Obsi sat around the fire with the villagers after the wonderful feast, regaling them with tales of dragons from when she was a child. She left out the part about her parents murder, and the subsequent years of running from the Blackbloods with Ash, and was careful what details she gave about Dally, but the villagers hung on her every word. Ano seemed to be the most impressed, telling the village that Obsi was to be given any courtesy and anything else she desired. She thanked him many times, and he seemed to be flattered by her gratitude. It was very late when she and Leilani returned to the hut. They slept soundly for several hours before being awakened at sunrise by the sound of horns.
"Something is amiss," Leilani said as she rushed out of the hut. Obsi followed to the village center, where a very tall man was speaking.
"The Wind Tribe is in the Forbidden Cove," he declared angrily.
"What would they be doing there, Alon?" Leilani asked.
The man looked at her. "Hunting the Monster," he replied with a sneer. "Come with me," he said. Obsi, Leilani and several others followed to the cove. Not far off shore were two boats, each with six men and women paddling them toward the beach.
"Look there," Alon said, pointing toward a large shape between them and the boats. Obsi saw it, the sun glistening off the blue of the shape. She waded into the water up to her knees, and the shape stopped moving. She bent over and put her hand into the water. Suddenly, the water swelled and a giant ray shot out of the water. The Wind Tribe had to hang onto the sides of their boats to keep from falling into the water. The creature was just as described - a huge ray with a crocodile-like face. The top of the creature was a beautiful aquamarine color, and his underside was a sand color. It flapped its wings and hovered just in front of Obsi.
"Dreth," she whispered. The dragon nodded. She reached out and touched his snout and he told her his story. She noticed the Wind Tribe had made it to shore and was watching her as well.
"Dreth means you no harm," she shouted so both tribes could hear her. "He only comes out of the Great Trench when there is a disturbance."
"What sort of disturbance?" Ano asked.
"He is not sure, but he is here to protect us, not harm us. And by 'us' I mean humans, not just the Wave Tribe," she looked over at the Wind Tribe to make sure they had heard her. They nodded, eyes wide, and she knew the whole goddess thing was going through their heads as well.
With a great flourish of his massive wings, Dreth returned to the water and disappeared. The distant skies began to darken. Ano walked over with his guards to the Wind Tribe. They spoke for a minute, then the Wind Tribe followed him back to where the others were standing.
"I have invited the Wind Tribe to stay, since the storm will not give them the time to safely return to their Island. The coming of Dreth is an omen - we must be hospitable to each other, and not quarrel over trivial tribal matters."
The eldest of the Wind men bowed to Obsi. "We as the Wind Tribe recognize the deity of the Wave Tribe." The rest of the Wind Tribe bowed to her and she awkwardly bowed in return.
As they walked back to the village, Obsi whispered to Leilani, "This goddess thing is going to be rough."
Leilani laughed. "Well, I think you can adjust."
"Something is amiss," Leilani said as she rushed out of the hut. Obsi followed to the village center, where a very tall man was speaking.
"The Wind Tribe is in the Forbidden Cove," he declared angrily.
"What would they be doing there, Alon?" Leilani asked.
The man looked at her. "Hunting the Monster," he replied with a sneer. "Come with me," he said. Obsi, Leilani and several others followed to the cove. Not far off shore were two boats, each with six men and women paddling them toward the beach.
"Look there," Alon said, pointing toward a large shape between them and the boats. Obsi saw it, the sun glistening off the blue of the shape. She waded into the water up to her knees, and the shape stopped moving. She bent over and put her hand into the water. Suddenly, the water swelled and a giant ray shot out of the water. The Wind Tribe had to hang onto the sides of their boats to keep from falling into the water. The creature was just as described - a huge ray with a crocodile-like face. The top of the creature was a beautiful aquamarine color, and his underside was a sand color. It flapped its wings and hovered just in front of Obsi.
"Dreth," she whispered. The dragon nodded. She reached out and touched his snout and he told her his story. She noticed the Wind Tribe had made it to shore and was watching her as well.
"Dreth means you no harm," she shouted so both tribes could hear her. "He only comes out of the Great Trench when there is a disturbance."
"What sort of disturbance?" Ano asked.
"He is not sure, but he is here to protect us, not harm us. And by 'us' I mean humans, not just the Wave Tribe," she looked over at the Wind Tribe to make sure they had heard her. They nodded, eyes wide, and she knew the whole goddess thing was going through their heads as well.
With a great flourish of his massive wings, Dreth returned to the water and disappeared. The distant skies began to darken. Ano walked over with his guards to the Wind Tribe. They spoke for a minute, then the Wind Tribe followed him back to where the others were standing.
"I have invited the Wind Tribe to stay, since the storm will not give them the time to safely return to their Island. The coming of Dreth is an omen - we must be hospitable to each other, and not quarrel over trivial tribal matters."
The eldest of the Wind men bowed to Obsi. "We as the Wind Tribe recognize the deity of the Wave Tribe." The rest of the Wind Tribe bowed to her and she awkwardly bowed in return.
As they walked back to the village, Obsi whispered to Leilani, "This goddess thing is going to be rough."
Leilani laughed. "Well, I think you can adjust."
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