Drowned || Planet Of The Apes

017

Calliope grew easily fond of her brother's mate, Cornelia. She found it peculiar that all three of them shared the same letter of their names and even joked to ease the air that if she were to get a daughter, Cordelia or Coral would be their name. It was amazing how different they were in terms of species but got along so well. Caesar watched on as his mate took more of the fruit on the leaf matt, to add on to Calliope's tree bark, laughing as she tried to refuse in a polite way. But Cornelia misunderstood, thinking if she wanted more of the meat instead.

Blue Eyes on the other hand was weary of the human. Even though his father gave him the go-ahead that she wouldn't harm him or anyone, the young ape still kept his distance. But his friend thought otherwise as it was his first time seeing a human up close. Asking every once in a while 'Where is her coat?' and 'How does she warmth with no fur?'. His father, Rocket, had finally calmed down as his leader told him that he grew up with her but one could tell as his green eyes never left the girl that he was still wary of any danger she may be to the apes.

Maurice was more so interested in how she care of the apes in the absence of their parents under a broken and torn up world like San Francisco. They were surprised to here there were still humans ... desperately ravaging every corners of the city to find a way to survive their every day.

'Would you like to hold him?' Cornelia asks Calliope, referring to her new baby.

'Oh, no, no,' Calliope signed as a red blossoms bloomed on her pale cheeks. 'I'm scared I might drop him. He is beautiful, though! You and Caesar have beautiful children. What is his name, the little one?'

'Cornelius.'

'Ah, another C in the family!' the two women laughed in jest.

Caesar glanced to his side for a split second as he heard shuffling beside him. 'You know, she's not so bad when you get to know her, son.'

'But father,' Blue Eyes raised his hands to sign. 'how are you so sure she hasn't changed? Things change with time .. even personalities. Koba says so.'

Caesar let out a sigh, looking back to his young sister. After all these years.. he still believed she was his sister. He had no other sibling in the world than Calliope even though he has accepted the apes to be his brother's and sisters, one big family. One big community.. Calliope will still be his family, his warm home. That is why he thought over about what Blue Eyes said. People can change ...

When he first laid eyes on her in the forest, she saw her eyes wandering over the young apes almost in a motherly tenderness to them. He saw how worried she was when Octavius played a prank on her, thinking that he may have ran away. She still had a fondness for apes that alone in itself shows that the world hadn't completely ruined Calliope. It might have tried to, it might have tried. But he also saw a new kind of strength in her as well.

Perhaps she has changed.. but she was still the same, albeit, a little more reserved.

♠

As days went by, Calliope felt the two ape children she had grown deeply fond of grow adrift from her. Beneath the depths of her inner feelings, she felt heartbroken but she knew it was for the best. She brought them here with no intentions of replacing their mother but to be with their own kind. In fact, she should be the more happier that the two bonobos will thrive here.

Yet she wasn't, at all. Attachment. That's what she avoided the most but failed against that war. Now she was dealing with the constant scowl of their father who doesn't get any ounce of exhaustion with the aura he gave whenever around her.