The search for Roots || Rp with @kobafightforape
It was a long two years since Emily had left the ape colony, and she could feel herself missing the red wood forest almost daily by now. She didn’t think she’d feel this home sick for her second family, but she knew they’d be okay. They had Caesar and Koba after all. Who better to defend a colony?
She rode tall on her intelligent mare, Isabelle, who’s ears swiveled in every direction to detect any sounds. Sure Emily’s senses were heightened thanks to the green drug that made the apes smarter, but the mares were more so.
“Anything so far?” Emily asked.
Izzy snorted, shaking her head in a no. Even without speech, the two understood each other fluently, which would give Emily and odd look whenever she found a human settlement to get supplies.
Emily sighed and stretched. “Then stop for a moment, I need to stretch.”
Izzy stopped and let Emily dismount. The girl stretched, hearing her back pop here and there as she allowed herself to relax a moment.
@kobafightforape
Emily gave him a mischievous smile before quickly signing back. ‘I see what I can do,’ She said.
She took a breath and nodded. ‘Happy to be back,’ She answered. ‘Glad to be home, with apes…’ she paused before giving Caesar a look that seemed to ask for permission before she finished the statement. ‘Father…’
She saw Caesar as a father, she just wasn’t sure if she should still call him Caesar or father.
‘Good,’ Caesar signed, and smiled. ‘I think you are the beat one to help Charlie.’
His smile became even more joyful when he heard what Emily had called him. The ape king had long thought of Emily as his child, and it made him feel good to hear her call him Father.
‘And I am glad you are home with us, my daughter,’ he signed, and hugged her gently, pressing his forehead to hers in the ape fashion.
@arabian92knight
Emily smiled as she hugged Caesar back. Calling him father made her feel truly at home again. She pressed her forehead to Caesars in return, letting the feeling of being home sink in.
Outside, Izzy had approached the home and smiled gently at the scene. She still had plans for her rider and the young man, but seeing her smile did the mares heart good.
Lake smiled too as she saw Caesar and Emily. Cornelius and Star, as well as Koba’s children, bounded over to the king and his human daughter, wanting hugs too.
Orchid sat down for a rest and to feed little Smoke. Charlie, a little hesitant, sat beside her and offered the young mother some dried fruit. He clearly looked like he did not know what to do or say next.
@arabian92knight
Orchid smiled and accepted the fruit, signing a small thank you to him before eating it.
Izzy looked at Charlie, wondering if he knew how to talk to a female. She huffed to get his attention and gave a soft greeting nicker before looking at Orchid. She hoped her message was clear to him that he needed to say something to Orchid.
Lake noticed Charlie too, and smiled a little. She knew how smart Izzy was, and what the mare must be thinking of the obviously shy Charlie.
She gave Emily a gentle nudge and indicated where Charlie was sitting.
‘I think he likes Orchid,’ she signed discreetly.
@arabian92knight
Emily looked over at Charlie and smiled. ‘I think so too,’ She said. ‘But Izzy right, he need say something.’
She watched her friend as he awkwardly gave Orchid the fruit and Emily bit her lip. ‘Maybe I help, just not sure how.’
Lake watched Charlie squirm a bit, and saw him gently reach to stroke Smoke’s head.
‘He seems to like Orchid’s baby, that is good sign. Maybe Izzy knows what he might say to Orchid?’ Lake replied to Emily.
Little Cornelius had, meanwhile, gone over to Izzy, who he loved dearly, with Star tagging along behind him. Izzy fascinated her, too.
@arabian92knight
‘If only Izzy could sign,’ Emily signed as she watched her horse. ‘It hard to teach how horses speak when Izzy is only horse with large knowledge of words.’
Izzy looked at the little ones and carefully laid down so they could climb on her. She liked the little white tails. They were cute and gentle, and it was fun to playfully snort at them.
‘I wish Izzy could sign, too,’ Lake replied. ‘She is wise. Could give much help to shy Charlie!”
She watched fondly as the children played with Izzy.
@arabian92knight
‘She’s helped me a lot in the past,’ Emily signed with a smile. ‘I sort of remember when Caesar and Koba first found me, Koba still not like humans and poked me with spear. Izzy yelled at him for doing so.’
Emily looked at the mare fondly, watching as she laid down and gently nuzzled the young ones.
Izzy looked at Charlie, wondering if he had spoken to Orchid yet or if she missed it while playing with the apes foals.
‘Koba not like that any more, thanks to Emily,’ Lake signed with a smile. ‘You saved his children, and he trusts you now, sees you as family.’
Over with Orchid, Charlie felt uneasy. He wanted to tell her all about his feelings, but was so shy and did not want to upset her if she was still grieving for Ash. He looked towards Izzy, wishing the clever mare could say something.
@arabian92knight
‘True, Koba like an uncle now. Wonder how he react if I call him uncle Koba.’ Emily signed before laughing. She knew both blue eyes and ash would laugh, and ash would egg her into calling Koba uncle.
Izzy rolled her eyes before standing and stepping outside. She grabbed a small branch of peach blossoms and brought it over to Charlie to give to Orchid.
Lake chuckled. ‘I think he might like that,’ she signed. ‘Maybe try it and see?’
Charlie accepted the peach blossoms from Izzy, whispering, “Thank you,” before carrying them to Orchid.
Orchid smiled. ‘For me?” she signed shyly, and Charlie nodded and bent to stroke Smoke’s tiny head.
‘I know I can never replace Ash… I too miss him. But I do like you… and would love to take care of you and Smoke, if that is what you want. I will understand if you do not… and I am happy to be just a friend if you prefer.’
@arabian92knight
Emily chuckled and nodded. ‘Next time I see Koba, I call him uncle.’ She promised, thinking that ash and blue eyes would both get a hoot out of it.
Then she noticed Charlie with the flowers and nodded at Izzy, who nodded back. She knew flowers had always been a show of affection. And it was the least she could do for the young ape and the female. She also hoped that this small lesson would be picked up by Emily too.
Orchid looked thoughtful, then gently reached to touch Charlie’s face.
‘I will always love Ash… but he would not want me to be alone forever,’ she finally signed. ‘And Smoke needs father figure in his life… yes, I would like to try being your mate.’
It was all Charlie could do not to start hooting and jumping for joy. Instead, he tenderly pressed his forehead to Orchid’s.
@arabian92knight
Emily smiled and inwardly ‘Awwed’ at the two. She looked at izzy and nodded. ‘You a match maker?’ She asked.
Izzy snorted and laid down with the white tails again. But she looked at her rider and gave a particular nicker. Emily looked at the mare confused. When she heard Lake hoot a question, Emily shrugged. ‘She said I next.’ She translated.
Lake smiled. ‘Maybe she right… Izzy is wiser than many of us know.’
She looked over at Charlie and Orchid, feeling happy for them but missing Blue Eyes with all her heart.
A hand tapped Lake’s shoulder gently, and a female bonobo of around the same age sat next to her. Lake smiled again and greeted her warmly,
‘Ruby, you remember Emily? And Emily, I am sure you must remember Ruby. She Rain’s sister.’
@arabian92knight
‘Of course I remember!’ Emily signed, happily greeting Ruby. ‘Good to see you again! Everything well? Koba behaving since I left?’
She smiled at her small joke and smiled at Ruby.
Ruby chuckled. ‘Koba still Koba,’ she signed. ‘He is good ape though. Happy with Stone, and good father to children.’
She gently started to groom Lake, who smiled and asked Emily if she would like grooming too.
@arabian92knight
Emily gave a smile and ran her hand through her messy hair. Save for the braids that held the beads Cornelia gave her, her hair was looked like a bird had once tried to use it for a nest. If her mother saw this, Emily knew she would have a fit.
‘Would love grooming,’ She answered. ‘If anything can be done with my hair that is,’ she added and a huffed chuckle.
Lake smiled and gently chuffed at Emily.
‘I am sure I manage to make your hair pretty, like bonobo girl’s,’ she signed playfully, glancing at Ruby who gave her a shy smile back.
She busied herself with tidying Emily’s hair, enjoying the careful attention of Ruby to her own fur at the same time.
@arabian92knight
Emily sat as still as she could as her hair was put back into order. As she did, she let her thoughts wander back home with her human family. Her own mother had taught her how to braid hair, and would enjoy helping her pull it back.
Emily smiled at the memories, wishing she had found some clue to thier survival. It almost felt that her journey was a flop. She pressed her lips together with a sigh.
Several days had gone by since the move of Lake’s household, including Emily, into Caesar’s dwelling. Much had changed in a short space of time, including the beginnings of romance - not only with Charlie taking Orchid as a mate, but with Lake taking a female bonobo - Ruby - as hers. There was a celebration being planned for the whole community to recognize both unions, and Koba had decided to get some early fishing in to add to the feast.
He and Stone were by the river, having just arrived with their spears, when they spotted something moving in the forest - and heard human voices!
Quietly they crept back to the village to warn Caesar and the others.
@arabian92knight
At the river, a young man and an older gentleman were chatting as they gathered water and fished.
“I hadn’t seen her since the store uncle,” the young man said. “Though it was strange seeing her with apes, I thoughts the apes hated people.”
“They do, So it has me curious as well,” the older man said. “But if you keep pacing like that you’ll scare off the fish.”
Caesar frowned with alarm when he heard what Koba and Stone had seen, but then he remembered Emily’s news about the young man in the store.
‘Koba, you did not see them? Did you recognize the voices?’
Koba shook his head. ‘One could have been that boy, but hard to tell, definitely more than one voice.’
‘Maybe we should go investigate, take Emily too,’ Caesar signed. ‘But we will have strong group of apes just in case. Emily want to come too?’
He looked inquiringly at his adopted human daughter.
@arabian92knight
Emily was a bit anxious. She thought she’d seen the last of the boy. But she did want to see what they were up to, and seeing a human with the apes would benefit the apes.
She nodded. ‘I come.’ She said. ‘Hope they not want trouble,’ She signed back, wishing that very thing.
Koba watched as Caesar nodded, and he helped his king assemble a strong group of guards and hunters, including himself and Stone.
He signed to Emily, ‘Best bring a spear. We hope there will not be trouble, but best to be prepared. We do not know if we can trust these humans. It may not be the boy Tyler, but others with guns. We must be very careful.’
@arabian92knight
Emily gave a nod and grabbed her newly repaired spear, as well as the bow and three arrows she made on her travels. She took a breath before getting up on Izzy.
The mare looked at her and gave a gentle huff, but Emily made a face. ‘Won’t be caged again,’ She signed to the mare as she followed the hunters out of the village.
They followed the voices until they spotted an olde man, Tyler, and a younger boy. They were all fishing in the creek and chatting as the hunters paused not far off.
Koba felt a slight relief as he recognized Tyler, but he was still on alert as he did not know the others. Although neither of them appeared to be very dangerous-looking - an old man and a child - there could be other armed humans lurking nearby. As much as he had come to love Emily, he was far from being able to trust all humans.
He motioned to get Caesar’s attention, and then signed to the king.
‘That one closest is the boy we spoke of. I do not know the others. Seem to be harmlessly fishing. but I do not know how many humans there in all, or if they have guns somewhere.’
@arabian92knight
Emily watched the group, feeling a bit annoyed that they were close to the village, but at the same time, curious. She remembered days when she, ash, and blue eyes would go fishing, and how she taught them the human way of fishing.
Izzy glances back at her rider before looking at Koba. Now, how to get her rider over there?
She looked at her rider and nickered. Emily blinked at her. ‘Izzy suggest we greet them.’ She translated. ‘They May have guns!’
Izzy snorted and Emily bit her lip. ‘She suggested she and I go in..’
Caesar nodded. ‘If one of these humans know you, best you go, but apes should come with you. It was Koba and Charlie who were with you? Perhaps it should be them who accompany you.’
Koba and Charlie, who was also with the group, nodded vigorously.
‘Yes, the boy Tyler knows us,’ Charlie signed. ‘And we are good fighters, so if there are other, more dangerous humans around, we can save Emily.’
@arabian92knight