KAVUA Chapter 3 - Getting to Know You
#3 of Kavua Series
KAVUA
CHAPTER 3 - GETTING TO KNOW YOU
She stared out at the strangest, most colorful plants and tallest trees she had ever seen. She tried to muster up the courage to go into the jungle, clutching her digital camera close to her chest. It was one of her duties to get photography of the island and send it back to the University of Vildonia for publications of this nearly unknown island and send back reports of her findings about this unusual people and its culture. In all truth, she had reached the borders of the jungle a couple of times that morning and did step foot inside twice, only to run back to safe ground after hearing unusual animal sounds or a rustling in the bushes. She was away from the main city, sitting in the shade under a large, fruit-bearing il'oa(1) tree. During the early morning hours, just as the sun was peeking over the roaring ocean, there had been a quick, yet heavy thundershower. Most of the nature had dried itself in the generous warmth of the sun, except for a few shaded spots. The seat of Siara's khaki shorts were a darker brown from sitting in some wet grass all morning, leaving an impression of her rear for all to see. She felt a tad ashamed of herself as the children had been running in and out of the jungle all day, playing their games as women and men went to and fro from the jungle borders, gathering fruits and nuts or caring for the land. If a child isn't afraid, why should she be? Siara stood up and made a brave face. She swung a carrying case for her camera across her shoulders, puffed out her lavender chest fur and marched to the edge of the rainforest. Fear or not, she was going in... that is until she reached the border once again. Siara stopped dead in her tracks and peered into the vine-covered abyss. She heard growls and squawks, chirps and roars among other frightening and unfamiliar noises.
She was going to head back. She'd simply wait for a warrior to pass by and take her where she wanted to go, or maybe she would even ask one of the children. She sighed deeply and turned around to head back as an athletic, limber creature of some kind swiped the camera and its case right off her shoulder and bounded deep into to trees. "Hey! Give that back!" Siara shouted as she finally stepped foot into the jungle, beginning to chase after her camera. She stopped again, realizing she had crossed the border, a large accomplishment of twelve feet from her comfort zone. The critter climbed down to one of the smaller trees, seemingly taunting Siara to play a game of "catch me if you can". Siara puffed up her chest fur again and accepted the invite as she took off after the creature. It was a brown and gray mukeko. It was cute, a bit on the chubby side with a thin and finely furred piece of skin that stretched from hand to foot on both sides and was about the size of a smaller medium-sized house pet with large eyes and ears, short muzzle and a short tail, and it was fast. The mukeko shot off farther into the jungle, gliding from tree to tree and chirping at an enraged Siara below. Siara bolted after it, tripping over roots and sticks along the way. She was determined to catch it. She hated the thought of having to report back to Deago that a mere jungle creature had stolen her camera. Siara ran ahead, gaining speed and almost catching up with the flying thief when a much larger and yellowish creature popped out in front of her, dangling upside down from some large vines. "Hello!" Kuve gleefully chirped, in Siara's native language. Siara jumped back and screamed loudly. Siara placed her hand over her heart, breathing heavily from being so startled. Kuve remained hanging upside down from the vines. An air of concern in his voice, "You ok, right?" "You scared me to death!" She retorted as she plopped down on a fallen tree. "And that...that thing up there has my camera!" Kuve looked up to the direction Siara was pointing, still hanging from the tree. He flipped himself over and landed on the ground, smiling a small smile. Kuve began to walk towards the direction of the mukeko, when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned around, seeing a sense of excitement on Siara's face. "You speak Marianic?" Siara questioned Kuve, finally realizing that they hadn't been conversing in Kavuan. Kuve simply nodded and smiled proudly. Siara was amazed, and thrilled that another spoke her native tongue. Yet she didn't know how he had learned. "I go get it for you," Kuve offered, pointing towards the mukeko. Siara nodded in delight and relief, hands clasped in joy. The mukeko sat high in a tree, clutching the camera and it's case like a treasure. It watched as Kuve climbed up an il'oa tree using his sharp, powerful claws to hoist him up, yet the mukeko did not run. To Siara's surprise, it even met Kuve as he climbed halfway up the tree. Kuve snatched the camera and its case from the animal and gave the mukeko a small piece of fruit. "Well done, Katiki," Kuve winked and scritched the mukeko under its chin. The mukeko climbed onto Kuve's back as Kuve and his pet came back down to the ground. Kuve tossed Siara her prized camera, as the mukeko romped over to Siara, who screamed loudly once again. "You need to stop doing that. She no bite." "It's wild!" Siara exclaimed. Kuve rolled his eyes playfully, sat down and fed his pet more fruit. "I raise her. A bigger animal killed her family. She was only one left, so I care for her," Kuve explained. "Her name is Katiki." "Yeah, well, nice to meet you, Katiki!" Siara barked, not being enthusiastic in the least to be introduced to this creature. "Where you going to?" Kuve inquired, eating a bit of the fruit that he shared with his familiar. Siara was still cautious of the mukeko. "I need to get some pictures of the island." She explained. Kuve cocked his head a bit. He had heard about pictures before but wasn't too sure of what they were. "I need to find the most beautiful spots on Kavua." "I know of place! Come! I take you!" Kuve coaxed, pulling Siara by her arm. She giggled at Kuve's childlike manner and accepted his offer with Katiki following them down a man-made path in the jungle. "So, where are you taking me?" Siara wondered, still being pulled along by Kuve. "Xai'le," Kuve informed. He shook his head a bit with a smile. "You do need to stop that, though." "Stop what?" Siara asked, trying to avoid Katiki as she bounced around them. "Screaming. Why you so afraid?" Kuve questioned. Siara smirked. Kuve quickly thought to himself of how out of breath Siara was from running. "And you need learn how to breathe."
Siara had no clue where this Xai'le place was but she trusted her new friend. Kuve had seemed a bit nervous throughout their journey to their destination, like maybe he had a lot on his mind or maybe she made him nervous. This strong warrior intrigued Siara. He was gorgeous. His golden fur could make the sun envious and his tannish-red and black markings were exquisite. A cream chest and belly showed off his toned body and his long, black hair was exquisite. She loved his overly large ears and unusually large tail. Siara wanted to learn more about Kuve and maybe develop a close friendship. "So, how did you learn my language?" She asked. Kuve shifted his large spear to his other arm. "I learn with books. They have at Ter Azzo," Kuve taught. Siara was still confused. "There are Kavuan-Marianic dictionaries?" She wondered. Kuve laughed. "No. I found Raimish-Marianic(2) books. I know Raimish so I understand the translations," He explained. Siara was baffled. "You taught yourself by translating your language to Raimish and then into Marianic? That's... amazing!" Siara was in awe. 'Cute, good social status and he's intelligent!' Kuve beamed with pride, glad that he impressed her. "I teach myself when I was a kit. I read many books now," He said, seeing how far his impressing her could go. It worked. Before she had the chance to ask another question, they came upon Xai'le, a place home to the largest waterfall on the island. The waterfall was near three thousand feet tall, falling from the top of Mount Apeha, one of the tallest peaks on the island. Clouds race about with each other on top, cascading along with the waterfall in a harmonious dance. It is joked about in Kavuan culture that the water is simply the sky flowing down to Xelaros below and often the sick or injured will drink of this water to aid in health and recovery. Flowers of every size, shape and color blanketed the walls of Apeha with the glorious Kai'pi'e(3) trees standing guard nearby. "This is amazing... I've never seen anything like it! It's..." Siara gasped, quickly pulling her camera out of its holder to get some shots. "It beautiful," Kuve summarized, lustfully gazing at Siara. She didn't notice Kuve staring at her as he lay against a rock underneath a large tree. He watched Siara dart from one spot to the next, not being able to decide exactly what to take a picture of. She eventually found the perfect view and failingly tried to climb on top of a large boulder. "Help me up," Siara said. Kuve playfully shook his head and pushed her up to the top of the rock. Kuve gaped at the large camera Siara was holding. He was puzzled when she put it up to her eyes. Was she looking inside of it? He did not know. He had never seen a camera before, but he remembered reading about them. Flash! Siara took a spectacular shot of the waterfall, the light of the sun illuminating around it. "Perfect!" She said in a satisfied manner and snapped a few more shots. She sighed a breath of satisfaction and noticed Kuve was not beside her anymore. She looked down and found Kuve hiding behind the rock she stood atop of. "What's the matter?" "What was that?!" Kuve asked in a panicked tone of voice. Siara laughed quietly and clumsily jumped off the rock. Kuve backed up as she neared him, afraid of the camera. "Lightning box!" "No, no. It's not lightning. It's a camera. I take pictures with it," Siara explained, wanting to laugh a bit louder. Siara pulled up a picture of the waterfall on the LED screen of her camera and showed Kuve. He glanced at the picture, then at the waterfall, then back at the picture and back at the waterfall again. "Xai'le in there!" He shouted, becoming more anxious of this strange technology and reached for his spear. Siara sat beside Kuve. "No, Xai'le is over there. This is just a picture. Like, when your people paint pictures of something. It's just an impression of what you see," Siara explained. She handed Kuve the camera, his ears flattened to the side of his head. He sniffed it cautiously. "It smell like death," Kuve said bluntly, smelling the non-natural smell of plastic, something he had never encountered before. "It's not death. I'll show you something," Siara said. She took the camera away from Kuve and stood up from the ground. Flash! Kuve chirped loudly(4) and dove behind the rock once again. Siara rolled her eyes and chuckled. Her scared friend peeked out from behind the rock. "Look." "I in there! I want out!" Kuve shouted, trying to lunge at her camera as he saw an image of himself on the LED screen, an amusing scared facial expression and eyes wide in the picture. "Kuve! You're right here, beside me! You're not in the camera!" Siara shouted with a hint of laughter and disbelief, dodging the frantic warrior and protecting her camera. Kuve collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed. Siara once again sat by her friend. "Why not take a picture of me?" "Okay?" Kuve shrugged, his tail tucked between his legs and fur puffed up. Siara explained to him to the best of her ability how it worked. She told him which button to push and how long to wait. Flash! He dropped the camera and ran again behind the rock. Siara rolled her eyes and grabbed her camera. "Look. A picture of me and I'm not in the box," Siara stated. Kuve glanced at the picture and came out of hiding. "It's okay." Kuve took the camera from Siara. He smiled a bit and slightly wagged his tail. Flash! One more picture of Siara. Flash! A picture of the rock. Flash! Flash! Flash! Siara ran after her trigger-happy friend who was sprinting to and fro, snapping pictures of everything in sight with Katiki playfully romping behind him. "Kuve! I don't have much memory left!" She told as she finally caught up to him. He didn't know what she was talking about but he returned it to her nonetheless. Siara smirked as she grabbed the camera away from him. "You know Kuve, you really need to stop doing that." "Me doing what?" He questioned. Siara giggled. "Screaming," She retorted in a mocking tone. "What are you so afraid of?" "Lightning boxes. I never see before!" Kuve explained, understanding Siara's sarcasm. Siara nodded. "Just like how everything here is new to me."
Evening was drawing near. The sun was in its final stages and growing tired, sleepily sinking to its bed on the western horizon. The sun blessed the land by casting an orangey-pink hue onto the field in which Siara and Kuve were laying in. Bright yellow and white clouds dotted the glowing blue sky. Katiki was busy chasing flying insects, tumbling around in the soft grass. Siara sighed and smiled. "You okay?" Kuve asked. Siara shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Yeah, it's really nice here," She answered. Kuve looked up towards the sky, laying his head in his arms as they lay in the grass. "I think it must be nice where you from," He thought out loud. A kei'li flew overhead, singing the sun to sleep. "It's okay, I guess. Very polluted though," She taught. "You have much amazing things. I only read about them and yet I never saw them," Kuve sighed. Siara looked over at her friend, and back up towards the sky. "It's not worth it. I'd rather have all of this any day," She exclaimed, looking at the wonders of nature around her. Kuve sat up. "Yes but this all I know. You know much more than me. I want see your world," He explained. "Why? You live in a paradise!" Siara said, sitting up as well. "My spirit go beyond this island. Sometimes I wish I never read a book. Then I not know what I am missing," He confessed. Siara shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. "You're not missing much, Kuve."
The sun had been sleeping for hours. Siara had enjoyed a full meal and rested her hand on her satisfied stomach as she swayed in a hammock. She had already uploaded the pictures to her laptop, of which three mischievous children had gotten into while she had been away and unknowingly having sent Siara's parents an email consisting of random letters, numbers and punctuation marks. The photographs of Xai'le turned out wonderfully, at least the one's that Siara had taken. She had giggled at the picture of a frightened Kuve and many blurred pictures from Kuve's turn with the camera. She had had enough adventure for one day and now decided to relax the rest of the night. Kuve was talking with Chief, children running past them with frantic parents following behind. It was a clear night. Siara had never seen so many stars in the night sky and a crescent moon rising over the ocean took her breath away. The tribal beat of the music lullabied her into a state of complete relaxation. She shut her eyes only to be interrupted from the beginnings of a daydream. "You know, I talk to Chief and he say I should protect you and be a bodyguard," Stated Kuve as he walked up to a tired Siara. Kio'he walked past at that moment and simply chuckled. Siara stretched out in full and yawned. "Sounds good to me, I'm not really jungle-savvy," She admitted. She wouldn't admit, however, how pleased she was at this circumstance. She had wanted an excuse to get to know this young man better and spend more time with him. Kuve fidgeted around a bit, not knowing what to say. "Good, so, uh... If you need to go anywhere, you come get me?" He asked, shuffling a foot in the sand. "I'll do that, but right now the only place I'm going is to sleep," Siara yawned once more as she arose from the hammock. Kuve wagged his tail just slightly. "I take you!" He offered, wanting to walk the foreigner to her new home. Siara chuckled. "That's ok, I think I can handle that one myself," She smiled, sauntering off towards her hut. Kuve flattened his ears and drooped his tail. "But... there are big insects and poisonous things," He said mostly to himself, speaking in his native tongue now. "And owa(5) and makina(6) and a one hundred foot monster! Can't forget that!" Kio'he sarcastically stated as he snuck up behind his friend, startling Kuve. "Oh, it's just you," Kuve said rather nonchalantly. Kio'he leaned against a tree, his black fur and dark green markings keeping him well hidden in the shadows. "Yeah, it's just me. Just Kio'he. But look at you! You're so pathetic!" Kio'he teased. Kuve shot him a playful glance and stood up from an intricately hand carved and painted stone bench. "And what did I do?" He asked as he and Kio'he walked off towards the huts. "Following Siara around everywhere. You're easier to read than those book things you constantly have a nose stuck in," Kio'he explained his views. Kuve scoffed. "She's interesting! I find it nice to have something new in our lives for once. It's the same damned thing everyday here," Kuve replied, brushing past large palm fronds. "I find the routine comforting," Kio'he taught as they neared the huts. "You would. Any ways, I'm going to turn in for the night," Kuve said, walking off a bit towards the direction of his home. "Gonna go charm your ula monster(7) after your day with Siara, no doubt. I'll see you in the morning," Kio'he called after Kuve as they separated. Kuve shook his head and laughed, grabbing a piece of ma'hele from a nearby bush. He strolled up a dirt path to his home, looking towards the hut in which Siara was residing, wishing her a good night in his thoughts as he noticed her standing underneath a tree. "Not wanting to rest yet?" He asked as he walked up to Siara who was staring up into the sky. Kuve glanced upwards as well. "What are we looking at?" "The stars. I've never seen so many," Siara replied wistfully as she looked to the Heavens. The sky was covered in twinkling lights. Gases of every color from space could be seen. The crescent moon hovered over the ocean, illuminating the marine life as they frolicked in the water. Even the Ring(8) was present, something Siara rarely got to see back in Vildonia and certainly not at this intensity. "We don't have stars like this where I come from." "You don't have stars?" Kuve asked, puzzled. Siara giggled. "Yes, we have stars... just not this many," She taught. Kuve thought for minute. "Why did all the stars come down here to Kavua then?" He wondered. "The stars are still there, we just can't see them. It's too polluted. But here... we're out in the middle of nowhere. Everything is pure. Even the air," Siara explained. Kuve nodded. He had not totally grasped what she meant. He had never heard of "pollution" but he came to the conclusion that it made the stars disappear. Kuve smirked as he remembered the herb he gathered and handed it to Siara. "This is for you," He said, handing Siara a foul-smelling but beautifully flowered herb. Siara's nose twitched a bit at the odor. "What is it?" She questioned. "Ma'hele. You said you were out of memory. This will help you remember things," Kuve explained. Siara laughed. "Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you. However, it was my camera that was running out of memory. Not me. It's charged now though," Siara replied, touched by the thought of her new friend's concern. Kuve shook his head. There was so much he could not understand. How could a camera have a memory? Was it alive? Siara placed a soft hand on his masculine shoulder. "I'm going to rest now." "Okay," Kuve nodded as Siara walked off. She stopped before she neared the entrance to her hut. "Kuve? Thanks... for everything," She said, smiling. Kuve returned the smile. "You're welcome," He replied, his tail swinging happily. Siara pulled a grass curtain away from her door. "Goodnight," She said softly. "Rest well, Siara," Kuve stated to himself as he looked up to the Heavens above.
(1) Il'oa trees produce abundance amounts of a small, round, green and pink fruit that is very tangy and a bit sweet. They cover the rainforests of Kavua and are not prized by Kavuans, but eaten nonetheless.(2) The native language of Ter Azzo is Raimish.(3) Kai'pi'e trees are the largest trees on Kavua and also one of the largest trees known on Xelaros, but are native only to the Isles of Kavua. The tallest Kai'pi'e is 532 feet tall. The Kai'pi'e have been continuously growing for tens of thousands of years and it is a dishonor to nature Itself in the Kavuan culture to cut one down, if even possible. These trees bear no fruits or edible nuts, but are revered for their gift of fresh air and housing for jungle life. Often, intricate carvings, which tell stories of the history of Kavua, will be carved and sometimes painted into these trees. The Kavuans consider it an honor to the tree to have a story engraved onto it.(4) Xelorians may chirp when they are otherwise critically injured, in an extreme amount of pain or very fearful of something. Newborn kits chirp instead of cry.(5) Owa are large, predatory and carnivorous animals and are on the top of the food chain on Kavua. They are long, sleek with short, fluffy tails. They have rectangular sloping heads and long, but thick and powerful legs. They are about 6 feet long and 4 feet at the shoulder and run up to speeds of 45 mph. Although feared and highly respected on the island, they rarely bother the Kavuans.(6) Makina are another large animal found on the island. They live mostly in the treetops but can also be found inside caves or dens abandoned (sometimes by force) by other animals. They are herbivores but are highly aggressive to those approaching their nests or young.(7) A Kavuan nickname for the penis. "Charming the ula monster" refers to masturbation.(8) The Ring is a ring that formed around Xelaros and contains many dust particles, rocks and gases. It slowly shifts up and down as Xelaros rotates and spins on its axis so the Ring is not always present and some places on Xelaros never have the opportunity to see it. The Ring will stay in the skies for approximately 3 months until it shifts and will disappear for 3 months before returning again.