Chapter four
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Donkey Kong trudged forward, his muscles aching from the relentless journey through the Lost Mangroves. The sun shone brightly in the sky, casting dappled light through the thick canopy overhead. The dense underbrush of the mangroves gave way to a towering forest of ancient trees, their branches weaving together to create a sprawling canopy high above.
The forest floor was teeming with life. Colorful flowers blossomed amidst the thick roots, and small creatures scurried away at Donkey Kong's approach and Donkey Kong could also see some abandoned planes lying in trees. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flora and the distant calls of birds. Donkey Kong felt a surge of determination. He knew his friends couldn't be far, he just had to keep moving.
The first challenge of the canopy presented itself almost immediately. A series of vines hung down from the trees, creating a precarious path upwards. Donkey Kong grabbed the nearest vine, testing its strength before swinging himself up. He leapt from vine to vine with practiced ease, the rhythmic motion bringing a sense of focus.
"Just keep moving," he muttered, his breath steady.
As he ascended, the forest floor fell away, and the world became a network of branches and vines. The higher he climbed, the more treacherous the journey became. He encountered platforms made from the twisted branches of the ancient trees, some stable and others threatening to give way under his weight. The air grew cooler, and the light dimmed as the canopy thickened.
He could see gears that were being moved by water flowing out of hollow tree trunks and the moving of the gear caused platforms to move above thick thorny brambles.
A sudden rustling in the leaves above made Donkey Kong pause. He glanced up just in time to see a Hootz swooping down at him. The owl's talons gleamed in the dim light, and its eyes glowed with a predatory hunger. Donkey Kong swung to the side, avoiding the attack, and grabbed a nearby barrel. With a powerful throw, he knocked the Hootz out of the air.
"Can't let my guard down," he said, shaking his head.
Continuing his ascent, he reached a section of the forest where the branches formed natural walkways. Here, the trees were closer together, their branches intertwining to create a labyrinth of paths. Donkey Kong navigated carefully, aware that a misstep could send him plummeting back to the forest floor. The sound of running water caught his attention, and he followed it to a small waterfall cascading from a higher branch.
"This looks promising," he thought, making his way toward the sound.
The waterfall led to a series of small, interconnected pools, each one shimmering with crystal-clear water. Donkey Kong paused to take a drink, the cool water refreshing him. As he stood up, he noticed something glinting in the sunlight near the edge of the pool. He approached cautiously and found a stash of bananas hidden among the rocks.
"Looks like someone's been here," he mused, pocketing the bananas for later.
Donkey Kong noticed many bushes hanging from trees. He could see a barrel high above. I've gotta get to that barrel... Donkey thought. He leaped onto one of the bushes and suddenly a fish was thrown at him, almost causing him to fall off. He saw an Archy standing there, with a bow and fish.
"DIE APE! HAHAHAHAAHAHA!" He yelled, as if he had gone completely crazy. Archy shot another fish at Donkey Kong but now that he knew he was under attack, Donkey managed to dodge the fish. Then he grabbed Archy and threw him off of the tree. "Hope ya don't hit the ground too hard!" Donkey called.
Donkey Kong then continued to climb upwards. He faced a few Monocle Monica's and Wild Wendell's but managed to get past them. Soon he reached the top and climbed into the barrel. The barrel shot him through the air, through thick trees and landed back onto the ground.
Moving on, Donkey Kong faced a new series of obstacles. The path ahead was blocked by a thick tangle of vines and brambles. He used his strength to tear through them, creating a narrow passageway. Beyond the brambles, the forest opened up into a wide clearing. The ground here was littered with fallen branches and leaves, creating a natural obstacle course.
Donkey Kong carefully navigated the clearing, stepping over and around the debris. He past Dozys and Sour Dodos who were just minding there own business . Soon he came across some geezers with spikes as sharp as knives on them. It was a big jump.
"Here we go," Donkey Kong said, bracing himself.
Donkey Kong kneeled onto the ground, getting ready to jump. Then from a distance, he ran as fast as he could and leaped a sigh as he could, determined to not get spikes in his feet. Suddenly, Donkey Kong felt a sharp pain in his left foot. He soon realised he had landed on one. Quickly he pulled his foot off, wincing in pain. But the rest of him seemed to be ok.
"That was close," he muttered, catching his breath.
As he got back to his feet (although his foot was still in pain), Donkey Kong continued through the clearing. The path ahead led him to a massive tree, its trunk so wide it seemed to touch the sky. A series of platforms and ropes wound around the trunk, creating a spiral path upwards. Donkey Kong began to climb, using the ropes and platforms to make his way higher and higher.
The climb was arduous, each step requiring careful balance and strength. The tree seemed to go on forever, and the higher he climbed, the thinner the air became. At one point, he had to leap across a gap between two branches, his fingers just barely catching the edge of the platform. He hauled himself up, muscles burning, but he didn't stop.
"Almost there," he encouraged himself, focusing on the climb.
Reaching the upper branches, Donkey Kong found himself in a section of the forest where the canopy was so thick it blocked out most of the light. The air was cooler here, and the sounds of the forest were muted.
He moved carefully, aware that any misstep could be disastrous. As he progressed, he realised something slimy under his foot (which still hurt by the way). He lifted his foot and realised a Thug Slug was climbing out of the leaves. Soon more came and they were quite grumpy with Donkey (for some weird reason). They launched themselves at him.
"Persistent little pests," Donkey Kong grumbled, dispatching them with quick, powerful punches.
The path led him to a series of large, rotating platforms suspended by vines. Donkey Kong timed his jumps carefully, moving from one platform to the next. The platforms swung and twisted in the air, creating a dizzying challenge. At one point, he had to hang from a vine and swing across a wide gap, his grip strong and sure.
"Almost there," he repeated, determination driving him forward.
Donkey Kong came across a gauntlet of moving platforms and falling debris. Donkey Kong had to sprint across the platforms, dodging the falling branches and leaves. His reflexes were sharp, and he moved with a grace born from years of experience. The path seemed endless, but he pushed on, his goal clear in his mind.
Finally, he reached the top of the massive tree. The canopy opened up, revealing a breathtaking view of the forest below. The sun was still high up in the sky, casting a golden glow over the treetops. Donkey Kong took a moment to catch his breath, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling his friends were close. They had to be...right?
Donkey Kong swiftly climbed down the tree and back onto the ground. He was exhausted. He took one step and almost fell off of a giant cliff. How in the world am I going to get past this...? Donkey Kong thought. Then he noticed a very long vine. It looked like it was enough for him to get to the other side.
He grabbed onto the vine. Then realised there was no path on the other side. Just a hollow tree trunk. He let go of the vine and went into the tree trunk. He rolled down and for a split second he thought he was about to roll right into a cliff but then he noticed a barrel. He landed into the barrel and was shot onto a platform. Then he sighed with relief. Thank goodness.
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