Captain Kirkland was ecstatic as he heard the fated words, "Land Ho!"
Every crew member scattered about desperate to fulfill their duties so they could stretch their legs and get off the blasted boat that had imprisoned them for 14 months, 3 hurricanes and 1 water spout since leaving England.
They quickly approached the undiscovered land. The boat docked and the planks were lowered. Men clambered to get off but quickly stepped aside in respect for Captain Arthur Kirkland and his first mate Alistair.
Arthur walked briskly into the clearing before him and walked through the ranks of men already setting up camp. He stopped when he came across an animal he had never seen before.
It was big and brown with horns on its head. There were hundreds of them grazing peacefully on the grass beneath them. Arthur waved his hand and yelled at his men to make no sudden movements.
He moved slowly, inching towards the beasts until his crew only appeared small dots in the distance, the only visible feature was the ship, looming and rocking, in the waves.
He jumped ten feet in the air, though, when he heard a rustling from the bush he was near to.
Out popped a little boy, no more than 4 years old wearing a dirty white shirt of some kind.
"A little boy? What is he doing here? Has someone discovered this place already? Impossible?"
Arthur argued mentally with himself, not noticing the little boy shaking, his big blue eyes filling with tears, when suddenly he burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Maiara had just finished picking the last of the berries when she heard a cry.
"Aputsiaq!"
She ran as fast as her strong legs could take her, fearing the worst.
"What if a buffalo has gotten him, what if he is lost?"
These thoughts made her run faster until she stopped suddenly, her bare feet sliding on the soft grass. She was met face to face with a man, sun colored hair and eyes closed, holding Aputsiaq.
He hummed softly and Aputsiaq's tears had subsided. Maiara didn't know what to do so she stood there until the humming stopped and the strange man opened his eyes.
Arthur instantly felt a fatherly connection to this boy as he finished humming his favorite lullaby from when he was a boy. The little boy was falling asleep quickly so he opened his eyes, rocking gently back and forth.
What he saw though, shocked him and made him stand up violently jolting the child awake.
He feared the child would cry again until he saw him grin at the girl in front of him.
"Kicke!" he exclaimed happily, and jumped into her arms.
'Kicke' smiled at the little boy and looked up at him, gasping as she did.
Arthur didn't know what to do so he awkwardly stood there as she circled around him, sizing him up. The only thought running through his mind was, "for a savage, she's very beautiful."
Maiara didn't see him as a threat, so she held out her hand.
Arthur flinched back, he soon blushed, scolding himself for his cowardice and held out his own. The girl took it. She pointed to herself and said, "Maiara."
She then pointed towards the little boy and said, "Aputsiaq." She looked up at him expectantly.
Arthur realized that she was waiting for his name so he pointed to himself and said, "Arthur Kirkland."
Maiara smiled, she was happy he understood what she meant. Aputsiaq jumped out of her arms and ran towards the buffalo.
Arthur was scared, this was just a child. He touched 'Maiara's' arm and gestured towards the hulking animal.
Maiara looked at him in confusion.
"Does he not know what a buffalo is?" she almost laughed at the silliness of this man.
She pointed at the animal and said, "Ayani."
Arthur didn't know what to say, so he looked back at the clearing and saw little Asuts-, no, Aputi-, no that wasn't it either. He looked and he saw Alfred running towards an "Ayani."
What he saw then nearly made his eyes pop out of his head.
This little, tiny, four year old, Alfred, was spinning a buffalo in mid air.
Maiara just smiled.
"The savages are strong," thought Arthur and he slowly backed away to tell the others of what he just saw.