Repetition

The low snarls and growls haunt Tarzan's mind. They're out there, just beyond the walls. The leopards are gathering outside of his treetop home. The increasingly hostile, and unusual, behaviour of the leopards seems to be reaching its peak.

"Tarzan…" Jane whispers.

He tears his gaze away from the window. "Are you okay? Have they broken in?"

She shakes her head. "No, we're fine… They are out there, aren't they? They're waiting for us,"

He scurries across the room and wraps her in an embrace. "We'll be okay,"

Jane doesn't reply. Her arms hang limply by her sides. He can feel her fear and worries as though they're another person. The unspoken fears of the last few days hover over them, haunting them.

A sudden cry resonates from the other room. Jane flees from his embrace at once. It takes all of Tarzan's will not to follow her.

The growling rises suddenly. The sound of merciless hunters comes from all around. Tarzan looks around the living room. The windows are all boarded up. The door is neatly barricaded. The leopards still sound far away.

Thabo's whimpers grow along with Tarzan's worries. He dreads to think how the leopards are reacting. He can almost feel their feral bloodlust.

Jane appears in the doorway. "I think he wants you,"

Tarzan approaches warily. The small baby, wrapped in blankets, turns his head from side to side. His face is red with wailing. Even he, with his weak and all too new senses, knows that trouble is too close.

Tarzan scoops his son up into his arms. "I can't stop. They could attack at any moment,"

Jane nods in understanding. "Could it be a radio of some sort? The noise could be hurting them,"

He frowns. "I don't know. I only hear them,"

She sighs and rests her head against his shoulder. The fear of attack has driven them to a life without sleep.

She looks at him worriedly. "You're going out tomorrow to look, aren't you?"

He nods solemnly. The fierce tension vanishes and a sombre atmosphere races to take its place. The drear air holds them captive in a long moment as Thabo settles down.

A loud snore reverberates around the building. "How does your father sleep?"

Jane shrugs. "I don't know but I'm glad that he does. If something happens then I want to have spent as much time with you two as I can,"

Tarzan opens his mouth to protest but the words remain lifeless. He surrenders his speech then. His focus turns to the present and his family.

The snarls and growls lower in pitch. The sounds begin to die away leopard by leopard. The strange predatory air remains; signifying their presence. However, for a short time there exists a world consisting only of three people.

Author's Note: I like this one. I knew right away that I wanted repetition! Then, I thought, 'how can that happen'. This is how. Besides, I do believe that humans are largely to blame for erratic animal behaviour. I believe that even more so for the period of Tarzan where they didn't know half as much as we do now. Please make no reference to my homeland of China or of Asia as I know the East's fatal flaw. I don't need to be reminded of one the many reasons why people who don't know me hate me. Thank you for reading. I hope that you enjoyed my work. I apologise if you're unsatisfied.

Part of the Revival Collection.