The Primate

Part of the #BePositiveWriteNow Project

Dragging his leathery lumbering knuckles along the marshy leaf-strewn path, the young Gorilla looked back over his shoulder towards his following family. The devastating effect of deforestation and the increasing danger of poaching had made them homeless, and it was with heavy hearts that they moved on. His eyes glanced towards a notch he had formed in the trees, signifying the end of his territory.  It would never be the same again.

 

Winding their way through the valley filled with lush appetising plants, the young Gorilla gazed longingly up at the towering mountains that sat majestically on the horizon.  All his companions and friends had gone there long ago, and his yearning ate at him like an insatiable hunger.  But his family came first, and although he was the youngest male Gorilla, he felt responsible for them.  He was an older Silverback in disguise.  He bore scars from battles and wore them with pride.

 

Arriving in a little copse hidden from view, the family decided this was home.  However, just as they began to settle, a roar pierced the still evening sky, and a group of gnarled looking Gorillas burst out of nowhere.  They had been hiding downwind and caught the group by surprise.  The leader pushed his way to the front, his sharp brown teeth glinting in the moonlight, battering his scarred chest with huge fists.

 

The young Gorilla immediately swung into action, dropping down from the tree he was on, rock in hand, preparing for a battle.  Before he got there though, the elder female Gorillas had already faced up to the black-eyed challenger, beating him back with boulders and sticks, unleashing such ferocity on him that his group fled back scared.  The weathered leader, dazed and disorientated, retreated as fast as he could.  This was a confrontation he would not repeat again.

The young Gorilla, still standing with the rock in hand, couldn't believe what had happened.  The elderly female came over and gently rubbed noses with him before pointing towards the mountain peaks that were covered by a web of mysterious and enticing mist.

 

At that moment the younger Gorilla knew what she meant.  Turning his rock upside down, he used the sharp end to carve out his symbol on the nearest tree.  He then ascended up it, before glancing down to his family.  He gave a mighty bellow before disappearing towards the horizon.

 

The elder female Gorilla watched him go, not with sadness, but with pride. He would come back in time, but that etched symbol in the tree meant that it would always be his home.

Author's Note

These stories are inspired by real people, and are written within 30 minutes or so in front of that very person, with the aim to spread positivity through social media, so please keep that in mind if critiquing.