My Jewel - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Chapter Seventeen - Surprises

The next morning, Terri and Russell awoke in pretty much the same position as the last morning, only this time, she didn't cry out, or jump away. This time, she snuggled closer, playing lazily with the chain that hung around his neck. He shifted so that his arms wrapped around her more tightly, and with a smile she snuggled closer.

"I like this better."

"Hmm?"

"Sleeping like this."

A chuckle rumbled through him. "Me too."

"It's certainly better than sleeping at the very edge of the cot, almost falling off - or in my case, falling off."

This comment caused them both to laugh.

She reached out and brushed her thumb across his scruffy cheek. "No wonder I didn't recognize you," she joked. He always kept himself clean-shaven, but, she guessed, being out in the jungle and stressed had pushed that to the lesser of his worries.

He kissed her hand.

The next morning he awoke to find Terri gone. Her side of the cot was cold - she had gotten up a while ago.

Getting up himself and leaving the tent he did his usual morning scan of the camp - but there was no sign of her. "Where's my wife?" he demanded of the men. They all just stared blankly back. Idiots. "Where is she?" he demanded again, more urgently this time.

"Relax, I'm right here." There she was, emerging through the trees, staff in hand and her face flushed and sweaty. "I was just practicing my staff-fighting technique is all. What, did you think I disappeared again?"

"Well I-"

"Nonsense. I'm not going anywhere," she assured him, kissing his cheek. "I am, though, going to clean myself up a bit, I'll be back out in a little while."

When she left the tent she found him, sitting alone at the table again, looking awfully content. She saw a flash of orange and black and saw a tarantula crawling up his arm - and into his sleeve. Huh, interesting.

 Again, the same as before, like he was communicating with the spider, entranced.

A couple of men approached him.  The mercenaries didn't seem to notice a change in her. They only seemed concerned with their weapons, and doing whatever Russell ordered them to do, not that she minded. They could ignore her for all she cared.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Russell demanded. 

"Uh, well, we ran into some trouble..."

"Trouble?"

"Yes..."

"Bravestone?"

"Him and that whole lot."

"I thought you were tracking them."

"W-we were, b-but-"

"They got away."

They sighed in defeat and nodded. "Lost 'em in the jungle."

Russell turned away. "I should have known."

"H-how do you mean, Sir?"

"I will summon every soldier, every creature in this jungle to hunt them down and reclaim what is mine. Find them." With a look to his vulture, it flew off.

"Damn!" he cursed.

"Being a bit dramatic, don't you think?" Terri said, coming over as the men left. "What's going on? Is everything alright?"