Enjoy! :)

Ash wouldn't let up on Blue Eyes. He was irritated that the prince didn't speak to the human, or sign for that matter.

"Why did you just stare at her?" The gray chimp asked for the tenth time, hoping he'd finally get an answer out of his friend.

Blue Eyes shrugged. "I don't know. I just..." He paused thinking of the right words to sign. "Expected an ugly monster. Not her" The blue eyed teen actually found her to be cute… just a little bit. Of course, he didn't tell Ash that detail.

"Plus how does one interact with a human anyways?" He added.

Ash just rolled his eyes. "Bet you were scared of her."

"Was not!" Blue Eyes playfully shoved his best friend who shoved him back.

"Let's not forget how you didn't know what to do with the baby!" Rocket's son started laughing in the form of pant-hoots.

The King's son laughed along with him. "Let's not speak of that again."

"Sure, brother. Whatever you say." He gave the prince a devious grin. Ash wasn't going to let this go was he?

Koba and I were standing at the edge of the river, both of us with a spear in hand. The ape was at first hesitant about giving me a weapon, but I guess he figured he could easily overpower me even with one.

He didn't tell me what to do other than to watch him, so I did. I observed him scan the water, spear just above its surface. Then he would suddenly jab his weapon into the water, bringing it back to the surface with a fish wriggling at its tip.

After he caught about seven of them within a ten minute time frame, he looked to me and signed, "Your turn."

I decided to step into the water, up until it reached my knees. Koba hadn't done this so I hoped I wouldn't lose points with him.

The water was cold despite the weather being relatively warm. Even though only half my legs were in the water, I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering.

I realized I had to be as quiet and as still as I possibly could.

It worked because two minutes later I got a fish. That wasn't so hard.

I turned to Koba, a triumphant smile on my face as I showed him my catch. He only grunted and frowned before saying, "Catch more."

Well my luck seemed to run out with my first fish. I couldn't catch anymore for the life of me.

After a few more failed attempts, Koba said it was time to go. I felt defeated though I didn't show it.

The scarred bonobo didn't seem to be disappointed, it was like he expected me to do poorly. What a great teacher. I thought sarcastically.

He took the spear out of my hands and told me to collect the pile of fish. He would bring his horse, Mary, over. She was tied to a tree a few meters away.

I put them in a net-like bag, draping it over my shoulder. I didn't think eight fish could weigh this much.

Suddenly, I heard a branch snap. At first, I thought it was Koba approaching with the horse but then I realized the sound came from behind me. Not from my right where my ape teacher would be coming from.

I let out a shaky breath. I was being hunted.

By what, I didn't know. I hoped it was just my mind playing tricks on me, so I decided to turn around and see what it was.

As I was doing so something jumped out of the brush. I got slapped in the face with such force it knocked me to the ground, leaving me dazed.

I rolled onto my back just in time to see a cougar about to pounce on me. I immediately grabbed the bag of fish, putting it between me and the big cat.

It was the only thing keeping it from ripping my throat out.

I did the only thing I knew to do. I just hoped he'd come to my aid.

"KOBA! HELP ME!" I desperately called out.

Koba heard the desperate cry of the human. He quickly rode his horse to her, stopping a couple of meters away. The cougar on top of her didn't seem to care, or even notice the ape's presence as it kept up its assault on Nina, desperately trying to bite her throat.

Time seemed to slow. Koba got off of Mary, tightly clenching his spear in his right hand. He could easily kill the predator, but he was debating whether he should.

If he let it kill her, all his problems would be solved. Koba could just tell the others that she ran off and got herself killed. But then he thought of the two young bonobos who knew her as their mother, did he really want to take away their surrogate mother?

No he didn't. He may not remember much about his own mother, but he did remember her gentle, loving touch. He remembered her tickles. Who was he to take that away from a child?

That would be dishonorable, something a human would do.

Before he was even aware of it, his spear stabbed into the side of the cougar.

As suddenly as the attack began, it stopped. The animal's body went limp. I struggled to push it off me but luckily I managed. I looked at the spear, then at Koba.

Shakily, I signed, "Thank you, Koba." I was too out of breath to say those words.

My saviour only grunted, then proceeded to take the embedded spear out of the big cat.

He turned his attention back to me. "You are hurt."

I touched the cheek which the carnivore had hit and it stung. I winced at the pain, finally noticing the blood on me.

"It could've been worse." I replied, managing a weak smile. I saw the corners of Koba's mouth twitch, as if he was suppressing a smile of his own.

"Go back. Will be right behind you." He ordered, with a frown.

I slowly got up, feeling a bit dizzy. My arm hurt like hell and felt wet and warm.

I felt lightheaded as I practically stumbled in the direction of the Ape Village. Next thing I knew I was falling, I heard panicked hurts before I passed out. At least I think that's what I heard.

The human had fainted. Koba didn't know what to do. He still had the voice in his head telling him to leave her but for whatever reason he still couldn't let her die.

He called out for his people. He didn't want to risk injuring her more by taking her back himself.

It didn't take long for a few members of the Gorilla Guardians to arrive.

Among them was their leader, Luca. The gorilla looked at the dead cougar then at Nina, still passed out on the hard, rock covered ground. He put two and two together, then ordered his brother, Harambe, to carry the human to the Healers. Luca carried the cougar's body. A kill like this shouldn't be left behind.

Koba quickly got onto his horse, with the fish. He found himself actually worrying about the human's health. Will she survive? He wasn't sure.

He didn't think the bite on her arm had been bad enough to make her pass out. He guessed it was because humans were weaker than apes.

If she survived, she'd no doubt have scars. The most notable being the three claw marks on her right cheek. Scars mean strength. Koba thought, running his finger across one of his many scars. All of which were caused by humans like Nina. No not like Nina. He quickly shook that that away, scoffing at his brief moment of stupidity. All humans were the same. She was no exception.

Still he couldn't completely block out the logical part of him, telling him that he was wrong.

After all his horse was named after the first human he knew. One that showed him kindness and love before the cruel ones got ahold of him.

As he entered the village, he found himself following Harambe with the unconscious Nina to the Healing Center.

Blue Eyes and Ash watched as Harambe passed by them. Their eyes widened as they saw a bleeding Nina draped over the silverback's shoulder.

"Should tell Caesar." Ash said. Blue Eyes didn't need to be told twice.

He quickly climbed into his Home Tree. He quickly located his father grooming his mother on their bed.

"Father... Nina hurt." The Ape Prince said urgently.

"Where?" His father asked. His son pointed in the direction Harambe was heading to.

He anxiously followed his father to the healing center.

They entered, quickly finding Nina in the hands of Sparrow. A chimp who was a healer as well as one of Cornelia's midwives.

"What happened?" Caesar demanded. He didn't notice Koba standing behind the female chimp until the bonobo said, "Was attacked by cougar."

The King turned his attention to Sparrow, "Will she survive?"

"Yes. Most likely. Unless infection occurs." The healer signed professionally.

"Okay. Tell me when she wakes up." Caesar headed out, he needed to tell Cornelia that she'd have to keep the twins in their home until Nina was capable of caring for them again.

Blue Eyes didn't follow his father. Instead he just stared at the bleeding human, not quite understanding why he was so worried about someone he just met.

Sparrow told him that if he wasn't going to help he should go.

As he walked out, he felt like his legs were made of lead. He didn't really want to leave and it scared him. But he figured he needed to tell Ash what happened.

She will be okay. He reassured himself.

Or will she Blue? Anyways sorry about the shorter chapter. I wanted to end it on a dramatic note. Plus you guys get an update almost every two to three days. xD So I figured I could make it up to y'all.

So let me know what you think! Thanks for the support!