Chapter 62: War Continues, and A Sister arrives. 201 CE

As months passed by and the year changed, the war continued. The apes are starting to push back, using the trees and environment as an advantage. During this couple of months, Pluto taught Grodd war tactics that are suitable for the apes’ situation. He taught him war tech suitable to the time such as blow darts, traps, bows, improved armour, and many more.

Pluto also taught Grodd languages that may help him make the apes’ own language once all of them could talk. Because of the Ring of power, which is the Ring of Knowledge, Grodd has improved intelligence, and it will continue to improve as time goes on. He learned quickly and effectively, and he was able to practice the knowledge that Pluto had given him in an instant.

Now, a lot of wakandans were killed because of traps that have been tainted by excrement, war prisoners are slowly piling in the dungeons of the town, and arrows were everywhere around the jungle near the settlement.

In the Ape camp(not really though, the apes are just resting in between the branches of the trees) Thena was standing face to face with Grodd. She had the warhammer that the apes used, which was no problem for her to carry. Grodd also had the same thing, and the two of them were surrounded by other apes.

“If you want to use the warhammer, you need to use gravity to your advantage,” said Thena. “Warhammers are blunt, and could break through armour and shields easily, though, your enemy right now are using vibranium, so I suggest you use daggers, swords, and daggers instead, stab their armour’s weak points.”

“Daggers, swords, spears, do not use blunt things, attack weak points.” Grodd repeated while Thena and him were circling with one another. “I get it.”

“Good.” hummed Thena. “Now, because the majority of you are all gorillas, you need to use your size and strength to your advantage.”

Thena then dashed towards Grodd, and grabbed his face, startling the young king. “Incapacitate the soldiers, and then stab them with the daggers or swords you have.”

“Y-Yes…” Grodd gulped.

Thena sighed as she released Grodd. “You think you could teach them?” questioned Thena, looking at the curious apes that surrounded them.

“They are my people.” said Grodd as he grabbed his warhammer that was on the ground. “I will do my best to teach them. I will find a way to make them similar to me, could speak.”

Thena hummed in amusement. “And how are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know yet.” said Grodd, shaking his head. He looked at the ring on his fingers glowing faintly as he touched it. “Eshu gave me an opportunity to improve my people, to guard my people so we would not be oppressed so easily like before. I will use it.”

Thena smiled softly as she patted Grodd. She turned around and said, “Good luck training them.”

“I will do my best, Goddess.” nodded Grodd weakly.

—

As Pluto was sitting on a branch of a tree, Thena jumped to that branch, shaking it and making Pluto almost fall off.

“Why did you do that?!” Pluto complained as he stabilised himself.

Thena ignored it and sat on the branch, resting herself with Pluto. “When would she come?”

Pluto sighed as he sat closer to Thena. “She’s close.”

Thena raised her eyebrows. “And how do you know that?”

Pluto just showed her the one ring, and smirked at her, making her snort.

“You know we could just end the war ourselves right?” said Thena.

“True.” hummed Pluto. “But, we can’t directly interfere, I don’t want to break the rules again.”

“But why call her?” asked Thena again.

“The ring she had is quite useful in this situation.” shrugged Pluto.

“Why do you give it to her anyway?”

“That?” Pluto chuckled nervously, “I can’t quite use the ring that she has.”

“Why?”

“I’m not exactly a worshipper of order in case you don’t know…” said Pluto. “The Chaos and Order rings are special… they are a bit picky…”

“But you said there were no consequences?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say that there aren’t any requirements…” scoffed Pluto. “That ring would probably love being on Ikaris’s finger, but not me though, I could only do the basic things.”

Thena sighed. “Why did you choose it then?”

“I didn’t choose it.” grumbled Pluto. “When I made the ring, it was randomised.”

Thena laughed, as if what Pluto said was a joke. “Randomised?”

“I’m not kidding.” Pluto grumbled. “It really is randomised…”

It is a lie, the old man chose it for him, but he couldn’t tell that…

Thena continued to giggle as she looked at him. She held his hand, and looked at the apes below them, training diligently under the tutelage of Grodd.

It was a comfortable silence at first. But then, Pluto spoke. “Thena…”

“Yeah?”

“Do you… trust me?” asked Pluto calmly.

Thena rolled her eyes. “We already have each other for hundreds of years and you ask that now?”

Pluto smiled softly and continued. “Will you hate me… if I hid something from you?”

Thena frowned for a moment, before softening her gaze. “I would for a moment, but you’re not the type that hides something without a strong reason to do so.”

“You think?”

“I know so.” hummed Thena. “Look… I trust you Pluto. You’ve changed me in so many ways that you cannot even realise… I used to be a bloodthirsty woman, always eager for battle, I don't even think that I could raise children because of that… but when we were in Africa, you showed me something that it is something that I could do, and I’m thankful for that. So whatever happens, I will stick with you, till the end.”

Pluto squeezed her hand softly, and smiled at her. “Even if it means going against our own nature and reason of existence?”

Thena nodded and kissed his forehead gently. “Even that.”

—

In the evening of that day, a band of humans were approaching the camp. The apes were alert, and instantly surrounded the band. The band of humans didn’t look like it belonged to Wakanda, the apes didn’t recognize it, but Pluto and Thena certainly could. They were Egyptians.

“Stand down,” said Pluto in sign language to the other apes. The apes, as it was their gods’ command, compelled.

Meanwhile, Grodd was walking beside Pluto and Thena. “Eshu, who are they? I sensed something from the middle of that band of humans.” he questioned.

It wasn’t Pluto nor Thena who answered it, it was someone else, a voice of a woman.

“Your sister.” said the voice. The group of men were suddenly split, revealing a small carriage. The carriage door opened, and it revealed a young woman, beautiful in her own way.

“Really? A carriage? No wonder you took so long.” sighed Pluto.

The young woman looked at Pluto, and she smiled gently. She bowed like a noble, and greeted him. “Father.”

She looked at the woman beside him, she frowned, but then changed her attitude instantly, she bowed again in front of her, and greeted Thena. “Mother.”

Grodd was confused. Brother? Mother? Who is she?

The young woman walked to Grodd. She inspected him from top to bottom, and nodded. “Like I said, I’m your sister, no need to be confused.” she said as she showed him the silver ring on her finger.

Grodd knew what it meant. She was like him. He stretched his arm, making a fist bumping motion to her. “Grodd.”

The woman smiled, and fistbumped him. “Cleopatra.” 

—

In a tent that was set up for Pluto and Thena, Grodd and Cleopatra were sitting together along with Pluto and Thena, seemingly chatting to one another.

“I didn’t think that you would call me so soon father.” commented Cleopatra. “You said you would not call me for a long time.”

“Something happened.” shrugged Pluto. “So? You didn’t change your name?”

“I changed it once in a while,” said Cleopatra. “But my real name is still Cleopatra.”

“And you’re still staying in Alexandria?”

Cleopatra nodded softly. “Yes, don’t worry, I’m careful.”

“Why are you so attached to that place anyway?”

“It’s my city that I built,” said Cleopatra. “I wanted to enjoy it.”

Pluto shook his head in amusement. “Alright. I need you to stop a war.”

“That’s it? You called me this far to stop a war?” questioned Cleopatra in annoyance. “Fine, let’s get this over with.”

“Are you sure you can do it though?” questioned Pluto. “The Black Panther isn’t your typical man, Cleo.”

Cleopatra’s eyes shined a bit as she heard that Pluto gave her a nickname. “Of course, I studied the book thoroughly in these centuries, while I am not a master yet, I am confident in dominating normal humans.”

Pluto shook his head again. “The Black Panther isn’t a normal human.”

Grodd nodded, finally entering the conversation. “The Black Panther has abnormal strength for a human, endurance as well.”

“He probably ate some kind of herb that was nourished by the Vibranium.” Thena commented. “Are you sure you could do it?”

Cleopatra looked at Thena, Pluto felt like Cleopatra wanted her approval, so she nodded. “I am sure.”

Pluto sighed. “Well, if you’re sure, we’ll be marching towards Wakanda starting tomorrow. Grodd will try to open a discussion, that’s where you come in.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t fail you, father, mother.”