Hello everyone! So sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I have a lot going on with the Holiday months and what not. So, I did not have as much time to update this story as I had wanted it to be. However, here is the newest chapter now and thank you all for sticking with this story and still showing support for it. Thank you so much and Happy Readings!

With everything slowly settling down, the apes had all come together to make sure that everyone-who was left-were all still there. The apes laughed and greeted their friends and families, thrilled to finally be rid of the humans who had tortured them for these past many days. They had also mourned for their lost ones as well and kept the memories of those who had fallen, close to their hearts. As quick as their relief were, they had to move on again. To be far away as possible from this terrible place of cold and death. And so, the apes all picked themselves up and followed their leader, to their promised home.

The first part of their journey took them over the snowy mountain and down the other side. Cold frigid winds tested the ape's endurance, but they all moved on with the hope of getting to their new home drawing ever near. The apes were lucky enough to have come across some horses that seemed tame, with Rocket and the others pointing out their horses as well. They had thought that they had lost their steeds when Maurice had explained that he had let them go. Fortunately, the four-legged animals had only wandered so far away and had stayed with the few horses that their captures had used. Of course, there were not enough of these creatures for all of the apes. So, they were only given to the most wounded, heavy with child, and one for Caesar. With that established, the apes continued on their journey, which was led by Ash, Rocket and Koba.

Following steadily with the other apes, Winter huffed quietly to himself as he tread along quietly. Riding next to him atop of a horse, sat Coral who kept a steady grip on the mane of her ride and her other hand upon her belly.

"Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?" Winter asked.

Coral's eyes turned to look at Winter and she offered him a gentle smile in response before shaking her head slowly.

"Just tired," Coral responded before she fondly placed a hand over her belly. "I am more worried about the child."

Winter's gaze wandered down to Coral's belly before he lifted them up once more at her. He could then see the sadness within her downcast eyes. It must have been rough on her to have lost so much in such a short amount of time. Not just her but many of the females within their colony as well. Who will bear their children to grow up never knowing who their fathers or brothers were.

Coral suddenly perked up when Winter's hand was placed over hers, causing her to glance in his direction.

"Baby will be fine. If child is anything like mother and father, then I know it will be fine," Winter reassured.

Seeing Winter's words to her, caused Coral to smile warmly at him.

"The baby will know who the father was," Winter explained. "We will tell the child of what their father did. That Kilo died protecting them and their mother. Like many others."

Coral couldn't help but blink in silence as she watched Winter sign to her. What he had said. It warmed her deeply, as she placed both her hands upon her belly and smiled thankfully at the white gorilla by her side.

"Thank you, Winter. I am sure Kilo and the others would have been happy to hear you say that," Coral gestured back. "Glade. Would have been so proud of you."

At the mention of Glade, Winter's eyes widened slightly. Huffing, he drew in on himself, remembering his deceased mate. No matter what he did or how hard he tried. It still hurt so much for him to remember the bonobo whom he fell in love with. The bonobo who died protecting him from that soldier many nights ago. Oh how much he had missed Glade. Feeling a hand under his chin and lifting his face upward, Winter was then drawn to Coral once more, who smiled sadly at him.

"Child will know of Glade, too," Coral signed, causing Winter to stare in surprise. "Like you said. Baby will know about what happened and many others as well. Child must know, so that our past is not forgotten."

Seeing Coral reassure him like this, letting him know that Glade will definitely not be forgotten as well, caused Winter's heart to ease. As he continued to look up at the female gorilla, something had occurred to him.

Before their journey, after the human soldiers were gone, swallowed up by the sea of snow. Winter was making his way through the apes as they all reunited with one another. Families came together. Loved ones found each other too. The not so lucky ones, like him, were left all alone. Like many, Winter watched the whole scene unfold, feeling empty in this surreal experience. Even though they had made it out of their cages alive, they will never be the same and Winter himself was no exception to this.

Continuing on his way, it was not long thereafter, that a gorilla was making their way out of the crowd of apes, towards him. Turning to see who the approaching ape was, Winter saw that it was none other than Coral. The pregnant female gorilla made her way towards him and stopped just out of reach. The look of relief etched upon the female gorilla's face as she saw him, caused something to stir within his chest. It was here that Winter remembered his and Coral's exchange of words when they were escaping, not just a few hours prior.

"You need to leave!" Winter had signed to the stubborn female who refused to go with the others.

"Not without you!" Coral signed back helplessly.

"Go! I will find you!" Winter signed quickly, causing Coral to stop in her sign. "Once I am done here and we are safe. I will come find you."

Before Coral could sign anything else another female ape had took hold of her hand and led them away with the others, away from the fighting. All Coral could remember was turning her head back to see Winter's form getting smaller and smaller in the distance as they ran to the dark forest beyond. That was the last Coral saw the albino gorilla, until now.

The two did not say anything as they stood there and simply stared at each other. Winter's fur was matted with dirt and his eyes and body looked so tired from helping the other apes. Yet he stood there, still waiting to be of service, if needed. Coral herself looked no better as well, with her own hair in need of dire grooming and body sore in all places she never knew she existed.

Without a word spoken between the both of them, Winter and Coral walked up to each other. After a brief moment, the two had leaned their heads in and gently touched their brows together.

Winter did not know how or what had caused both he and Coral to do this. It could have been their experience of losing a loved one. Their time together as prisoners for the human soldiers or many other things. What he did know though, was that this moment. After the human soldiers were gone. After what they had all been through. What they've experienced. The horrors that they've witnessed and seen. That they persevered through this terrible ordeal and survived. And now, with their newfound freedom with this nightmare gone. This moment just between both he and Coral… it just seemed right.

With the memory fading, Winter had turned away from Coral and thought to himself. He didn't know what it was but he felt rather guilty for maybe even pursuing something like this all of a sudden. He had just lost Glade and Coral had lost Kilo not soon after. Was it right for them to suddenly pursue something so quickly? What would Glade have said in this matter?

The more Winter thought about it, the more something occurred to him about Glade. The bonobo would have most likely not thought about this situation at all. If Glade were ever true to himself, he would have said that it was how things were and that as long as Winter himself was happy, Glade was happy. Bonobos, they had relationships all the time and extending their love and acceptance to all of the ape species. It was simply their nature and Glade would have urged him to move forward and be happy.

Feeling a hand touch his shoulder, Winter turned his eyes back up to Coral.

"Winter? Is something the matter?" Coral asked.

As Winter stared up at Coral he then noticed something about the female. During all of his time that he had spent with her, he hadn't noticed how pretty she had looked to him. It was as if she were radiating a calming light that warmed his being.

Clearing his throat, Winter quickly shook his head.

"I am fine," he assured her.

At this, Coral let out a relieved sigh and simply offered the white haired gorilla a sweet smile before turning her attention forward. Following suit, Winter had also turned his face forward and continued with the rest of the apes toward their new home. Whatever was in store for them all now in the future, Winter knew that both he and Coral will go through it together.

…

Their journey to their new home was long. It took them over mountains across the barren snowy wastes. To the cool seaside beyond, past forested trees and far from old home, leaving behind their once old lives. Caesar knew that many of his apes were tempted to turn back at times, to risk returning to the forest the human soldiers had driven them out from. As much as they all had wanted to, to simply go back, they trusted Caesar. Trusted him and the hope of Blue Eyes, Ash, Rocket and Koba that had brought back to them before. The Colonel had sought to murder that hope, as he had murdered Blue Eyes and so many others, but ultimately he had only delayed the exodus, not halted it. The apes would have their future, no matter how far they had to go.

The humans though?

Caesar could not help wondering whether they would find a cure for the mutated virus in time, or if this new plague would spread until all human voices were silenced. The question was a troubling one, with dire implications in either instance, but Caesar himself was in no hurry to discover the answer. Delivering his apes to safety was challenge enough for the time being. To that he winced as he felt the arrow in his side digging deeper with each breath he took.

He wondered himself, how long he was going to last?

Hearing a grunt, Caesar lifted up his heavy brow to see Rocket looking his way.

"We should rest here for now. The large desert is ahead and we would need to feed our apes before making the crossing."

Caesar's heart spiked momentarily before he quickly shook his head at the bald chimpanzee.

"We must not rest. We have to keep on moving. Only until we are out of harm's way, are we safe," Caesar explained quickly.

"Caesar, our apes need rest. We have been traveling for days now," Rocket countered.

"We must keep going," Caesar ushered.

"Caesar!"

At the voice, both Caesar and Rocket turned their attention to Koba, whom had spoken out.

"Look."

The scarred bonobo then waved his hand behind him to show Caesar all of the weary apes. The ape king blinked as he stared at his people, seeing their tired and downcasted eyes. Some of them were keeping their gazes upon him, filled with hope, but behind those green eyes showed fatigue and hunger.

"We cannot keep pushing the apes like this. They need rest, food and water to keep on going," Koba explained.

Caesar kept his gaze upon Koba for a moment before seeing another figure come up to him. Turning his attention to the approaching ape, Caesar could see that it was none other than Ash.

"Uncle," the younger chimp spoke up. "The journey across the desert is long and dangerous. If apes are to cross fully. We will need to rest first before we go. Going across now without any preparations spill only danger for those who are already weak and or with child," Ash explained.

Huffing, Caesar turned his attention to Maurice.

"What do you think?" Caesar asked his old friend.

"I think we should heed their warnings and take the precautions that is given," Maurice answered. "These three were the only ones, along with Blue Eyes, who had crossed this desert. They know what to expect and have given you what they believe would be the best course of action."

Taking a deep breath, Caesar blinked once as he let his golden-green eyes peered off into the distance.

For a long while all was silent between them all until Caesar finally spoke.

"We will rest. The apes will fill themselves with whatever food and water we can find. Then, we leave," he stated simply before turning to face the others again.

"I and a few others will scout the area to see if we can find anything," Rocket piped up. "Find whatever it is for apes to eat before making the trek."

"I and whoever are able will bring water to apes to drink," Ash signed in as well. "Apes will need lots of water for this journey. So we must take what we can," the younger chimp warned.

Caesar gave a tired nod at the father and son duo. Turning his attention to Maurice, the older orangutan nodded and simply turned around to make sure that the rest of the apes knew what they were doing. Meeting Koba's gaze, Caesar noticed that the scarred bonobo was giving him an odd look but thought nothing of it. Approaching Rocket, Caesar then gave the bulkier chimp a pat on the shoulder.

"I will help lead the hunt."

...

The night had come and past, bringing about a new day. With the steady beat of rainfall from last night, it had made the world light up as the sun's rays hit each condensed dew that stuck to the overgrown leaves upon the buildings of San Francisco. On top of one of the desolate buildings stood a figure. The dark shape of a primate, who silently stared out at the gentle waves of the sea with pristine blue colored eyes.

Staring at the ocean a bit longer, Blue Eyes had then turned his attention to the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge, far off in the distance. It was then that he remembered fighting on that bridge, along with his brothers, until his father came and got them. It was so long ago, when they had first found the humans that still lived here in this city. How naive and reckless he was back then…

Now here he was. In the middle of the human city, cut off from the rest of his apes. Who knew if they were still in the forest, gone off to their new home, or somewhere else. Blue Eyes did not know… He did know however, that he needed to find them. Reunite with what was left of his family and see them all again.

Gritting his teeth, Blue Eyes flinched as he placed his hand over the bandage that was wrapped over his head. It was as if someone was striking at him over and over again with a heavy object, enough to cause him to shut his eyelids tightly as well. After the pain had passed, Blue Eyes took a moment to gather himself before he opened back up his eyes and leaned onto one of the machines to support himself.

It had been days now and his injuries were still not quite healed. This… head wound of his. It was causing a great deal of frustration for the prince, as it limited him on what he could do. Taking deep breaths, Blue Eyes recounted what Nick and Max had told him about his injuries. That these wounds that he had sustained may take some time to heal and they themselves may cause other issues that they know not of. Nick-being the one who knew more about such things-had explained that it might not be a while until Blue Eyes himself would be ready to leave again. And that only time will tell when he is well enough to leave.

It frustrated Blue Eyes to no end. More or less, he was stuck here, in this human city. While his father, brother, love and everyone else were out there… somewhere… and who knows if they all made it out alive or not, since they were attacked in their own home.

Blue Eyes couldn't help but worry dearly.

"There you are."

At the sound of the new voice Blue Eyes rounded his head slowly to see Nick coming up from the far side of the rooftop. Once the man had reached his side, Blue Eyes regarded the man silently.

"What are you doing up here?" Nicholas asked. "Catching some fresh air?"

Blue Eyes didn't speak but simply turned his attention back to the sea and stared at it. In a way what Nick had said was true. Blue Eyes needed to get away from the closed in walls and be outside. It had only felt like a moment but when Blue Eyes had closed his eyes to rest, several days had already passed. He was not sure if this was true or not but there were instances where apes had slept for days due to illnesses and had woken up to only be as surprised as himself. Maybe it was true?

Watching Blue Eyes quietly, Nicholas couldn't help but sigh and followed the chimpanzee's gaze towards the ocean too. Staring at the rising sun in the distance, he crossed his arms and watched the view with the chimpanzee by his side.

"Beautiful ain't it? The sun out beyond the ocean," Nicholas said slowly.

At this, Blue Eyes curiously turned to look at Nick once more, whom continued to stare out toward the sea. Funnily enough, this felt exactly like the time when he was on that boat, chasing down the ship to save his friends with Rocket, Malcolm and Alexander, so very long ago. Alex… the human boy had said the same thing to him once before. That the world was beautiful. In a way, nature in it itself was very beautiful, to all living things.

"Yes, beautiful," Blue Eyes agreed in a quiet voice.

The two stood there a little bit longer before a thought had crossed Blue Eyes' mind.

"Someone once told me," Blue Eyes started, catching the man's attention. "That there are big forests. Far from here. Is this true?"

Nicholas glanced at Blue Eyes from the side, seeing the chimpanzee in what seemed to be in a thoughtful look before staring off at the sea once more.

"Yes," Nick answered. "Whoever told you that is correct. There are giant forests out there in the world. Trees that span great distances, full of life and wonder. With it though, also carries great danger too."

A solemn look seemed to have crossed Blue Eyes' features.

"Nowhere is safe," Blue Eyes said slowly.

Nick furrowed his brows and felt a little bad for souring the mood. Reaching up he scratched at his head, trying to figure out how to fix this.

"Well… if you think about it, nowhere is ever safe," Nick responded quietly. "But, it is what you make use of wherever you live, and make it safe."

At this Blue Eyes had then turned his attention to look at Nick curiously.

"Is that why humans build homes made of stone that reaches towards the sky?"

At this question, Nick couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"I guess so. I can't really say," he responded.

Blue Eyes thought about what Nick had said to him. That even though they may find a new home, it may still contain danger. However, it is what they do with it to make it better for apes. He had often heard tales about how the older apes had to make their original home suitable for all apes to live. There were losses of course, but through those losses, they learned and in time turned their home into a safe haven for apes. Even if they were to start over, they will learn again and make their new home safe too.

"Hey."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Blue Eyes glanced back up at Nick.

"I know you want to go back to your family and other apes. It must be hard for you, to be separated from them from so long. But I don't want you to feel like you're a prisoner here. You're free to go whenever you like. But I just want you to be better first before you take off," Nick said slowly. "That head injury of yours. That is not something to be taken lightly, be it ape or man."

Blue Eyes reached up to touch at the bandages for a moment before meeting Nick's watchful gaze.

"Then how much longer?"

Nick took a deep breath as he looked Blue Eyes once over. The man's gaze stopped at the bandage upon the chimp's head for a long moment before he closed his eyes.

"If you want my honest opinion. Quite a bit longer…"

...

Caesar grunted as he swung through the trees along with the other apes. They were busily looking around for any kind of sustenance to bring back to the apes. Anything at all that would help feed them. They must do something or less they face losing many other still. Stopping on one of the branches, Caesar leaned heavily onto the tree for support as he reached up and touched at his side, feeling warmth running down from his wound. Pulling his hand back, Caesar could see his fingers coated in red.

There was a sudden shake of the tree branches as another figure landed on the same tree that Caesar was in. Quickly wiping away at the blood, Caesar turned his attention to Rocket who approached him quickly.

"Caesar, you okay? You're falling behind a bit," Rocket inquired of his friend.

"I'm fine," Caesar responded quickly. "Just… a little tired. That is all."

Rocket looked Caesar once over and could see his friend looking quite worse for wear.

"Maybe you should have stayed behind with the others," Rocket suggested.

At this Caesar shook his head slowly.

"No, I can hunt too," Caesar responded.

"But-"

"It's okay, Rocket. I can help with the hunt," Caesar reassured his friend before giving Rocket a pat on the shoulder.

Before long there were the cries and hoots of the hunter apes that were already ahead of the both of them. Meeting Rocket, Caesar nodded at his good friend.

"Come, let us go get food for our apes," Caesar said to the nearly hairless chimpanzee.

Rocket hesitated a moment but nodded at his friend. Knowing that Caesar was quite stubborn when he set his mind on something, the bald chimpanzee turned around and headed off in the direction of where the others were.

If it were any other time, Caesar would have considered Rocket's words and stayed behind. However, if he had chosen to stay with the other apes, no doubt they would find out about his injury and therefore it would have caused the exodus to halt. Therefore causing the delay of the journey to their new home.

Grunting, Caesar had taken another pause as he placed a hand over his side. The sooner they caught something for the apes, the sooner they could get a move on again. If they stalled, who knows what could happen to them all. While he stood there, Caesar closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he regained his composure. Also willing his body to keep up with the others until they at least reached their new home.

As soon as he was ready to follow, Caesar opened his eyes and was about to leap off of the branch that he was on. However for one reason or another, he had lost feeling in his legs and the world around him began to spin. Before he knew it, however, he was beginning to lose consciousness. Unable to stop his body, Caesar suddenly felt his body falling forward.

Was this how it was going to end for him? Was this how he dies? By losing too much blood and falling from a tree?

The last thing Caesar remembered was a strong pressure around one of his arms and then complete darkness.