The Lost Experiment

Chapter 4 Council Meeting

Chapter 4 Council Meeting

A few days later I carried the apes on my tiger back up to their colony since Ash was well enough to be moved now. I hadn't heard any more about the humans but I was sure they would be back, even though we had ridden into the city to tell them to stay away. I walked into the village to see the leader from a few days ago on his knees at the stone that Caesar stood on. Caesar had all the apes silenced as the human spoke.

"We need to work on the dam, please just let me show you." I growled and he turned to look at me but stayed on his knees. "Please, I don't want to cause trouble."

"Show me," Caesar said coming down to me. "May I?" he asked. I nodded. The others got off and he got on and we followed the humans to the dam with Rocket, Maurice, and Luca. The others grabbed their horses and they whispered and argued the whole way. I didn't like having the humans here but if this handful could fix the dam then no others would come up here. That seemed like a deal to me if we just let them do their work. Koba was going to be the problem.

I easily crossed the dam while the others had to tie their horses. "This dam originally serviced areas north of here but we rerouted the power lines so if we can get it working then we can get power to the city. Is any of this making any sense to you?"

"If the dam runs your technology works," I growled still in my tiger form.

"The lights," Caesar said somewhat tiredly.

"Yes, we just need a few days," the man who tried to make peace the other day begged.

The small group of us that had gone up to the dam gathered and talked, Caesar and I both knowing that if we denied them it could mean war. It was our one chance at peace. But given what Carver had done just a few days ago, we had one rule they would have to follow. Caesar went over to the man who was named Malcolm. "Surrender your weapons, then you work on the dam."

That night at a council meeting that I attended, Koba had his fur in a knot. ~"We must attack them now, before they attack us."~ Some hooted in agreement with Koba. I growled in annoyance. We had just learned why they were up here.

~"We don't know how many of them there are. How many guns they have."~ Maurice replied ever the calm and reasonable voice.

Caesar remained silent thinking as Koba continued, ~"They shot your son Rocket. Don't you want to fight?"~

~"I follow Caesar. Gabrielle saved him,"~ Rocket replied.

~"Koba's right they almost killed you Ash,"~ someone signed, most likely Gray, Koba's most trusted friend. I growled. I wanted to stand up and make that individual submit but I was not leader here. It wasn't my place. I wondered what Koba had found in the human city, no one had asked.

"No," Caesar finally yelled as the others continued to work themselves up and silence fell. ~"If we go to war we could lose all that we have built."~ He paused for a moment before speaking, "Home, family, future." After a moment he returned to signing, ~"I will decide by morning."~ I watched as he left the circle. I knew Koba would follow him and challenge his decision. Later that evening I watched as Rocket destroyed the humans' guns, the young chimps sleeping on my tiger form.

Koba got up and left Rocket's side, approaching Caesar. ~"If they get power they'll be more dangerous. We should attack now when they're weak. Why help them?"~

~"They seem desperate. If we make them go they'll attack."~

"Let them," Koba said. He was eager for a fight. Perhaps he should have stayed in his cage. His hate was going to destroy him.

"Koba let go of your hate for the humans before it destroys you and everything that you know," I said calmly, not wanting to over step my bounds with this conversation between leader and follower.

~"We'll destroy them while they're weak,"~ Koba signed seeming to ignore me.

~"And how many apes will die? We have a chance for peace. Let them do their human work, then they'll go."~ I knew Caesar's word choice would back fire.

"Human work?" Koba asked. "Human work," he said pointing to a scar on the back of his neck. "Human work," he said pointing to another on his arm. "Human work," he said pointing to his bad eye. Caesar stood, recognizing a challenge. The young chimps on me were now awake, thanks to his shouting.

"Koba!" I called in a stern tone. Koba bowed down and offered his palm to Caesar who swiped it and Koba ran off.

~"Koba say apes should hate humans,"~ Blue Eyes said to his father. I flicked my tail in annoyance.

~"Enough! From humans Koba learned hate, but nothing else."~

I moved slightly and the young chimps started begging me to stay. They wanted to stay up late with me. I took on my human form, "How about this young ones, I sing one song then you go to bed? It's late." I looked at the parents as the kids begged for more. They nodded. "One song, then off to bed, the lot of you."

They all started signing while hooting their disappointment. "No song then," I said heading for the gate, "Good night." They all jumped on me and pulled me back. So I sat down by the fire and pulled out the bone flute I had made and started playing some music.

"Dancing Bears

Painted wings

Things I almost remember

And a song someone sings

Once a upon a December

Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully

Across my memory

Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully across my memory

Far away, long ago

Glowing dim as an ember

Things my heart

Used to know

Things it yearns to remember...

And a song

Someone sings

Once a upon a December."

Later that night as I was heading back to my tent Blue Eyes stopped me. ~"Do you hate humans, for what they did to you?"~

"The creature that did this to me wasn't human Blue Eyes. Experimenting on humans is illegal, though if you ask me experimenting on living creatures isn't right. That's what science is in the human world, though human testing doesn't just happen."

~"Do you hate them?"~ I thought about it, what did I feel towards the people that landed me where I was today? I shook my head. ~"Why?"~

"What would it change? You can't change the past and hate only makes you bitter. Look at what it's done to Koba, he was like you once, a long time ago. But his curiosity and innocence was taken from him. His hate will destroy him and those close to him, be careful brother." With that I headed to my tent, the humans were camping outside of my territory.

A/N: I put this video here at the end about hate because I think it's relevant. It's a clip from one of my favorite movies. It relates to the story and to the real world. Don't let hate consume you.