Disclaimer: Final Fantasy (c) Square Enix
They'd been assured they were alone, that no one inhabited the land for miles to come. The explorers Angeal had been hired to protect agreed, having found no evidence to the contrary, and happily went on with inspecting flowers or whatever caught their interest. Angeal disagreed. While nothing, or rather no one, had invaded their camp directly, he'd caught sight of someone scampering around.
At first he had thought it to be an animal, having seen what he thought to be yellow feathers poking out from the bushes. After checking the area the incident had quickly been forgotten, but he'd seen it again only a day later. It didn't come into the camp or in any way was destructive, so Angeal decided to ignore the bird. It was probably curious about the humans encroaching on its land.
He then noticed when he was out bathing in the waterfall that his belongings would disappear only to reappear, but not quite where or how he'd left them. He thought then that someone in camp was playing a joke on him, but no one owned up to it or seemed to know what he was talking about. It was when his communicator didn't reappear that he grew frustrated.
It wasn't long before the creature following Angeal around grew emboldened. Bushes only feet away would rustle if he got too close, branches swayed when there was no wind. Whatever it was, it was more intelligent than an animal. He would look for it, but always came up empty handed.
Perhaps, Angeal thought as he trekked through the foliage to secure the perimeter, it really is just an animal and I'm just that jumpy.
Jump he did when he heard a twig snap and leaves rustle heavily. He spun around, hands pulling out his rile and steadying it on automatic. He was surprised to find himself staring back into a pair of vibrantly blue eyes which were, if anything, even more surprised to see him. It was a young man hanging upside down from a branch, having hooked his sinewy legs around it. Angeal didn't move, barely breathed. The man tapped his gun curiously, eyeing it warily. He held in his left hand a spear with golden feathers, but didn't seem alarmed enough to use it. His blonde hair, which Angeal realized he'd mistaken for bird feathers before, was adorned with beads and colorful feathers. The bangles around his wrists and ankles jangled with his movements.
Angeal lowered his gun slowly and put it by his feet, demonstrating that he would not harm the Native. The Native tilted his head as he watched. He seemed to understand the meaning behind Angeal's actions because he sunk the head of his spear into the ground. The man was young, for his curiosity seemed to override his wariness. He poked at Angeal's hat, surprised when he found that it was hard in comparison to the soft cloth he was used to.
The native jumped when the foliage rustled behind them, Angeal's name being called excitedly. He grabbed his spear and righting himself in one swift movement. He stared down at Angeal a final time before darting off soundlessly.
Angeal couldn't believe it. While the explorers had set out to see what they could find, they hadn't expected to find anything as magnificent as a new culture. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last he'd seen of the native boy.