Angel Of Mercy

Chapter 12

A short time later, the small party of Apes and one human rode carefully through the forest. Caesar and Karin were flanked on the left and right by Luca and Rocket. Two other gorillas flanked a female chimpanzee called Sparrow, the camp's best Healer. They rode directly behind Caesar.

"Please tell me," Caesar spoke, his voice quiet but enough to keep unconsciousness at bay. "Tell me ... about how you know Maurice?"

Karin knew there were apes on all sides of her, left right and behind. If she told Caesar, the closest apes, almost the hairless one, the big gorilla she thought of as King Kong and whom Caesar had called Luca, and some of the others would hear her story. But she figured there was no help for it. If she did not start talking soon, she would pass out. And Caesar had made it absolutely clear he was not going to let her hurt herself again, not so much as a minor scratch.

And, maybe if she was completely honest with these apes, maybe they would let her see Maurice again. This was why she started talking so much. The horse's motion was aggravating her headache enough to keep her well and truly conscious.

"It wasn't his fault," Karin began her story. "It was mine. I did something stupid and hurt myself in the forest at night. I knocked myself out. I know he should have left me to die, or killed me himself. But, he didn't. He carried me back home. He's been trying to take care of me ever since."

"Why," Caesar interrupted her, deeply disturbed by some of her words. "Why should he have left you to die ... or killed you?"

Karin blinked in surprise.

"But that's your law, isn't it?" She asked.

"That all humans who come near your Colony should be killed?"

The Ape Leader's breath caught in his throat.

"did Maurice tell you that?" Caesar asked, not trying to hide the shock in his voice.

"No," Karin admitted as she directed them to the left.

"NO, of course not. Not Maurice ... another Ape told me ... years ago. Real angry chimpanzee, I think he was a chimp. He really hates us. He said the Apes would be coming for me someday. He said you would kill me, but ..."

Her words spilled out and began to tumble over themselves as she remembered things she wanted to forget forever.

"...but if I behaved myself, maybe my child would be spared. Maybe me, too. Maybe she and I would be allowed to serve the Apes."

Caesar gave a low growl, and Karin trembled even more.

She placed one hand imploringly over Caesar's on the horse's neck.

"Please," she begged. "Please, do whatever you want to me. But don't punish Maurice. And just let me see he's okay before I die? If I know Maurice is okay, I can die in peace."

Caesar struggled to get his outrage under control before he spoke. He gave a sharp look aside to Luca and Rocket, who were also growling under their breath. If they didn't stop, Caesar was afraid the woman would die just from trembling and trying to catch her breath. What had Will called it, hyper ... something

The Ape Leader carefully tightened his arms around the ragged human woman. He thought he could almost feel her ribs through her thread bear clothing. He hoped she would know he meant to comfort, not to hurt her.

"No one ... is going to kill you, Karin," he told the frightened woman.

"I give you my word. NO Ape will hurt you or your daughter. And my word is Ape law."

Luca and Rocket both nodded emphatically, but Caesar doubted the woman could see them through her tears.

From behind him, he heard a gentle sob. Taking a quick look over his shoulder, he saw young Sparrow crying quietly. Sparrow briefly met her Leader's eyes, and Caesar knew what she was thinking. This Ape Karin talked about had obviously done much more than just threaten her with harsh words. Just how much more, Caesar was afraid to learn.