A/N:

Happy birthday ShadowJinxed22. Everyone please check out her own POTA story.

1

Orphaned

The young female ape carefully picked her way through the twisted metal at the base of the human's building. She knew there wasn't much time.

It did not take her long. She found his body, and bit back a feral scream of sheer grief. He lay broken and lifeless on the ground, his limbs tangled amongst twisted human wreckage, his side bloody.

"Father?" she whispered.

Mary reached out and touched Koba's throat then his cheek. He was gone, there was no response at all.

The young Ape girl flung herself across Koba's body and began to sob brokenly. She stayed there with him for as long as she could, then she heard the others. Someone had noticed she was missing, and they were coming for her.

It felt like she was leaving something vital in her being behind to leave him there, but the young female Ape ran, ran as if her life depended on it. She took herself as far away from the group as she could in this new strange human landscape.

Her Father had challenged Caesar, and now he was dead. Her possible future Mate was also dead, and by her Father's own hand. And young Mary, daughter of Koba, was terrified. She had never felt so alone.

From her hiding place, she could hear the long carrying call of Teacher, the old Orangutan, Maurice. The old darling was deliberately searching for her, and directing more than a few others to search for her as well. Mary knew he would find her eventually. But for now, she ignored his anxious summons. Even more than Caesar's potential wrath, which even Mary knew existed mostly in her imagination, she feared Maurice's kindness. She held good control of herself for now. Father had always taught her to control her emotions, to be strong no matter what, to never ever show weakness to anyone. But one kind word or gentle gesture from Maurice would do her in, completely.

You ... are ... not ... ape!

Those dreadful words still made her shiver. Caesar had proclaimed this of her Father. So Mary also assumed that this meant that she was no longer Ape, too. After all, she was Koba's daughter, by adoption if not by blood. But then, if she was no longer ape, what was she?

Apes together strong.

This was probably the one thing that Caesar and her Father had totally agreed upon. So, in Mary's shocked mind, not being ape made her weak, easy prey now.

Mary clenched her fists and gave vent to an involuntary low growl deep in her throat. Her hair bristled all over her body. No, she would not be weak. She would not be easy prey for anyone or anything! She would not cower here and wait for Caesar's judgment on her. Even worse, she could not return to him and the others to suffer their pity.

But before she could move to run again, a strong firm hand came out of the darkness. It grasped her shoulder, and Mary shrieked in terror. She did not care who the hand belonged to, did not stop to look back. Tearing out of the grip, the young female ran yet again.

The scream was so loud that it froze Rocket in place. For a few seconds, he stood staring numbly at his empty outstretched hand. He had not expected that reaction from Mary. Sweet little Mary, who he and many others hoped might be his daughter by mating someday.

The female's scream brought many others, including Maurice, on the run.

"What happened here?" Maurice signed to Rocket. "Where is she?"

The older chimp shook his head, looking surprised and bewildered and even a little hurt.

"She-she ran away," Rocket signed. "She didn't even look at me. Just screamed and ran away, Maurice."

The old Orangutan put a comforting hand on Rocket's shoulder. Maurice heaved a heavy sigh. Poor child, he thought kindly. She must be utterly terrified by now.

"I should never have allowed her to watch what happened between her Father and Caesar," Maurice signed sadly to Rocket and the others around him.

"I'll go get her."

Blue Eyes had joined the little group. He cast a quick sad look at Rocket, then turned his attention back to Maurice.

Maurice looked uncertain.

"Father says it's okay," Blue Eyes signed. "Maybe she won't be so scared if it's just me."

"You have a good point," Maurice agreed reluctantly. "Be careful, and call if you need help."

"Yes Uncle."

As Blue Eyes disappeared in to the distance, Maurice hoped they hadn't just lost yet another child. They had already lost far too much today..

She did not expect that he would be the one to come after her, not Caesar's son. It turned in to a real chase. Blue Eyes found Mary easily enough, but was literally forced to chase and corner her in one of the human buildings. The young male Ape knew better than to try and physically restrain Mary, however. Mary had a gentle nature, but Koba had taught his only child to fight well when necessary. Most males in her generation had felt her wrath at one time or another for teasing her. Though she was small for her age and usually sweet and quiet, she could be almost as tough and strong as a male when pushed. Blue Eyes did not need anyone to tell him that Mary was far beyond just pushed right now.

"Just go away, Blue Eyes!" Mary growled out loud furiously. She always spoke out loud more than signed.

"Why are you mad at me?" Caesar's son signed calmly.

Mary growled in frustration.

"Go away!" she spoke angrily again."You are not our Leader yet so don't tell me what to do, Blue Eyes. Go back to Caesar and leave me alone!"

"I didn't tell you what to do. But why are you mad at me?" Blue Eyes repeated the signing stubbornly.

"Why do you keep asking?" Mary wanted to know.

"Because you haven't answered yet," Blue Eyes signed, his face deadly serious. In that moment, Looking at him, Mary could see so much of his Father in him.

"I'm not mad at you, Blue eyes. I'm mad at … Oh, never mind! Just go away," Mary spoke wearily.

Instead of complying, Blue Eyes seated himself directly in front of her, effectively denying her request He also effectively blocked her way out in that one simple gesture.

"You scared poor Rocket half to death," Blue Eyes signed solemnly.

"What? Rocket? Where?"

"He found you first."

"Oh, that was Rocket?"

Her eyes filled with tears. Mary bowed her head shamefully, but fearing to take her eyes off Blue Eyes for too long, she looked up quickly.

"I-I didn't know," she signed, her hands trembling visibly and her throat now to choked up to speak. "I didn't look to see. Will you go tell Rocket I'm sorry."

"No, I won't. I think he would rather hear it from you," Blue Eyes signed to her.

"He really wants to know you're okay."

Mary stiffened and vehemently shook her head.

"Maurice is worried about you, too," Blue Eyes went on relentlessly.

Mary opened her mouth to proclaim that she did not care, but silently closed it again. Everyone knew how much she loved old Maurice. Saying she did not care, well, that would be a lie. Mary did not lie.

The two young apes sat in silence for a time. Then, Mary launched herself at Blue Eyes. She leaped in to the air above him, meaning to take him by surprise and go over his head and escape. But she did not leap quite fast or far enough. The Ape Prince also leaped, and caught the smaller female by her ankles, dragging her down. The two youngsters collapsed in a tangled heap on the floor.

Mary did not remember struggling furiously with Blue Eyes. She did not even remember screaming and beginning to hit him savagely. Her next clear memory was of the two of them seated on the hard cold human made floor. Blue Eyes arms were wrapped tightly around her, and she was sobbing brokenly against his newly scarred chest while he gently stroked the top of her head.