Mina woke in a defiant mood today; she went to the fences and spoke with Cornelia, moved to the baby fence and coddled the little ones through the fence and tried her best to make sure her father saw it all. As she filled a bucket of seed up, Rex walked in the tent and put some boxes down. He stopped when he saw her pick up the two buckets and head or the entrance, but his hand on her shoulder stopped him.
"Why do you do this? Why defy him? What if he kills you?" he asks. She smiles and puts the buckets down.
'I have to. They are the only kindness I know, and I will not let them be treated like beasts. We all deserve better than that.' She replied, picking up the buckets and with a small smile, walked out. Rex followed slowly, watching in awe at her actions. She was definitely something to be admired, but he was afraid her reckless behavior would get her killed on of these days; he couldn't stomach the thought of her gone. He watched as she went to the cages, buckets in hands and began scooping out food for their waiting hands. she smiled at some, signed to others, and when she reached Cornelia, she put her hand through the bar and pressed her head to the fence as best she could.
As she finished feeding the apes, even though her father said not to, a few soldiers came through the half-built wall with two apes in their arms, unconscious. Mina turned to look at the soldiers gasped as she dropped the empty bucket at the sight of them. she and the apes all had the same reaction as the two were dragged in, but she couldn't think straight; she was afraid her mind was playing tricks on her. But even though years had passed, she could never forget his face, his fur, his strong back grown bigger with age, and his eyes, those eyes that haunt and comfort her each passing night.
Blue Eyes!
She felt her feet move first, running straight to the soldiers, but Rex got in the way stopping her. He pulled her to his body as they locked Blue Eyes up with the others. He was immediately swarmed by the other apes, including his mother, who held her son's head on her knees as the soldiers eyed them all to make sure none tried to make a break for it. She had to go see him, to feel him to see if he was real. Her eyes watered and she began to smack at Rex, who calmly held her still as he hugged her to his body, staring down at her sadly. He hated to see her like this, but if she did anything the colonel wouldn't like, he might kill her and every ape here just to make sure. Still she fought on, pushing and wiggling in his grasp as she reached for him, as if he would touch her and hold her in his arms.
"Please stop." Rex grumbled in her ear. Still she struggled.
"Mina, please..." he says pulling her closer, spinning her to his front and grabbing her shoulders.
"Don't do anything that could get you killed. I couldn't bare it if you died." He says. Confused, she stared up at Rex, blue eyes forgotten as she tried to make sense of the gorilla.
But then, blue eyes woke. He blinked at the light as the cold gripped his body. He heard hooting around him and saw his family circling him. He quickly stood, staggering up as he embraced his mother.
'Mother are you alright? what happened? Why are you all here?'
'the soldiers caught us when we were making our way through the mountain pass.' His mother says, then put his hand on his shoulder. 'son...she's here.' She adds looking over his shoulder. Confused, he turned around to see what his mother was staring at. His eyes widened as he saw Mina, standing with her back to him, a large gorilla's hands on her shoulders. Without thinking, he ran, straight into the soldier who was trying to shut the fence, knocking him to the ground as he jumped over him and out of the compound. Once he was out, he turned to Mina and rushed to her.
"MINA!" she whipped around as blue eyes ran.
She saw him run to her on all fours, the soldiers raising their guns to him to fire, but stopped when she began to struggle against Rex again, confused and curious. Quickly prying Rex's arms off her, she ran to him jumping in his arms as soon as they were close enough and both fell to their knees, embracing each other. Blue eyes hugged her around her waist as she gripped his neck hard, warm tears falling onto his fur as he inhaled her scent. God he missed her.
"Mina...I thought...I would never see you again." He mumbled huskily in her neck. She pulled away, taking his face in her hands and putting her forehead to his.
'I missed you so much it hurt.' She signs. He smiles sadly and hugged her neck closer.
"Never leave my side again." He demands, rubbing his cheek and lips along her face as she felt his shoulders, squeezing them.
Both didn't realize that rex watched on, fury gripping his heart as the chimp's hands roamed her waist and back. He couldn't shake the complete jealous rage within him. Unknown to him, the colonel watched as he exited the building, watching as his daughter embraced the ape and hummed.
"So now we know..." he mumbles to himself and nods to the soldiers, who put their weapons away and walked up to the two.
Then they made the mistake of trying to pry them apart. Blue Eyes was quick to punch the man who had his hand on Mina, and Mina kicked the other in the gut. The soldiers began to circle as they went back to back, glaring and snarling at them all. But then, a shot rang through the air, parting the soldiers and allowing the colonel to walk up.
"So Mina, this is the family you been with." He says with Rex following. Mina moved in front of Blue eyes, who glared at Rex.
"This is the family you love so much? A bunch of damned animals?" he growls walking so close they were almost nose to throat, glaring at each other.
"Tell me something sweetie. You love that ape more than you love your own father?"
"Father?" mina turned her head to blue eyes, who stared confused. She nod sadly and turns back, her expression angry again.
"Would you do anything to keep him...them alive?" he says. Mina suddenly got a bad feeling in her gut. Still, she nods with her head held high and she shoulders squared. This seemed to please the colonel.
"Alright then." He suddenly pulls out his gun. This made Mina stiffen as Blue eyes moved in front of her, his arm around her back to protect her. The colonel calmly put the barrel to his head with a smile.
This made the apes hoot angrily and terrified as the prince of apes stared down the cool metal in between his eyes, his gaze up at the colonel with pure animalistic rage. He knew this was the monster that took his Mina from him, tortured her and taken his family hostage. He had to pay, but how?
"So, Mina...you have a choice. Either I kill this monkey here, or you cooperate and you can be in charge of them." He says, cocking the gun. Mina, without thinking, quickly pulled Blue Eyes' hand from her waist and stepped in front, arms raised.
"Mina..." blue eyes was shocked, as was Rex, who watched on nervously from behind the colonel. The colonel smiled, uncocking his gun and chuckling down at his daughter, who stood defiant against the barrel of a gun.
"You got a deal then. I won't kill your precious apes. But I expect some compensation for my own personal sacrifice. Get this animal back in his cage." He ordered Rex, who nodded with hooded eyes.
He and another Donkey began shuffling the ape prince to the cage. Blue Eyes glared at Rex as he took Mina's hand and stopped, taking her cheek in his own.
"We will escape this place, and I will take you with me." He promises.
She smiles, nodding as she leans into his touch, but it was short lived when Rex angrily grabbed his neck, pulling him towards the cage and shutting the loudly. Blue Eyes and Rex shared a secret look between the fence, both thinking the same thing, and he walked away as Mina came up, sending him a quick glance. Blue Eyes watched the gorilla stop and look at Mina as she passed him, which sent his blood boiling; that bastard ape liked her!
"Mina, why..." he asks as she reached in and took his cheek like he did to her. She looked confused at the question.
"Why did you save us?" she smiled sadly.
'No matter how long it's been; no matter what happened... I will always be here for you. You are my family and I love you.' She signs, resting her hands on his as he leaned against the cage. He smiles at her with such love in his eyes, that it wasn't unnoticed by a certain ape female.
"Donkey!" a soldier shouts. Mina turns to him and sees him motion her away. She glares at him, but turns back and touches his cheek once more, before moving away. Blue Eyes instinctively put his hand through the fence to reach her but didn't get far. He watched her get shoved by the soldier and he shook with anger. Nobody treats his Mina that way and lives!
