As soon as the chieftess and demigod caught their breath, they immediately shifted their attention to Keoni, who was still unconscious.

Moana checked he was still breathing, but it was ragged. It wasn't until she checked his back that she realized why.

He had a huge gash down his left shoulder. It was deep enough that she could see muscle and bone splinters. His shoulder was a mess.

"Maui… What do we do?" Moana had no idea how to treat an injury as severe as this, her medical knowledge was fairly limited. Maui took a look and thought.

"All we can do is treat it the best we can and stitch it up, and then create a sling to support his arm, and maybe use some splints for the shoulder." It seemed like the safest option. While Keoni was still out, the two got to work as quickly as possible. But the second Moana pricked Keoni's back with the needle, he jerked awake, crying out in pain.

"Keoni! Easy, breathe slowly." Moana said gently, helping him lie back down. Maui gave him a cloth to bite down on while Moana stitched up his wound.

Quite some time passed, well into the night, with a fire going, Mona finished stitching up and dressing Keoni's wound. He'd passed out from the pain again, and Moana checked his breathing, just to make sure he was still alive, and thankfully he was.

"I'm sorry, Maui, I should've listened. Keoni wouldn't have gotten hurt had I just listened." Maui shrugged.

"I should be used to you being you. It wasn't your fault at all. Taniwha's are just violent jerks and they'll take it out on anyone. Don't beat yourself up about it. Take pride in the fact that you saved his life." Moana sighed and brought her knees to her chest. Both she and Keoni could've died… Not that she almost hadn't died plenty of times before.

The next morning, Moana gently woke up Keoni, who was incredibly dizzy and lightheaded.

"Easy, don't make sudden movements." She said.

"I can't believe I'm still alive." He mumbled. Moana moved to take a look at how the wound held up during the night. Stitches were still in place. She took some on hand medicine she always carried with her on voyages and delicately applied it to the wound and rebandaged it, using leaves under the tapa sling itself.

"We're both very lucky." She remarked. They'd be here for the rest of day into the night, so they ought to get comfortable, at least until Keoni could stand on his own without feeling dizzy or nauseous.

"When we eventually finish this mission and bring him back to Motunui, I'll have a physician check on the injury," Moana told Maui later in the day.

"Acting very chiefly!" Maui commented. Moana rolled her eyes.

"I'm simply caring for his health. I'm going to keep an eye on him, hopefully, he doesn't get a fever or anything."

"Agreed. Meanwhile, you need to get some sleep."

"Yeah… I'll still keep an eye on him." Maui nodded and walked a bit to find a place to rest, leaving Moana to her own thoughts as she began to fall asleep. She hoped that Fetia had a plan in mind for how she wanted Moana to carry out this mission. Moana hated not having a plan in mind.

Moana peeled her eyes open to the sound of waves lapping on the shore. She sat up and noticed that it was well into the morning, dawn had come no less than two hours ago. She glanced over to her right where Keoni was still asleep.

She didn't want to wake him up, but they needed to get moving soon, they couldn't stay on this island forever. Moana gently nudged him awake, he groaned and opened his eyes, giving her a feeble smile. She helped him sit up.

"How're you feeling?" He glanced at the sling, contemplating whether it was worth testing the pain or not. He chose not to.

"My entire left arm feels like it's not there." He lightly flicked his arm. He didn't feel pain, but he felt the tingling. Moana inspected the sling and the stitches to make sure everything was in place.

"It's going to take quite a while to heal, but as long as you don't do anything reckless or move it too much, hopefully, it should heal within a month or two. We can have a physician back on Motunui take a look at it."

"We're going to make things right for you, I'll make sure of it." He smiled awkwardly.

"You know you don't have to do that."

"I know, but considering all you've been through, let me do some of the heavy lifting." She helped him stand and he brushed sand off his tunic.

"Fair enough."

"Maui! Help me pack up, we're heading out again!"

"Right behind you, Curly!"

As they sailed, Keoni leaned against the mast with his good shoulder and watched the ocean around him, taking it all in. He began to imagine his ancestors sailing the high seas, building connections everywhere they went. It was a beautiful thought…

"Whatcha thinking about?" Moana asked from behind him.

"Oh, uh, just about our ancestors, respectively. What it must've been like to sail the ocean for months at a time… not see land… build that connection with the ocean, y'know?" Moana smiled.

"It's a good feeling isn't it?" She gestured for him to sit and he did so.

"Yeah, it is… I wonder if our ancestors were part of the same village once…" Moana chuckled.

"It's always possible." Together, the pair discussed their ancestors more, their villages, their families, bonding.

"What did your mother ever say of your father?" Moana asked him. Keoni sighed.

"I don't remember much, but they were very much in love with one another. Grew up together, all that. My father was a bit hesitant about the whole concept of being a parent, but my mother helped him recognize he would be alright. And from what my sister would tell me growing up, he was a really great father." Moana smiled, and Keoni continued, "Mom used to say I was my father's spitting image."

"Is that right?" Keoni nodded.

"Your father must've been a looker then." Moana mentally slapped herself. What was that? Gods that was stupid. Keoni didn't seem to notice her reaction to her own comment.

"According to mom, he had lots of admirers as a teenager. He only had eyes for my mother, though."

"That's so sweet." Moana complimented.

"Mom was the best. Even after dad died… she remained true to her spirit. She didn't let my father's death impact how she viewed him."

"Why do you say that?" Keoni sighed, resting his arm in the crook of his sling.

"Well… there were rumors that dad was lured away from mom in the months prior to when he died. He'd be gone for long periods of time, none of it was ever proven though." Moana was taken aback by this.

"I find that unbelievable."

"I do too, so did my sister."

"What's your sister like? I imagine like your mother?"

"Heh, yeah, a lot like mom. She's a bit pushy though. But that's what comes with an older sister." Moana shook her head. She couldn't imagine what it would be like being the younger sibling.

"I would accurately guess you liked to annoy your sister?" Keoni laughed.

"What little brother doesn't?" He paused and looked over at her.

"You don't have any siblings?" Moana shook her head and shrugged.

"Nope. I'm an only child."

"Does that ever get lonely?"

"Honestly… not really. I have cousins from my mother's side and father's side. I kinda see them as surrogate siblings."

"Are you close with any of them?"

"Actually yes, my cousin Pania. Since I was crowned chief, she's been by my side, my second in command, ever since we were very little. She's the best. I think you'd like her!" Keoni smiled, if her cousin was anything like Moana, he didn't have any doubt he'd get along just fine.