The Jungle Spirit. Winston meets Jaguar.

A shadow flitted in the night, over the roofs of the small village, on the edge of the mighty jungle. No one saw him or heard him, everyone was asleep. He searched for a few minutes, then he saw the house. He jumped onto the roof, climbed down and carefully opened the window. Then he climbed in. The room was dark, but he saw well, his eyes fell on a small bed against the wall.

A small bundle moved in the bed, he crept over and looked at the little something in the crib. The baby woke up and looked at him with big brown eyes. Actually, it should cry out, as they all did when they saw him. But this little something smiled at him and gave a happy squeak. He slowly offered his claw to the baby and the baby reached for his finger with a tiny hand.

A few months ago, he found a crashed boat by the river. Only the baby was still alive, and just like now, it just smiled at him. It was probably the first person to ever smile at him. Carefully, he took the bundle and placed it at the threshold of the door.

When the baby let go of his finger and closed his eyes, he climbed out of the window, back up onto the roof and disappeared again into the darkness of the jungle.

...

Years later:

Jaguar was a mutant full of secrets, Tracer knew. When she investigated his house, or rather their new house together, she found out that the greenhouse in the garden was a gym that was like a very detailed reproduction of the jungle. Including a rock climbing wall, ventilation, trees, climate, a pond and even some tropical birds.

Lena had just finished some pull-ups on a tree. They had to admit that the methods Jaguar had been training with since childhood were very strenuous. Otherwise she felt fitter than ever and she saved the money for the gym.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Strange! Jonas wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow!" she thought to herself.

"Lena, it's me. Are you in there?" she heard a familiar voice.

"Winston? Come in."

The gorilla cautiously opened the door and stepped into the house, looking around in amazement.

"Wow. Interesting. That reminds me of the first time I met Jonas."

Lena stopped and turned to him.

" What's that?"

"Oh, didn't I ever tell you? I met Jonas back in the Amazon jungle. That should be fifteen or sixteen years ago now."

"TELL ME!" squeaked Lena.

Winston leaned against a tree and began to tell the story:

......

It was warm, humid and muggy. You would think that Winston wouldn't mind this kind of climate, but since the gorilla spent almost all his time in the lab, this environment was quite unfamiliar to him.

Also on board the ship that took him through the Amazon were the biologist Doctor Vivan Kelly, her assistant Samira Diaz and the jungle guide Miguel.

The four had been called here because reports had been coming in for several years that several people had allegedly been attacked and injured by a presumably still unknown species of animal.

Miguel began to report. "A few weeks ago we sent a scout into the jungle, he came back the next day and was just a whimpering heap of misery, he didn't even know his own name. The weird thing was, he had strange claw marks on his chest."

"Was he attacked by an animal?" asked Samira.

"I don't know any animal that has claws like that.... And I know every wild animal on this continent."

"Very good premise." said Vivan Kelly sarcastically. "But back to our actual mission. The victims, do they have anything in common?"

"Yes." Answered Miguel. "Most were poachers and all those who were attacked were armed. While all those who were unarmed were spared."

"Are you saying the attacker, is some kind of guard?" asked Samira in a Hispanic accent.

"In a way, yes." The others looked at him in confusion.

"Have they really not given you any more information? Also good. Strange things have been happening in this area of the jungle for a few years now. Not only the attacks, the animals are behaving unusually."

"What do you mean?" wanted Winston to know.

"More fearful and cautious. My opinion is this: something that doesn't belong there has taken up residence and is now affecting the ecosystem. I suspect an alpha predator. Someone used to being on top and now testing its limits."

"Is that all you found out?" asked Dr Kelly. "I have a feeling they're hiding something from us."

"All right." Said Miguel a little apprehensively. "The natives say it's a restless spirit guarding the jungle."

"You're not serious, are you?" said Kelly.

"Yes I am, they already have a name for him, they call him...Jaguar."

"After the predator cat?" asked Winston.

"Not quite, in their language it means 'the hunter who kills with one strike'."

"I don't believe in the supernatural either." said Dr Kelly . "The way you explain it, I'm guessing a young predator, probably developing maturity and acting very aggressively right now as a result."

"So a very angry teenager." said Samira.

"A teenager who has injured over 20 people and maybe killed a few," said Miguel.

........

The inhabitants of the village near which the attacks happened were not exactly willing to talk about the "evil spirit". One of the villagers said that due to the current drought, the hunter, also called the "Capybara Butcher", is now attacking the local cattle herds.

A badly injured bull was lying at the edge of a meadow. The bull had deep scratches on its flank and blood on one of its horns, which did not appear to be his. Dr Kelly took a sample of this.

One of the few who regularly enters the hunter's territory and has never been attacked was the local missionary. Reverend Jilka, a tall, stocky man, with a black beard and kind eyes.

The priest tried to avoid their questions. He was hiding something from them.

Then suddenly the door opened and a woman with a baby in her arms came rushing in.

"Jaguar is not a monster!" she shouted, picking up the child. "Three months ago, someone left this child outside this door. I know it was him."

Their conversation was rudely interrupted by some gunshots. A soldier ran through the street with a liquor bottle in his left hand and a pistol in the other, shooting into the air. As he did so, he kept shouting unintelligible words.

"Is that one of Col. Fraser's soldiers?" asked Dr. Kelly. Col. Fraser, was the person in charge of this mission. A tall man with a bald head and a grey moustache.

"And these people, are supposed to protect us? Well, good luck," said Samira dryly.

In the evening, Dr Kelly called everyone in, she had analysed the blood sample.

"Well, the blood is 95% human, but the remaining 5% is...something else. I can't say exactly what. But I found a special gene that's only found in the feline predator."

"God, this whole thing is getting more and more confusing." Samira whined. "Tomorrow we are supposed to make our first advance into the jungle."

The next morning, making their way through the jungle, they were divided into several groups and accompanied by soldiers. When the shrill sound of a communicator interrupted the silence. On the monitor, the face of a young soldier with a bandana appeared.

"We have something," the soldier said, pointing the camera at something in the trees. A black figure sat on a branch and stretched out its arms to reach some fruit.

Without warning, the drunken soldier from yesterday raised his rifle and shot at the figure. The figure gave a startled, pained and animalistic roar and fell down.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" shouted one of his companions. "We should capture the creature alive."

"Never mind." said the drunken soldier, taking a few steps forward. "Hey I just shot a demon. Where's my medal?"

Out of nowhere, a shadow darted through the forest, all the soldier saw was a black something and he felt another sharp pain on his neck. Then a brutal force yanked him off his feet and dragged him into the bushes.

"SHIT! what the hell was that!" they all screamed.

"Get here quick, we really need medical help!" the young soldier shouted into his communicator.

10 minutes later they arrived and Dr Kelly was bending over the body of the bloodied soldier.

"We are too late. He's dead. It appears he bled to death from this neck wound." She examined the wound more closely. "...My God. What creature has teeth like that?"

"El Demonio." said Miguel, his face pale.

Winston and a few soldiers, examined the area around the attack. The others, had already gone back to camp.

"We found him." he heard one of the soldiers speak into a communicator. He turned and looked at the soldiers, confused.

On the other side, a voice rang out. "Good, no witnesses."

"Understood. Colonel."

"What? What are you..." That was as far as he got, as a stun dart hit him in the arm. He went down and couldn't move.

"Leave him lying there. The animals will do the rest. We'll just say the creature, attacked us again."

He heard the soldiers' footsteps moving away, but everything became blurred before his eyes, he could still see something bending over him, then everything went black.

....

Winston awoke with a pounding headache, when he tried to move he realised he was chained to a stone wall. He looked around and was in a large, somewhat dilapidated room. Which looked like an entrance hall. Nature had already begun to reclaim the place. Climbing plants were on the walls and branches were already poking through the stone on the ceiling.

He tried to tear himself away, but he was still far too exhausted from the stupor.

A growl caught his attention. He looked up and looked directly into two green, glowing eyes. A figure moved in the dark, between the branches on the ceiling. Then it jumped down.

In front of Winston stood, a boy. About 12 or 13 years old. The boy was pale and wore a long black coat that was far too big for him. Which was a very strange image, admittedly.

The boy had claws instead of fingernails. And silver, long, pointed canine teeth. (Why am I still writing this down? I know what my captain looks like.)

This was the person they were looking for, Winston knew immediately.

"Um... Hello, I'm Winston." he spoke cautiously.

The boy looked at him in confusion. Yes, a talking gorilla is always a bit strange.

After the confusion was over, the boy went to a corner of the room and took something from an old table. When he turned around, Winston saw that it was a knife. The boy put a stone on the table and sat down on a chair. Then he sharpened the knife over it again and again.

"A knife to cut meat?" thought Winston. "But isn't a....wait a minute! He doesn't want to, does he?"

Yes he did. The drought had withered almost all the edible plants and most of the animals had fled. And he was very hungry.

.....

"WAIT! He wanted what?" Tracer interrupted him. "He really tried to....Also really. When he comes home. He's in for some trouble."

"Lena, please. You really can't blame him for that. You should have seen him, he was half starved and I'm sure he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't so desperate."

"Hmm, all right. I'll leave it at that and besides he didn't....well you know. Go on please!"

.......

Winston, had to get out of this situation. But how? He was still weakened by the anaesthetic, and besides, he couldn't fight a boy who was only acting out of hunger and desperation.

No, there was only one way: logical arguments.

"So, the people say you are a demon."

For a moment, the boy paused in his doing. But then the knife began to sharpen even faster and more energetically.

"Why did I say that? Now he's angry." thought Winston.

"But you saved the child."

The boy stopped and looked at the knife.

"Is...it all right?" the boy asked in a rough, metallic voice, as if he rarely spoke.

Winston just nodded. Honestly, he hadn't expected the boy to be able to speak.

"Listen, I know you're hungry. But surely you want the soldiers who are chasing you to get out of here?"

The boy did not turn around, but still seemed to be thinking.

"And if you help us, I promise you that my team and I will share our supplies with you."

The boy turned, he raised the knife and threw it. The chain fell to the ground, Winston was free.

"All right. Something that smells like you probably won't taste good either. So I'll help you and you send the soldiers away."

Winston was about to go back and find his team, but the boy stopped him.

"No! It'll be dark soon. You won't survive the jungle at night."

Winston groaned, but he had to agree with the boy.

....

It was late at night, the boy was sleeping on a pile of animal pelts. Winston, however, could not close his eyes. With a torch, he explored the entrance hall and his eyes fell on the table.

Two books lay on it and from one, a piece of paper protruded, he pulled it out and looked at it in the light of the lamp.

It was a newspaper article with a photo, and judging by the date, it must be almost 13 years old.

In the photo was a beautiful, young woman with long black hair and deep green eyes. Winston read the article silently to himself.

"Victoria "Irene" Blackwood. King's Row University athletics star, missing without a trace for a year. The literature and physics student, with top grades and a multiple award-winning athlete. Because of her love for the literary character "Irene Adler", her friends always called her Irene. Suddenly disappeared from the university grounds and has not been seen since. The Brighton-born woman had no relatives, but her friends continue to search for her. Police are appealing for any help they can get and hope to find the young woman eventually."

Winston held up the photo and turned to the sleeping boys, the resemblance was clear. This was his mother.

......

The next morning, Winston woke up. The boy had disappeared, but he heard a rustling sound. Winston went down the corridor and found a garden with several fruit trees, which were by now very weak. The boy stood on a branch and put some small fruits in a bag made of animal skin. Then he jumped down and went to Winston.

"I've tried to keep the garden alive, but the drought has gone on far too long now."

Winston bit into one of the fruits, it was sour, but at least it wasn't a banana. He wished he had some peanut butter.

Later that morning, Winston and the boy made their way through the jungle, the boy rather jumping from tree to tree.

"Why are you walking on the ground? You'd be faster on the trees."

"No, I prefer to walk."

"A monkey that can't climb." the boy chuckled. Winston was offended.

"I can. I'm just....a bit out of practice....well, I'm coming up. "

Uncertain and cautious at first, later a little more easily and then like a real monkey, Winston swung from branch to branch.

" Fun, isn't it?" asked the boy.

"Yes. I forgot how much I loved it when I was young."

A metallic rattle, keep through the trees.

.....

Dr Kelly, Samira and Miguel were locked in a cage by the remaining soldiers and left to die as witnesses. Miguel kept banging his metal cup against the cage bars.

" Stop it already! It's annoying and besides, no one hears us here anyway!" shouted Samira.

"All the commotion and the dead. Just because Col. Fraser heard about a mutant who supposedly escaped from a lab six years ago." said Dr. Kelly.

"That's why the priest, all this time has been telling stories about a guardian of the jungle. To keep people away from his turf and thus protect them as well as the mutant," Miguel combined.

"Very noble. But that doesn't help us now," groaned Samira.

Then Winston stepped into the bushes, his expression brightening at the sight of his team.

"Winston, we thought the mutant had eaten you for breakfast." Miguel laughed.

"Well...it's a long story. But first, we need to get you out of here."

"We?" asked Samira.

"Hello."

"AHHHH!" everyone screamed. "Dios Mio!" cried Miguel. As the boy hung upside down on the bars.

"Why, does everyone always react like this when they see me?"

After the two broke open the cage, the team gave the boy half of their supplies, as agreed. He immediately devoured the dried meat. After some initial reluctance, he let himself be examined by Dr. Kelly, who examined him with fascination and took a lot of notes.

Afterwards, the boy disappeared again into the dense jungle, while the others made their way back to the harbour.

But first they had some questions for the priest. In the afternoon, they met with him.

"Well done, you have crossed Jonas' territory without a bite."

"Jonas? Is that his name?" asked Winston.

"Yes. A few years ago, I met him for the first time. I was lost in the jungle and he found me and brought me back. And I taught him to read and write."

"Why is he living hidden in the jungle and not with you in the village?" asked Samira.

"Well, the people here are very superstitious and well, a boy who looks like him certainly wouldn't be in the best company here. So we leave him alone and he leaves us alone. But every few weeks I check on him, just to see if everything is all right."

Then a young soldier with a headband came into the room.

The soldier admitted not knowing what the others in his team were going to do with them. He had not been told anything, as this was his first mission. His squad now set off into the jungle to capture the creature. For the Colonel had heard from informants that a group called Medusa, which once belonged to Talon, had created a human mutant in order to breed the perfect killer from it.

However, this creature escaped and the laboratory, with all the research and most of the scientists, burned to the ground. When the reports of the attacked poachers appeared, the colonel suspected who was responsible. Now he wants to capture the creature to turn it into a kind of super mercenary.

But the hunted turned the tables on the soldiers. One of his comrades was lured by him into a nest of Anacondas and another was thrown into a pit. Finally, he threw away his weapon and lay crouched on the ground. Thereupon, the creature had simply walked past him.

"That may not have been very brave, but it probably saved your life. What's your name anyway?" asked Samira.

"Elliot." replied the soldier.

"You have to go before it's too late!" The priest shouted.

"So he doesn't get caught?" asked Winston.

"About Jonas, I'm not worried, he knows the jungle like no other and is a true predator. He could walk 2 metres behind you and you wouldn't notice him. I just don't want more blood on his hands."

....

Col. Fraser was alone, the rest of his squad was dead or had fled. He ran through the jungle. Suddenly something jumped at him from behind, pulled him to the ground and stood on him with all fours.

Jonas lunged with his claw to strike. But then a shot struck,next to them. Winston and the others stepped through the thicket.

"Jonas, stop it! There's been enough killing already. We'll bring Fraser to justice in our own way."

Jonas paused in position and seemed to consider. Then he lowered his claw, placed it on the left side of the colonel's face and gave him five deep scratches. The soldier screamed in pain.

Jonas, however, jumped away and disappeared again into the dense undergrowth of the jungle as quickly and quietly as a ghost.

A few days later, Winston and the others stood on the deck of their ship, back from the jungle.

"There's one thing I don't understand," Samira said. "Why didn't the boy come with us?"

"Because he doesn't want to be locked up in a lab anymore. He wants to be free and I can understand that very well."

"Hey look!" exclaimed Dr Kelly.

On a cliff, above the sea sat a black figure.

Samira raised her hand and waved at him, Winston did the same, then Dr Kelly and also Miguel.

The figure slowly raised its hand and waved back.

.....

"Wow. Great story. So that's why you said at the time we should team up with the captain of the Scarlett Witch."

"Right. When I heard that a young mutant with claws and a black cloak was the leader of a pirate gang, I knew it could only be him. But where is Jonas anyway?"

"He's on Tomala's island. Jonas is at a meeting of the chiefs. He'll be back tomorrow. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Sure."