*six months later*

"But mother…" River signed earing himself a stern look from Cornella as well as Rocket River just huffed & went to sit by the fire alone watched by a bemused Angel & Creaser Bright Eyes raised her head then placed it back down as soon as she saw River going back to her nap River reached out to rub behind her ear earning a purr from the now large cougar.

"Not fair" River said out loud to himself "Why am I never allowed to do anything fun even human have more to do then me" sitting by the fire sulking Luca saw the young ape making his way over he sat close to River

"Why sad?" Luca signed waiting for River to answer but all River did was give his friend a grunt

"Still upset at Blue Eyes?" Luca said this time River turned to look at him with a frown

"He always get to do what he want… never let me come….never let me do anything not fair mother say I'm still too young but father say Blue Eyes did more when he was my age so why mother no let me do the same?"

Luca smiled more to himself than anyone else

"Don't be in such a hurry to grow up, Blue Eyes may have done more but your father lets you get away with more than he did with Blue Eyes"

Perking up River smiled even though he loved his brother dearly the thought of Blue Eyes not getting away with things he himself did made him smile. Watching nearby Blue Eyes stayed in the shadows he knew how much River looked up to Luca much like he did with Rocket Koba & Maurice thinking of Maurice it had been six months but he still missed him Blue Eyes thought back to the last time he'd seen him & a sad smile formed on his face….

*Six months ago*

"Hi Blue Eyes" turning the young ape saw Maurice happily being groomed by Simi a female he'd been spending a lot of time with Blue Eyes smiled to himself thinking it was about time his old friend found someone

"Hello Maurice" Blue Eyes said smiling "what are you doing today?" Turning Maurice just tilted his head to Simi & gave a happy sigh

"Have you seen your father today I need to speak with him?"

Blue Eyes turning to point in the direction for the bridge "He take Angel & Bright Eyes to human city after say he go hunt with Angel try to teach Bright Eyes hunt away from apes"

Nodding Maurice signed "if you see first tell him I need speak with him"

Blue Eyes nodded then went to find Ash who was sitting by Kali & the sisters Linx & Java on hearing him Ash turn & greeted his friend with a smile

"Going to forest have some fun, you come, Koba say he find us later"

Blue Eyes thought for a second it'd been a while since hed just gone out to have a bit of fun & blown off some steam with his friends jumping on his friend Blue Eyes signed

"Well what you waiting for lets go" & with that they all left the village

"Blue Eyes!" a voice called stopping Blue Eyes in his tracks & causing him to turn around only to see River

"I come too?" River signed more as a question then a statement looking to his mother who just gave Blue Eyes a smile & a small nod Blue Eyes turned back to his brother

"Come" & with that the two hurried to catch up with the others.

*A few days later*

Caser sat with Rocket & Koba close to Koba's hut

"Did you find him?" Rocket asked as Caser shook his head frowning it wasn't like Maurice to just leave & he was starting to worry about his old friend of late as it'd become a well-known fact Maurice's health wasn't very good & his friend seemed to be getting worse but whenever anyone would ask if he was ok Maurice would just smile & say he was fine never one wanting to cause a fuss Caser looked off into the distance not really looking at anything

"We go look again" Koba signed Rocket nodded looking back Caser too nodded

"We leave soon but first I will take a look around see if I find him close" nodding the others went to do whatever was needed before heading off to find their friend.

Caser racked his mind to think where Maurice could or would be he'd already checked with Simi as he too knew the two had grown very close but she hadn't seen him either & she too was worried he'd been to the spots he knew Maurice liked to be when he wanted to have to time to think but still hadn't found him also none of the young or baby apes had seen him & that seemed odd as

Maurice was the one who tended to be a teacher to the younger apes a few hours later Caser Rocket & Koba leave to find their old friend.

*Sometime later*

"Anything?" Caser asked the others sadly shook their heads "Must be somewhere can't just vanish" hearing something behind him Koba turned raising his spear he signals the others all at the ready for whatever it might be whatever it was was getting closer….closer…. with a sigh & a small chuckle Rocket signs

"Relax Koba, just a rabbit" shrugging Koba gives Rocket a half glares but continues to look

"Maybe he go to human city?" Rocket signed this time Koba gave a full glare turning he signed back

"Why would he go to humans?!"

"We look everywhere else no sign of them" Rocket shot back suddenly Caser took off leaving a very confused Rocket & Koba trailing after him Koba recognised the place they were he'd brought Blue Eyes here not too long ago after all it was Maurice who'd first told him of this place

"Spread out look here must be here somewhere" Caser signed Koba & Rocket nodding calling out to their friend Caser & Koba meet to see if they'd had luck when all of a sudden they hear Rocket call to them finding him they notice Rocket looking sadly at something in the clearing walking past him they see what he'd been looking at all sadly look to the ground they had found their friend…

*Later that night*

Everyone gathered around Maurice as Caser made his way over to his old friend looking sadly at him gives him one final hug & a thank you to his loyal old friend before turning to face the rest of the apes

Noticing Rocket sanding close by with Tinker Ash & Kali also seeing Koba standing close to grey & stone Luca standing Close to Linx & java & of course his own family along with Bright Eyes Blue Eyes not taking his eyes off Maurice.

"Maurice was our friend but more than that he was our family our heart & our soul"….Caser spoke aloud for all to hear his gaze falling to Simi

"A huge part of our family gone today but only body Maurice will be here with us always we will miss you old friend"

& with that the whole village ran their hands over his face & all said their final goodbyes before Maurice was carried by Luca to the river placed on a bored & pushed out a little Before Blue Eyes set the bored ablaze watching sadly as it drifted down the river Angel placed a hand over his & he turned & gave a small smile he was grateful to have her there.

Making their way back to the village everyone although sad returned to what they had to do Blue Eyes sat with his head down sitting alone Angels heart broke for him Caser came up to stand by her turning

"He won't let me help him" she said tears in her eyes looking over Caser sees his son with Bright Eyes laying in his lap giving Angel a sad smile he placed his hand gently on her shoulder turning them both away

"He just need time he'll be ok come eat Blue Eyes will come when he's ready"

"But he's….." Angel stopped when she saw Caser giving her a gentle but stern look. Looking back again just to be sure Angel followed Blue Eyes knowing Caser was right.

*Present time*

Blue Eyes & Angel walked through the woods watching as Bright Eyes was chasing butterflies turning Blue Eyes suddenly stops Angel eyes him

"What's wrong?" she asks Blue Eyes just looks at her pointing to a nearby falling tree branch

Following Blue Eyes she sat down next to him looking at him she waited for him to speak witch to Angel seem to take forever Blue Eyes turned to her trying to work out how to ask when he wanted to ask in speaking instead of signing even though Angel had gotten much better she seem to be happy talking

"Ever think of family?" he asked angel looked puzzled cos since Carva passed she had no family left maybe he meant to ask did she think of them

"sure I think of them often" she replied she smiled to herself then looked over to see what Bright Eyes was doing before turning back Blue Eyes frowned a little

"No what I mean I meant do you want family?"

It suddenly dawned on Angel what Blue Eyes meant rising her eyes brows a little she hadn't expended that question if she'd been honest with herself shed never really let herself think about it much

"Um don't know really I guess did one day maybe I don't know why?"

Blue Eyes looked away trying to work out how to ask the questions he had for her before turning back to her

"Want family with me I can give to you…"

Angel smiled sadly looking down in her heart shed love to have a family but in her mind she knew that family could never happen with Blue Eyes after all she was human & he was well….he was an ape

"How?" she asked turning to face him " I mean do…. You want one?" Blue Eyes looked to be thinking before he answered her nodding he said

"Yes…"

The two shared a small hug & a smile before Angel kissed the side of Blue Eyes' head before getting up & making her way over to Bright Eyes Blue Eyes watching her Bright Eyes looked over at the both the human & the ape before cocking her head to the side at the sound of Angel's voice

"Well…..I guess we all got some thinking to do huh" Angel held out her hand to Blue Eyes who walked over to her nodding the two start to head for home