lap.
"How did it go?" Kerchak asked. "Are you okay?"
Tarzan snuggled against Kerchak's chest and nodded.
"It went okay," Tarzan said. "I get why you didn't want me now. I was different. I was never an ape."
"You are an ape," Kerchak affirmed. "You are my ape, and nothing will change that. I am sorry I pushed you away at first. But I will do my best to be a better father to you. And to your sister."
"You're a great dad, Dad," Tarzan said, climbing up his father's chest to hug the ape around the neck. Kerchak returned the hug.
"I am glad you think so, Tarzan. You are a great son. The best a father could ask for. I love you very much."
Tarzan smiled.
"I love you, too. And I promise to be the best big brother to Kaphi."
"I know you will be. You'll protect her, won't you?"
"Just like you protect the family, Dad."
Kerchak pushed his head against Tarzan's, and Tarzan pushed back gently, closing his eyes and grinning as he felt a warmth of affection flood his chest. Yes, he was right where he belonged.