The human village was small and spaced out, their homes made of stone or brick, their roofs unkempt and missing shingles. Power lines streaked across the sky above, the utility poles making up for the lack of trees. Slate felt uncomfortable, although had been inside of a human city before. This one was insignificant compared to the one that Koba had overtaken. The memories were something he did not wish to recall, especially with the recent events. It was early morning and the outcross had just finished speaking with Cornelius about his behavior perhaps an hour or so ago. Maurice was an ally he was thankful for in these situations, for sometimes the prince could become a bit... hot-headed when it came to serious discussions. He had acted out of line and just about killed his brother, which would have evidently broken their rule of "ape not kill ape." He had entered rather nervous and left ruffled and irritated by his prince's nasty choice of words. Idiot, maniac, murder.

Those words had stung him deeply.

Slate weaved his way through the littered streets, passing over old rain-beaten newspapers and scattered autumn leaves. The stale scent of gasoline filled his nose as he began to explore the closest vehicle. It was a yellow convertible, it's top down and it's doors either dented in or the windows damaged; it's paint was scratched and rust was beginning to cluster around the rims of the wheels. Titling his head, he peered in through the gap between the window and the door, mild curiosity drawn toward a torn up wallet and a partial picture of a happy family, it's color beginning to fade from years of weathering. A young child was held upside down by his father, the man holding a rather expressive face of enthusiasm. Slate frowned. Humans were such strange creatures at times that he couldn't quite wrap his head around them. Apes aren't any different, remarked an indignant tiny voice.

The ape finally moved away, beginning to open the creaky-hinged door and prod at the shredded leather seats. Grunting under his breath, he furrowed his brow and caught a strip by one end, tugging out of mild perplexion. It was such an odd material; similar to that of deer hide, yet far from. It was too smooth and supple... and delicate. In a flurry of cushion stuffing and tan, Slate violently tugged up, earning a pleasing yet guttural tearing sound. Elated for but a moment, he proceeded until he had a fistful, and then tossed it into the air, allowing the wind to carry them to the tarmac just a few feet away. Slate grew bored with exploring the vehicle, eyeing the exposed springs with little concern, and dropped back to all fours, leaning out the driver's side by one extended arm. The simian sniffed the air and then satisfied an itch on his breast before finally slipping from the car's interior. It wasn't until he caught sight of something within one of it's reflective side mirrors that he paused, hold it within his sights. Just over his fuzzy shoulder, he could make out Krissa's slender frame as she held the human male's backpack up to her chest, trying to help him stuff a few pieces of clothing inside. The human's other hand held a package of water bottles- by the looks of the plastic encasing, it had already been torn open.

In the midst of tugging it open further, he had caught her by surprise and the young woman stumbled forward a few steps, which caused him to still her with a reassuring hand and to look down into her heart-shaped face. Slate felt his belly tighten and a frown paint his apeish features, some unknown feeling creeping up his spine. He couldn't quite understand what exactly caused his organs to burn, his fur to rise and his jaw to tense, but the inky male didn't ponder upon it for too long. All Slate could feel was an intense ire, both toward human and toward himself. Eyes drifting, he finally came face to face with who he was- quite literally. The primate was shocked to find his own reflection staring him back in the face; he held two primitive tawny eyes that shown tangerine and liquid amber in the right light, a strong jaw and dark skinned face, his coat thick and nearly jet black. Narrowing his eyes, he brought a stray hand to his pate and gently felt the darker patchy skin up near his brow and eyelids, as well as along his muzzle. That's when it hit him- how similar to Koba he looked, in facial structure and in the way he held himself. Without his father's slightly twisted spine, all that was left was a similar arrogance and a hollow shell.

A hand that brushed his back startled him and he let out a hoot of fright, whirling to face his spectator. His teeth bared and his lips peeled back in anxiousness, but Slate was quick to soon hide it as soon as he realized that it was only Krissa. She stood slightly crouched in order to settle at his level, her chartreuse eyes exploring his face with worry. "Slate?" she questioned softly. "You okay? You've been staring at that thing for a while."

A pang of nausea washed over him momentarily. The ape found that "that thing" was an appropriate term for just exactly what he had been looking at. Glancing over her shoulder for a fleeting moment, he caught sight of the human male taking a gander in his direction, to which he reacted with a twitch of his nose. The male relaxed, shoulders nearly drooping, and slipped away from her. Slate could feel her eyes burning holes into his back, yet ignored this. They had to get themselves moving, or else he was sure that they would be in deep dung. After Poppy had broken the news to him immediately after his discussion with his prince, he had just about had a hemorrhage. Krissa had been going to a human village with the human male? Alone? Willingly? It had seemed rather fishy to him, so he had approached her about it - well, more like he had demanded that she tell him who, what, when and where, but that was beside the point. Slate shot a slant over his shoulder, signing vaguely along with his words. "Cornelius said.. not long," he scoffed. "Need to move quicker."

"I know, but there are lots of things here! It's as if everybody just up and vanished... and there are absolutely no bodies, so they had to have headed for the border or something," Krissa gushed. She was clearly excited. Slate hated it. Her dimples flashed as she beamed over at the houses to their left, that dazzling smile of hers forcing him to avert his eyes. They began to turn a corner, Slate wandering along fence-lines and grassy front lawns. The damp smell of earth filled his nose, which he found oddly relaxing. The bitter scent of the city really set Slate at unease, especially with the absence of foliage and leaf-litter beneath his hands and feet. The forest was his home, and here, in the city, he felt out of place.

A new voice came into play. "Why not in there?" the human male suggested, jerking his sharp nose toward one of the buildings.

Glancing at Krissa, Slate hovered in place, the trio coming to a standstill. They had a good two hours of travel ahead of them, so why were they stalling? Slate shot a peek at the road ahead, then returned his attention to the ravenette. Her dainty finger pointed out a rather lavish looking house, overgrown with ivy upon it's battered white exterior. "Are you sure it won't fall down on top of us?" she asked. "I mean, look at the roof Nic." Slate's lips curled inward and flattened together. Did they have to? She was correct in thinking that the building looked rickety, but Slate knew nothing of architecture, so he felt useless at this point. Of course, he could go and check out how it was holding up...

"I could climb up or somethin'-"

"I don't think you could climb that fast, and besides, it won't hold you. We need you alive, and that's how you'll stay." Beat. Nic was now silent, thankfully. The eavesdropping ape knew what was coming as soon as Krissa and Slate's eyes simultaneously met from across the way.

"Slate?" Krissa chimed. The primate tilted his head, blinking. 'Not a job for humans. Can you-' He rolled his eyes and let out a croak of agreement, earning a soft chuckle from her. Slate couldn't fight the slight smile twitch at his lips. Great minds thought alike. He was glad that he could manage at least a tiny little bubble of laughter from her today. Upon swift fours, Slate ambled across the lawn, litter crunching beneath his feet. Eventually he came to examine the gutter pipe that ran earthward from the eavestrough above, wondering if he would be able to manage using the aluminum piece to hoist himself up. Giving it a tug, he found that it held well, although Slate still knew it would be ridiculously stupid of him to trust a human contraption to hold his weight. Instead he rounded the side of the house, located the closest tree, and quickly began to climb. It took him less than a minute to find the nearest branch, his eyes moving quickly across the bows and limbs of the poplar. Dry yellow leaves still hung upon barren twigs for dear life, although they surely wouldn't last much longer with how the wind had been lately. They rattled as the bonobo-cross balanced himself and tight-roped out across the tree's spongy bark with ease, careful so as not to break any off and lose his footing on the slippery surface.

Once in position, the ape scoured the roof for a landing point. No, he wouldn't simply plunge down on top of the shingles- he would set himself down carefully. Lowering Koba's spear to the roof with great precision, he swung himself down and hung by his hands, taking the time to decide whether or not he could make the distance without plunging straight down. Finally, upon a whim, he figured he had nothing to close and released the branch above him from his left hand, dangling now by his right. Slate's body unfurled itself and he stretched before finding that his feet brushed the rough surface. The rest was performed in one fluid motion, plopping down without much trouble. Slate tilted his head up and eyed the two figures that approached from the street, Krissa in the lead.

"All good?" she shouted up to him as he began to wander along the rough surface of the roof. There were puddles in some places and a hole at the nearest side, but so long as they didn't take to the attic, everything should remain fine. Slate let out a pant-chuff of confirmation, and, feeling savvy and confident, he leapt from the roof and landed with a heavy thud just a few inches behind the human male (much to his luck). A flare of pride stoked within his belly as Nic yelped in surprise, and stumbled forward. "H-Hey man-" he seemed to try and threaten, but his trembling voice gave away his own anxiety. Slate let out a snort of amusement, Krissa joining him in his mirth.

"Good job," she praised, causing the dark primate's head to careen back in order to look up at her. Her eyes were glinting mischievously, her one eyebrow cocked and a smirk playing her features. 'Nearly made him piss himself.'

Her remark made him squeeze his eyes shut and the corners of his maw to curl up as his jaws parted. Slate bobbed his head and offered a series of breathy pants, which soon burst into slight hoots of laughter as Nic looked between the two of them in confusion. Krissa brought a hand to her mouth, amused by the look on his dumb face. His boston accent was thick and nasally, which only made it funnier for the outcross. "What- uh- what did you jus' say to him?"

"Oh, I just thanked him for checking the roof," she excused. Slate nodded, playing along with the little joke as best he could. Still perplexed, the human's eyes flitted and bounced amongst them for a moment before they finally rested upon the primate. It was all going straight over his head, even despite the fact that he was trying his hardest to figure out what they were talking about. Their hand movements were clearly foreign to him.

'Too bad he doesn't understand,' he signed brashly, flashing a toothy grin up at her. 'Human male has floss between ears, might need a bath too. Reminds me of an old boar.' The young woman obviously held in her laughter this time, although he could make out that she was trying hard to remain discrete.

'All human males do,' Krissa agreed.

"Uh, guys?" Nic grasped. He then looked to the ravenette for guidance. "Can you at least translate for me?"

Brushing by her, the male allowed his shoulder to tenderly press into the side of her leg, implying that Krissa follow his lead. The warmth had returned to his chest and he no longer felt as insecure as before. It had been replaced by the sound of her laughter. "He was just telling me that you remind him of someone," excused Krissa, covering up for his insults. Slate smiled as he wandered into the musty human nest, eyes flitting around the cobwebs and the droplets of water that fell from the moldy ceiling. By the looks of it, the first floor had given out from rain rot, and now was spilling its contents onto the next one above. Using his staff-like weapon to balance himself, he rose and met Krissa's height as she fell into step, the two of them peering up at the growing dark patch. "I guess we're staying down here for now..." she whispered softly.

Slate tilted himself to look at her, their eyes locking together for a moment as she offered a simper. With a nod and a croak, he allowed her to lead the way around the slippery hardwood floors and into a few rooms ahead of them. Pushing the door open, revealing an almost untouched dusty bedroom, fully equipped with a dresser and even a few paintings. A draft wafted in from one of the windows, the stirring particles from inside the nest tickling his nostrils. The primate sneezed suddenly, jolting back and shaking his head, causing the ravenette to pause and glance back at him. Giving her a few hoots of reassurance and a pleasant placid look, she nodded and continued on with her scavenging. Slate, in the meantime, wandered along the creaky floor boards to another room, this one being the bathroom. From inside scrambled a scrawny creature- a housecat, screaming in alarm as it tore down the hall toward the open door. Nic bolted out of it's way, the commotion causing Slate to bark after it, his resounding calls dying out and rumbling in his throat as soon as it was out of sight. Silence filled the hall as the primate and the man exchanged a look.

"What was that?!" called Krissa from behind a now closed door. Confused as to why there was now a barrier, Slate leaned down and peered through the slanted light bleeding out from beneath the door.

"A cat!" Nic yelled back. Glancing over his shoulder, the male seemed to be considering something, although Slate couldn't quite make out what exactly he was thinking. Finally, he piped up again. "I'm gonna go check it out, see where it went.."

"Alright, just stay inside. We'll find you if you don't!" As the chimp watched him exit out the front, he doubted that the human would do as he was told. All Slate could think was 'good riddance'. The male was more focused on the closed door right now. Letting out a bray of concern, he reached for the handle and turned it, the door now cracking open slightly. "S-Slate- wait!" Krissa suddenly squeaked. Just before he could push his way inside, the door was quickly shut, evidently pinch his fingers against it's frame. With a furious explosion of sound, he threw the door open and sent the woman behind it stumbling back; the ape was now standing in the doorway and shoving his throbbing fingers and palm in her direction accusingly. His vigorous pant-barks filled the small space fairly quickly, but soon died within his throat, his eyes of honey and amber widening as he realized that he had made a mistake by barging in. Krissa stood there, holding her long striped shirt up to her breasts in a desperate attempt to cover herself, the material just coming to cover her thighs- the rest of her clothes were in a heap on the ground. The primate had only caught sight of the scene before she stepped forward and quickly pushed the door shut again. Slate leaned against it in order to hear, rather flustered by the situation. "I'm okay, I'm just getting dressed..." Her tone was reassuring, as if trying to calm him. "Can you wait? Please... I'm sorry about your hand, but I-" Krissa cleared her throat, her voice seeming to waver. "I need privacy."

Slate ducked his head and stared at the carpet, as if still in her presence. His paunch felt as though it were full of boiling water and his head swam as he kept replaying the sight of her over and over again. What had just happened? "I'm ..sorry," he apologized, voice hoarse in his throat. Finally, his eyes floated up, finding Nic blinking at him with the drenched cat in his arms. Curling his lip, he began to feel that old spark of irritation return.

"Its okay, I-I should have said something," Krissa called back again.

The primate hovered and then finally knuckled away from the door, returning to the foyer and plodding toward the exit. Before he could leave however, Nic broke his confused silence and spoke. His words were like a kick in the gut, and almost made him feel the need to jump on the freak and bash his brains in. "Did you walk in on her or somethin'?"

"Was an accident," he advocated dryly, shrugging his question off.

The human male let out a huff of amusement. "Damn man, bad timing or somethin'?"

"Or somethin'?" seemed to be common for him. It was getting on his nerves. He fell silent again, resting back upon his haunches and listening to the ginger tabby's labored purrs. The primate peered at the skinny feline, seeing how it's whiskers twitched as it rested within his arms, relishing in Nic's warmth. The human's grimy fingers came to scratch underneath it's chin. Nic attempted to make conversation, although Slate unfortunately didn't quite feel comfortable, nor could he relate. "Women: they're always shoppin' for things... and they take forever!"

Silence fell as he awkwardly met his gaze, giving him a hard look that told him to stop talking. Slate didn't need another headache like the one that Cornelius had given him. The ape remained upon his haunches for a little while longer before he rose and began to wander in the other direction, examining the old picture frames on the walls and the dust and cobwebs on them. The crunching of leaves and old carpet came to his attention behind him, signifying that Nic had followed him. Great. The primate moved away and allowed him to pick up one of the frames from the walls, blowing off some of the dust and wiping the rest away with the palm of his hand.

"What a shame. Guy had a nice wife too," he remarked sullenly, hand stuffed in one pocket, the other holding the item. He solemnly looked upon it a moment longer before he returned it to it's hook. Slate turned himself away before Nic could meet his eyes. The two sauntered along to the kitchen, the nosy human following at a reasonable yet nonetheless unwelcome distance. "What 'bout you?" he pried. Slate just about stiffened. What was he asking him now? "You gotta wife n' kids?"

Slate humored him and grunted, shaking his head, rising up onto his hind legs to open a cabinet. The hinges creaked, revealing a few cans of pasta sauce and a package of noodles. There wasn't much there to recover for them, just a bit of old expired food, even up on the top shelf. Hopping down from the counter, he began to explore the substances in the cupboard beneath the sink. They all smelled sharp and toxic, which caused him to steer clear of getting anything on his hands. Ring had always taught him that. They rummaged around for a little while - thankfully in silence this time - before they eventually returned to the foyer. That's when the human male spoke again, clearing his throat. "What about you n' Krissa? Are you-" Nic began, then rubbed his nose with an awkward scratch of his thumb, eyes flitting around as if nervous. "I mean, this is gonna sound weird, but.." Slate almost could predict what he was going to say, but nonetheless stopped himself and turned to give him a once-over, lip slightly curled. He finally spat it out. "- are you two a thing or somethin'? Like, are you two mates or whatever the shit your kind does?"

A thing? Mates? Him court her? An ape and a human? Slate's gaze fell from Nic's expectant face and drifted over his shoulder in the direction the ravenette was still browsing. "No," he answered, his voice low and close to catching in his throat. The idea was pure lunacy; it was wrong on so many goddamn levels.

"Oh good!" Nic laughed, smiling from where he stood behind him. He slowly plodded over to a decorative chest and eased himself down on top. "Thought somethin' was up at first, you bein' all macho around her and draggin' her around like she's yours..." The rest of that sentence didn't sit well in his gut, but he held his tongue. There was a pause as he watched the door, waiting impatiently. This human didn't know how to take a hint and shut his gob. Slate had too many ideas in his head, and they were all rolling around like marbles in a glass jar.

"So, listen..." the human began carefully. The primate's entire body stiffened, the once cheerful disposition the human had held now absent from his words, leaving them sounding lifeless and stingy on the his thick tongue. "...when I leave, I was thinkin' of asking Krissa to come with me." Slate's neck snapped around so quick that his head nearly shot off it's joint. They stared at each other. He continued, "Yeah, I know.. I know what you're thinkin', but you've mentioned before, our kind don't belong with yours-"

"Meant you," Slate snarled, standing to his full height, his grip tightening upon the shaft of Koba's weapon. His father's spear practically begged him to open up Nic's throat and let his blood stain the wood and carpet below their feet. It would certainly solve the problem. "You don't belong, Krissa does.." The ape's coat was slowly bristling and his teeth bared, looking down at him from where he loomed close. "Once the time comes for you to ..leave..." Slate stooped down, getting in his face. Voice guttural, he dropped his friendly act and told the human how it was. "You go.. Alone. Alone or dead."

Nic, for once, visibly twinged. His eyes narrowed and for a moment, Slate thought he could see a move of retaliation beginning to bubble to the surface... but then the door down the hall finally came to swing open. Krissa stepped into the open, her slender frame dressed in a new pair of jeans, her trunk adorning a thick auburn knit sweater, a black jacket covering up her once scantily clothed limbs. Thick hiking socks bunched up over the ankles, exposed just inches above the lip of her lace-ups. She looked more appropriate for the weather now, her backpack appearing to be a bit heavier than when he had left. She didn't need much, this girl, for she had the warmth of others to keep her live. Nic peered over at her just the same, and Slate moved away from him as soon as her hazel-jade eyes found them. "Oh, you kept an eye on him... good," she remarked teasingly, smiling gently over at the primate.

Slate swallowed and nodded, removing his gaze from her frame, trying to smother the memory of her bare legs and the way her caramel skin had glowed in the day's late light. He could feel how Nic buried his daggers into his spine, watching him saunter toward the exit. He was satisfied.

It was on.

The next few days were long and excruciatingly muggy for autumn. Slate had to tug burrs out from his tangled, dense coat on multiple occasions, seeing as hunting didn't quite help keep himself away from such plants. It was that time of year where they were detaching and sticking to literally anything they could latch onto, so even Krissa had to comb over her wardrobe a few times. The new clothing had kept the ravenette warm, which pleased Slate, seeing as he had caught her settled in the undergrowth, shivering in those thin pieces of material, even when she wore layers. After the problem with his brother, he had returned to normal duties only to find that they had been doubled, sometimes not even getting a chance to see Krissa until the end of the day, when she would return to their family hut. It wasn't as if this was a problem, but- okay, it was a bit of a problem. Today was thankfully the day he had gotten a chance to rest, for the scouting patrol was delayed.

They were together, sitting off near the dogwood tree, shielding them from the sun. The two humans spoke to each other in words Slate couldn't quite make out from where he sat. His tawny eyes bore holes in the back of Nic's head, then Krissa's, trying to possibly eavesdrop on their conversation, but this was to no avail. Poppy shifted from where she was perched beside him, munching away on sunflower seeds. One of her hands brushed his arm, trying to get his attention. At first he did not flinch, but then he eventually tilted his head in her direction, giving her a questioning look. 'Mother and I will be going out to the waterfall later. We're going to see if we can find fish,' signed Poppy, her hands moving leisurely. The primates were still adjusting to the fact that they now had a physical mother, although it seemed as though the doors they were opening could lead to something promising. Mist was... cautious now. Lake hadn't spoken to Slate nor Poppy since the events, and neither of the siblings had actually really sat down and discussed their biological father. The charcoal brute was comfortable with this though, seeing as he still hadn't completely come to terms at this point. 'Won't be back until dinner.'

Slate's head bobbed and he grunted, returning his gaze to Krissa and Nic. The human male had gone unbound for some time, and since then all the warriors in the ape colony had been watching him like vultures circling their prey- him especially. The primate wasn't completely sure what the human male was playing at. The way those eyes of his had pinched together and how he had curled his lip still replayed each time Slate saw him sitting next to Krissa. He couldn't quite tell whether he were simply exploiting the ravenette or if he were genuinely being friendly. He was certainly an excellent actor, that was for certain. "She.. seems to like him," Poppy pointed out, breaking him from his thoughts. The primate shut his eyes, his nose involuntarily wrinkling. "The way you look at them.." The simian turned his head to give his sister a look of warning, yet she continued, undeterred. 'Makes me think you're maybe jealous.' Mischief sparkled in those ashen eyes of hers, yet he proceeded to give her an unimpressed pant-chuff. Reaching out, he gave her a jab, earning a bray from his younger sibling.

'Shut up,' he signed, unable to come up with anything better.

'Never,' she shot back, smirking devilishly. His foolish sister rose up and gave him a shove, just as he had, earning a flash of Slate's sharp teeth. Moving away slightly, the two returned they attention to the pair in question. There was a moment of silence, a cuckoo's call echoing out of the woods below their mountain side village. Slate reached up and scratched one of his burning ears, sinking deeper into a sense of wonder. The wind ruffled their coats, Poppy moving closer in order to speak more secretively. Feeling one of her long limbs press indefinitely into his now, he reluctantly turned his head once more. Her expression had become rather grave and nervous now, which caused him a bit of concern. His nose twitched, septum tugging slightly. 'You think she'll leave?'

No. Yes.

She wouldn't. She likes him enough.

The colony was her family- it was where she would stay. She had promised. Humans lie.

The single thought that Nic wasn't enough for her kept repeating itself in a continuous loop in the back of his mind. They belong with their own kind. Slate's throat trembled and he leaned into his sister's touch, seemingly distressed (although he would never admit to it). His amber gaze was pinched and apprehensive, ever nerve in his body screaming with anxiety. Not only had he noticed, but others had as well. Krissa was certainly taking an interest in the male- it was obvious by how she acted and treated him. He couldn't help but feel that, in his gut, he was angry at her. Slate was angry because of how easily she trusted, how naive she could be, as well as how childish and set in her ways she was. If he were to approach her, she would surely snap at him for assuming Nic to be an enemy. Well, what else was he supposed to think? After what their kind had done to the apes for centuries? Slate felt his teeth grit inside of his maw. 'Who knows,' replied Slate, taking note of how Poppy wilted next to her. 'She's a human, just as he is. Maybe she belongs with them instead...'

'You need to have more faith,' Poppy sighed. She then parted her lips and delivered a short sentence, her soft honeyed vocals wispy and tender. Slate shot his sibling a side-glance. "Not ape, but... still family." Her melancholy words tugged at his heart. Reaching over, he nudged his sister's chin with a curled index finger.

"You'll.. miss her?" Slate consoled softly. His amber eyes held concern for his solemn little Poppy.

"Of course," his sister disclosed, her brows lowering. Her stubborn streak bled through. 'She is like a sister to me, to you... she has fed and fought for our colony. I don't think we can ever just let her go that easy.'

Slate felt guilt begin to curl within his abdomen and settled back upon his haunches once more. He didn't exactly know how to respond to Poppy's statement- mostly because she was speaking nothing but the truth. Unlike Nic, she had been easy to warm up to for the other apes, including their prince, for she was approachable and strong. Krissa held qualities of a noble female, and if she had been of their species, she would have been eyed like candy by the males and courted within her first month of heat. The idea caused Slate's throat to lock up and a powerful wave of possessiveness to overwhelm him, filling chest with an inexplicable ire. The sound of laughter brought his head up and his eyes latched onto Nic. The pair had risen to their feet and were beginning to make their way toward the beaten path that lead to the further parts of the village, which drove Slate to join them. Excusing himself, he caressed the side of his sister's cheek and then took his leave, quickly collecting himself and stalking over on his hind legs.

Once within distance, he let out a bray, which quickly caught Krissa's attention. Her head turned, her curls falling within her eyes momentarily. She then smiled and Slate felt the strange, indescribably feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Slate, you coming with?"the ravenette called back, coming to pause next to the taller human. He didn't even wait for her to finish her sentence: the male caught up and fell into step with the young woman. "I'm going to introduce Nic to the young ones!" The white-tails? He wondered how they would react. At first he frowned and gave her a calculating look, but then she offered a guilty grin and shrugged those slender shoulders of his. "It will be a good learning experience for them..."

"What am I gonna do, eat them?" Nic piped up, although his usual humor was dry and callous.

Slate shot him a vile glance, but Krissa soon cut in. "Just try to get along for a bit, will you two?" It was clear by the way she spoke that she wasn't too fond of their behavior. There was a reluctant reticence, but then the two competing males sighed simultaneously. Dropping to all fours, he lead the way toward the nursery and play area. It was a small meadow, not far from the planting grove, a massive ancient redwood laying splayed out across a bed of ferns and thick moss. Slate brought his head up as soon as he spotted a flash of alabaster, the juveniles and mothers all reacting with surprise as Nic trailed behind the two of them. They were weary, glancing at Krissa and Slate, and then toward the stranger. The mothers glanced among one another, wondering if they should say something or not, but then one of the more bold toddlers ventured over. Nic came to a stop and cautiously watched the youngster edge closer and closer to him, until he finally reached out and took hold of one of his shoelaces.

"That's Cinder. She's really curious..." Krissa explained, stepping over. Cinder's tiny pale face turned up toward her new friend, lips pursed and her eyes large with wonder. She tugged again and then eventually climbed up on top of the man's steel-toed boot. Eventually the others followed in suit, all ambling up his legs and swinging from branches over onto his back. Nic had soon loosened up, letting them rummage through his long hair, poking and prodding at him. Their weight soon became too much, and the human let out a laugh as he sank to the ground, in a bundle of human clothes and fur. They were certainly no longer afraid of boundaries. Slate, watching from a distance, sat alone. His amber eyes never left the male, settled in the ferns while he spoke softly to the young kids. Some of them only cocked their heads, but others - the older ones- actually understood. The grass beside him stirred and he turned his head to find Krissa easing herself down next to him. Her sweet aroma enveloped him, which relaxed his tensed joints.

"I'm surprised by how quickly they took to him..." Krissa remarked, bringing her knees to her chest. Her jeans had grass stains and were moist at the knees from where she had knelt in the damp earth just earlier. The breeze blew a few of her curls from her brow, the rest tied up on top of her head in a messy bun. Those hazel-jade eyes of hers were full of adoration as she watched Nic closely. Slate studied how the sun danced across her freckled caramel cheeks, the way it dappled and waltzed so lazily.. Poppy was correct, she did belong here. Her heart-shaped face finally angled toward him. "I think he's really starting to relax around you guys too."

There was a moment of hushed silence, filled only by the fond giggles from the white-tails. Kris smiled and Slate simply looked upon her with an unreadable expression. Countless thoughts began to roll through his head like approaching storm clouds. There was a squeak of protest from the little ones and their heads suddenly turned, finding that Nic had risen up on his hind legs and was beginning to spin around, which eventually caused the juveniles to bray in elation, the adult male laughing deep in his belly as he did so. Kris ran a hand through her raven curl, her hair bounced and ruffled in the wind, stirred in their messy glory, and Slate instinctively shuffled closer. At first she glanced at him, probably wondering why he was initiating body contact, but once she had figured out what exactly he was doing, she tilted her spine toward him and remained still. His fingers began to comb through her locks, grooming her in the peaceful silence, feeling her warmth resonating up near his chest as he sat so close that they brushed one another. He had never groomed a human before- in fact, he rarely even groomed anybody else aside from his sister and Hail. It didn't help that the thick primitive coat was absent from her slender body, but he would make do with the circumstances. As he explored her scalp and roots, he felt her let out a gentle sigh as she leaned back against him. The cool breeze stirred around them, leaves spiraling across the emerald ground. Slate could feel the females staring at them and how fondly he was touching the human female, catching a glimpse of their heads spinning around to avoid his gaze once he shot the a slant.

And it was the oddest thing: he didn't care, not one bit. In fact, as he proceeded to pick scraps of leaves out of her crown, he felt something completely different wash over him. "I'm sure he'll be out of your hair when the time comes for him to leave," murmured Krissa.

This struck a chord. The male reflected on just how selfishly angry he had been with her, about how fond she had become of the human male, and realized just how much of a callous heel he had been. Guilt overwhelmed him and his hands slowed their roaming tendencies; he hadn't even thought about how Krissa felt in the situation. She wasn't of their kind, and so she was by no means obligated to stay with them... After all, nobody had asked her what she wanted, yet there had been whisperings and gossip of her departing in the next few weeks.

"What do you think?" Slate rasped carefully, going out on a limb.

Slate felt her shift uncomfortably against him. "What do you mean?" she replied, matching his murmuring volume.

The outcross allowed his hands to still and his gaze bore into the back of her head. There was a precarious pause, the young woman tilting her head to she could just catch a small piece of him. A pang of sorrow hit him like a tidal wave, seeing how her dark lashes fluttered. Would he actually miss her? It took every bone in his body to force himself to continue his investigation. Slate watched as she twisted herself around, rather hesitant and confused. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fight the nausea that the conversation was casting upon him, amber eyes gleaming with raw emotion. Settling back, he realized just how stuck he felt beneath her gaze. There was no going back- besides, he had no idea how to somehow weasel his way around this hurdle. They sat extremely close to one another, her emerald-and-amber gaze examining him with innocent question. 'You don't have to stay, you know..' he remarked finally, gazing at her. His movements were excruciating to make, but he had to say it. Krissa hovered, the breeze suddenly seeming to become chilly in that moment, biting through the male's coat.

Finally, her eyes turned toward Nic, observing how he played with the young ones, showing them something gold and gleaming that he had taken out of his pocket. "Nic is..." she began, then her voice caught in her throat and she swallowed gently. "He's a nice guy. Very sweet and caring. He's a good listener, and I don't mind his company after all." Reaching down, the young woman began to curl her fingers into the damp earth and the shoots of drying grass. A leaf skittered by. There was a pause and he glanced away, up at the sky for a moment. A raven drifted by overhead, across the milky blue stretch, letting out a croak as it landed in a nearby branch. It's raven feathers, glossed with violet and green in places. When she began to speak once more, his cranium turned downward. "He mentioned another group a few times..." Slate felt his belly lurched and his throat clamped shut, eyes drilling into the side of her temple. "I've been wondering if maybe they'd accept me too."

Beat. Her pate redirected toward the outcross beside her. "I was thinking..." Her warm soprano vocals stilled and her lips parted, blinking her large eyes over at him. Slate noticed how her eyes seemed to become lustrous with brine. "Maybe I..."

She was considering it and he knew it; every hair on his shoulder began to twitch.

A series of pant-hoots made every head within the clearing turn. It was Sparrow, her greying head bobbing through the trees. 'Slate, Krissa is needed up at the Medicine Tree,' she announced. Pulling away from the human, he rose slightly up onto his hind legs and tilted his great head, one brow arched in inquest.

Raising a hand, he fluidly curled all but his pinky finger in toward his palm, before flattened it once more. Finally, he repeated the action- this effectively signed the simple question, 'Why?'

'Pine wants to speak with her,' Sparrow reluctantly explained.

The human and the ape both simultaneously looked at one another, both boggled by Pine's odd request.

They exchanged a look, both equally perplexed. What?

Tinker and Shell had both explained to Slate about how his brother wished to visit with her in private, and yet despite doing so rather thoroughly, Slate still caused a ruckus. She could hear him bickering with the females, trying to explain to them just how dangerous it was, the sound of his grunts and growls fading as she waded through the thick miasma that was at the entrance of the massive fan-tree. The smell of dried herbs and melting candle wax willed her nose, the eerie silence making every hair on her body stand on end. Her hand gently found the dangling chain around her neck, running her fingers over the stone that dangled from around her neck for comfort. The room was dull and dark in most places. Krissa's belly churned, agitated and uncomfortable, wondering where exactly he could be. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area, pondering upon whether he would ambush her from above or something, but then they finally found him.

The male sat with his back facing her, his dark coat covering his bony spine; if she didn't know Slate any better, she could have mistaken his muscular torso for his, seeing as the two were fairly similar in appearance. Aside from those rather ghoulish bichromatic eyes and that scar, the only difference was their piercings. Okay, perhaps Pine was a bit different. Krissa stood still, waiting for the male to speak up. There was only silence, the sound of his breath whistling in and out of his damaged larynx. She couldn't quite make out his face, seeing as it was mostly cast in shadow, but his cranium stilted slightly and she could just make out the beginnings of a cloudy optical, the flesh swollen and bulging around the moist and grotesque organ. The light hit the iris and sclera, the ciliary similar to how the river looked during spring, as if silt were creating such a murky yet almost translucent ambiance.

He was giving her a side-glance yet couldn't tell whether he was giving her a threatening look or a placid, dull one. Krissa decided to go with the lesser of the two evils. "Pine?" she peeped, unable to hide how timid she was. "You wanted to see me?"

The male finally broke his gargoyle-like vigil and tilted his still frame, ascending onto his hind legs. Was mistaken, or was he taller than Slate? The ory light cast across his face and she felt her gut twist. He was blind in one eye. It hadn't been a deer this time to injure him- it had been his own flesh and blood. Krissa couldn't help but swallow nervously. His stare caused goosebumps to race across her arms, which she quickly reacted to by curling her fingers up inside of the cuffs of her saffron-orange knit sweater. Her eyes danced along his face and she tentatively took a partial step forward. Pine's teeth flashed at her and he narrowed his eyes, swollen and non. She had to admit, she was fairly frightened of both brothers, although Slate protected her more often than not. After Pine had discovered her by the river, she had held a sort of resentment for him, but she had attempted to look past it in order to make things go more smoothly. Unfortunately, Pine hadn't picked up on her silent invitation to agree to disagree, and had taken action himself in many attempts to have her thrown out or hurt. It had all built up for Slate, and the scuffle the two had had - no, the bloody battle they had had was the breaking point.

"Thank you," Pine suddenly wheezed, breaking her train of thought. Krissa's lips parted in confusion. His gaze was cold yet full of embarrassment and shame. It had fallen gently away, maw contorted in evident thought. The silence now crackled with unspoken energy and questions. She wanted to talk to him and try and get him to open up, but how? The male was a sealed clam, and without the proper tools, she was unsure whether she could crack him open without injuring herself. Pine was unpredictable. Usually she could read body language, but like his brother, it was hard to distinguish what specifically the disfigured bonobo-outcross was thinking or feeling.

"You're... you're very welcome," she replied warily. "But why are you thanking me?" This was extremely irregular, especially when coming from such an arrogant, bull-headed male. Once again, there was a heavy silence, but this time she frowned deeply, brows knitting together. Pine's breath whistled in through his nose and out his mouth, his breathing labored. Slate had really done a number on him-

That's when she realized it. Pine's pride had been completely demolished. He had been defeated in front of many of his companions and tribemates, so what did that mean for him? He would surely be cast to the bottom of the heap, dwindling in the ranks while his brother rose in the meantime. Krissa felt her toes curling within her boots. The future couldn't be pretty, in no way shape or form. Not unless Pine changed his egotistical tendencies like his brother had. Perhaps she could show him who she really was. Passing her tongue over her lips in a hasty attempt to find the right words, she stepped closer and crouched slightly, attempting to meet his eyes. He quickly latched onto her with those ravenous optics of his, newfound aggression breaking out across his features. "Y.. You're blind now?" she breathed. There was a lull and then her mouth ran dry as she noticed how his gaze almost withdrew itself, followed by it softening.

His head hung and he held a crestfallen expression, although a deep ire was clearly growing now. It looked as if Krissa had stoke some sort of fire within Pine after she had seemingly struck a nerve. His hands hovered and then came to his chest, beating gently as a gorilla would; then, curling his pinkie and ring finger inward upon one hand, he then rested the bed of his thumb on top of them. Slightly crimping his middle and index, he brought it to the flesh on either side of his nose, just below his eyes. 'If ape blind,' he stiffly stressed. 'He's useless.'

Her heart nearly broke, yet she still felt something inexplicable curdle within her belly. 'I'm sorry...' Krissa asserted sternly, earning a callous glare. 'Slate was only protecting me... if you hadn't have-'

"Do not.. chastise me!" he challenged, growling deep within his chest. Chastise? How much did this ape read? Where had he learned that word? From his father? Falling silent, she realized that she had indeed stepped out of place and held her tongue. Krissa had always been one to speak her mind, but she also knew when it wasn't appropriate. Quiet returned to it's throne and now ruled over the room once again. Shaking her head, her eyes fell. She felt pity for the male, but at the same time, he had walked straight into it. Slate had already given him a piece of his mind- in fact, he had countless times. Pine just wouldn't listen. He was too proud. The bulky brute had returned to moping on the edge of his nest, settled back upon his behind with his shoulder turned to her. Nodding, she took this as her cue to leave, turned and began to wander out.

"Human-" Pine addressed, spitting the word out as if it were vile and stopping her in her tracks.

Anger welled behind her eyes to a point where it hurt. "What?" she hissed back, her head snapping around in order to shoot daggers in his direction. He wasn't even looking her way, just sitting there like a wilted thistle in a dry vase. Reticence reigned supreme once more.

Krissa began to take her leave once again, however she hadn't made it even one step forward before he croaked, "Thank you for .. stopping Slate." Head held high, she didn't even give him the courtesy of looking back at him. Without another word, the ravenette continued forward, although not before taking into account his gratitude.

The moment that Krissa had climbed up into the Medicine Tree's branches and onto the limb beside him, the outcross felt his body unwind and relax. With a grunt of assertion, he reached out and offered her a hand, whilst signing with the other. His spear was resting just below, in a knotted branch where it was within reach yet still out of the way. 'You're okay?' he demanding without finesse. It was quite clear to see his concern- he didn't try and hide it anymore. Krissa smiled softly at him. 'He didn't hurt you?'

"I'm fine, don't worry," Krissa responded, grunting as she lifted herself up and then allowed her legs to dangle over the edge of the branch. "He didn't lay a finger on me- in fact, he stayed away, on the other side of the room." The two relaxed side-by-side and gazed off toward the horizon, a thick swath of clouds beginning to approach from the distance. Ah, it was no wonder, seeing as how muggy and tense the air had felt for the last few days. They were in for some well-earned rain. The desert in the distance was but a speck, the lake below stretching out to meet it, desperately attempting to offer it water yet to no avail. The mountains surrounding were great humps covered in auburn and crimson and gold, along with it's trademark forest emerald. Birds were chatting up a storm, screaming into the air and speaking to one another about what was to come. Slate crossed his arms and allowed his head to rest upon one of his sinewy limbs. Krissa's tongue clicked and her head turned, unimpressed and perplexed by something she had caught in between her ears. Grunting in question, their eyes met as she revealed, "He actually thanked me."

Slate felt his face screw up, his snout wrinkling and his lips curling in bewilderment. This caused Krissa to snort and laugh, her teeth flashing in amusement. "I know, right? Exactly!" she remarked, referring to his expression. The outcross loved the sound of her laughter. Peeling his eyes off of her, the two returned to a comfortable silence, watching the storm looming closer and closer. Judging by the deep shadowy haze it gave off, the rain would be falling like frigid stones dropped from a cliff. His mind wandered, recalling how Cornelius hadn't establish any form of punishment, and yet his brother and he were still cast out from scouting and hunting patrols. It was mostly labor, working in the fields or making repairs to equipment. Pine, on the other hand, was simply spending his days feeling sorry for himself behind those protective walls, safe from the judgemental stares and the discrimination. Of course, he thought.

Yellow-bellied snake, a tiny voice cursed within the back of his head.

A low growl of thunder warned the apes of the approaching storm. Heads turned from below, children flinched and wailed. Apes slowly began to return to their homes, preparing for the oncoming weather. The wind was beginning to pick up. "Jeez, I haven't seen clouds like that in a long time," Krissa commented softly, frowning.

Slate glanced over at her, his nose twitching. "It will.. hit us hard. Need to get back home." The male rose to his hand legs and gracefully offered her a hand, letting out a peep of a hoot in order to grab her attention. Gratefully taking his mitt, Krissa ambled up and began to prepare her descent, hopping down to the branch below and using his perch to balance herself with one hand grasping the bark. Her gaze washed over the clear for a moment before it returned up to him. Slate had other plans. "Are you coming?" she asked, her large chartreuse eyes fluttering from beneath dark lashes.

"No," he asserted. "Go find Poppy.." Reaching over, he stretched his torso and retrieved Koba's former weapon, the wood feeling familiar within his grasp. 'And find your human a place to stay.' Without much more small-talk, the two parted ways and Slate landed upon the fan-tree's path, peering up the ramp for a moment.

Finally, he took a deep breath and took his turn, entering the forboding room.

"Brother," Pine's rasp hit his ears. His eyes fell upon that shadowed face of his.

'You thanked her?' he interjected, refusing formalities. 'For what?'

His brother's face was swollen and his coat unkempt. It was clear that Spoon hadn't even come to see him, seeing as how she would groom him herself. The dim haze in the room was smokey from the extinguished columns of wax near the entrance, the breeze from outside having gusted them into silence, snuffing them out. Watery grey shafts bled through the cracks of the roof, the branches not enough to stop some of the grey glaze of the world from entering. In those shafts, he noticed something that stopped him dead in his tracks. Pine took note of how his brother noticed his now dead eye and allowed his gaze to harden, one hand flying up to cover his permanently handicapped eye. 'This was not from a cigar,' he signed maliciously. 'It was from you, brother.'

"You did this to yourself," Slate found himself saying, voice guttural in his maw. He had lost all control over his own filter. It was gone now- out the window, lost to the storm, flying in the wind. Outside, the apes were beginning to hoot and bray uneasily, the gale's breeze catching the ribbons of silvery smoke around the room. As soon as he had finished his sentence, his brother let out a rumbling laugh, giving a breathy pant as his nostrils flared. This only angered him more, yet he did not speak. He allowed him to explain himself. 'Its funny,' he mused brashly. The tree groaned gently as it swayed. 'Your attraction to this female makes you blind. Makes you stupid.'

"Attraction?-"

'If you hadn't known her beforehand, you wouldn't be protecting her now. We wouldn't be here,' the arrogant outcross continued, stepping closer to his twin brother. Their coats were rising, teeth bared in an attempt to intimidate the other. The standoff had already begun and Slate had just gotten in the goddamn door. 'She would be dead and life would have been fine, but because she's here, and you want to play the hero, there's another one of them in our village!'

'Never wanted to be a hero- not trying to play that role. It's not my place-'

"Just protecting her? You are a fool, Slate," his brother snarled. "All for this female. Don't think we cannot see .. right through you." His brother's finger placed itself upon his chest, blood encrusted nails pressing into his flesh and fur. "It's unnatural." Feeling his brother's hot breath hiss upon his cheeks, he instinctively lashed out and shoved him back with the shaft of his spear. Pine held a look of surprise just then, although it was quickly hidden by the flashes of lightning that jabbed through the ceiling above and the faint rain dripping through it's plateau of logs.

'If you took the time to look past your own nose-' Slate began to argue, but then cut himself off, his inner turmoil churning restlessly and cutting him off short. Finally he let out a growl and he slammed the hilt of Koba's weapon against the ground, hands moving sharply. 'She is family! She belongs here. More family than you are-'

He was quickly caught off guard by his brother's quick jab. 'More family than I am?!' he countered. 'More family-' Pine let out another bray of laughter, amusement twinkling in his single bicolored eye. 'You treat her like a female in heat, following her like a dog!' Slate began to pant-bark, but his sibling continued nonetheless. 'You don't let anybody touch her, you defend her mistakes, you give her false hope in thinking she will ever be one of us-'

"She always has been!" bellowed Slate, although the sound of his voice was drown out by an explosion of thunder. His words were buzzing between his ears, the truth bitter and cruel, stinging him like tiny angry wasps.

"You tried to.. kill me, your own brother-" Pine abraded, then resorted to signing once more, for his throat could not hold out. 'You hardly speak of humans until that day with the book. I knew you were hiding something, but when she was tied up out there- tied up by me- you went to her and fed her. You let her sleep in Poppy's nest!' Slate yowled and lashed out, the butt of his weapon swiping just above his head, missing as Pine ducked with finesse despite being partially blind. "I see.. the way you look at her!"

Shut him up, a tiny voice growled.

His brother crouched and hovered not even a meter away, proceeding onward. 'If you knew where your bloodlines lie, you would have allowed yourself to fall in love with that filthy animal!'

"I know where our bloodlines lie!" he snapped. Slowly, he began to back his brother up step by step. 'Dead with our father!' As he spoke, he watched how his brother's eyes widened with each statement, his voluminous confidence suddenly deflated. 'Dead with the secret you held from me and Poppy and Lake! Dead with our baby brother!' With an emotional, angry toss, he threw Koba's spear directly at his brother and watched the shock melt into his features, his lips agape. The silence was filled with the screaming wind and the hiss of the rain that dampened their coats. Pine continued to gawk, examining the weapon he now held in his grip. He was at a loss for words. It was his turn now.

'You cannot blame me for things that I CANNOT CONTROL!' Slate continued. Taking a deep breath through his flaring nostrils, he fought the thick lump in his throat. "Not after you chose to lie, and kept lying, even after Koba died."

Pine suddenly held a look of raw emotion, as if he were about to burst into tears right then and there as he looked at the javelin within his hand. "Who told you?" There was another gust of wind, screaming as it blew overhead. The apes below were crying and calling, all excited and nervous over the intensity of the storm. Pine croaked. 'You tried to kill me with dad's spear?'

Slate remained silent, squeezing his eyes shut as he began to feel them burn despite himself. A light sniffle escaped his nose and he kept his eyes glued to the ground. A film of blurred earth laid at his paws. "Should have heard it from you..."

There was a hiccup of sound from his brother and his head reluctantly tilted up, finding that Pine too seemed to have tears gathering in his eyes. They were wet, just as his. Pounding his chest as he gestured toward himself, his movements were jerking and aggressive. 'Was protecting you from him!' Pine justified. 'Poppy and you, and Lake- you wouldn't have been able to handle it. We were young, and he didn't want us!'

'And you could have?'

'Someone had to-'

'Mother already had.' Pine flinched as his brother cut him off and the two just stared at one another. 'You're no better than him...' His hands trailed and Pine's gaze widened only further.

"We are the same," Pine attempted to say. "Does that.. make you any.. bette-"

'You want blood,' Slate deadpanned, rising to his hind legs.

"Coming from.. the one who tried to kill me?" Pine sneered, playfully tossing the weapon over to him. The amber-eyed ape caught it with no trouble, shocked that he returned it to him. He did not wish to have it, but... here he was, holding the old weapon in his dark hands. "That would have.. killed you, because you were .. weak. Weak, Slate."

Weak? He had had enough. 'You had this coming!' Slate retaliated, blowing up. He stormed over and bowled past his brother, turning his back to him as he headed for the entrance. 'You deserve this- you do not lie to family!' Pausing by the entrance, he finally glared over his shoulder, meeting Pine's eyes. Clearly he had forgotten that threat he had made so many days ago. "I warned you."

"Brother..." rasped Pine, calling after him. Then, as the bonobo cross twins parted ways, he heard his brother yelling for him to return above the storm. "Brother!" The tree vibrated as an explosion of thunder roared overhead.

"SLATE!"

The rain fell in great splatters to the earth, dropping off ledges and draining off moss. The sky above rumbled constantly it seemed, the birds crying above, as if thankful for how cool it had become. Slate could feel the rain mingling in with his sweat, having worked up a steady wave of perspiration from both climbing and fuming from the conversation he and his brother had just had. Pine finally knew that their family's secret had been revealed to him and his siblings, and it seemed as though he felt nothing yet everything all at once. He just didn't know who his best friend was anymore: his constant blood-thirst was leading him down the wrong path and he was afraid that he may make the types of tyrannical choices Koba had so long ago. As the male outcross stalked across the village square, he caught sight of the human male, Nic, attempting to keep himself warm beneath the ledge he was always nestled beneath. Their eyes met momentarily before Slate drew his attention away, wiping his face with a large ape mitt. Finally he came to his own humble abode, although he found that there was a small furry shape standing near the door, blocking his way in. Confused, Slate stepped over and peering up and around, wondering what exactly was going on. He took a few steps inside where he was dry, and then allowed his eyes to find Krissa, precariously perched on the side of the hut and attempting to balance herself on a notch in the wood. Giving Poppy a prod in order to inquire about the situation, he suddenly startled the poor thing, which she reacted with a squeaking yeep of surprise. Jolting in surprise, Slate let out a grunt, followed by Krissa letting out a small yell of alarm as she began to lose her balance. Shooting forward, Slate dropped his weapon and allowed it to clatter to the ground, making it just in time to catch her in his arms. The young woman blinked a few times before she met his eyes and gave a sheepish smile. Poppy seemed to be amused by this little chain reaction, and let out a giggle of primitive laughter.

As Slate stared down at her, he began to feel that burning in his belly and ears, his heart beating wildly within his chest from how close they were from one another. Flustered, he gave a chiding rumble and gave her a gentle push upward, allowing the ravenette to collect herself. "Sorry, we were just trying to fix a leak," she explained, pointing toward the roof. "It keeps falling on Poppy's nest, right where her head is, so I thought maybe I could reach it and plug it up with these twigs."

Krissa simpered and gestured toward the partially woken ball of bark and moss. His snout wrinkled and he reached down, picking up the makeshift blockage system. It would hold at least until the storm passed. Shooting his sister a glance, she looked at him with a hopeful look on her slender face, earning an eye-roll from her older sibling. 'Okay,' he demurred, ignoring how his sister yeeped in amusement at his reluctance. He was just coming down from his little anxiety attack when he stretched up and began to search for the source of the leak, feeling along the ceiling with his free hand.

"Up along in the left corner," the ravenette piped up. Krissa returned to his side, leaning up next to him and pointing out where the leak was. Droplets fell upon her caramel skin, peppering her fingers with beads of moisture. With a flick, she discarded the water and then reached down to wipe it on the leg of her dark blue jeans. Once more, his heart quaked inside his breast and he swallowed a heavy lump in his throat. There was an unpleasant shaking within his hands and his body was responding to how warm she was, his hair bristling slightly.

With an index finger and a grunt, she gestured to the dribbling area, and he stuffed the material up inside, effectively absorbing and blocking it. Then, with a gentle hand, he wrapped his limb around Krissa's slender waist and dropped to the floor with her next to him, landing perfectly upon Poppy's bedding. Slate quickly released the survivor, only to be drawn into a suffocating bought of affection from his sister. 'Thank you brother,' she signed gratefully. Poppy nudged her brother and wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders, only for him to brush her off with a complaint. Peeling herself off of him, Poppy looked at him with a cock of her head.

The male outcross offered her a funny look, he scrunched up his face in an irritated manner. 'What?' he asked, splaying his finger on each hand and giving them a vague and confused shake.

"You're acting weird," responded the bonobo cross. Her frown deepened.

'I just went to speak to Pine earlier,' Slate covered, his head tilting upward to gaze upon the roof. Suddenly, a large droplet of water fell and burst across his brow, earning a hoot from him. Krissa and Poppy followed through, then glanced at one another and smiled. They were finding this funny? Another swollen, frigid bead fell and dripped down his spine. Ignoring their mirth, he turned toward Krissa. 'Got any more?'

'Moss and bark?' motioned the ravenette. Poppy was quick to waddle outside and return with a wad of each.

Slate quickly snatched them from his sibling and began to ball them up. 'Might need some mud,' he suggested, thinking it might hold it together better.

"Mud and water don't mix well, Slate..." Krissa remarked, smirking.

'I don't want mud dripping on me! Water is bad enough,' Poppy brayed, gesturing in protest and shaking her head. Holding his hands up, he gave in, taking that as a no. Krissa laughed, much to his distaste, and rose to her feet.

"Just don't fall like I did," purred the woman, a hand brushing over his shoulders as she passed by him. He bit back an unwanted shutter as he felt her fingers comb through his thick coat, his head following her as she moved across the room. That agitated thumping within his chest returned and he felt as if his primitive ears were being scalded by the amount of boiling blood rushing to his head. Slate stiffly turned himself around and hoisted himself up, stretching to the top of the hut and using the notches in the walls to balance himself. He tried to ignore the look that Poppy was giving him. Thankfully his sister moved on and didn't question him. "That's good though. Mist said-"

Slate piped up, tilting his head toward her after stuffing one wad up into an overhead crack. "Mother, call her mother," he corrected sternly, offering a hard look. The look in Poppy's eyes gave away that she would be more than happy to be able to call Mist by her proper title.

"Mother said that.. Pine takes after Koba," the female reiterated. "But can change. Just needs to control his .. temper." Silence fell over the room and Slate finished stuffing the materials up inside the leaks. Thankfully it had worked this time. Coming to sit down next to Poppy, the two watched as Krissa wandered by the door, peering out into the harsh spray of the storm.

"It's going to take a lot more than.. just.. controlling his temper," he remarked bitterly.

Poppy's hand came to one of his ulnas, gripping it tight. 'Please, have more faith. He's our brother...' He wished he could tell her that it wasn't as easy as that, but unfortunately it seemed as though his attempt would just as complicated. His sister continued to try and defend their brother. 'You have a temper too. You work well with others, so does he when he's in the mood. You were are alike, and you know it.'

"Poppy," he warned. Her ashen eyes hardened. 'He's blind because of me...'

Never had he seen his sibling express such anguish. The male reached out and caught her hand before she could move away. 'Hear me out,' he plead, struggling to hold her gaze. 'Only in one eye.. And they might be able to fix it.' The last bit was a lie, and he knew it, but he had to keep her hopes up.

'How did you manage that?' she demanded.

'I don't- don't know-' he stammered, attempting to figure out what to say to Poppy in this state. He didn't want to upset her further, but he had to tell her the truth, right? It was only fair...

"Guys, Nic's been out there in the rain for a long time..." Krissa piped up, standing in the door of their hut with her arms hugging her body. "I think we should bring him in... he's gonna get sick."

His eyes tore away from his sister's and he glared over in her direction. Rising to his hind legs, he gestured, 'This is our home, not his.'

Her brows knit together, her eyes widening in protest. "He's freezing! What, you would help me, but not him?" Krissa swung an arm toward the entrance of the door, gesturing toward the outside world. The storm was still raging outside. Slate couldn't believe what she was trying to get him to do. She knew how he felt about the human male! They never got along, and frankly, he couldn't stand her attitude. Stepping closer, he bared his teeth.

'Knew you, not him,' he scowled, jabbing her chest as soon as he was within reach.

The ravenette crossed her arms. "He's good! You've seen how he handled the white-tails.."

Krissa closed the distance between the two of them, their eyes burning into one another's. Poppy glanced between the two, until finally she let out a bray. This snapped the two of them out of their argument. 'For Caesar's sake, let him in!'

With a sassy tilt of her head, she tongued the inside of her cheek and looked back to her opposer. The two remained bull-headed for a moment, neither refusing to bow or make a move. Slate let out a growl. 'He stays out there, and that is final!'

And before Slate knew it, Nic was sitting in the far corner, drenched to the bone and shivering. The man stared at Krissa, Poppy and finally a very displeased Slate from where he huddled, trying to keep warm. Breaking out her blanket, Krissa closed up her hiking bag and then offered the man the material in hope that it would not only dry him off, but keep him warm. "Uh... thanks for lettin' me in, guys...?" he stated shakily, teeth chattering vigorously. Slate's amber set narrowed as he glared off toward the human, listening to his nervous ramblings as he avoided the outcross's gaze. "I never really liked the rain- I mean, uh, well, it's just better for me to stay dry." He chuckled, earning a giggle from Krissa. "I'm like a cat."

Poppy pressed close to her brother, uneasy about the tension in the room. Slate was not only pissed off over the presence of the human male, but was pretty frustrated with Krissa too. Finally, Nic's eyes found his from across the room and he shrank slightly. "Is he, uh... gonna disembowel me or somethin'?" This earned a giggle from the survivor.

"No, he's just grumpy because he didn't get his way." The ravenette settled down near him and crossed her legs, brushing a few damp oily locks from the man's face. Nic gave a soft smile and his cheeks turned a light shade of pink, and in turn Krissa's dimples showed. Slate felt his gut flip at the sight of this and fought the urge to charge over and separate the two of them. A bubbling, boiling bought of rage simmered in his belly, yet there was nothing he could really do about it. At the end of the day, they were two different species and he was oblivious as to why he felt the way he did. Her words stung more than he thought they would. Of course he was upset with her. He had let her get under his skin, and she was using it against him. Krissa laughed again, the sound of her beautiful vocals something he loved to hear, yet still managed to irritate him severely in this moment.

Next to him, he felt his sister nudge him and he turned his head. They exchanged a fleeting look, his sister appearing rather expectant, as if he is far too easy to read (which he was) until finally he gave in and groaned uncomfortably, leaning against her. Poppy sighed softly into his coat and murmured, "What's wrong, brother?" Without a reasonable explanation, he remained with his lips closed, his nostrils flaring and a great huff escaping him.

What was wrong? He was trying to separate his emotions and thoughts so he could think clearly. The murmuring of their voices proceeded. "There's only about fifteen of us on this island, y'see? We were together at the start, all roommates. A couple got sick, a couple died in the riots. We made it to the coast n' we got on a boat, and then we shipped off. Been there ever since, only come back for food and stuff." Nic didn't have that much of an interesting story to tell.

It was when he began to ask Krissa about it that Poppy perked up, and eventually her brother did too. They ambled closer, although Slate was more reluctant, shooting Nic a nasty stink-eye. "Well... I lived with my mother. She was a lawyer, and my dad was a veterinarian. When the flu broke out, we tried to get to her, but she was killed before we could reach her in time. Some guy had decided to shoot her over her TV," Krissa reminisced, a look of melancholy taking on her pretty features. Her freckled cheeks peaked as she recalled her father. Slate felt the urge to reach out and stop her, but instead he just remained as still as stone, listening with intent. "My daddy was the kindest, funniest man you would have ever met. He was brave, and he kept me alive all those years. We went camping here a lot, so he knew the woods well, and we stayed here for a long time. The riots started not long after the government began to deteriorate. We stayed with a few family friends, but some of them got sick, so we .. we left and just went deep into these woods."

She took a moment to take a shallow breath and close her eyes. This wasn't easy for her. "We were alright for a year and a half, until last summer. That's when he started showing symptoms. We thought we were both immune, but.. It turns out that he wasn't. The sickness caused him to lose his memory, and when he started forgetting me.. That's when it started getting scary." Krissa's smile had disappeared and she had a grave look on her face. "I would wake up to him in the middle of the night, struggling to breathe and I would have to perform CPR on him, just to help him get through the evening. Some nights I wouldn't even sleep."

Glancing over at Slate and Poppy, she began to examine those around her. It was quiet, the only sound being the rain now drumming upon the roof, the wind gusting outside. "Between living in fear of this colony and struggling to keep my dad and myself alive, it really began to take a toll," she murmured. Her eyes fell and darkened. "I remember one morning, he was up and walking around, and calling my name. I was confused, because... I was right there, but then he turned on me, and asked me what I had done. I couldn't quite understand, but... when he attacked me, that's when I realized just how serious things had gotten. He chased me like an animal, and I ran- I tried to get away, but then he had me pinned, and I..." Krissa's voice broke in her throat and she seemed to stop breathing. Slate let out a gentle hoot and Poppy brushed her arm. Taking a deep breath, her eyes fluttered open and she took on a steely demeanor.

"Damn... you don't have to keep goin' Krissa, it's fine.." Nic reassured.

Shaking her head, she met his gaze. "I pulled his gun out of it's holster and I placed it between his eyes. Pulled the trigger," she continued. "That was that." You could hear a pin-drop above the storm outside. The light had died, the sun having gone down behind the rain clouds. "I curled up in the cave we had been sharing and I slept there for days, waiting for the sickness to come because I was covered in his blood. That's how it spread from person to person, right? It never came though. I never got sick." Awestruck, Nic's brown eyes widened slightly, peering at her with admiration. "After a week of feeling sorry for myself, I woke up one morning, stood up and dragged his body off. I made a grave and then laid him to rest with his gun at his grave. Then I got up, went to the lake and washed myself off, and had some lunch."

Slate remained as still as a deer in the headlights, staring at her with those incredible emerald-hazel eyes of hers. His heart beat deep and slow within his cavernous chest, yet was loud enough to be heard within his ears, and he could feel it within his hands and feet.

Pine was right. He was in love.

Author's Note: Hey guys, it's been a month or more. I'm sorry for the long-awaited update- work has been kicking my butt lately. I really hope that you guys are enjoying the story so far, and I really appreciate you all who have been reading this story. To make up for the absence, I have pulled together THE LONGEST chapter we've had in this fanfiction at this time. I'm glad I was able to put the parts together properly, because I was originally having a hard time with it. Thankfully, I got through it, and here we are. Pine is an outcast now, he's partially blind. The family knows about their biological mother and father. What do you think is going to happen next?

Don't forget to leave a fav/follow and a review on what you like about this so far. Tell me who your favorite character is, what you like about the story, and what you think overall about how the storyline is coming together.

I love you guys so much xx and as always, I'll see you in the next chapter.

Bye pals!