-I Am Sorry-
Running back into the cave with a bundle of as much of dry wood he could find, Koba set the stack down in a big heap. The bonobo then heaved out a deep sigh as he reached up and wiped at his wet face. A loud booming sound echoed from behind him, causing Koba to turn around and frown as he watched the storm rage on just outside of the lip of the cave. After a few heartbeats, he had bent down to gather up the dry logs once more before proceeding further into the cavern.
The further inside Koba traversed the darker it had gotten, but that was not long. After a few patted steps within the dark cave, orange and red colored lights started to light up the area. Where outside was full of lightning rain and thunder, the inside of the cavern was silent before the sounds of coughing, wheezing and crackle of fire filled the air. Rounding the corner, Koba came upon a open area and within it, the other apes, his traveling companions.
However, all was not well from the looks of it. Around the bonfire laid two of their companions, both Blue Eyes and Rocket. Just several days ago the two chimpanzees had succumbed to some kind of illness and were unable to journey any further. Koba and Ash, the other two who were doing fine, had decided that it was best to keep Blue Eyes and Rocket well rested before moving on. So here they were now, stuck within a cavern with a severe thunderstorm that raged just outside.
Walking on over to the dying fire, Koba fed the flames with the fresh pile of wood within his arms. The sounds of coughing caught his attention, causing him to look up and see Ash making his way on over to the prince and helping the ill ape to some fresh water, while offering soft coos in hopes that it'll ease his friend's pain. Koba couldn't help himself but frown at their situation.
"How are they?" Koba asked quietly.
Ash had take the moment to rest, sitting by the fire with his head hanging low. But when the question was asked, the younger chimp's head lifted up slightly, meeting Koba's.
"Not shaking as much. But still sick," Ash responded in sign, avoiding the older ape's eyes all the while.
With that being the only answer he was getting out of Ash, Koba sighed and turned his attention to both Blue Eyes and Rocket, wondering how in the world the both of them became so sick like this. It had been many moons since they've left the colony. During those time, they have found their human companions a new home. It was a small human town that Koba himself had never seen before but apparently the rest mostly knew of the place, sans Ellie. With that, they said their farewells as well and parted ways.
When it became just the four of them, things were still a little… heated between Koba and Rocket. The bigger chimp still harboring strong resentment for the bonobo and had physically confronted said ape a few times. Ash on the other hand, had steered clear from Koba, as far away as possible and would usually look the other direction when the older ape would turn his way. Blue Eyes was the only one who was willing to speak to their outcast companion and tried to understand him. Koba still often time wondered why Caesar had sent him upon this journey with these three. Three apes who he's hurt terribly. Was this still punishment for him? Maybe he'll never know. But he'll keep moving forward if he must. In order to amend for what he had did and done.
This routine went on for days. Then it dragged into weeks, months and eventually ended up to where they were now. Sitting out through a thunderstorm and caring for two very sick apes in the process.
Walking on over to where Blue Eyes was, Koba knelt down and placed a hand upon the prince's forehead, feeling nothing but heat radiating from the other ape. This strange sickness, that he is seeing now upon Blue Eyes, reminded him eerily of when he was used by the humans very much back then. Those human work…. why is it now that he is seeing such sickness upon apes too? Many things in the world was still a strange concept to him and maybe he would never know why. But hopefully like him, Blue Eyes and Rocket will pull through from this illness.
…
As morning finally came around Koba was quite relieved to see that the storm had settled during the night. He had taken it upon himself to check in on their horses who unfortunately was unable to fit within the cave with them and was set outside with the storm. Luckily he found the creatures in a open field a few hundred paces away, casually eating the fresh wet grass. Glad that the creatures did not run away into the unknown, he had gathered the horses and brought them all back to the cave where they were all staying at.
Leaving the horses where they were, Koba was about to turn back and check in on the others but was startled when he saw Ash standing motionlessly there, outside in the open with him. They both stood there like that for a long while with nothing but the morning breeze to blow between them.
"Ash? Something wrong?" Koba had asked the other ape.
No response.
Koba frowned slightly as he stood there with Ash but the longer he waited, he started to realize that Ash won't speak to him. Like many times before. Instead, Koba huffed and decided that he was going to go check on the others instead if Ash was not going to talk to him. He then made his way past Ash and headed towards the cave.
"Why?"
Koba stopped in his tracks and cocked his head around, not sure if he had heard Ash correctly. Again the air was silent once more between the two apes and the air gently breezed around them. Koba however, noticed the hackles and hairs on Ash were raised and the younger chimp slowly turned around to stare at him, with those leafy green eyes, full of anger.
"Why did you try to hurt me, Koba? I… I trusted you," Ash gestured with swift hand movements, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath he took.
And now here it was, the "why."
It had been a question that Koba himself had been trying to figure out while he was on this journey with the others. But no matter how many times he thought about it or tried to reason with it, he couldn't figure out an answer. He was going to find some kind of way to maybe perhaps to reconcile with Ash but he had just not found the right time or place to do it. Yet, here he was now, confronted by the usually passive chimpanzee and to be honest he was quite caught off guard.
"I… Don't know," Koba said in a low voice, breaking eye contact and looking away, anywhere but at Ash.
There was a chuff from Ash, whom tapped his own chest angrily.
"You. Should know," Ash spat out angrily, voice strained a bit from unused, causing Koba to meet his eyes once more. "You were the one that tried to kill me!" Ash continued, huffing all the while.
At this Koba turned away in shame once more and became silent as his thought flowed through his mind.
"Why?!" Ash barked aloud, causing Koba to snap back to the young chimp.
Upon closer inspection, Koba noticed that the young chimpanzee's body was tense, his face flushed and leafy green eyes glistening with angry tears. Ash's cheeks sunk in and puffed out with each breath he inhaled and exhaled while he stood there. Koba had never seen Ash expressed this kind of emotion before and was, to be honest, quite startled by it. But the more he observed the young ape the more he could see the fear and desperation set within those leafy green orbs that were directed back at him. Emotions that looked ever so familiar to him. Something, that reminded him… of himself.
Sighing, Koba turned away from the younger male for a moment before walking on over to where Ash stood. Standing in front of the other chimpanzee, Koba looked the young male once over before relaxing his features, showing that he was not a threat to the other ape.
"Koba, sorry," Koba said quietly, causing Ash to blink in confusion. "I was stupid. I could not control my anger… I was angry that no one was listening to me. To my warnings. Especially Caesar, who humiliated me. That made me want to hurt someone. Anyone. And when I told you to kill the human, you said that Caesar would not have wanted it to be like that. So I… I attacked you. Tried to kill you. Out of anger."
Ash sniffed as a couple of tears rolled down the sides of his face, still not quite satisfied from what the older ape was telling him.
"I know I hurt you. And that you must be so angry. With me. Even. Hate me," Koba continued with slow hand movements. "I just want to let you know, Ash. How sorry I am. How stupid I was to have tried to hurt you. I… I did not mean to hurt you. Ever. Anger makes me blind. Makes me not think. I am sorry, Ash."
Then Koba surprised Ash by reaching out and offering the younger male a supplicating palm.
"I am sorry."
So astonished was he, that Ash had forgotten to breath for a moment. It was very rare for an ape like Koba to ask another for forgiveness but one, especially like him. He's always seen Koba asking someone none other than Caesar but for the bonobo to ask him for forgiveness instead, astounded him. Ash of course was very hesitant on what to do, never having to forgive Koba before. However as he met Koba's gaze, the younger ape could see the sincerity within the older ape's eyes and features, who patiently waited for him.
"Koba is sorry," Koba said once more.
Taking a deep breath, Ash composed himself finally and slowly reached out, uncurling his fingers and letting the tips grace over Koba's outstretched palm. Once Ash had drawn his fingers over Koba's, the two apes stood there and silently met each others gaze again. And like that, the heavy presence within the air seemed to have lifted from the both of them, causing the world to numb out and be placid.
Koba watched as Ash kept up his angry frown a little longer, but then it eventually melted and the younger chimp's features slowly warped into that of sorrow, fear and desperation. The white flecked chimp's eyes became wet and he turned his attention past Koba and towards the cave's entrance.
"Scared," Ash whimpered out. "Blue Eyes… father… sick. Could die."
At this, Koba grunted, gaining Ash's attention.
"You do not think like that. Your father is the best friend of Caesar, and is the most capable warrior among us apes. He is strong and this illness will not take him from us. Blue Eyes too. Because he is Caesar's son and will need to be here to lead the apes when Caesar can not. They will both overcome this sickness. You understand?"
At this, Ash wiped away at his face with the back of his arm and met Koba's stare once more.
"You think so?" Ash asked hesitantly.
Koba nodded in confirmation with a grunt and then he pounded his chest once.
"Trust," Koba said confidently.
Ash took in a deep breath and glanced back at the cave for a moment before facing Koba again.
"Trust," Ash responded back.
Koba nodded.
"Now, it is up to the both of us to help them. We must be strong for Blue Eyes and your father. Help them heal. Help them get better. Your mother is waiting for you and your father to return to her. Caesar, Cornelia and Cornelius is waiting for Blue Eyes to return to them as well. You and Blue Eyes' beloveds are waiting for you both to go back. Understand?" Koba gestured.
At this, Ash lowered his head and nodded slowly.
"Come. Let us help Blue Eyes and your father," Koba said aloud before he turned around and started to head back towards the cave.
"What about. You, Koba?" Ash asked, causing Koba to stop in his tracks and turn around to look at him. "Is there no ape that is waiting for you too?"
At this line of question, Koba simply stood there and was quiet for a long time. Ash had thought that he was not going to get an answer but Koba instead huffed and met his gaze.
"Come, we need to take care of Blue Eyes and your father," Koba stated simply before turning back around and making his way towards the cave.
It did not go past Ash as he noticed that sorrowful look within the older ape's eyes and had instead avoided the question. Ash and wanted to stop Koba and reassure him as well, but he knew naught of what to say. So instead he quietly but quickly followed after Koba and hoped his questioned did not hurt he older ape too much.
…
It was days later, that the four companions emerged from their shelter. Both Rocket and Blue Eyes were a lot better now, still wheezing a bit but they were both able to move about on their own, thanks to Ash and Koba. Rocket couldn't help but notice that Ash seemed to have warmed up quite a lot around the scarred bonobo now. He was still very much wary of Koba as he doesn't still quite trust the other ape yet. However Ash seemed to have accepted the bonobo once more and it was very confusing to him. He wondered what had transpired between the two while both he and Blue Eyes were ill. Maybe he'll ask his son in private while they continue on their journey.
"Father? Something wrong?" Ash asked with a big smile upon his face, when he noticed the older chimp looking at him.
"Nothing," Rocket gestured back. "Come let us go. We still do not know how much is out there," he finished.
With that said, Rocket knuckle-walked on over to where the horses were and hefted himself onto one of them. Blue Eyes and Ash exchanged looks but the grayer of the two simply shrugged his shoulders and followed after Rocket. Blue Eyes wheezed out a small chuckle before he too followed suit, trailing after Ash and Rocket. Finally, it was Koba who ended up becoming the rear guard of the other three. He had momentarily stopped and turned around to look at the cave where they had all emerged from and stared at it. Hearing Rocket's hoot at the others, Koba exhaled deeply and met with the others, getting up on his horse.
"Ready to go?" Ash asked everyone, letting his eyes fall on Koba last, a giant beaming smile upon his face.
Koba couldn't help but smirk in return but simply nodded to answer the rambunctious chimp. With everyone finally on their horses and settled in, they all headed southward once more and moved on.