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Just outside of your small campsite, you had heard what sounded like someone groaning in pain-- perhaps a wounded animal, yet the sound was almost human-like. It had caught you by surprise and as someone with a medical background, you were eager to see if there was anything you could do to help.
What you weren't expecting to see-- was a large ape, hunched over on the ground, one hand clutching his abdomen which wasn't doing much to stop the blood dripping onto the forest floor below him. Upon seeing him, your mouth went slightly agape. You knew of the apes' existence, rumours had spread quickly, however, seeing one of them in front of you like this was still much of a shock. Your camp had warned you, that if you ever came across one of them, not to interact with them; but how could you leave him like this, to suffer--
You too a deep breath, hesitating to approach at first, wondering how he would react. But ultimately you launched forward to help him.
"A-are you okay?" You asked, cautiously approaching the injured bonobo.
He glared up at you through his bloodshot eyes, looking like he might rip your face off. However, he didn't attempt to attack you and it was clear that he was in need of some form of medical assistance. He was injured. You weren't sure what had happened, but he was hurt quite badly. There was a chance that he could bleed out.
"I-I want to help!" You exclaimed. "Let me take a look at your injury."
Getting a better look at him from up close was quite alarming, his fur was bristled in defence, he had a large scar that ran down one of his eyes, giving him a tough and rugged looking appearance.
“Are you a fool?”
He spoke!
Koba’s deep and gravelly voice snapped at you like a harsh bark, stopping you in your tracks. His scowl darkened into a hateful glare as his fingers dug into the soil beneath him, gripping it to the point that his knuckles turned a stark white. His gaze narrowed on you as he slowly pushed himself off the ground with a pained huff.
“Go. . . . Away." His voice low, guttural and gravelly.
Your eyes widened ever so slightly upon hearing him talk. This would make it easier to convince him. But for a moment you hesitated, wondering if you should have gotten involved in the first place, remembering what the other humans at your camp had told you. No-- You had no choice, if you didn't help him, he would surely die.
"But I can help you. I have medical experience."
Koba's eyes immediately hardened at your mention of experience with "medical procedures". Hand tightened more firmly around the gash on his abdomen, a snarl escaped his lips. He was starting to look very hostile, as if you bringing up medical experience triggered something in him to act aggressively and defensive.
"Back—stay back!" He demanded, but he was unable to get up in the end and simply hunched over on the ground, holding his wounded stomach, trying to regain his breath.
"Okay, okay. . ." You backed away slowly and put your hands up defensively. "I won't do anything." You paused before adding, "I-I can make you some medicine though. . . It's the least I can do."
Koba's expression didn't soften at your reply. If anything, his eyes just became narrower as he sized you up from his position on the ground.
"Medicine—" he hissed under his breath, but that only caused him to winced in pain again, clenching his eyes closed. "What— kind of— medicine?"
"Pain medicine." You explained, "And to disinfect the wound."
"Pain— medicine?"
Koba's expression slightly softened as he contemplated the thought of the promised pain medication. He didn't trust you completely and yet, he desperately needed the help.
With a small grumble, he slowly nodded, begrudgingly accepting your offer.
"F-fine. . . "
"Great!" You smiled, "I'll go and get it from my camp, it's just over here! Just give me a few minutes. I'm gonna have to grab the ingredients."
Koba didn't make a move to stop you. He simply remained laying on the ground, eyeing you as you rose to your feet and faded off into the distance. The ape grumbled to himself as he watched, a bitter look in his eyes, knowing that he was currently unable to do much about his current situation.
He felt pathetic, resenting himself for how out of control he felt in that moment. He couldn't even walk. He was left completely at your mercy and that fact made his blood boil.
Like all the other times.
The bright fluorescent light as he lay on the operating table almost blinding his one good eye-- The eye that he had lost to human cruelty. The pain of his open wound simulating the burning feeling of the scalpel opening up his flesh so that they could torment him more.
As Koba lay there feeling himself drift in and out of consciousness, the image of his mother flashed in his mind. Koba remembered his mother's screams and cries, the pain she was in as she was taken from him. When Mary had closed her eyes for the final time--
I couldn't protect you.
The sound of a twig snapping broke him from his thoughts. He raised his head to find you standing a few feet away.
"I got the herbs. Let's get you fixed up."
Koba was a little bit startled when you suddenly appeared in front of him again, having been too distracted with his own thoughts to notice you return. He made a displeased noise in the back of his throat but nonetheless didn't protest, watching you with a suspicious eye as you knelt in front of him once again.
He was silent for a good moment, studying the herbs carefully and then looking back up to you. After a few more seconds, he finally grunted in response, signalling to you that he was ready.
"Take this first. It'll help numb the pain."
Koba observed the herbs you held for a moment, then snatched them out of your hand and brought them close to his face. He sniffed them, and then paused warily. Slowly, he brought the herbs to his mouth and ate them, taking the medicine reluctantly.
"Tastes bad." he huffed, not caring to be polite.
"It'll start working in a few minutes. While we wait, I'm gonna check out your wound." You made a motioning movement with your hand, as if signalling him to sit upright so that you could get a better look at his injuries.
The ape looked up, the distrust was still apparent in his eyes as he stared at you. His expression remained wary and untrusting as you announced your intentions to check his injury, and he slowly started to sit up on the ground, leaning against a tree. He winced slightly, discomfort apparent, though he made no move to stop you-- he was in no position to.
"Okay." You murmured, taking a moment to prepare the paste. Koba's eyes remained on you, silently watching as you prepared the medicine.
"This is going to sting." You warned him, pulling a cloth out and dabbing it in a bowl of water first.
"Hng-"
Koba grunted as the cloth made contact with his open wound, flinching slightly but otherwise making no other reaction.
"Sorry, I just have to make sure there's no debris." You told him, "It'll be over soon."
As soon as you were satisfied that his wound was clean, you reached for the paste that you had prepared, dabbing some onto a fresh gauze. Carefully, you applied it over his quivering, toned midriff.
It stung, a lot, and it took him a lot of self-restraint for Koba to not reach out and push you away. He grit his teeth, eyes narrowing, muscles tensing up.
"S-stop." he ordered.
"I know-- it hurts. I'm sorry, I'm almost finished."
Koba grumbled in distaste as you continued cleaning his injury, hating every second of this interaction, but knowing he had no choice other than to comply.
"Hurry." he demanded, his grip on the tree trunk was starting to get so hard that the bark started to crumble around his fingers.
You didn't waste time in applying the medicine to his injury. As soon as you were finished, you started to wrap his torso with a bandage. Even though it took quite the amount of his self-control, Koba managed to keep himself from flinching or jumping every time the bandage touched his sensitive skin. Once you finally finished wrapping his torso, he sighed, feeling a small sense of relief that it was over.
"This will keep the dirt and bacteria out. It should start feeling better in a few hours."
Kobo's breaths came out a bit rougher, his chest heaving rapidly as he started to calm down. His tense frame relaxed slightly when you finally finished dressing up his injury. His eyes drifted down to look at the bandages you had applied. It hadn't occurred to him until now that you weren't trying to hurt him, but genuinely trying to help.
The pain medication was beginning to kick in as well, and soon, Koba realized that the pain he had been feeling before was easing.
He looked back up at you, an unreadable look in his eyes. It was almost like he was starting to reconsider his initial thoughts about you.
"I will be okay?"
"Yes, but the medicine is only a temporary fix. You should rest. Don't move too much. If you do, you could reopen the wound."
Koba didn't respond as you gave him the instructions to take care of his wound. Instead, he huffed, his expression hardening back to his usual scowls.
"I will be fine." he insisted, refusing to lie down in front of you. "I am strong."
You, however, were a little less than convinced.
"You still need rest for your body to recover, medicine or not." you pointed out. "You will only hurt yourself further if you don't rest."
Koba let out a huff again as you attempted to convince him to rest. He didn't want to give into your suggestion, but he was silently admitting to himself that you were right. He grumbled under his breath, still refusing to admit defeat.
"Perhaps ... a small rest." he muttered reluctantly, his gruff tone betraying his attempt at nonchalant.
"You can lay in my tent if you like, it's much more comfortable than the ground and it's sheltered from the elements. "
Koba's expression darkened as you suggested he rest in your tent. Immediately, he gave you a disapproving look and narrowed his eyes.
"No." he grumbled firmly, his answer short and stubborn. "Rest here. I need no human shelter."
You could see that he was getting frustrated, so you decided not to push any further.
"Okay." You agreed, "That's fine."
For awhile, there was a tense silence between the two of you. Koba simply sat with his back against the tree, staring at the ground with a grumpy expression. But then, after a few moments, he suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
"Why ... did you help?" he asked, his voice was quiet.
"I heard something-- someone in pain, and I saw you. You were hurt, so I wanted to help." You told him.
"I-I—"
The ape was at a loss for words. His eyes slowly raised to look at you again as you explained your reason for helping him. He listened quietly, almost in disbelief. He was so used to people hurting him, avoiding him, running away in fear, so a human willingly helping him was an entirely new concept.
He didn't understand your motives, he was certain most of the humans in this patch of forest had been taught to avoid and fear the apes, yet here you were, helping him.
A bitter thought crossed his mind. What was your endgame in helping him? Was this some sort of trap? Or were you just pretending to be nice so you could take advantage of his weakened state?
Koba narrowed his eyes at you, his expression becoming guarded. You seemed to have taken notice, explaining yourself further.
"I'm a medic. It's my job to help others, even if they're not human."
Koba raised an eyebrow at your simple explanation. He wasn't used to humans being so ... honest. Listening to you now, there was no hint of lies or deception in your words. Your answer was straightforward and genuine. It racked his brain.
"Hmph." he grumbled, turning his head away. "I didn't need your help."
You couldn't help but chuckle softly at his stubbornness.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to rest at my campsite? You will be much more vulnerable if you stay here like this..."
Again, Koba paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and thinking over your offer. On one hand, he still felt slightly suspicious of you, of your intentions. But on the other hand, he also knew that you were right. He didn't want to admit it, but he was vulnerable like this, and he really could use some rest and getting back to the colony in this state would take a long time.
Letting out a reluctant grumble, Koba slowly began pushing himself off of the ground, preparing to stand up.
"I will be fine." He said, stumbling off into the woods. There wasn't much you could do to stop him, but you still worried.
"Well, you know where I am if you change your mind." You admitted, smiling softly as he slowly limped away into the thick of the forest, grumbling under his breath.
He was stubborn and prideful, and refused to admit that your concern for him was genuine. But even as he walked away, he could still hear your voice, light and airy, reminding him of your offer. He wanted to ignore your words, to prove that he didn't need your help, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of lingering hesitance and perhaps... a hint of longing.
Koba stopped, turning back to glance at you. "I. . . " He started, then stopped again, struggling to find the right words.
"Thank. . . You." he mumbled, almost too quiet for you to hear. But you did.
You paused when you heard Koba's mumbled words, almost wondering in surprise, for a moment, if you had heard them properly. But indeed, the rough, bitter ape had suddenly stopped and turned back towards your direction and actually thanked you. It was a quiet and mumbled show of gratitude, but you could clearly hear the small hint of sincerity in his voice.
And as he walked away, you couldn't help but notice that he looked a little lighter, a little less angry.