Author's Note: It's starting to get cold outside and I'm enjoying it. I like those times of year when it's not hot and yet not snowing yet. Fall is such a pretty season. Warning, I make up things about Apes nipples this chapter that may or may not be true. Anyway, hope you're enjoying this story and that you'll leave a review if you have the time!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Clara.
Blue Eyes had kept her eyes on her when they had reached the lake, noticing that look of wonder that graced her face when taking in the landscape. Like she had never been to a place like this before; he wondered a bit how humans would bathe if they hadn't been a lake like this? Then the girl stripped off some of her bindings (his father called them clothing), and he had to take notice just how creamy pale she was. How soft she looked. There were black and purple marks left on her body that he felt angry about just seeing. Like someone had broken perfection. This girl reminded him a glass statue he had seen in a human's home during the war. She was just missing the wings.
Then she was in the water about half way and he could see sharp peddles through the top half of her bindings. Females Apes chests would swell before giving birth and would stay that way for a while afterwards to feed her child. Were human's different or was she going to have a child? His heart pounded at that, there was no way she was as old as him; he could do that to someone so young? It had to be a human thing, for he couldn't accept that something like her having a mate so young and that mate leaving her with child and unprotected.
He put his spear down before he snapped the wood by accident; it just angered him to think those thoughts. He wouldn't need a weapon here anyway, not in the day light anyway. Predators gave the ape home wide birth, knowing it was dangerous and that the apes would protect their home no matter what. He let go of the thought that if human's had been able to realize that and left them alone there wouldn't have been a war. It hurt too much to even think that; so instead he distracted himself watching the human shiver in the water. Father had once told him the human's become cold a lot faster than apes, he hoped she wouldn't get sick from just bathing in the lake. He had no idea how to take care of a sick human.
He watched her smile at him and out stretch her hand towards him, like she wanted him, like she just wanted him around. Like she was pure and she trusted him to protect her even though she could see his scars where he had failed to even be able to protect herself. "Come and join me." Her voice was smooth and heavenly, and he was more than a little shocked to hear her speak to him. He hadn't heard her voice before this; hadn't heard a voice so pure and beautiful. His heart thumped at that very thought, what exactly was he feeling right now?
That uncomfortably loud thumping didn't stop him from going to her though, until they stood together in the cold lake water, hands now grasped together. This was strange and new to him, and he didn't like it yet at the same time he never wanted this to end. "You speak." Probably much better than me, didn't need to be added on, but was true all the same. Was it here out in the open like this that she didn't feel so afraid anymore? If that was the case, did that mean that she had been terrified all those days in that room? It wasn't exactly safe out in the town for her, especially since he didn't know how a lot of the apes would react. Father had informed him that there would always be ones who would want nothing more than to follow Koba's lead for the want for war.
"I'm sorry I never did before." Now the girl was apologizing like she was mad at her for it. He wished Ash was here, he had always been so much better at talking to females. It had always been like that, Ash did almost all of the talking for the two of them since they were just tiny babes together; and now he was gone and Blue Eye's had to figure out what to say by himself now. Terrifying.
Now there was silence as she let go of his hand and just stood there, looking at the water, the surroundings and the sky; anywhere but at him. She must be uncomfortable around him and too sweet to say it; the next thought hit him like he was taking a bear on by himself head-first, what he she was afraid he was going to hit her for it? She trembled in the water which he had thought it was because of the cold, and what if humans had a self-defence thing to get hot endanger so predator would think about mating instead of killing? That would explain her hard nipples and willingness to take his hand.
Blue Eye's felt his blood run cold. What if she thought that doing this was her only chance of survival? He wanted nothing more ten to retreat now and run away from her, but it was much too dangerous to leave her alone out here. He could practically see Ash signing at him to stop being a coward and stand his ground. "Wash, I'll wait girl." It came out gruffer and harsher then he meant it to be and the girl flinched away from him slightly. He waded back to the lake edge though and took his seat back again, slightly angry with himself for leaving his post in the first place.
He tried not to take notice of the fact that she relaxed when he got farther away and even seemingly let out a large breath when he sat back down. It was silent from then on while she washed herself and what he imagined would be called tense. Though, after the afternoon had passed and he watched the girl swim around and stretch in the water happily, he decided that everything that happened was worth it.
Especially when they were heading back and he watched her chew on her lip for the whole trip back. He had only really noticed after a few minutes of it because her lip was turning a lot redder then it had been. He'd been watching because if she broke skin he was going to intervene in some way; she was much too delicate and couldn't be do things to hurt herself on top of that. When he returned her to the hut she was staying in she paused and watched him when she was inside. Just before he left had had the pleasure of hearing her speak one more time, "My name is Clara."
