вүgσηε sιηs
Even as he followed the tracks left behind by the exodus of apes, Red wondered why he was doing this at all. The fact that he had survived betraying the humans, and then the avalanche that came directly after, was nothing short of a miracle. How many miracles was one ape entitled to? Certainly not more than two... But, then, Caesar had survived being shot twice now. Surely that meant something.
The reality of the situation was that Red had no one left. The humans, even he hadn't turned against them in the heat of battle, were buried under a tomb of snow and ice and debris. The apes viewed him as a traitor, and he knew now that he couldn't blame them for that. The gorilla had been misguided for so long, and he had a sneaking cynical suspicion that the moment he found wherever they had gone, he would be made to pay for his mistakes. But did he have a choice? He had nothing... which meant that there wasn't much left to lose.
The desert was harsh, and Red wondered if he would even make it, partway through. He hadn't brought water with him, as he was sure that the colony had. But he had the advantage of reserves to call upon. He had been well fed and watered throughout his time in the human camp. The rest of the apes had not. If they could make it, so could he. Or he would die trying.
Red could hardly believe his eyes when he finally came to the first hints of green, which spread more quickly than he would have expected, leading to an oasis of lush vegetation fed by a large lake in a crater like landscape. For a moment, Red wondered if it was a mirage... Until heavy, unforgiving hands of several gorillas were upon him all at once, restraining him, forcing him to his knees with his arms pinned firmly behind his back. He didn't bother to resist them. Red had expected this.
It wasn't the Gorilla Guard whose forgiveness Red would need. It was Caesar he was going to answer to... Caesar, who Red had whipped savagely, drenched mercilessly in frigid temperatures, caged, and dragged on a chain. Caesar, whose life Red had saved...
He hoped that would be enough.
