Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Willow and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Born To Lead Chapter 17
The smashing sounds of stone rushing metal resonated throughout the canyon. The guns were pulled apart piece by piece. The wooden was burnt and tossed into the roaring flames of the fire pit while the ammunition and metal parts of the guns were bent and dented, smashed beyond recognition with rocks. Rocket was all too happy to take up this task destroying the weapons that nearly killed his only son. Many of the apes were gathered around the fire pit silently witnessing the destruction of these deadly weapons.
Koba glowered across the fire pit the scars on his face more prominent as his anger grew with each piece thrown into the fire. Finally, Koba couldn't contain himself anymore. Rising he rounded the fire to where Caesar sat watching with Blue Eyes and Willow on either side of him.
"If they get power, they'll be more dangerous," protested Koba."Why help them?!"
"Helping them could be dangerous," conceded Caesar, "but not helping is more dangerous. They seem desperate. If we make them go, they'll attack."
"Let them," snarled Koba with conviction."We'll destroy them while they're weak."
"And how many apes will die," countered Caesar, grimly, a sharp edge on his signs. That made Koba pause. He hadn't considered that. "We have one chance for peace. Let them do their human work. Then they'll go."
"Human work," grunted Koba, thickly, eyes hard. He then pointed at a scar on the base of his skull close to the neck. "Human work." He traced a scar trailing on his arm. "Human work." Each time he gestured at one of his numerous scars dealt to him by human hands more and more apes turned their attention to watch unsettled at this challenge to Caesar's dominance as alpha. Willow looked on eyes wide. No one had ever challenged her father like this before, especially not Koba. The bonobo held too much respect for Caesar. When Koba stabbed at his left blind eye that was the final straw for him. "Human work!"
Caesar would not tolerate this. This display of defiance needed to end right now.
Chest swelled in intimidation Caesar rose to stand high above Koba, arms spread, and fists clenched. Locking eyes Caesar, cold and forbidding, silently dared Koba to continue a step further.
Wisely Koba backed off knowing he'd never win in a fight hand-to-hand with Caesar. Ducking his head in submission Koba knelt raising his head palm upwards for forgiveness.
All eyes were on the two anxiously waiting to see what Caesar's choice would be. Would he forgive Koba or would the bonobo be punished? Even Rocket stopped demolishing the remains guns to see.
After a suitable amount of time had passed for his message to become clear not only to Koba but, also, to all Caesar brushed his own palm across the bonobos in acceptance.
Standing Koba met Caesar's eyes, the look on his leader's face told the bonobo not to trifle with his leader again, before walking out of the firelight.
Once Koba was gone Blue Eyes stood, signing "Koba say apes should hate humans."
Willow's head snapped towards her brother eyes blazing with unbridled anger. Blue Eyes' duty was to their Caesar not Koba. He needed to learn this even if it had to be pounded into his brain for it to permanently stick.
"Enough," commanded Caesar ."From humans Koba learned hate, but nothing else."
Blue Eyes scoffed and loped away. Willow tracked him with her eyes. She got up, too, and followed after him.
Intercepting him Willow hooted at Blue Eyes to get his attention, signing"Brother, may I speak with you privately?"
Blue Eyes nodded. The twins went to somewhere more secluded away from prying eyes that might eavesdrop on them.
Once they were out of sight Blue Eyes turned towards his sister, signed "All right, what is it?"
"What the hell are you playing at," demanded Willow.
"What are you talking about," asked Blue Eyes.
"You know what," signed Willow. "Why the hell were you siding with Koba?"
"I agree with him because he's right," signed Blue Eyes.
Rolling her eyes, Willow signed "He's not. It's impossible to know every human in the world. Not all of them carry disdain for us and we shouldn't hate them."
Shaking his head, Blue Eyes signed "Koba say-."
"Enough with what Koba says," exclaimed Willow, irritated. "I know you might wish it, Blue Eyes, but he's not our father. Caesar is. That's never going to change. Get over it!"
Growling Blue Eyes bumped his sister hard on the shoulder as he stalked off without a goodbye. Releasing a frustrated shriek Willow went in the opposite direction.
Neither was aware of the calculating eye belonging to a certain bonobo that had observed their argument from the shadows.
To relax and take her mind off of her idiotic brother Willow went to go see the humans. The sun had long since set so there was little chance she'd be spotted unless she wanted to. So she wrapped some fruits and dried meat in a giant leaf for her evening meal and left the village. Swinging from branches in the trees Willow made her way to the human campsite location.
The humans had set up their tents and were sitting around a fire of their own partaking in dinner. Ellie and Malcolm were just slipping from their tent when she arrived. The humans hadn't seen or heard her approach the darkness concealing her. So she sat in a nook above them. There she could see them, but they couldn't see her. A plus was she'd be able to hear them talk clear as day. So settling comfortably Willow focused her hearing to the humans below.
"You know the scary thing about them," mused Foster, thoughtful. "They don't need power, lights. Heat. Nothing. That's their advantage. That's what makes them stronger."
"Malcolm, I'm thinking one of us should stand guard tonight," suggested Kemp.
"With what," said Foster. "They took our guns."
"If they wanted us dead, we would be dead already," said Malcolm, taking a bite of his meager rations.
Carver said "Maybe they're just taking their time. They killed off half the planet already."
"Come on," rebuffed Ellie.
"What," said Carver.
"You can't honestly blame the apes," said Ellie in disbelief.
"Who else am I going to blame," said Carver. "It was the Simian Flu."
Willow felt a pang in her heart hearing this. Were her kind really responsible for all the death and turmoil the humans had suffered.
"It was a virus created by scientists in a lab," said Ellie. "The chimps they were testing on didn't have a say in the matter."
"Spare me the hippie-dippy bullshit," said Carver, scowling. "You're telling me you don't get sick to your stomach at the sight of them? Huh?"
The expression on Ellie's was definitely a no.
"Didn't you have a little girl," said Carver.
"Carver, that's enough," said Malcolm.
"How did she die," continued Carver, arrogantly.
"That's enough," repeated Malcolm, glaring at him.
"Or your wife for that matter," shot Carver, changing course to Malcolm.
Neither Malcolm nor Ellie spoke a word the agony from those losses still too much to bear. The memories were difficult to relive.
Above Willow lowered the piece of elk meat she'd been about to eat from her mouth. Suddenly she'd lost her appetite.
"Carver, you better shut up before I kick your ass," seethed Foster, intervening.
"Okay," said Carver, quietly. "I'm the asshole." Carver went to the tent he shared with Kemp and Foster opting for an early night.
Placing a comforting hand over Ellie's, Malcolm asked "Are you okay?"
Nodding, softly, Ellie said "I'm fine."
"Carver doesn't like the apes much," said Foster.
Oh really? Well that was going to have to change.
"Yeah," said Malcolm. "We got that impression." He then noticed Alex hadn't touched any of his dinner. It was set aside while he was drawing in his sketchbook. "Alex, eat your food."
Shaking his head, Alex said "I'm not hungry."
"Alex," said Malcolm.
"I'm tired of eating the same old thing," complained Alex. "We haven't had anything new for weeks."
"I know, pal," sighed Malcolm, "but we have to work with what we have."
Alex opened his mouth to say more a gift was literally dropped from the sky. From above their heads, a leaf-wrapped package landed in Alex's lap on top of the page he was sketching.
No one moved a muscle.
"What the heck," said Kemp.
Cautiously Alex put down his pencil and unwrapped the package. Unveiled he saw there were a handful of blueberries and a bit of dried meat of some kind.
Shocked he showed the others his find, saying "It's food."
"Let me see that," said Malcolm.
Alex passed the leaf to his father. Malcolm looked at the offering closely in his hands. He spotted something hidden in the blueberries. Moving them a smile broke out on Malcolm's face when he saw what it was.
"What is it," asked Ellie.
Sticking his fingers into the blueberries he held a daisy in the firelight. "Now who do we know that wears daisies," he said, eyes scanning the trees.
Upon coming to the same conclusion as Malcolm the others did the same, but they wouldn't find Willow. She was too well hidden. When she'd thrown her food to Alex she leapt to another tree pressing herself into the trunk. Carefully she peeked at the humans smiling. Seeing they had no clue where she was Willow chose to leave, her spirits lifted.
In the village, Caesar entered his family's dwelling for the night.
Cornelia was in bed with their newborn one hand wrapped around him. Cornelia's wheezing was worse more erratic than the day before her breathing shallower. When Caesar lay down beside her she awoke. Seeing him there she smiled rolling over a bit.
"You sound sick," signed Caesar, worriedly, cupping a hand over the newborn's head and gently caressing him. "You okay?"
"Just need rest," reassured Cornelia.
"Blue Eyes and Willow shall watch the baby tomorrow," signed Caesar. "You need more sleep."
Nodding in agreement, Cornelia signed "You worry about humans?"
Sighing, Caesar signed"Not just them."
"Willow," signed Cornelia."I heard about what happened. One of the midwives told me." She was referring to their daughter putting herself in the human's crossfire when the army went to the city at dawn earlier that day.
Nodding, Caesar signed "I should never have let her come with us. Willow's recklessness deliberately put her in danger. She could've died."
Chuckling, Cornelia signed "Does she remind you of anyone?"
"No, who," asked Caesar, brow raised.
Nuzzling her husband, Cornelia signed "She's just like you were when you became alpha."
"As flattered as I am by that, I wish she wasn't," admitted Caesar, sadly shaking his head. "She should follow her own path, not mine."
"Caesar, Willow is smart and she's strong," signed Cornelia, somber, lovingly cupping her husband's cheek. "When are you going to realize that she's you?"
Authors Note:
Let me guess, you guys hate this? ;)