The Magic Within ↠ Once Upon A Time

[Chapter 9] My Sister?!

~Melody's/Tarza Flashback~

"Are you guys sure this is the right way to the river?" the giant elephant asks while walking behind Tarza and Terk.

"Don't worry, Tantor, we've been through this trail before. There's no need for you to get worried," Tarza reassures her giant friend.

At the moment, the trio walks along the trail to one of their many hang out spots, but due to the gorilla troops always migrating throughout the jungle, they have to find new trails to get to their spots. Since Terk and Tarza have gone through many trails on their own, it was their job to show their giant elephant friend the way. Though with his constant worries, the journey proved to be a long one.

"You know, if you quit being a baby, Tantor, we'd get to that river faster!" Terk snaps as she jumps over a fallen tree.

"Terk!!" Tarza yells.

"Well, it's true."

"No it's not. He's just worried about us. He doesn't want to get lost or have either one of us get hurt. He's just making sure we're careful."

Terk rolls her eyes while she continues her walk. While she was currently leading the group to their spot, Terk turns around to look at her cousin. She notices her walking, on her two legs instead of knuckle-walking like a normal gorilla would, beside Tantor. She scoffs and looks back in front of her. "How is Kerchak going to accept you as one of us if you don't even know how to walk like a real gorilla?" she questions.

"Well, Kerchak isn't here is he, so he'll never know. Besides, I know how to walk like you and everyone else perfectly well," Tarza replies. She crouches down and goes back to her usual stance then travels over to Terk. "See. I'm just one of the gorillas."

"You better stay like that. Kerchak would lose it if he saw you trying to be like one of the humans."

"I know; don't worry, I'm one of you and I'll never betray you."

With that, the trio finally arrives to the spot they were looking for. It was a large river, with a steady flow, that ended with a waterfall about 50 meters above a deep lake. The lake itself could provide enough room for a group of elephants and hippos, combined. It was the perfect spot for the trio of swim freely with more than enough room to roam about.

Once catching sight of the water, Terk and Tarza look at each other and both yell, synchronizing with one another, "Last one to the lake is slower than a sloth." With that, the race between the two started. Each one tries to trip one another by tackling or pushing each other. Finally, the two jump off the ledge and go free-falling into the deep-depths of the lake, creating a large splash in the process.

Terk was the first to rise from the water and yells, "Woohoo, I beat- Hey!" Before she had the chance to finish her victory speech, she was grabbed by the arm by Tarza and led over to the rock wall beside the waterfall. "Hey, what are you doing?"

The human girl shushes her cousin. "I want to prank Tantor. I want to see how long it'll take before he starts breaking down into tears?"

"I like the way you think," Terk praises. "You're becoming more like me with every passing day."

"No I'm not, but we can have just a little fun."

With that, the two hear Tantor at the top of the waterfall, "You guys know that I'm not as fast as you guys. Could you at least give me a chance to catch up to you two?" He nears the edge and looks down at the water, expecting to see his best friends swimming in the water but found nothing. "Terk? Tarza? Where are you two?"