You Are Not Ape

Chapter 6

Mary was nearly exhausted. There were so many wounded, not to mention just plain shocked Apes to care for that there weren't enough women to go around, let alone full-fledged Ape Healers. The young Ape girl was close to becoming the latter, but still did not consider herself as such.

Thanks to Ellie, Mary could keep the baby with her. She could not cling to Mary's fur like an Ape baby, but she rested comfortably in a sling Mary wore across her back. She could not remember exactly what Ellie had called the contraption, but blessed it nevertheless.

I had no idea little human babies were so helpless, Mary thought.

"You also were," someone signed right next to her as if reading her thoughts.

Mary jumped. She was practically falling asleep on her feet with exhaustion.

And, Aunt Cornelia did not look much better, Mary realized, seeing finally which female Ape had spoken to her.

"Was I," Mary asked.

"But Ape babies are not— "

"Yes, I know," Cornelia gently interrupted the girl before she could finish her thought out loud. "Don't worry about it, dear. We cared for you just fine until you caught up and bloomed. You're Father carried you around in something that looks very much like what you're using now until you could cling. Anyhow, you'll be able to do the same with this little dear."

"Hope," Mary spoke the word gently.

"Hope?" Cornelia asked.

"I ... I thought I'd call her Hope," Mary explained.

Caesar's wife beamed at the young Ape.

"Oh, it's perfect! I love that name!" she signed happily. "Caesar will love it, too."

Quite deliberately, Mary did not comment on what Caesar would or would not love. She was not ready to think about that, yet. She was not like her Father, naming this baby after a human to please Caesar that way her Father had done. Well, partially done. Koba had told Mary about what little he could remember about the human Mary for whom she was named. It was not much, but he did remember. He had forbidden Mary to share those memories with anyone, and she had not, not even with Ash.

"You should rest too, Aunt Cornelia," Mary told Caesar's wife, none too subtly changing the subject from the Ape Leader. "Ellie's medicine is magic, but you are still recovering, yourself. And he's already a handful," she added as the Ape baby peered at her from where he clung to his Mother. Mary patted Cornelia's youngest on top of his head, and he hooted softly at her and gently stroked her fur. He seemed captivated by the long soft almost blonde fur on Mary's head.

"Little charmer, like your brother," Mary murmured to the baby, who seemed to like what he heard, flashing wide innocent eyes at her.

Cornelia only gave her a tired smile.

"All hands are needed here. If I can help, I will."

"Bring her to me in a bit," the Ape Queen added, looking over Mary's shoulder at the sleeping baby. "She will need feeding soon, and I shall rest a bit then."

Mary thanked Cornelia. Then, the two separated and she kept trudging doggedly forward, doing everything she could for her people. Even though, in some cases, the site of her was not welcomed to some Apes. She could almost feel the hatred coming off some of them, especially those who lost someone in her Father's attack on THE HUMAN CITY.

Aunt Cornelia had had to quiet more than one Ape who reacted badly to the sight of Mary. And, much to Mary's total astonishment, Caesar's wife was not alone in that support. There were many others who either openly showed their friendship for Mary or who, if not making any outward show of friendship, hushed others who obviously did not feel the same way.