Clova *COMPLETE*

Chapter 28- Meeting the Others

The following morning, the humans were woken up, alarmed and slightly startled by apes waiting patiently outside in their set up camp for them to rise. The apes wanted to monitor the humans while they did their human work by the river. Clova wanted to go with Caesar and Blue Eyes as the obas spent the morning watching and caring for Cornelia, she suggested for Caesar to take Cornelius with them that it will be good to spend time outside from the village.

After breakfast, Caesar recruited his trusty allies, Maurice and Rocket to assist him, they approached the human's campsite on their dark stallions. Clova sat behind Caesar on the back of his horse peeping sideways, trying to get a better view of the area. Cornelius was just as excited, he chittered softly and climbed Blue Eyes' shoulders to get a better view.

"Are we close?", he kept asking. His older brother just grinned and shook his head.

Clova was tempted to jump off her father's horse and explore the campsite with her brother Cornelius but restrained her enthusiasm, after all, the humans could be dangerous. Caesar had a thoughtful look and turned to his wise friend.

"Koba where?", he asked, wondering about his troubled friend's disappearance. 

"Still angry about yesterday.", he answered. "Said he was going hunting."

Clova was slightly relieved, though she understood about Koba's traumatic past, she feared being around several more humans would unleash his inner demon and the last thing she needed was more hate from him. The leader of the group walked up to the apes and held his arm out.

"I'm Malcolm.", he introduced. Caesar appreciated his gesture and shook his arm. 

"Caesar.", he spoke. 

Malcolm nodded to Rocket in greeting and waved to Maurice and Blue Eyes but the stubborn teen just eyed him. Malcolm tilted his head to the side, his eyes fixed behind Caesar's horse to the child. She peered from Caesar's arm, unsure of what to think of the man, he seemed friendly. He approached the horse's side to see the girl in full view and Clova nervously buried her head in her father's back and tightened her hold on him.

Malcolm smiled gently and held his hand out, Clova hesitated and reached out to return his gesture. His smile widened.

"I'm Malcolm.", he repeated kindly. Clova strained her voice.

"C-Clova."

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During the time, a mischievous bonobo recruited his pals, Stone and Grey to help him dig up dirt and spy on the humans. Fortunately for him, he remembered the way back to the city and the humans' location. 

When they reached their spot, they observed from above camouflaged in a tree and watched the humans. 

"What are we doing her?", Stone asked curiously.

Koba snarled, he wasn't in the mood to answer. "Caesar trusts humans, Koba does not.", answered Grey. His stomach churned when he saw strange large trucks approach the premise and unloaded massive containers, he narrowed his only seeing eye, wanting to get a better view. He snarled when he immediately recognised the weapon.

A gun. Thousands of guns.

Stone and Grey glanced at each other in worry, they also recognised the weapon. A group of men talked inaudibly and was hard for the apes to make out. Suddenly, series of gunshots echoed from inside the building, the trio spun their heads in the direction and grew curious. They didn't hesitate and swung towards the sound using cables on the ceiling. 

As they got closer, two men were continuously firing shots at a severely damaged vehicle. Koba used their trigger happy moment as an opportunity, he landed swiftly in the next room, his eyes widened and breath hitched. All the shelves were piled with unlimited gun supply, stocks of nuclear weapons in the corner and thousands of guns strung up on every space on the wall. As Koba unknowingly explored, he didn't realise the firing had stopped and that one man had entered the room.

"Hey!", he gasped and spun around, only to snarl and bare his teeth as the sight of another armed gun. The man was tall and had blonde medium length hair, he barked at the ape to remain still as he alerted his partner.

"Terri!", he called. Moments later, a shorter more stocky man, entered completely disgusted by the scarred ape's appearance. He didn't hesitate and raised the gun up to Koba and aimed who continued to growl at them.

"You are one ugly son of a bitch aren't you?", he spat. Koba blood boiled, he would be the first to die. 

Then Koba had an idea, he glared at both of them then suddenly stuck his tongue at them. The two men were alarmed as Koba blew a prolonged raspberry and chuckled heavily. They cocked their heads in confusion as he danced around in circles and mimicked their behaviour. 

"Dude, I think he's hungry.", the blonde guessed due to the indication Koba made as he pointed inside his mouth.

Koba smirked in his head, his plan was working. He made bold movements towards them causing them to raise their guns higher. Koba acted like a dumb ape just like how humans see them but the short guy however wasn't impressed.

"You lost?!", he yelled. Koba gave him a questioning look and scratched his head. He was getting annoyed at how they were speaking to him.

"Trying to get home?!", he continued, Koba only answered by tilting his head and drooling strips of saliva from his hung open mouth. The man was getting annoyed at the dumb bonobo.

  "Go on!", he barked. "Get out of here, stupid monkey!"

Koba walked towards the exit. Stupid monkey? Oh, he was going to pay now, those two had made the biggest mistakes of their miserable human lives. Once out of sight, he went back to his friends' hiding spot.

"Enough guns here to kill every ape.", he told them. They looked just as shocked. "Must warn Caesar, who knows what humans are really doing up there?"