Jungle Child- A Tarzan Fan Fiction

Chapter Seven

Ara woke up in the arms of her Grandmother Kala when the sun was nearing the middle of the sky. It was warm and her eyes opened groggily. She had had that dream again, an odd one that seemed almost realistic. Creatures like Tarzan and herself. They were loud and screaming in a strange tongue… And there was a boy, one with dark hair and bright eyes. The name Zachariah came to her, but she didn’t understand it or what it meant. She just knew the name and she liked it. She smiled at it.

"What are you happy about?" Kala laughed warmly, looking at the little creature that she held close. Ara grinned.

"I had a dream," Ara giggled, "There were creatures like me and Tarzan on a boat, and there was a boy with big eyes and his name was Zack-a-ri-ah." She pronounced each syllable separately and giggled. Kala kept her smile, but wondered truly what the dream was- was it just that or a memory?

 "Well, isn't that exciting?" Kala laughed lightly, sitting up and letting Ara climb up her arm, "Are you feeling well, though, Ara? You had a very exciting night."

"I'm alright," Ara smiled, "And you and Tarzan and Turk are all alright, too."

"Yes we are," Kala nodded, shifting forward so she stood on all fours, "All safe, and all happy. It's just how things go, and you are already getting used to it."

"What do you mean, Grandmother Kala?" Ara wondered as Kala lumbered forward, Ara clinging to one of her large and furry arms.

"I mean that life is sometimes unexpected, dear. Tarzan finding you was unexpected and it was a wonderful thing, and the attack last night was unexpected, but it was not a good thing. Good things happen, and bad things happen- we gain and we lose. Do you understand that?"

"I think…"

"Well, don't you worry," Kala told Ara, "You'll understand when you get older.. Now, where is Tarzan? I'm sure your hungry, and he's the only one who can get up to that fruit you like.." Ara looked up in the trees and saw the different fruits Tarzan got her to eat. She wondered if she herself could climb up and get herself some fruit.

"I'll wait here if you want to find him, Grandmother Kala," Ara smiled sweetly. Kala smiled back and shook Ara off her arm lightly so she fell back into a sitting position against a large tree.

"You stay here and I'll be back as soon as I find him," Kala told Ara, before turning and going into the underbrush. Ara bit her lip. She looked up into the tree. It was nowhere as high as the one she had climbed last night and she was sure she'd be able to get up and down before Kala and Tarzan got back. Glancing around, Ara didn't see anyone, and so she turned herself around so she faced the tree and started climbing up. She didn't get very far though.

A large hand pulled her away from the tree and sat her back down on the ground. Ara squealed lightly as she was yanked from her climbing. Her eyes widened when she saw Kerchak before her, watching her curiously. Ara's mouth fell open a little, but then she bowed awkwardly, unable to balance on her one leg properly.

"Ara," Kerchak addressed her sternly. Ara looked up at him, keeping her arm extended before herself.

"I-I'm sorry, Kerchak, I-"

"You shouldn't be climbing up trees when you are by yourself," Kerchak scolded, but his voice was gentler, "You could fall and get hurt, and no one would be here to help you."

"I'm sorry, Kerchak. I didn’t think about that.."

"You are young. You have much to learn," Kerchak said stonily, "Now, go on and get what you were going up there to get. I'll watch you."

"Oh… Alright," Ara nodded. She turned back to the tree and began climbing once more. Ara used her good three limbs to her advantage and was able to get to the top relatively fast. She mimicked the way she had seen Tarzan pull fruit off trees and drop it onto the ground, keeping the last one in her hand. It was coming down that made Ara nervous.

"Are you alright, Ara?" Kerchak called up. Ara looked down and shifted nervously.

"I'm scared," Ara whimpered, to which Kerchak nearly laughed.

"If you go up, you have to come down.." he mentioned, but seeing as she made no attempt to start coming down on her own, Kerchak move closer to the tree and held out his arms. "Just jump down, I've got you."

"But-"

"Come on, or I will leave you up there," Kerchak threatened. Ara whined a little, but finally let go of the tree and let herself fall back. Kerchak caught her easily and sat her back at the base of the tree.

"Thank you, Kerchak," Ara smiled at him.

"No use thanking me. It's my job to keep this family safe- and it seems you've made your way into it," Kerchak shrugged, turning to go back into the trees, "Don't try to climb again unless Tarzan is watching you."

"Yes, Kerchak," Ara nodded, before biting into a piece of her fruit. Kerchak snorted, amused, and then made his way to check on some of the gorillas in his colony.

A few minutes later, Kala and Tarzan arrived, and were very surprised to see Ara had gotten her own fruit.

"Ara! Didn’t Kala tell you to wait until I came to try to climb?" Tarzan demanded, obviously worried, "You could have-"

"Gotten hurt, I know," Ara said guiltily, "That's what Kerchak said, so he watched me and helped me down. He said not to climb again unless you were here."

"Wait.. Kerchak did that?" Kala asked, astonished. Tarzan and Kala exchanged a look and then stared at bright haired Ara, happily eating her fruit.

"Maybe… maybe she's growing on him.." Tarzan mumbled. He shrugged. Kerchak was a had a hard shell, especially around Tarzan. Perhaps Ara was different- she was, after all weaker and more well behaved- but for whatever reason, it seemed that Kerchak wasn't particularly unhappy about Ara being among them and that was a good thing. A very good thing.

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A/N: WOO! New chapter up and running! Disney, you gotta love it, theres no doubt. I do hope you enjoy this new chapter. A bit more of a development between Kerchak and Ara! Isn't it sweet <3