A Day in the Life of Jungle Jack

A Day in the Life of Jungle Jack
Jack's Morning
For as long as Jack can remember, he has been awakened by the cheerful chirping of one thousand and one birds surrounding him. He wipes the sleep from his eyes and gazes towards the sun, casting its golden rays. Jack reflects, "What a privilege it is to be a jungle dweller."
As Jack brushes his long hair aside, he hears Flashtail, his favorite squirrel, happily chattering in anticipation of the new day. Perched on a branch opposite Jack's favorite resting place in the Hardwood tree, Flashtail notes the ripening acorns of the nearby Oak trees, potential additions to his winter pantry hidden in a hollow of the tree.
A soft shuffling sound from a lower fork in the tree signals Jessie's awakening. Unlike Jack, she prefers to linger in her chosen abode, which receives sunlight later in the day.
Following the well-trodden path to the designated latrine fork, Jack, balancing carefully, contemplates the tasks for the day:
• Replenishing the water supply.
• Checking the bird traps for fresh meat.
• Examining fish traps for a dietary supplement.
• Scouring for ripe Dragon Fruit or Mangoes, which may have ripened due to the changing season.
Returning from the latrine, Jack retrieves the food storage basket from their tree burrow. He pulls out a Pawpaw, a Banana, and a few pieces of dried pheasant meat for their breakfast. Breaking the Pawpaw in half, Jack and Jessie sit on a thick horizontal branch, feet dangling high in the jungle canopy.
Flashtail rushes to claim his share, and the trio indulges in fresh fruit while sipping a mixture of wild honey and coconut milk.
Jack shares his plans with Jessie, reminding her to prepare the necessary ingredients for treating fresh bird meat, preserving fish, and making room in the pantry for newly harvested fruit.
Jack places pieces of Pawpaw skin, with some flesh on it, into his woven knapsack to use as bait in the bird traps. He checks for enough bark twine in the sack to repair some of the traps if needed.
Gently tapping Jessie on the shoulder, Jack descends from the canopy den for a dip in the pool below the waterfall before embarking on the planned activities for the day.
Jessie lingers on the flat branch, reflecting, "How lucky am I to have Jack around! He is always so eager to provide for our every need."
Late that Afternoon

Upon returning to his favorite spot on the big flat branch of the Harwood tree, Jack thinks, "This was a very successful day," experiencing a pleasant sense of satisfaction. The pheasant caught in the ground trap has been shredded, treated with herbs and rock salt, and hung on a thorn bush branch to dry. This will provide protein for Jack and Jessie for a while. The perch caught in the fish trap will serve as a well-deserved dinner. Although the mangoes still need to ripen, one or two of them can be sliced and mixed with wild honey for a salad to accompany the fresh fish.
Jack enjoyed preparing the pheasant and filleting the fish with Jessie, all while being curiously observed by Flashtail, who muses, "How do they manage to eat other living things? Humans are funny animals."
Jack's thoughts are interrupted pleasantly when Jessie, with wet hair, appears on the branch after a refreshing dip in the waterfall pool.
They relish a delicious dinner, watching the sun set behind the horizon, surrendering the jungle to the Nocturnals, the moon, and the starry sky. They cuddle before moving to their favorite sleeping hollows high above the forest floor.