Apes Will Rise

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Escape and distance was their first priority, food was second. His abdomen clenched and his stomach gurgled in hunger, but he pushed it aside to focus; the protest that would come later would only make him miserable, but he couldn't risk worrying until they were safely out of human reach. A chorus of excited chattering behind him made him turn back for a brief moment, as if to assure himself that they were all there - he counted, in the primitive way that he could, and grasped the next branch to come his way. Whether it was pride or an overwhelming need to care for the apes under his command, it had the same effect: warmth, and a surge of optimism that beamed.

The ape that had shown up beside him caught his attention, if only for a moment. He didn't have time to offer Cozy comfort or assurance, but the briefest flash of something lit in his eye. It wasn't particularly warm, but it was optimistic and excited, and perhaps a bit promising in that "I promise you in particular" way that he always somehow managed. The kind of look one got when they weren't going to settle for second best, and they sure weren't going to let themselves disappoint their comrades.

It wasn't long before he'd give the signal for them to stop and gauge their surroundings. He considered building some kind of spot high up in the trees for them to rest, let the injured heal and gather their strength while he took a small group to hunt and gather. He didn't expect to find much in this forest, so close to human territory, but they would make do.

They were closing in on a small clearing, the trees bordering it thick and tall, their branches tangling with one another. With enough foliage to cover them from anyone below, Abtik decided it'd be a good place to stop. A temporary resting place, just for now. Their wounded needed tending to, and they desperately needed food if they were going to make it out whole. He pulled himself up on a thick and sturdy branch and gestured for the nearest apes to come close - young, by the looks of it.

"Stop here. Gather around tree, this one. Spread message." And he sent them off. Their small bodies and youthful vigor would make them good scouts.
 
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Joao

The Bonobo was grateful for a chance to stop and rest. His muscles, unused to so much activity, were tired. His wound was sore. He was hungry as well, and that probably went for the rest of them as well. They hadn't been fed that morning, afterall. Trouble was, now they had nobody to feed them. They were well and truly on their own. It was the best thing for them, but it would also prove difficult. They had all spent the majority of their lives in cages. Some had never known the wilderness until now. Joao had only faint memories, nothing clear enough to call upon and be useful. All he remembered was the colorful orbs of fruit that his mother ate, and the way that she folded branches down to make nests to sleep in at night. He had never paid much attention to it; he didn't need to know how. She knew how. The thought that he would ever have to fend for himself had never occurred to him in his youth, and it was something that he had only dreamed of as an adult. It wasn't a dream anymore, and the reality of it was setting in.

Joao settled himself into a straddling position on a branch, his back resting against the trunk that it attached to. He could see Abtik from where he rested, and wondered how much was on their leader's mind. He was more or less responsible for keeping all of the Apes alive, or at least teaching them how to survive. It was an enormous responsibility to have on one's shoulders, and as much as Joao enjoyed the others obeying him, he was glad that it wasn't his burden to bear. Even so, he would do what he could to help. With that in mind, he pulled his feet back up onto the branch and climbed his way over to the tree Abtik perched in, grunting to get his attention before signing. "Joao come from wild. Remember fruit in trees. Don't see any here. Remember family hunting meat sometimes. Any meat to hunt here?"

Cozy

Cozy had intended to approach Abtik, but Joao seemed to beat him to it, and he was in no hurry to cross paths with the testy Bonobo. Instead, he scanned the trees for any Apes that might have been struggling from injuries. He could be useful to them, he wasn't injured and he could help them in the same way that he helped Joao. He gave a delighted chuff at the idea and hopped to the branch of a different tree to the first wounded Ape that he caught a glimpse of, putting on as friendly an expression as he could muster as he put himself beneath her, gripping the tree tightly as she used him to help herself up into the higher branches. Her wound seemed to be on her left leg, but Cozy could not tell if the bullet had grazed or penetrated. He wondered how many of them were injured beyond repair, and sniffed sharply at the idea. There weren't that many of them. They needed numbers to survive.

After helping several chimpanzees in a similar way, Cozy found a branch for himself close to Abtik's tree while he watched some of the other Apes find partners to groom. Cozy could remember, faintly, the sensation of pleasant tingles that fingers plucking through his fur created. He wouldn't approach any of the others, though. Maybe Abtik, who he knew for sure that he could trust without question, but Cozy hadn't been the most popular Ape due to his outbursts in his cage, and he was very aware of that. Most of the others had at least befriended their neighbors, and he had visual confirmation that the others seemed to seek out the Ape that had been next to their cage to groom. Friendships were forming. Alliances. Bonds that would give them strength. Apes together, strong. But he wanted strength as well. He would just have to wait for Joao to leave Abtik, and then he would make his move and hope that the one-eyed Chimp wanted to be groomed.

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Small animals would have to suffice for now, alongside whatever berries and roots that could be dug up. They were still on the edge of human territory; anything of worth had fled, and nothing he'd seen indicated the presence of trees that sprouted fruit. He recognized various small and edible berries, nuts, and seeds that would serve only to put off their hunger long enough for them to find something larger and more satisfying. Preserving a bit of what they found would be a good idea, in the case that they couldn't find anything the next day. Abtik didn't remember much on preservation, but one of the apes among the group had to know something.

He rubbed his useless eye and murmured closer to primal gibberish than words. "Small scurrying things," he said to Joao. "Not enough, but will do. Know of other sources-- not meat. But food." Abtik could vaguely remember the rough taste of the nuts that grew on the trees of his first habitat, artificially planted but a good source of protein until the keepers got meat. The wild vegetables that always tasted wrong to him, but pushed down the hunger until something better was found. He rarely managed good, fresh fruit, as most of it was slop with artificial nutrients. He hoped to find some out here.

"Hunt first, before night." Before the small animals had a chance to settle in. He knew little of nocturnal critters, but those of that kind were clever and could see better in the dark than an ape. They ought to use the sunlight for as long as they could before searching out the nuts and berries. He could sort through them in the morning, where they would be their morning meal before heading further into the forest.

This place had promise, but the humans simply were too close. He would seek out apes who were quiet and patient to join the hunt, while the younger and more energetic would stay behind to tend to the wounded. It was working out well, and elation filled him. He had plans that would work, and the deeper into the forest they went, the more food would be present. The idea of being able to seek out his own food and eat whenever he pleased was an enticing one.

Abtik offered the approaching ape a curt nod. He knew little of Cozy, beyond name and energy, but he seemed capable. Abtik would do well to form a group around himself made up of such apes.
 
Joao

It was relieving to know that Abtik also knew of the hunting of meat. Others were bound to as well, or so Joao hoped. He would have been willing to help directly, were it not for his wounded shoulder. From what he remembered, hunting was difficult and required all of the apes who were participating to be at their best physical condition. He definitely wasn't, but another detail that he remembered rather suddenly may prove to be very helpful. He wasted no time in signing this to Abtik, excitement clear on his face although he attempted to hide it to seem professional. "Remember seeing humans who hunt with sticks in jungle. Make sharp. Don't see why apes cant do it too." Perhaps he could still be useful, he thought, as he snapped a stick off of the branch he rested on and proceeded to chew one end of it to demonstrate. By the time he was finished, it was undeniably sharper, although crude. With their new intelligence, he was sure that they could improve upon the design. It should be a simple enough concept for the others to follow.

Although pleased with himself for remembering such a useful bit of information, Joao gave an annoyed glance to Cozy's approach. He knew that his bitter feelings towards the Chimp would have to end, or at least be hidden. Afterall, Cozy had helped to save his life when he was unable to climb the fence. Joao needed to be grateful for that. He took a deep inhale and let it out through his nostrils before looking to the Chimpanzee again with a more welcoming expression. They all had to work together, now. Survival was the most important thing. Any negative feelings from the past would need to stay in the past. This was a new start, and it had to be in almost every aspect if this was going to work out.

Cozy

Cozy watched with curious interest as Joao signed to Abtik about hunting sticks. After seeing Joao fashion one he became eager to try his hand at it and immediately mimicked the process until he was satisfied with his creation, welling with pride at what he had accomplished. Simple or not, he had managed to do it. Now that he held it in his fingers, he could remember watching the zoo troop poking sticks and long blades of grass into holes and eating whatever it was that came out on the other end. He often watched them from the window of his nursery and through doing so, had picked up on some of the tricks that they used to find snacks or make friends. He had never put any of his learnings into practice before, but perhaps they would serve him well now. Maybe he could even teach some of the others what little survival knowledge he had. He chuffed quietly to himself at that idea.

What he hadn't expected was for not only Abtik, but Joao also to acknowledge him in a manner that seemed almost friendly. It gave him a little more confidence and he hesitated for a brief moment of thought, but did climb closer. Close enough to be included in the conversation if they wanted him to be. With this in mind, he gripped his newly fashioned spear with his foot to free up his hands for signing, excited chirps escaping his mouth as he moved his fingers to form words. "Cozy knows a trick. Cozy has seen other apes put sticks in holes, eat what sticks find." ​
 
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He recalled the concept of using sticks as weapons to hunt and gather, both by humans and apes. They could, in the event of an attack, use them as weapons against the humans well. Although the threat alone would be enough defense, as humans were known for their cowardice in the face of possible injury. Abtik nodded in understand and a bit of recognition. "Inform others to find enough for all apes--tell apes I said so." On the off-chance that they had decided to get comfortable in these branches. He didn't need laziness, and any evidence that an ape had decided to ignore the order in favor of idling would have him to deal with. They weren't, after all, going to get anywhere without working as a group.

Abtik would find his own, sharpen it and make it to his liking. He'd heard stories of humans with staves, always leaders and using the sticks to make known their role within the human community. He would make it mean something to their group, give them something to look up to when the day came for him to pass his position on. A... symbol.

He gripped a sturdy but light branch in his hands and snapped it from the thicker branch on which he perched. He stripped it of its leaves and twigs, examined its tip and brought his sharp back teeth down on the end to narrow it to a sharp point. Perhaps, as time went on, he would make it look... nice. Not human nice, but nicer than a stick and with more meaning. It was long, curving slightly from the center. It was his stick, and he seemed pleased with it. It would make a fine weapon, and if the others could find just as suitable branches, then their safety would be assured.

There was movement, and he recognized it as signing. He followed Cozy's movements carefully, and signed back with a curt and clear "good to know". Small animals, perhaps, those edible insects he'd seen his fellows consume back at the sanctuary. Never seemed appetizing, but they were food. He signed again and made sure it was directed at Cozy, this time accompanied by words; "Some apes... not know," he said. He signed "show them" a moment after.
 
Joao

Pleased that his idea had Abtik's stamp of approval. He signed quickly, "Understand.", before moving off with a glance in Cozy's direction. The other apes weren't difficult to locate, and his wounded shoulder was grateful that they had clumped together as opposed to spreading out. The bonobo was even able to gather the attention of multiple at once sometimes, signing to the ones that would understand the motions, and demonstrating for those who wouldn't. He kept his thoughts about the unaltered apes among them being a handicap to himself. Abtik had made it clear that they were all a unit from here on out, and Joao knew that they all had to obey that to survive. Still, given the choice between rescuing an intelligent ape versus an unaltered one, he would choose the one with more than half of a brain, which would be far more useful to the group. It was the only choice that made any sense to him.

With the rest of the apes locating and altering branches, Joao discarded the twig he had used as an example to find a proper branch for himself. It was an easy task in a forest, of course, and as he chewed on the end of his newly claimed branch and watched the others do the same, he couldn't help but give a thought to how good it felt for the apes to obey him, even if they only were because he was passing on the word of Abtik. He had experienced this feeling in the laboratory as well, with his band of chimpanzees. It felt good somewhere in his chest, like it was full, to know that he was respected and had even a small amount of power to his name. At that thought, he wondered if Abtik intended to keep that gun or not... It wasn't much use if they couldn't shoot it, but it represented everything that made the humans powerful. Stripped of their weapons, they were weak. They were slow. They were vulnerable. That would be their disadvantage, their downfall, should they dare set foot in the apes' forest. The apes had no choice but to defend themselves if they were pushed to it, and Joao, for one, wouldn't hesitate.

Cozy

With a chirp of excitement, Cozy nodded, before leaping into a different tree to set about his task. First, he found a larger branch and modified it to his liking, clumsily touching a finger to the sharpened tip before deciding that it would look better with more of the bark stripped from the end. It felt rewarding, like a true accomplishment, to make something with his own two hands that could be used for something. He admired his handiwork with a welling of pride, chuffing quietly as he glanced to the other apes. Their spears were coming together nicely as well, and Cozy himself would get to teach some of them to fish for insects in holes in the ground. He finally had a purpose. He was part of something that he understood, that would benefit apes instead of humans, but at nobody's expense. Finally, something in his life felt right.

With that in mind, he climbed down the tree to scope out the forest floor for insect holes. He found that it wasn't as straight forward as it had seemed for the chimps in the zoo enclosure. This ground was littered with leaves, twigs, some kindof pod like things that had odd prickly growths on them. This, he had to investigate. He rolled it between his fingers despite the thorns, sniffing and mouthing at it until to his surprise, it cracked open to reveal what appeared to be a nut. He tasted it carefully, cautiously, but soon found himself chewing with gusto and squeaking in delight at the taste. This, clearly, was food. And there were a lot of them. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted, though, and abandoned the nuts for the time being in favor of finding a hole to investigate. After a bit of searching, he did locate one, and hooted enthusiastically enough to summon some of the closer apes to him. He basked in their attention briefly before making a show out of pulling up a long blade of grass, making sure they watched as he inserted it into the anthill. When he pulled it back out, insects clung to it. He pulled the grass through his lips to strip it of the tasty treats, and encouraged the others to do the same. It was a feast for those who had answered his calls.

Cozy abandoned them to their anthill after telling them to teach the trick to the others when they were ready. Something else was on his mind; the beech nuts. He gathered as many as he could find, carrying them between his lips and teeth and ignoring the pricks to the sensitive flesh as he returned to the trees, locating Abtik and excitedly climbing over to him. With an obvious welling of pride, he extracted the collection of nuts from his mouth and presented them to his leader, opening and eating one only to show Abtik how it was done. His quest for approval seemed to be going well, if being useful was enough to earn him some kindness from the others. If not, he had been kind enough himself to give up not one meal, but two. The anthill to his study group, and these nuts to Abtik. He hoped it would be enough to win the forgiveness of those whom he had bothered in the past.​
 
The gun laid forgotten at his feet, where he'd disposed of it earlier in disinterest. He knew that there was a mechanism he had to pull, a certain way to hold it, but none of that appealed to him. The idea of using a human built weapon, no matter how powerful, felt like dependence to him. He was practical, yes, but he felt that the less the apes had connecting them to the humans, the easier their transition into the wild would be. He also knew, for a fact, that no matter how useful it was, it would always be limited. They would build their own mechanical weapons, and perhaps he'd take a look at its internal structure later.

Abtik was much more pleased with the weight of the spear he'd fashioned, and the natural way in which he held it aloft was testament enough to his comfort.

When Cozy returned, Abtik inspected the nuts with obvious fascination. They reminded him of the large hickory nuts found in his old enclosure, but the nuts inside seemed significantly more delicious. He leaned his spear against the tree trunk and plucked a nut from the other ape's hand to pry it open and test it for himself. He nodded enthusiastically and clapped Cozy on the shoulder, signing good job to commend the ape's good eyes. "You in charge of gathering. Yes?" A group to gather and a group to hunt-- they were off to a pretty good start, excitement welling in Abtik's chest. Without waiting for an answer, he made his way through the branches - spear in hand, and the tree marked where he could find the human gun again - towards the apes sharpening their own branches.

He swung his spear so that it cracked hard against the trunk of the tree he perched on to gather their attention. He then proceeded to point to a very specific few apes, small enough to get around quickly, and gestured them over. No more than four maneuvered across the branches to his position, and when they'd settled upon his perch, he explained.

They were to follow him deep into the forest to seek out small animals, each ape chosen specifically for their small size and weight. The quieter they were in the trees, the more meat they'd gather before nightfall. Abtik then looked up to seek out Joao, intending for him to take a small group of his own in the opposite direction.
 
Cozy

The chimpanzee nearly vibrated with excitement at the praise, and again when he was appointed a job to do. An important job. He hooted to Abtik in a manner that he hoped sounded affirming and he wasted no time in leaping to the ground to begin his task. He would need to find a way to store the food that he came across, a container of some sort, but he knew that it wasn't realistic to expect to be able to figure everything out in one day. For now, he would make piles. That would just have to work. He nodded to himself with that in mind and returned to the tree that apparently dropped the nuts and began a more thorough search of the ground, uncovering more from beneath leaves and twigs. It seemed that not everything would be as obvious, resting on the ground in plain sight. For now, he placed the nuts that he had found on a small pile of fresh, green leaves that he plucked from a tree. They would be easy to find again that way, until the apes could think of something to store them in.

He passed the anthill, which was still abuzz with grass wielding hungry apes. A smile tugged at his mouth at the sight. He had taught them that. Him. There was more of a bounce in his stride as he continued on, scanning the ground and the lower branches of the trees for anything that may be edible. Although the laboratories had fed them mostly dry crunchy pellets, Cozy could remember the colorful and sweet fruit that the zoo had provided him with, along with vegetables and leafy greens that hadn't tasted quite as good as the fruit had. He didn't see anything in this forest that he recognized, but maybe he could locate similar foods. The trick would be somehow determining what was safe to eat without risking apes getting sick from taste testing. He would ask Abtik about that later.

Joao

The bonobo caught sight of a few apes moving in the same direction, and turned to see what it was that they were responding to. Abtik. Of course. Joao put the finishing touches on his spear, at least as much as he would work on it for the time being, and watched and listened. So, Abtik was putting his hunting idea to use immediately. Joao was pleased by this, for having an idea that proved useful enough to employ right away. He wasn't sure if he was so happy with it because it would be helpful for the apes, or if it was that fullness in his chest that seemed to make him glow with pride that he enjoyed so much. That was another thought that he would keep to himself. He was aware enough to acknowledge that it probably wasn't a good thing. He should care more about the other apes than he did at present, but he assured himself that the empathy would come as they settled into their new way of life, formed bonds, and became significant to each other by name and as individuals. It would take time, but he was sure that it would happen.

When it became clear that Abtik was looking for him, Joao rose from the seated position he had taken and climbed to the branches closest to the chimpanzee while not invading the space of any of the others that Abtik had called to him. The bonobo nearly signed his question, but decided instead that he should at least attempt to learn how to speak enough to be understood in case a situation ever called for it, now that they didn't need to hide their abilities from the watchful eye of humans in white coats. As a side thought, Joao confirmed to himself that he would be happy to never see the color white again... "Abtik... need... Joao?" Each word was a bit of a strain, but he did manage to get them out. Crude and spoken with a growl in his throat, but they were words.
​
 
He gathered his small group around him and explained, in simple words and signs, what they were going to do and what he expected of them. They were an energetic bunch, eager to get moving and just barely containing themselves. He understood their restlessness, but he needed to pass on his orders to Joao before they could set off-- and if all went well, whatever Cozy had managed to gather and whatever he and Joao brought back ought to be enough to feed them until morning. His hunting party quieted down some and waited expectantly in the farther branches of the tree, spears in hand as they cast curious and excited glances in the direction he'd pointed earlier.

Abtik signed the affirmative when Joao approached. "Gather strong and apes with sharp eyes," he said, then gestured towards the apes he'd gathered himself. "I lead group that way. You lead one opposite way. Cover ground." Abtik, enthusiastically, signed the word hunt. Although he'd never hunted himself, with time and practice he'd turn it into a skill with enough knowledge to pass onto whatever younger generation rose to replace them. Their crude and primitive methods would hopefully be replaced with much more efficient ones, as well.

"Return before night." At sundown, they'd eat. At sunrise, they'd be long gone from this place.

He brandished his spear with anticipation and, without a look back, swung across the branches towards his group, and they were off. Whatever they found, he hoped it tasted good and was abundant. He'd seen squirrels and a few birds that fled when disturbed. None were particularly large, probably difficult to hit with a spear, but food was food. They had to try.
 
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Joao

Joao listened to Abtik's words and watched his fingers as he signed and gave a nod, something of a grin touching his lips. He was to lead another group, this time to hunt for food. Perhaps some of the apes that he had lead in the laboratory would be available to go hunting with him as well. Joao already knew that they respected him enough to follow him without challenge or question. He watched Abtik's group set off briefly before turning to the remainder of the apes to decide who would accompany him. He recognized a few from his lab group and nodded to himself, climbing down the branches of the tree he had perched in until his feet were on the ground. A classic bonobo 'yeep' was enough to capture the attention of the nearby apes, and he scanned his eyes over them to decide who would go with him, and who wouldn't.

In the end, he waved over three from his laboratory group, and one that he did not recognize. Their spears were sharp, they seemed attentive, and their eyes were all green, which confirmed that they had intelligence. They would do just fine. He explained to them via sign that they would be hunting for small animals to eat, and demonstrated how to use their spears to attack something. In this case, a dead leaf. It got the message across, though, and he lead his group on foot in the direction that Abtik had indicated. Maybe they would find something on the ground. He hoped so, at least. He had used up his arm's climbing stamina already. If something on the ground took to the trees, his group of uninjured apes could pursue it better than he could. He signed for them to all be quiet, but to stay alert, as they left the current gathering place behind them.

Cozy

Cozy's quest for foraging took him further from the rest of the group than he had realized, but if nothing else, he had discovered a small stream with cool water flowing at a slow enough pace for it to not be a danger to apes, who were not aquatically gifted. He leaned down to sip at the water, feeling the cool sensation running down his throat and quenching the thirst he hadn't noticed until now. The others must be thirsty too. He would need to inform them about the stream immediately upon his return. First, though, he needed something to show for his search. Something more than the nuts he had discovered so close to the area where the group was resting. He didn't want to let Abtik down, who had praised him so for finding the nuts in the first place. He didn't want the other apes to go hungry, either.

Luckily for them all, something colorful caught his eye as he drank and he lifted his head to discover berries glistening on a leafy bush... On the other side of the river. He furrowed his brows, glancing around him at the trees. One had branches that hung over the river, just enough that he thought he might make the jump, but how would he get back over afterward? That wouldn't do. He set off along the stream, relieved to find that it grew more shallow a ways down. After driving a fallen branch into the dirt to mark the area that was safe to cross, he gritted his teeth and waded through the water, not particularly enjoying the sensation of getting wet. He couldn't dwell on it, though, because he had more important things to take care of. He loped over to the berry bush, examining the red shapes that grew on it. Were they edible, though? That was the question. ​
 
Their quarry was less impressive than he'd expected - smaller than he'd expected. A gathering of foraging rabbits down below were scuttling about the roots of the tree, and if Abtik was careful, he was certain he'd be able to sneak in close enough. He motioned for the others to take up vantage points around and slowly made his way down to the lower branches of the tree and settling on a fairly thin branch no more than a few feet above the ground. One hand gripped the higher branch above him to ease the stress on his perch and the other angled his spear downward towards the small animals.

Abtik cast a quick glance across to catch the eyes of the youngest of his group, who held his own spear with nervous excitement. Abtik signed and told him to hold, then proceeded to do the same with the others. A specific set of instructions were signed and whispered to the nearest of his group, who'd begun to fashion a flimsy but usable net out of roots and vines. Rounding the rabbits up seemed easier than killing them with spears one by one, and the others seemed to agree.

He nodded his signal, and they descended upon the rabbits with shouts that may or may not have been caused by the sheer hunger tearing at their stomachs. The ape with the net gathered them up as they scattered and tied it up swiftly. Luckily, only one had actually escaped, leaving them with enough to stave off hunger.

A few decent catches later - small birds Abtik had been lucky to get his hands on, a lizard or two that the second youngest of their group claimed were actually quite delicious. He'd question the chimp's taste in food later, after he got over his disappointment at not finding any evidence of larger wildlife around these parts. Maybe on the way back. He gathered up his apes, and told them to head home.
 
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Joao

The forest was eerily quiet as his group moved along. Although he was no expert on the subject, Joao would have expected such a seemingly lush patch of wilderness to be bursting at the seams with animals. It was as if anything that did reside here sensed their presence and hid in silence. Joao's brows furrowed. At this rate, they would come back empty handed. Not only would that be embarrassing, but Joao refused to let the others down in such a way. They would find something. They had to. With this in mind, he sent a couple apes into the trees to look for creatures that may be hiding above the ground. He lead the others through the underbrush, eyes and ears peeled for any signs of movement. There was no way that the forest was void of life. The jungle he faintly remembered had been teeming with it.

It was the tree-team that screeched to alert the others of prey. A chimpanzee had discovered a nest of squirrels and the other younger chimp had immediately joined her in thrusting their spears into the hole, the high pitched squeaks of the residents lost among the excited pant hoots of their predators. Well, at least they'd found something. Except that now every creature within who knows how many miles had now been alerted to the fact that there were apes here, and if that would mean anything to them, Joao was unsure. It stood to reason to assume that other animals would hide at such horrific sounds, though. This would be something they would need to work on... Training themselves to be quiet during hunts, and not give into the primitive instinct to be so deafeningly noisy. They had sign language, now. They could communicate in silence.

Cozy

Cozy argued with himself about whether he should chance it or not. He shifted nervously from foot to foot, looking around him even though he knew that there was nobody there to aid in this decision. He sniffled harshly through his nose and reached out towards the berries, brushing his finger against the bumpy surface of one of the small fruits. Maybe a lick of the juice would provide a clue? Breaking one from the bush, he squeezed it between his fingers to produce a tiny trickle of juice. He hesitated briefly before he worked up the courage to touch his tongue to his finger where the liquid waited for him. A few seconds of pondering over the taste told him that they were actually quite delicious. Something that tasted this good couldn't be unsafe, right? Now he just had to think of a way to move them from here to the apes' resting place.

A quick look around discovered a plant growing in the form of a clump of quite large leaves, perfect for carrying small objects. In his excitement, Cozy didn't notice the stock of prickly spheres that grew in the middle as he pulled a leaf from the plant. Burdocks lodged into his fur as soon as he brushed against them, and he yelped in response to the unexpected prickles. Dropping the leaf, he pawed at the mysterious balls, whimpering to himself as his fingers, sensitive from blood drawings, were pricked. He would need help getting these out with how low a pain tolerance he had compared to other apes. As he picked as many raspberries as he could and placed them in the center of the leaf, he wasn't sure if pride over the berries or shame over the berdocks was winning out in his mind.​
 
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The net was secured with leaves and a thick paste that reminded Abtik of glue, binding the loose parts together. The weave was sloppy and sticky, but the vines kept the paste from seeping in and contaminating their catch. There was a better way to do this, to make a net or a basket, and with time to perfect it they could be carrying home larger prey very soon. He stopped his followers on the outer limits of their makeshift camp.

He hadn't expected to return to silence, but it was strangely... comforting. The natural sounds of the forest instead of the vents, the faint rustling of leaves whenever somebody got restless. It was too dark for him, of course - he preferred lab lights to no light at all - but if he could remember, if they got far enough from the humans to make it safe, he'd teach them fire. He recalled that the meat tasted better when held over a fire for long enough, and the idea made his mouth water. Abtik turned to the small group following behind him and signed for them to head to the highest of the trees. He snatched the net of rabbits and various other critters from the ape who'd carried it, and sent the chimp to keep an eye out for Joao's group.

However he was to do that. It was getting darker, and Abtik had to strain to make out fine details. No doubt catching his second's group would be difficult unless they made noise. He turned his attention toward the sunset, ever so slowly disappearing behind the canopy to the west, and pulled himself into the branches above after the rest of his hunting party.
 
Joao

With the daylight fading, Joao made the decision to lead his group back home. The squirrels they'd found had to be enough for now. Not much, but better than nothing... They would get better at this, too. It was only their first try, and given the circumstances and the fact that this was their first day cage free, this was encouraging progress. Admittedly, though, Joao hoped that Abtik's hunting party had had better luck. This wouldn't feed the troop, by any means. Joao hadn't learned to count very high, but he didn't need very many fingers from his second hand to match one finger per squirrel. One squirrel surely wouldn't fill an ape's belly, and as it was, there were only seven fingers worth of squirrels. Seven apes' worth. Still, as he had already reminded himself, it was better than nothing.

It was very close to their temporary home that a chimp noticed a larger animal. It had fur, moved about on all fours, with a ringed tail and a black mask. It was a much larger prize than the small creatures they had found... and it noticed them as they noticed it. The group didn't hesitate; most of them pounced on it all at once, screeching as it growled and flailed, open mouthed, biting any part of an ape that came near its mouth. But it was outnumbered and outstrengthed; they made quick work of it, even if they had bite marks from the ordeal... And they were very proud of themselves, too. Joao felt himself swell with pride, himself, and as they continued onward, one of them spotted apes in trees. It was Abtik's group... Joao hurried up the tree that he spotted their leader perched in.

"Seven small things, one bigger thing."

Cozy

Off he went, berries wrapped in the leaf in his hand, and a branch in the other, through the river with a grimace on his face. He would be grateful to return to the troop, where he would dry off, and hopefully get the burdocks extracted from his fur. He had to get there first, though. He remembered the way, and even though it was growing dark, he knew that he could make it. Of course, being outside at night was a little scary... He had always been indoors at night, and already he was hearing sounds that he hadn't heard during the day. It was about this time that he began wishing he had brought somebody with him...

He began hurrying when he heard twigs snap behind him. His imagination told him what could be out there, and he didn't want to find out for sure. Grimacing all the way, he did manage to find the troop again and he was relieved when he did. Whatever it was hadn't followed him here... He was safe now. A glance around the apes on the ground didn't locate Abtik, so he settled himself into a sit on the ground and picked at the berries he'd found. Abtik would find him, and then Cozy would tell him what he had discovered. Hopefully without seeming overconfident, of course... But it was difficult not to be proud of what he had accomplished. ​
 
The more apes Abtik spoke to personally, the more comfortable they'd be around him - so he hoped. He decided that they needed to be closer, the apes were too spread out. He'd have them gather at the largest tree, his tree, where everyone could be seen an heard and they could all move at once when morning arrived. Before settling down for the night, they'd divide the day's gatherings among each other and hope that it would at least quell the hunger. Not enough food, not enough prey in this part of the forest. When they moved deeper and farther from the human structures, he hoped there would be more food for them to choose from. Preferably larger, meatier. Maybe one of the creatures with hooves the wilder members of his old home had mentioned.

Both his spear and the net containing their prey were held firmly in his right hand, his group scattered to rouse the camp with their noise. The higher branches held the wounded, old, or otherwise helpless apes, whereas those he'd left behind were left to gather down below with Cozy. He'd approach them first, check in on what they'd collected and then share a bit of what he'd found. In turn, they would provide a decent portion of their gatherings for him to take to be dispersed among the rest. It was easier for those in pain to digest simpler fruits and nuts. Apes who were still strong would need the energy provided by their prey.

He maneuvered across the lower branches with difficulty, one hand now immobilized, but reached the spot where he'd left the gatherers soon enough. Abtik dropped down from the trees and approached the group, then laid out his prey-net - a quick glare towards an over-eager ape to keep them from getting too close - and looked between those present for Cozy. With what would be left of his and Joao's catch, they'd never be satisfied. But something was better than nothing. He blamed it on the barrenness of this forest.
 
Joao

Following Abtik's example, Joao divvied up the squirrels and raccoon that his party had procured, finding that there would certainly not be enough to fill the stomachs of every ape in their group, even between what the hunting and foraging parties had found. It was clear that this part of the forest wouldn't be able to support the apes. Their only hope would be that moving further in, further away from human civilization, would bring them to a place with more food... It would be a massive disappointment for them to die now that they'd come so far. They were finally free of the humans, surely that life hadn't been the best offered to them. They had to find a way to survive out here. All they needed was more food, bigger food... They could make due with everything else. The last thing they needed to figure out for the day was where to sleep and tomorrow, they could travel. Put more distance between themselves and the humans until they were sure that they would never see a hairless bipedal creature ever, ever again.

He pondered these thoughts as he settled into his tree, stripping bits of flesh from the piece of the raccoon that he had taken for himself. One thing he could be sure of was that the food here was better than anything he had tasted under the care of humans. Something felt more right about it, and he couldn't decide if it was the taste itself, or the fact that they hadn't had it handed to them through the bars of a cage. They had gotten all of this food themselves, like real apes. Joao still had faint, fuzzy memories of the jungle, how lush and green it was, some of the sounds he'd heard. Those sounds weren't here, but after so much white in his life for so long, he welcomed the green this forest did have. He couldn't remember his family in detail, and although he was aware of the fact that he was different from most of the apes here - slimmer, smaller... - at least he wasn't alone anymore.

Cozy

Cozy was grateful for the food settling in his stomach as he nibbled at what of his nuts and berries he hadn't given away to the others. What he was more grateful for was the female sitting on the ground behind him, who was tentatively plucking the burdocks and bits of leaves from his fur. He hadn't asked her to... It had been her response to his offering of berries and nuts. He couldn't deny that he was tense and a little unsure of it, but it did satisfy some deep set instinct that he had either ignored, or been unaware of for so long. He was painfully aware of the fact that earlier in the day, he had had his first experience with other apes outside of cages. The only experience he'd had since he had been sent away from the zoo, following the alpha male attacking him. Really, this was the first positive experience he'd had with another chimpanzee... Maybe things would always be like this. Eating as the sun set with an ape grooming him as he grew sleepy.

When he caught Abtik's approach, he gave one quiet hoot and indicated the pile of nuts and berries that he had been saving for their leader, quietly proud of what he had accomplished. Unfortunately, the female backed off when the large one-eyed chimpanzee approached and Cozy was a little disappointed, but he swallowed that down and decided to be grateful for the fact that most of the burdocks had been removed. He had a lot to be grateful for, either way... So he shouldn't be focusing on what wasn't perfect. His life had taken a complete turn around for the better and if a few stickers in his fur was his biggest worry right now, this was the best day of his life.​
 
Abtik explained, with a quick succession of signs and murmurs, what Cozy was to do. A half of each prey animal for each ape in the gathering party, just enough to satisfy them enough for them to get some sleep. "Gather what you found," Abtik said, his voice rough and still getting used to articulating precise, human words. "Bring to apes in trees." It was a simple enough order, and Abtik should have no need to clarify - the apes in the trees did the least, either because of age, lack of skill, or injury. Until their place and survival was secured, the best of their catch would go to those who worked. The hunters, the gatherers, both needed energy to keep up with demands of making sure everyone got out of this alive.

A good portion of the prey he'd brought to the gatherers was split evenly among them, leaving still some for him and the rest of his group and, if lucky, enough left over for the tree-bound apes. It wouldn't be much, scraps and skin and bones, but again - something was better than nothing. He just hoped this something would be enough.

When what could be spared was passed out, Abtik tied up the net again and, nodding firmly to Cozy in a nonverbal don't take too long, climbed the tree to his back and made his way back toward the bulk of their group. They would sleep high in the branches tonight, content as an ape could be this close to human civilization. Not fully satisfied, he'd admit, but better off.

Most apes had already gathered close and had sprawled across the highest branches, hungry and restless, but he urged them to be patient with the promise of something to make the discomfort go away. They'd never starved before, or gone hungry for longer than a half hour. If there was one thing that they must have missed about the cages in the lab, it was the food. Terrible as it may have been, they had been on a fine schedule and were fed, at the exact same time, every day.

Abtik greeted them warmly, and looked for his hunting party to share what was left.
 
Cozy

Cozy listened carefully to Abtik's words and watched his hands with intent. He didn't want to miss any of this and somehow make a mistake that would result in something negative. When he was sure that he had caught everything, he signed a quick "Yes." before going about dividing up the creatures that Abtik had delivered in the way that he had instructed. Each member of Cozy's group got half of one, and they all dove into eating them with gusto. As much as Cozy would have wanted to divvy up the berries and nuts between the tree dwellers first, he did eat his own half-rabbit before he did so. He didn't know how much he could trust the others just yet and he wouldn't put it above them to take his food if he left it unattended and they were hungry enough. Things wouldn't be like this once they found a better place to live with more food to find, but for now, he wouldn't take chances with food.

With the meat settling into his stomach, Cozy folded the berries and nuts into the leaves he was using to transport them and set about finding the apes in the trees, giving them each a small enough amount that there would be enough to go around, even if he knew it wouldn't fill their stomachs. Anything was better than nothing, even if Cozy did receive some looks of disappointment at how little he had to give them. It stung him somewhere inside, but he did his best to ignore it. Joao was one of the last apes that he found and he was tense as he offered a few nuts and berries to him, getting a somewhat cold look in response as the bonobo took the handful and huffed. Cozy almost winced. They had to put all of this behind them if they were going to survive as a unit, even he knew that...

With his work finished and the sun gone from the sky, Cozy settled himself into a forked area high in one of the trees, his eyelids feeling heavy. One of his last thoughts before he succumbed to his exhaustion was wondering what the white circle in the black sky was, and how it managed to stay up there on its own.​
 
He'd never seen such... excitement when an ape had been presented with food. But at least they were still energetic and healthy enough to be excited in the first place. Neither he nor his group took the time to savor their catch - although they chewed noticeably slower, knowing that it was fresh meat, untouched or added to by humans, and caught by their very own hands. Something to do with the pleasure of accomplishing something, but he didn't waste too much thought on it.

It was now too dark for them to do much else other than sleep and regain their strength. Sleep would surely overtake him soon, and as leader Abtik would have to rise early to make plans. He sat back in his tree, alone except for the two curled up on the branch across, and peered up through the canopy a the sky. He hadn't seen stars in so long that he'd long forgotten that they existed, looking like tiny flowers too high for him to pick. Dozens and dozens of tiny flowers that were simply too nice to look at to be stuck in a place like the inky blackness of the sky.

Abtik realized, wearily, that at least the darkness made them stand out more. Sleep came to him easily, taking comfort in the fact that they were at peace and that tomorrow would bring many more opportunities. He looked forward to it.
 
Joao

When the bonobo awoke in the morning, he found his shoulder to be quite sore. Sometime during the night he had shifted and rubbed it against the branch he had slept on, and the bandage had come loose. He glowered at it sleepily, grunting as he sat himself up. There was a light mist in the air around him that made the air feel wet, something he now remembered from his childhood. Water fell from the sky sometimes, too. These were things Joao had forgotten about after living in a cage for so long and now that the memories flooded back - more clearly now than before the humans had made him breathe their mist, he realized - it felt strange that he ever could have forgotten it. He shook the dew from his thin coat of fur and scanned the trees around him with his eyes, noting that some of the others were waking as well. Others still clung to sleep, and one of the injured apes may or may not have died sometime during the night... Joao couldn't tell from where he sat. It was bound to happen, though. He didn't bother getting terribly upset.

What he did do, though, was locate Abtik and begin navigating the trees until he perched on a neighboring branch, waiting a moment or two to see if he was awake before he signed to him. "Hurt ape not moving." He indicated with a raised arm in the direction of the chimpanzee in question, slumped against the tree that it rested in, supported only by the branches and trunk. If it wasn't dead yet, it seemed close to it. None of the others seemed to have noticed, either asleep or just waking up and concerning themselves with reacting to the wetness in the air, the trees, and their fur. Joao knew that if the ape had died, they couldn't leave it here. They would have to plant the body elsewhere to throw off any humans that might be tracking them. Joao doubted the humans would let them go so easily.

Cozy

Oblivious to the happenings a few trees over, Cozy awoke with great confusion and wariness. There were no bars around him, no locks, no white walls... He had thought the escape had been a dream, but evidently that wasn't the case. He slowly shifted into an upright position, wrapping his arms around himself with a shiver in response to being wet. He didn't like water, he had gotten entirely too wet by crossing the river while foraging, and here he was wet again. It was quite easy to feel sorry for himself, but at least being wet was his only current concern. It beat being locked in a cage, chained... With that thought, he curled his fingers around the chain that still hung from his neck. He would need to ask Abtik if there was a way for them to remove it; he felt branded as a captive by wearing it. None of the others had chains. Those who had seemed to have wrestled out of them somehow.

Cozy was reluctant to leave his tree, the gray sky above not looking overly welcoming, and many of the others seemed to feel the same way. Some had moved through the trees to find a grooming companion, though. That wasn't a bad idea... Cozy suddenly craved the feeling of fingers moving through his fur, as he had felt the previous day... But he wouldn't know who to approach, or how. He began idly grooming himself instead, wondering if it would always be this way. Him, by himself, even if he was surrounded by other apes. His optimism from the day before seemed to have shaken for no obvious reason, but maybe it was because the euphoria from escaping had dissipated and he was realizing that he was still separate from the others, even without bars to keep them apart. Cozy hadn't grown up with other apes... ​
 
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