Apologies for the long wait everyone! It's been quite a hectic 2 weeks for me so I wasn't able to post last. But better late than never right? This chapter is going to focus on characters from the game Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier game. So, if any of you have not played the game you all won't get this specific setting scene... However, I'll just let you all know that it is at the wee bit beginning of the game and that is about it. So, here's chapter 48 and I hope you all enjoy! Happy Readings!

-Family Is All-

"Clarence, how do you think they will do?" Khan asked the orangutan beside him, watching his sons take their leave to find the tribe food.

"I do not know but I hope that they are successful in their findings," Clarence responded. "Or else the tribe will suffer again," he finished. "It may not be long before we must move our tribe once more."

At this, Khan hung his head low and let out a deep sigh.

"We cannot move the tribe again," Khan gestured to Clarence. "We have already done so much to get away from the fighting. The tribe, it would not be fair to have them pick up and move again."

"Not fair. Yes. But if there is no food for the tribe. Then what choice to we have?" Clarence slowly signed back to his troubled leader.

"What choice do we have indeed..." Khan repeated with a huff.

Agreeing with Clarence, Khan slowly got up and made his way on over to the ledge where he could oversee his tribe. Watching his apes moving about and keeping in their little huddles with one another, memories starting to flow back into his mind. Memories reminding him of that day...

"Khan? Where. We going?" Pauleen had asked as she followed after her mate.

"Far away," Khan grunted back. "Away from fighting. Somewhere safe. To protect you. Our children. Our future."

Keeping up with her mate, Pauleen quickly glanced behind herself. Following the both of them were the rest of what made up of their tribe. First it was Tola and Brutus, both whom were keeping eyes out and signing to one another as they followed. Next it was Bryn, Oaka, their little Kanj, and Oaka's mother Lala. Behind them trudged along the rest of the apes and within it Juno and Clarence as they proceeded through the empty plains.

"Khan?" Pauleen voiced softly, catching the attention of her husband. "We need to rest. We have not done so since we have left. It is dangerous to keep on going like this. We could lose apes," she gestured as she hesitantly look behind her at the tired apes before rounding back to meet Khan's stern gaze once more. "We need to rest."

Breathing deeply, Khan closed his eyes momentarily before he looked behind himself as well and considered Pauleen's words. From his point, he could see that his mate was right. The apes that had followed them were all tired and weary from the journey, some of the older ones like Clarence trailing just a little bit behind. They have done nothing but travel from days on end without much rest and it was taking a toll on them, all of them. This was just like the time where Caesar had first lead all of them through to forest when they have had their first taste of freedom. Those were dark tiring days, with them losing many but in the end was worth it. However, it was different now wasn't it? The humans were very far now and if Caesar and the rest of the apes were busy keeping the human soldiers at bay then maybe a time of rest is needed. Letting his gaze round back to the slighter female, Khan could see the desperation within Pauleen's eyes and he relented, pressing his forehead upon hers.

"Yes. We rest," Khan breathed softly.

Upon hearing this, Pauleen smiled at her mate and she gently pressed her forehead upon his again once more before leaving his side to help Oaka and the others.

It was here, Khan would regret ever making that decision for the rest of his life.

After settling down and taking the time to reassess everything, Khan had found himself sitting there on the plains with his mate, whom was busily grooming him. He had in turn helped groomed her as well and the two couldn't have felt closer towards one another since the day they've both became mates.

"Look Khan," Pauleen pointed out as she gestured on over towards Bryn and his little happy family.

Khan couldn't help but smile momentarily upon seeing Bryn lift up little Kanj and played with him while Oaka watched form the side.

"Yes, I could not be more proud him," Khan gestured.

Pauleen beamed warmly at her son's new family but then a small frown appeared on her face,causing her mate to notice. Feeling Khan's finger under her chin, the bigger male lifted her head so that she was staring at him.

"What is wrong?" Khan had asked.

Pauleen sighed before she closed her eyes and opened them back up again.

"Everything that we had become. With Caesar and the rest of the other apes. It is gone now. All of it. I fear the day that we would lose everything," Pauleen signed slowly.

"We will not lose everything," Khan reassured his mate as he took her hands into his.

"How can you be so sure?" Pauleen asked with a sigh. "Caesar and the rest of the apes were sure that the humans were gone. That they had all disappeared and we apes would live together in peace. Now that peace is gone. With the return of humans," Pauleen said slowly as she turned to look at all the apes around them once more.

"Then we make the humans go when they come," Khan affirmed.

At this, Pauleen shook her head slowly at his words.

"This fight was not started by humans. This was apes. Who started the fight," Pauleen said slowly as she met her mate's gaze. "I want you to make sure that you will keep our family safe Khan. Do whatever you can to keep our children and the rest of the apes safe. Do not fight with humans. Do not seek them out. Do so only, if you must," Pauleen gestured slowly.

"What do you mean Pauleen?" Khan asked slowly, not understanding his mate.

Pauleen leaned into her mate and rested her head upon his chest, listening to his steady breathing and heaved out a deep sigh. She had then slowly lifted back up her head and earnestly met Khan's worried gaze.

Before a word could be uttered from Pauleen there were cries and shrieks as the air around them was suddenly filled with the sounds of gunfire. Khan was immediately up and looked about worriedly as he could see many of his brothers and sisters falling, left and right. Then he saw them, there in the distance, humans with guns aimed right at them. Within the ensuing chaos, Pauleen had left his side to who knows where but he had to do something. No, he must do something or they will all die. Within a split second, Khan had bellowed out letting his call echo throughout the field, causing all apes to hear his cry.

"Apes! Fight!" Khan yelled out.

The response to counter was immediate as other apes had let out their own war cry and turned onto the offensive. Using the guns that they had acquired from the human city, the apes fought back at the intruders. Along with the guns they were using there were others whom were lobbing spears into the distance with their marks hitting true. With the counter attack they were able to fend off the intruders who had dared to attack them.

What felt like an eternity finally ended and all was silence once more as the humans had retreated back to whence they came from. Surveying the plains, Khan was horrified by what he had saw. Many of the apes that had came with them laid dead or dying. Not just warriors but mothers, the young and the old as well. All indiscriminately slaughtered just because they were apes.

With a heavy heart, Khan quickly looked around for his family and luckily he found Tola and Brutus looking about, eyes skittering in every direction for any other signs of danger. He approached the two to make sure that they were alright. Turning to Brutus, Khan then ordered the gorilla to find any of the other warriors, as well as the guards and have them send out patrols to scout the area to scout for any further danger. Without another word, Brutus nodded and quickly did as he was asked. Tola was going to join the gorilla but was stopped by Khan who ordered his oldest child to stay by his side. Together they both wandered throughout the area to find the rest of their family.

They had both found Clarence and Juno next. Luckily the two were safely unharmed as well and were huddled together with some of the other apes. Approaching them, Khan quickly gave Juno a hug, relieved that his son was safe before slowly reaching out towards Clarence.

"Juno, did you see Bryn?" Khan asked quickly, turning back to his youngest son.

The younger withered arm male whimpered before he slowly turned around and pointed. Following the direction of where Juno had indicated, Khan's eyes widened slightly as he could see Bryn, Oaka and Kanj, all unharmed but both were looking down at something. Making his way on over towards them slowly, Khan approached his middle child and gasped at what he had saw.

While Bryn, Oaka and Kanj were fine from the sudden attack, they were now standing over a couple of bodies.

That of Lala's and Pauleen's.

Letting out a small huff, Khan quickly lumbered on over and stood over his mate, quickly reaching down and picking her up into his arms. Looking down at Pauleen's face, Khan gritted his teeth as he could see a single bullet hole within his mate's abdomen. Just as he thought he had lost her, a single cough had surprised Khan and he quickly became still as his mate's lovely green eyes slowly opened up to for him.

"P-Pauleen," Khan croaked out.

His mate blinked slowly once and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Khan," Pauleen whispered out as she reached out with a bloody hand and placed it upon her mate's cheek.

Sniffing, Khan reached up as well and placed his hand over hers, keeping it there.

"Do not worry. I will take care of you. I promise," Khan quickly gestured.

Pauleen smiled sadly and slowly she shook her head, as tears fell from her eyes.

"Promise me," Pauleen started to sign slowly while her mate kept his eyes on her. "Promise me.. that you will… keep our family… safe."

At this, Khan didn't know what to say. So he quickly nodded in response.

"Keep. Juno. Safe," Pauleen wheezed out, gaining another nod from her mate who was now letting tears fall from his eyes.

Pauleen then smiled at him warmly and touched his cheek again, feeling Khan lean into her touch.

"Family. Is. All," Pauleen whispered to Khan.

"Family. Is. All," Khan repeated.

With that, Pauleen's smile slowly disappeared along with the light within her eyes fading away, body relaxing within her mate's arms.

With a few whimpers, Khan shook Pauleen to try and get her to respond to him again, but she did not budge. Now knowing that his dear sweet Pauleen was now gone, he then glanced back up at the others, only to see that all of his children was crying as well, including his extended family.

"She protected me," Oaka wept as she gestured with one hand. "Mother and Pauleen protected me and Kanj from the human guns."

Looking back down at his Pauleen, Khan then cradled his dearly beloved close to him and wept aloud as he rocked back and forth with her.

As the memory faded, Khan heaved out a tired sigh and turned back around to face Clarence with the old orangutan simply staring back. After that event Tola had ushered the rest of them to go after the humans who had slaughtered their apes and Khan had immediately agreed to do so, filled with hate and revenge then. However, as they came upon the human encampment, they had found no humans there, as if they had all vanished without a trace. To his and many of the other apes disappointment there was no more human blood to be shed that day. However, Khan had remembered his promise to his mate to keep their children safe and begrudgingly he forced the tribe to move onwards, leaving their deceased behind.

"Back then. What. Did I do. Wrong?" Khan asked as the memory faded, rounding himself so that he could see Clarence. "Was what I did to keep the apes safe, worth it?"

"We are here now, are we not?" Clarence responded as he meandered on over. "You did nothing wrong, friend. You did your best with what was provided. You should be proud of that."

"You think so?" Khan had asked.

"I know so," Clarence reassured with a tired smile, reaching out and placing a hand upon his leader's shoulder. "Pauleen would be proud for what you have done for the tribe."

Khan met Clarence's gaze but couldn't help himself as he heaved out yet another tired breath and turned back to look down at the apes.

"I will go see your sons off to hunt," Clarence gestured as he walked away but paused a moment. "Remember what Pauleen had said," he gestured. "Family is all."

At this Khan did something he hadn't done for a long time and that was smile.

"Family is all," Khan repeated.

Clarence nodded with a small smile of his own before he continued on his way through the stone path, leaving Khan there. With Clarence gone, Khan slowly turned back around to oversee his apes again and thought about what they've all accomplished since they've gotten to this mountain and made it their home. Maybe, just maybe they will have a good future here. One without fighting and one where this tribe of apes could live in peace.