CHAPTER 8 -The beasts of Tarzan

Through the dense, entangled jungles of the equatorial night, a formidable creature moved silently, its path lit only by the occasional gleam of its eyes reflected by the moonlight. Ignoring its hunger, it ventured determinedly toward a native village, encircled by a palisade, where preparations for a grand feast stirred the air with excitement and anticipation. Inside one of the huts, Tarzan of the Apes lay bound, contemplating his imminent death and the fates of Jane and their son, left vulnerable by his capture. Despite several visits from his nemesis, Rokoff, who taunted and abused him, Tarzan remained defiant, his mind racing for any avenue of escape.

As night deepened, a panther, Sheeta, silently infiltrated Tarzan’s prison, offering a momentary flicker of hope but ultimately failing to understand the task of freeing Tarzan. Instead, Sheeta became distracted by an approaching native, whom it brutally killed, momentarily stalling the villagers’ plans for Tarzan. Despite the interruption, Rokoff and the villagers soon rallied, dragging Tarzan to the stake in the village’s center for a savage ritual intended to culminate in his death.

Rokoff took sadistic pleasure in taunting Tarzan about Jane’s supposed danger, aiming to deepen his despair with the prospect of his family’s suffering. The ceremony began, warriors dancing menacingly around Tarzan, spears at the ready. Yet, as the ritual reached its climax, a distant, primal scream—answered by Tarzan—halted the proceedings. Sheeta, having momentarily fled, returned in a whirlwind of fury, standing protectively beside Tarzan. The sight of the fearsome panther alongside the bound Tarzan struck a moment of terror in the hearts of all present, pausing the dance of death in its tracks.