War Technicalities [UNDER REVISION]

Barely Human

[Unrevised. 5 Years Old. Prepare for inconsistencies with previous chapters.]

"Human lies."

Haley felt nauseated to her stomach as she watched the scene unfold a few yards ahead of her, the sight of the older human male being tossed into the sludge riddling her with disgust – whether the disgust was towards the apes' behavior, towards the man, or towards herself, she wasn't sure. Her own body shook with fear as the village hooted around him frantically, as if calling for his head, but her protests remained stuck in her dry throat. Lower and deeper, her feet seemed to sink into the mud below her while she stood unmoving, the declining rain drenching her to the bone as the droplets cascaded over her icy skin and trailed with the many scars that littered her body, eventually pooling on the ground around her. The urge to walk over and save him tore at her conscience, making her unsure if it's because she knew he meant no harm or if it was because he was human like her, but still she never so much as inched forward, Caesar's words stopping her every time she so much as thought about moving.

"Best not to defend humans against apes in their presence–"

Swallowing her urge, she searched for the ape king between the rowdy and unruly troop of apes, only to find him emerging atop the stone hill so he could loom over the scene. For a moment, she saw his knowing look, confirming her instincts to stay back, which earned a stiff nod from her before she pulled her feet free from the clay with loud squelches and stood a few more step back, just making sure she couldn't jump in on instinct. Nevertheless, despite the fact that she was flattered by him still looking out for her – all-while cursing herself when she felt his acknowledgement warm her heart, now knowing why – she couldn't help but crave for the time where it wouldn't be necessary anymore. When, she wondered, will she become strong enough to be a true part of their colony? Funny how two years of strength gained could be labeled insignificant so quickly when humans worm their way into your life.

Dismissing the thought away to spare herself the emotional turmoil, she directed her attention back to the matter at hand, disappointed by the fact that it made everything so much worse. Her push for paying attention didn't change the reason for why the apes were gibbering and hooting over the human male's pleas in the first place, their noises muffling the sound of him asking for Caesar to allow him to explain, which was nothing other than Koba's deceleration that the human was lying.

"Humans lie!" She still recalled Koba's deceleration from the day she arrived and was in the same predicament, the memory flickering to life like the first spark to a dangerous fire. Mingled with her worry for the man's safety came a daunting suspicion, allowing her to narrow her eyes at the small glimpses of her mate that she could see in between the crowd of apes that separated them.

For a split second, Caesar's gaze flickered back to her, studying her as if to see if she thought trusting Malcolm was a good idea, but by merely seeing her stiff and tense shoulders from forcing herself to stay back, he already knew her stance on the affair, and so, he came to his conclusion and told the man to show him whatever it was that was so important, allowing the troop to scatter in every-which way to prepare for their excursion while a couple of gorillas dragged Malcolm back out of the village. Haley, however, stood stock-still as Koba inescapably walked her way, him never acknowledging her presence with a single glance as he limped pass her.

"Humans lie," She interrupted his cold shoulder against his will, however, and forced him to stop a few inches behind her – this time, she made sure to keep herself silent enough to keep their conversation private, "do you still believe that?"

Of course, he didn't answer.

"For two years, I have not lied to you once – that is, not over something I wasn't lying to myself about already —" She continued, her tone almost frighteningly emotionless and calm, and circled herself around to scowl at him, "so what am I? Has your view on humans changed, even in the slightest?"

"No." He signed over his shoulder with an annoyed gibber before turning towards her as well, a simple-enough but infuriating answer to his wife.

"And what makes me so different then?" She asked yet again, her straightforward spirit not wavering, "Tell me, Koba, why does me being honest not affect your view over humans?"

"Human no longer one of them."

"I might live here, but I never stopped being human, Koba," She kept pushing, a horrid inkling of what he meant bubbling up her throat with a growing anger, "I am no longer one of them? Then what am I, because you've made it quite clear that I am not an ape either." She saw fury burning in his growing glare, but she didn't care in the slightest, because the mere possibility that she was right about what she thought he was insinuating made her feel sick. "Tell me," She spoke yet again, "in your eyes, am I no longer even a valid part of the equation, no longer valid as an entire person?" Just as she expected, Koba still couldn't answer – with his signature leer, he stood with his apish hunch and watched her without a single sound, until finally, he released a frustrated grunt and stalked off, leaving Haley with the only answer she needed.

At once, her confidence and posture was shattered, her lips pursing as she nodded to herself and bit back her tears – no, she was pass tears. Breaking, she released an exasperated, mocking, and breathy chuckle. So she was no longer human enough to be considered a human, but still she was human enough to not be an ape.

What was she then?

Thankfully startling her thoughts blank before they could eat away at her, she felt a consoling hand suddenly rest on and pat her shoulder, patting a few pounds from her heavy heart before she even had a chance to glance down at the orangutan. Cooing softly, he nodded after the fuming bonobo and signed, "Is everything alright?" Never did he regret not eavesdropping that much, seeing the pain glossing over her brown eyes despite the reassuring smile being sent down at him.

"I'm alright – just a disagreement." She lied, secretly hoping that her words were true, and gave one last look in the direction where Koba disappeared before she fetched her bow and arrow from their hut – no way in hell was she staying behind again.