Chapter 2 - Muaka

The sunrise rendered little comfort to the Toa. The Bohrok swarms were becoming more powerful. Their last battles had been far less successful than those of the past. Sheer power was not what the Toa worried about, however. The Bohrok were becoming smarter. With every encounter, whether it was one or one-hundred Bohrok, they had been able to analyze the fighting styles of the Toa and adapt with frighteningly little time. Lewa's vicious attack was something no creature on Mata Nui had experienced and it came as quite a shock to the swarm and the other Toa. Yet their thoughts were clouded with the idea that maybe it was time to resort to such violence. The Bohrok were merciless themselves. There was little point in trying to remain honorable in the face of such an enemy.

Gali woke before the other Toa and opted for a brisk morning perimeter walk. She gently waved her head back and forth looking at the terrain as she passed it. The rocky cliff that the Toa had now made their base of operations was quite secure from an attack, but none of them felt that caution was unnecessary. She happened to glance up as Kopaka emerged from the cave, squinting in the brightening sky. He looked down at her, gently lifted his sword to acknowledge her, and jumped down to the ground below.

Gali had been surprised by Kopaka's attitude lately. His cold exterior had appeared more civilized in the last few days. It was both wonderful and terrible at the same time. Every time she saw that Kopaka was becoming warmer it reminded her that Mata Nui was changing whether she wanted it to or not. Still, his newfound optimistic manner was a wonderful change. Kopaka began approaching as he mounted his sword and shield on his back.

"The skies are bright again Gali, perhaps these Bohrok do not bother you as much as I had thought."

"I can never forget what they are doing to the island and it troubles me greatly. However, allowing my spirits to be defeated with everything the Bohrok destroy will only make matters worse. We saw yesterday what anger can do to a calm mind."

"Lewa is hardly a calm mind, he is irrational and immature. He lacks the discipline necessary to fight this war."

"Nevertheless, he does not lose his temper like that. Even Tahu has never lashed out with such aggression. Not even regarding Makuta."

"Tahu has the temper of Kane-Ra, but he is not a fool. He knows how to judge the caliber of his rage. Lewa's logic fails him every time. He must..."

Kopaka and Gali both looked up to see Tahu staring blankly down at them. His eyes seemed enraged through his Hau. Tahu dropped to the ground and walked to Gali and Kopaka. He walked between them and turned his head around to look back at them, "We do not speak of yesterday's events any longer, is this understood?"

Gali tensed and spoke swiftly, "Tahu, we do not blame Lewa, we were merely discussing..."

Tahu's eyes flashed as he snapped his entire structure around to face the two Toa, "Is this understood, or is it necessary for me to repeat myself?"

Kopaka glared at the Toa of fire through his Akaku. He then stated proudly, "He is right, we must be cautious of Lewa's anger, but this event must not linger in our minds."

Gali set her weight back, shocked by Kopaka backing down to Tahu as easily as he had. This exchange truly exemplified how serious the matter truly was. With a nod and half-hearted snort, Tahu proceeded off into the jungle with his sword drawn. Kopaka and Gali glanced at each other, then began to follow Tahu.

In the peaceful days of Mata Nui, a walk through the jungle was a rather peaceful event. There were always dangerous animals to be wary of, but it was generally safe. In these times, the Toa did not let their scrutiny of the surrounding environment degrade at all. Tahu appeared more nervous than he did before facing the Makuta. Kopaka walked at a brisk pace staring straight ahead, acutely aware of the fact that if something were to be seen, his Akaku would find it, including any enemies. Gali wondered whether he was undisturbed by this dangerous trek, or simply being as stubborn as he always was. She stopped walking and listened very carefully. Kopaka and Tahu kept moving forward. She strained herself to listen. With a look of great terror, she shouted to her allies, "Come back, now! Hurry!"

Tahu and Kopaka looked back at her quickly before realizing what she was concerned over. They watched as a huge mass drove itself through the trees and ran into them both. They looked up from underneath a massive claw to see the great head of Muaka. The huge predator stared down at them as he primitively calculated their strength. Tahu stared back at the monstrous beast's eyes, almost stunned by the creature's truly natural grace as it had attacked them. Truly this was a beautiful animal worthy of its hunt, "It is a terrible shame that I will be forced to remove you from Mata Nui."

A great stream of water plowed into the side of the animal, pushing him off of Kopaka and Tahu. Muaka quickly regained his stance and coiled back his powerful neck. Tahu's sword went ablaze as Kopaka drew his sword and shield. Muaka simply stared at them, he did not attack. Tahu's eyes drifted over to Kopaka quickly once, then again. He began looking back between his enemy and his friend, "Kopaka... I do not understand, what is he waiting for?"

Kopaka did not respond.

"Kopaka! What should we do?"

"Silence yourself, Toa!"

Gali had taken a position on Kopaka's side by this time, her hooks readied. Muaka just kept staring. His neck suddenly relaxed as he used his simple tread to drive himself away from the three Toa. The warriors stood, perplexed. Kopaka's eyes never left the spot where Muaka entered the jungle again. Gali and Tahu began to back away, fearful that a trick was involved. Muaka was not a pack hunter, this kind of behavior was unseen from this massive animal. Thinking logically, Kopaka focused his power and created a large wall of pure ice in a ring around their position. As soon as he finished he stood perfectly still, not moving at all. There was no sound except for the gentle rustle of the crowded trees overhead, moving in the gentle wind. The three Toa stood still for several more minutes. Gali's eyes quickly opened as she yelled, "The Bohrok!"

Kopaka snapped his head back and glared at her, "How hard were you hit yesterday, wise one? That was Muaka."

Tahu turned to Gali as she spoke, "I'm glad you noticed, Kopaka, your Akaku does you wonders. We smell of the Bohrok after yesterday, especially Tahu and yourself, you were both tackled and smothered by them!"

Kopaka relaxed his structure as he realized what she was saying. Tahu intervened, "Muaka, perhaps the greatest of the Rahi, is afraid of the Bohrok?"

Kopaka looked at him as a master looks at an apprentice, "Maybe not afraid, but he certainly feels that he is no match for them."

"These Bohrok are far more powerful than we could ever have imagined."

"If the great Muaka is retreating from these creatures, I do not wish to find his reasoning at the moment," Tahu wisely stated.

The Toa left the area as quickly as possible, Kopaka never taking his vision from the startled hunter standing in the small clearing.

The jungle hides everything that wishes to remain unseen. Muaka is not a foolish creature. Sensing the need for retreat was necessary and he proceeded to do so. The smell of the Bohrok was overwhelming. Although those creatures did not look like Bohrok to him, he trusted his primal instincts and retreated. Shame was not an emotion the mighty Muaka was familiar with, nor the Bohrok. Muaka now lay silent on the jungle floor, listening for the creatures. He waited a long time before raising himself and continuing his hunt for food. His search remained fruitless for several hours as he roamed through the jungle. His hunger was beginning to tear him apart. Then his ears perked at a noise in the distance, a familiar chirping sound echoed through the dense jungle.

A single call bellowed throughout the air, followed by a few meager responses. Soon there was not one source, but many creatures communicating. Their efforts were quickly becoming coordinated and focused. The Bohrok were coming. Muaka tried to flee, but his hunger weakened him. He kept moving forward, however, trying to avoid the noise. It came to the point where he exhausted himself. He stopped pushing himself and sat down. He heard the chirping all around him in a matter of minutes. The Bohrok were apparently hungry as well.

Muaka listened, his ears twitching constantly, trying to focus on the closest creature. There were so many that he couldn't distinguish one from another. His sense of smell was overwhelmed with the flavorful musk of Bohrok. If his brain could assign them the names that the prophecies had given them, he would have recognized Gahlok, Pahrak, and Nuhvok. Muaka began to tense his structure. He wasn't prepared to defend himself in this state. He was weak, he was hungry, and he had been moving at a fairly quick pace for some time now. He was in a small clearing of the trees, where he could see any attacks coming. A light rustle in the brush pulled Muaka's attention to the side. He watched a Nuhvok roll out as a large ball. It stopped and began to extend its appendages. Muaka watched curiously until it began to sprint towards him. Muaka acted on complete instinct and used his great neck to snatch up the creature and swiftly end its life. He shook his head back and forth to make sure it was dead. When he finished, he threw it to the ground in front of him and began to eat cautiously. He still ate as he watched several other Bohrok emerge from the surrounding foliage. His hunger demanded he keep eating. Another charged him, a Pahrak. Muaka used his powerful claw to swipe the creature away, hitting it so hard the creature was either dead or totally paralyzed from the impact. He continued eating in a peaceful manner, making sure not to show fear, the prime reason Muaka himself would attack without mercy. Another Nuhvok charged him and had its body shattered into dozens of pieces. Muaka began to eat from the fresh carcass. His strength was already returning, perhaps the Bohrok had made a mistake this time. Muaka's animalistic hope was crushed as every Bohrok in the vicinity charged him. He trashed about the huge swarm of creatures, roaring as he killed half a dozen with each swipe of his powerful claws. The Bohrok kept coming despite his efforts. The swarm sensed no true threat from the massive animal. Muaka began to lose his coordination as the Bohrok overcame him. He soon found himself simply swiping his claws at empty air, completely missing any targets. With a sudden burst of pain emanating from his hindquarters, he gave into the pain and fatigue and collapsed. The Bohrok quickly backed away as the giant creature fell hard to the ground. Muaka's eyes opened after the impact and he watched as the Bohrok slowly began to approach again. An empty glaze filled his eyes, his body becoming numb. The outside world began to fade away, all worries of food, drink, and shelter disappearing. The last thing he saw was the head of a Gahlok lunging towards his head with extreme speed and detailed precision as his eyesight faded into blackness.