






In the quiet morning mist of the jungle clearing, life usually began with soft rustles, cheerful chirps, and playful monkey chatter. But today, something felt different. There was a strange heaviness in the air. A sense of unease whispered through the trees. CUTIS, the once joyful and dependable farmer who had become a father figure to many rescued animals, stood at the edge of the small shelter he built with love and patience. His eyes searched the forest beyond, filled with confusion, sadnessāand determination.
Behind him, in a cozy corner of the bamboo shelter, the baby monkey, whom everyone called Lolo, clung tightly to his mother. The mother monkey, visibly pregnant, looked exhausted. Her fur was ruffled, her eyes wide with both worry and fear. She had grown to trust CUTIS over the past few months. He fed her, gave her medicine, made her feel safe. And Loloāwell, he adored CUTIS. To him, CUTIS was not just a caretaker. He was āPapa.ā
But that morning, everything changed.
CUTIS had found a sign. A shredded piece of a scarf near the waterfall trail. A scarf that once belonged to his long-lost father, who had disappeared many years ago. Nobody ever expected to see any trace of him again. But CUTIS had never stopped hoping. And now, the hope burned so brightly in his chest that it blinded him to what he was leaving behind.
āI have to go,ā he whispered to himself, eyes still fixed on the woods. āIf heās out there, I have to find him.ā
CUTIS walked over to the monkeys. He crouched down, gently stroking Loloās soft head. The baby monkey chirped happily, unaware of what was about to happen.
āLolo, be good for Mommy,ā CUTIS said with a forced smile. āIāll be back⦠I promise.ā
The pregnant mother looked at him, her instincts sensing the truth. Her tiny hand reached out, clutching his shirt weakly, as if begging him to stay. But CUTIS gently pulled away.
āIāll come back soon. I just need to find him,ā he said, more to himself than to her. Then, without another word, he grabbed his pack and stepped into the forest, leaving behind the only family that truly depended on him.







The first day passed slowly.
The baby monkey waited by the door. Every time a leaf rustled or a bird fluttered by, Lolo turned his head with hope. But CUTIS didnāt come back.
The pregnant mother grew weaker. Without CUTIS bringing her food or medicine, she struggled to care for herself and her baby. Still, she tried her best. She kept Lolo close, let him nap on her belly, and softly groomed his fur to comfort him.
But days passed.
The shelter grew cold at night, and wild sounds echoed louder without CUTIS’s presence. Lolo cried more. He missed the strong arms that held him, the warm hand that brought bananas, the silly voice that made him laugh.
The mother monkey could no longer keep up. Her belly was too big now. She was tired. She was scared. And yet, she never let Lolo out of her sight.
Meanwhile, CUTIS moved deeper into the forest.
Each day he followed the trail. He found broken branches, footprints, and even an old campfireāevidence that someone had been there recently. The more clues he found, the further away he went.
But at night, guilt crept in. He would lie under the stars, thinking of Loloās tiny hands and the mother’s worried eyes. Heād remember how Lolo would cling to his neck, laugh when he tickled his belly. He would imagine the motherās belly rising and falling as she breathedāalone, in the cold, waiting for him.
āWhat have I done?ā he whispered one night. āI left them.ā
He wanted to believe he was doing the right thing. Finding his father would give his family a future. Maybe the old man knew things that could help. Maybe he had medicine, or knowledge, or stories. But what if he was gone? What if CUTIS never found him?
And what if⦠he came back too late?







Back at the shelter, the situation worsened.
The mother monkey went into labor early. She cried out softly, trying to keep calm for Loloās sake. But she was weak. There was no CUTIS to help. No warm blankets. No comforting hand.
Lolo panicked. He chirped and screamed, running in circles, confused and frightened. He didnāt understand why his mother was in pain, why she didnāt smile anymore.
But just when it seemed the night would swallow them, something miraculous happened. A neighborāan old friend of CUTISāhad been watching the shelter from a distance. He had seen CUTIS leave, and he had been worried.
That night, hearing the cries, he rushed in.
With strong hands and a kind heart, he helped the mother monkey through the birth. It was a long, painful process, but by morning, there was a new baby monkey lying beside her. Tiny, wrinkled, and safe.
The older friend stayed. He brought food, warm water, and a soft blanket. He comforted Lolo. He cleaned the shelter.
Still, Lolo missed CUTIS. He didnāt understand why the one he trusted most had left. The new baby needed care, the mother needed restāand CUTIS was gone.




Two weeks later, just as the jungle began to bloom again after a heavy rain, CUTIS returned.
His clothes were torn, his face scratched, and his eyesāfilled with tears. He hadnāt found his father. The trail had gone cold. He had wandered too far. And now, his heart ached with regret.
When he reached the shelter and saw Lolo sitting on the roof, watching the path like he always had, something inside CUTIS broke. He ran. He scooped up the baby monkey, held him tight as tears fell onto Loloās tiny shoulders.
āIām so sorry,ā he cried. āI should never have left you.ā
The mother monkey looked up from her resting spot, her newborn baby beside her. She blinked slowly, as if saying, Itās okay. You came back.
CUTIS knelt before her. He placed his hand on her forehead and whispered, āNever again. You are my family.ā