Into the Jungle

Before

--3rd pov--

Bolded = Gorilla speech

It was raining in the Jungle. The calm drizzle that follows a thunder storm. That follows destruction. The jungle was quiet. The occasional call of the birds or growl of a creature could not have been heard. It was silent....except for the wailing of a baby.

The apes heard the cries from deep inside the jungle, and stilled. They had heard that sound before. Kala sat up from her reclined position on the tree trunk, adjusting the baby human in her arms. Her features flashed confusion as they went from the direction of the sound to her mate next to her. His stern face had become quite bewildered. She grunted questioningly and began to walk toward the sound. Kerchak stood his ground, charging in front of her, angrily growling. She would not bring another of those things into the family. He looked at the ugly thing on her arm. It was asleep, yet still squirmed in it's restless and dream-filled slumber. He grunted to them all, "I will deal with the creature." And with a final look at his mate, Kerchak began his journey out of the jungle and towards the source of the noise.

A mere couple of minutes and he had found what he was looking for. Kerchak had stopped walking and sat gaping at the sight before him. He was at the bank of the River, where boats had passed by safely for years. This one hadn't. The boat was in ruin, banked and turned on it's side. As he approached, he saw strange pieces of colored leaves laying on the ground covered in the River's soot. He touched the leaf and found it to be soft. How strange! It didn't feel like a leave at all. He picked it up in his hands, bringing it to his nose and sniffed. He snorted and threw the thing away from him. It was bitter, rancid, and smelled sickly-sweet like something poisonous. He didn't trust it. His threatening thoughts left his mind when he heard the wailing again, coming from the wreckage. Eyeing the other colored leaves closely, he weaved his way through the wreckage. There were drag marks in the sand leading to the river. Red/brown sand. "Crocodiles," He grunted angrily, and entered the ship with a huff.  

The horrible stench filled his nose as soon as he had entered, he snorted loudly placing a hand on his face. The thing  was still making noise. It came from the back corner of the ship. Kerchak crossed the room, stopping every few steps cautiously. Whatever it was, it was hidden from sight, inside a hollow of sort. As his eyes peered over the rim, his breathing came to a halt. It looked just like the other creature his mate had brought them. Hate filled his body, and he grunted loudly. The cries stopped, and the baby gazed widely trying to find the sound.

As Kerchak raised his fist to smash the thing, it's big eyes found his, and he stopped. The thing just stared, holding his gaze. Kerchak did not know what to do. Was it challenging his dominance? Was it pleading for it's life? He could not be sure. He snorted again, causing the thing to erupt in a fit of short grunts. What language was this? It seemed to be baring it's teeth, but there were no fangs there. Only pink flesh. "Just like our young..." How could Kerchak think that? He must destroy the thing, for he would regret it if he didn't. Yet as he raised his fist, it again fell as they held each other's gaze. 

As he studied it, he knew it was not like the other creature. It was thinner, lighter, and seemed to be...female. The little thing reached up to him with thin arms, grasping for anything to hold. Before he could stop what he was doing, his hand was already inside the hollow and reaching to the creature. He hesitantly waited for the thing to rise and grab his hand, but it only made a strained noise and began to cry again. Kerchak felt something strange shift inside him, as he reached in with both arms, and carefully picked up the thing, shifting it until it was cradled on his arm. The crying ceased immediately, and those squealing grunts were heard again. It appeared to be... happy. It grabbed and tugged at the fur on his chest, and he felt a strange urge to defend. To defend this thing. To protect it. 

If he was going to keep it, the thing had to be called something. He thought hard while watching her eyes close slowly. She had fallen asleep. Lili. He would call her Lili. Innocent and pure.

Kerchack left the wreckage on the bank and began walking home to the troop, carrying Lili on his arm, a long earth-colored cloth wrapped around her.

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