I don't know how long I lay there in the darkness. The pain was bad, my shoulder the worst of it, but the expectation of what was to come was almost worse. The colonel was a real bastard.
Blinking in the almost total darkness, I raised my gaze slightly, focusing on something floating down from the ceiling. With a frown, I watched the figure land lightly on the floor, turning a head covered in messy blonde hair towards me.
Hallucinations already. I was ahead of schedule.
"Scope," I murmured, closing my eyes again.
"Sights."
I opened my eyes again, blinking upwards. That wasn't Scope's voice.
The figure came closer, bending over me, and I saw oversized eyes.
"Archer?" I croaked in shock.
"Arrows," she replied, lifting me up to a sitting position.
I stared blankly at her.
"Sorry, I thought we were playing a word association game," she said with a wink.
"What are you doing here?" I hissed, suddenly alert.
She shushed me, glancing over towards the door. "Long story," she said.
"But how…"
"With a little help," she said, nodding upwards.
I turned, searching the ceiling. The opening was almost as dark as the rest of the room; it took me a while to spot it and even longer to recognise the face on the other side.
"Rocket?" I asked.
The ape showed me his teeth. "Quickly," he signed.
"We need to get going," Archer said at the same time.
I smiled vaguely at their synchronisation, then gasped in pain, cringing away as Archer touched my right shoulder.
"Sorry!" she whispered, crouching back down again and running her hands gently over my joint. She swore. "This is dislocated," she said.
"You don't say," I said through gritted teeth.
She swore again, but with a slight smile, then sighed. "Lie down, I'll try to pop it back in before we go."
"Have you done this before?" I asked, letting her guide me down onto my back.
"Once," she said. "Just relax."
"Oh sure, just relax. Nothing stressful going on here. Relax. Piece of cake."
"Alright," she shook her head at my sarcasm as she gently twisted my arm back.
A new stab of pain shot through me and I tensed instinctively. With a deep breath out, I did my best to relax again, staring up past Archer's messy hair as she moved my arm slowly around over my head.
"How are you here?" I asked again.
"You're not the only one who can be a stubborn git," she whispered back. "After you kicked me out I headed north for a while, then circled back around. Didn't take long for me to encounter the apes. I dropped your name, but that didn't seem to help. Told them where you were, and stuff and they went suddenly quiet."
I met her accusatory gaze.
"Jac," I whispered. "My real name is Jac."
"Pleased to meet you," she smiled. "I met your Caesar."
"He's not my Caesar," I objected. I had more questions to ask, but there was a sudden shifting in my shoulder. With a breathy groan, I rolled away from her, moving my arm down to cradle it across my chest. The pain had diminished almost immediately, and I could move again. With a few more deep breaths, I sat up.
"Thanks."
"Any time, but let's try not to have you need it again for a while. Let's get out of here."
I couldn't have agreed more. Archer helped me to my feet and led me over to underneath the hole in the ceiling. Cupping her hands together, she jerked her head up.
"I'll give you a boost."
Putting my foot in her hands, I looked up, to where Rocket was waiting. Hopping twice, I jumped up, reaching with my good arm. His long arms caught my wrist and lifted me up out of the hellish room.
There were three other apes on top of the building, hunched down to avoid being seen. I didn't recognise any of them well enough to know their names, but they reached out hands to touch me gently. Archer joined us seconds later, reclaiming her bow from the roof a few feet away. I eyed it cautiously, wondering if she would find the will to use it. It was at least quiet. The apes were armed with silent weapons as well, long spears held low to the ground.
Archer glanced around at us all, her eyes lingering on me, then scampering away to the edge of the roof. Rocket followed more slowly, and I fell in behind him. At the edge, Archer peered over, looking both ways along the ground. Beckoning us all sideways, she scampered along a few feet then turned around, swinging her legs off the roof. Wiggling her way to the edge, she hung by her fingers, then dropped silently out of sight.
With a grimace, I edged closer, peering down. I wasn't sure that I could do that in my current state. Luckily it was only a single-story building.
The other three apes followed Archer in quick succession, the drop easy work for them. Rocket nodded me closer and I obeyed, gritting my teeth in anticipation. Carefully, the need for urgency battling with my injuries, I swung my legs over the side of the building, wiggling backwards.
"It's okay, I've got you," Archer whispered from below. I rolled my eyes. I had more than a foot on her height. If I went down too close to her, she would catch me, she'd get squashed. Before I could go any further, a hand gripped my wrist. I looked up, shocked, and found Rocket gripping my left forearm. He gave me a nod, a gesture that made me blink, but I returned it. Trusting the majority of my weight to him, I rocked backwards, walking my feet slowly down the wall. He took the strain without a single sign of effort.
A new pair of hands steadied me on either side of my hips. "I've got you," Archer repeated from below.
I looked up, exchanged a quick nod with Rocket, and he let me drop. The impact shuddered through every bruise on me, and I staggered one step as my legs trembled but, true to her word, Archer didn't let me fall. Rocket was on the ground with us before I'd regained my balance, glancing up at the sky. I followed his gaze and saw a sky tinged pink. Dawn was coming.
"Let's go," I said hoarsely, eager to be away from this place. The colonel had said I would be moved every hour. How long ago had that been? How much time did we have before they found the room empty?
The others all nodded and Archer took off first, leading the way across the camp, darting from one building to the next for cover. I followed, forcing myself forwards at a limping jog. The apes kept close by us, no doubt relying on our superior night vision. It seemed only seconds later that we broke from the camp, scurried across several tense yards of open ground, and gained the cover of the trees.
We didn't stop there, hurrying on. We climbed up a ridge as the morning brightened, and when we got to the top, two of the apes broke away, bounding ahead, no longer hampered by my injuries. I glanced behind me, but every sign of the soldiers was hidden behind the trees.
We proceeded on at a slightly slower pace, though I did my best to use the length of my legs to counteract my limp. My right arm was tucked tightly into my chest, held in place by the grip of my other hand.
Archer and Rocket led the way, I followed along behind them, my head down as I navigated the undergrowth. The other ape took up the rear, watching our backs. We dropped down into a valley and climbed halfway up the other side before following the gradient sideways, skirting around the peak. Other the other side, a flatter track opened up, and we took it, our pace picking up now that I didn't have the slope to contend with.
After a few minutes of progress, Archer halted in front of me, Rocket stepping off to the side and coming to a stop as well. Surprised, I looked up, automatically scanning the trees for the uniforms that had become familiar to me. There was nothing. Then I listened.
Hoofbeats, approaching fast.
Four horses rounded the corner at a fast pace, the apes on their backs pulling them up at the sight of us blocking the path.
I took a step backwards at the speedy approach of the large animals, then one of the apes swung down to the ground and I rushed forwards.
Blue Eyes and I met in a messy hug, limbs going everywhere, and with several gasps of pain on my part. I didn't care. Over his shoulder, I watched Caesar dismount with slightly more restraint, though he came forwards almost as eagerly. I reached out my good arm to him and he joined our huddle.
It was several long seconds before we broke apart and I watched both sets of eyes, one green and gold, one bright blue, rove over my swollen face, my carefully held arm.
"You're hurt," Caesar growled. "Where?"
I gave a half-shrug. "Everywhere." I poked my own chest, right over my heart. "Except here." It was mostly true. Even as my body was full of pain, my heart was flying high with joy at seeing them again. There was only one small corner that was cold and heavy.
"Come home," Blue said.
I smiled. "Yes, please."
Both apes gave huffs of pleasure, turning away, but I caught Caesar's arm before he could walk away, stepping closer.
Across the side of his head, a long red wound stood out among the dark fur.
"What happened?" I asked, concern and anger warring for dominance.
He gave me a long look. "Red," he said, before turning away.
I was left with an overwhelming surge of shocked anger that froze my joints in place. It wasn't until Archer touched my arm that I broke free, striding after Caesar.
"When? What happened? Is anyone else hurt? Did he—"
Caesar turned back, cutting me off with a sharp sign. "Later," he said aloud. "Need to move."
I bit my tongue but nodded, sighing at the thought of the long journey still ahead, and wondering how much further it was to the apes' new home. Rocket and the other ape had already taken to the treetops, swinging away with alarming speed. It wasn't until a horse blocked the path right in front of me and I looked up to find Blue Eyes holding out an expectant hand to me that I considered the other mode of transportation available.
"Oh hell no."
"Faster," Blue Eyes pointed out.
"Nu-uh. I don't think so." I backed away, eyeing the large animal with trepidation.
"Jac."
The sound of my name, my real name, from Archer was shocking enough to make me turn.
"You've been limping the whole way here. You can barely walk, let alone anything faster. Get on the fucking horse."
I scowled at her, but she merely raised an eyebrow, already accepting a helping hand from another of the apes onto their horse. I turned my attention back to Blue's horse.
"If I fall off, I'm going to hold you personally responsible," I said sternly, looking the big animal right in the eye.
Blue gave a hoot-pant of amusement as I finally took his hand and let him pull me up onto the horse. It seemed like a long way up, or maybe a long way down. It wasn't comfortable, the position putting pressure on one of the sore spots on my thigh. Blue took my hands, guiding them to the mane of hair in front of me, and I gripped tightly, even with my injured arm. His arms were secure around me, and I almost felt ready until the animal began to move. Gritting my teeth, I stared straight ahead and tried to ignore the suspicion that I was going to slide off with every step.
.
.
Though infinitely preferable to the situation I'd left behind, the ride was not very enjoyable for me, but Archer seemed to take great amusement in my discomfort. I didn't fall off, though I put that down to sheer luck. Most of the journey was lost to me, as I was too focused on remaining relatively balanced and trying to stop the uncomfortable gait from jarring my shoulder and bruising my sore legs even more than they already were. It didn't help matters that my cheek was still swelling, and it was easier to let my left eye shut than try to keep it open. Once we slowed again, I was able to take in a little more of our surroundings and looked up in awe as we passed through a large tunnel on the edge of a cliff, a river pounding along at the bottom of the ravine. Emerging on the other side, I looked up, and couldn't help a smile spreading across my face.
Every familiar face, and others unknown to me, was there. The apes came to their feet as they realised that Caesar had returned, though many of their eyes were actually on me. I wondered briefly if they had forgotten me so quickly, or if the swelling on my face was severe enough for them to not recognise me. Even as Archer appeared by my side, reaching out to help me down, they didn't look away.
Getting down was harder than getting up had been, and I was glad of Archer's hands to steady my landing, as my muscles all seemed to have seized up during the ride. Though it didn't seem possible, several more seemed to be hurting, including ones I didn't even realise I had. Blue was quick to jump down as well, supporting me from the other side as I hobbled forwards. Now that I was here, away from the soldiers and off the horse, I was slowly relaxing, and exhaustion was creeping up on me. It had been at least 24 hours since I'd last slept and I was feeling every one of them.
Despite that, I was still curious to see the new place Caesar and his family had built, and that was enough to keep my head from drooping. It also allowed me to notice that every ape was still on their feet and watching me.
"They're all staring," I said as I limped forwards.
"They know," Caesar said, as we drew level with him, "what you've done for us. And we will not forget it."
I paused, the two helping me hesitating as well. "Did I help?" I asked him bluntly.
Caesar nodded.
"Then I'd do it again." Awkwardly and painfully, I extracted my arms from Archer and Blue, to make a simple sign in front of me. 'Family.'
Caesar's face crinkled affectionately and he reached out to touch my chin gently.
"Rest," he said.
I hummed in agreement, letting my two companions resume their positions, supporting my weight on either side. I no longer looked up at the watching apes, embarrassed by their gaze, but I felt their eyes on me all the way along the long path to a smaller tunnel into the grey stone, where I was met by a most welcome greeter.
The ball of dark fur practically launched itself out of the darkness with a shriek, and it was lucky that he caught himself on my neck, as I had no free hands to hold him.
"Munchkin?" I asked, shocked, as I raised my left arm to support him. The nuzzle into my neck was answer enough and I hugged the little ape tightly. "When did you get so big?" I asked in wonderment. He seemed twice as large as the last time I'd seen him and his face, when he pulled back, was far more mature, starting to resemble his father around his eyes.
"Missed you," I murmured.
'Missed you!' he signed back, almost instantly.
My heart swelled at his development, even as I raised my eyes to see his mother approaching, though far more sedately. Cornelia reached out, having the misfortune to choose to touch my injured shoulder as she reached us. I winced, and her face fell into concern at once.
"I'm fine," I said quickly. "Just tired."
She hummed and tapped her younger son on his back. He went to her with a reluctance that made me smile.
'Talk soon,' she signed, and I nodded before resuming my limping walk onwards. My feet were dragging now, my head hung low in the darkness.
"Nearly there," Archer murmured, and I merely sighed in response. Anything else seemed like too much effort.
Next thing I knew, I was being helped down onto a bed of some soft material. I squeezed Archer's and Blue's hands once more and saw them turn to talk to each other, then my eyes slid shut. I was finally safe, back with my family, and I slept.