The morning was tame and damp.

It had to be just below fifty degrees fahrenheit, the cool breeze that swept through the woods adding to the drizzle that fell from above. The light was dim and grey, the forest floor as soft as pudding in some places from all the heavy rain. Four months had passed by quickly while Krissa had been among the ape colony, the leaves vaguely turning color as the seasons changed. Without the constant pressure from the presence of human beings, the temperatures had plummeted from their usual lukewarm readings, and although Krissa didn't own a thermometer, she was sure that it would most likely read something close to her guesstimate.

They lined the river bank, quietly listening and watching their surroundings with sharp observant eyes of emerald and brown. A morning dove cooed softly, it's call lazy and drawn out. The young woman's bare feet sunk into the pebbles along the shore, the muck sticking to her heels and sucking at her arches. Her eyes found the distinct tracks of mule deer, noticing how they curved into two tear-drop like scores. Knuckling up beside her was Salt, a muscular greyish-brown chimp. His sideburns were particularly shaggy, giving away that he belonged to Hail's lineage. The male had grown fond of Krissa, although his mother Ring wasn't all too interested. Hail, however, seemed to encourage it. She met his emerald eyes. Salt swiped his index finger across his brow, followed by his right mitt hovering in place and his left digit wagging as it pointed toward the ground. 'Black-tail,' Salt signed, then continued, 'Small, travel in groups of ten or eleven.'

Krissa's head bobbed, a few of her wet curls hanging loose after having come free from her messy slicked-back ponytail. 'Smaller, right? Than White-tail?' Her gestures were quick and small, as if speaking quietly. She had learned to stick to sporadic sentences during times where she needed to be silent. Too much movement could scare game off, as Slate had taught her.

Salt's large pate dipped and he crouched slightly. 'Yes,' he responded, mimicking her private movements. His grip tightened around the net looped over his brown-grey shoulder. 'Easier to use nets on.' The two fell silent and still once more, wordlessly waiting for the signal to begin moving. Krissa had to admit, she was a bit nervous. This was only her second hunt, and the last time her training hadn't paid off very well. Perhaps she simply needed to try harder, but all the commotion made it hard to focus. One of the apes rocked gently from foot to foot where he squatted, his friends calmly signing back and forth next to him. Krissa knew it was rude to stare and turned her head. She had made the mistake of gawking countless times, but who could blame her? They were talking apes. Each time Krissa would find herself being caught engrossed in a conversation she had no business in, she would remind herself that they were not the aliens she saw them to be. Now it was something normal. This was their world, not her's.

Her eyes searched the throng of apes that lined the water's edge for a familiar face, although she came up short. Slate was either further up along the bank or he was up in the trees. From up in the branches above, an ape rumbled and she shot a glance up at the canopy. The prince and his adviser were resting next to one another upon a sturdy branch. Rocket raised a fist into the air and swept it forward, allowing his fingers to unfurl. This was her signal to collect her group together, plodding forward on her hands in order to keep herself balanced. Krissa didn't wish to have them spotted before they even got into their positions. Salt brushed against her, reminding her that he was there as well. Once they were all accounted for, they hobbled off toward the other side of the river. The chilly water sloshed around her ankles as she walked, keeping herself stooped down low. Krissa would have happily knuckled around just as they did, but with how stiff her back and shoulders got, she could barely move.

The group came to a thick patch of vegetation and quickly huddled up inside, hovering close to one another. Their bodies were warm from all that thick fur, which she was grateful for now. If it weren't for them, she would surely be freezing in her simple set-up of distressed high-waist jeans and a drenched NASA shirt. Her eyes fell upon the leathery hand parting the branches in front of them, revealing their targets in the meadow. They were only a couple feet away, their tails twitching joyfully. Her heart began to hammer. This was it. Adrenaline began to course through her. Krissa turned her head to look upon Salt, who stared out at the scene with intent, his hair beginning to rise along his shoulders in excitement. Her cranium then tilted and she found she was met with another familiar face. Her gut soured. Pine looked so similar to Slate, aside from that gnarled scar marring what would have been considerably attractive features. His right ear was in tatters, nearly absent from his pate. The male's teeth flashed and his eyes narrowed. She was surprised that he wasn't blind, the nasty mark just gracing from his cheekbone to his brow. Krissa, more concerned with the task at hand, shifted warily next to Slate's sibling and returned her attention back to the deer.

Another body shuffled up behind them. This was not Slate's team, but perhaps she would just have to make do for now. There wasn't much she could do now. Krissa drew her bow, keeping it lowered to the ground in order to remain small between Salt and Pine. The forest became eerily quiet.

Pine's hands flashed in the light.

They were off with a cacophony of sound, the woods coming alive with their calls and hollers. Krissa shot out from within the bushes, letting out a cry, her voice mingling in with their own. The deer didn't even turn to face them- they simply wheeled around and bounded off in the opposite direction, just as planned. She gracefully soared forward, keeping Salt in her sights as he took to the trees while Pine and Sharp shot after their prize. It felt so good to stretch her legs! Leaping up onto the closest log, she raced across the spongy surface before hurdling to the closest path of grass. Her ankles kicked through leaves and fronds, feet flying over the earth with great agility. Her lungs heaved for air, yet she did not seem to notice. Sharp fell into step next to the closest deer as it veered, his shoulder coming to slam into its flank. It was knocked in her direction and she immediately took the time to bounce herself to the right with one graceful step of her foot; Krissa soared up into the air and her arrow was let fly, skimming the animal by a mere inch. Just as she landed, she faltered, tumbled and quickly threw herself up onto her knees. Frustration welled within her chest as she watched the young buck race ahead, Salt and Sharp in hot pursuit. Krissa slammed her fist into the soft emerald tendrils and quickly scrambled to her feet, but just before she could collect her arrow and continue onward, Pine's muscular form collided with the surface of a fallen tree resting not too far from her. He slipped down to the ground with the grace of a cat and rose to his hind legs.

'Human needs to keep up!' he signed scornfully. His scarred face, gaunt with war-paint, was contorted in aggression.

Krissa had never particularly gotten along with Slate's brother, but was trying her hardest. It was his fault for always testing her patience. "I'm still learning!" Krissa spat. "Give me a break."

The male bared his teeth, his massive head swaying from side to side as he knuckled to the unlucky tree that her mottled arrow had sunken into. Pine certainly had better eyes than she. He yanked her artillery from the moist bark and tossed it rudely in her direction. 'Should not have come on hunt,' he continued, sounding very similar to Slate. Was he scolding her or was he - "Should stay with females," Pine proceeded to sneer. "Not.. ready. Too slow."

That was Pine for you. Krissa felt embarrassment swirl within her chest, her ears coming to burn in frustration. Who was he to judge? He was the one wasting time! She was about to retaliate, only for the words to be lost as they were drown out by the shrieking alarm of an approaching party. Krissa clambered out of the way just as the massive cervidae came charging through the undergrowth, tumbling into the side of a cypress with a grunt. Uncomfortably muddy, she pulled herself to her feet and pursued after, running until she had caught up far enough. By now, her body ached and her throat was screaming for air, nausea beginning to creep up in her larynx from the exertion. There was no time for this, she knew, as she came to a toadstool cluttered stump and prepared to jump. Tossing her longbow over her head and shoulder, Krissa's legs bunched and she quickly threw her hand up to meet the surface of the slaughtered tree. Using a strong limb, she propelled herself up and over the former fir, sap now sticky upon her digits and palm; her feet collided with the ground and suddenly she was inches from the deer with her knife drawn.

Within mere seconds of her landing, a body abruptly collided with her own and knocked the breath from her. Before she knew it, her knife had grazed the animal's hide and she tilted earthward, the momentum sending her tumbling straight into the path of another rampaging buck. Krissa let out a shrill squeak and brought her hands to her head, preparing to be trampled. Much to her luck, the ape consecutive to the stampeding cervidae caught sight of her in it's lane and erupted in a series of pant-barks, attempting to veer the animal away by leaping up atop it's back. It wasn't enough. The deer violently jumped and bucked, causing it's rider to be thrown off and out of the way. Massive hooves rose into the air. This was going to definitely leave a mark!

Krissa felt a gust of air and gasped, suddenly swept up last minute by a sinewy brown frame, the two skidding in the muddy grass and into a partially flooded patch. Their heads came up, staring off at the thundering beast that had just narrowly missed them both. Relief washed over Krissa, her head falling back with a deep exhale of elation. She then brought her gaze to her savior, meeting the emerald hues of the prince himself, his milky features and dark chest sallow with his tribe's trademark varnish of chalky white. A singular line of royal violet ran from between his brows to his procerus, followed by two shorter diagonal lines near the top of the mark; this created a fork-like design, although the lines never merged. Her stomach dropped. Cornelius did not seem too impressed with her, the young male beginning to rise to his feet. Her head bowed and she immediately felt herself pale, bringing her hand up in an apology, asking for forgiveness. She cowered pitifully before him in the sopping-wet sod, her frame trembling. She had seen others do this before, including the twins, and ergo Krissa only felt as though it was right that she do so as well.

Finally, after a moment, she felt Cornelius grace his fingers over her digits and palm. Following their exchange, her prince and she looked upon one another. Cornelius seemed to have a dark, far-away look in his eyes, but before she could decipher what exactly he was expressing, he wheeled around and quickly approached the nearest tree. From the stories she had heard, Cornelius had been a spitting image of his father since day one, although in her opinion, his face seemed more slender like his brother's had been described as. His emerald eyes were nearly forest-green, standing out among the crowd of males his age.

A hand found her back, startling her. Krissa turned her head to find a well-known set of amber eyes. The wounds upon his limbs were now healing up, no longer needing their protective dressings, and his dark grey features were painted just the same as his Pine, a short stroke of crimson adorning his glabella. Slate's face was illustrated with frustration, yet deeply vexed as he met her chartreuse set. A few brisk hoos escaping him as he looked her over. Croaking, his head shook in disapproval.

"Stupid," huffed the dark chimp, manhandling her as he examined the scrape upon her jaw. 'Too slow, could have gotten trampled.'

'I think that someone hit me-'

"Weren't paying attention. Should know.. all surroundings," chided Slate, meeting her eyes with teeth bared in resentment. 'I couldn't redirect it. Cornelius is why you're alive.'

Angry that he would not listen, her eyes fell. They didn't have time to stop and chat- she realized that now after her discussion with the dark chimp's brother. "We should get moving," she insisted, tearing away from his grasp. Slate almost seemed wounded by this, but they continued on, gathering their things and beginning to track the nearest, freshest set of prints. It all came down to the two of them now: Salt, Pine and Sharp were long gone off in the bush, leaving her to fend for herself. Things seemed to have worked out well for Slate though, seeing as his posse showed up quickly. At least he had something going for him. Rocket, Hail and another male she had not yet been introduced to approached with observant eyes, communicating back and forth with harsh hollers. Krissa took a moment to pick out what exactly they were excited over, when Slate pointed to the tail of a small doe disappearing into the brush.

Excited, the human burst ahead, beginning to draw her bow as she raced through the undergrowth. Silently she traveled from below, the rest of the group following after her without a sound. It took her nearly five minutes to catch up, the doe having slowed. Stepping softly, Krissa eyed her as she moved downwind, making sure to keep herself out of sight. There was a lull. Eyes darted from here to there, the apes as still as stone as they waited. They waited and they waited.

Rocket suddenly bellowed and the apes soared to the ground, the unknown male's muscular frame closest beside. Surprised by their abrupt arrival, the female reared and swung her legs at him, sending him ducking out of the way. The cervidae struck him in the shoulder, although thankfully the blow wasn't enough to break any bones. Next to the plate was Rocket, swinging a weighted sling over his head, the concussive whaps from the weapon cutting through the air. With exemplary aim, the male let out a shriek and let the weapon fly, evidently capturing the deer's front legs and causing her to stumble. Finally, Slate plummeted into view and swiftly used the recoil from his limbs in order to violently launch himself up onto the cervidae's back. Without much of a pause, he swung his spear down over her long head, bringing the weapon's staff up against her throat and pulling back.

The sun broke through the thick clouds, the rain turning into liquid gold as it showered down around them. The mule deer let out an audible choking noise and careened back upon her hind legs once more. Slate looked like a warrior charging into battle, or some sort of hellish beast bringing terror to the mortals of earth. It was overwhelming and she couldn't help but stare at the majesty before her. "KRIS!" shouted the chimp, guttural voice thundering through the air. Rocket's spear met her flank and the other simian raised his own. The moment all materialized within slow motion.

Krissa rose to her full height from where she had been hiding and drew back the string of her longbow with all her might. Taking a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes and then let the arrow fly.

The wind had picked up slightly, but the sun was warm on Krissa's shoulders. The deer they had caught was strapped to the spit they typically used for big game, it's head hanging limp. Sore and tired, she was pleasantly content with her catch. It had been her arrow to meet the mark, with a little help from Slate. Perhaps they worked better together because he had known her longer than any of the other apes had. She carefully walked along beside Salt, Slate making pace before her and discussing something with Rocket. Her eyes drifted to the cervidae the two apes assisted in carrying.

The doe wasn't as big as she had hoped her first game catch would be, but it was something..

A hand came to brush her ear, Salt's hiccups drawing her attention. The greyish male dropped to his knuckles once more, although kept his attention upon the human next to him. 'You are bruised,' pointed out the male, gesturing to his own forehead. Puzzled, Krissa brought her hand to her brow and graced her fingers over her glabella, then to her optical, only to flinch as she found the source. 'You fell hard?'

Shrugging, she met his worried gaze. "Probably did. I don't know what hit me, but next thing I knew I was nearly being trampled!" Krissa could still feel the jitters in her fingers as she recalled Cornelius saving her last minute. Slate had done his best, but he had simply been tossed off the deer's back. She was grateful. "Its nothing I can't handle."

"You made.. a good catch," panted Salt, offering a grin. His head nodded, shaggy hair ruffling in the wind. 'Better than I did. Caught only rabbits first time.'

"Didn't Hail teach you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Salt's head shook. "Pine," he deadpanned. 'Father was fighting for Caesar mostly.' The ape's attention left her for a moment, falling to the ground. 'Was spotty training. Didn't help that Koba did what he did. That's why humans panicked. Called others.'

Krissa had heard the noise: the distant booms, the faint cries for mercy. She had heard a lot, but mostly had been focused on her own survival. She had never taken the time to stop and see it through someone else's eyes. Now that she was living with them, she realized just how deaf she had been to their suffering. Sure, they were a different species, but.. Krissa never realized just how human they really were. Children deprived of their homes, orphans never knowing their parents; tyranny and betrayal. Granted, she never asked about Koba, nor about the Colonel, but she had heard them mentioned. Humans destroyed everything they touched.

Come to think of it, Slate, Poppy and Pine.. had their biological family ever been brought up?

"I only caught squirrels my first time…" murmured Krissa, smiling softly. "My dad wouldn't let me try anything else, because I still couldn't use my bow properly."

'That's because you're human,' Salt teased.

This earned him a lighthearted narrow of her eyes. Krissa couldn't help but giggle along with him. "Yack it up!" she jeered, giving his leg a gentle prod of her foot.

Her eyes flitted upward and landed upon Slate, who was just tearing his gaze away from her. Had he been listening? Pondering on the events Salt had recalled, the young woman chewed on her bottom lip. The spotty sun flashed in her hazel gaze, turning it to liquid serpentine and amber. 'We can maybe work together,' Krissa suggested, catching Salt's attention. The chimp brayed in approval and reached up, grasping hold of her wrist momentarily. It was amusing. Salt held himself with maturity, but it was clear that he was a year or two younger, perhaps Cornelius's age- granted he wasn't as stoic as the leader, holding innocence behind those eyes still.

Smiling softly, Krissa reached down and brushed the side of his head with her fingers in return. "We'll learn quickly," beamed Salt. 'Good team.'

'Good team,' echoed Krissa.

Their welcome was warm, the colony pant-hooting together in greeting. Cornelius was first inside, leading with Pine and a few other members, followed by the catch and finally rest of the party. The young ones were obviously distracted from their classes, all ambling out of the shelter of the cypress to look down upon the patrol with enthusiasm. They shrilled and hooted, Maurice's voice bellowing out after them as per usual. They were a slippery bunch. Even Nova was interested, a few other females making their approach to greet their loved ones. The blonde picked her way through the fray and met Krissa with a caress of her arm. Before she could press her head to her own however, the ravenette hissed in pain and brought her fingers to her brow. Nova was immediately worried, Salt leaning into her. Slate, taking notice, handed off his side of the stick to Rocket and turned to quickly approach Krissa. A snort or two escaped him, demanding that he take a look as he rose to his hind legs. Nova stepped out of his way and his hand immediately found her jaw, clamping down and forcing her to tilt her pate earthward. Krissa scoffed. "Slate-" she protested, aggravated by how he was handling her.

'You hit your head,' he stated bluntly as she pulled away. Krissa gave him a bitter look. 'How? When you fell?'

"Yeah, someone knocked me over. I fell right on my face," she replied dryly. He hadn't been listening whatsoever, her remark from earlier having flown completely over his head. Males these days, I swear to god! She scoffed inwardly. It couldn't be helped though; they had both been in a hurry. Sighing heavily, her demeanor softened. "I'm fine. I'm not bleeding.."

"Who?" asserted Slate, amber eyes flashing. His teeth peeked through his lips and he squared his shoulders. "Who hit you?" Well, that was quite the question. Who had crashed into her? Krissa's eyes fell from the angry chimpanzee and she allowed her attention to wash over her surroundings. The only ape who it could have been was either Salt or Sharp, and Slate's adoptive sibling would surely have said anything. Sharp.. he had been the one to shepard the mule deer toward her. Krissa had seen him just before she had been bowled over onto her face. "I don't know…" she admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"Krissa was .. with me," Salt piped up. Their heads turned. 'Me, Sharp and..' Slate and he exchanged a look. The posse all collectively came to silent conclusion. Suddenly livid, the inky grey chimp turned and searched for Pine, fangs bared. His gaze fastened to his brother, a low growl grew within his throat. He spoke to Sharp and Sage in small movements, Spoon to his left slightly blocking the view. Preparing to stalk over, he balled his fists and began to stoop down. It wasn't until Krissa dove forward and caught him by a long sinewy limb that he froze dead in his tracks.

"Stop.. this isn't a fight. I'm sure it was simply poor judgement," protested the survivor, her voice low. Slate's head turned, his broad deltoids hunched and his amber eyes narrowed. Her voice mellowed further. "Slate, come on." Krissa didn't want a brawl breaking out between the two. She had seen plenty of arguments between the two, and although she understood that the tension would most likely break at some point, she wanted to put that day off for as long as possible.

'Pine wouldn't try and kill her,' added Nova, clearly focused on keeping the peace as well. She looked between the two of them. 'He's just a bully.' Slate was pissed regardless, ready to even turn violent if necessary. He was getting so fed up with Pine, to a point where it made her wary. However, as Krissa tightened her grip upon his arm and peered into his eyes, he simmered down.

"Maybe you can talk to him when you're thinking more clearly.." advised Krissa, chartreuse gaze hard as he turned his head away. "But you shouldn't go doing anything stupid." Slate out a chuff, his eyes gracing to her hand. Right, no touching. Gently releasing him, she drew away. With Nova at her side, she began to head for the Medicine Tree.

Twilight had passed. The sky was draped in endless inky black, sprayed with pinpricks of starlight that had slowly grown over the years since mankind's empire had collapsed. The crickets had long since gone to sleep for the winter, the steady humming breeze rocking the towering sequoia and eastern white pines that surrounded the camp entrance. Speckles of light danced across the mountain-side from where they flickered off in the distance, the smell of cooking venison filling the air, along with the occasional grunt or groan from the simians below as they conversed over their meals. Slate was settled among the ranks of his hunting patrol, absent of Rocket whom was settled off a ways with the council. His greyish half-sibling shuffled next to him, excitedly listening to Ilam, the male who had been struck during the assault. His shoulder move stiffly, a dark blemish beginning to bleed beneath his skin. Thankfully Sparrow had taken a look and established that there was no injury to the bone, just as she had with Krissa. Shell had tended to the young woman with careful precision, and now she was up and about once more just as she had been previously. He was grateful for the bonobo's tender nature, for her chimpanzee companion wasn't too fond of handling humans.

Ilam had just finished recalling the story of Slate's gallant performance amid the chaos of the hunt, Salt glued to him with wide emerald eyes. Nearly eleven years old and he still listened to his elders with the curiosity and wonder of a white-tail. It was endearing. 'Your tactic was excellent,' Ilam opined, his dusty grey fingers splaying out, his palms turned out to face him in approval. A faint smile laced the chimp's lips and his eyes pinched together in thought. The fire popped passionately. 'Have you used that before?'

Slate found that to be a very perplexing question. It had simply been implemented on a whim, the cards falling into just the right place at the right time. The praise was overwhelming, but gave a huge boost to his ego. Chewing on his well-earned meal, he relished in the attention. 'Only thought of once. Could be handy,' considered Slate. Salt's head turned to look upon his adoptive sibling. Bringing his knuckles to his chest, he scratched nonchalantly at his scarred pectoral. 'Might use in future.' In response, the other chimp bobbed his head. Ilam seemed impressed and that was what he was aiming for. Confidence engulfed him, a pleasant smirk weaving across his features.

"Caesar would be.. proud!" Salt gushed, lips peeled back in delight. Reaching up, he gave Slate a gentle caress of his head. 'You have to teach me that too.'

You weren't the only one, said a tiny voice in his head. In the midst of his own egotism, the dark grey chimp began to feel guilty. Hogging all the glory was fantastic, yes, but .. as he looked off toward the rest of camp, his eyes fell upon Krissa. The human was bundled in her sweater, long denim-clad legs hugged to her slender frame. She was settled by her own fire, essentially alone aside from the occasional visit from Nova or Poppy. His simper disappeared and he was left with a heavy pit in his gut, as if the meat weren't sitting right. 'I wasn't alone in this,' he found himself saying, fiery gaze returning to the other apes.

'Yes, the human helped too, didn't she?' Ilam recalled, nodding in agreement.

"Taught her.. hunting," Slate explained. 'She knew basics, but not enough. She's getting better.' Reaching down, he picked up his bowl and began to poke through the grain within. His meat was finished, yet he still wanted more. He decided to began on the sunflower seeds, munching with his heavy jaws. Ilam's head turned, following his gaze. The young woman stirred, moving to prod at the coals. 'Couldn't skin to begin with. Seems she's learning. Have to be good teacher for humans.' Salt tilted his head over at Krissa, genuinely curious as well. Recalling the greyish brown ape's compliments, he wondered if perhaps he had simply been saying those words in order to instill assurance. Perhaps all the tribe knew of her slip-up with Pine- that's right, he had almost forgot! That snake. 'She may be a bit clumsy, but will do fine. More ape than human.'

Ilam smirked and met Slate's eyes. 'You have your work cut out for you,' mused the dusty primate. His head dipped sagely. 'Congratulations. Not many would take on a human apprentice.'

Apprentice. The word struck a chord within Slate. His brow lowered and he pondered upon Ilam's remark, even as the older chimpanzee ambled to his feet and dismissed himself. It was getting later in the evening, the stars becoming more prominent as Slate gazed up toward the sky. Salt and he ate the rest of their dinner in cordial silence. Krissa was his apprentice. Was that the correct term? Would Cornelius even approve of something like that? Surely Nova was considered to be learning under Maurice's wing, but that was before the prince had any say in royal family matters. Slate was of mediocre status, although his brother and he had helped one another out with obtaining the level they resided at in the hierarchy. There was no definite rank: there were the colony members, the royal family and the king that all looked to. Despite this though, Slate and Pine were regarded as brilliant hunters, and frequently called on to lead patrols and even scouting missions.

"Slate," Pine's husky timbre interrupted his speculations. His frame stilled and his body visibly stiffened. The inky male turned his head despite his growing rancor and greeted his sibling with a sniff. Shuffling over, Salt was given a pat on the back, which he accepted with a gentle bray. Pine then took the space between his family, settling back upon his haunches with a considerable huff. He was devoid of his warpaint, which was a surprise. He tended to hang around with it on for a while longer than the others, perhaps simply loving the fact that he could be singled out. Or because it helps Pine feel more dominant, he jested inwardly.

Reaching out, the two exchanged a firm handshake. 'Good catch,' his brother approved, letting out a few pants and allowing his lips to peel back in a toothy congratulatory sneer. Was he trying that hard to appear as though he cared? 'Fills the tribe well. Gives little ones strength.' Slate remained silent, his pate swaying in acknowledgement. Yes, that had been their intent… he felt a pinch of sadness within his lungs, recalling Twig's final rest. Part of him felt rather blue: the white-tail would have grown up to be a mighty fine specimen, but with his untimely demise, that was now impossible. The other part of him, the callous and insensitive part, only appeared for a split second before immediately extinguished. One less mouth to feed. One less face to see, one last warm smile, one last member of their colony. One less piece of ape family. Slate's eyes rose within the silence and fell upon Krissa, her caramel lids and dark lashes heavy over those intelligent green eyes. "Human.. need to go soon," Pine interjected once more. His head tilted toward him, narrowing his eyes.

Pine was looking at him with passive, listless features, as if what he had just said were a simple fact. 'She helped catch our dinner, helped bring in pelts,' Slate pointed out, gestures on the verge of aggressive. He subdued himself, his temper remaining below the surface. There was no reason to get in his face. Pine straightened up, eyes training themselves upon Krissa. Something behind his strange brown-and-silver depths aroused within him the urge to reach out and restrict his throat until he went limp. His brother's head turned, tilting.

'Human has worn out welcome,' retorted Pine, rolling his eyes and waving him off. 'She isn't ape. Why worry about what happens? She can walk now.'

Cornelius had kept her around despite her being of murderous kind. Perhaps it was due to Rocket and Maurice's guidance, but his word overruled their own when it really came down to it. It made Slate wonder how much longer she would be around. Krissa was peaceful and kind. 'Give her a little while longer. She isn't hurting anyone,' Slate excused, pressing his right fist into the ground in order to balance himself.

'She got in the way at hunt. Clumsy and awkward because of her legs. Gets them tied together,' Pine sneered, lips curling up at the corners. It was obvious that he was willing to throw stones at the walls of his own glass house. 'Like a heron. Tall and delicate. Not meant for hunting.'

Slate's snout wrinkled and his teeth peeped through his parting lips. "Your nose is.. too high," he fumed. 'Might float away if you don't get it out of the air. Simple-minded, stupid mouth.' His ire was beginning to reach its boiling point. Thrusting a digit out toward Krissa, he gritted his teeth. Slate then whisked his hand around and jabbed Pine in the chest, bristling at the scruff. "Did not.. get in way!"

With false sincerity, Pine gave him a solemn look. 'Could have died. Wouldn't want that blood on your hands,' he feigned, bringing his mitt to his chest as if he were genuinely worried for him. 'Everyone knows she's your animal. Your pet, your responsibility.'

Slate couldn't take it any longer. He snapped. A thundering pant-bark burst from his throat, his teeth bared and gleaming dangerously. His eyes were liquid fire, daring him to make another comment. The younger twin stood over his brother, all heads turned to the two of them, Salt shrinking back after having been startled. A tiny bray escaped him, which drew Pine's attention, and in response to his adoptive sibling's infernal gaze, he rose and quickly scampered away, heading home. After the greyish-brown adolescent had ducked out of sight, Slate slowly lowered himself back down, turning his head away to look upon Krissa. The young woman stared, expressing something indecipherable to him; she then quickly turned her head. Pine huffed. "You," he articulated, the singular word coated with malice. Then he demanded, 'You act like she's valuable. Why defend her?'

'She has nobody else!' he shot.

There was a break in their buzzing, angry argument.

Pine's expression became that of complete revulsion. "You.. fool," he growled low. 'Neither do we. We are our family, she is not. Neither is Salt, or Hail, or Ring. We have nobody, just as this thing.' Slate suddenly felt sick but was too weakened by his brother's words to retaliate. 'Quit acting as if you're in control. That beast won't last out here. It either leaves or dies.' His pounding heart did not slow. Something within him changed, as if someone had just turned the lights on from behind his eyes. Slate had been putting this off for a long time. Sure, they had disagreed before, but when it came to this subject in particular, it infuriated him, indefinitely. His hand shot out and he latched onto his brother's wrist, talons digging into his near raven coat as hard as possible, yanking him forward. Pine stumbled but followed through, the pair coming a hair's-length away from one another. "You touch her again and.. I will kill you."

Pine pulled away as if his brother had just stuck a bee up his nose, scowling deeply. The pair stood up to full height, Slate having risen subconsciously in order to assert himself. "It's in our.. blood," the marred male clipped. He continued, gestures forceful. 'To kill them. Hunt them. Hate them. Our blood!'

Curling his lip, he tilted his head louringly, fiery gaze like liquid sunset in the pyre's flames. That's when Slate said it, right to his face, without discretion. Two blunt words with the power to cut down an army. 'What blood?'

His twin was visibly shaken, gaping with wide eyes as Slate stormed off, shoulders square.

Pine had said it himself, hadn't he?

Where did he go? Over to Krissa, of course. Slate couldn't quite describe what he felt as he stalked over, but he knew that something was driving him forward. Her chartreuse eyes locked onto him as he rounded the side of the fire, spear in one hand, the other upholding his weight as he walked. Coming to sit down, he shot one last look at Pine, alone at the fireside. Slate felt his fury hissing between his ears until a small, delicate finger gently graced across his arm. His head turned, tiling on it's joint, his brow heavy. His amber eyes washed over her brows and how they curled closer to one another in concern. Krissa's small mouth lowered in a frown, her gaze searching him for something she surely wouldn't draw out of him. 'You okay?' asked the human.

Slate blew hot air through his nose, columns of steam rising from their exit points. He then rolled his eyes, followed by a guttural pant. No, he wasn't okay, but it was too difficult to explain. Sensing this, Krissa drew her hand away. With the contact gone, he felt almost… helpless and exposed, like a newborn. "Pine," he muttered, being sure to coat his brother's name with generous amounts of bile. The fire sizzled and popped, filling the gap between their discussion. He had always been able to find their silence comfortable. His coat slowly began to lay flush along his spine and shoulders, his body no longer appearing as large and threatening. At long last, he allowed his gaze to wander back over to her, observing how the orange glow bathed her features and how the shadows were painted so perfectly, swaying to the rhythm of the night. His apprentice, huh? Grunting, he caught her attention, shamrock and hazel pools full of curiosity.

'You hunted well,' he extolled, blinking softly. 'Apes are impressed, proud.'

Her freckled cheeks deepened in color. 'Really?' Her pearly whites gleamed in the pyre's shine. "I'm glad. I didn't think your tribe thought much of me." Krissa directed her scrutiny back toward the flames, bringing her knees further up toward her chest. The ravenette quietly dropped her gaze and her facial features grew sullen. Slate frowned. He had just given her applause for her achievement of the day.. Did this not please her? A lump grew within his throat and he suddenly was unsure of what to say. Should he ask her?

"Slate…" Krissa began, allowing a second to pass in order to choose her words carefully. "Am… Am I the reason you and your brother have been at each other's throats lately?" He tilted his head, lips parting and his hands twitching. What a silly thing to say! Before he could really answer her question, she interjected. "I mean.. your home must have been so normal and peaceful without me around. I was sort of thrust in without warning. What I mean is… I don't want to be disrespectful or rude. If Cornelius wants me gone, I can leave." She rested her chin atop her patella, eyes trained upon the bonfire. Embers spit up into the air, reaching toward the heavens. "My leg is better, Twig was put to rest, I'm no longer sick... Shouldn't I leave now?"

Krissa...

Taking a shuffling side-step closer, Slate broke one of his big boundaries and nudged her arm gently with his knuckles, just as he would with one of his own. 'I'm proud of you,' he reiterated. The charcoal-grey simian then brought his pointers to the thick material of her sweatshirt, pressing into her manubrium. Slate's paw lingered there for a few moments longer, the breath stilling within his larynx as he felt her heart hiccuping beneath his curled digits. His appendage eventually fell away. He swallowed hard. Her eyes were large, glistening with welling tears. "One of us. You should.. Stay."

Krissa sniffled softly and beamed, nodding her head. "Then I'll stay." There was a beat. Unfurling her physique, she leaned over and supported her weight on one hand, taking the time to crane her neck and place a soft kiss on his cheek. Slate was completely caught off guard, the skin where her lips had brushed feeling as though it were being chewed by fire ants. His belly tightened and twisted into various knots, his breath stolen away. Grip cramping down around his spear, he croaked timorously and gawked at her, which Krissa didn't seem to mind.

Instead, she met his gaze, her warm breath stirring his cheeks. "That means thank you," she murmured, straightening back up next to him and resting her cheek upon her knees. "For everything."

Author's Note: Heya pals, Blue here! It has just turned midnight now and I have finally finished up this long, long chapter for y'all. I really hope you enjoyed this one, seeing as how after simply four months, the two have grown more comfortable with one another (as has the tribe, more or less). Twig's passing will be reflected on more and more throughout the novel, so I hope you're ready for some tear-jerkers. I wish to add more to the note, but right now I'm pretty drained from putting all my energy into finishing Chapter XI for you guys, so I'm off to get some shut-eye.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, I'd love to hear from you guys about what you think, so feel free to leave a review, and don't forget to fav/follow!

Thank you so so much for following Slate and Krissa on this journey so far- don't worry, there's plenty more to come, so stay tuned.

Love you guys lots~ xo See you in the next chapter!

[Proof edited 27/03/2018 2:28am]