Rocket couldn't help but growled under his breath as, through the binoculars within his hands, he watched Red and an armed human march Caesar past the soldier's barracks. One by one the lights within the camp disappeared, signaling that the humans were retiring for the evening, after a long day of supervising the apes' slave labor. Letting his low rumble continue on, Rocket then directed his sights to the pens and tried to pinpoint where his family was located at. Through the darkness and huddling shadows, he could not make any sign of them out and with a grunt, Rocket quickly turned away, frustrated of not being able to find Tinker or Ash.
"How are they?" Maurice signed at Rocket.
At the question, Rocket had shut his eyes tightly before he shook his head dolefully. From what he could see, many of the apes were resting within the pens and both Caesar and Koba were tied to the platform and pole within the middle of the camp for all to see. The former ape did not look too well, but as least Caesar was still alive. Koba on the other hand seemed to be doing fine, if not a bit weary since Rocket had last saw him. Luckily there were no other casualties from the other apes.
"They refuse to give apes food and water. Much longer like this and they may all die." Grey perked up slowly from his spot behind the two.
At this, Rocket was not sure on how they could rescue Caesar and Koba, let alone the rest of the apes, but he knew they could not do it by lurking off by the forest's side, especially with their own wounded.
"We must get closer," Rocket concluded quickly.
"Closer? They will see us all!" Grey warned.
"Not if we stick close to the shadows," Rocket reassured.
Grey seemed unconvinced of the bulkier chimp but said nothing else as he leaned back onto a tree for support. Maurice on the other hand seemed a bit skeptical of the idea but didn't argue on the idea as well.
"We need someone to stay here and watch the others. In case they wake up. We can't all just go," Maurice signed to the both of them.
"Then Grey stays and we go," Rocket decided.
"Me?!" Grey signed.
"Yes. With your injuries, you will only put us in danger," Rocket bluntly explained.
Grey couldn't help but narrow his eyes into dark slits as he slowly bared his fangs in anger. Maurice had a worried look upon him but Rocket stood his ground and meant what he said.
"Please Grey," Maurice stepped in, knowing that they don't need to start arguing who goes and stays. "We need you to do this. I know you want to come with us but as of right now…"
Letting his dark green eyes wander toward Maurice, Grey considered both the orangutan and other chimp's words for a moment before heaving out a deep sigh, his breath fogging up the air.
"Fine… I will stay. Rocket is right. I will only put us in danger," Grey admitted, even though he did not want to.
Rocket reached out and placed a hand upon the brown haired chimp's shoulder and nodded at him.
"I'm sorry," Rocket signed apologetically. "If there was any other way. I would have liked your help."
"I know…" Grey gestured back with a grim frown.
This was enough for Rocket as he nodded at the brown haired chimp before gesturing to the others and bounded away. Grey watched as the other apes and the human child followed after Rocket, leaving him to watch over both the still unconscious Andy and Spear.
…
Ash kept vigil as he sat within the pens with the others, all still chained to one another. He had perked up when he noticed that Red and one of the human soldiers had brought Caesar back to the base of the platform, where he was strung up before. Ash himself was relieved to see that his honorary uncle was still alive, but his spirits sank a bit further at the sight of Caesar. The ape leader was dragged about on a heavy chain and stood stoically at the bottom of the steps as Red unshackled his wrists under the watchful gaze of the soldier, armed with a vicious-looking crossbow. Frowning, Ash eyed the human soldier hard before he set his gaze upon Caesar and couldn't help but wince inwardly as he could see the ugly welts crisscrossing the older chimp's backside. An image that was not new for him at all.
Like the few others, Caesar was suffering for their sake… for what little good it does.
A few of the apes had also noticed Caesar returning and had pressed themselves against the bars of the pens that they were in, watching Caesar's ordeal. Like Ash himself, many of the apes were very tired, hungry and thirsty, without any hope within them. Caesar and Koba had tried to protest their treatment before and had briefly inspired them to stand up to the humans, but look what has now become the two apes.
Caesar had then lifted his face up slightly and regarded the apes, taking the sight of his own kind penned up like the animals that they once were. The sorrowful expression upon the ape king's face, caused Ash's own heart to become heavy. He watched as honorary uncle was led to the platform, Red removing the ape leader's shackles and was then ordered to go up to the wooden X that awaited him. Ash could see that Caesar was very weak and in pain, his shoulders slumping as he started up the steps. During his climb, Caesar had lost his balance a little and had accidentally stumbled backward into the human soldier, who shoved him away forcefully, as though repulsed by the very feel of an ape body against his.
"Get off of me!" the human had said.
Ash couldn't help but bare his ivory fangs, hackles rising on his body when he heard the sheer disgust and anger within the human's voice. It made him want to beat the ever living life out of the soldier for saying such a thing to Caesar, whom had only slipped due to how weak he already was. Alas, Ash could do nothing as he watched helplessly while Red yanked violently on Caesar's chain and let him up the icy steps to the cross.
While Red and the human soldier tied Caesar to the cross once more, Ash couldn't help but notice Koba struggling against his own bindings, doing his best to break free and go to their king's side. Ash couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic to his scarred honorary uncle while they tied up Caesar. After they were done and had left the platforms, did Ash hear Koba faintly calling out to the ape king. He could see Caesar sparing Koba just a momentary glance before turning his gaze away, causing the scarred bonobo to go quiet himself and simply watch the defeated chimpanzee.
Ash did not know how long they stayed like that but eventually he had let out a soft hoot, only catching Koba's attention, who glanced his way.
"Don't give up!" Ash signed from where he stood. "Do not lose hope! Some way, somehow, we will all get out of this! We will all get through this together and finish our journey to our new home. We will find a way!"
After Ash had finished signing, the young chimp kept his eyes upon the two older tied up apes, hoping that his signs had at least gotten through to Koba, even if Caesar did not look at him. Blinking, Ash kept his eyes upon Koba as the scarred bonobo kept his gaze upon him. He knew naught what they had done to Caesar when they took him away, causing him to be so distant all of a sudden. But they needed to be strong now, for everyone. To show that apes were still full of life and will do what they can in order to survive.
Koba seemed to have dipped his head, causing concern to form upon Ash's features. However, the scarred bonobo then suddenly lifted his head back up, a determined look set within his golden-green and milky white eyes. The older ape's face hardening, Koba nodded in agreement with what Ash had signed to him. This caused a spark of hope to light back up within the younger chimp and he turned his attention to Caesar whom was still closed off from the rest of them.
At first it didn't seem as if Caesar had known what Ash was signing to Koba, but the ape king had turned his attention slowly toward the younger chimp. Even in his broken state, with whatever the Colonel had done to him, Ash had done something to light something within the defeated ape king. That something was a spark of hope that bloomed within Caesar and the younger chimp could see the become brighter and brighter behind his honorary uncle's eyes. Caesar did not say anything but still, he met the younger chimp's hopeful gaze.
"Trust," Ash signed slowly as a warm smile spread upon his white-flecked lips. "Trust."
…
Rocket and the others hid among the heaps of rubble that ran along the edge of the campgrounds. Darkness was their ally, despite the searchlights and guard towers that loomed just overhead. Moving furtively, they all snuck along the base of the huge wall until they found a gap where the constructions had recently collapsed. Keeping low, the four of them peered around the fallen rocks and timbers to spy on the camp's interior. It was there they all saw where many of their apes were and it did not look so well.
Anger burned within Rocket's chest as he saw Caesar strung up on the platform with Koba tied to a singular wooden pole at the bottom. They were both displayed like trophies while the rest of the apes were all chained and locked up within the pens next to them. He was reminded of the cage that he had once been kept in, back at the primate shelter in the city, before Caesar had freed him and the others. Seeing apes in cages once more, after all their years of struggle and accomplishments, sickened Rocket to his very core.
Never again, he had vowed to himself.
Turning his eyes upward, Rocket scoped out the sentries on the guard towers, trying to figure out the best way to slip past them and get to Caesar, Koba, his family and the others.
"Listen!" Bad Ape warned suddenly, catching all of their attention.
The sudden sound of approaching footsteps was now very apparent, approaching from inside the camp. This caused a sudden panic among the small group and they all turned around, scrambling away from their secluded spot among the rubble and away from the wall. They all dashed across the expanse towards some stone blocks about a hundred feet away. Hearts pounding, they hastily hid behind the squared objects and ducked for cover, just as some humans were marching out of the campsite to patrol the surrounding terrain.
There was a sigh of relief from all of them. That had been a close call indeed; if they had been just a little slower, they would have been spotted for sure. Both Rocket and Maurice then peered from behind their hidden spot at the heavily guarded prison camp.
"Soldiers everywhere!" Maurice gestured. "How would we get in?"
Rocket sniffed loudly and hardened his gaze, refusing to be deterred.
"Must get in somehow," the bulky chimp signed back. "Must get in!"
Bad Ape had watched the two apes in front of him anxiously, studying their finger movements and interpreting their signs. Confusingly, he then tapped Rocket on the shoulder and pointed at the human zoo in front of them. A worried expression set upon the smaller chimpanzee's features.
"In? In?" Bad ape asked hesitantly.
At this both Maurice and Rocket had turned to their smaller companion and both grunted, nodding in unison to answer the chimpanzee.
"No!" Bad Ape exclaimed suddenly, alarming the other two as his eyes went wide with panic. "No go in! No-"
Before Bad Ape even finished, he had already turned around and skittered away from them. Baffled by the sudden action, Rocket, Maurice and the human child had no choice but to follow the distressed chimp Bad Ape, in his haste, had then led them to some stone outcroppings that were further out from the campsite. The moment they had all hidden from the outside world, the others watched as Bad Ape had rounded himself and was backing away fearfully. Taking a moment, both Rocket and Maurice had turned their heads slightly back around to see if they were spotted or being followed.
"Friends!" Bad Ape pleaded desperately as he continued walking backwards. "Friends! No go in! No go in-"
Without warning, there was an abrupt cracking sound and Bad Ape suddenly dropped out of sight, his hysterical voice trailing off as the ground opened up beneath him. Aghast, both Rocket and Maurice rushed on over to where Bad Ape was just standing only moments before… and to their surprise, they found him hanging on the lip of a deep, dark pit that they both swore was not there before.
"Friend! Friend!" Bad Ape grunted as he reached out with his free hand.
Rocket reached down and grasped Bad Ape's forearm. Grunting, he pulled the smaller chimp out of the pit, while hoping that more of the ground would not give way beneath them. Thankfully, the snow-covered earth stayed where it was and did not collapse.
"Thank you, friend!" Bad Ape thanked Rocket when he was back on solid ground.
Seemingly ignored of his gratitude, Bad Ape followed Rocket's gaze and could see the dark looming hole in which he was just pulled out from. An old rope ladder hung down the side of the pit, staked to one of the frozen dirt sides of the hold. The ladder descended into the utter blackness at the bottom.
Rocket glanced up at Maurice and both seemed to have come to the conclusion that this spot must have been hidden before Bad Ape came and inadvertently stepped on it, revealing its location. Exchanging knowing looks, they both were intrigued by the new discovery that their distraught companion had just found a new entrance for them. Maybe, just maybe... they had just found a way to get past the guards and into the campsite to free their friends and families.
"What?" Bad Ape asked as Maurice and Rocket turned to look at him, slight grin appearing upon the bulkier chimpanzee's face.
Bad Ape watched as Rocket signed something to Maurice before turning to face him. The lanky chimp received a few pats on the arm from Rocket before he quickly darted away, off into the direction of the forest.
"Where he go?" Bad Ape asked curiously as he watched Rocket leave all of a sudden while Maurice simply held onto the child's hand and waited.
…
The sounds of the running motors, clicks, scraps and heavy footsteps jolted Koba from what meager sleep he had managed to have obtained while tied to the pole. Every muscle on his body ached as he moved, his limbs tied still, behind his back. Feeling more dead than alive, Koba groggily lifted up his head at the strange mixture of sounds, to see what was going on.
There by the pens, Koba could see that both human soldiers and turncoat apes stood at the bars, rousing the apes to all stand up on their feet. Eyeing them, Koba was quite confused as to what they were doing and turned slightly up to look at Caesar, who was still tied up on the cross, atop of the platform. The ape leader however, had leaned back slightly and turned his head. Following Caesar's gaze, Koba could see that his friend was eyeing the wretched human Colonel, whom was looking down at them on his walkway outside his watchtower. He couldn't help but feel disgusted at the sight of the human and merely set his lips in a thin line while he glared at the man.
With a simple nod from the Colonel, a whistle sounded off, catching Koba's attention and drawing him away from the bald human. All of a sudden a dark fabric was yanked off of one trailer, revealing dry oats and barley.
Was that… animal feed?
The turncoat apes then took small pails and scooped up moundfuls of the grains and tossed it unceremoniously into the pens where the apes were at. These were met with cries and screeches as famished apes quickly caught onto what was happening and they all jumbled close by the bars, catching the feed that were tossed to them and hungrily ate at them. Next were the toting pails of water, which were distributed to the apes, whom hungrily gulped down the refreshing cool drink as if their lives depended on it.
Koba hated the fact that the apes were being fed with food that were meant for animals. Made him sick to his stomach at how the apes were still being treated like this. However, they were still given food nonetheless and he was smart enough to not open his mouth to stop the apes from seeking nourishment, whatever it may be.
Watching them all hungrily eat in front of him though, Koba couldn't help but feel his stomach growl fiercely at the sight. He was more than just hungry, he was absolutely starving. However, the longer Koba watched the apes hungrily eat and drink desperately, he himself remembered that they had been starved for so much longer than he or Caesar had been. How selfish was he to think of only himself when others had suffered so much more than he did.
They deserved to be fed first.
From among the feeding frenzy a couple of chimpanzees made their way to the front of the pens and turned their attention up to Caesar. These two were none other than Lake and Tinker, the two females beaming with prideful gazes.
"Caesar, you saved our lives!" Tinker signed emotionally as she scooped up a handful of grain and deposited it into the younger female's outstretched hands, whom showed it to the ape leader.
In her brief moment of gratitude toward her good friend, Tinker's gaze slowly wandered on over to where Koba was. Meeting the eyes of the one ape who had tried to murder her son so long ago, the world seemed to have slowed between the two. Tinker was unsure of what to say to the scarred bonobo. Even if it had been years, even if her mate and Ash had vouched that Koba had changed. That still did not change the fact that Koba had tried to kill her very own flesh and blood in his crazed state. In all honesty, she still held high resentment toward the scarred bonobo. Fearing deep down that he, like before, could snap and hurt anyone else, someone else that was close to her.
However, during recent events, Tinker had seen a bit of good within Koba, if she had to admit it. Especially when he ventured back with Caesar and stood up to the Colonel for them. Not only that, Rocket had told her how Koba was the one to keep the group safe when they were traveling. Still, she had doubts and many conflicted emotions about the tied up ape and was still not sure on how she should feel about it. In the end, Tinker had instead offered Koba a silent but thankful nod. Koba on the other hand, had lowered his eyes as a look of shame appeared upon his features, but nodded back nonetheless.
Hearing heavy footsteps close by, Koba turned his head upwards and could see that Red had ascended up the steps toward Caesar, with pail of water in hand. The rusty haired gorilla paused before Caesar and looked up at the Colonel, who gazed down on them from his tower. Red slowly lifted the pail toward Caesar's dry lips. Reluctant at first, Caesar was skeptical of the offering from the renegade gorilla who had whipped him so savagely less than a day ago. But Caesar's own parched throat and ravaged body craved relief, so he swallowed his pride and parted his lips.
Then without warning, Red tipped the bucket. Dumping the precious water over Caesar's head and body, drenching him in a flash of freezing cold. Shocked by the sudden notion, Caesar couldn't help but sputter and cough. In his surprised state, Caesar couldn't help himself but heave deeply at the sudden cold, hearing Koba's angry bellows and cries from below. Red had turned to glare down at the once ape traitor before rounding himself back around to regard Caesar once more, seeing his sorry state. The turncoat gorilla snorted once in an unamused tone before moving away, leaving Caesar to his distress.
Caesar's own features hardened and he glared balefully at Red's backside with bloodshot eyes. He knew, however, that this was not the gorilla's idea. Lifting his eyes, he stared angrily at the Colonel, who simply watched in silence from his balcony above. The man had then silently retreated back into his lair, leaving his soldiers to run the rest of the operation.
This was his plan, Caesar thought to himself.
Returning his gaze, Caesar watched as one of the turncoats had taken a pail of water and splashed its contents all over the tied bonobo as well, only succeeding in angering Koba more. Another sadistic joke that the Colonel was playing with both of them.
Eventually, both adults and children were given feed and water before everything was taken back and they were made to work again. Caesar and Koba on the other hand, were not given any food. They were only left to their bindings for the rest of the day as punishment.
…
A beam of light pierced the inky blackness of the forgotten underground tunnel. Maurice held the light as he, and a grunting Rocket cleared away more of the rubble blocking the way ahead. It was hard, laborious work, but the two apes had been at it for some time now; several yards of tunnel stretched behind them, all the way back to the bottom of the pit. Rocket shoved aside another rock that blocked the way and then paused to inspect their surroundings.
"Looks like it caved in here," Rocket signed and he turned back around and picked up his flashlight from the floor of the tunnel.
Maurice nodded in agreement. Using the flashlight in his hands, he peered past the obstructions they had just cleared. Debris of all sorts littered the ground of the tunnel, which led away into the darkness. Rounding himself to the opposite end of the tunnel, he couldn't make out much difference as well.
"It keeps going," Maurice signed back to Rocket. "Wonder how far?"
Hearing shuffling behind him, Maurice turned back around and noticed that Rocket was looking at the walls of the tunnel. Curious, Maurice approached the nearly hairless chimp and stood by his side. There they could both see that something was written in big letters.
THIS WAY OUT OF HELL.
Inspecting the words, a thought crossed Maurices' mind and he then shone his light back down the tunnel.
"What does it mean?" Rocket asked, not understanding.
"Sick humans..." Maurice signed in wonder as he looked to and fro. "Must have escaped down here. To get away from the human zoo," he concluded.
…
From the far end of the tunnel, Bad Ape watched the beams of the flashlights recede down the underpass as he fidgeted anxiously at the bottom of the pit. When Rocket had returned with a couple of flashlights that they had, Bad Ape was not at all convinced that exploring the tunnel was a good idea; he only descended into the pit after the other apes because he did not want to be left alone on the surface. Especially so close to the human's bad place. They really should have just stayed by the forest side with the other three apes.
Glancing around nervously, Bad Ape pined for the comfort and safety of his former home in the mountains. It was good to have friends again. Others, just like him. Especially after being alone for so so long. It was a complete marvel that Caesar and the others had found him in the mountains in the first place. After learning as to why they were there, he had wanted to help them. Help them find the bad human, the "Colonel," who had killed Caesar's child. Much like how he lost his very own… However, now Caesar himself and the other one, Koba if Bad Ape remembered Caesar calling out the scary one's name, are now both prisoners and they were all in danger. Seeing the other three apes and how wounded they were, Bad Ape feared of what the humans would do to them, should they be found out.
Yet here they were, taking more chances. Meaning that it was only a matter of time before they were all found out.
Breathing deeply through his nostrils, Bad Ape recalled how the other apes' peculiar way of talking with their hands and fingers baffled him. It was strange. Different and a bit alien to him but still they communicated like so. However, little by little, he slowly understood that Rocket and Maurice intended to free Caesar, Koba and their other friends and families, despite his warnings to stay away from the human zoo. Bad Ape really wished that the prisoners could be saved, too, but trying to find a way into the camp was not a smart thing to do. It was a bad idea. Bad, bad, bad-
A scrabbling noise, along with the sounds of falling dirt, made Bad Ape spin around to check on the human girl, whom Maurice and asked Bad Ape to look after. His eyes bulging in alarm as he saw the child climbing the rope ladder back toward the surface. Snowflakes fell from above, drifting past her.
"No, no, no!" Bad Ape panicked as he rushed toward the ladder, calling out to her. "No! No climb!"
Unlike the other apes, the little girl did not listen to him and continued to clamber up the ladder, almost as agilely as any ape child. Finally the little human child had climbed out of the pit, leaving Bad Ape quite flustered and distraught at the bottom. Clutching his head and turning around, Bad Ape made several meager pant calls, torn as to what to do.
He was still entirely not sure why the other apes had a human child, but he knew she was not safe up there by herself, which meant he had no choice but to follow her.
Maurice had asked him to watch her.
Muttering unhappily, he reluctantly climbed the ladder after the human child. Emerging from the pit, Bad Ape found that the sky had already darkened, setting into the usual dusk before the night. Has it been a full day already? In his brief moment, Bad Ape suddenly realized why he was out here again and looked about frantically to see where the human child was. To his surprise, Bad Ape saw the girl's silhouette wandering on over toward the edge of the stones that hid them.
"Wait! No!" Bad Ape said quickly as he hopped out of the pit and quickly followed after the girl.
As soon as he stood next to the girl, Bad Ape was panting worriedly. He noticed that the child was squinting at something beyond the fallen boulders that shielded them from view. Bad Ape's eyes darted from the boulders, back to the child quickly before he crept forward to see what she was looking at. If she could see anything out in this dusk
"What?" Bad Ape whispered. "What you see?"
…
Making their way through the dark passageways, both Maurice and Rocket continued to explore the network of it all. Finding themselves at one particular area, the two of them stopped a moment to rest.
"Wonder where we are?" Maurice asked.
Not sure, Rocket shrugged as he looked around the area and could see nothing but walls and what looked like a collapsed passageway. Meaning that this section of the tunnel was unusable as it was closed off. Letting his eyes wander upward though, both he and Maurice could see what looked like a hole up at the ceiling of the tunnel. The two apes quickly looked at one another as they noticed this.
"Up there?" Rocket indicated with a finger.
"Lets try," Maurice agreed.
Positioning himself, Maurice let Rocket climbed upon his shaggy back as the heavy chimp rose upwards and started to claw at the hole in the ceiling of the tunnel. He was very tired, especially with helping Rocket clear much of the passageway as they ventured through the tunnel and figured that the chimp must be as well. However, Caesar, Koba and the others needed them. Hearing Rocket work away above him without giving up, gave Maurice enough strength to support his friend without any complaint, making sure that they all leave this dreaded place safely… and alive.
As Rocket worked away and Maurice being a pillar to support him, a slurry of ice, dirt and gravel finally spilled from above, showering the two in the muk. The faint light of the sun penetrated the tunnel through a small hole at the top of the shaft; muffled noises filtered down from the camp. Looking upwards, Maurice met Rocket's surprised gaze for a moment before the chimp cautiously peered up through the hole.
…
As usual, the girl did not respond to him. More or less, she couldn't, even if she had wanted to it seemed. Bad Ape was fully aware that the child could not talk for some unknown reason. Not minding the girl, Bad Ape followed her stare, noticing that she was squinting at one of the gaps in the giant wall guarding the prison camp. Fetching the binoculars around his neck, Bad Ape quickly pulled them up to his eyes and looked through them.
"Oh, no, Friends!" Bad Ape lamented as he spotted both Caesar and Koba tied to the cross and pole within the middle of the camp. "Oh…"
As Bad Ape lowered his binoculars, he then noticed that the girl had squeezed out from behind the outcropped rocks and was making her way toward the unfinished wall.
"No!" Bad Ape exclaimed in horror as the child walked further and further away from him, completely thrown off by the child's unexpected actions.
Following after the human girl, Bad Ape stopped in his tracks, daring to not go any further from the safety of the stones that hid him. Deathly horrified, he called out to the child, beckoning, willing her to come back to the safety behind the stones.
The child paused briefly, turning to look back over her shoulder at Bad Ape, who gestured frantically for her to turn around and come back to him. He so much wanted to chase after her, to bring her back to safety, but again, was afraid that would only make things worse. That and he was just afraid, period.
"Come! Come back!"
The girl blinked and regarded Bad Ape for a moment more before she turned back around and stared up at the campsite once more.
…
Caesar sagged and shivered upon the cross that he was tied to. He tried to keep his head up, to remain aware and conscious, but he was fighting a losing battle against hunger and fatigue. His head lolled on his shoulder, while his heavy eyelids drooped. It was very much a struggle to keep them open.
Earlier through the day, Caesar had found that Koba was very much in the same state too; freezing, wet, hungry and sore all over. The bonobo had tried his best to keep his head up and remain conscious himself. However, in the way he was tied down, the bonobo himself was finding it very hard to stay strong.
Caesar himself was so very tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep. If he could just get a moment's rest, then maybe…
A shadow passed over him, registering vaguely on his senses, and he awoke abruptly, startled to discover that night had fallen at some point. What did that happen? The camp was eerily still and silent, lit only by the harsh glow of the security lights up above. He blinked in confusion, trying to figure out how long he had been unconscious.
Before he could fully take stock of the situation, the vague figure of an ape stepped into view before him, haloed by the camp's lights. Caesar squinted, trying to bring his blurry vision into focus to see who this ape was. As the ape came closer, the others' head blocked the glare from the lights. A scar running down one side of his face, across his mutilated left eye. It was here that Caesar gaped in surprise and confusion as he recognized the other ape finally, whom was staring intensely back at him.
"Koba?" he said hoarsely.
Koba looked well, as if he had not sustained any injuries at all for the last few days that they were at the camp. The bonobo tilted his head and reached out with his left hand, gently cradling Caesar's face.
"Koba! How did you-"
"Shhh…" Koba shushed Caesar, stopping the ape leader.
The scarred bonobo's one cold-green eye gazed tenderly at the ape leader.
"Sleep," Koba said softly in a dark lulling voice.
At this, Caesar lowered his eyelids momentarily, beguiled by Koba's invitation… that was before a thought crossed his mind.
His apes, they still needed him. Ash had trusted him. Causing Caesar himself to lift up his eyelids and stare at the ape in front of him.
If Koba had gotten out of his bindings, then the bonobo should be helping him get free. But then… why was Koba doing this to him? Luring him to sleep of all places.
"You cannot save them," the scarred bonobo continued.
The moment those words left Koba's mouth, Caesar huffed and blinked at the bonobo in front of him. Not sure if he had heard correctly.
"Apes. All. Die. Here," Koba followed up as he kept his tender eyes upon Caesar, still holding onto the other ape's cheek affectionately.
Not believing the words that was coming out of Koba's mouth, Caesar recoiled at the bonobo's touch.
"No!" Caesar grunted weakly.
Koba looked almost hurt by the action but he merely tilted his head in response.
"Yes," Koba maintained in his still soft and chilling voice. "Join me..."
Caesar squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the disturbing apparition, who could not possible be Koba. He understood that Koba could not be up here with him as he was still tied to the pole. Opening back up his golden-green eyes, Caesar met Koba' icy-green and milky colored ones.
"You are not Koba," Caesar declared in a hoarse voice. "Who are you?"
The ape impersonating as Koba raised his brows, as if surprised that Caesar had found him out. However the other ape's stunned face was only momentary, before Koba side glanced at Caesar and an unnerving grin spread across his lips.
"Caesar knows. Who. I am," the other ape responded, voice turning icy cold and menacing instead.
As Caesar watched, his eyes widened in horror as blood started to ooze down Koba's head, dripping down across the scar that ran over the left side of his face and dipped into his milky white eye. The other ape then reached up slowly and dug their fingers into their own face, causing more blood to spill down from their hand and fingers. With a squelching sound, the other ape had pulled his fist away and ripped the flesh off of his face to reveal a familiar looking chimpanzee-one with glassy pale-green eyes and fishnet scars, marring the left side of his head-glaring back at him. Breathing heavily, Caesar couldn't believe who was standing in front of him now.
"Pope," Caesar breathed.
"Caesar remembers," Pope said amusingly, his grin still etched upon his bloody lips as he leaned in and breathed his rancid breath upon the ape leader.
"You… you are dead. I saw you beneath the stones at the tower," Caesar breathed in a hushed voice, remembering clearly Pope's lifeless corpse crushed beneath two giant slabs of concrete.
"Yes… dead," Pope confirmed as he reached up and touched his own cheek whilst leaning on his hand slightly. "Caesar. Dead. Soon too," the scarred and bloody chimpanzee spoke in a dark tone. "Like rest. Of his family."
At this, even within his weakened state, anger burned within Caesar's chest as he glared at Pope's apparition.
"Great, Caesar. Angry?" Pope mused as he closed in again. "Just. Let go."
"No…" Caesar huffed back.
A frown formed upon Pope's lips and the deceased chimpanzee took a step back to look Caesar once over, confusion upon his features.
"Why fight for apes?" Pope asked curiously while shaking his head slowly from side to side. " There is no hope."
Before Caesar could answer, a blinding light shone in his eyes, startling him and causing him to squint. Refocusing his vision, Caesar was then met with a glaring red haired gorilla whom was looking at him, machete in hand. All of a sudden, Red raised the blade and swung it down toward him. The weapon chopped into the rope binding his wrist with a loud thwack. His freed arm dropped numbly to his side, leaving him hanging from only one wrist. Pins and needles stabbed the liberate arm limb continuously.
Disoriented, Caesar raised his head slightly to look for Pope but saw Red, the Colonel and many of the other human soldiers instead. Red then sliced through the other remaining bonds that held onto the ape leader. Caesar collapsed onto the wooden platform with a loud thud, too weak to do anything else and simply just laid there.
"If they're both still alive in the morning," the Colonel said as he knelt down and rubbed Caesar's head gently, "they both go back to work like everyone else, or you shoot them."
The man then stared back and forth at both of the debilitated apes.
"Keep him separate from the others," the Colonel indicated at Caesar. "That one can still stay there," he nodded once at Koba whom merely glared back weakly from his spot.
Preacher nodded obediently as Red came forward and carried out the Colonel's orders. Caesar did not fight back, and simply allowed Red to drag his body away on the cold dirt.
A dream, Caesar thought to himself as he was being dragged away. Pope was just a dream. Taunting him for his action and lulling him to die with him. Telling him that there was no hope for the apes.
Vaguely hearing Koba's cries, Caesar mustered the energy and let his gaze wander on over to the frantic bonobo and the other apes in the pens, all watching him. In that moment he could see the determination set within all of their eyes, even if they were hidden in the dark.
Pope was wrong, Caesar thought to himself as Koba's shout continued. There is still hope for them.
For Koba and his apes.