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A few days after Kong returned to the Living Caves from overthrowing the Skar King, he was quick to move all of the apes out of the scorching depths. This was no environment for a family. To raise children.
Kong was doing pretty well so far.
At least, Suko thought so.
The apes were rather obedient. There seemed to be no tussling amongst them as Kong was assembling them together to relocate.
A few of them moaned and growled a little, and a few of them were expecting Kong to hit them for it. But he never did. He only grunted back softly to keep them in line.
This was different for everybody. The years of unending abuse, was suddenly no more.
Suko kept rather close to Shimo who was at the back of the pack, eager to leave. Suko liked Shimo. He would often sneak into her cavern when everybody was asleep to give her some nose pats, when the Skar King wasn’t bothering her.
She was a lot like a grandmother to Suko, in one way or another. She was timid, but feisty. She liked Suko the most.
Suko stayed at the back with Shimo when Kong started to lead them out of the scorching depths that they called the Living Caves. It was hot down here, and Suko had his fair share of burns on his body, some from accidents, some on purpose.
He scratches at his arm, glancing behind him. This had been Suko’s home for so long, he felt almost nervous to leave it. Gnarled Finger died here. His protector. Now he was being left behind.
Suko tried not to dwell on it too hard. He focused his green gaze ahead, sitting comfortably on Shimo’s head, who was happy to carry him.
This was a new beginning. A fresh start. No longer under the reign of his corrupted father, if he even dares to refer to him as much. the Skar King was never a father, he just wanted an empire.
The females were situated within the middle of the pack, protected by the males who surrounded them from the front and the back, Kong’s orders. This formation ensured them and their children were safe, who clung to their mothers desperately, still very young.
They looked an awful lot like Suko, with their bright orange fur. Maybe they were his siblings? Suko would like a brother or a sister. Maybe both.
He then glanced over to Kong who led the pack. He looked strong, his shoulders broad, his special axe over his shoulder. Kong was a strong ape, much bigger than the other males. Kong walked with much pride. This is what a leader should be.
Suko’s lip twitches into a small smile. Kong was once Stranger, an ape Suko did not know, or care for to start. But now? He loved Kong. Kong was family.
The apes walked for a long time, until they were brought to a clearing within the trees that towered over them, no longer human sized.
The clearing was very big, big enough that they could all comfortably stand together and admire their surroundings. Not far from where they stood was a very large reservoir, and a waterfall from one of the high cliffs above.
Was this even real? Was this home?
Kong throws his axe to the ground, so the dorsal plate digs into the dirt and marks the ground, their new territory.
He thumps his chest, once, twice, then roars. It wasn’t an angry roar, and some of the apes couldn’t help but flinch, thinking so.
After the moment of worry however, the apes joined in, roaring their own call with their new King. Suko joined in too, and so did Shimo.
This was their new home. Out in the open. Suko could see the other world above his head so clearly, so far yet so close. This was much better than looking up and seeing a stone ceiling.
Kong let the apes settle in.
They all scattered and began to pick their dens, some retreating to the huge trees and sitting in the branches. Some were deciding amongst each other where to build their treehouses, getting along for once.
Suko slides off Shimo’s neck and stands next to her leg, rubbing at his arm.
Where would he go? Where did Suko belong?
Gnarled Finger was gone now. His protector, caretaker. He died protecting Suko, and Suko felt guilty. Felt awful that he was the reason why this happened. Maybe if Suko hadn’t come back with Kong, he would have lived.
Suko rubs at his arm, nervously, sadly. Did he even have a mom? None of the females had approached him, or recognized him. No one seemed to notice him.
The child whimpers quietly to himself, and Shimo gives him a comforting nuzzle against his face. She was trying her best.
A huge hand was placed on Suko’s shoulder, and he glanced up to see Kong standing at his side, looking back at him.
Kong gestures his head to the side, telling Suko to walk with him. The child obeys, waddling ahead while Kong gives Shimo a scratch on her nose and leaves with him, letting the apes settle in.
Kong led Suko to the reservoir, the huge body of water glistening under the sunset. Water was a luxury back in the Living Caves. Suko made the most of the very few opportunities he had to go above ground and bathe in the water.
Kong crouches in the reservoir, cupping large handfuls of water and pouring it over his head, giving himself a good wash.
A few of the apes had followed them to the body of water, scattered in pairs or groups of three as they began to wash themselves too.
Suko looked amongst them, watching as the Red-Striped apes began washing away their red markings. There was relief on their face, to get rid of the mark given by the Skar King.
Suko couldn’t bring himself to do the same. He stands there, glancing at his orange fur, to the red mark that was beginning to fade a little.
This mark had been given to him by the Skar King. A mark of honour. It had given Suko purpose. It made him feel big, strong. This mark meant he had been important to the Skar King.
Kong noticed the troubled look on the child’s face. His eyebrows furrowed gently, sympathetically. There was a lot going on in Suko’s little head.
Kong shuffled in the water, getting closer to his kid. He cooed softly, and like any concerned father he asked. ‘What is wrong?’
Suko glances up to Kong’s huff, and furrows his eyebrows too, but in confusion. How would he explain this?
Suko crouches in the water next to him, picking up handfuls of the fresh water and letting it slip through his fingers. Suko vocalises back. ‘I feel… Conflicted.’
Kong tilts his head gently, keeping quiet. He was a very good listener.
Suko continues, struggling now to word his many thoughts and feelings. ‘This mark… Gave me purpose.’ Suko was gesturing with his hands, the same way Kong did when he was with Jia. He was being taught how to use hand-language by Jia, who was Kong’s human, she was also like a daughter to him. Suko wasn’t the best at it, but he did what he could. ‘It made me feel… Special.’
Kong continues to listen, crouching closer and closer while Suko explains.
‘Now that the Skar King is gone I feel… Like I am not important, anymore.’ Suko finished, dropping his little hands into the water and cupping more of it, bringing it to his mouth this time and sipping.
Sighing, Kong sits down in the water where it was shallow, his knees poking out. Kong picks up Suko, who yelps in surprise when he’s brought to sit on Kong’s knee.
Kong was still washing himself, splashing water up his abdomen and to his chest. Suko felt like he should be doing the same.
‘That mark.’ Kong begins to sign, making sure to include his vocal queues. Kong pokes his large finger into Suko’s tiny chest. ‘Does not make you important. It was a mark of violence, by a King that did not care for you.’ Kong rubs water along his arms. ‘That mark does not determine who you are, or how much you think you are worth.’
Suko sits there quietly, rubbing his arm. His legs kick in the water he was sitting in, on top of Kong’s knee.
‘That mark does not give you importance. You are more than that, more than what you thought the Skar King made you.’ Kong begins to splash water on Suko now, gently against his abdomen, testing the waters. Suko didn’t budge, neither did he squirm away.
‘Apes around you are getting rid of their marks. The taint the Skar King left behind. There is no more Skar King. Therefore, there is no more Red-Stripe.’ Kong was slowly splashing water onto Suko’s chest, where his red-stripe was. ‘No more pain. No more fear.’ He was gentle, wiping at Suko’s orange fur, dampening the reddened paint. The child did not protest or push him away.
Suko kept his eyes on Kong, hopeful green eyes that made Kong wish he had come sooner to save him. A child who had suffered years of neglect and abuse, sat timidly on his knee, now free from the hands of the Skar King.
Suko looks around them. Almost all of the apes had followed and decided to bathe in the reservoir, sitting in groups together and cupping water over their heads, giving themselves a well deserved shower.
Some even helped pour water over their open wounds and burns, soothing their pain. No longer controlled by fear, it was a lot easier to get along now.
Suko smiles slowly to himself. This is what freedom looked like.
He looks back at Kong, who was still timidly cleaning him. Suko leans forwards to cup a big handful of water in both hands together, and pours it confidently over his chest, rubbing it in for good measure to rid himself of the Red-Stripe. Kong starts to smile as Suko continues cleaning himself independently now.
Kong keeps hold of him. ‘You are important. Without the Red-Stripe.’ Kong coos, watching as Suko confidently bathed himself now.
‘I am, important?’ Suko huffs and tilts his head.
‘You are, important. To me.’ Kong was still signing when he could, teaching Suko when Jia couldn’t. ‘Now? You are family. We, are family. Together.’
Suko knew the sign for family. It was the first thing Jia had taught him.
The child smiled, and Kong smiled back. This is what it felt to feel important, Suko did not need a Red-Stripe for that.
All he needed was Kong.