After Caesar had jumped out of the den after the Colonel, Koba was about to jump after but then he stopped himself as both of them swung away from him, now out of reach. He couldn't do anything but watch helplessly as Caesar climbed up after the human. After that, Koba couldn't see clearly at what had happened. But he did know one thing. After a few moments, Koba saw what looked like Caesar falling towards the bottom of the river and with that his heart dropped as well.

While the others behind him were chattering loudly, Koba had turned around and was about to leave when his eyes caught on something that made him freeze in his tracks. It was as if he had entered into a terrible dream, one that was much worse that his torture devices that were used on him so long ago. There on the ground, surrounded by blood, were the bodies of both Blue Eyes and Cornelia.

"Blue Eyes… Cornelia?" Koba murmured quietly and dropped onto his knees.

Was this why Caesar had chased after the Colonel out into the waterfall? Why the ape king had ignored his cry to stop. At the thought of Caesar, Koba looked up from the bodies toward the waterfall and remembered that his friend had fallen into the river, far below.

Taking another heartfelt glance down at the bodies, Koba shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth together before he had to rip himself away from the two, forcing his legs to carry him through the fortress. Grabbing a torch along the way, Koba rushed out of the colony, hidden behind the waterfalls by himself and frantically looked around the river's bank, in hopes of finding the fallen ape.

"Caesar! Caesar!" Koba called out, over the sounds of the rushing waters.

He was beginning to lose hope that they had all just lost Caesar too. That was… when a silhouette had caught his good eye, emerging from the darkness. Lifting the torch a bit higher over his head, Koba could see a very drenched looking Caesar, approaching him.

"Cae-"

Koba had reached out to the other ape but was seemingly ignored as the chimpanzee rushed pass him and bolted straight back into the fortress without a word. Huffing, Koba turned around slowly and simply stood there as he watched Caesar's form disappear around the corner. Closing his eyes, Koba then lowered his head before slowly making his way back into the fortress.

…

When Caesar had gotten back into his den, he slowly walked on over to where the bodies of his wife and firstborn was and sat at the edge. He watched in silence as eventually, the bodies of both Cornelia and Blue Eyes were then lifted away from the blood-stained stone floor, along with the body of the dead human female soldier, whose remains were treated with considerably less reverence. Still soaked from the plunge into the river, Caesar sat there motionless, sinking into a whirlpool of pure grief and rage as his beloved wife and firstborn were both carted away by attentive apes. Caesar's closest friends-Rocket, Maurice and Luca - stood beside him in this time of tragedy, but Caesar was too overcome by emotion to even acknowledge their presence. Only the volcanic intensity of his gaze hinted at the all-consuming fury growing inside him. His heart felt as hard and deadly as the bullets that had killed his loved ones.

Rocket huffed through his nose and turned toward the others beside him.

"How did they find us?" he signed. "How did they know where Caesar slept?"

"I don't know, only apes knew," Luca signed back whilst shaking his head in bewilderment.

It was during this time that a couple more gorillas entered the dwelling and reported to Luca. While Luca listened to the two others, he had shot worried glances in Caesar's direction as they delivered their ominous tidings.

"We found everyone at their post," one of the gorillas signed.

"And?" Luca signed back.

"It's Winter," the other signed as well. "We found him, but..."

At this, Luca grunted at the two younger gorillas impatiently and they both glanced at each other nervously before they gave the leader of the Gorilla Guards the ill news. As Luca watched them sign to him, his angry features slowly melted away into that of shock and sorrow upon learning on what had happened to Winter.

"How is he?" Luca asked finally, once they were done reporting.

At the question the two gorillas glanced at each other again before meeting Luca's gaze with their somber ones and shook their heads slowly. Luca lowered his eyes as he huffed and nodded, thanking the two younger gorillas and dismissing them.

It was at this time, Rocket had come over and knelt next to Caesar.

"I'm sorry, Caesar," Rocket signed to his old friend.

At this, Caesar's face twisted in sorrow momentarily before he collected himself.

"Have any of you found Cornelius yet?" he asked slowly.

Rocket and Luca glanced at each other before the gorilla hesitantly looked back in Caesar's direction.

"We're still searching," Luca promptly answered.

At this Caesar slightly nodded his head before letting his attention wander back to the spot where Blue Eyes and Cornelia's body laid.

"Come everyone. Let's go look for Caesar's little son," Maurice gestured to all around before ushering them off.

Caesar silently thanked Maurice for giving him the chance to grieve for his loved ones in privacy. He very much appreciated the gesture as the older orangutan herded the others out of the cave, leaving him along with his sorrow.

And his anger.

Caesar waited for his tears to come, for them to flow for his loss, but his desire for revenge burned too hot to allow for weeping. His seething gaze traveled to the spot where he had found both Blue Eyes and Cornelia laying upon the rough, cold floor. Their spilled blood had seeped into the stones beneath, leaving the stain of murder upon it. Caesar then noticed Blue Eye's spear still lay upon the floor not far from where his body had rested. The blood on the weapon's tip showed that Blue Eyes had died trying to protect his beloved family, but this was cold comfort to his father.

Noticing a glint on the ground, Caesar crouched on over to inspect the things. Reaching down, he picked up a brass bullet casing and glared at it, unable to look away from the evidence of the murder site. Another physical proof to show Caesar himself that this was not another nightmare, but cold hard reality. A terrible nightmare that he will never wake up from, letting him know that both Cornelia and Blue Eyes were gone for good.

"Caesar?"

Eyes slowly widening, Caesar dropped the shell casing in his hand at the voice, with the metal clinking upon the stone floor. Just as quickly the rage burned tenfold within his chest as his brows furrowed, slowly rising onto his feet. Caesar then rounded himself, casing his seething glare upon the individual who had approached him.

Koba.

"What are you doing here?" Caesar spoke up, his voice raising with each word.

Koba's eyes met Caesar's when the ape leader spoke but the bonobo gritted his teeth before he took a step forward.

"Caesar I-"

"What!" Caesar suddenly bellowed, causing Koba to stop his advances. "Are you! Doing here?!" Caesar seethed.

Koba swallowed before letting out a shuddering breath.

"Caesar. I-I'm sorry," Koba apologized.

"Sorry?!" Caesar asked, taking a few steps and stopping right in front of the bonobo. "Sorry will not bring my family back, Koba!"

As Caesar had shouted this, he had marched up towards Koba and shoved the other ape back, hard, causing the bonobo to lose his footing and land upon the rough stone ground beneath him. Unexpectedly, Koba then felt a heavy body jump on top of him and was then yanked upwards to meet Caesar's burning golden-green eyes.

Looking into the angry features of Caesar's, Koba was then reminded of something that was quite familiar to him. With a blink, and instead of Caesar glaring at him, it was he himself that was baring his fangs. Dark green and milky white eyes that burned with with a fire, like the one that bellowed up through the human tower, so long ago. With a huff and another blink, Koba was then met with the features of Caesar again who then slammed the bonobo back down onto the stone beneath them, hard.

"I warned you!" A fist met Koba's cheek. "Told you!" the other side of the bonobo's face with met with a punch as well. "How many apes will die?! We had one! One chance for peace! But your hate… your anger caused the death of many apes! Including Blue Eyes and Cornelia's!" Caesar shouted as he continued to strike at the bonobo underneath him, angry tears finally flowing from his eyes. "You. Did. This!"

The ape king then latched his hands around Koba's necks and squeezed as hard as he could at the ape's throat beneath him. Koba gasped and reached up to pry Caesar's hands off of him. Gasping for breath, Koba stared at Caesar with pleading eyes, but instead was met with furious anger. Instead of trying to pry Caesar's hands off of him, Koba instead released his grip and simply met Caesar's gaze with his, resigning to his fate. If this was going to make Caesar happy, then so be it. Let him be the first to die at Caesar's hands, so that it may bring relief to the other ape, if a little.

Caesar bared his fangs and applied more pressure, he was not expecting to have been suddenly tossed off of the bonobo. Rolling back up onto his feet, Caesar looked around quickly and was surprised to see Rocket standing there, between him and Koba, face in a stern frown.

"Move, Rocket!" Caesar growled.

"No, Caesar. I. Will not," Rocket growled back.

"Your protect him? After all he's done?" Caesar gestured.

"Yes, I do," Rocket huffed, as he signed. "Ape. Not kill ape," Rocket said.

At this words, Caesar's eyes widened momentarily before he face turned into an angry scowl once more. It was only moments later when Caesar saw Maurice and the others returning, confused by the yelling that they had heard. There they saw Caesar having a standoff with Rocket, and behind the nearly hairless chimpanzee, Koba who was getting back up into a sitting position and coughing all the while.

"Caesar? Rocket? What is going on?" Maurice asked.

There was no answer from Caesar but Rocket raised his hands instead to answer the older orangutan.

"I came back to check on Caesar and found him attacking Koba," Rocket simply gestured, keeping his stern green eyes on his old friend still.

Maurice looked back and forth between all of the apes in the room before he was able to piece together what had happened and stepped in.

"Blue Eyes and Cornelia's bodies are not even cold yet. Caesar, you should know better," Maurice reprimanded. "This is a time of mourning, not fighting. This solves nothing."

"No," a grave voice interrupted Maurice.

Everyone rounded their heads to the ape who had spoke and saw that Koba was rubbing as his neck while he stood up, coughing all the while. He wiped away at the blood that was oozing from his lips and nose with the back of his arms before he hesitantly glanced around. Collecting himself, Koba looked down at the blood on his palms, his face bruised and bloodied before he slowly met Caesar's glare.

"Caesar… is right. I… I did this. M-My fault," Koba spoke raggedly.

At this, Caesar continued his glare but the others only stared at Koba worriedly.

"My hatred… it caused this war... and death of many apes. Including Cornelia's and Blue Eyes," Koba signed with shaky hands. "I-I'm sorry Caesar. I am so sorry, everyone."

"Koba…" Rocket breathed as he watched the bonobo apologizing.

All of a sudden, everyone was startled by a faint sound. Caesar was quick to react, as he snarled and snatched Blue Eyes' spear, whirling about to confront whoever dared to invade his home. So intense was his rage, his burning rage, his need to avenge his family, that it took him a moment to realize the small form who was peeking out fearfully from a shadowy crevice in the rocks. The form of his terrified child who shrunk away from the intimidating sight of Caesar brandishing the spear, with his fur bristling aggressively.

Shocked back to his senses, Caesar slowly lowered the spear and was stricken by the frightened look on his little son's face.

"Cornelius!" Caesar breathed heavily in relief as he stretched his arms out to his little one.

The young chimpanzee hesitated before he quickly ran on all fours into Caesar's open arms. The ape king then pulled his little son into a tight embrace, his heart aching at he felt Cornelius's tiny body trembling against his while crying into his chest.

"You're safe now," Caesar breathed in relief.

Watching both Caesar and Cornelius reunite with each other, Maurice looked away and gestured for them to all leave once more. To give the father and son some peace and privacy in their loss. As everyone slowly filed out, the last ape to have left was Koba who kept his gaze upon the father and son duo. The bonobo slowly turned his head on over to where Blue Eyes and Cornelia's body lay, before rounding his gaze back to both Caesar and Cornelius. Hearing a hushed hoot from behind, Koba turned and saw that Maurice, Rocket and Luca were waiting for him. Sniffing, Koba wiped at his bloody nose again before he eventually followed the others out of the room.

…

The makeshift raft was pushed out onto the river and with it, carried the bodies of Cornelia, Blue Eyes and Glade. The apes that they had lost tonight to the human soldiers attack. From the edge of the shore, with Cornelius in his arms, Caesar watched as the raft carried away his beloved wife, his eldest son and good friend. He hoped that wherever the river takes them, it was to someplace peaceful, one without strife and anguish like what he was feeling now.

Within Caesar's arms, Cornelius cried loudly as he reached out towards his mother, not knowing why she was being cast out towards the waters. He then felt his father hugged him closer protectively, with the bigger male placing his snout upon his head.

Off to the side, Ash could only stare on with wide wet green eyes as he watched Blue Eyes, Cornelia and Glade all float away on the river. It was like a horrible dream to him, to see his extended family and a good friend, gone forever. He'd hoped that maybe, just maybe Blue Eyes, Cornelia and Glade were only sleeping and that they would just wake up when he saw their bodies… but they didn't. Hearing sniffing sounds to his left, Ash could see his beloved weeping silently as she too watch Blue Eyes, Cornelia and Glade float away on the river. Slowly looking around, Ash could then see Lake and her family mourning as well, Lake even more so, at the lost of her sweet heart. Ash's nose twitched before he looked away and saw both Luca and Winter standing by the shore. The latter of the two looking so defeated and silently watching as if in a trance.

Wrapping his arms around Maple to comfort her, or maybe to comfort himself, Ash allowed his beloved to lean into him as she cried. Unbeknownst to him as well, were the wet trails on his own face, making him realize that he was silently shedding tears for his own. At his own loss. A loss of a friend, a loss of a honorary mother and a loss of a brother… It hurt. It hurt so much and Ash himself didn't know how to deal with it. Instead, he merely hugged Maple tighter towards him as he leaned his snout upon her head, body trembling all the while.

How could one night have turned out so horrible for them all?

...

Watching the raft flow away on the river from a secluded spot up in the fortress, far away from all of the rest of the apes, Koba stood alone. He had since dressed his wounds, but now, something inside him hurt even more than the beating he had received from Caesar.

Memories of Cornelia, one of the first to have welcome and accept him into their lives. The way she had accepted him as who he was without question. Treated him like a brother and loved him dearly as if he had been family to her, her whole life. Blue Eyes the young prince who he watched come into this world and awe their colony with the most beautiful of eye colors. A young strapping chimpanzee who he helped raised, as if he were his own son. The only other ape to have willingly tried to speak to him during their first time to journey southward, even knowing all that he's done. Finally Glade, another ape and same species like Koba himself. One who was gentle, patient and kind to others, no matter who, what and how they looked, he treated them all fairly and respectfully. They're all now gone. Dead. All because of him and his hatred towards humans. Humans how had, in the past, hurt him and tortured him.

As he was bombarded with those memories, the first thing that happened to Koba was the shortening of his own breath as he breathed in and out quickly, with eyes going wide. Along with that, his body shook, so much that Koba himself had fallen to his knees and crossed his arms over his torso as he was suddenly wracked with violent tremors. He then screamed. Screamed along with the roars of the falling waterfall beside him that drowned out his cries into the night as his whole being was filled with guilt and sorrow.

…

As the night drew on well into the morning, preparations for the exodus were already underway. The entire population had spilled out of the fortress onto the riverbank as apes of every species hurriedly loaded up caravans of horses with what provisions and possessions they needed. It is very much a ambitious undertaking, but none questioned its necessity; especially after last night's invasion - and the deaths of Caesar's wife and heir - had been more than enough to convince all of the apes that the fortress was no longer safe for them.

Many of the apes turned their heads when they saw Caesar making his way through the crowd, holding onto Cornelius's small hand. He found his inner circle waiting for him further down the river, at the front of the exodus. Rocket, Maurice, Luca, Grey, Andy, Ash and Koba, who was a bit further away from the group, watched him as he approached with Cornelius in tow. Caesar regarded all of them, except one, before he made his way on over to where the others were. Tinker, Judy, Cedar, Lake and Maple in particular gazed down at the young Cornelius, offered the little one a reassuring smile before they all met Caesar's eyes.

"Tinker," Caesar addressed the slighter female holding onto her own child, whom straightened up herself at her name. "You were like a sister to Cornelia. Can I ask you to watch over him… until I return."

Caesar's voice was gruff, his expression stoic and hard. Only his eyes betrayed how hard this was for him - and the anguish he carried.

"Caesar," Tinker breathed, her voice a little hoarse from disuse but full of emotion nonetheless. "Why do you even need to ask? Of course I will look after him as my own. But… are you not coming with us? To our new home?"

"No." Caesar said simply before he glanced back down at Cornelius and knelt in front of his little son. "Go with your aunt," Caesar said softly as he handed Cornelius's hand to Tinker's.

Standing back up, Caesar then turned his attention to Lake and Maple who both stared back with their emotional eyes.

"Lake, you loved my son," Caesar said to Lake, before he turned towards Maple. "And Maple, you were Blue Eyes' friend. Please help Tinker look after his brother."

Lake sniffed as her own eyes welled with tears once more. She quietly nodded gravely and signed back to her would be father-in-law.

"You have my word, Caesar."

"We will," Maple signed as well before she reached on over to hug Lake close to her.

Turning to walk away, Caesar was then stopped by Maurice's grunting noises from atop of his horse.

"You're not going after them are you?"

Caesar's face grew stern and he slowly raised his head to look up at Maurice upon his own horse.

"Not them. Him," Caesar replied, catching the others attention, especially that of Koba's.

"Caesar, you are our leader. We can't leave without you!" Maurice explained urgently.

Softening his features, Caesar rounded himself to look at his last son who cried out and reached for him but was quickly held onto by Tinker, trying her best to soothe him.

"Caesar, look at your son. He needs you," the orangutan continued, looking at both father and child. "We also need you. We trust you to lead us."

There was much wisdom to Maurice's words, Caesar knew this well, but his friend failed to realize just how furiously the rage within him burned. There was nothing left inside him except the need for vengeance. He could be no father to his son, nor a leader to his apes, as long as he was like this. With rage and hatred consuming his heart.

"I no longer trust myself," Caesar confessed to his friend before a stern look of resolve overcame his features. "The soldiers will be back soon."

Ripping his gaze away from Cornelius, Caesar then turned his attention to his closest friends around him. He then realized, that the apes will need a new leader, someone who can take command of them all and make the right decisions. After a few heartbeats, Caesar knew exactly who to asked and walked on over towards Rocket.

"Rocket… can you lead-"

"No," Rocket said so suddenly it surprised Caesar.

"I will not lead our apes Caesar," Rocket signed.

"But you were alpha before, Rocket. Why?" Caesar asked.

"You have asked me for many things before, Caesar and I have always done them. But this? I cannot," Rocket explained as he looked around.

Seeing that Rocket will not accept his offer he then turned to look at Luca and Andy, both shaking their heads at him as well. Looking around he then spotted Grey in the corner of his eyes and he approached the chimp who had saved their apes from danger before.

"No, Caesar," Grey spoke up as his king approached.

Frustrated, Caesar glared at the brown haired chimpanzee.

"Why?" he asked.

"This is not right. You are still alive. Here and now. You should lead the apes, not one of us," Grey explained as he handed Silver to Cedar. "Like Maurice has said. The apes need you. Even if you do not trust yourself."

Caesar huffed and looked away from the other chimpanzee before he closed his eyes and thought long and hard about it. All these points were valid but he just couldn't shake this want, this need for vengeance off himself. Opening back up his eyes, Caesar's gaze soon met that of Koba's, the bonobo sitting off all the way by the shore by himself. With that his anger burned once more.

"The soldiers will all come after me. That may give you all the best chance to get out of the woods safely."

With that said, Caesar made his way off to one of the horses to the side, leaving the others to decide who to lead for him.

"Where is he going?" Spear asked as he had just came up to the group from making his rounds and saw Caesar leaving.

Quickly running up to Caesar, Ash slid to a stop by the ape king's side, who was just about to get on one of the horses and met his gaze.

"Uncle?" Ash breathed, a worried look upon his features.

"Ash."

Caesar's features softened as he turned to look at the younger chimpanzee. The only other thing left that reminded him of his dear Blue Eyes. Ash, his honorary nephew, and Rocket's son and maybe the apes final hope in having a proper good leader, who is full of aspiration, is strong in body and mind in the toughest of times.

"Caesar… Where are you. Going?" Ash asked.

Caesar did not answer the younger ape and instead looked at the forest in front of him for a long while before he rounded his gaze to meet Ash's, a solemn smile upon his face.

"Ash," Caesar signed at the white flecked chimp, making sure that the younger male was looking at him. "Help your father and uncles lead the apes. Keep them all safe. You understand? No matter what."

At this Ash's eyes widened and he slowly shrank away as he thought on it. After a few heartbeats, Ash met Caesar's eyes once more and nodded solemnly, accepting the responsibility without protest.

"When… when will you come back?" Ash asked this time.

"I don't know," Caesar responded. "Very soon, I hope."

Caesar then reached out and affectionately placed a hand upon Ash's head, like he did when the ape was but a youngling, so very long ago. He then tenderly touched his forehead with Ash's, putting all his trust and hope within this young one, that Ash would lead all of the apes to their new home safely. Getting upon one of the horses, Caesar regarded Ash to his side one more time.

"Stay alive and be careful."

With that Caesar kicked his heels into his horse's side and left his friends-and his son-behind him on the shore of the river's bank. He could feel their eyes upon him as he rode away.

But he did not turn back.

Caesar might be a little out of character when he attacked Koba in this chapter but we have to remember that he had just lost two loved ones and is on a emotional high right now. Hope you guys and gals are liking the story still.