The Scars On His Heart

Chapter 5 ~ The Colony of Apes

"My name is Serena" The human spoke, or rather she. Koba was stunned to hear such a soft and feminine voice coming from the hooded figure. It didn't help that the clothing she wore almost drowned her in the fabric. Even the boot she wore seemed to swallow her feet. He noticed the other one foot was bleeding profusely. It was a small and dainty foot. several sizes smaller than the boot next to it. Caesar had the same thought as he blinked at the sound of her voice. In a way, Koba was impressed by her bravery and lack of fear. Her glare almost rivaled his own as she protectively covered the baby ape to her chest.

" Mean no harm." Caesar reminded her gently, " Take you. To. Our Home. help you." Caesar pointed at her ankle. Reminded of her ankle she looked down at it. It was swollen and covered in blood that was slightly dry as it was clotting. Koba's anger flares up again. Caesar should kill the human and take the child. She couldn't be trusted. Getting his brothers attention he signed rapidly,

We can't take a human to our home. Human lies! She killed mother and stole baby! We must kill her and save the ape child! , His leader looked at him with sadness before signing calmly.

Not all humans bad, she saves and cares for ape. We will help her, maybe Koba will learn humans are not all bad. Must trust me, brother, Ceasar grabbed his shoulder light squeezing it as he ended their conversation. Koba was wanting to argue more but, when he heard his king ask to trust him he couldn't deny his request. In the beginning, Koba's life had been rough.

He had been tortured and abused by human most of his life. When Caesar had come to the lab to free him and the other apes, he had never felt so much joy before. He would trust his leader for now, but he would keep a close eye on the human. If she did anything to hurt apes he would I'll her himself. Nodding he watched quietly as Caesar spoke with the human.

*Serena*

Looking at my ankle, I realized I had no choice in the matter. I wouldn't be able to walk so nodded my head at the Leader. As I reached for the gun to return it to my holster the ape with the blind eye growled and bared his fangs at me raising his spear again threateningly.

"No. No guns." The leader spoke. so I withdrew my hand from the weapon and tried to stand. Now that the adrenaline had worn me out and the pain from my ankle was radiating at me. I couldn't find the strength to stand up. After the 3rd attempt and falling on my ass again the leader looked to his left and motioned for his horse. A third ape, an orange orangutan walked up slowly and gave the reins to Caesar. He looked at me kindly with green eyes as well, in an almost grandfatherly look.

"Will help you on horse." Caesar said and slowly walked up to me. He knelt down and looked at my eyes in question as if asking for permission to touch me. I was stunned he would wait for my approval. These apes were more human than the actual humans I have met in the past. I nodded at him, while I kept my arms around Kovu. Caesar placed an arm around my back and the other under my knees lifting me bridal style. He lifted me up as he stood as if I weighed nothing. He looked at me to see if I was ok as I flinched in pain from the movement of my ankle and from the contact. Once I met his eyes he slowly walked to his horse and looked at the orangutan. They communicated silently and the Orangutan climbed onto the horse and Casar lifted me into the arms and transferred me over to the horse. The scared ape kept his one eye on me the whole time as if waiting for me to attack. He walked up to the gun and picked it up from the ground. He followed behind us. orangutan met me with kind eyes as he wrapped an arm around my back and place him side saddle on the horse in front of me. He then took the reins and directed the horse towards the waiting crowd of apes. They parted like the red sea as they stared at me in awe and some in hate. I tried to not meet any of their eyes but, I couldn't keep my curiosity at bay as we passed by. We headed deeper into the woods as one. The apes trailing behind us. When we neared a rapid river, the One Eyed ape chucked the gun into the water. He looked at me almost smirking as of to say, you can no longer protect yourself I met his eyes and kept contact. I wasn't gonna let this ape bully me just because he hated my kind. I hated my kind too so he had to get over it because I was staying with Kovu unt8il he no longer needed me.

~

We arrived at a cluster of tree houses. It was amazing! As we entered the guarded gates the apes that were minding their own business stopped as soon as they spotted me. Mothers and children watched as we passed. We finally stopped at a small hut and the orangutan behind me slid off the horse before reaching for me. I felt like such a child at the moment. Being carried around like a baby. I sucked it up though. He carried me into the hut and we were greeted with female chimps and apes of all kinds. They wore a colorful mask of feathers and seemed to be healers as a few seemed to be treating some sick apes lying in beds of moss. One of the healer apes directed the orangutan to an empty room and he laid me gently on the moss bedding. I was quickly surrounded by healers as they mixed and crushed plants. The head healer I guessed, prodded and studied my ankle carefully. She signed to Caesar who had trailed behind us.

"This will hurt. Must remove wood from wounds" He told me.

I looked down and had just noticed the large splinters that were protruding from my foot. I nodded in understanding and waited for the coming pain. Kovu decided to make an appearance again as it had got quiet. When he popped his head out to look around again. His big green eyes taking in all the apes. THe healers stopped as he appeared all awed by his appearance. The lead healer though got back to work cleaning the blood and hooted at the others back on task. As soon as the blood was off she met my eyes and looked apologetically before she started to carefully pick the splinter out. Surprisingly they had not gone in too deep, I was perhaps saved by the large boot I was wearing. It still hurt though as I flinched and shut my eyes in pain when she pulled the first one. With my eyes closed, I was stunned when I felt a hesitant hand on my shoulder. I looked toward the touch and met eyes with a young female healer. she seemed to be trying to comfort me. I smiled at her in thanks and the other apes seeing my reaction placed hesitant hands on wherever they could reach as if to reassure me it would be all right. The lead healer continued to clean my ankle and finally pulled the last piece of wood out. this one bigger than the rest. Quickly the apes next to her held out bowls of salve from the plants they had just crushed. I hissed as it touched my skin but, held still as possible. At my hiss, Kovu turned his head towards me hooting softly. He seemed to sense my pain and turned around to hug me. Using his small arms to wrap them around my neck as far as he could. I smiled at him and nuzzled his face with mine. Ignoring the stares I was getting. The lead healer continues to wrap my wound in moss since it was bleeding again because of removing the splinters. She then wrapped it snuggly with large leaves to keep them in place. Most of the healers left to clean up and tend to other apes. The first young ape staying where she was to my right shoulder still keeping a reassuring hand on my shoulder. The orangutan seems to sit too and relax as if he was staying as well. Caesar looked at me and spoke

" Need rest. Stay. Will bring food." He spoke softly. He looked at the baby bonobo in my arms and said

"What is his name?" he asked

"Kovu," I said, the little ape looking up at me as I spoke his name.

" His name is Kovu."

Caesar nodded and turned to leave. Before he could leave I was hesitant to speak but, I felt it was right.

"Thank you for your help," I spoke. He looked at me and seemed to smile as he nodded then left the hut. Another healer came up to me with a small cup. I merely looked at it as she tried to hand it to me. The female that had stayed by my side spoke.

"Drink. For pain." She said looking at me kindly. I nodded in understanding and took the cup drinking the bitter liquid inside. As I handed it back the healer left leaving me with the orangutan and female chimp. The orangutan looked at me and spoke and signed,

"Maurice" he pointed to himself, " must rest. will watch over you and baby." He said

I was hesitant to lay down and rest but, if they had wanted to kill me they could have done it by now. Why heal me if they wanted me dead? I was feeling exhausted anyway because of the day's events. I gently laid back into the moss bed and rubbed Kovu's back as he laid on my chest. The baby bonobo yawned as he too was tired from today's excitement. Under the watch of the kind grandfatherly Orangutan, we slowly drifted into a deep sleep...

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Please review so I know how I'm doing with this story. It has been awhile since I typed any fanfiction up.

DarkSpiritDemon