Author's note: Moving on with Something Wild! Yes! It's time for some quality time for our little family and I'll be adding a little guest so that Mini-Maui has someone to play with. Thank u all for your support and let's see what we have.

InuBunnygirl: Kawaii! So, is Mini Maui going to play the role of Uncle or something? Also, that stinks that Tamatoa wasn't allowed to get a word in edgewise and got beat to a pulp. And yes, Tamatoa, you are my favorite. I only like Maui due to his voice actor. Until the movie, I didn't know that Jemaine Clement existed.

Tamatoa: (Sniff) Just a sec, babe. Ev'ry time I hear such beautiful things 'bout me, I start crying. Sniff, sniff! That was the best thing ever… Sniff.

Me: (Whispering) I think that the monsters didn't let him talk precisely because if they did, they would have lost their chance of beating him. After all, Tama can talk his way out of the gator's jaws. You ok, big guy?

Tamatoa: Give me a sec, please. Sniff… Sniff… Say, hu, who's Jemaine Clement?

Me: Uh, I'll tell you some other day, don't worry! Let's go.

10. Send Me On My Way

"Well, I would like to hold my little hand

And we will run, we will, we will crawl, we will

I would like to hold my little hand

And we will run, we will, we will crawl."

Rusted Tooth

The first sun rays hit Maui's face but he didn't wake up. He was too comfortable with his beloved Hina in his arms, so comfortable that he didn't notice Moana watching them with a wide smile. They looked so happy together. The little girl sat there, hugging her knees, until she heard a happy song bird. She looked around until noticing a small shadow fluttering over their heads. Moana was in awe. It was beautiful and it seemed determined in waking up the demigod. She watched it twitch and turn until Maui lazily opened one of his eyes. He was still tired from his trip to Lalotai but the jumping and moving of his tattoo counterpart was too much for the demigod.

When he opened his eyes and saw the little bird singing and flying over his head, his face shone with a smile. The song also woke Hina who beamed at the bird and motioned Moana to sit with her.

"Tiu? Tiu! Oh, gods! It's been so long!" Maui closed a fist so that his little friend could perch on it. The bird, a small House Sparrow, rubbed against the man's cheek. "I missed you too, old buddy. Where have you been, hu?" Mini-Maui was overjoyed. He changed into the shape of an eagle and soar across the other tattoos, followed closely by the little bird until it was again on Maui's hand. "Did you bring the others?" the sparrow sang and several bird voices answered. "I knew you wouldn't let me down. What news do you have?" Tiu chirped and Maui listened closely.

"Can he really talk to birds?" whispered Moana to Hina.

"They are his best partners since he was little. They always followed along in his adventures and brought news. Tiu is his favorite as they have been friends for ages. It was thanks to Maui that sparrows got that color"

"Really?"

"Uh-hu. Apparently, when Maui was looking for his father, he stole clothes from her mother to find out where did she went every night and followed her in the shape of a sparrow" explained Hina.

"He likes flying as an eagle"

"Precisely. Tiu loves to tag along when he does that" smiled the woman. "He used to tell me that, beside people and me, they were the only ones who could understand him"

"…" Moana nodded. "Are you my Mama?" whispered the little girl and Hina smiled. They were going to be very good friends.

"If you like, I could. Maui and I have been together for a really long time and I wouldn't mind playing Mom for a little bit" they shared a hug.

"You sure?" the demigod spoke. The sparrow had recently visited a small island to the west called Motunui where the Chief, Tui, had just ship a large waka to look for his missing daughter. Apparently, he had been doing that for the last four years. Something clicked inside Maui's brain. Momma says Little Minnow… Where do you live? Island! Maotuni! Big Mountain! Ok. What is the name of your Dad? Tui… Tui… Not Maotuni but Motonui. Could that be…? Minnow's family? Had they really been looking for her? The sparrow had the same thought in his flights and had asked the seagulls. Apparently, Chief Tui was now father to a large tribe of sons and even with that, he hadn't lost hope about recovering his only daughter. Maui had to admit that he was impressed but that thought made him realize that his days with Minnow were numbered. His heart sank but he remembered that he once promise to deliver the little girl home. Sigh. Well, maybe they could at least enjoy one day all together. Maui looked at Tiny and the tattoo gave out a sympathetic smile. "Let's make this one count"

"…" Mini nodded.

"Chirp!" Tiu seemed to agree. The demigod beamed and looked at the two girls.

"Ok, ladies. What do you say if we have a nice day at the beach? Would you like that?"

"Of course, we would! What took you so long?" Hina smiled and Moana went to pick up Lilo. Once at the beach, the goddess taught Moana all she knew about flowers, leis and dancing. She even made a new dress for the little girl and chased her up and down across the beach while Maui was busy fishing and speaking with all the other birds. The demigod watched the girls and smiled. He hadn't seen Moana had so much fun in days and she was happy to have a mother that could teach her and talk about girl things. Just a little before lunch, Moana noticed that Mo was too awfully quiet. He had always been like that but she never understood why.

"Why does he always sit far from me? I love Mo but he often doesn't want to play with me" asked the little girl.

"He should be the one telling you but the truth is, we used to have children together" Hina sat beside her while making a new lei.

"So, you are married" Minnow was a clever girl.

"Yes! That's right! He came courting me after saving me from a sea monster and his underlings" the goddess explained. "He was tall and handsome, aside from smart and a bit of a ladies' man" that made Moana laugh. "We were so happy together in our little house by a lake. Maui taught our two boys how to fish and they swam every day by our fale. He loved them with all his heart. But then, one day, the same monster that kidnapped me, came to our lake and tried to woe me once more. I laughed at him and Maui chased him away. When we woke up the next day, our two dear ones… my poor little children were floating like dead fish in the lagoon. I cried rivers. Maui almost went mad with grief. Maui and I felt apart but I can tell that he's still sad since that day"

"…" Moana said nothing. Now it made sense why he always insisted in keeping her so closed and why he gave her so much toys to play with. Maui missed his sons and felt responsible for their deaths. After lunch, Hina began working with the sails of the waka and Maui carved an oar. The little girl decided that perhaps she could help her friend but when she walked to him, Mo didn't look up. His eyes were on the koa wood. The little girl felt taken aback but then, Mini-Maui saw her and beamed. He was happy to see her and while his host was busy, the tattoo entertained Minnow with the finest stories of her favorite hero. Moana loved Tiny. He was the best 'Uncle' she could hope for. As the day went by, Hina was able to teach a whole dance to Minnow and they both became something more than good friends. The goddess was happy to have a child again in her life and Moana was delighted to have a mother figure. When the sun began to set, Hina walked to her husband while the girl played with Tiu and the other birds.

"You can't always keep her out, you know? She deserves to have something more"

"I know and that's the thing, Hina. I love her as my own and she'll soon leave me forever. Just like them… How am I supposed to survive that?"

"You don't. You live with it. A father's pride is to see his children grow up"

"I don't want Minnow to suffer or put her in danger"

"I know but she wants to be part of your world so she can also live with the fact that the world outside won't be as life with you. Her father will make her chief or marry her to a spoiled brat just to make a peace treaty. It's not fair but it's the life out there. You are the only thing standing between herself and all that" Hina sat down and leaned her head on his shoulder. Mini-Maui looked at Moana and knew that the goddess was telling the truth. "If you can at least give her a little of that love with no second intentions, that affection that adores her as that lively little girl who loves the ocean, then she would give you some of hers"

"… Do you think I am selfish?"

"You're just a parent who has lost his children, Maui. Nothing else. You are scared but only because you fear losing what you love like it happened before. So am I but I'm happy that she came into our lives" Hina smiled. "Let her in and you'll notice that she can take care of herself precisely because she loves you and thus she has learned all you had to teach her"

"…" the demigod smiled and saw Moana running towards them.

"Can we, please-please, jump waves?" Minnow requested and Maui looked went quiet. His tattoo version seemed eager and Hina smiled. "Please, Mo? Can we? I'll be good and grab you tight this time" that made the demigod beam.

"Ok, but I bet I can jump higher than me" Maui grabbed the little girl's hand, making her giggle, and the three of them walked to the edge of the beach. They jumped, splashed, ran and laughed until it was dark. Tiu and the others flew around them and played along until the little group was back in the cave. Hina kissed Minnow good night and the demigod carried her to bed where she clung tight to Mo's neck. Tiu perched himself on one side of her hammock and watched with the same joy as Mini-Maui.

"I don't want to forget you, Mo. Ever"

"You won't, I promise" he held her tight.

"I love you, Papa"

"I love you too, Minnow" he caressed her soft curly hairs and waited till she was deeply asleep with Lilo in her arms. "I love you too, laʻu tama teine… my daughter"

Ok, guys. Now for real… TISSUE WAR!

Tama and the others are crying bad so they won't be able to say much but I will say this for them. The sparrow myth is from New Zealand and I used it from a book about myths of that beautiful island. Maui's sons is a version of the eel and Hina that is told in Oceania and it was a good way to state why our demigod acts a bit childish, overprotective and distant at the same time.

We move and congratulate 3431jess for her two wonderful stories! YAY!