Chapter 4 — Early Tensions and Rivalry

Mia

Mia stood at the edge of the orangutan habitat, her leather field notebook cradled protectively in her hands. The morning air was thick with humidity, carrying the mingled scents of damp soil and the musk of the orangutans. Shadows danced across the forest floor as shafts of golden sunlight filtered through the canopy. Tika perched on a low branch, her russet fur gleaming in the dappled light. Every movement of the young orangutan was deliberate yet hesitant, a quiet testament to how far she had come—and how far she still had to go.