Standing watch within the confines of the building, Winter nervously looked about at all the apes that were present there. A lot of their wounded were being attended to by the females while he and the rest of the gorillas stood guard by several entry points to the building. Heaving slightly, Winter had let his eyes wander towards his right and could see Ajax, standing tall several feet away from him, keeping a stoic lookout upon the apes. Huffing, quietly to himself, Winter wished that he himself could be as brave as Ajax sometimes. If he weren't such a coward then maybe…
While in the midst of his thoughts, Winter had froze up when he heard a strange sound that came from all directions. A strange whistling sound, something he had never heard before. As the noise got louder and louder, he and the rest of the other apes began to panic while looking around themselves. Suddenly, Winter had to reach up and cover his ears and couldn't help himself as he roared along with the other apes as a thundering sound boomed all around them.
Then something invisible and incredibly violent struck Winter in the head, chest, arms and legs, from every single direction. Sending him careening across from his spot and into a wall, before finally falling onto the hard ground with a thud. Lying there,winded, Winter slowly pulled himself up and looked about, trying to rid himself of his disorientated state. As he looked on, everything was blurry and the sound around him was muffled. He could feel heat, lots of it, and it burned at his throat everytime he took a breath.
Slowly his senses came back to him and Winter could now hear the frantic screams and cries of apes all around him. Following the wails and cries of alarm from the other apes, Winter made his way towards the entryway and stared out of it to see what had happened to have caused such a violent invisible storm.
Huffing, Winter peeked over the other apes in front of him and could see that they were all hooting and screeching as they pointed and looked across the street. Whatever the storm was, it had ripped the other building open, leaving streams of billowing black smoke that rose from the fire within it. Having lost his sense of touch and hearing during the explosion, Winter stumbled forward and leaned heavily on a wall for support, now since that the impact has passed through him. Shaking his head side to side, Winter felt like he was going to vomit out his innards. He had seen fire and smoke before, like he had seen it when their home was burned down but this? This was nothing like he's ever seen, experienced nor imagined, and it frightened him.
Still disoriented, Winter suddenly saw a flash of red and then something caught his arm, yanking him backwards, through the open door that he was standing in. He grunted as he watched with wide green eyes as burning objects had struck the spot where he was at, just mere moments earlier. Falling down onto the hard ground with a slump, Winter watched as other apes, mostly the females and healers with children, scrambling away from the burning debris. Looking about, Winter could see Ajax putting himself between a young chimp and the billowing smoke that was flowing towards them, like a dark burning stormcloud. Winter blinked as he saw Ajax stumble slightly when something fell and struck him on the backside but the older gorilla roared and kept the apes under his care moving.
Before long, Winter found himself engulfed in a sea of confused limbs from other apes, all trying to get away from the smoke and fire. When he had managed to finally free himself and had taken a step to the side, Winter huffed and turned to look around, surprised to see Red there. Was Red the one who had pulled him out of harm's way? The red haired gorilla had then coughed and sneezed as he wiped away at his dust covered face.
"What's going on?" Winter signed towards the other gorilla, fingers shaking in terror. "What happened?"
"It's the humans," Red signed back with a growl before glaring outside. "Some kind of weapon."
Red then held out a hand towards Winter who looked at it fearfully before meeting Red's acid colored eyes once more.
"Hurry! Help the females with the children," Red signed at Winter.
Winter huffed and looked all around him. Everything, the building that they had, had protected them, housed them were now all thrown into chaos; with everyone scrambling away, climbing up the walls to the balconies. Then Winter just realized that if whatever had struck the other building had hit here instead, they would all be dead. And it could still happen to that chilling fact in mind, Winter froze there on the spot.
"Come on!" Red barked this time at Winter, tugging on him but the white haired gorilla would not budge.
Winter couldn't move, wracked by fear; he rolled so that his face was against the wall, and began rocking back and forth, sobbing all the while.
However long he was like that, he didn't know, nor did he care as he cried in on himself at what all has been happened around him. Eventually though, someone slid down next to him and took his face into their hands.
"No! No!" Winter whimpered, trying to shake his head away from whomever it was that was trying to grab his attention.
Through his crying, a familiar voice slowly became louder, speaking softly, kindly, bringing him out of his fear.
"Winter!? Winter!? Open eyes! Please," the familiar voice said.
With a huff, Winter finally cracked one eye open and was met with a familiar looking face, who had a look of worry on it.
"G-glade?" Winter sniveled, finally opening his wet eyes wide, staring into Glade's bright green ones.
Upon hearing his name being said by Winter, Glade couldn't help but smile warmly at him before reaching down and wrapping his arms gently around the white haired gorilla's neck.
"It okay, Winter. Glade here. Winter safe now."
Upon hearing this, Winter immediately wrapped his arms around the smaller bonobo and wept into his shoulder, with Glade gently patting his back reassuringly. Just because he was a gorilla and is in the Gorilla Guard, everyone expects him to protect them. Even if he did though, what about gorillas like him? What happens when they need protecting? There was no one to look out for him except… Except Ajax and… Glade, who was hugging him now and cooing softly to calm him down. Winter himself had never really thought about it before as he held Glade close to him. Right here, right now among all the chaos. Glade holding onto him, cooing softly at him. Made him feel safe and happy.
Before long the two apes heard heavy footsteps approaching them. Turning to see who it was, both Glade and Winter were surprised to see Luca standing over them.
"You two! Stand up!" the older gorilla bellowed over the loud cries and screeches from the other apes.
Upon hearing Luca yell at them, Winter hesitated and almost turned back to face the safety of the wall again, but a firm grip from Glade's hand, held him there. The bonobo slowly stood up and pulled Winter along with him, to stand by his side.
As they both stood back up both Winter and Glade saw Caesar arriving with Maurice, both making their way through the sea of limbs. Hearing a grunt, Glade and Winter turned their attention back towards Luca who was looking at them.
"Protect the females, children and wounded," Luca ordered.
Luca watched as Glade huffed up at him and nodded whilst Winter shamefully turned his head away for a moment but upon seeing Glade, turned back to meet the older gorilla in the eyes. Reaching out, Luca placed a reassuring hand upon Winter's shoulder, before he nodded with a gruff, turned around to go assist the apes around them.
"Come Winter. We go help," Glade spoke up, tugging gently on Winter's hand, leading him away.
…
In the ensuing chaos after the explosion, Cornelia, Tinker and a few others had placed themselves at the very back end of the building that they were in, with her maidens forming a protective circle around her. Still distraught from the sudden blast, Cornelia cradled Cornelius close to her bosom as she looked around frantically to see if there were any other danger as apes all ran around them. While panting and looking for any signs of danger, Cornelia saw an ape approaching them, one with a shooting star birthmark on his chest, accompanied with golden green eyes. Letting out a small hoot, Cornelia bursted forward and threw herself upon her mate.
"Caesar. Oh Caesar," Cornelia huffed as she held onto her husband tightly, tears falling from her eyes.
"Oh Cornelia," Caesar breathed into the crook of his wife's neck as he held her hard, relief flowing through his tight body.
"Caesar. What happened? Where did the sun go?" Cornelia asked as she pulled back wiping away at her tears.
"Human weapon. It missed you. Hit the wrong building," Caesar answered back.
"Missed us?" Cornelia signed, turning to look out at the fire in the street before looking back at her mate. "What do you mean Caesar?"
Before Caesar could answer his mate's question, he suddenly felt a tug on his arm, something small. Glancing down, Caesar smiled happily as he watched his youngest son trying to push between both he and Cornelia. Reaching out, Caesar lifted his little Cornelius up and hugged him tightly into his chest. The little ape however merely laughed at his father, not having the care of the world at what just happened around him, just excited and happy to see him.
Once he had embraced his son, Caesar gave Cornelia his full attention once more, his face going grim.
"Humans were aiming apes. Don't know how but they were close," Caesar growled as he looked about.
"What. Do we. Do?" Cornelia asked, reaching out to accept their son as Caesar gave him back to her.
"We must leave here," Caesar answered simply.
"Yes. We should never. Have come here," Cornelia wheezed out, coughing a little to which Caesar quickly held onto her shoulders.
Once Cornelia's coughing fit had subsided, she slowly look up and met Caesar's golden-green eyes, his face sincere and apologetic.
"I… Thought I could protect you," started slowly before shaking his head. "I was wrong. You and the rest of females, healers and children. Will go back to the forest."
"Caesar, we should all go back," Cornelia gestured worriedly while shaking her head at him.
"It's not that easy Cornelia. The human soldiers. They will follow," Caesar warned. "Apes will have to run and keep running. Always trying to stay ahead of them. We cannot rebuild like this. We cannot raise our children like that."
Seeing Cornelia lower her face as a tear fell, Caesar reached out and wiped the stray tear away before he cup her cheek with his hand.
"You, the females, the children will go back into the forest with the others waiting there. Go with them and find a new place. A hidden place so that the humans will not discover you, the females, or our children. The rest of the warriors and wounded apes will stay here. Keep the human soldiers occupied until you and the rest of the apes in the forest have done that. Until your trail is cold and to which the soldiers can no longer follow." Caesar explained.
"What about you then?" Cornelia asked, her eyes becoming wet again.
"If we cannot beat them here, then we will join you," Caesar reassured, leaning in to put his face against hers, touching her gently before pulling away.
While his father pulled away from his mother, Cornelius had reached out for the older male, wanting to play with him.
"Later, son," Caesar breathed with a gentle smile upon his lips, reaching out to hold Cornelius' hand momentarily before looking back up at his wife. "We must hurry."
With that said, Cornelia quickly pulled Caesar into another strong hug, placing her face into the crook of his neck as he held onto her just as fiercely.
"Okay. But you. Must come back. To me," Cornelia breathed as she pulled back from her husband, meeting his eyes all the while.
Caesar stared at her for a long while before giving her a simple nod and turned around, leaving them. Cornelia sniffed quietly as she held onto their little son who protested and reached out for his father. Feeling a soft hand upon her arm, Cornelia turned to see Tinker sympathetically looking at her and immediately, Cornelia hugged her friend as tears began to fall from her eyes. Tinker meanwhile hooted softly in return, in hopes to soothe her.
Making his way through the crowd of frightened apes, Caesar finally made it outside. Looking around, Caesar spotted his friend with a few other gorillas; those being Red, Ajax, and Korso, all standing guard and looking at the flames that danced down the street.
Walking up to them, Caesar took Luca aside.
"That attack. It wasn't just coincidence. They somehow knew where they were. They could send another one of those things at anytime. I want the females and children out of here, now." Caesar signed to the big silverback.
"Then where should they all go, Caesar?" Luca gestured back.
"You and the rest of the gorilla guard take them to the water for now, but stay out of sight from the humans. When night falls and it is dark. Go to the bridge quietly and cross over to the forest. Hopefully you will all meet up with the rest of our apes. Find a place to hid, far from here. Do you understand?" Caesar explained with a huff.
"Am I to go with them too?" Luca questioned with a gruff.
Caesar looked into Luca's stern green eyes and knew that whatever he was going to say, Luca was just going to come back to his side. With a defeated sigh, he patted the silverback's shoulder.
"Get the females across the bridge. Escort them into the forest until you find the rest of the apes there. Then you return to me. We must move the warrior's camp as well to distract the human soldiers. We will move each day. Maybe more than once a day, several times," Caesar sighed tiredly.
Caesar then straightened his back, as did Luca and they both looked around themselves. Seeing the devastation that the human soldiers could produce.
"Until we know the females and children are safe… We must fight the humans here. Stop them from advancing and following our females. Our hope for a future. Then, we will go and join them later. Search for another home. A new home. And if we go far enough. Then the human soldiers will lose interest in us," Caesar said aloud, turning to look up at the sky, along with Luca.
Unbeknownst to Caesar and Luca, Red had approached a small distance between them and was curiously overhearing what their leader had to say. He could make out just the most minor of details before a call had caught his attention, causing him to see who it was. To his surprise, Red's eyes met the dark green ones that belong to Grey. The brown haired chimpanzee was standing a fair distance away and gestured for him to follow before disappearing. With a low growl, Red eyed both Caesar and Luca before he followed Grey to wherever he was taking them.
…
After recovering from such a loud explosion, Ellie removed her hands from her ears and cautiously raised her head, as did Koba. Getting up onto her feet, Ellie made her way on over to where the front door was and slowly pried it open. Making her way out onto the patio, Ellie could help but gasp to herself as she held her hand over her mouth, seeing the cloud of dark smoke that rose over in the distance. She couldn't believe it. Were the soldiers really that desperate to get rid of the apes? Do they not have any sense of the term compassion or peace?
While she stood there, still in shock, Ellie heard a few thumps, followed by a huffing noise behind her. Turning around, Ellie saw Koba standing there, leaning heavily onto the door frame for support. His red puffy eyes were large as they looked past her and into the distance, where the dark smoke was billowing into the air.
The two of them simply stood there, for a long time, both silent and taking in what they were seeing. Finally Ellie couldn't take any more of it and she turned around to face Koba who simply looked at her, his face unreadable.
But Ellie knew. She knew that deep down within his being that the scarred bonobo wanted to go back to the apes. But he couldn't… He was still recovering and by the looks of it, he himself knows that as well, and it pains her to see him, or anyone for that matter, like this. Slowly and hesitantly Ellie reached her right hand out and took Koba's left hand into hers, squeezing it lightly.
"They're going to be okay," Ellie said softly, not sure if she is reassuring herself or Koba.
Hearing her words though, Koba nodded once and slowly closed his left hand over Ellie's, not tightly but securely.
"Yes… Like you said. Apes will fight… They will live. I… I will believe. In them," Koba spoke quietly, turning to meet Ellie's eyes.
Koba then glanced down at their held hands momentarily before lifting his head to look up at the human nurse once more.
"Trust?" he said in a quiet voice, albeit hesitantly.
"Trust," Ellie smiled back at the scarred bonobo.
They both knew, that no matter how much they wanted to help, to stop all this. There was nothing they could do to remedy this now. All they have left was each other and through that they will both stay strong and wait this out. Then maybe. Just maybe. When the time is right and when they are both ready. They could go back and help Caesar and the other apes.
…
"They! Could have! Been! Killed!" Grey snapped angrily at Red while pacing back and forth in front of him.
Grey had heard word from some of the other apes that they had saw Red leading a few others to the human building earlier and had confronted the rusted haired gorilla about it. After some probing, the gorilla finally relented and spilled his plans to him, causing him to fume up at the idiocy of the whole thing. Red however lowered his head at the brown haired chimpanzee, averting his acid green eyes from Grey's dark green ones when he was yelled at.
"You do not see what your actions could have caused. Did you ever wonder that maybe the humans could have seen the females in building instead? After you have lead them there? They were not very far Red," Grey continued with a snarl.
At this Red huffed and looked away, seeming to think about what Grey had just told him before turning back to face the brown haired chimpanzee.
"I did not know that humans had a weapon like that. No ape could have known," Red answered back, showing no signs of regret for his actions.
At this Grey had let out another low growl while baring his fangs up at the red haired gorilla, who only seemed slightly phased.
"But my plan seemed to have worked. Caesar is sending the rest of the females back into the forest, just as we had hoped. We have now separated him from them, from the future of apes. And I, as well as the rest of the others in the Gorilla Guard will be with them. Then finally, when the time is right, you will join us, take control, and lead us away from here. To a new home," Red concluded with a proud grin.
Grey narrowed his dark green eyes at Red and huffed as he continued to pace back and forth in front of the gorilla before finally slowing down and closing his eyes. Reaching up, Grey rubbed the middle of his brows before turning to look behind him, at the human tower, the final resting place of both Pope and Koba.
Red watched as Grey stared at the tower for a long while before the brown haired chimpanzee finally turned back around to face him.
"Leave. You and whoever else. Go with the females. The healers. The children. Keep them safe from human soldiers. Protect them until I join you. Understand?" Grey gestured, his face stern while he looked up at Red.
"Yes... My king," Red responded with a low bow offering his hand up in supplication.
Grey narrowed his dark green eyes at the red haired gorilla before reluctantly swiping his hand over Red's. He then stood there all alone as he watched Red galloping away, disappearing behind a building. Letting out a tired sigh, Grey turned his sights back to where the human tower stood, a sad frown upon his lips.
What would you have done, Koba? What would you think, Stone?
Grey then lowered his gaze as his thoughts wandered back to his two friends. Both of them gone, leaving him all alone in the world.
Standing there for a long while, Grey had let out a huff and turned around, finally leaving the place.
…
Blue Eyes, Rocket, Alex and Malcolm all found the human camp the next afternoon. They approached the area with the utmost caution. Eventually the four of them found nothing about the place as it turned out to be empty.
"Seems like we just missed them," Malcolm announced as checked the wooden tables, finding them still slightly wet with blood.
While the others were looking about, Blue Eyes couldn't help but notice the several wooden posts by the houses towards their left. There was something about them that just bothered him that he couldn't quite figure out. He could see that some parts of the wood were scratched at but didn't know why it would affect him so much.
"Blue Eyes, you okay?" Alexander asked as she approached the young chimpanzee.
Without answering Alexander, Blue Eyes instead slowly approached one of the wooden posts on all fours and inspected the thing. To him it had looked like something was clawing through it. While he was taking a look at the post though, Alex had followed him and stood next to him, watching at what he was looking at in silence. With a huff, Blue Eyes placed his hand upon the post and slowly let his fingers roam upon the surface, until he felt and saw something familiar etched onto it. There, etched into the wood was a circle with a four point within it, creating a circle, the same sign that was scrapped into the stones back home. His father's symbol.
"Ash… Ray," Blue Eyes breathed in astonishment, before turning to look up at Alexander who curiously stared down at him, not understanding what the marks mean.
Averting Alex's eyes, Blue Eyes approached the other post and found the symbol again, smaller, but still his father's symbol nonetheless.
"Ash! Ray! With them!" Blue Eyes hooted out in excitement, knowing for sure that his two friends were alive and alright.
When Blue Eyes had announced to the others of his findings, Rocket happily patted the young prince on the shoulder.
"This is the window from Caesar's old home," Malcolm recalled seeing the symbol many a times throughout the ape colony before finally seeing where it had came from.
"Father's symbol. Unity. Hope. Trust," Blue Eyes explained while bringing his arms out in a circular motion before ending it near his chest. "And family."
Seeing Blue Eyes explain to them what the insignia had meant to the apes, Alexander couldn't help but stare on in wonder.
"Well. Let's go save your family then," Alexander beamed.
...
Not wasting anymore time, Rocket found the horse trail, belonging to these new humans and they all followed the roads once more. Eventually the four of them came upon a narrow valley and travelled through it, eventually coming to a stop as night approached them. The group had found a low cottonwood tree and both Blue Eyes and Rocket nested upon the low thick branches while Malcolm and Alex rested at the bottom of it.
"What's going to happen to them?" Alexander asked as he leaned his back into the tree.
"Put them. In cages," Rocket spoke up, causing both Malcolm and Alex to stare up at him to which he glanced back, tilting his head like Ash often would.
When Rocket had said that they'll most likely put Ash and Ray into cages, Blue Eyes couldn't help but think back of those tiny cells back at the ape sanctuary, shuddering at the thought. From what he could recall, from the stories from most of the elder apes. These stories about cages, none were ever good.
Blue Eyes had remembered when his uncle Maurice had invented the sign for "ape in a cage." He said it was to tell them their stories. Telling them, the younger apes, to never forget where they had came from, so that they and their children and their children's children would never go back there. Maurice had then told him and the rest of the younger apes of what their parents had gone through, to understand what had happened to them, to appreciate this freedom their mothers and fathers had fought so hard for. It had felt so long ago since Maurice had taught Blue Eyes and his peers this, they never really understanding nor cared about it then. But now, he understands a little more everyday and really do appreciate how his mother and father had risked their lives for this freedom of theirs.
Turning to look up at Rocket, Blue Eyes met the older ape's eyes and he smiled at his uncle, gaining a confused head tilt from the nearly hairless chimp. His smile however slowly disappeared from his face as Rocket kept his eyes on him and a sad thought came to mind.
"Apes put apes in cages too. Like Koba," Blue Eyes said slowly and signing at the same time in a sad voice. "Put Rocket in a cage."
Upon hearing Koba's name, everyone but Blue Eyes stiffened, confusing the young prince. All was silent until Rocket swung from where he was perched at and landed on the low branch that Blue Eyes was sitting on, near the ground.
"Yes. And Koba. Put humans. In cages. Too," Rocket spoke, causing Blue Eyes to frown and look away.
"Why? Why did he do that? Koba… He… He hated cages more than anyone," Blue Eyes asked his voice desperate, seeking for an explanation.
"Yes. He did," Rocket answered before slowly looking up at the darkening sky above them. "When I. Was free. After Caesar. Woke us. And we left sanctuary. My cage. Stayed with me. Long time," Rocket explained causing everyone to look at him.
Looking back down to meet everyone in the eyes, Rocket then tapped his chest, neck and head.
"Cage. Was still here," Rocket said slowly before he huffed quietly. "Sometimes. I missed it. Without walls. To hold me. I felt. Like. Falling…"
Hearing this, Alexander turned from Rocket to his father. Staring up at the older man, looking for answers. Malcolm however merely frowned and shook his head slowly from side to side.
"Koba like that too?" Blue Eyes inquired, to which Rocket turned to look at him.
"Koba. Too smart. He. Could not forget. He left. His real cage. behind. Like us. But he…" Rocket tried to say but couldn't think of exactly how to put it in words.
"He became his own cage," Malcolm spoke up, causing everyone to look at him. "Trapped. Within his own mind…"
"Yes. Koba became. Cage. And trapped," Rocket repeated before turning to look at Blue Eyes. "Does that make sense?"
Blue Eyes thought about it for a moment, remembering his uncle Koba. How the scarred bonobo would move, flinch and walk into something. Finding the older ape usually in areas with small spaces. The way he would often touch at his scars, the strange dark look in his eyes everytime he looked at them. Finally Blue Eyes met Rocket's gaze once more and nodded, understanding.
"How… How did he become like that? Koba, I mean?" Alexander asked, causing all heads to turn towards him.
"Koba. Does not. Like talking. About past," Rocket simply explained. "Would not. Tell us. Even when. We try help."
"He didn't reach out and seek any help. So he was trapped in his own mind. Like a cage," Alexander breathed quietly. "Why didn't he?"
Rocket shook his head.
"Scared? Angry? Many things," Rocket answered.
Alexander frowned in on himself, wondering why the bonobo wouldn't allow the others to help him. But then again he wasn't put through years of torture and was stuck in a cage, so he wouldn't know what it was like. But by Rocket telling them this, he could imagine and perhaps understand Koba more, if just a little.
Rocket then had a sad look to his face as he looked up away from Alex and stared off into the distance. The gray colored chimpanzee was silent for a long while before he finally turned back to face them, meeting their searching eyes. With a huff, Rocket the puffed out his chest and pounded it with one hand.
"But then. I start to forget. Then. I never thought. About my cage. At all…" Rocket announced.
"W-what made you forget?" Alexander asked quietly, causing Rocket to turn towards him again.
Rocket had a certain look on his face, a look that only someone truly happy could have.
"My wife. Tinker. My son. Ash," Rocket answered fondly, hoving his fists over his heart. "What do humans. Call that?"
"Love," Malcolm answered, returning Rocket's smile, wrapping a hand around Alexander and hugging his son close to him. "We call it love."
Rocket stared at both Malcolm and Alexander for a long time before he nodded slowly a content smile on his face all the while.
"Friends too," Rocket said slowly, pointing to both of the humans. "And family," Rocket ended, turning to look at Blue Eyes and gesturing to him, surprising the young prince.
With this they all couldn't help but smile back at Rocket as well, informing them how he had escaped from his own cage, touched that he had now consider them all as friends and family.
Blue Eyes stood up on the branch that he was on and approached his uncle Rocket, embracing the older chimpanzee in a strong hug. Blue Eyes had felt terrible of what he had thought of his uncle Rocket. Because the older chimpanzee was not as quick minded and a bit slower in thinking. Blue Eyes had considered the bulkier chimpanzee a little less than the other apes.
But while hugging Rocket here, Blue Eye couldn't help but remember when Maurice had once explained to him the difference between intelligence and wisdom. And as a young ape, the distinction between the two had been lost on Blue Eyes. But now, finally, he thought he was beginning to understand what Maurice had been trying to tell him.
Rocket may not be the most intelligent of apes, nor was he the most clever. But he sure has the biggest heart, more so than any of them. And that was what made Rocket something else. Something special among the apes.
A little shorter and a little slower but I think this was kinda needed.