The next day dawned crisp, clear, and bright. Everyone was up and occupied with various tasks, and with so many apes going this way and that, performing morning routines that were by now second-nature to them, no one noticed when Karin's little group left the village.

Glancing in the direction that Koba's hunting party had gone, Karin frowned.

"Looks like Mary's not too happy this morning," she worried as the back of the ape girl's blond head disappeared into the distance. "Anyone know what's wrong?"

Apparently, they all knew.

"Mary hates hunting," Maurice told her.

"Well, I'd don't blame her," Karin sympathized with the ape girl. "I'd hate it too if I was the only girl forced to do it."

At this statement, all the apes turned to gape at her in astonishment.

"What?" Karin protested.

"Mary. Not. Only female hunter," Maurice said. "Not anymore."

It was Karin's turn to gape at her companions before a slow blush crept over her features.

"You mean there are females in the hunting parties?"

They all nodded.

"Well, shows how observant I am, doesn't it? I guess I just assumed, I thought that—"

Karin trailed off, not sure how to articulate her musings without embarrassing herself even more.

Trying to come to her rescue, Maurice put his arm around her shoulders as they rode side by side through the forest.

"Koba. He force Mary to learn hunting. She good at it. Other ape fathers liked Koba's idea. They make some daughters learn. Some older women start to hunt. Some females. In each group. One hunting group. Nothing but females."

"Oh, I see," Karin murmured.

So it's not as obviously male dominated as things seem on the surface. Silly me, imparting my own human prejudiced ideas onto these apes, she thought. And given her own experiences, she ought to know better. Her father made her learn how to hunt, hadn't he, despite all her vigorous and loud protests.

Well, that crazy old man was right. It saved my daughter's life when she needed fresh meat, the woman sternly reminded herself as the pangs of grief for her father, her daughter, her twin, her entire family welled up inside her. And when Karin's mind wandered off the path into bad places,. It really wandered. Her thoughts drifted to the attack which she barely survived while hunting, and she shivered, the sudden force of those terrible memories overwhelming her so she shifted unconsciously nearer to Maurice for protection and comfort. The woman regained self-control quickly however, refusing to let her thoughts wander in that direction for long. She would not give that savage ape anymore of her emotional time or head space, not when she was surrounded by friends, and ones that could rip that other ape apart.

Good enough excuse to stayed glued to Maurice, though, she told herself with an inward satisfied grin. And, they don't seem to care.

Desperate to change the subject, she sorted through her brain for another topic, any topic, and she latched on to something easily enough.

"Luca, I never thanked you for the fence mending you did on your first visit," Karin said at last as she and Maurice, Luca and a few other gorillas drew nearer to the Grove and her home. They were there to collect the last load of supplies before the real winter set in. "You didn't need to go to all that trouble."

"You like fence?" Luca looked suddenly concerned.

"Oh, you bet. I couldn't have done it that well," Karin praised, "And certainly not so fast. My whole family couldn't have done it so well. Took my dad and those idiot friends of his three days to fence that yard, and it would have been four if I hadn't locked up all the beer and refused to let them have any until they were done."

A smile almost made it to Luca's face, but then he suppressed it and shrugged instead. "Build better wall," he suggested.

Karin groaned out loud and turned instantly to Maurice in exasperation.

"Didn't you tell him that I said no?" she demanded.

The orangutan nodded.

Turning back to the gorilla, she asked, "And did Maurice give you all my reasons against a wall?"

The silver-back also nodded, his face taking on a troubled almost forlorn look.

"Oh Luca." Karin softened both her tone and her expression as she placed one hand on the gorilla's arm. "I appreciate what you want to do. It's just not practical. A wall would only get in my way. I can't climb near as well as an ape, you know."

"Wall. Will. Have. Gate," Luca argued stubbornly.

"With no one to guard it," Karin countered.

"Some. Apes. Guard," Luca suggested.

Karin almost laughed out loud, but the big gorilla was not joking. Resignedly, the woman raised her eyes skyward before she appealed to Maurice yet again.

"Is he always like this?"

"Yes," the big orangutan said softly and without hesitation. "Sometimes. He is worse."

The sad irony of the situation was that, had her daughter still been alive, Karin might have accepted Luca's very generous offer of a wall; Lisa would have loved it. She could hear her daughter's excited little voice piping, "It's like a castle, Mommy! It's like a castle!" That's what the little girl would have said as she jumped up and down and clapped her little hands in delight, and danced around the living room with joy, dragging her Mother along with her. But her daughter was gone forever, the child needed no walls to protect her in her heavenly home, and Karin saw no point in Luca going to all the trouble, only for her sake.

Lisa would have adored Luca, and Maurice would have made an excellent daddy.

The woman forced those bittersweet musings aside. Taking a deep breath, she reversed course, and tried a distract and deflect tactic, instead.

"Luca, it's too early for a fight. We have a job to do here. Let's just get it done and get all you guys safe home, ok?" Karin pleaded. "I'd like to get back to the village by lunchtime. Maurice and I have things to do there."

Luca bowed his head, and outwardly, the big gorilla seemed to give in, but there was something in his eyes, his expression, even the set of his shoulders that warned Karin that the subject was not closed, not by a longshot.

Oh, no! I hope I don't have to bring this matter to Caesar, Karin thought, and she privately admitted that her concern stemmed from the belief that Caesar and/or Cornelia might agree with Luca, and then what would she do?

She expected little support from Maurice in this matter, whose sympathies on the topic leaned at least somewhat on Luca's side.

"You know, I wish Koba would allow Mary to come on these trips," Karin remarked.

All the apes turned to her, and she did not need to understand sign to understand them—the unspoken question was plain in their eyes.

"Because then I wouldn't be outnumbered by all you overprotective males."

All the guerillas, even Luca, gave a nice hardy snicker at that.

One of the other gorillas, a big male called Ajax, signed something, and they all began to laugh even Maurice.

"What did he say?" Karin asked Maurice. All the woman thought she understood was her name.

"He said, 'Karin does sound like a female ape'," the orangutan explained while emitting his low chuckling sound.

Males, Karin thought.

"Oh good. We're here," Karin sang out in relief as they reached the beginning of the maze of trees and undergrowth that surrounded the front of her home. "It's single file through here, boys."

As the apes lined up behind Luca, Karin turned to Maurice. "I think you should really take to the trees from here, and meet us in the front yard," she advised gravely. "You'll get snagged a lot if you don't, and Luca or I can lead your horse."

Reluctant to leave her side, Maurice shook his head, and not even Luca's urging him to do as Karin suggested would change his mind.

Karin turned to Luca. Pointing her index finger at Maurice, she inquired, "Is he always like this?"

Luca was openly grinning at his orangutan friend. "Sometimes. He. Worse," the silver-back grunted.

Karin heaved a sigh. "fine, fine! Do what you want, but don't say we didn't warn you, Maurice."

Several minutes later, they all gathered in Karin's front yard as Maurice glowered around at his fellow apes. All the gorillas were lightly coated with bits of greenery, and Karin had a little stuck in her hair, but the stubborn, shaggy orangutan was plastered from head to toe.

"Oh, you're a mess!" Karin exclaimed.

Maurice nodded and winced. Even that small gesture hurt.

"Luca, you guys can handle things, can't you?" Karin asked. "Everythings already packed up in the barn."

Luca nodded. He patted Maurice on the shoulder as he passed by, and all the other apes did the same. The orangutan winced each time they did that until finally he growled a warning at them, but the gorillas only laughed.

He started for Karin's door, but she raised one hand.

"Hold it! You stand right where you are," she commanded, bringing him to a halt in the middle of the yard. "You're not gonna track all that stuff through my house, Mister, and leave it for me to clean up. I'll be right back."

As she walked by him to enter the house, Maurice heard her mutter, "Now where'd I put that stupid brush." He heard her rummaging about in various cabinets, and after one small crash, she exclaimed, "Eureka!" When she stepped out and moved towards him, he saw what she held in her hands, and he took a step back, and gave an involuntary gasp.

"What's the matter," Karin said, mystified. "It's just a grooming comb and brush, Maurice. I know how to handle them. It's not going to hurt you."

She was right, and he was equally sure she knew exactly how to handle the tools, and that she would never hurt him. Even so, it was all he could do to stand still as she approached and began teasing out bits of barb and scrub from the long hair on his back and arms. She finished both his arms and made good headway on his back when she suddenly stopped and rested her hand tenderly on the back of his neck, and he shivered, not with dread, but with pleasure at her touch.

"Maurice," Karin murmured. "Turn around and look at me." When he hesitated, she added, "Please?"

Before he realized what he was doing, the orangutan moved to do her bidding, and when she saw his face, the woman gave a low cry and threw down her brush and comb with much more force than was necessary.

"Oh, Maurice! Am I walking down that bad memory lane again?"

He did not know why, but the way she said it made Maurice smile.

"Not helpful," she gently chided him. "Does that mean yes or no?" Karin asked as she reached up and began to groom his head with nimble fingers.

"Yes," he admitted a little sheepishly. He tilted his head to give her better access to the worst areas. "But I like how you said it."

"Well, uh, okay, I guess."

Impulsively, Karin hugged him around his neck. He returned her gesture and while they stood so close together, he began to pick bits of the forest out of the back of her hair as well, his huge hands nimble and adept.

The two of them lost track of time during this impromptu grooming session, and they almost forgot that they were not alone. It might have gone on even longer if they had not been interrupted by a polite, slightly apologetic deep cough.

"Luca," they both gasped and jumped apart to find Luca and the other gorillas standing not far away, watching them curiously, their arms loaded with packs of supplies. Ajax ignored the situation completely, but the younger males glanced at Karin with unmistakable curiosity and then sniggering at Maurice, until Luca turned, put down his packs and raised one fist, giving them an unyielding stare. They bowed their heads then signed something quickly to Maurice, and started securing the packs to the horse's backs.

"They said sorry," Maurice automatically translated the sign for Karin's benefit.

"Sure, no problem," she said, but she was blushing. "I want to grab a few things from the house, and then go see Lisa before we leave. I won't take long. Oh, wait, I should help with all-" she began, glancing at the pile of supplies the gorillas were loading. But Maurice and Luca stopped her.

"Go visit family," Maurice rumbled and Luca nodded in agreement. 'We be here."

As Karin disappeared around the back of the house, going to her family graves, Luca sighed.

"Something wrong?" Maurice signed to him.

"I don't know," Luca signed back.

"Luca, you didn't start building a wall back where she buries her dead, did you?" Maurice asked.

"Of course not." The tilt of Luca's hands, even more than his expression left little doubt of his indignation. "I would never do that, and not back there."

"But you did do something?" Maurice pressed on.

Reluctantly, the gorilla nodded, but before he could begin to explain, all the ape's attention was drawn by the sound of the woman's sweet voice as it drifted to them on the clear morning air. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stood still to listen:

You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy,

When skies are gray.

You'll never no, Dear,

How much I loved you.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

The gorillas that were with Luca became suddenly fascinated by the packs they were carrying and did not take their eyes away as they turned away to fix them on the horses.

Luca and Maurice exchanged a long meaningful Glance.

"She sings a different song every morning," Maurice signed sedately to Luca. "I leave her at sunrise, but I stay in the trees long enough to hear her sing before I go."

"When I first came here, Tinker and I heard her sing, too, Luca signed to Maurice. The big gorilla remembered how rocket's tiny feisty wife was reduced to tears, and that he almost gave in to them, himself.

"Does she know you stay in the trees to listen?" Luca asked, and Maurice shook his head. The gorilla expected as much, and he did not ask his friend why; it was a private matter, too private and sacred for them to interfere.

And this made what Luca did, though it had seemed harmless at the time, even more worrisome for the gentle, kind-hearted gorilla. He hoped that Karin would not be angered or offended by his small act.

"She sings for you a lot, does she?" Luca ventured, trying to lighten the mood.

Luca was prepared to be a little envious, but his friend's UNEXPECTED ANSWER changed his mind.

"No," Maurice signed sadly. "I don't feel right asking her to."

"Now, that is a shame," the silver-back replied. "I bet she would, if you asked her nicely."

Before Maurice could reply, they heard the woman coming back through the house, and when she rejoined them in the front yard, her face wet, they all pretended not to notice the slight reddening of her eyes that cold water could not hide.

Sorry I kept you guys waiting," Karin said. "Are we ready to go?"

Maurice wisely took to the trees as the others walked the horses back through the twisting almost hidden paths of the grove. When they reached the outer edge, the orangutan was waiting for them. He descended and took his place at Karin's side. She touched his arm, and he turned to her.

"That was very sweet of you," she said in a low tone meant for his ears only.

He stared at her, not understanding the reason for her praise.

"The flowers," she said, and when he still looked confused she went on, "The ones you left on Lisa's grave. It's so sweet."

Ah, so that's what he did! I might have known.

Leaning close, the big orang shook his head at her and muttered, "It was not me."

"But who?" Her eyes widened.

Maurice pressed his lips to her ear. "Luca," he barely breathed his friend's name.

Karin started to turn towards the big gorilla, but Maurice placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. 'You thank him later. When he is alone," Maurice advised in a low rumbling tone.

Karin nodded instantly, and Maurice relaxed, relieved that she understood the situation.

Feeling the curious stares of the other apes, the orangutan straightened, and they rode on in companionable silence.

"Let's see. Flashlights and extra batteries, a little rope, some food and water, and that just about does it. Can you think of anything else, Maurice?"

The orangutan shook his head. He watched, curious in spite of himself as Karin ticked off her mental list and re-checked their few provisions.

He made an inquisitive sound when she got to the food and water. "Why?" He pointed.

"Oh, in case there's a rock slide or a cave in, and we get stuck for a while," Karin remarked in a careless offhand manner.

With a startled grunt, the orangutan rose to his full height and stared down balefully at his human companion.

"Joking?" he asked hopefully.

"Not really," Karin added absently. Then she took a good look at the big ape's face. "Oh sit down, Maurice. It'll be fine. Most of the caves around here are pretty safe. My brothers and I used to explore through them a lot. It was a great way to keep cool in the summer, and hide out while Elizabeth was home. Now, c'mon, sit down, please?"

The human female grasped his rigid arm in both hands and gave it a gentle tug. When he finally sat down beside her, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

"It's going to be fine," she cooed soothingly.

Though he was not at all mollified, the big ape did enjoy her attention, nevertheless. Well, this is worth sitting down for, he thought.

Gazing up at him with worried eyes, she asked, "Hey, you're not claustrophobic, are you?"

The big ape frowned. "Clau ... Claus ... Clauser—"

"Sorry, I mean, you're not afraid of enclosed spaces," Karin explained after he struggled with the unfamiliar word for a while.

"No, I am not claus ... claustro ... Not scared of small places," the orangutan declared with a hint of uncharacteristic heat. The truth was that he did not know. He had never gone deep into a cave before, and had no reason to go now except for one. Karin was going, with or without him.

Why do humans have to be as curious as chimps, Maurice lamented silently. But she had her heart set on it, and wherever Karin went, he would go, too.

Maurice's misgivings were not improved by Caesar who, instead of doing the sensible thing and putting an immediate halt to it, agreed completely with Karin's idea. Had Maurice guessed that was going to be his response, he would not have mentioned it at all. Caesar told Maurice he thought it was an excellent idea. Maybe we should have explored further into those spaces before now," Caesar said. "Be careful. Let us know what you find there."

And as a parting shot, the ape king added, "If you aren't back before supper time, I'm coming in to get you and bringing Rocket and Luca and maybe even Koba with me."

"What did Caesar say about all this?" Karin asked as if she knew what he had been thinking.

The orangutan sighed. "He says it is good idea," Maurice grumbled.

"He did! That's Great!" Karin exulted. Then her eyes narrowed as she watched Maurice's face. "Wait just a dog gone minute. Did you tell him about this and hope he'd call it off?" she demanded in exasperation.

Maurice was certain that he did not appear guilty, but Karin must have seen a flicker of something in his eyes.

"You did!" she exclaimed. "You wanted Caesar to stop this, didn't you?"

Thinking how completely unfair it was that this human woman could read him like a book, yet he seldom had no clue what was going through her head, Maurice nodded with resignation.

"Oh, Maurice," Karin sighed and hugged him even tighter. Reaching up, she drew their foreheads tenderly together. "I've told you that you don't have to come. I can find someone else. I bet Tinker would come with me if I asked her to. Maybe phoebe would, too."

Just when he thought Karin's ideas could not get any worse, a brief but compelling vision of the three females trapped behind or underneath a wall of solid rock flashed through Maurice's horrified mind.

"No." the orangutan was adamant. "I. Will. Come."

"But if you're—" she started to say.

He did not let her finish. Reluctantly, Maurice pulled away from her just enough to place a large finger gently against her lips to silence her arguments. After a moment, he cupped her chin in his huge hand, and shook his head firmly at her, forming his next words slowly and with excruciating clarity.

"I. Will. Come," he insisted, not wanting any misunderstandings.

Karin shrugged and smiled sweetly at him.

"Whatever you want, Maurice." She leaned forward and pressed a quick light kiss to one of his cheek pads. "No offense to the ladies, but I'd rather be stuck in there with you, anyway."

She grinned and got to her feet. "I promised I'd tell Cornelia when we were starting out. Be right back," she called over her shoulder as she left.

Once she was gone, Maurice closed his eyes, and touched the same cheek pad that Karin had kissed with lingering fingertips. I must talk with her about that someday soon, he reminded himself. But how do I tell her what that often means between a male and a female without either frightening her away or making her stop?

Maurice really did not want Karin to stop bestowing those precious kisses. In fact, he would like to encourage her to do that more often, and he was ready, willing—even eager—to learn any special gestures that would most please her as well.

"Earth to Maurice?" a soft sweet voice whispered next to his left ear.

Karin nudged him playfully in the ribs, and the big ape nearly jumped out of his hair, so lost in his thoughts he did not hear her return.

"Oh boy, I don't know what you were daydreaming about, but if your expression's anything to go by, I wish I could join you," Karin teased him fondly. "You'll have to tell me about it, sometime. You ready to roll or would you rather go back to your daydream?" As she pulled on her pack, she added, "And what are you blushing for?"

Oh, my precious Karin. I wish I could tell you all about my daydreams, Maurice longed silently in the depths of his soul, he ached to tell her the truth of what she meant to him.

But for the moment, he knew that he would say nothing of them at all, for he did not know where or how to begin to explain—to give an explanation that would not end badly, destroying his daydreams, and his waking reality, forever.

Standing up, the orangutan stretched until several bones in his back popped. "Let's roll," the big ape echoed Karin's earlier phrase.

"The next time I have a bright idea, you could at least pretend to try and stop me," a dissatisfied Karin complained. " This has got to be the most boring cave I have ever seen. Even the bats got bored with this place and packed up and left."

The woman stretched and yawned. "C'mon, let's head back.

She made as if to turn around, but Maurice touched her arm..

"What?" she wanted to know.

"Water," Maurice rumbled.

Thinking he meant that he was thirsty, Karin reached back to pull out the water bottles she brought, but the orang shook his head. "I. Hear. Water," he explained.

Listening intently, Karin stood with her ears pricked for a long moment. "Are you sure? I don't hear anything. But I guess if you can make sounds I can't hear, then you probably hear sounds I can't hear, too. Where is it? Up ahead?"

Maurice nodded.

"Okay. We'll keep going," Karin agreed. "But we'd better head back soon before Cornelia sends out the rescue squad."

so they trudged on, and after a few minutes, Karin perked up. "Hey, I think I hear it now. Come on."

She brushed by Maurice and began striding ahead of him. Less than five minutes later, they stood in the middle of a wide open cavern, and at the farthest edge was something which made Karin crow with delight.

"Oh, look at that," she exclaimed, her eyes bright. "Underground water! It's beautiful!"

Maurice rumbled in agreement as he joined her at the water's edge. Although they brought some water with them, he plucked a small cup from the pack, filled it with the clear cold water, and offered it to her with a grand flourish.

"Such a gentleman. Thank you," Karin murmured as she drank deeply, then she passed the cup to Maurice, who drained the remainder of the cold refreshing liquid with one long satisfied gulp.

"It's so peaceful back here, isn't it,: Karin said placidly. She glanced at her father's battered Time-X watch and added. "We still have a little time. Feel like a picnic? That ... OH, you already know what that is," she grinned as Maurice, needing no further explanations, went for the food in the pack.

"Hold on," Karin took a sealed container from his hands. "I brought a surprise for you." She opened the vacuum sealed container, and extracted from it one ripe, plump durian fruit, and handed it to him with the same flourish he showed while giving her the water. The normally sedate and composed orangutan's eyes widened as he cradled the fruit in one huge hand, inhaling it's odor, and virtually purring with pleasure.

Karin was beaming at him, thrilled by his response. "Well, what are you waiting for, tuck in," she urged. "You don't think I brought that thing for me to eat, do you?"

Still gripping his durian fruit in one hand, Maurice rose to his feet, and reaching down, he drew Karin up beside him. She gave him a questioning glance, but he gave her no time to say anything before he tucked an arm around her waist and began to dance at the water's edge. Holding Karin firmly in one arm, the big ape danced them both about for several minutes, with Karin's startled girlish laughter echoing off the nearby walls, urging him on.

She knew a happy dance when she got swept up in one, but she never expected to see such a display from the prim and proper Maurice.

Damn, I wish I had a lot more Durian to give him, she thought, but while the few trees planted next to her little cemetery

grew well enough, they only produced a few eatable fruit each year.

"C'mon, Maurice," Karin squealed. "Are you gonna eat that thing or will we just dance with it all day."

The big ape needed no further encouragement. He sat the slightly breathless Karin tenderly down, sat beside her, then he tore into the durian fruit and swallowed half of it before remembering his manners and offering some to his female friend.

"Ugh! No thanks, big guy." Karin winced. "It smells awful!"

"Smell bad but taste good," Maurice insisted, still holding out a palm full for her as he widened his eyes. "You try? Please?"

"Oh man, I'm gonna regret this. The things I do for the people I love," Karin took a deep breath. "Okay, for you, I'll give it a shot. Lay it on me, big guy."

Maurice grinned, and began to feed her several bites directly from his hand. A scene she once witnessed flashed briefly through her mind. At an orangutan sanctuary in Indiana, one of the mature male orangutans had fed a female near his own age in exactly the same way before taking her firmly by the hand and leading her off to one of their private alcoves. The overjoyed caretakers told her with some pride, and obvious relief, that those two would not be seen for a while, Karin needed no further explanations; she knew what the two apes would get up to in that private alcove.

We did pass a cozy-looking alcove about halfway back, Karrin thought before she brought herself up short. Karin Elizabeth Evans, you're dreaming! And worse, you're overthinking things again, the woman told herself. Since you're nothing but skin and bones, he's just afraid that you're hungry, and way too polite to eat it all, himself. So don't get your hopes up, scrawny human girl!

Maurice offered her the last bite, but she smiled and refused it. "You're right. It doesn't taste near as bad as it smells. And don't you give me those sad eyes. Go ahead and finish that, big guy. I've had enough, and you need that energy after all that great dancing."

She grinned up at him. "NO guy's twirled me around that good in years!"

Actually, no man's ever twirled me around like that, Karin could not help the comparison between the males of both species, with Maurice coming out the clear winner, in her estimations. I wonder what else he's better at?

Karin blushed. "Excuse me, Maurice,. I just need to splash some of that cold water on my face. Everything's cool."

Maurice also dipped his face in the cold water, but as Karin made to straighten up, she felt a few tiny drops trickle down the back of her neck.

"Hey," she gasped, jerking upright to find an innocent-looking Maurice scooping another bit of water in his big hands.

"Don't you dare," Karin warned, but her twinkling blue eyes belied the seriousness of her warning. "Oh, I see. So you want to play? Okay, Maurice, let's do her,", and Karin scooped water in both her smaller hands. "Let's play," and she flung it at him.

And for several happy moments, the cavern echoed with a human woman's playful shrieks and a orangutan's deep throaty laughter as they chased each other around the stream, alternately flinging handfuls of water into each other's faces and over one another's heads.

By the time Karin was spent, she was also soaked, at least her hair was dripping, but so was Maurice. She flung herself down at the water's edge and stared up as the orangutan loomed over her, his cupped hands ready.

"Oh, I can't move anymore," she panted happily. "Just finish me off, okay," and she closed her eyes and waited, but the water never came. The next thing Karin felt was the big ape stretching out leisurely beside her as he trailed his fingertips lightly across her face and forehead.

"I know what you're up to. You got water hidden in your other hand, don't you?" Karin giggled breathlessly.

"Not much," Maurice rumbled quietly as he brought his other hand up and trickled the few drops of water into Karin's open mouth.

"Do you always act like this when you're given durian fruit?" Karin asked.

"Don't know. Haven't had one in years," he told her as he pulled her against his side.

Karin sighed contentedly. "I hate to burst your bubble, but it might be next year, if then, before you get another one from me," Karin replied sadly. "My few trees barely produce. I think the winters are too cold. You got the only decent piece of fruit this year."

They rested in the caverns for a moment or maybe a lot longer. The next time Karin opened her eyes and glanced at the old watch, she gasped in horror and sat up straight, giving Maurice a hard nudge in his ribs.

"Maurice!" She shook the big ape's shoulder. "Maurice! Oh man, are we in trouble! Come on! Get up! We've got to get back, yesterday!"

They raced from one side of the cavern to the other, collecting a few things that got tossed around in their play session, and with everything re-packed, the two of them all but ran back the way they came. Several minutes later, they burst through the curtain at the back of Maurice's home to find they were not alone. Luca, Rocket and even Koba were all there, holding a few of Karin's flashlights, and behind them stood ...

"It is dark! You. Are. Late. Where have you two been?" roared a frightened and angry Caesar as he glared at them both. The ape king narrowed his eyes in astonishment. "And why are you both so wet?"

a/n:

Happy 2023 to all my wonderful patient readers! I hope everyone's year is getting off to a good start?

Welcome back to my long time readers who have stuck with me thus far, and welcome home to any brand new visitors. Pull up a chair, settle in, and stay a while.

I want to send some special thanks to one reader for their long lovely comment, and their continued inspirational conversations. among-wildflowerz, you are awesome!

And to my most frequent commenter, you have no idea how much your comments, not to mention interest, lighten my day. I wish I had frequent commenting miles to thank you.