Natsume owns all trademarks of Harvest Moon.
Claire was absolutely determined. However, her rage directed at Shiba roared higher when he ignored her for the remainder of that day. The one time she caught his gaze for a moment, he averted his eyes almost immediately, frowning. And he hadn't apologized, for all he'd done. Truth be told, Shiba was sick with heartache. He wanted desperately to tell her how sorry he was, but words just didn't seem to be enough, and probably never would be. And now the arrival of his cousin had mussed it all up. After their one fleeting shared glance that afternoon, Shiba didn't see Claire again for hours, and worry knotted in his stomach. Where could she be? Out in the jungle by herself? But he knew that she would be furious with him for coming after her, so he remained sullenly where he was.
Meanwhile, Claire was furiously teaching herself the jungle trade. She had watched Shiba enough to know how to harpoon a fish, and swing on a vine, and tie flint to a shoot for a spear, but what about other things? Hunting, for example, she would never do. She was against anything cruel to animals. There had to be more. And so she kept busy, swimming and fishing and swinging and running here and there, attempting in vain to even build her own fort. She couldn't imagine Shiba's diligence to keep the hefty loft atop the trees. Of course, it would have been far easier for Shiba simply to teach her, and she didn't care if she was being immature. She refused to speak to him, or better yet, even look at him. It was late in the day when she tired and swung back, not so lithe and smooth as Shiba, but she managed nonetheless, and it was then that Shiba and Hama were just striding out the front door. Now, as you recall, Hama had never before seen a girl his age, and certainly not one with milky skin, big blue eyes and long blonde hair, not to mention garbed in jungle wear and swinging on a vine. As it was, when Claire swung breezily overhead, alighting coolly on the rooftop above them, that Hama was struck speechless with shock and awe.
Feeling pleased with herself, Claire made to turn nonchalantly and dismount from the other direction, but Hama was atop the roof in a moment, standing tall and proud before her, but keeping his distance. She turned to him, fixing luminescent sapphire eyes upon his. The mischievous flicker in the black abyss of his eyes went out altogether, and was replaced by timidity. Shiba scowled at his cousin. As though Claire would have anything to do with him. But apparently, Claire thought differently for she stepped forward, uncharacteristically cat-like, and offered her hand. Hama stared down at it, blush throbbing in his cheeks. Shiba saw this and lunged for his side and stood there like some cold, stone gargoyle, eyes dark. "Hama," he began dryly. "This Claire." Hama's eyes twinkled and he shook her hand hard then, laughing. Claire's smooth appeal spiraled downwards at this and her eyes popped as she was jolted by the strength in the simple gesture.
When he withdrew his hand, leaving Claire to wring hers, he laughed, and in perfect English, Claire noted, "Yes, Shiba tells me all about you. Jungle girl. You came on the boat, then, with the other castaways?" Relieved to hear no trace of the grammatical errors that she had grown used to and even fond of in Shiba's voice she answered lightly, "Yep, that's me. I came from the mainland, but our boat sunk. So, how are you related to Shiba? Brother? Cousin?"
He nodded firmly at her last words. "Yes, I'm his cousin. Unfortunately for him, he never grew up around English speaking people, but he learned by listening to the castaways who have come to these shores over the years. You see, my father was a white man. He taught me all English, but my mother still only speaks our ancestral language." Claire nodded thoughtfully, but before another word could be exchanged Shiba whirled in front of Claire and demanded haughtily, " Where have you been!?"
Taken aback, Claire quickly smoothed her startled features and answered aloofly, "I have no idea what you mean?" and with a flick of her hair marched off. Shiba could only stare after her, flabbergasted.
"She no usually act like that…"
Hama ignored him and commented excitedly, "You never told me…you never said…she's amazing!" Shiba crinkled his snub tanned nose and decided to remain ignorant to the dazzled look in his cousin's face.
Claire brooded in a treetop for a good hour. A crested monkey waddled by on the branch, joining her silent rage for a moment, but frankly decided it best to leave, and again she was alone. When a rustling in the branches alerted her, she sat up straight, nearly toppling over, had it not been for a warm hand on her back keeping her upright. She clutched the branch again. And then there he was.
"…Hi Cl-how you get up here?" Shiba's eyes had been downcast and his words hesitant, until he had realized just where she was sitting. Claire turned up her nose but didn't answer. He sighed, and began again, "I know you mad at me. I never said, but I sorry, you know." As he had known she would, Claire folded her arms and looked away, but her eyes were not angry, but distant and sad. Slightly reassured, he continued persistently, "I know what I did wrong, but I make it up to you Claire. I don't know what else to do…" Claire's expression softened and her eyes dropped a little. She appeared to be considering. Abruptly, her melancholy aura took on a vehemence, and her pallid features became a snarl.
"You nearly killed me, Shiba! I'm sorry, but…I can't forgive you for that!" and with that she dropped down to a lower branch and then swung down the rest of the way, fleeing to his parent's hut. Despair and hopelessness swamped him. But he would find a way. It couldn't, it wouldn't end like this!
Shiba and his cousin had gone out hunting. Shiba snared a pheasant, but Hama returned empty-handed and slightly downhearted at his defeat. When the two boys were nearly at the door, Hama looked out towards the gushing waves, and his eyes caught Claire. She was sitting cross-legged out on the point in the early rays of the sunset, sulking and immobile. Her long hair streamed down her back and glinted gold off the sun. Shiba was inside when Hama was already running, barking back to his cousin, "I'm just gonna go see Claire!" and turning back just in time to avoid the dark, frantic expression on Shiba's face.
While Shiba nearly threw his catch to his father, aiding hastily in the cooking of it and glancing out every few seconds to Claire and his cousin, Hama had reached her. He stopped dead a few yards away, unsure of what to do, and slowed his gait to a walk until he was directly alongside her. "Go away, Shiba," her frustrated voice was muffled by her palms in her chin, and she hadn't even bothered to look up.
"Uh, actually, it's Hama…" she was already staring up at him, horrified by her mistake. Although they may have looked alike, their voices were two very different things, Hama's carefree and full of mischief, Shiba's hesitant, boyish and uneven.
"Oh, uh…s-sorry, Hama." She grinned sheepishly, though if she had meant to reinforce her words she did it poorly. But he grinned back ear-to-ear and knelt down beside her in the grass, automatically relaxed.
"You mad at Shiba, then?" She shrugged, but he pressed, "What'd my cousin do to make a Tiger Lily like yourself angry?" Claire's cheeks flamed and she struggled to regulate her voice as she answered.
"H-he just, he was just careless. But, in a big way, you know." Hama considered this and then nodded slowly.
"I guess." If Shiba had been sitting there beside her there would have been a long silence at this point, but Hama seemed to determine to keep up conversation for he then turned to the waves and suggested jauntily, "Let's go fishing. For dinner. I bet Shiba would be proud of you if you caught somethin' for his parents." Claire tried to find insult in this, couldn't, and rolled her shoulders distastefully.
"I don't care what Shiba thinks. I don't need his opinion, but…it is for his parents…" she glanced back over her shoulder, and saw Shiba's worried face clear through the window, not quite looking at her, but more towards his cousin. She faced Hama and smiled winningly. "Sure."
Grinning, Hama pelted back to where the harpoons were leaning on the wall of the hut, and before Shiba could dart to his side and make an excuse for him to stay in, he was already whipping back to Claire, and a disheartened Shiba returned inside.
"Here you go. Now, do you know how to do this?" Claire shrugged carelessly.
"Sure."
"Alright then…" he seemed dubious. "Go to it." To prove herself, Claire worked harder than ever, prowling along the banks until there was the flick of a silver tail, or the swish of a small and florid school, and then she would lunge in headfirst, striking this way and that until at long last she skewered a fat, flopping bass, and Hama lifted her clear up out of the water, laughing. Delighted, she closed her eyes and pretended that she was flying, though unless she was actually looking at him, she always imagined him to be Shiba. When he deposited her on the bank and squirmed up himself, they were both thoroughly drenched and breathless. The bass flopped feebly one last time before it's broad, ugly jaws closed permanently. "You know," Claire panted, "That's only the second fish I've ever caught out here-
"You're not like most girls." At his unforetold statement Claire opened her mouth, blushed, and wriggled back as her face was directly in front of his. "I mean, I've never really met any other girls, but…I bet you'd shine." Touched by his charm and guileless flattery, Claire grinned and rested her chin in the crook of her elbows, all the while feeling Hama's gaze on her face. After what seemed like a decade of his eyes burning into her temples he rose with a sigh, helped her to her feet, and suggested flatly that their dinner would be about ready and they'd better not disappoint anyone, but as they walked together on the way back, he never left her side for a minute.
I'm getting so stoked about writing these chapters now! Anyways, this one's kinda scandalous haha but keep reading because I'm working on the next one right now and it's gonna be good!