Twisted Tales {Tarzan}
Word Count: 3,989
Title: Tarzan
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own the original story!
Notes: I apologize for ruining childhoods... ; ;
Tarzan
A family to be had taken to living in the forests of Africa. To live amongst the apes and learn what they did. The habits. Not to disturb, though. Simply to observe and study. The wife had proven to be pregnant a few weeks after arriving, the husband happy. So incredibly happy. The duo had the child in the forest, the tree house they had created themselves.
Twelve months had passed after the child was born. A cheetah had attacked the family in their little home away from home as the tree house had become. There was no warning outside of a throaty, feral growl. Only the infant was spared.
An ape had found the tree house as well as the infant. She had taken the child to her own nest. The leader of the gorillas she was a part of, her own mate, Kerchak, had resented the child being brought to them. For years he had. Even though he had become practically one of their own it was simply the situation of a human being raised by the gorillas. He didn’t trust the humans. Not in the slightest.
The boy was raised into adulthood when more humans had entered the forest. They had set up camp where they would set up for research of the gorillas. At least two of the humans had planned for that. The other had planned to hunt. He wished to find and kill however many gorillas he could. Kerchak being the one he was most interested in gaining the coat of.
The leopard from years before had proven a huge trouble the entire time. Consistently attacking both the gorillas and the humans as time went on. Jane, the daughter of the professor in charge of research, had gone into the woods, looking for something she had dropped. Tarzan, all grown up, the man of the jungle, had saved her from certain death. He had fought Sabor to the point the jungle cat ran off. Forfeiting that round to the jungle man.
Jane attempted to humanize the jungle man from that point on. Tarzan failed to truly wish to, though. He seemed more at home in the jungle. With the apes and other animals. She failed to notice this was how things were meant to be, though eventually had. When Clayton attacked Kerchak the final time prior to being strangled to death, she had realized when Tarzan defended his entire family as the apes and animals had become that perhaps studying them was only capable when they were living in harmony. The final clash with Clayton, however, was one of the final straws.
Tarzan had tried to save him, though it wasn’t possible. The hunter had wound up strangling himself within the vines of a tree. Jane had told her father she wanted to stay in the jungle, though Tarzan told her - in his own way - to go home and enjoy life. That he would be fine living on his own and he would be there for visits if she so chose to go.
They all lived happily ever after. Except Clayton, of course. As well as Sabor…
The reality of the story of Tarzan, man of the jungle, begins quite similarly o the way the one children hear daily does. The boys family had lived in the jungle. For the first twelve years of his life before the parents were attacked by Sabor, the cheetah of the same story. The boy was spared by the apes coming to help him. He had grown up playing and learning what the apes had learned in his spare time, Kerchak's mate becoming quite friendly with the humans. Much to Kerchaks disdain.
The boy, truly named Tarzan, his parents wishing to have a son with an exotic type of name, was in shock of what he had witnessed. Kerchak having come to help stop Sabor? It was unfortunately too late and the boys parents had been killed in front of his small hiding spot of the crook between the wooden, slanted, piller and the tree itself. He had told Kerchak, using hand motions to explain the tree house was his home. That he did not wish to leave his home even though his parents were gone.
Kerchak had allowed it and left the boy to stay in the woods, collect things as needed, and live on his own. The gorillas and animals of the jungle had assissted him, of course as he did so. There was no way he would be able to do everything on his own, after all. He had grown to be a capable, considerate, man. Strong, intellegent, and protective of the animals he had learned to call his new family. He would help the animals when Kerchak wasn't looking, always having his hair back, momentos from his deceased parents. He would wear khaki shorts, sometimes pants depending on the weather, from his father. There was never truly any need for more than simply that.
He had grown happy in the woods, never forgetting his past, never forgetting why his parents had come there. For peaceful research.
Upon his twenty second birthday he had found a new campsite forming, the professor, a kind hearted man as the story included though much less uncapable then the tale told. The man was familiar, a face he had seen prior to this moment. A face from his parents friends. That very face had brought a smile to his face. Then, there was Clayton and Jane. Clayton was the french man that had come along as protection for the professor and Jane, though would not harm any animals fatally.
Jane was also a person completely different from the story. Jane held the appearance of a woman who did not wish to be there. She seemed to detest her father for bringing her along. She was the source of where the tale had been twisted. To make her look as though she was a perfect angel. That Clayton, who knew all too well that she had no intention of staying here and would rather see the animals die, was the opposite of the story she told.
Tarzan listened in on a conversation she and Clayton had had that first day they were at the campsite. It was something that shocked and disturbed him.
"I don't see why father wants us to be here with him. And live amongst these filthy animals." She sneered as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ms. Porter, we're here to perform research. You should know better than any that gorillas fascinate your father, so why do you argue so much against being here?"
"Because I don't wish to be here you oaf! Honestly to think father belives that you could possibly keep us safe from anything that were to arrive and attack us." She sneered to the man as she spoke, a glare clearly set in her eyes. A glare Tarzan felt and shuddered at. That woman was quite defiant, it seemed. Something didn't seem right when he was there. It felt as though if he remained there he would have to run as far as he could as soon as he could. This was dangerous and he recognized that. Every sense in his body screamed at that.
Tarzan shuddered before moving to leave, gasping as he heard a voice, so familiar yet not quite right.
“Oh! Hello there, stranger” The jungle man blinked as he looked to the source of the voice, Professor Porter. A bright smile was underneath the mustache, that he was sure of “You seem so incredibly familiar… Have I seen you before?” He narrowed his eyes as he blinked to the dark eyed taller man.
Tarzan had blinked and laughed, smiling softly. Another fictional addition to his story being his inability to speak as humans do “Well I believe you knew my father,” He smiled brightly as he looked to him and it took but a moment before recognition broke upon his face.
“Are you Tarzan?! That young boy I’d seen the pictures? Oh that is fantastic! Do come and enjoy a cup of tea! You deserve the chance to relax, my boy!” He smiled, that smile reaching his eyes and illuminating them so brightly it was a wonder Tarzan hadn’t gone blind. The type of smile that would make even the cruelest person smile as well. “You look oh so much like your late father! Only with your mothers eyes. As well as taste for hair style, it seems.” There was a chuckle as he lead the taller, more toned man to the ten.
“What are you doing here? Professor… Porter, right?” There was a nod in response to the jungle man’s question. He smiled as he walked into the tent after him, taking a seat. Jane seemed to have noticed his coming onto the campsite, as did Clayton.
Clayton had smiled, chuckling ever so slightly. “Your father will always hold such happy appearances, won’t he Ms. Por-” He blinked as he looked around; the spot the girl had been being empty. “… Ms Porter…?” He frowned before moving to look for the young miss who had run off.
Meanwhile in the ten, the elder man was animatedly talking of what he had been doing, recalling tales of the old days with Tarzan’s father. “And there was the time Reginold felt the best way to get your mothers attention - before they married of course - was the dress as a woman to achieve her friendship” His speaking was cut by laughter as he spoke, chuckling as he continued to speak “He took his mothers favorite sundress and one of her brassieres, filling it with two rounded pillows and wearing a wig he’d taken from his part-time job!” He paused to laugh even more, that grin, genuine, unable to be faked.
Tarzan, with his lack of human companionship was still capable of understanding the basics. As professor Porter wiped away the tears from his eyes from the sheer amount of laughter he smiled, continuing the story. “Your father had gone to meet your mother, in his ridiculous outfit, of course, and his aim was to befriend her and nothing more. Of course that didn’t go quite according to plan as Vanessa recognized Reg-”
There was a loud shriek from the jungle surrounding them, the elder man immediately recognizing it and Tarzan running out the same instant he had said it “Jane!”
Tarzan had immediately taken to the jungle greens as the professor remained in the tent, unable to do anything, too afraid, also knowledgable of what the ape man could do. In the thick of the woods, the dangerous terrain that Tarzan knew all too well, he navigated through. Nearly flying through the entire place. He kept as calm as possible, keeping focused on one thing: The location of the scream.
His dark eyes narrowed as he finally arrived at the location of the scream, finding the young woman with chestnut brown hair and wide, terrified deep blue eyes, darker than the oceans depths, cornered by Sabor. He looked around for any sign of the other man he had seen, finding him knocked against one of the larger trees, body limp, scratches across his face. A low, dangerous, growl escaped his lips as he glared to the cheetah "Sabor!" He roared, aiming for gaining the attention of the jungle cat. Which he won.
He winced as he achieved his goal, however, the cat immediately snapping its head in his direction. Eyes crazed with bloodlust. No longer of the girl but of his own. The smell was one that was recognized by the cat as it aimed to tackle the jungle man.
Tarzan had the instinct to leap back. To grab whatever he could as a weapon. The first thing he could find that would be useful was the rifle that had been in Clayton's possession. The man who needed help as soon as possible. There was a growl of annoyance, of anger and fear all combined that resonated in the dark haired mans throat.
"Just pick up the gun and shoot the damned thing!" Jane shrieked. Tarzan immediately looked to her, eyes narrowing dangerously into a growl. He would never hurt an animal of the jungle. This was his home as well, after all. Perhaps not his first home but it was his home now. "Shoot him and I'll bring you back to England with me!"
"No!" Tarzan sneered to the woman. She glared right back at him and before he could even know what was going on a sharp sound resonated in the air. His eyes widened in shock as blood splattered even onto his face, the cheetah's fur becoming stained, an extending circle forming around the top of its head.
"Coward." Jane sneered as she shakily put the gun away, huffing as she pushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, not looking to Tarzan as she continued to walk past him, back toward the camp "And leave Clayton. He's a waste of air as far as I'm concerned. Completely useless." She scoffed as she spoke.
Tarzan was frozen for a moment, attempting to let what had just happened soak in. When she passed him he growled, grabbing her arm. Not to a dangerous degree but enough to say he had a point to make. "You killed a mother cheetah."
"Her kittens can get along just fine without her" The fact Sabor was in fact female did not come as a surprise to her in the slightest.
"You killed her in front of them"
"They can get along fine without her. Perhaps you should come back home with us, jungle man." Jane smirked before continuing onward to the camp.
Tarzan glared after her, having released her arm and then went to pulling Clayton up to pull him back to the campsite with him. How could someone do such a horrible thing? And to a mother cheetah? There were so many questions he had about humanity, but nowhere near enough time to ask. Perhaps he could find out... Perhaps a trip to England was needed to help him understand human life better.
As Jane reached the camp she walked into the tent, her father immediately proving worried "What happened? I heard a gunshot who was it who shot... Whatever it was?" He noticed Tarzan walking in moments later with a look that showed he was upset, blood of the killed animal still on his face, Clayton being held up over his shoulders.
"Sabor - a mother cheetah - was killed. Attacked JAne because she was too close to the nest she had made for her cubs..." Tarzan was quiet as he spoke, not looking up though clearly upset about the situation.
"But father I've no idea where she came from... She just jumped out and attacked me with absolutely no remorse. You must believe me... I shot the cat but it was purely self-defense..."
"Well, Jane... Mothers do tend to attack when their children are in danger. Or even perceived to be in danger... Being too close to a nest of cubs could be just what sets them off. I swear I taught you these things prior to now. You must be careful when out alone. And firing at one so close to camp? That could put us all in a dangerous situation... Perhaps we should simply head home..."
Tarzan spoke up at that "Not for good, though, professor. If you wouldn't mind I'd like to go with you and visit England. My home is here, however, I hope you understand." There was a curious blink, followed by a bright smile and nod.
"Of course my dear boy. It is completely understandable" The professor nodded toward the jungle man "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if yourself more at home in England than here"
Tarzan laughed, a half hearted one that seemed more appropriate than anything, and smiled just slightly "I hate to sound rude but I doubt it professor... I've lived here basically my entire life." He gestured outside of the tent “This jungle is my home. The animals are my family.”
There was a smile as the professor nodded “Of course my boy. A visit wouldn’t hurt at all in the slightest anyway” He said with another curt nod. “In fact who knows it could do quite a bit of good! Why you could help with any research to do with the jungle that is needed by any scientist or professor back in merry old England! Ooh this could be such a fantastic adventure! Fantastic!” The elder man had eyes so bright they could be mistaken with those of a young child in a candy store.
“Professor…” Clayton chuckled, smiling softly as he shook his head to the old man “Perhaps you should save your total excitement for when we arrive back to England. For now, we should really think of why we are here.”
This immediately grasped Tarzan’s attention “What is the reason you’re here, anyway?”
Professor Porter blinked at the question, and then beamed “We are here for gorilla research, my good boy!” He nodded in succession with the response, a smile still bright on his face.
"I could definitely help you, Professor Porter." Tarzan nodded, smiling softly. "All it would really take would be my convincing one of the gorillas to come closer to camp. I've lived here long enough for them to trust me" He laughed and the professor beamed brightly toward him.
"Tarzan, my boy that would be fantastic! Do take the three of us with you, though? I would like to see them in their natural habitat!"
Tarzan blinked, looking to the group. Clayton, looking perfectly innocent. He would do nothing, he was sure. Clayton held that gun, but it was for protection. It wasn't for hunting at all. He nodded to Clayton, though her eyes shifted to the brunette young woman, next. She had shot a mother cheetah, after all. How well could she possibly be trusted? Was there truly any way that could be possible in the slightest?
"What?" Jane demanded. "I don't like filthy jungle men staring at me so why are you staring?" She narrowed her eyes to a dangerous level, arms crossed over her chest as she spoke. "Father, can't we just go home? I really don't want to stay here for a moment longer." She huffed, sticking her nose in the air, turning her head away from Tarzan and the other men.
"... Alright, fine, follow me." Tarzan nodded stiffly and turned to lead the group off into the jungle to where Kerchak and his family of the jungle were located. This would wind up being extremely good or extremely bad. "I actually want to show you my home first." The tree house had remained his home. It was never anything less than that. The gorillas - with the exception of Kerchak - had attempted to pull him to living with them in one of the mothers nests, but Tarzan had been old enough to know enough about living on his own and he accepted his newfound family’s assistance in living. How they had trained him to be capable of being the jungle man he was today.
"That would be splendid!" Professor Porter nodded, still brightly beaming as he waited for Tarzan to lead, following shortly behind so he could keep up a conversation the entire time. Both were quite animated in the conversation, any time there was need for climbing, Tarzan helping all of them up at a time. The professor, first, followed by Jane, then assisting Clayton however was needed.
As they all saw the tree house, jaws were dropped, eyes were widened, and shock was written across all of the strangers to the jungle. This story, however, would shortly find itself making a sharp turn from the Phil Collins musical masterpiece some grew up with.
"Professor, this is where my parents were last" Tarzan smiled, gesturing to the large home behind him.
"This truly is a masterpiece, my boy... How could you possibly live here all on your own and continuously keep track of it?" The professor, still in shock looked around, moving to rush into the tree house, Tarzan laughin as he followed to explain exactly how life had truly been going.
While the two went into the tree house itself, Jane and Clayton remained outside, Clayton admiring the view from the large wooden planks of the porch, it could be called.
Jane stayed as far from anywhere that could be filled with filth and who knew what else as she could, though had a plan to do with Clayton, especially. Fathers little pal. Perfect big man to help him out with whatever was necessary... Too cowardly to shoot a damned gorilla on sight... How can he possibly consider himself a man? He would be far better off dead. She sneered as those thoughts ran through her mind, noticing that Clayton could easily trip - over his own feet of course - to the ground beneath. There was a slight chance those pesky vines could keep him alive, though she had a solution to that.
She sauntered over to the man, making sure he wasn't paying attention and grabbed his rifle, kicking him down the hole in the wood, sending him tumbling down to the ground beneath, the vines doing exactly what she knew they would in catching him. It caused a sneer as she rose the gun up. Despite her being a woman in the year she was in, she had a great shot.
Tarzan immediately snapped his head around to where Jane was, where he thought Clayton was when there was a gunshot. He immediately ran out to see Jane was looking down, barrel of her gun aimed at the last pesky vine in her way of finally getting rid of that idiot oaf of a man. "Jane, no!" It was too late. That last gunshot rang in his ears as his eyes widened in shock, those dark hues immediately going down to now hanging man. He struggled, trying to breathe, but the vine had been too tight around his neck. It was too late. He was a dead man. Tarzan tuned his head down and grimaced. It had happened on his watch.
His head snapped up as he heard a gasp, the rifle clattering to the ground. There was a needle in Janes neck, the professor behind her and helping her body ease to the ground. He pulled the needle from his daughters neck, looking downcast as he moved the gun away from her as well. "I am sorry my boy... I had no idea she would be like this..." He let out a sigh. "My daughter was never one to kill before, I've no idea why... No idea where I went wrong..."
Tarzan shook his head, slowly, still attempting to knock away some of the shock. His voice came quietly. "No... You don't have to apologize for anything, professor. Sometimes... There is nothing you can do. Sometimes it's too late to help someone through anything despite how much you think it's possible to help..." He hung his head "... I would like to go back to England... Perhaps extend my education that way before I come back to the jungle..."
Professor Porter blinked, and then slowly a smile, soft and understanding crossed his features. "Of course, my boy..."
Tarzan had gone to the mother country where Jane had gone to jail for murder, and the jungle man had received an education beyond what his parents had learned, and things ended relatively well compared to where they began...
I’d say they all lived happily ever after, but Jane was imprisoned for twelve years and Clayton… Well… Clayton was killed, his body never found… So the only halfway decent ending would be…
The end…
Title: Tarzan
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own the original story!
Notes: I apologize for ruining childhoods... ; ;
Tarzan
A family to be had taken to living in the forests of Africa. To live amongst the apes and learn what they did. The habits. Not to disturb, though. Simply to observe and study. The wife had proven to be pregnant a few weeks after arriving, the husband happy. So incredibly happy. The duo had the child in the forest, the tree house they had created themselves.
Twelve months had passed after the child was born. A cheetah had attacked the family in their little home away from home as the tree house had become. There was no warning outside of a throaty, feral growl. Only the infant was spared.
An ape had found the tree house as well as the infant. She had taken the child to her own nest. The leader of the gorillas she was a part of, her own mate, Kerchak, had resented the child being brought to them. For years he had. Even though he had become practically one of their own it was simply the situation of a human being raised by the gorillas. He didn’t trust the humans. Not in the slightest.
The boy was raised into adulthood when more humans had entered the forest. They had set up camp where they would set up for research of the gorillas. At least two of the humans had planned for that. The other had planned to hunt. He wished to find and kill however many gorillas he could. Kerchak being the one he was most interested in gaining the coat of.
The leopard from years before had proven a huge trouble the entire time. Consistently attacking both the gorillas and the humans as time went on. Jane, the daughter of the professor in charge of research, had gone into the woods, looking for something she had dropped. Tarzan, all grown up, the man of the jungle, had saved her from certain death. He had fought Sabor to the point the jungle cat ran off. Forfeiting that round to the jungle man.
Jane attempted to humanize the jungle man from that point on. Tarzan failed to truly wish to, though. He seemed more at home in the jungle. With the apes and other animals. She failed to notice this was how things were meant to be, though eventually had. When Clayton attacked Kerchak the final time prior to being strangled to death, she had realized when Tarzan defended his entire family as the apes and animals had become that perhaps studying them was only capable when they were living in harmony. The final clash with Clayton, however, was one of the final straws.
Tarzan had tried to save him, though it wasn’t possible. The hunter had wound up strangling himself within the vines of a tree. Jane had told her father she wanted to stay in the jungle, though Tarzan told her - in his own way - to go home and enjoy life. That he would be fine living on his own and he would be there for visits if she so chose to go.
They all lived happily ever after. Except Clayton, of course. As well as Sabor…
The reality of the story of Tarzan, man of the jungle, begins quite similarly o the way the one children hear daily does. The boys family had lived in the jungle. For the first twelve years of his life before the parents were attacked by Sabor, the cheetah of the same story. The boy was spared by the apes coming to help him. He had grown up playing and learning what the apes had learned in his spare time, Kerchak's mate becoming quite friendly with the humans. Much to Kerchaks disdain.
The boy, truly named Tarzan, his parents wishing to have a son with an exotic type of name, was in shock of what he had witnessed. Kerchak having come to help stop Sabor? It was unfortunately too late and the boys parents had been killed in front of his small hiding spot of the crook between the wooden, slanted, piller and the tree itself. He had told Kerchak, using hand motions to explain the tree house was his home. That he did not wish to leave his home even though his parents were gone.
Kerchak had allowed it and left the boy to stay in the woods, collect things as needed, and live on his own. The gorillas and animals of the jungle had assissted him, of course as he did so. There was no way he would be able to do everything on his own, after all. He had grown to be a capable, considerate, man. Strong, intellegent, and protective of the animals he had learned to call his new family. He would help the animals when Kerchak wasn't looking, always having his hair back, momentos from his deceased parents. He would wear khaki shorts, sometimes pants depending on the weather, from his father. There was never truly any need for more than simply that.
He had grown happy in the woods, never forgetting his past, never forgetting why his parents had come there. For peaceful research.
Upon his twenty second birthday he had found a new campsite forming, the professor, a kind hearted man as the story included though much less uncapable then the tale told. The man was familiar, a face he had seen prior to this moment. A face from his parents friends. That very face had brought a smile to his face. Then, there was Clayton and Jane. Clayton was the french man that had come along as protection for the professor and Jane, though would not harm any animals fatally.
Jane was also a person completely different from the story. Jane held the appearance of a woman who did not wish to be there. She seemed to detest her father for bringing her along. She was the source of where the tale had been twisted. To make her look as though she was a perfect angel. That Clayton, who knew all too well that she had no intention of staying here and would rather see the animals die, was the opposite of the story she told.
Tarzan listened in on a conversation she and Clayton had had that first day they were at the campsite. It was something that shocked and disturbed him.
"I don't see why father wants us to be here with him. And live amongst these filthy animals." She sneered as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ms. Porter, we're here to perform research. You should know better than any that gorillas fascinate your father, so why do you argue so much against being here?"
"Because I don't wish to be here you oaf! Honestly to think father belives that you could possibly keep us safe from anything that were to arrive and attack us." She sneered to the man as she spoke, a glare clearly set in her eyes. A glare Tarzan felt and shuddered at. That woman was quite defiant, it seemed. Something didn't seem right when he was there. It felt as though if he remained there he would have to run as far as he could as soon as he could. This was dangerous and he recognized that. Every sense in his body screamed at that.
Tarzan shuddered before moving to leave, gasping as he heard a voice, so familiar yet not quite right.
“Oh! Hello there, stranger” The jungle man blinked as he looked to the source of the voice, Professor Porter. A bright smile was underneath the mustache, that he was sure of “You seem so incredibly familiar… Have I seen you before?” He narrowed his eyes as he blinked to the dark eyed taller man.
Tarzan had blinked and laughed, smiling softly. Another fictional addition to his story being his inability to speak as humans do “Well I believe you knew my father,” He smiled brightly as he looked to him and it took but a moment before recognition broke upon his face.
“Are you Tarzan?! That young boy I’d seen the pictures? Oh that is fantastic! Do come and enjoy a cup of tea! You deserve the chance to relax, my boy!” He smiled, that smile reaching his eyes and illuminating them so brightly it was a wonder Tarzan hadn’t gone blind. The type of smile that would make even the cruelest person smile as well. “You look oh so much like your late father! Only with your mothers eyes. As well as taste for hair style, it seems.” There was a chuckle as he lead the taller, more toned man to the ten.
“What are you doing here? Professor… Porter, right?” There was a nod in response to the jungle man’s question. He smiled as he walked into the tent after him, taking a seat. Jane seemed to have noticed his coming onto the campsite, as did Clayton.
Clayton had smiled, chuckling ever so slightly. “Your father will always hold such happy appearances, won’t he Ms. Por-” He blinked as he looked around; the spot the girl had been being empty. “… Ms Porter…?” He frowned before moving to look for the young miss who had run off.
Meanwhile in the ten, the elder man was animatedly talking of what he had been doing, recalling tales of the old days with Tarzan’s father. “And there was the time Reginold felt the best way to get your mothers attention - before they married of course - was the dress as a woman to achieve her friendship” His speaking was cut by laughter as he spoke, chuckling as he continued to speak “He took his mothers favorite sundress and one of her brassieres, filling it with two rounded pillows and wearing a wig he’d taken from his part-time job!” He paused to laugh even more, that grin, genuine, unable to be faked.
Tarzan, with his lack of human companionship was still capable of understanding the basics. As professor Porter wiped away the tears from his eyes from the sheer amount of laughter he smiled, continuing the story. “Your father had gone to meet your mother, in his ridiculous outfit, of course, and his aim was to befriend her and nothing more. Of course that didn’t go quite according to plan as Vanessa recognized Reg-”
There was a loud shriek from the jungle surrounding them, the elder man immediately recognizing it and Tarzan running out the same instant he had said it “Jane!”
Tarzan had immediately taken to the jungle greens as the professor remained in the tent, unable to do anything, too afraid, also knowledgable of what the ape man could do. In the thick of the woods, the dangerous terrain that Tarzan knew all too well, he navigated through. Nearly flying through the entire place. He kept as calm as possible, keeping focused on one thing: The location of the scream.
His dark eyes narrowed as he finally arrived at the location of the scream, finding the young woman with chestnut brown hair and wide, terrified deep blue eyes, darker than the oceans depths, cornered by Sabor. He looked around for any sign of the other man he had seen, finding him knocked against one of the larger trees, body limp, scratches across his face. A low, dangerous, growl escaped his lips as he glared to the cheetah "Sabor!" He roared, aiming for gaining the attention of the jungle cat. Which he won.
He winced as he achieved his goal, however, the cat immediately snapping its head in his direction. Eyes crazed with bloodlust. No longer of the girl but of his own. The smell was one that was recognized by the cat as it aimed to tackle the jungle man.
Tarzan had the instinct to leap back. To grab whatever he could as a weapon. The first thing he could find that would be useful was the rifle that had been in Clayton's possession. The man who needed help as soon as possible. There was a growl of annoyance, of anger and fear all combined that resonated in the dark haired mans throat.
"Just pick up the gun and shoot the damned thing!" Jane shrieked. Tarzan immediately looked to her, eyes narrowing dangerously into a growl. He would never hurt an animal of the jungle. This was his home as well, after all. Perhaps not his first home but it was his home now. "Shoot him and I'll bring you back to England with me!"
"No!" Tarzan sneered to the woman. She glared right back at him and before he could even know what was going on a sharp sound resonated in the air. His eyes widened in shock as blood splattered even onto his face, the cheetah's fur becoming stained, an extending circle forming around the top of its head.
"Coward." Jane sneered as she shakily put the gun away, huffing as she pushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, not looking to Tarzan as she continued to walk past him, back toward the camp "And leave Clayton. He's a waste of air as far as I'm concerned. Completely useless." She scoffed as she spoke.
Tarzan was frozen for a moment, attempting to let what had just happened soak in. When she passed him he growled, grabbing her arm. Not to a dangerous degree but enough to say he had a point to make. "You killed a mother cheetah."
"Her kittens can get along just fine without her" The fact Sabor was in fact female did not come as a surprise to her in the slightest.
"You killed her in front of them"
"They can get along fine without her. Perhaps you should come back home with us, jungle man." Jane smirked before continuing onward to the camp.
Tarzan glared after her, having released her arm and then went to pulling Clayton up to pull him back to the campsite with him. How could someone do such a horrible thing? And to a mother cheetah? There were so many questions he had about humanity, but nowhere near enough time to ask. Perhaps he could find out... Perhaps a trip to England was needed to help him understand human life better.
As Jane reached the camp she walked into the tent, her father immediately proving worried "What happened? I heard a gunshot who was it who shot... Whatever it was?" He noticed Tarzan walking in moments later with a look that showed he was upset, blood of the killed animal still on his face, Clayton being held up over his shoulders.
"Sabor - a mother cheetah - was killed. Attacked JAne because she was too close to the nest she had made for her cubs..." Tarzan was quiet as he spoke, not looking up though clearly upset about the situation.
"But father I've no idea where she came from... She just jumped out and attacked me with absolutely no remorse. You must believe me... I shot the cat but it was purely self-defense..."
"Well, Jane... Mothers do tend to attack when their children are in danger. Or even perceived to be in danger... Being too close to a nest of cubs could be just what sets them off. I swear I taught you these things prior to now. You must be careful when out alone. And firing at one so close to camp? That could put us all in a dangerous situation... Perhaps we should simply head home..."
Tarzan spoke up at that "Not for good, though, professor. If you wouldn't mind I'd like to go with you and visit England. My home is here, however, I hope you understand." There was a curious blink, followed by a bright smile and nod.
"Of course my dear boy. It is completely understandable" The professor nodded toward the jungle man "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if yourself more at home in England than here"
Tarzan laughed, a half hearted one that seemed more appropriate than anything, and smiled just slightly "I hate to sound rude but I doubt it professor... I've lived here basically my entire life." He gestured outside of the tent “This jungle is my home. The animals are my family.”
There was a smile as the professor nodded “Of course my boy. A visit wouldn’t hurt at all in the slightest anyway” He said with another curt nod. “In fact who knows it could do quite a bit of good! Why you could help with any research to do with the jungle that is needed by any scientist or professor back in merry old England! Ooh this could be such a fantastic adventure! Fantastic!” The elder man had eyes so bright they could be mistaken with those of a young child in a candy store.
“Professor…” Clayton chuckled, smiling softly as he shook his head to the old man “Perhaps you should save your total excitement for when we arrive back to England. For now, we should really think of why we are here.”
This immediately grasped Tarzan’s attention “What is the reason you’re here, anyway?”
Professor Porter blinked at the question, and then beamed “We are here for gorilla research, my good boy!” He nodded in succession with the response, a smile still bright on his face.
"I could definitely help you, Professor Porter." Tarzan nodded, smiling softly. "All it would really take would be my convincing one of the gorillas to come closer to camp. I've lived here long enough for them to trust me" He laughed and the professor beamed brightly toward him.
"Tarzan, my boy that would be fantastic! Do take the three of us with you, though? I would like to see them in their natural habitat!"
Tarzan blinked, looking to the group. Clayton, looking perfectly innocent. He would do nothing, he was sure. Clayton held that gun, but it was for protection. It wasn't for hunting at all. He nodded to Clayton, though her eyes shifted to the brunette young woman, next. She had shot a mother cheetah, after all. How well could she possibly be trusted? Was there truly any way that could be possible in the slightest?
"What?" Jane demanded. "I don't like filthy jungle men staring at me so why are you staring?" She narrowed her eyes to a dangerous level, arms crossed over her chest as she spoke. "Father, can't we just go home? I really don't want to stay here for a moment longer." She huffed, sticking her nose in the air, turning her head away from Tarzan and the other men.
"... Alright, fine, follow me." Tarzan nodded stiffly and turned to lead the group off into the jungle to where Kerchak and his family of the jungle were located. This would wind up being extremely good or extremely bad. "I actually want to show you my home first." The tree house had remained his home. It was never anything less than that. The gorillas - with the exception of Kerchak - had attempted to pull him to living with them in one of the mothers nests, but Tarzan had been old enough to know enough about living on his own and he accepted his newfound family’s assistance in living. How they had trained him to be capable of being the jungle man he was today.
"That would be splendid!" Professor Porter nodded, still brightly beaming as he waited for Tarzan to lead, following shortly behind so he could keep up a conversation the entire time. Both were quite animated in the conversation, any time there was need for climbing, Tarzan helping all of them up at a time. The professor, first, followed by Jane, then assisting Clayton however was needed.
As they all saw the tree house, jaws were dropped, eyes were widened, and shock was written across all of the strangers to the jungle. This story, however, would shortly find itself making a sharp turn from the Phil Collins musical masterpiece some grew up with.
"Professor, this is where my parents were last" Tarzan smiled, gesturing to the large home behind him.
"This truly is a masterpiece, my boy... How could you possibly live here all on your own and continuously keep track of it?" The professor, still in shock looked around, moving to rush into the tree house, Tarzan laughin as he followed to explain exactly how life had truly been going.
While the two went into the tree house itself, Jane and Clayton remained outside, Clayton admiring the view from the large wooden planks of the porch, it could be called.
Jane stayed as far from anywhere that could be filled with filth and who knew what else as she could, though had a plan to do with Clayton, especially. Fathers little pal. Perfect big man to help him out with whatever was necessary... Too cowardly to shoot a damned gorilla on sight... How can he possibly consider himself a man? He would be far better off dead. She sneered as those thoughts ran through her mind, noticing that Clayton could easily trip - over his own feet of course - to the ground beneath. There was a slight chance those pesky vines could keep him alive, though she had a solution to that.
She sauntered over to the man, making sure he wasn't paying attention and grabbed his rifle, kicking him down the hole in the wood, sending him tumbling down to the ground beneath, the vines doing exactly what she knew they would in catching him. It caused a sneer as she rose the gun up. Despite her being a woman in the year she was in, she had a great shot.
Tarzan immediately snapped his head around to where Jane was, where he thought Clayton was when there was a gunshot. He immediately ran out to see Jane was looking down, barrel of her gun aimed at the last pesky vine in her way of finally getting rid of that idiot oaf of a man. "Jane, no!" It was too late. That last gunshot rang in his ears as his eyes widened in shock, those dark hues immediately going down to now hanging man. He struggled, trying to breathe, but the vine had been too tight around his neck. It was too late. He was a dead man. Tarzan tuned his head down and grimaced. It had happened on his watch.
His head snapped up as he heard a gasp, the rifle clattering to the ground. There was a needle in Janes neck, the professor behind her and helping her body ease to the ground. He pulled the needle from his daughters neck, looking downcast as he moved the gun away from her as well. "I am sorry my boy... I had no idea she would be like this..." He let out a sigh. "My daughter was never one to kill before, I've no idea why... No idea where I went wrong..."
Tarzan shook his head, slowly, still attempting to knock away some of the shock. His voice came quietly. "No... You don't have to apologize for anything, professor. Sometimes... There is nothing you can do. Sometimes it's too late to help someone through anything despite how much you think it's possible to help..." He hung his head "... I would like to go back to England... Perhaps extend my education that way before I come back to the jungle..."
Professor Porter blinked, and then slowly a smile, soft and understanding crossed his features. "Of course, my boy..."
Tarzan had gone to the mother country where Jane had gone to jail for murder, and the jungle man had received an education beyond what his parents had learned, and things ended relatively well compared to where they began...
I’d say they all lived happily ever after, but Jane was imprisoned for twelve years and Clayton… Well… Clayton was killed, his body never found… So the only halfway decent ending would be…
The end…