Hey guys! Loba here bringing you a new fic since I'm very stressed and writing fanfics helps relieve it. Plus I've been having this idea in my math notebook for a long time. I finally got around to posting it. So let me know what you think!

REFERENCE: "SIGN LANGUAGE"

"Speaking"

Thoughts

Enjoy!

Spring, April 2025

How long has it been since I've seen another person, human or ape? Two weeks, a month, or a year? No, it couldn't be more than a year. I think it's been two months.

I sighed.

How would I know? I haven't touched a calendar in years, well since I was six years old. I think I'm sixteen now but I feel so much older. My two children, Hope clutching my chest and Hunter riding the backpack on me, don't make me feel any younger. Mind you, I don't mean it in a bad way. I love my kids. They've given me a reason to live and a purpose in my life after everything.

However, the twins are not my biological children. They are bonobos. I am human. Their real mother was killed by my vulgar kind about a couple months ago. Well, the whole troop was killed. We were just at the wrong place at the right time. Apparently, two feuding human factions decided to have a war which the troop was caught in between. Just collateral damage to them.

The babies were only a week old when it happened…

I stopped walking, closing my eyes as if it'd stop the flashbacks of the event from playing in my head. Little Hope sensed my distress and she began hooting to me questioningly. I looked down into her emerald eyes and told her I was fine. She stared back at me thoughtfully. I smiled and started to rub her back soothingly.

I scanned my surroundings to figure out where I was. We'd been traveling for two months from Oregon. So we should be somewhere in California now. Judging by these huge trees, we must be in the Muir Woods.

I hoped the apes from the Golden Gate Bridge incident were still out here. I can't keep travelling. Hope and Hunter need a place to call home. I doubt the apes would accept me into their home. I'm fine with that as long as they take the twins with them. I'll die happy knowing they have a safe place to grow up.

I suddenly felt Hunter shift, then I didn't feel him at all. I turned around to find him standing upright, awed by the giant Redwood trees. I chuckled then said, "They're called Redwoods, love. They are the biggest trees on the planet."

The young bonobo let out panting laughter as he ran to one of the trees. He doesn't honestly think he's allowed to climb those?

"Hunter. No climbing, it's too dangerous. I'll let you climb them when you're older," I smirked. "And less clumsy."

He looked at me with tears in his eyes and pouted.

"Oh don't try to guilt trip me. This is for your own good." I said, trying to keep a straight face. His pouty face was just so hilariously adorable. Hope turned her head to stick her tongue out at her fussy brother.

He jumped on her, causing me to fall on my butt. They rolled off of me playfully wrestling with each other. I got up, taking off my aged, black hiking backpack to give my aching back a break.

Besides the kids scuffle, the forest is eerily quiet. It is spring so there should be birds chirpin at least, right?

I grabbed my water bottle and took a gulp. I offered some to the two but they didn't seem to hear me.

"Yo, want some water? I'm not asking a th-" I heard it. The sound of something big coming towards us. Please don't be a bear. I put on my backpack and urgently said, "Get back on me you two. Now."

They immediately obeyed. Hunter shrieked at something behind us.

It's a stampede of elk!

I immediately ran toward a fallen tree to hide behind, but unfortunately an elk came from my left side, knocking me to the ground.

Dazed, I quickly made sure Hope and Hunter were still on me. Hope was. Hunter wasn't.

I quickly called out his name. He hooted and I followed the sound. He was up a tree. Knowing he was safe, I told him to stay there as I ran to the log with Hope.

About fifteen minutes passed until the last of the herd disappeared into the forest's mist.

I emerged from my saving grace. I scanned the canopy and quickly found Hunter. He was in the process of climbing down his tree. We started walking towards each other but before we could reunite, a black mass landed in between us.

It stood up and I soon realized it was an ape... with a huge ass spear! To make matters worse, he did NOT look happy to see me. Quite disgusted actually.

I took a fearful step back from him. He only glared at me with his one green eye, the other gray with an ugly scar running down it. He bared his fangs at me and growled.

I gulped.

Hope hooted at him, reaching out her little hand as if to make friends with the scarred, balding bonobo. Said bonobo noticed the bundle in my arms and softened his features slightly. Though he still retained his obvious hatred towards me.

"CAESAR!" He suddenly shouted, causing me to jump and Hope to flinch at the loud, furious yell.

Soon after that name was said, a troop of apes appeared. It was a variety of bonobos, chimps and gorillas. Among them stood a strong, tall looking chimp with red and white paint on his chest and face. He looked like a leader. You must be Caesar.

The ape leader approached me with an unreadable expression on his face. He observed me for a few moments until he decided to turn around to silence his rowdy troop whom made a ruckus as soon as they laid eyes on me.

Scarface approached Caesar and began to sign, assuming I wouldn't understand. Little did he know…

"We should get rid of the human and bring the children to the Colony." Caesar shook his head disapprovingly.

"No, Koba. She is a child as well. It is wrong to hurt a child, human or ape." He scolded, receiving a glare from the bonobo. Caesar turned to me and asked, "Where did you come from?"

I decided to keep my ability to sign a secret. "From the North," I pointed in said direction. "I was with a group of apes. We lived in the forests miles from here since the outbreak." I spoke loudly enough for all the apes to hear. I wanted all of them to hear my testimony.

He raised his brow. "Where are apes now?" He already seemed to know the answer.

I sighed sadly. "Dead."

"YOU KILLED THEM!" Koba angrily accused. This caused an uproar among the troop to which Caesar silenced with a single raise of his hand. Damn.

Hunter suddenly jumped onto Koba's back, hitting his face a couple of times before he jumped onto me. The little ape gave Koba a death glare for yelling at me. That's my boy.

Koba looked stunned. Caesar merely smirked.

"Please. I mean no harm. All I want is a safe place to raise my children." I pleaded, looking into Caesar's eyes. "That's why I travelled here after what happened. I remember seeing your escape when I was a kid. I hoped you all made a home here and I'm glad it's true."

I hoped my plea would convince him.


Koba noticed the sympathetic expression on his leader's face. He did not like this one bit. He knew Caesar had a soft spot for humans, he just hoped his loyalty to apes was stronger than his love for those monsters.

Koba asked, "Why raising ape young in the first place?" The very thought of a human raising an ape child repulsed him.

"Because I owe their real mother." She answered simply, but the pain in her voice was palpable. Koba made eye contact with her, seeing the grief within them. He quickly looked away, obviously uncomfortable with seeing such raw emotions within a human. He didn't think they'd be capable of it. All he knew was the pain they could inflict.

"I am sorry." The Ape King consoled the human.

"Enough!" Koba yelled, irritated at the fact that Caesar could not see the monster standing in front of them. Even with my one eye, I see the truth. Why can't you?

He glared at his King. "Why feeling sorry for human? After all they did to apes, we should be making them sorry!"

"NO!" The enraged leader shouted, towering over Koba. He glared down at him, challenging Koba to speak out against him again. Koba immediately got on his knee, raising his palm up. Caesar swiped it after a couple seconds.

"Koba take apes home. Take food home." The scarred ape nodded and left with the troop. "Rocket. Luca. Stay."


I watched Koba lead the troop away. I wondered what my kind did to him to make him hate us so much. On second thought, I don't wanna know.

"What have you decided?" The gorilla asked.

"I do not know, Luca. I need more time to make a decision." Caesar signed back, shaking his head while rubbing the back of his neck. I felt bad about stressing him this much.

"We taking them to the village?" The gray, practically hairless chimp asked. You must be Rocket I presume.

"Yes." Caesar looked at me and asked my name.

"My name is Nina." I responded. He nodded, putting his hand on his chest, "Caesar." Yeah, I figured.

He gestured to his to companions. "Luca. Rocket."

"Hello." I awkwardly greet the two. The only grunt in response. I told them Hope and Hunter's names.

"Good names." Caesar smiled.

"Thank you." I smiled back.


Koba was furious. He could not believe Caesar's stupidity. Caesar! Of all apes!

He felt humility by their confrontation over the human's fate. Even more so when one of the babies decided to attack him. He didn't doubt the human had brainwashed the poor ape to attack other apes. He knew humans always attacked each other. Human kill ape and human. Ape not kill ape. Ape superior.

He told himself this everyday after killing Jacobs. He didn't understand why he felt a twinge of remorse for killing that worthless man. Koba logically knew he deserved to die, he deserved no mercy.

Now he was feeling pity for the newcomer- no not pity. Just something other than complete hate and disgust.

He was too caught in his thoughts to notice that he and his troop were already entering the Colony. Got here that quickly?

His honorable nephew Blue Eyes happily greeted him. Koba calmed down a bit and gave him a hug.

"How was the hunt?" The adolescent signed excitedly.

"It was good, Blue Eyes. Apes got many kills. More than enough to feed village" Koba proudly told him. Though we did find an evil.

"Will I be able to come on next hunt?" Blue Eyes asked, hopeful the answer was 'yes'.

"Maybe. I will try to convince your father."

"Thank you, Uncle Koba." And with that the young ape bounded off to go fishing with his best friend, Ash.

Koba turned his attention to an orangutan named Maurice who was teaching the young ones at the rock wall with the ape's three most sacred laws.

Ape not kill ape.

Apes. Together. Strong.

Knowledge is power.

Koba read them to himself as he waited for Maurice to finish his class. In all honesty, Koba didn't like reading and writing. It was too human to him, but if it made apes stronger then he was okay with it.

Finally, Maurice ended his class. The young ones excitedly ran off, some to go play, others to go home to their families.

Before Koba could approach him, Caesar, Rocket, and Luca returned.

Rocket and Luca immediately order the apes go to their homes until further notice. Koba felt like he was going to be sick. He knew why Caesar had ordered that.

He brought it here.

Lo' and behold as soon as the coast was clear, the human came into view with the babies holding on to her as if she was their mother. Disgusting.

Koba could only watch, his fists balled up in anger as Caesar led her to his home.

So there's my first DotPotA fic for ya. Let me know about spelling/gramatical errors and if any of the characters seem OOC.

Also I do not know when I will update this since I do not have an update schedule, but if it gets positive feedback I'll try to update ASAP.

Side note for those of you reading my Jurassic Park fic 'Rexy's Niece': I will be updating that fic as soon as school is over. I get out on June 19th. So expect an update around that time!

Have a nice day/night.