Surviving

Chapter 6

The three of you clattered into the ape village, startling it's inhabitants. You swung down off the horse.
"Caesar!" You called. He appeared almost immediately. You held up one of the tins excitedly. He took it from you, examining it curiously.
"This is safe?" He asked finally, his bright green eyes searching your face for any sign of deceit.
"I should think so" you replied "we used to give it to our own children..." you trailed off, 'back when there was children to give it to', your mind finished for you, your eyes dropping to the ground. Now was not the time for self-pity, you reminded yourself angrily.
There was a baby to save.
Taking the tin back from Caesar, you began to prepare the formula, explaining the process to the apes that had gathered to watch. Once it was ready, you passed the bowl to Caesar, surprised when he refused it.
"You give" he said, pointing to his hut where his infant son lay. You blinked at him but allowed yourself to be led back into the hut. You were sure the baby wouldn't know or care where the food came from but were prepared to humour Caesar if that's what it took to keep the peace.
The inside of the treehouse was just as dark as before and your eyes still took a while to get adjusted. You hesitated a second before heading towards the nest. You set the bowl of milk beside you and hesitantly reached into the nest. The baby looked even tinier than he had before and felt feather-light and fragile when you gingerly picked him up. He woke as you moved him and let out a thin, pathetic wail although his eyes stayed tightly closed. The sound was so vulnerable and human-like, you found yourself comforting the baby almost subconsciously. You murmured and crooned to him in nonsense words, rocking him gently against your chest. He settled almost instantly, nuzzling into you urgently and causing you to blush as you reached for the bowl, studiously avoiding eye contact with Caesar who was lurking against the wall. The process of feeding was painstakingly slow and involved dipping a clean strip of cloth into the bowl and holding it to the tiny ape's lips. By the time the bowl was half empty, and the baby refusing any more food, your arm was numb, despite the minuscule weight of the little chimp. You were about to place him into the nest, thinking he was asleep, when his eyes fluttered open. To your amazement, they were a brilliant blue.
"Blue eyes" you murmured, entranced.
"That is his name" Caesar murmured from beside you, far closer than you considered comfortable.
"Oh" you muttered, stupidly, trying your best to ignore the hulking chimp beside you. Caesar huffed a laugh and you could feel his warm breath on your neck. You squirmed uncomfortably. The babe in your arms, Blue eyes, broke the tension. Spotting his father, he cooed happily, reaching out with his grasping little hands. Caesar huffed another laugh, reaching over you to scoop up the little bundle of fur. His fur brushed against the skin on your neck and you shivered.
What was it about this ape that affected you so?
I took you a moment to get enough nerve to sneak a glance at the both of them. The sight that met your eyes made your heart melt. Blue eyes was curled up against caesars neck, his tiny hands clutching tightly into the fur on Caesar's chest. Caesar was looking down at his son with such a tender expression that you felt the need to turn away to stop from intruding on such a private moment. There was an awkward pause in which the only sounds were the breathing of the three of you, then Caesar leans over you again, depositing his sleeping son back into the nest, his fur whispering against your bare skin once more. He didn't move away like you had expected, instead staying right where he was against your back where you could feel the warmth of his body against your skin. You shifted uncomfortably again and turned slightly, sucking in a startled breath when you found his chest right there, a whole lot closer than you had expected. You craned your neck, looking up at him and found his piercing green eyes staring back down at you. He seemed unphased by your reaction, pressing closer to you and backing you up against the side of the nest.
"Is this-is this some kind of-of ape thing?" You stuttered, confused and not a little wary. He huffed that ape-laugh again, his eyes sparking with amusement and something else.
"You could say that" he growled, leaning closer, his eyes dark. Your breath stops, catching you in your throat as his face fills your vision. Whatever he was about to do is interrupted as an ape appeared suddenly in the doorway.
"Caesar" Koba growled. The words were a greeting but the underlying steel in his voice made you aware of something going on beyond your realm of understanding.
"Koba" Caesar replied calmly but in the same tone, and stepped away from you fractionally. Koba looked between the two of you, his expression unreadable.
"Koba come for human," he said finally "unless Caesar want her in his nest tonight" he sneered, his lip curling. Caesar growled low in his throat, glaring dangerously at Koba. Finally Koba looked away. "Koba take human" he said, sullenly, holding out a hand but refusing to look at you. You went to him hesitantly, unsure of what had just taken place. You looked back at Caesar but he refused to meet your eyes, turning back to his nest where his son rested peacefully. You had no time to dwell on this as you arm was grasped in a painfully tight grip and you were yanked roughly after Koba out of the darkened treehouse and into the bright sunlight.