"Karin," Maurice muttered drowsily.
Feeling motion next to him, Maurice opened one eye, and sighed with disappointment. Instead of seeing Karin seated next to him, he looked in to the kind old face of Percy. Maurice felt safe in thinking that way because Percy was one of the very few orangutans in the village whose very age made Maurice feel positively young, just by comparison.
Percy tutted under his breath.
"Disgraceful, disgraceful," he signed sadly. "Under a fallen tree," Percy signed disparagingly with a heavy sigh. "Really, Maurice, getting trapped under a tree! You are bringing down the intelligence curve for all orangutans in this village, you know."
" Intelligence curve?" Maurice asked.
Percy shrugged.
"I don't really know what that means, it's just something I heard humans say, and it sounds grave enough. I assume it means you have embarrassed us all and/or are making us all look stupid."
"Oh," Maurice signed sheepishly.
Then, Percy began to rumble deep in his chest, deep rumbling chuckles, and grinned.
"I'm only teasing you, boy, well a little," the older orangutan huffed out his laughter. "Though even most of our smallest children, especially orangutans, know not to go tree climbing in the dark, don't they."
"It was not totally dark. I had a very bright flashlight," Maurice signed indignantly.
"You must have broken it then, or your female needs to teach you to use it better," was Percy's chortling response. "Where is she, by the way. I did not just come to see you. I had hoped to meet your female, who is brave enough to tear through the forest alone and throw herself in to gorilla guard arms in the middle of the night to save an ape."
Maurice gave Percy a questioning look.
"Well, that is the story the gorillas are telling all over the place," the other orangutan informed him. "They are totally impressed with your female, Maurice."
"Karin is not my female, and she is out with Mary touring my home, I hope, Maurice sighed.
Who knew what those two were actually doing?
Still snorting just, a bit with laughter, Percy patted Maurice's hand.
"Don't worry, she has no better guide or translator. Mary somehow knows human words none of the rest of us know."
"It is not Mary that concerns me," Maurice signed worriedly.
"Many of the gorillas, especially the younger males, are singing her praises left and right. The stories are rapidly spreading through the rest of the apes as well. She did save your life by risking her own, she has already apparently aided Sparrow in devising some new bandages, and she is also here with Caesar's blessing and direct invitation, and apparently is under Cornelia's direct protection as well. Under those circumstances, and with all that going for her, no ape would dare harm her, certainly not while she is in the village, Maurice."
"I wish I were as certain," Maurice fretted.
"He has probably already taken care of it, with no shortage of volunteers I am sure, but I'll speak with Luca, make sure he has someone watching out for her at all times," Percy offered.
Maurice gave his old friend a grateful smile.
"You are right, Luca probably already has seen to that, but thank you, Percy."
The older orangutan slowly got to his feet.
"Well, if I can't catch her here, maybe I can catch her out there. If that fails, ask Mary to bring her by my home. Phoebe wants to meet her as well."
Maurice was not so afraid for Karin to meet Percy and his wife and their friends. Percy and Phoebe were among a very small group of apes who, though they had adjusted quickly to their new lives and their new freedoms, still pined a bit for their long dead human caretakers. They made no great fuss among the apes about this; it was sort of a private club amongst them, including also chimpanzees and gorillas, one that Maurice suspected Caesar would like to join but felt he could not, given his position, Until very recently, it had been a point of view that Maurice had not at all understood, having seen much more of the worst side of humans and less of their best in his lifetime. But he was starting to understand, just a little, why they might feel this way. Karin was unknowingly teaching him this.
"I am surprise she has not come to scold me, herself," Maurice signed dryly, thinking back to Percy's wife.
"Oh, she really wanted to right away," Percy told him. "But I think I've talked her out of that, but with my wife, who can tell," Percy warned. "So, prepare yourself."
Maurice placed one hand on his side and groaned in anticipation. Phoebe's scolding could go on for days!
"Don't I know it," Percy signed, grinning. "Try and rest, dear friend. You are lucky! If it had been me, I'd have to change my name and flee the village in utter shame. She would never let me live it down. But then again, I know how to use a flashlight, properly," Percy teased.
Maurice frowned, but then he could not help but smile as Percy's expression had softened, as it always did, when the subject of his wife came up.
'I will come back later," Percy promised.
'I was afraid of that," Maurice sighed.
"Keep it up and I'll send Phoebe instead," Percy shot back.
Maurice gave him a bracing smile as Percy left the room.
The injured orangutan settled back in to the Healing nest, not at all realizing that his own expression looked very much like Percy's as he thought of Karin and her returning to him. Since he was starting to drift off again, he did not notice as Kira slid unobtrusively in to the room. The little old female gorilla stood in silence, gazing down at Maurice, a gentle knowing smile playing across her face, before she turned away and resumed her outside position.
If the look of him is anything to go by, I hope my nephew is not going to be too disappointed, Kira thought as she leaned against one wall.
She was back!
at the sight of her, the old orangutan smiled, not bothering to hide his relief very much when Mary finally returned Karin safe back to his side sometime later that day. At least, he assumed it was still the same day unless he had really slept heavy.
He trusted Mary implicitly, Of course, trusted the child with his own life and with Karin's and everyone else's as well, but his concern was for how some others might react. But it was not reasonable to expect to keep her at his side all the time, was it?
A little of his relief evaporated, however, as soon as they came in the door, and he got a good look at the two of them. No physical wounds, that was very good. But Mary seemed so somber and subdued, which was not the child's normal state of mind. She was normally almost the exact opposite of her dour and brooding Father. And Karin … While it was true, he had not known her for long, but the orangutan could tell that she was concealing something as well, some outrage or anger?
Immediately, Karin came and took up her place by his side, and Maurice took her hand without really having to think about it, then he beckoned the ape child to him, and gently touched her face with his free hand.
"Don't know what I'd have done without her," Karin praised the child.
Mary looked at the floor and blushed, making a dismissive sort of sound.
"Our little Mary sunshine is modest," Maurice rumbled fondly, making the child blush even more. I think we can give her a break, can we not?" Maurice implored aside to Karin.
To his relief, Karin was quick to catch on, and took up his train of thought immediately.
"Sure," she readily agreed, perhaps too readily for Maurice's comfort. "I promise I'll stay put, honey. I won't leave Maurice's side without you. Unless Cornelia or Caesar want me to go somewhere, of course. So why don't you take some time and go do, uh, whatever you normally do this time of day."
Mary eyed them both suspiciously for a moment, then she grinned impishly.
"Are you trying to get rid of me? Do you two want to be alone?" she asked bluntly.
Maurice gave a low rumble of laughter as Karin pressed her lips together to stifle her own sudden mirth. This was much more like Mary, and Maurice prayed it was a good sign.
"I'll second the child's question. Do we? Karin asked him teasingly.
Maurice heaved a huge fake put upon sigh, which he could see did not fool Mary, let alone Karin.
"Females," he groaned. "What is a por old injured orangutan to do?"
"Yes," he answered bluntly. "If you wouldn't mind, little one."
"Well, okay … but others might come by here, you know," Mary advised.
Thank you, dear, for your sage advice," Maurice told the child gravely.
Mary hooted with laughter, extracted one more promise from Karin to stay with Maurice and another promise from Maurice to stay in bed where he belonged, gave Maurice a quick kiss and Karin a quick hug, then flitted out the door with only one look back.
"she's a treasure, that child," Karin murmured fondly. "So, where's Kira?" she asked.
"I expect my torturer, our guard and attendant that is, has resumed her post just outside," Maurice replied. "Now, as wonderful as it is to see both you and Mary smiling again. What is wrong? He asked Karin stubbornly.
Karin opened her mouth, and he could tell that she was ready to deny everything.
"I saw how you both looked when you came back," Maurice stated flatly. "So, tell me, who did what?"
"You forgot the where, when and why?" Karin said.
Maurice remained unmoved, though, refusing to let her distract him, even a little bit.
"It really wasn't so bad, Maurice," Karin insisted.
The orangutan was still not convinced. He knew that Karin would probably say that even if she was carried in, bleeding.
"I mean it, it really wasn't so bad!" Karin insisted. "I had a lovely time with many of the children."
Maurice smiled, glad to hear it, and waited patiently. She would get around to it eventually, he knew.
"And, what do I have to do to talk you in to making me a table like the one you have at your place?" she asked.
"But you have lots of tables in your home," he said. "Brighter and shinier tables, ones made of glass, even."
"I know, but there all so … so … boring! Yours has that hand-made homey touch, most of mine were made in China and bought at Walmart."
"That matters? There is a difference?" Maurice asked, perplexed.
"Yes, a big one," Karin told him firmly.
"Well, if you say so," he agreed mildly. "Now, if you will answer my original question, I'll consider it," he countered, not giving up.
"OH, alright," Karin gave in, exasperated. "First, I met your friend, Koba."
Maurice groaned, but she held up a hand to stall him.
"No, it was not exactly the warmest of introductions, but never mind that. It's not the problem. At your home, I met a female chimp called Cedar."
This time, Maurice's groan sounded suspiciously more like a growl, and Karin gave him a startled look. She had only ever heard him make a sound like that once, and that had been when he thought someone was in Karin's house and bothering her.
"Maybe it's none of my business, but I think she's been giving Mary a hard time," Karin told Maurice bluntly.
"Yes, she was snide and cold and dismissive of me, and I couldn't really care less. I wish I could tell you exactly what she said to Mary, but Mary wouldn't translate it. But I know that fake sympathy pitying look," Karin went on. "I don't think, just by the way Mary reacted that it's the first time she's done it, either."
"It is not," Maurice rumbled low in his throat. "I know for a fact that she has been warned at least once about her behavior by her husband, Gray
"Well, the way she was acting, the warning obviously didn't stick," Karin stated matter-of-factly.
"I will speak with her this time, myself!" Maurice rumbled. "Cedar can be a thorn in many an adult's side, but I will draw the line if she's picking on our children."
"Just cut out the middle man, uh, ape, and hand her over to Koba," Karin suggested sternly.
"It is a possibility," Maurice rumbled in agreement.
"Just give me a little warning so I can get the hell out of here when that happens," Karin said.
At that point, sparrow, Cornelia and Rocket's wife tinker entered the room. Spotting the bowl in Sparrow's hands, Maurice grinned aside at Karin.
"It is your turn," he quipped.
"What?" she asked, eying the Ape Queen and the other females warily.
Cornelia motioned to all the exposed parts of Karin's skin that sports small scratches and cuts from her nighttime forest trek.
"Oh, you don't have to," Karin began.
But Sparrow ignored her and perched on the edge of the nest.
Cornelia signed something, and Maurice chuckled.
"Cornelia wants to know if you'd like Sparrow to administer the salve, if you'd like her to do it or would you rather do it, yourself?"
"How about none of the above?" Karin offered.
Both Sparrow and Cornelia shook their heads in unison.
"did you know about this?" Karin glared at Maurice.
The old orangutan was barely controlling his own mirth.
I suspected," he admitted.
"Thanks for the warning," Karin muttered, still glaring at him.
"Cornelia, I really don't want to take up your supplies," Karin appealed to the Ape Queen.
Cornelia just shook her head firmly and signed.
"Cornelia says we have plenty, and it's easy to make," Maurice translated.
"They aren't that bad, really," the woman tried one more appeal to Sparrow.
Sparrow said nothing, only leaning forward holding out the bowl a bit more intensely.
"Oh alright, I give in … If you stop gloating!" Karin demanded to Maurice.
"Me! I never gloat," the orangutan protested.
Cornelia glanced at Maurice and gave a short hoot of disbelief, and Karin grinned at the Ape Queen in spite of herself.
"Don't worry, Cornelia, I'm not buying it either."
The woman abruptly removed her hand from Maurice's and stood up.
"Fine, but I'm going to do this without prying orangutan eyes, if you don't mind," she said primly, moving to the other side of the hut, with Sparrow following behind her, and Cornelia moving to block Maurice's view of the process.
"I just don't want him to see," Karin murmured to Tinker and Sparrow, motioning back over her shoulder where the worst of her ape attack scars were heavily concentrated, but hidden beneath her clothes
. "But you ladies already have seen some, I guess?"
Rocket's wife made motions as if pretending to be in pain, and guessing that she was sympathizing, Karin shrugged.
"They don't hurt so bad anymore, not all the time, mostly at night," Karin admitted quietly to the ape women. "But if one of you ladies could, maybe—"
Tinker nodded somberly, and she and Sparrow both crouched down with Karin. As she lifted her shirt, they moved to help her apply the paste to the very few scratches she had managed to get on her back. Both women had an incredibly gentle touch, and Karin only flinched once, and that was because she stretched too far, pulling one of the scars too tight.
The rest of the day proved to be rather uneventful. Karin was finally introduced to Percy and his wife, Phoebe, and Karin's presence may have served to temper Phoebe's scolding of Maurice, somewhat. The stately old orangutan lady was obviously far more interested in getting to know the human woman rather than scolding Maurice, much.
Before they left, the two older orangutans even offered Karin room in their house, stating that they had no children at home now and had plenty of extra room, should she want another place to stay while living with the apes.
The visitors kept coming in a steady stream right up until dinner time rolled around.
"I don't know what they are cooking out there, but it smells really good!" Karin sighed.
For the first time in months, if not longer, she thought she might even muster up a little of an appetite.
She had barely finished her statement when the first meal delivery arrived.
In came Mary, and she introduced Karin to three of her close friends, the two young boys Blue Eyes, Caesar's and Cornelia's son, and Ash, who belong to Rocket and Tinker, and a lovely young ape girl called Lake. And the boys came baring gifts of food. She grinned as she saw the two girls making the two boys do all the carrying, even the Prince, Blue eyes, was not spared and was pressed in to waiters service. She was even more surprised how little the boys seem to complain about it.
The amount of food they brought, however, was a little startling, though Karin did not let on in front of the children. She would have rather died than accidentally hurt any of their feelings.
"Uh … Meant for us both?" Karin asked Maurice after the children had departed, already suspecting his answer.
The old orangutan simply smiled and shook his head as he sat propped up with a large bowl of leaves and dried fruit in front of him.
Before Karin could think of a comment, in came Tinker and her husband, the nearly bald chimp called Rocket, who was being pressed in to waiters service by his wife, just like his two younger counterparts had been by the younger girls. They too, also brought a plate filled with food.
"Oh, Maurice," Karin said in some dismay when they had left. "There is no way I can eat all of that, not this evening!"
But it was not over. Next came Percy and Phoebe, Percy sporting a large jug of some sort of juice, and two large wooden cups.
Then came Luca, accompanied by two Kira's? Karin blinked and shook her head. No, Karin figured one of the older gorilla females must be the twin, Sonya, who Mary had told her about. The gorillas added several large pieces of meat to Karin's growing food stock.
As the gorillas left, Karin could see a definite pattern developing here.
"Maurice, when will they stop?" Karin asked, grateful and touched and alarmed.
And lastly came Cornelia, and with her, much to Karin's shock, with Caesar bearing a tray this time, the ape King carrying food trays? Cornelia looked around, clearly a little startled but very happy to see all the different food offerings.
Coming to Karin and Maurice's side, Cornelia screwed up her face for a moment then she spoke, "I see … no one … wants you to starve," she said out loud in her clear but halting speech as she smiled gently at Karin.
Tears of gratitude stood in Karin's eyes as she thanked the ape Queen. And Caesar almost dropped the tray his wife had him carrying. It was obvious he was not used to his wife speaking out loud.
Seeing Karin's slight dismay, Cornelia came and put a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Save some … for later," she whispered.
Karin opened her mouth to politely protest to Cornelia that this was really too much. But with a gentle smile, Cornelia left, not giving her the chance.
Caesar lagged behind his wife for a few seconds.
"Oh, Caesar!" Karin cried. "What am I going to do with all this? Mary and her friend Lake had your son and Rocket's boy brought the first plates," Karin told him, looking very worried now. "Then Tinker and Rocket came, and then Percy and Phoebe, then King Kong, uh, I mean Luca, he and his twin Aunts showed up, and now … Please, don't say anything to them, though. I don't want anyone's feelings getting hurt. You guys are … well, your marvelous!"
Caesar walked over and gave Karin a very sympathetic look. He would talk with Cornelia once Blue Eyes was asleep tonight and he knew his wife would try and have things better organized tomorrow. He was very pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming generosity of most of the apes. So, he knew that Cornelia must not have been expecting it, either.
"Don't worry, it will keep. You have breakfast tomorrow," the ape king advised.
"And lunch," Karin said tremulously. "thank you, Caesar. Please thank Cornelia and everyone else for me?"
Caesar nodded.
"And makes sure he eats," Caesar added aside concerning Maurice.
"Really, Caesar!" the old orangutan protested, but the ape king was gone before Maurice could vent his frustration.
The village was growing quiet, everyone beginning to settle in for the night. Maurice lay silently watching her as Karin stood looking out the door of the Healer's hut at the softly growing torches dotted around the village.
"Okay?" he asked her.
"I think I may have eaten a wee bit too much," Karin told him frankly. "But other than that, I'm fine, Maurice. It's just so … so pretty out there, those soft torches and everything."
"Not what you expected," the orangutan rumbled gently.
"Well, no, I guess not. I thought it might be darker," Karin confirmed his suspicions. "But, it's … it's …"
"Comforting?" Maurice ventured hopefully.
At least, this was how he always felt, but he did not expect her to feel the same. So, when she turned away from the door, drawing the animal skins taught across to keep out the air and looked at him in their dim torch light, soft shadows flickering over her features, he was surprised to see her smiling at him.
"That's it, comforting," she agreed, walking slowly back to the nest.
But to Maurice's dismay, she settled herself on the floor next to the nest, and not right next to him as she had been doing all day. He wanted to tell her it was perfectly fine with him if she wanted to sit with him. It would be perfectly fine if she wanted to even bed herself down next to him, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words, fearing that he would say exactly the wrong words, and she would take them the wrong way, go running off to sleep with Percy and Phoebe or maybe with Luca's twin Aunts, who also having no children at home had also made a sincere offer of house room. Then after the night's disaster, she would leave the next morning and never want to see or speak to him ever again! She had tried so hard to make him feel comfortable in her own home when he was there, and she had done it, but how was he supposed to ease her mind, and his, wile she stayed here?
He felt almost as helpless as he had done while lying under the tree just the night before.
But when she moved away and began to gather some pelts that were stacked in one corner and make herself a crude bed of them on the floor right next to the healing nest, he'd had enough. He could not just let her lie on the cold floor next to him like she was some sort of pet, no matter how many pelts she wrapped herself with.
Besides, from what he'd seen, humans had absolutely no nest building instincts at all. She would not be able to move well if he left her on the floor all night.
There were some other reasons as well, but he was not quite ready to deal with those just yet.
He made a low gentle rumbling sound, and when she turned to look at him, the old orangutan patted the nest next to him and held his breath, waiting. She stood looking at him for a long moment, clearly unsure as to what she should do.
They held each other's gaze for another few long heartbeats.
"You don't trust me?" he heard himself ask, sounding hurt, and not pretending this time.
It surprised him almost as much as it did her when he heard the words come out of his mouth.
"What?" she gasped, dropping her armload of pelts on the floor. 'Of course, I trust you Maurice!"
'You enjoy sleeping on hard floors then?" he asked.
She stared at him, then laughed gently and threw up her hands.
No, as a matter of fact, I don't particularly enjoy sleeping on a hard floor—"
She broke off and came to sit down beside him and took his hand in hers, easily slipping her small slender fingers through his much longer ones.
"Look, Maurice," she began gently. "I-I don't know how it is with apes, but most … many … well, some, adult human women don't just crawl in to another adult man's bed because someone ends up inevitably getting … ideas …"
"But I am not a man," he reminded her gently.
"I know, I know," she sighed. "No offense meant, Maurice."
He gently squeezed her hand.
"None taken. I just want you to be wherever you feel most comfortable," he told her quietly, all the while softly caressing the smooth back of her hand. It felt amazingly soft and supple to him, for skin with virtually no hair. "I would feel better if you would stay here with me, but if you'd rather go stay with, say, Luca's two Aunts, at least I will know that you are being kept warm and safe."
"Oh," Karin gulped. "Now why did you have to go and say all that for?"
"Because it is the truth," the orangutan replied, concerned by the tone in her voice that usually meant she was crying, or just about to cry.
"Yeah, I guess coming from you, it would be true, wouldn't it," she sniffed and swallowed hard, He heard the click in the back of her throat.
"And, as for those … ideas … you spoke of, don't you worry about that at all. I can always scream for help, can't I?" he could not help but tease her.
She gasped, stared at him for a long moment, then pulling her hand from his, bent down, retrieved a pelt from the floor and gently swatted him with it. He gave a playful tug on one end of the pelt, while she held on to the other, and soon they were both laughing as they had a mock tug of war over the animal skin.
Until a low angry rumbling came from the doorway, which brought them both up short.
"Children!" Kira signed snappishly as she strode in to the room and came to a halt beside the nest. Maurice did not know how Karin felt, but he felt like a scolded child as the old gorilla female glared down at them both, her nostrils flaring in irritation.
"You are both getting rather loud, and some of us need our sleep. So, either go to bed, both of you, or at least have some consideration for others, who have left their own beds to stay nearby to help you and shut up!"
Sheepishly, Maurice repeated Kira's demands to Karin, who also looked as sheepish as he felt. She had already guessed why the female was there.
"It's all my fault, Kira … we're sorry," Karin apologized. "We'll be quiet from now on, I promise."
The old gorilla female made a sound that was halfway between a growl and a low raspy purr and signed something again.
"Kira says do not make her come back in here again tonight or she shall separate us," Maurice informed Karin.
"Yes, Ma'am," Karin nodded contritely.
Still grumbling under her breath, Kira left the room, closing the animal skins behind her.
"The only thing I do not like about his place, Maurice, is—"
"The lack of proper doors and no locks?" Maurice finished her thought for her. "I expected you to say that. And as soon as I am able, I will see what I can devise at my own home, at least.""
Karin beamed at him. Then, she giggled, and Maurice rumbled with laughter, both making an effort to stay as quiet as possible.
"does she mean it, you think?" Karin whispered.
"Oh, I know she does," he replied.
"I'm not going to ask just how you know that," Karin responded.
"Good, my dignity will remain intact," Maurice stated with a straight face.
They both laughed again, and soon Karin was lying next to him in the nest, curled against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. As her breathing got quieter and deeper and slower, the orangutan gently folded one arm around her, and nestled his cheek against her now soft and untangled hair. Those ideas she'd talked about flitted very briefly through Maurice's mind, but he hastily pushed them aside, knowing full well that she had meant that as a plea and/or
Perhaps A warning to him. She did not need to bother. He knew there was no way that she could be having, ideas about him, for as he had told her, he was not a man. But for one very brief second as he drifted towards sleep, Maurice almost wished that he were a man … almost.
He closed his eyes and they both were sound asleep, each comforted by the other's presence.
A/N:
Well, I hope this is a better ending than the slightly dark slightly somber one from the last chapter.
Full marks to any and all of you who know who the orangutan Percy is, bet most of you know by now, right? 😀
One thing I want to try and do with this and with all my stories is give more life and depth to characters that did not get such treatment by the films. Don't get me wrong! I absolutely adore all the movies, but they can't cover everything or everyone.
Many thanks to all my wonderful readers, and many big huge hugs and welcome aboard to all my new ones. And there is that special warm place deep in my heart for everyone who reviews, PMs, gives Kudos, comments, and/or other interactions. 😊 Keep it up, folks.