35

"Tanewha!" a voice called and Ianto stepped out of the bedroom onto the stairs to look down into the lighthouse as Hemi pounded up them, "Tanewha, there is a party approaching of Boars."

"How many?"

"Ten" he snorted back, "They think there is safety in numbers, they have a Nana with them as well"

"Well, are the others going to greet them?"

"Yeah, your fella said to hang back, let them come to us. Let the Elders handle the initial greetings and shit before we all sit to talk" Hemi nodded.

"The kids? I thought Dendy and Kombi were just here?" Ianto looked around.

"The Nanas called ice-cream. Rounded them all up in the back room of the Wharenui, they are safe back there." Hemi assured him and Ianto hummed as he walked with him down to the Pa and into the Wharenui where seats were being placed in a half circle, another set facing them. Their elders would said there, the visitors in the horseshoe.

Ianto went out back to see if the kids were OK, the little princess on a lap greedily accepting a spoon feeding, knowing this was faster than if she did it herself. Spoilt little beast.

Ianto walked back in to find the delegation already seated, the traditional calls of greeting apparently short and not too sweet as those visiting were shown that they were not invited or welcome at all.

"Well, we lost good men" the man said who was standing and Whetu puffed as his elderly father rose to reply.

"And ours? Going about his business? Your men killed him when he was unarmed. Is this what it has come to? We must arm our men with weapons of war? For is it war you seek?" he demanded, his voice deep and strong for such an old man.

"It was an accident, they strayed. If your people had better markers for your plot…." One spluttered back and the old man slammed his walking stick down three times, the huge Whare echoing as Ianto took the moment to walk from the kitchen through to sit behind Whetu but one of the elders that had come was watching with undisguised interest.

Ianto was dressed in the black trousers and plain black t-shirt he usually wore when cleaning the lighthouse. His long limbs seemed to shimmer as they moved to entwine around one another, finishing cross-legged with his hands clasped loosely on top of the top knee. He had moved like a spirit. The old man knew who had spooked his men and he called out, "And you? What do you think Pakeha?"

Ianto blinked slowly as he waited to see what the others would do.

"He's not a pakeha!" a little voice said defiantly and Ianto swallowed back a groan as Kombi strode across the hall, his dark skin shinning and his little dreads bouncing. He stared at the old man, "My Taddy is the Tanewha and he will grind your bones!"

"Baby, go check your sister for me would you love?" Ianto crooned and he turned to look at him.

"He called you a whitey. You ain't a whitey. Youse a Ianto."

"Darling, he did not know who I was, he was asking. To someone who does not know I look like a …. Whitey."

Kombi grunted, glanced at the old man again then nodded, "OK then. Not your fault. Dendy, we's not thumping."

Ianto looked with horror as Owen started to laugh, Dendy bouncing around the side of the horseshoe from the back, his little feet kicking high enough to tap his arse cheeks as he swung his Taiaha, his eyes fierce and his face contorted into a face of a warrior taking the piss.

"Pukana is not needed either" Ianto scolded, allowing a smile to show he was amused, "Now please go before the rest of them want to come do an interpretive dance or something."

As the two boys walked off Owen's laughter faded to uncontrollable sniggers, "Epic."

"Little shits. I told you he had a bloody Taiaha stashed" Ianto sighed.

"You are the Tanewha" the old man repeated, "You made an impression. I see you."

"No you don't" a man said and Ianto recognised one they had let go, "That's not him. That is a …a… representation. The man I saw out there….bigger. This is like…. A touch of him."

Jack smiled softly, "What ... your grandson? Grandson ... is trying to explain is the weird and simple fact that my husband here was himself. Ianto has an ability to be small and unassuming, then take your head off. I would not push him, but then … I can handle that. I like a little rough stuff. I am the Captain. They called me Pene. Apt. I keep turning up. You can't get rid of me."

"Is that a threat?"

"Pene and Tanewha don't do that. They just kill people" Hemi said softly, "They are capable of terrible things. Amazing and wondrously terrible things. They are the Guardians of this peninsular. I suggest you accept this and move on. They do not bend, they do not break. They just smash anything that touches us like the rocks on the shore."

"Well put" Ianto nodded, "If that hasn't told you what you need to know, look us up. Torchwood."