Chapter Four

"Los hueros estan aqui!" Lorent cried.

"The white people are here," James translated. Children ran to us, completely naked, with bright white smiles on their faces and eye alight with curiosity. They were fingering our clothes and clear, white skin, almost pulling us to ground as we made our way into the clearing. Men emerged from their huts and gathered, while the women stood and stayed behind.

"It's to protect them. By the way, you absolutely cannot touch any of the Cygnets; these people think you can impregnate them that way. Not the older Cobpens either, they're married." James added.

"So it was bad to pat the kid's shoulders?" Eric asked.

"No, that's okay. Since we're going to live with them and they're so accepting, it's safe to assume that as adults it'll be our responsibility to look after the youth and hunt and farm etc. like the other males. It sounds like hard work but it'll be worth it."

James had lived with them before, that's how he learned about thier culture and language, and helped with the efforts of protecting their part of the rainforest from loggers.

The women started singing and coming closer, clapping their hands. Without the brush in the way, though I should have expected it, they were naked. Being unused to that sort of thing I looked away.

"Haven't you seen a women before?" James joked.

"They're marking today as a good day and a day to celebrate." James added. The children and men followed along with the women's song.

"Is there a reason why they're naked, I mean they could have chosen to cover themselves with leaves like Adam and Eve; is there a reason why they don't?"

"Quiren saber xk stamos desnudos y nosotros queremos saber xk stan cubiertos." one man laughed. James laughed too.

"And they want to know why we're clothed. Being naked doesn't mean anything, the men don't look on to the women in any lewd way; being naked is how they celebrate the ability they have been 'blessed' with , reproductivity and fertility. They see it as a gift from the Gods that created their ancestors. If it weren't for them, they wouldn't exist."

"Ah,"

"You come afar, you be tired." An older woman crooned. She was the age of Esme and her nakedness made me uncomfortable even though I knew the meaning behind it. The men looked at the group of women who spoke in their language.

"They're trying to chose your host family," James said.

"Whatever they decide the men will follow along, since they're moms they know best." Suddenly everyone was nodding.

"Where is Vuela? Donde sta Vuela?" James asked.

"You will be taken care of by all of us like our Vuela." Lorent said.

"Vuela is a young girl, nineteen now I think, who's dad died on a hunting trip while she was still in her mother's womb and the mother died giving birth. The community took care of her since but a family hasn't adopted her because her mother, who they suspect died of a broken heart,her soul is stuck on this earth and they believe that she isn't really orphaned."

The people looked behind them at one hut that was a little ways away from the rest. A girl ran from the forest behind it with a serene expression on her face. Her skin was lighter than the other women, sun kissed but very lightly, and her long chestnut brown hair shone brightly and was hovering in the air as she ran as fast as she coould to where we were.

We were going to be taken care of by the community like we were orphans just like her. Up close I saw the light pinkness of her full lips and that she looked seventeen rather than nineteen. The women gently pulled her hair back, exposing more of her skin, and nudged her forward to meet us. I clenched my jaw out the awkwardness I felt and tried to smile.

"You take care, you are older." Lorent said.

"We have to take care of her like older brothers because we are older. And each other because Vuela is a woman and doesn't; do your best so we don't get hungry!" James clarified. We chuckled, the others laughed with us assuming we were happy and they were being happy with us.