||The Legend of Taavi ||

|clayton|

            Taavi knew that she needed time to herself, to battle the thoughts raging in her head, to make a choice that would set the course of the rest of her life. The thought of bidding her mother farewell sent a sharp ache to her chest. But imagining James leaving, knowing she had a chance at life, to see the world and all of its glory outside of the jungle, she would never forgive herself. Once she made a decision, that was it. No do-overs. No take backs.

After spending several hours alone with tear-stained cheeks, Taavi traveled to seek refuge in the human camp.

Upon arriving, Taavi felt the warm sun and the cold breeze dry her tears and relaxing her muscles, tense from her worries.

James sat in his usual crouched stance, sketchbook and pencil in hand. Taavi called out her simple greeting, and turned a trio of heads.

James's eyes lit as he set his eyes on her, and he was up and brushing off his clothes, striding towards her with a broad grin plastered on his face. "I'm happy to see you healing well," James signed and said, holding her out at arm's length.

"Thank you," she replied, flushed.

Porter pranced out of his mapping tend, waving his arms at the sight of Taavi returning. "Oh, hello, darling!" He embraced Taavi, who was caught off guard but easily adapted.

"Hello," Taavi smiled.

"How is the family?" he signed. If he had not spoken the words, Taavi wouldn't have a clue what he was asking.

"Good. Safe," she signed simply.

"And your father?" Porter asked delicately.

Taavi shook her head. "Angry. Hurt."

"It's not bad, is it?" asked James, his brow furrowed in concern.

"No. Hurt – sad."

James nodded in understanding. "Why is that?"

"Taavi is human. Father is gorilla."

"Speaking of gorilla," interjected a booming voice. Clayton swaggered up to the group of three with a rifle in one hand, and a glass of amber-colored liquid in the other. His breath was hot and bitter as he neared Taavi, and it took all of her decency not to scrunch her nose in disgust.

"Speaking of gorillas," he said again, "have you seen any?"

Despite the lazy way he slurred his words together, Taavi could make out a basic understanding of his inquiry, but it confused her all the same.

Before she could answer, Clayton prodded her with the barrel of his gun and widened his eyes. "Oh, you have, haven't you? Why, as I recall, you live with them, don't you?" His voice tightened.

"Clayton," James warned quietly.

"No, no," Clayton cut him off. "Let the ape answer. Why hasn't she shown us any of the gorillas, eh?" He swung his arms wide, nearly striking Taavi across the cheek. "Why, that's why we're here, no?"

Porter scoffed lightly and snatched the glass away from the bumbling man. "For God's sakes, man, it's four o'clock in the afternoon. Now is not the time for drinking, especially with a lady present."

"She's no lady," Clayton spat, splattering spit on Taavi's eyelids and nose. "She's a monkey, isn't she?" Taavi wondered why he ended every sentence with a question, but never allowed anyone to answer.

Clayton leaned towards Taavi until they were nose to nose, and she could feel the heat radiating off of his face. "What I want to know, eh," Clayton began, his breath singeing Taavi's nosehairs, "is what exactly is she hiding from us?"

James moved quickly, pushing the man off of Taavi. Clayton stumbled back unsteadily and cleared his throat loudly. Using swift movements, he aimed his gun at Taavi like a scolding finger.

"I'm onto you, beasty," he rasped, and then disappeared into his weaponry tent.

It wasn't until Clayton was gone that Taavi realized she was practically quaking, her arms wrapped around each other.

"Hey, hey," James's voice broke through the overwhelming sound of Taavi's rapid heartbeat. He steered her towards his tent, with Porter in tow, and sat her down on his cot.

Taavi didn't know what came over her; perhaps it was the way Clayton bore his teeth, and she saw a flash of predator in his appearance, or maybe it was when he pointed his gun at her, and her heart had stopped completely. Whatever the feeling was, Taavi realized that she now considered Clayton as a threat.

James sat himself next to her, and Porter sat in the bedside chair across from the bed. Taavi couldn't shake the image of Clayton's teeth, sharp and glinting white, almost feline-like.

"Clayton's not going to hurt you," said James's voice. She felt her arms warm up, and she took notice of James's hand on her knee, attempting to focus on his touch to drown out the other feelings. She looked at him, and saw nothing but care in his eyes.

"Don't worry, he won't get anywhere near you," James reassured, "I promise."

Taavi didn't quite understand what "promise" meant, but she felt instantly comforted by his words. Porter nodded and muttered a few words that Taavi couldn't help but realize they were words that had much different meanings than James's kind ones.

Feeling an overpowering exhaustion spread over her, Taavi closed her eyes and leaned towards James. He settled her in his arms, awkwardly at first, and Porter smiled and left the tent.

Her ears were pressed up against James's chest, whose heartbeat was quickening with every moment. His arms were slung around her shoulders, and she felt once again at peace in the caring embrace of her friend.

Friend.

Suddenly, as warmth from James's body spread to her skin, and as she became increasingly aware of James's voice whispering sweet nothings - nothings that she could understand -  into her hair, Taavi's decision became much clearer to her.