At all costs (The Legend of Tarzan)

The Mangini

Jane felt strange as she set foot in the jungle and left the Savannah behind her. She had been in the Jungle before, but still, this felt different. This was where John grew up, where he had a different family, where he was known as Tarzan instead of as her John, and where others might see her as a threat.

'Are you alright, my love?' Johns asked, as he saw the troubled look on his wife's face.

'I feel... uneasy. I worry the Mangini might see me as a threat.'

'They haven't done so in the years we lived here, so why would they now...'

Jane looked at him in surprise. 'They never saw me in the years we lived here...'

'They did. Akut took his son to our bungalow some nights, and I'd talk with him, they've seen you while you were sleeping, which I know sounds odd. But they have accepted you, they accept that you are my family, and they respect my judgement. They would not hurt you.'

'I hope you're right.'

Together they started moving again, walking deeper into the forest. After walking for nearly an hour they were stopped dead in their tracks by a mangini which jumped in front of their path. Jane gasped, taking a small step back, only to realize they were surrounded. The mangini in front of them growled, a string of noises, she could not understand. But by the look on her husband's face, it seemed, he did.

'I saw other men with 2 little ones who looked a lot like your children, why?'

Jane looked at John, slowly his civilized mask started to fade, and Tarzan seemed to re surface. He answered, in their own form of communication.

'They were taken from us back in England. We have travelled here to retrieve them from the men who took them for us.'

'Then we will help you. They are heading towards the mist caves. We will meet you there.'

After he spoke, all the Mangini quickly retrieved back into the shadows of the woods, leaving them alone again.

'What did he say?' Jane asked.

'He asked why he saw other men with our children, and promised us to help. They will meet us at the mist caves. It is nearly 3 hours on foot, so we better hurry.'

Jane and John quickly made their way through the jungle, walking, running, and sometime swinging from vine to vine. By now, the sun was slowly disappearing from sight, and it was becoming dark. The sky was filling with clouds, and by the feel of the air, John knew that it was going to be raining later that night.

By the time John and Jane reached the mist caves, the Mangini were already waiting outside. 4 large and strong Mangini stood by the entrance to the cave. Some of the smaller once were up in the trees, looking out over the area. The rest of them were spread out over the small clearing by the cave. As John and Jane came into their line of sight, Akut moved towards them.

'They just took your young inside.' he growled. 'We cannot go in, the space is too small. But we will guard its gate until you re-emerge from its darkness with your young.'

John grinned and nodded 'Thank you, my brother.' 'Let's go Jane.'

John took her hand and walked into the cave.

'Will they not come with us?' she asked.

'The space is too small. They will guard the opening until we walk out again. Every man who walks out of this cave will be seen by them. They won't get very far.'

A look of determination once again coming overJane's face. 'Well, then let's find our children.'