Me Tarzan, You Jahne (BWWM)

IX

The cool night air seemed colder as he swung through the trees. Jahne hid her face in the crook of the wild man's neck and breathed in slow deep breaths to slow her racing heart.

She could only imagine what her best friends and father would say if they could see her now. Wrapped around a naked man she'd only just learned the name of, swinging through the jungle in the dead of night by vines. She could hardly believe it was happening herself.

At this point she had two choices, she could risk it all and die or live at the hands of this man or not risk it all and die by the mouth or claws of a predator...either way she could die and for some reason, this strange man seemed like the safer option.

Wrapping her arms tighter around his neck to secure herself as much as possible Jahne caught hints of a scent similar to cedar. She didn't understand how a man living in the wild could smell so good, but he did.

His movements mixed with his scent and the cool air was enough to rock her exhausted body to sleep. Before she could fully give in to the dark abyss of sleep she felt all movement stop.

Opening her eyes, she realized they were on the ground.

Jahne had a hard time figuring out where they could be due to how dark it was but the stars and moon provided enough illumination to see they were in some sort of clearing surrounded by trees.

The grass was a little higher than her own clearing where they were camped which allowed her to notice that some spots had indents in the grass. She guessed from an animal frequently laying or sitting on it.

There was a slight movement in front of her and then around her as if something was approaching in the darkness.

Jahnes heart began to race again at the thought of another attack from an unseen predator. Jahne realized Tarzan still had her firmly in his arms as she tried to move her body back to escape what was approaching. At her movements, his grip on her only tightened.

Oh no, this man is about to sacrifice me to whatever that is coming towards us. Jahne thought to herself as realization set in that he wasn't about to let her go and he didn't seem to go on guard and protect her like he did in previous times.

She stopped fighting his hold when she felt more than heard a low series of grunts come from him.

Perplexed, Jahne stared at the side of his face, the hand that had previously been pushing against his broad chest stilled. Then she felt it again, his chest moved with the sound as the grunt started there and came through his body projecting out of his throat.

Confused, Jahne looked back to the movements she saw in the high grass and that's when she saw it.

Gorillas...not just one but multiple hiding within the grass looking as if they were afraid to approach. Their movements were slow, unsure, and just as confused as she was. She heard grunts again but this time coming from the gorillas.

Tarzan returned the grunts and grumbles in response to them and that's when it hit Jahne and her mouth fell open as she witnessed the man actually communicate just as Dr. Wallace had mentioned he did with Kala.

A new curiosity had replaced the original fear that Jahne had as she watched the animals and this human being communicate with each other. She'd never seen anything like it in her career and was awed by the new experience.

As if they'd come to some agreement, the gorillas began to come further out of hiding and closer to where Tarzan stood holding Jahne. Jahne looked around her as she saw them come out of places she didn't even realize they were hiding.

Jahne felt her body being lowered and quickly turned her face back to Tarzan. Although she found the situation fascinating, that did nothing to completely ease her fears. She was in their territory and when a gorilla feels that someone has invaded their territory they have been known to attack.