Manu the drill monkey clung to the low tree branch, his eyes huge with pain. He knew he had crossed the line. All around him, the other monkeys screeched, their calls echoing through the dense foilage. They moved around, pulling at leaves, scurrying under hedges. Manu stared at them longing to move among them as he once did - as leader of the pack. But he could not.
The drills had unwritten code: a leader who messed up would never lead again. "If only I had not killed RedCrown..." Manu mused.
"But he provoked me," Manu argued within himself. RedCrown, a younger male had entered Manu's territory last mating season. Manu killed him in a battle for supremacy.
A sudden rustling sound broke Manu's thoughts. A stunning blow sent him sprawling. Manu rose slowly. The screeching had ceased. The silence was defeaning. The tired old drill Manu tried to gain his footing. He knew even before he looked up into the fierce, dark eyes, starring at him that life would never be the same..
The drills had unwritten code: a leader who messed up would never lead again. "If only I had not killed RedCrown..." Manu mused.
"But he provoked me," Manu argued within himself. RedCrown, a younger male had entered Manu's territory last mating season. Manu killed him in a battle for supremacy.
A sudden rustling sound broke Manu's thoughts. A stunning blow sent him sprawling. Manu rose slowly. The screeching had ceased. The silence was defeaning. The tired old drill Manu tried to gain his footing. He knew even before he looked up into the fierce, dark eyes, starring at him that life would never be the same..
