Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Margo and any alterations to the general storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe during these dark and grim days.

Caesar's Pearl 3 Chapter 12

The Colonel wasn't kidding about Margo's new living conditions to be unpleasant.

The Colonel had her brought to the enclosures as he promised to keep her in the open cold and to be treated like an animal. But much to Margo's surprise Margo was thrown in with the children, whom were relieved to see someone familiar and friendly that has been with most of them since infancy. Apparently Margo happens to overhear that many of the soldiers were complaining about the whining and cries of the little ones and believe her caring for them under this heinous conditions might waylay them.

While Margo may not appreciate the sentiments behind these actions she is grateful this happens. For if nothing else she can provide comfort to the children that need it the most so desperately. Especially to Cornelius who doesn't stop clinging to her for hours the very second she steps through.

She can certainly see relief on faces belonging to worried, anxious, nervous, and previously concerned parents. Margo and Caesar exchange soft glances in attempts to reassure each other, but the Colonel's words remain haunting to them and what they mean for the future. Margo is pleased to discover that even after that Caesar continues to work on getting them all out. During the return to the cages Caesar has nicked the key from one of the human soldiers. He achieved this in a way that made Red and the soldier Preacher believe he was extremely fatigued and exhausted as he staggers knocking the boy to the icy ground. This was a ploy to get the key. Now that he has possession of the object it might certainly be useful in the long run of things.

Still given not much of a choice about it everyone falls into a restless slumber for the night.

The morning brings a shock.

Instead of that heinous roll call that Alpha Omega had in the morning the apes were met with something else entirely.

A large cart covered with a tarp was rolled out to the pens with the Donkeys each carrying a bucket filled to the brim with water in each of their hands. A few of the human soldiers were lined up behind them with their guns aimed at the bars of the cage in order to keep the adults in line for whatever they were about to do.

Caesar and Margo share apprehensive and skeptical looks not sure what their intentions were this time. These humans are extremely unpredictable compared to others.

Caesar slowly craned his head around to peer up at the Colonel's command tower. On the terrace the Colonel stood with a hot cup of coffee in his hands, watching the proceedings. The Colonel met his gaze with an indifferent and passive expression before nodding to his men, giving them the go ahead.

A whistle was blown and the tarp was torn off as the buckets of water were put in close proximity of the bars for the apes within to reach. Many of them grasped at the buckets gulping down huge amounts of water to quench their aching thirst before passing it down the bars of the fencing to another. But the water did not compare to what was in the cart.

Grain. It's heaps and heaps of grain that was piled up over the edges of the cart.

The Donkey's filled the buckets meant for the grain to the top and then tossed the food into the pen. The adult apes released excited hoots as they caught the grain and began to eat.

Margo openly gaps at what she's seeing in disbelief. She's surprised that the Colonel actually has listened to what Caesar had been saying to the Colonel last night.

Margo and Caesar then realized what was happening here.

It seems that the Colonel had taken their words to heart. The Colonel may deplore listening to apes, but even he couldn't deny that without the proper sustenance the apes couldn't hope to finish the wall on time. This needs to be done whether or not the Alpha Omegas approve of this or not.

Similar to human's ,apes have their limits no matter how strong and resilient they are. So after days without food or water they now had an opportunity to replenish. The food wasn't very conventional, but it was still a good source of nourishment.

The children weren't about to be forgotten in this.

A small handful of Donkey's separated from the main group to bring a couple of buckets to the children's pen. The little ones were very eager for their share once they saw this was for real. Under Margo's direction she makes sure the children don't rush and waste what they are being given. Not a seed or drop of water will be overlooked. As she's rationing grain and water cage Margo was very proud to see Cornelius organize the youngsters so that everyone had something to eat. At only two years old Cornelius was already showing great promise as a leader exhibiting characteristics passed down from both his parents. Nostalgia abruptly hits Margo unexpectedly as she observes this. Cornelia would be immensely proud of her youngest boy.

Suddenly Margo's attention was soon drawn away from the children when she noticed Red making her way to Caesar lugging a full bucket of water.

Margo's tracking eyes don't leave Red as Lake made her way to the front.

Immeasurable gratitude radiating from her eyes and smile towards Caesar, Lake signed "You saved us."

Another ape poured a handful of the mixture of grain, dry oats, and barley into her cupped palms.

Caesar smiled back at Lake, pleased that he at least got this for their people.

Caesar's attention was quickly diverted downward to Red, same as Margo, as the gorilla makes his way onto the platform holding a bucket of water in one of his massive hands. Red slowly lifted the pail towards Caesar's face in a gesture for him to drink. Caesar scowled glowering at Red in skepticism thinking this might be some kind of cruel trick by the Colonel.

Red nodded at Caesar to show that this was for real.

Caesar's parched throat and ravaged body got the better of him. He leaned forward with his lips parted towards the brim of the bucket…

Red dumped the entire contents of the bucket onto the Caesar, drenching his body in bone chilling water to the very bone. Caesar gasped from the shock writhing a little on the cross.

Margo gasps in outrage. She instinctively wants to go out and throttle the traitor but holds herself back. No way she'd have a chance of getting close without getting shot and the children need her there above all. She can't abandon them.

Caesar sucked in deep breaths shivering from the combination of the water and freezing temperature affecting his body. His gaze hardened as he started balefully at Red with bloodshot eyes as the traitor walked away.

So that's how it is. Margo should've already figured this is the case.

Seething Margo aimed a loathing glare back and forth between Red and the Colonel at this disrespect as the human returned to the inside of the command tower.

Red and the Colonel were going to pay for that, meeting their demise by her hands.

Soon Margo is dragged away from the children in order to work on the barricade along with the remainder of the adults after the food had been passed around. Caesar would stay strung up on the platform exposed to the elements without any sort of protection and now with the added hindrance of the freezing water clinging to his hair and skin.

By nightfall what work that had been achieved that day was left to finish on the following. The apes were led back to their respective pens.

As she is placed back with the children Margo checks on Caesar's condition.

The signs aren't promising.

Caesar had been cut down from his restraints, but is shivering so badly on the platform. The freezing cold water that had been dumped on him was causing the beginning stages of hypothermia. Plus the lack of food and water was weighing heavily. If this went on for much longer he wouldn't survive especially with the rain coming down from the sky now.

Red stood over him with a machete. The Colonel, Preacher, and a couple of other henchmen stood there watching.

The Colonel comes near to kneel in front of them eyeing Caesar.

"If he's still alive in the morning he goes to work like everyone else or you shoot him," declared the Colonel.

No!

Caesar was at the end of his figurative rope. His people had been here for weeks while he'd resided as a prisoner of the humans for only a couple of days. He didn't know how any of them could stand it. Caesar didn't know if he could withstand neither the human's spiteful aggression for much longer nor the nightmares of Koba plaguing his mind. He was in a desperate constant struggle to remain aware and conscious, but extreme levels hunger and fatigue were taking its toll. He tried to sate his hunger by drinking drops from the rain, but decided that would take too long.

If Caesar didn't receive any form of relief soon then he would die.

This is practically killing Margo that there's nothing she could do for her big brother.

Just as brother and sister are about to lose all hope and allow himself to slip away an angel of mercy stepped in as his most unlikely savior.

The little girl.

Out of nowhere in the middle of the night the little girl popped up quite close to Caesar's cage.

She is caught off guard.

How on earth did she get in? She has to get out now.

Margo tries in vain to tell the child to leave, but the child ignored her instead moving towards Caesar.

Drifting in and out of consciousness Caesar felt something soft hit his head. Caesar slowly cracked open his bloodshot eyes to find the little girls doll by his head. He had no idea where it came from.

Bewildered Caesar looked what was in front of him in puzzlement. He blinked his eyes and the image cleared revealing the human child gazing at him with worry, compassion, and empathy. Caesar figured she slipped the doll to him out of concern, goal to comfort.

Caesar rapidly blinking his eyes to clear the bleariness from them, but what he's seeing is real.

Initially he presumed the child was a hallucination, but she reached through the bars tenderly stroking his face in comfort proving she was flesh and blood.

Caesar stared at her in astonishment, left speechless. He then coughed. His throat is so dry.

It was no mystery what was ailing Caesar. The child instinctively knew what he needs.

Head cocked cutely, passing back and forth between them, she asked "Thirsty?"

Caesar didn't reply simply wrapping a hand around his parched throat.

The little girl went over to a source of water after conveying her meaning, a bucket about half a yard away filled to the brim with the liquid. The little girl went to retrieve it. The bucket was heavy, the water inside sloshing with each step she took, but she lugged the bucket to Caesar's cage first and held it tipped to the bars.

Scrambling towards the bars Caesar eagerly gulped the water was it poured from the bucket into his open mouth. Truly he drank like someone who hadn't had a single drop for months not days, excess water literally streaming down his chin and dripping onto the earth. The water was sour and tasted of metal, but to him nothing could've been sweeter.

Light hoots from cross the yard drew her attention. The little girl turned towards the adult's holding pen. All of them were looking at her in curiosity astonished a human was helping their leader and heir. The apes inside cast furtive glances around all the while gesturing for her to come over. The child cast a final look at Caesar and went over to them.

The child went to the pen and the apes at the front dumped the mixture of grain and oats from their hands into the bucket. Margo and Caesar watched in confusion, not knowing what was going on.

Slowly the child returned with a small bounty. Cupped in her hands is food that the adults had hoarded from that single session for a chance just like this.

The little girl passes it off to Caesar.

Caesar could think of no words that would properly convey his appreciation.

A hoot drew the three of them to look back at the adult pen.

One by one his subjects lifted their arms pressing their fists together, exhibiting the unity and outright support they displayed the other day as one entity, in a familiar symbol.

Apes Together Strong.

Staring at the tenacity of his people Caesar feels his pride rise.

Glancing towards the children Caesar's heart soars as he watches Margo direct the children to copy their relatives. She soon follows smiling softly at him from across the way.

The little girl looked back and forth between Caesar and the apes in the pen intrigued. This was the only time she'd ever seen that sign. Despite not knowing what it meant she raised her hands copying the new symbol .Caesar smiled back nodding in approval and acceptance. If the Colony regained its freedom she would explain the symbol to her. After all she's done so far to help them she deserved to consider herself an ape in their eyes.

She was one of them now, proven her worth ten times over.

Caesar eats every last seed, not wasting a single bite.

Suddenly voices were heard getting closer from deep inside the camp. The soldiers were coming out.

If they caught the child here it did not bode well for her. She'd lingered for too long.

With what the Colonel had told them earlier the child's fate is obvious should she be caught and her ailment discovered. She mustn't be.

"Hide," ordered Caesar. "Quick."

By all accounts the child should flee for her life, but if she bolted now the Colonel or one of his men would surely see her. She'd be captured and executed on the spot. But if she remained then she'd be recognized and apprehended for certain.

This is without a doubt a no-win scenario.

Made worse when the child chose to hide behind the leg of a guard tower.

Then an unlikely solution arose.

Loud hoots and screeches were heard from close to the barricade. The culprit was soon identified.

Rocket.

The Alpha Omega soldiers went bonkers. They immediately surrounded Rocket, holding him at gunpoint as they led him further in to face the Colonel. Rocket had his arms and hands held up high over his head.

The Colonel turned to glare at the father and daughter pair, but they gave nothing away. He then ordered Red to take Rocket into custody.

Red went to do just that. Rocket wasn't going to make it easy for him. The moment Red got close enough Rocket viciously head butted him in the chin. A brawl ensued between them that had the apes and the humans going wild.

Seeing this as a distraction Caesar signaled for the child to take her chance and run. She did. With none of the Alpha Omega's paying any attention she got out safe.

Red got Rocket on the ground on his side bringing his fists down hard.

Tired of this the Colonel loaded his pistol and fired narrowly missing Rocket's head. Everyone froze, even Red. The Colonel walked up to kneel staring intently at Rocket.

"Are there others out there," said the Colonel.

Rocket kept silent, refusing to betray any of his comrades. He's a true friend and a warrior, loyal to a fault. The Colonel would never break him.

"Sweep the area," said the Colonel to his right hand man. He then nodded to Rocket. "Put him in the pen."

Rocket was savagely backhanded in a surprise assault from Red. He was dragged unceremoniously into the holding pen where the adults of the tribe were imprisoned. Once inside the Donkey's ganged up on Rocket. The tribe was forced to watch helpless to do anything to aide him as the renegade apes beat him into submission. They were too afraid of being on the receiving end of the traitor's fists.

Locked in their own cages Caesar feels a growl rise in his throat, as all surveyed the scene with horror as the majority of the Donkey's retracted and Red took their place. The gorilla pounded Rocket with his fists raising them high in the air and smacking them down hard. A way to make himself feel better following the humiliation just like the coward he is. Members of the tribe winced at each and every blow that landed on Rocket. For good measure Red kicked Rocket loathsomely in the stomach. Rocket grunted in pain as the kick collided with his ribs, but didn't retaliate wisely choosing to stay down.

One of the turncoats then Rocket to a separate chained lines of apes.

The bars of the doors were then closed and locked.

Rocket somehow managed to stagger to his feet, bloodied unbowed, unbent, and unbroken. Wrapping a hand around the bars of the pen Rocket leaned heavily on them wincing from the pain.

Raising his head, grinning toothily at Caesar, Rocket signed "Feeling better?"

Smiling, shaking his head in disbelief and bemusement, Caesar signed "Yes."

"Good. Then we can talk about escape," signed Rocket, bringing his fists together. "Apes together strong!"

Caesar nodded at his friend, smiling slightly, admiring their resolve, but their situation was dire and continued to look bleak.

In spite of this they all still had each other. That is what's going to get them through this for better or worse.

Teamwork is what is needed now.

Authors Note:

Merry Christmas!

Apologies for the long wait everybody! As you can probably tell by my profile I've been pretty busy. ;)

At last! At long last! The 100th story is finally created! Ah! I'm so happy and proud with myself. The goal has been reached, but that doesn't mean I'm not opened to continuing to receive other story suggestions in the future. I'll always be open to them. Feel free to let me know what they are and if they click then I'll get right to it. Glad to have and am thankful for all your support.

I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D

Right now during this epidemic with the coronavirus that's impacting every nation in the entire world we really do need find whatever sources we possibly can in order to lighten our spirits. Especially those who are unfortunately stuck sick or those locked in self isolation in order to prevent both contraction and spread of the illness. For those of us who have the abilities to do this we have a duty to keep up morale and that's exactly what I wholeheartedly desire these new stories and updates concocted during this time do for you.

I recently put up some other works I've put out at titled Edith Angelica Tepes, Spirits Save The Justice League Against Crazy Jane, Crazy Jane Comes To Town, Fatal Attraction, The Strawhat's Mermaid, When Two Become One, The Sorcerer's Daughter, Enola: The Last Unicorn To Middle Earth, Heroes Vs Predators, Silent Guardians To Gotham, Hachiko: UA Class 1-A's Mascott, Big Hero 6: Mirai Hamada, Mermaids Walk Among Us, U.A. High Schools Own Blue Eyes White Dragon, Sayuri Wren, Fifth Turtle, Crown Jewel Of Gongmen City, The Emperor's Daughter, Glenstorm's Daughter, Dianca Robbins, Morning Star, Reira Todoroki: Daughter Of Fire and Ice, Secret Of Bristol Cove, Predators Redemption, Rava's Journey, Princess Of The Forest, A Revolutionary Romance, Aunt, Fantine Tezla: Hot Wheels Acceleracers, Green Lantern Odette Dupree: First Flight, Magic And the Brave Little Toaster 1, Lavinia: Princess Of Edelweiss, Rorschach's Legend, Watchmen Meets Avengers: The Newest Defender, The 8thLoser, Naomi Poldark: Mistress Of Nampara, Serenity: End Guardian To The Moors, Dido Cruger: Power Rangers SPD, The True Catwoman Of Gotham, Green Lantern Odette Dupree: First Flight, and Nuala: The White Lioness. I highly recommend them. ;D

By the way, Edith Angelica Tepes, Spirits Save The Justice League Against Crazy Jane, Crazy Jane Comes to Town, Fatal Attraction, Strawhat's Mermaid, When Two Become One, The Sorcerer's Daughter, Heroes vs Predators, Enola: The Last Unicorn To Middle Earth, Silent Guardians To Gotham, Hachiko: UA Class 1-A's Mascot, Mermaids Walk Among Us, Big Hero 6: Mirai Hamada, U.A. High Schools Own Blue Eyes White Dragon, Reira Todoroki: Daughter Of Fire And Ice, Morning Star, Crown Jewel Of Gongmen City, Fifth Turtle, The Emperor's Daughter, Rorschach's Legend, Sayuri Wren, Bianca Robbins, Aunt, Glenstorm's Daughter, Mandalorian: The 2ndFoundling, Eira Byrnison, and Watchmen Meets Avengers: The Newest Defender, Rava's Journey, Princess Of The Forest, Green Lantern Odette Dupree: First Flight, and The True Catwoman Of Gotham, are some of the best newest additions to my profile.

Stay safe everyone.