Cracking open both a milky and green golden eyes, Koba heaved out a tired breath as he was met with nothing but the silence of the Rodman's house; Caesar's supposed human home. While he laid there, Koba couldn't help himself as he tried to think on what and why Caesar was the way he was towards the humans. Was it because he was raised by good humans? But that couldn't be. There were no such things as good humans from what Koba himself understood. They were a species that wanted nothing more than to hurt and destroy apes. Heck, from what he could remember, humans wouldn't take the chance to hurt other humans as well. Such a selfish and monstrous species. How could Caesar ever hope to live alongside them… But then again, Caesar… His Caesar was raised by these humans… Humans who cared for him… Humans who loved him… Love. That was what the humans woman had told him. Love...
Growling, Koba suddenly shook the thought away and huffed. There were no such things as human love. They loved nothing more than to hurt each other for all Koba knew and he wasn't going to let them lie to him. Not here and not now. He was going to get out of this place and make his way back to Caesar and the others. Where he belonged.
Grunting quietly, Koba slowly eased himself onto his right elbow, leaving him panting and breathing deeply at the effort. His body so used to laying down on this thing, Koba hated how easily he tired out by merely just pushing himself off of the sofa. With several more hard breaths, Koba grunted once more and finally pushed himself into a sitting position. While he sat there, Koba closed his eyes momentarily to catch his breath and slowly looked behind him to see if he had alerted that dreadful human woman. Once it was clear that he was not noticed, Koba continued onward.
Easing his right leg over the edge, Koba let it drop onto the carpet that covered the hard wooden ground beneath. He grunted and flinched when his foot made contact with the surface of the carpet as it sent waves of pain up his right leg. Pausing momentarily to recover from the shock, Koba continued and shifted his left leg that was wrapped in the cast onto the ground as well and winced when it too fired up agony up from his leg. Heaving deeply, Koba's right hand was gripping the sofa cushin tightly before he pushed himself up off from the sofa into a standing position.
Righting himself momentarily, Koba held his arms out as his body wobbled before he was able to stand still. Letting out a triumphant wheeze, Koba looked down at himself, regarding his casted left arm and leg but didn't care. Soon he wouldn't even need the dreadful things anymore. Eyeing the doorway towards his right, Koba could see his freedom just out of arms reach and moved towards it.
Bad idea.
The moment Koba had taken a step forward, pain suddenly lanced up from the bottom of one of his leg straight up into his back, causing him to cry out and lose his footing. He suddenly came crashing down onto the carpeted wooden floor with a loud thud and cringed in on himself as his body cried all over in agony. Breathing haggardly, Koba had his eyes shut tight and even though they were closed he could make out sunspots within his vision as he laid there.
"Oh my god!" Koba had thought he had heard a voice but wasn't sure.
Before Koba knew it, he had felt soft hands touching all over him, and he had thought he heard soothing words from someone. He then remembered being helped up and someone asking him to lend them his strength. Next thing he knew he was being helped up and then finally was set back into the soft confines of that small couch. As he laid there, Koba cringed once more and cracked open an eye to see who had helped him. There to his right stood the human woman again, her shoulders rising and falling as she breathed deeply, looking down at him with worried eyes.
"I thought I told you to stay put!" the human woman chastised as she knelt down and reached out to touch at his wounds.
Koba blinked once before the human's words registered into his mind and he growled back at her.
"S-stupid human! Do not tell me what to do!" Koba huffed back as he made sluggish swipe at the human woman, causing her to take a step back away from him.
Upon doing this motion, made Koba see stars once more and he could help himself as he brought his right hand up towards his head and held it, groaning and growling all the while.
"Koba please. You're still not well enough to walk. You need time to heal-"
"Quiet!" Koba snapped, lifting his arm away from his face to glare up at the human woman. "I don't need your help! Stupid human woman is keeping me here! As prisoner!" he yelled at her.
At this the woman merely looked down at him with that glint in her eyes again. That look that others gave him when they had think that he did not notice them. The way they stare at his scars. The way their eyes were filled with sadness and full of pity. For him and he hated it.
While he still made eye contact with the human woman, Koba quickly glanced around him and took notice of the blanket that was on the ground. Picking it up and balling it, Koba immediately chucked the fabric at the woman with a grunt, causing her to flinch slightly at the sudden action.
"Leave me alone! Stupid human!" Koba huffed, glaring at the human woman.
Hearing a sigh, Koba watched as the human woman slowly bent down and picked up the balled up blanket, holding it close to her chest as she stared down at the ground.
"Okay… I'll… I'll get this cleaned," the woman said as she turned to leave but then stopped. "Please… No more getting up."
With that said the woman finally obeyed Koba's wishes and left him alone as she walked out of the room. Hearing the woman's footsteps disappearing in the distance, Koba couldn't help himself as he took one of the cushion pillows and flung it to the other side of the room in anger. Breathing haggardly he then brought his hand up onto his face and covered it, trying to control himself.
"Stupid human," Koba grounded out angrily as his mouth trembled and a tear slid down one side of his face.
...
A couple days have passed since their encounter at the San Bruno Primate Shelter. The group of six had spent most of their time traveling down south, only stopping to rest up and water their horses. Of course for the first few nights on the road both Rocket and Malcolm had kept watch while the youngsters slept soundlessly around their campfire.
Throughout their many traveling days the apes themselves would learn many a new things from the two humans and they, vice versa in the process. Information would be shared among the human and ape species. The humans would be taught hand speak, respectable gestures, how to make spears, twine and other craft of the ape trade. While the apes themselves were taught how to enunciate or speak properly, read maps, read the position of the sun and stars; learning of their names. They would also be taught the arts of the human world to which the younger apes seemed to have really enjoy.
However what seemed to have piqued the young apes the most were the stories that Malcolm had told them around the campfires. Having grown up in the forest and knowing of the stories from their elders only; Blue Eyes, Ash and Ray listened attentively to Malcolm as he informed them of what human life used to be like. A world that Blue Eyes, Ash and Ray would never had dreamed of.
The man would tell them of great machines that humans had built that would take them across vast distances on land and even allow them to travel along the seas and skies. He even told them of giant machines that would carry the humans up into the sky to dance among the stars. The man then informed the three young apes of great cities that were much much bigger than the one they have seen, much to their disbelief.
There was a certain point where Blue Eyes perked up when Malcolm had told them of different lands. Lands that were far away, much further from where they are now. That had deserts and vast forests, as far as the eyes can see.
"Forests? Big trees?" Blue Eyes interrupted, speaking and signing curiously at Malcolm whom had paused to look at him.
"Yes, large trees. Some even taller and bigger than the buildings from the city," Malcolm responded with a warm smile. "Heck, even bigger than the forest you guys live in now."
"Where?" Blue Eyes asked, wanting to know where exactly this forest is so that he could find it.
Malcolm paused, seeing the light within Blue Eyes' eyes before heaving out a tired breath.
"Very far away Blue Eyes. Most likely across the ocean… Maybe down south as well? I'm not very sure," Malcolm explained, noticing the young ape casting his eyes down towards the ground.
The man couldn't help but frown slightly when he noticed Blue Eyes' downtrodden mood. Malcolm couldn't help but feel for the young ape, having such a burden on his shoulders to locate a new home for the apes. He hoped that Blue Eyes and the others do succeed in their endeavors.
Malcolm had noticed that Ash and Ray had gone quiet as well, seeming to be affected by the young prince but he was not going to let this end on a sour note. So instead, Malcolm perked up and begun his stories anew, hopefully to change the mood for the young apes and fill their hearts with a little bit of hope. And this seemed to do the trick as he could see the beginning of ever so small smiles appearing on the younger ape's faces.
While listening to Malcolm's stories, Blue Eyes slowly turned his head towards the dark sea and imagined himself among trees that were bigger that city buildings. How would his family look? The other apes look? Swinging from branch to branch in forests that were much bigger than their own?
"No. Lie?" Ash's curious voice drew Blue Eyes back to the conversation before him.
"No lies," Malcolm answered back with a chuckle.
This had only prompted more questions from the younger apes but Malcolm had tried his best to answer them, laughing all the while, with Alexander chuckling from the side as he watched his father struggle slightly with the onslaught of questions from the young apes.
Just out of their small group though, Rocket sat on by and was listening in to what Malcolm was telling his son and the others. About the rise and fall of human civilization. Other lands that were out there. He couldn't help as he took in a deep breath and gazed longingly upon the dark ocean waves, thinking about these stories that Malcolm had told the children.
…
Hiding among the rooftops, Glade and a few other chimps eyed the humans below; watching them carefully as the soldiers were being lead by the people from the city. Glade didn't like this one bit. Caesar had forgiven these humans and in turn they used his moment of mercy to stab him in the back. How could they? Did they not want to live as much as the apes themselves? Why turn around and try to fight? It confused and baffled him but it is what it was now and they are here, trying to get rid of them.
Hearing a chuff towards his left, Glade eyed Khan, an older chimp who has a stern air about him and was leading their little troop. Towards Khan's left further hid Tola, his firstborn son. Tola is a chimp that is a few years older than Glade himself, who wears a animal tooth ear piercing and has icy blue eyes, very reminiscent of their very own prince himself. Although Tola is strong and great, his temperament and impulsive nature usually gets the better of him. And it oftentimes leads him into trouble with others. Glade himself had have some confrontations with the older chimp and sincerely wished he changed his ways, lest they be the downfall of him in the near future. And Glade did not wish that upon Tola, even if they sometimes did not see eye to eye.
To Glade's right sat Bryn, a passive, thoughtful and well-loved chimpanzee who is also another one of Khan's children, the middle brother. Bryn is about two summers older that Glade and if he could recall was going to be a father himself very soon. This thought alone couldn't help but make Glade smile and feel happy for Bryn.
Noticing Glade smile at him from his peripheral view, Bryn turned to look at the bonobo and gave him an odd look.
"Something the matter Glade?" Bryn questioned.
"Oh nothing. Glade just happy that Bryn will be a father very soon," Glade signed back, causing the other chimp to pant laugh and smile proudly. "How is Oaka?"
"Oaka is back with the females in the city, with my mother," Bryn informed, causing Glade to tilt his head in confusion.
"Oaka is with child. Should she not be in the forest of our home?" Glade asked.
"She didn't want to leave. Wanted to stay and help," Bryn gestured back with a sigh.
"So very much like our queen," Glade smiled. "Oaka will be a great mother to your child," Glade signed to Bryn, placing a hand upon his shoulder.
"And I get to be uncle!" another ape behind them exclaimed excitedly.
"Silence you fools!" Khan barked in a hushed voice before resorting to sign. "Stop chattering with each other and keep your eyes on the humans."
Giving an apologetic look towards Khan, Glade faced both Bryn and the other ape who had spoken out earlier.
The other chimp who had spoke is named Juno, Khan's final and youngest son. Juno is about Glade's age and he is a special chimp too. Unlike other apes, Juno was born with a deformity, a withered left arm to which he cradles it close towards his body protectively. However that did not stop Juno for being light hearted and becoming good friends with Glade himself. The reason being that these two had become friends was that, like Glade, he had found common ground with Juno as both apes were considered an oddity among the colony. Both being considered different and strange among other ape species. However Glade did not care for any of that stuff and welcomed Juno into his life as a great friend, a friend whom he could rely on, like Bryn and sometimes Tola.
"We should not talk so much. Or your father will yell at us again," Glade jokingly gestured to both Bryn and Juno to which the two brothers merely pant laughed silently in return.
As Glade and the others continued watching the humans converging below them, Tola got himself ready and pulled out one of the bigger human weapons. Seeing Tola shoulder the thing, Glade could vaguely recall what it was called. The human that had came to be with their king had called it something… Rocket launcher? If he could remember. He wasn't very well verse in these human names and their weapons. But he knew one thing. They were devastatingly dangerous and the apes will need that in what they were doing now.
The plan was simple enough. They were to gather some human supplies and lay them within a small heap by the streets. But underneath it all was filled with canisters of gasoline and other types of dangerous explosives. When the unwary humans got close enough they were to detonate the pile of things and hopefully take out as many of the soldiers and human traitors they could.
As Tola aimed the weapon and waited for the humans to converge on their little makeshift trap, Khan raised a hand for his eldest to take hold. When the humans became excited, dropping their guard and making they way towards the trap, Khan finally gave the okay and Tola fired the weapon.
The moment the rocket launcher was shot, Glade had heard one of the human soldier's calling for them all to fall back but it was much too late as the weapon hit its mark, causing the area to explode in waves of fire. The screams of death and dying things terrified Glade but he knew that it was necessary in order for them to live and if these violent humans had to pay the price… Then so be it. Standing up with the other three, Glade jumped over the rooftops and aided Khan and his two sons in shooting down at the humans soldiers.
The second plan for them was simple as well. They were to all stay spread out, stay under cover and fire down at the humans to make their own numbers seem larger than need be. To Glade's surprise though this tactic seemed to have been working as the soldiers all fired at the various buildings that they were at. Glade looked up as Khan fired down at the human soldiers and downed one of them with his weapon's bullets before the older ape leaped off into another building. Following in suit, Glade and the others mimicked the process as well, shooting, hiding and then leaping off to another building to repeat the process, over and over again.
While they had picked off many of the human soldiers, Glade looked back and saw their own reinforcements making their move as the humans were lead towards where they were. Suddenly all of the apes that were waiting upon the rooftops where the humans were corralled into, leaned over the rooftop sides and fired all of their weapons. Glade watched with horror along with Khan, Bryn and Tola as their enemies all fell, one after another.
Heaving silently, Glade turned to look at his companions and saw the faces they all wore. Khan had a stern look about him, seemingly only doing what was necessary to protect their kind. Tola had a strange glint in his piercing blue eyes, looking as if he was enjoying the view while both Bryn and Juno had solemn expressions upon their features. Glade couldn't help but share his feelings with both Bryn and Juno as well as he stared at they all watched the humans fall.
As soon as the firing had all but ceased, the next course of action was to strike the human soldiers at the beach while they were caught off guard. This was to ensure that the humans would be weakened further as well as attack the ship that had the big guns on them. All of the apes quickly rushed towards the beach and they all lead a preemptive charge upon the human soldiers.
To Glade the surprise attack looked like it was going successful as they quickly broke through the barriers that the human soldiers had built and were beginning to attack their compound. While providing covering fire from the rooftops, Glade watched as one of the humans aimed a weapon with a long barrel at the apes upon the beach and opened fire. To his horror, when the weapon sounded off, a few of the apes that were fighting the beach or leading the attack charge were nothing more but bits of pieces, covering the sands in black and red. This was followed by a series of loud rattlings and a wave of his brothers all suddenly fell into the sands, never to get up again.
"No…" Glade whispered with horror.
This was not something the apes could fight and he knew this; Khan and his sons who watched on with horror knew this. Before long they heard the distinct call from Caesar, somewhere off in the distance. The call of retreat. And Glade was thankful of his king for seeing that they could not continue to fight the humans like this. As quickly as they had come to overrun the beach, they all immediately drew back from it and made a hasty retreat towards their secluded hiding spot within the city.
...
Days had gone on by as Koba sat there alone on the sofa, with nothing but the windows to show him the outside world. It wasn't until Koba himself had heard gunfire in the distance, followed up by several loud booms that had even caused the windows to shutter at the noise, did he know that something was very wrong.
"Caesar," he breathed aloud.
He had sat up panting and had wanted to get out to see what was going on but the stupid human woman had came rushing in and prevented him from doing so.
"Must see what danger is out there!" Koba barked.
"No I can't! Please! You must understand!" the human woman had tried to explain.
"Quiet! Weak stupid human!" Koba yelled at the woman before the windows shook again at the loud booming noise in the distance once more.
After a brief pause, Koba swung his legs over and stood up, ignoring the pain with a grunt. Taking a step forward he immediately used the far side of one of the wall to brace himself as he took a moment to catch his breath. Panting heavily, he was just about to reach for the doorknob when the woman suddenly blocked his hand, standing in front of him with her arms spread out.
"I-I can't let you go," the woman huffed out.
"Move human," Koba warned lowly with a growl.
"N-no Koba."
"Human."
"No Koba! I won't! I won't let you go out there to hurt yoursel-"
The woman didn't even get to finish what she had wanted to say as Koba reached out, took a hold of the human's clothing and yanked her away, tossing her body behind him. Hearing a satisfactory loud yelp and thump as the human landed within the small room that he was just in, Koba reached out and opened the door and made his way outside. Faltering, Koba lost his footing yet again and landed hard near the wooden steps of the Rodman's household. Gasping, he glanced up as he could see smoke in the distance, followed by the cries of his brothers whom were all fighting. Staring on with horror, Koba tried to push himself back up onto his feet but for reasons unknown, his body wouldn't obey him.
"No!" Koba grounded out as he made another attempt to pull himself up, but only succeeded in straining his muscles. "Get up!" he shouted as he willed his body to move as more explosions and the cries of his brothers echoed in the distance, his body wincing with each explosion.
Growling and panting, Koba painfully stood back up and watched as the pillars of smoke rose from the distance. Taking one step forward, Koba lost his footing and was about to meet the ground again, that was until he felt someone grabbing a hold of him, supporting him. Looking to see who it was, Koba blinked in surprise as the human woman desperately held onto him, her face wet with tears, desperately staring into his. Panting, Koba turned his attention away from the woman and looked back up at the smoke, his vision slowly going blurry.
He couldn't help them, even if he wanted to.
With that realization, Koba lost his will and he slowly slumped down with the human woman assisting him, placing him near the wooden steps. Koba didn't even care that the human woman was helping him anymore, all he cared about was the lives of his apes, his family whom were now fighting for their lives and there was nothing he could do about it.
This was all his fault. His fault that the apes and his Caesar were now fighting for their lives against humans who had large weapons. Weapons big enough to cause explosions in the distance.
"Koba?"
Blinking, Koba slowly turned to face the human woman who was looking at him desperately before she offered him a small smile.
"It'll be okay Koba. Don't worry," the human woman reassured.
Koba however didn't answer but instead he blankly stared at her.
"Apes… Will all die… B-because of me..." Koba indicated at himself as the gunfire and explosions continued.
There was a silence between the both of them but then the human woman did something that surprised him. She reached out and placed her hand upon his cheek, lifting his face so that he was looking at her.
"Yes… Apes will die," the woman confirm, causing Koba to take in a sharp breath. "But… This… that over there. Is not your fault," the human said slowly, confusing Koba. "Malcolm told me. That the apes tried to promote peace, on the bridge. But they were attacked by humans from the city and by the humans soldiers. You understand? Even if you started this. This… All of it. It was inevitable. The human soldiers were going to come here anyways. It was only a matter of time," the woman continued to explain.
Koba pulled away slightly, trying to understand the woman's words but she then placed her hands into his own, taking a hold of them, causing him to glance into her olive colored eyes once more. He had wanted to pull away from her, tell her that she was wrong about him, that he cause all of this. But for reasons unknown to him, the human held firm and wouldn't let him pull away from her, her eyes holding a fierce determination behind them.
"But like apes have always done. They will fight. And they will live," the woman said slowly. "Just believe. Believe and hope."
While Koba sat there with the human woman he couldn't help but feel a bit relieved by her words. Words of comfort that were meant for him… Even though he's done so much wrong. She still wanted to help him. Comfort him. Why?
Meeting her olive colored gaze with his golden green one, Koba didn't know what to say to her, but he didn't need to. She was right, for however how long, the apes will persevere in their crises, now matter what they are. Even if he started this fight, it was going to happen eventually, one way or another and her words helped soothed something deep within him.
With another series of explosions from afar both Koba and the woman slowly turned their heads to look at the billowing smoke from afar, hoping that Caesar and the others were doing alright.
…
After their battle and making his way back to where their apes were at, located in a secluded spot in the city, Glade walked along with the rest of the soldier slowly. He lifted his head up and looked around, noticing that Khan and his sons had reunited with the rest of their family, his wife - Pauleen and Bryn's mate - Oaka. Seeing the family of apes all embrace each other lovingly caused Glade's heart to ache slightly.
Glade himself had no family of his own, and was raised among with many of the other orphans within the colony. He never knew what that special feeling of having a family was like, but he did know that he wanted something akin to it at least. Maybe one day? If he could find the perfect ape to call on his own as a mate. It would make him the most happiest ape in the colony.
While he stood there, lost in his thoughts, Glade was not prepared when something came running up to him and smashed into him, causing him to fall onto the hard ground. Grunting, Glade quickly got back up and looked to see his attacker charging at him again. Thinking fast, Glade jumped up and used the other ape as a springboard, hopped over the other, allowing the ape to crash into the metal vehicle behind them. Turning around, Glade stared with wide eyes as the other ape stood back up, huffing and puffing, looking slightly crazed and angry.
"W-what doing?" Glade panicked.
Without answering though the other ape charged in again and slammed right into Glade, knocking him back onto the pavement and started to rain heavy blows upon him. Glade didn't want to fight back and instead he quickly covered his face and side as he was struck over and over again. Before long, Glade finally kicked his opponent off of him and quickly scuttled away, turning to take a look at his attacker. To his surprise Glade could see another ape getting up quickly and baring his fangs at him. He knows this other chimpanzee from within the colony. His name is Thorn whom is a tad older than Glade himself and is an ape that usually kept to himself who usually hung out with others here and there. But it struck Glade odd though, as he knew that Thorn wasn't the type of ape to be going around looking for fights with others. So why now?
"What's going on here!" Glade heard Khan's voice bellowed around them.
Both Glade and Thorn lower their heads in submission when Khan stomped on over and glared at the both of them. Heavily breathing, Glade glanced around himself and noticed that during his little scuffle, there was a small circle that had now formed around him and Thorn. Khan glared at the both of them as he stood in between, to prevent any further fighting.
"What is the meaning of this Thorn," Khan gestured to the younger chimp.
"His. Fault!" Thorn growled angrily as he pointed at Glade.
"G-Glade's fault?" Glade repeated in an astonished voice, confused.
"My younger brother died today because of him!" Thorn gestured while baring his fangs.
Glade didn't understand and looked around at the other apes, only to find that they were just as confused as he was. Others he noticed seemed to have that dark look in their eyes again, like the previous days before.
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Khan gestured confusingly, trying to make sense of it all.
"Because he is Bonobo! He is like Koba! Did all this to us! Only want nothing for apes but war!" Thorn spat angrily, huffing and puffing all the while.
Upon hearing this accusation, Glade's eyes widened tremendously.
"N-no! Glade not like Koba!" Glade spoke out, desperately looking around towards at the others, gaining nothing but silence and weary looks from them. "B-Bonobos not like Koba. Glade and Bonobos only want peace. Like Cae-"
"Lies!" Thorn shouted over Glade's attempt to defend himself and his bonobo kin. "You all like Koba! Share Koba blood! Share his kind! Only want war! Only want to fight humans! Killed my little brother! Kill all apes!"
Upon hearing this accusation, Glade backed away from the other angry chimp a little and tried to meet the surrounding apes in the eyes, looking for support of any kind. He however was only met with scornful glares and many others turning their heads away from him, as if they were agreeing with what Thorn was saying about him and his kind.
Huffing to himself, Glade's shoulders dropped a little as no other ape voiced their support for him, defended him. Was this really how the other great apes see him? See his own kind? He knew that their ways were not accepted by quite a few but that doesn't mean that they were all warmongering, like Koba. Weren't they? Sniffing quietly, Glade lowered his gaze and drew his arms close in on him, lowering himself slightly from the accusations.
"Enough!" Khan growled as he took a step towards Thorn, causing the younger male to back off slightly and lower himself even more in submission at the older ape.
There was a loud series of noises which prompted everyone to look up. As the circle slowly parted, Maurice followed by both Percy and Clarence all slowly ambled in, the three orangutans turning their heads to and fro to see what was causing such a problem among them all.
"What is going on here?" Maurice signed slowly, turning to look at Khan and then at Glade who seemed a little troubled.
"There seemed to be a fight here," Khan gestured back simply before turning to look down at Thorn scornfully. "Thorn here accused Glade and his kind that they are like Koba."
Upon seeing this all three of the elder orangutans turned to look at Thorn whom kept his glare down low. Maurice frowned and looked at both Clarence and Percy before he ambled on over towards Glade and gently placed a hand upon his shoulder. This caused the younger bonobo to look up at him and Maurice offered Glade a warm gentle smile in return before he turned to look at Thorn.
"Is this true?" Maurice simply asked.
"Yes teacher," Thorn spoke up, keeping his eyes on Khan warily before lowering his head again. "Glade and bonobos are nothing but trouble. They are apes that only want war. Like Koba. In doing so they killed my little brother - Fern," Thorn signed angrily, sniffing all the while. "Glade and the other bonobos cannot be trusted."
"Even if Glade is a bonobo. Like Koba. He and his kind are not the cause of this," Clarence grumbled in his throat sack as he gestured towards everyone within the vicinity slowly.
"Thorn, you are not the only one to have lost family. Many apes have lost family. Look around," Percy signed slowly, making the young chimp look around him at the other down trodden faces of his brothers and peers.
"Even if it was Koba who started war with humans. It was not his doing. Remember, Caesar has informed us that Pope was the one who manipulated Koba into doing this. Does this mean that chimpanzees want war with humans too?" Maurice questioned the young Thorn whose eyes grew wide momentarily before shamefully turning his head away.
"We must not fight each other. Now, more than ever, we need each other's strength in order to fend off the humans soldiers," Percy signed, gaining a series of murmurs and grunts from the surrounding apes before he, Maurice and Clarence placed their closed fists together.
"The elders are right! We must not fight one another! The humans are out there! And if we fight each other now! Then we lose ourselves! Remember! Apes! Together! Strong!" Khan announced as he followed Maurice, Clarence and Percy's gesture by closing in his fists and putting them together. "And family is all!"
There was another wave of murmur before all of the ape warriors followed in the gesture, putting their closed fists together. After that, all of the apes soon separated, going off into various directions.
Thorn on the other hand was biting his bottom lip as he shot a glance at Glade whom was looking back at him with a pained look within his eyes, before looking away. Huffing quietly, Thorn apologetically glanced up at the three elder orangutans before he stopped in front of Glade, made eye contact with the bonobo once and then bounded off. Leaving Glade there with the elder apes.
Khan huffed as he watched Thorn take his leave and slowly walked on over towards both Maurice and Glade, standing next to the younger ape and placing a hand upon the bonobo's shoulder. Both Glade and Khan looked at one another in silence before the older of the two turned to look at Maurice.
"Where is Caesar, Maurice?" Khan asked.
"With the other warriors, formulating our next plan of action against the humans soldiers," Maurice responded slowly.
"I should go then," Khan signed back before taking one last glance at Glade before he too slowly bounded away to find Caesar.
Watching Khan go, both Percy and Clarence eyed one another before they both faced Maurice and informed him that they will go on to check the other apes. With Maurice nodding back, both of the orangutans slowly ambled away, leaving just him and Glade standing there.
"Is Glade… And other bonobos… Like Koba?" Glade asked, as he warily glanced up at Maurice whom was still standing in front of him.
Maurice looked down at the younger ape and slowly a gentle smile spread upon his lips.
"Glade is Glade. Bonobos are bonobos and Koba is Koba. All apes are different Glade. None alike and none the same. But all are important nonetheless," Maurice reassured.
"But Thorn said-"
"Do not listen to Thorn. He was just very mad because he just lost his little brother. He did not think before he speak. He was caught in his anger and was finding something to blame. Do not believe what he said about you and the Bonobos. Understand?" Maurice gestured.
Seeing what Maurice had informed him, brought a sense of relief within Glade as he huffed out wearily and stood up a little taller. He then noticed that the red haired orangutan had slowly looked past him, causing him to curiously glance behind as well. To his surprise he saw Winter looking curiously about as if he were searching for something. What was he looking for? Glade wonder to himself, that was until both he and Winter made eye contact. The white haired gorilla then hesitantly waved at him, to which Glade couldn't help himself by letting out a small fit of pant-laughter and waved back at the timid looking Winter. He then turned back around to face Maurice, seeing a warm smile upon the orangutan's lips.
"Not every apes think like that Glade. Be strong. For both yourself and others. Now go," Maurice signed down at the bonobo in front of him.
"Thank you Maurice," Glade thanked the older ape.
Maurice merely grumbled through his throat sac in response, a smile still upon his features as he watched Glade turn around and bound off to where Winter was. He watched with his beady green eyes as the two younger apes met and began to conversed with each other from afar. Glade signing enthusiastically, grinning all the while. Whereas Winter gestured back timidly with a hesitant smile upon his face. Satisfied that Glade was going to be alright for the time being, thanks to Winter's appearance, Maurice had then decided to venture towards their apes too and hopefully see how everyone else was doing.
…
Days had passed since the explosion had occured from afar and Koba was still bedridden for the most of it. During that time he was more and more exposed to the human woman as she changed his bandages and gave him food. Even though he was a bit more tolerant of her, Koba was still weary every time she touched at his bandaged wounds and would only eat when she was out of the room.
While he sat there with the human woman, Koba had glanced down at the coffee table and noticed the strange little book that belonged to the human boy. Curiously, Koba reached out and took it. Lifting it from the table and set it upon his lap. He didn't know what had drawn him towards this thing but it beats sitting there and simply staring out at the windows. With a grunt he opened the contents of the sketchbook. While he flipped through the pages, nothing of interest popped out to him. From what he saw there were just a lot of nonsensical drawings, depicting humans in a sorrowful state and humans fighting one another, highlighted by the red ink that were splattered throughout the pages.
Grunting through his nostrils, Koba himself wasn't surprised that humans would turn on each other. They were nothing more than animals to him and seeing this come into fruition by these drawings only reinforced his thoughts about them. However as he continued on there were other drawings as well. Drawing depicting smiling humans whom were laughing among each other. This made Koba frown as he continued to turn the page.
While flipping through the sketchbook, Koba abruptly stopped when he turned one of the pages and saw a sketch of an ape staring back at him. Mouth hung agape slightly, Koba was quite surprised to see the image of what looked like Caesar staring back at him. Huffing out in amusement, he fondly traced a finger down the side of the drawing's face, a small smile appearing upon his lips.
"Caesar…" Koba breathed quietly to himself, not noticing the that human woman was watching him all the while.
Looking away from the drawing and turning his golden green eye back towards the windows, Koba wondered to himself where his leader was at now, or even if he was still alive. For the past few days there had been an abrupt sounds of gunfire that echoed off in the distance but as fast as it would come, it would disappear again, as if it had never even happened. He desperately wished that he knew what was going on and with Maurice not returning for a long time now he couldn't help but worry.
With a grunting sigh, Koba turned his attention back to the drawing of Caesar before slowly turning the page to see more. When he saw the next drawing, Koba's whole body grew rigid. There staring back at him is the drawing of a angry looking ape with a nasty looking jagged scar running down one side of his face, right down the eye and top portion of the ape's frowning lips. No one needed to tell Koba who this ape was as he stared at the drawing. He knew it was a picture of him and the resemblance was uncanny. With a grunt, he tossed the sketchbook to the ground and glared off to the side. Of course the human boy would see him like that. Something akin to a deranged monster, nothing more and nothing less… Good.
So lost in his angry thoughts, Koba had forgotten that the human woman was still in the same room as him. It wasn't until he heard the sounds of shifting papers, did he finally round his head back to see the human woman standing there with the sketchbook in her hands. The woman then stared down at the page that Koba was looking at before she met his gaze once more.
"See drawing there? That is me. Evil ape," Koba sneered as he pointed at himself, baring his fangs.
The woman looked from the sketch within her hands back to Koba. With a sigh the woman turn the page and her face lit up, confusing the bonobo.
"Your wrong…" The human woman said slowly as she meet Koba's gaze before turning the sketchbook over and presenting it to him.
To Koba's surprise what the human showed him left him in a state of shock and confusion. There within the sketchpad was a drawing of what looked like several apes. Apes that were standing around one of their own whom was laying on a familiar looking sofa.
The woman took a step closer and offered Koba the sketchbook and he slowly took it from her, staring at the drawing.
"Wh-who?" Koba breathed, not believing what he was seeing.
"That's Caesar," the human woman pointed out the drawing of the sitting ape who was peering down at the other, "and that is you," she informed, pointing to the ape whom seemed to be sleeping on the sofa, being overlooked by the others.
He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He had thought that what he had heard from the other apes and Maurice were lies but this drawing told him all he needed to know. It depicted several apes that resembled Caesar, Rocket, Maurice and Luca all huddling around the sofa, looking down at him.
"Turn the page," the human woman spoke softly yet again, causing Koba to look up at her before doing so.
There he was met with yet another drawing of him, except this time the drawing did not have a scowl look upon it. Instead the ape in the drawing seemed to be lost in thought, staring off into the distance, looking almost serene.
"You're not a evil ape you know," the woman spoke up, causing Koba to look back up at her. "Just an ape. Who was hurt by humans."
"Human woman does not know Koba," Koba spat.
"You are right… I don't know who you are. But if you allow me. I can learn," the woman explained as she looked down at him again with those pitying olive colored eyes of hers. "If you allow me to at least. Maybe I can help you?"
Koba stared at the woman for a long time before he shifted slightly and turned his head away from her. For reasons unknown he felt like he could trust this human woman. Even when he berated her, threw things at her and did terrible things to her, she never once yelled back at him or hurt him. Instead she showed him something that he had thought was long gone from humans. A sense of compassion and the ability to care for him when no other humans would… Very much like his Mary a long time ago.
Mary…
"How about this. Let's start over okay?" The human woman perked up, causing Koba to turned back towards her. "My name is Ellie. What is your name?" Ellie greeted with a warm smile.
"Ko…" Koba tried to say but his heart was pounding within his chest and his body started to shake.
Why was he shaking? What was this feeling that had suddenly overtaken him? It was something that he hadn't felt in a long time. Fear. Not the fear of being hurt, he was used to that. No. but this fear was something else. A fear to allow something come close to him and it terrified him.
While he was struggling, Koba felt a soft hand upon his, causing him to come out of his stupor and see the human woman, Ellie was it? Smiling warmly at him.
"It's okay. You don't have to answer. I know this is hard," Ellie whispered.
Koba swallowed quietly and shook his head.
"Koba… I am... Koba," Koba finally answered to which Ellie beamed back at him and let out a small bit of heavenly laughter.
"Nice to meet you Koba," Ellie responded, a genuine twinkle shining within her eyes.
While Koba watched Ellie greeting him, he could feel a certain something lifting away from his shoulders. Something that was bearing down on him and it was because of her. Koba in turn couldn't help himself as a small smile slowly formed on his lips as well. He however quickly noticed that he was smiling at the human named Ellie and quickly turned his head away from her. He huffed quietly as he heard Ellie laughing a little behind him before she slowly stood back up and announced that she will bring him more food. With that Ellie left and Koba was left alone once more for the time being.
For now though, Koba just sat there and stared at the wall with conflicting emotions raging within him.
What should he do?
...
More days passed as the small group travelled and eventually among the roads started to spring up trees again. Even if they were not the same trees back home, lower, thicker and drier than what he was used to, Ray was just glad to be in the presence of them again. When Blue Eyes had asked him to have a look around, Ray himself was more than happy to climb the biggest tree he could find, making all the way to the top, feeling the welcome stretch in his arms and legs.
Once he was at the top, Ray couldn't see anything of much of interest, but one could hear more above the ground than on it. While peering over the horizon, he perked up at what he heard and saw before he raced back down to report his findings.
"Out that way," Ray gestured to the other three. "Humans. They sound funny."
"What do you mean?" Blue Eyes asked curiously.
At this Ray had to pause and placed a finger upon his chin as he looked up into the air to think on it, not sure what to tell his prince and new leader.
"A little like us orangutans, when we do the long call," Ray signed slowly back, causing Blue Eyes, Ash and Rocket to curiously look at each other. "But they also sound like birds. Maybe more like birds?" Ray explained as best he could.
"Humans that sound like birds?" Ash asked, scratching the top of his head as he tried to picture humans making the chirping noises like the winged creatures he often seen within their forest.
Blue Eyes grunted to himself, not satisfied with what Ray had told him but that was the best they were going to get out of the young orangutan. Turning to look at both Malcolm and Alexander, Blue Eyes heaved quietly before walking up to them.
"Ray says. He hears humans. That way," Blue Eyes pointed out, speaking and signing all the while.
"Other humans dad!" Alexander said excitedly.
"Hold on Alex," Malcolm calmed the teenager down before turning back to face the apes. "Did you all want to check them out?"
Blue Eyes pondered on that thought and turned to look at his uncle Rocket, before turning back to face Malcolm. After a few consulting with each other, it was decided that they would see who and what these humans were.
While on the ground Ray did not hear the humans but as they got close the strange sounds began to filter into the forest.
"Oh. I get it. I guess you all haven't heard anything like that before huh?" Alexander spoke up as he turned to look at Ray then Ash and Blue Eyes.
"What noise?" Ray said excitedly.
"They're singing," Malcolm answered. "It's a hymn."
"Singing?" Ash questioned.
"It's where you use your voice to make a type of sound, um…" Alex said before he paused momentarily before he started humming the same tune that the humans were making from afar.
At this both Ash and Ray stared at Alexander in wonder, captivated by the strange noise that he was producing from within his chest.
"Sound like the machine. At the gas station," Blue Eyes concluded after Alexander was done.
Ray remembered that, that old human ruin that had sparked to life after they helped fixed the dam. That was the first time they had all seen artificial light and had heard the strange sound that came from the place. Rhythmic drumming voices, but not voices talking. Now that he got a better understanding of what singing was, he found it weirdly beautiful.
They soon reached a ridge overlooking a small meadow surrounded by redwoods. From their vantage point they could all see a small group of humans that was gathered there, standing around a rectangular hole on the ground.
"What they doing?" Ash asked as he craned his neck to get a better look at what the humans were doing.
Ray watched as both Malcolm and Alexander shared a smile with each other. He knew that smiling conveyed happiness in humans, but these ones did not seem happy to him. More like a smile but was sad, which didn't make sense but that was what it was to him.
"They are burying someone. It's what us humans do when one of us dies. Some of us, anyway," Malcolm explained.
"Why?" Blue Eyes asked curiously, giving Malcolm his full attention.
"Depends on who you ask I suppose. It's complicated but it helps us move on" Malcolm answered.
"How? How it helps you move on?" Blue Eyes signed, his breath becoming shaky.
Malcolm and the others eyed Blue Eyes for a moment, seeing the hesitance within the young prince before the man took in a deep breath and turned to look at the group of humans in the distance. Malcolm kept quiet for a moment and could see Blue Eyes in the corner of his eyes, fidgeting before he finally turned and made eye contact with the sky eyed prince once more.
"I don't know. I guess… I guess it just makes us acknowledge that they are really gone. That you won't see that person or ape again, not for a long time. To some people at least. And if you don't believe that. Well-," Malcolm trailed off as he turned his attention on over to where Alexander was still watching.
Listening to Malcolm explain of what the humans did to their dead, Ray glanced back to where the humans were. He then couldn't help but think back of his own father. The older orangutan had looked so broken, so lonely when Ray had found him and had stayed with his father's body almost all that day, knowing that he would never get up again. Blinking with wet eyes, Ray found that it was very hard for him to forget sleeping next to his father when he was still alive. Reaching out to the older ape in his sleep with his father sleepily shifting and hand to take his in their tree nest.
Feeling a hand placed upon his shoulder, Ray slowly turned to look up at Alexander who was giving him a sad look. That was right, he had told the human teenager of what had happened to his father and Alex was trying to console him. He appreciated the gesture and quickly wiped at his eyes with the back of his arm.
Aside form the sad occasion, this singing that the humans were doing was quite nice and Ray could hear Alex humming along with them. Curiously Ray himself experimented with doing the same but the results were... Unsatisfactory but Alexander seemed to enjoy at his attempt though.
A little while after, the humans had stopped singing and a few of them began to fill the hole with the mound of dirt next to it. He was vaguely aware that Blue Eyes was still questioning Malcolm about the burial, getting more frustrated as he did so. Looking back, Ray had noticed that Blue Eyes was not quite as good as Caesar with the word-speaking, yet, and Malcolm was trying his best to understand a lot of the princes' hand-speak. Ray though, did not try to follow their conversation and imagined what it was like to be underground. Would it be terrible, not being able to move? Or would it be more like how one is held by their own mother? Safe and warm, embraced by her loving arms as she held on tightly and securely.
Once the last humans were gone from the spot, Ray turned around to see what the others within their own group were doing.
"You and Alex find home here?" Blue Eyes finally questioned after a while.
Malcolm heaved out a sigh and turned to look back at where the humans were previously.
"Maybe? Yeah. I think I recognize a few of them. They're decent people. They'll treat us well as long as we pull out weight," Malcolm informed, noticing Blue Eyes shoulders slump just ever so slightly. "But I made a promise to Ellie that Alex and I are going to help you guy through this journey to find a new home. It's the least I-, we can do to pay you guys back for all your help and for… Ruining your lives…" he finished.
Upon hearing this, both Ash and Ray's faces lit up, Alexander had a smile upon his lips while Blue Eyes had a relieved look upon him. Rocket on the other hand had a look of indifference to him but they all could tell that he was glad that Malcolm and Alex were deciding to stick around with them as well, even if he didn't show it on his face.
At this Ray couldn't help but feel that this was something important that did not come to an end but the start of something much more. He didn't know what it was yet but with the six of them heading towards the sunset, it felt like the start of a new beginning.
Alrighty! Lots and lots of characters introduced in this chapter. I recently watched gameplay for Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier and I was absolutely thrilled with it. The characters were pretty moving and since they are cannon to the movies, I think I'll introduce them here too.
Thing is, they were always going to be added in one way or another so I hope their introduction didn't break up the narrative too much.
(Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier Characters)
Khan - The stern leader of their little troop
Pauleen - Khan's mate (her name was not mentioned anywhere so I'm giving her a stand in name for now)
Tola - Khan's eldest son
Bryn - Khan's middle son
Juno - Khan's youngest son
Oaka - Bryn's mate
Clarence - One of the orangutan elders
(Characters from War for the Planet of the Apes that makes and appearance here)
Percy - One of the orangutan elders and was the orangutan who got the lashings and was shot in the movie...
(Original Characters in this section…)
Thorn - The chimpanzee who attacked Glade
Fern - Thorn's now deceased younger brother.