Ok so I have votes in…sorry it's such a short time- span for the vote but I think we have a winner. Lol the reason why I'm tallying the vote so quickly is because I have to start setting up the romance of the story now- I made a timeline for this story and for it go as I planned I need to find a pairing NOW before the next couple chapters. The vote is over. I'll make sure the pilot who won is used but…I'm putting a twist to it. Sorry couldn't help myself. :P He may not even be Raja's true pairing in the end…but who knows! Maybe he will- maybe he won't! I guess we'll see…Enjoy the Chap!
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Chapter 6: Cute little birdies
Heeros dark Prussian eyes scanned the vast sky aimlessly…watching the vultures that circled around him. He could see their distinct black bodies against the pale blue as they hovered anxiously about fifty feet in the air. They were waiting. A dark smirk formed on his dry blistering lips.
'They must be hungry.' He mused folding his arms behind him and leaning back against the dead tree. They had been hovering in the area for the past day or so screeching their eagerness as they waited for food. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the braver ones land in a tree. Heero looked up after if cawed persistently for attention. They met eyes and the Vulture cocked its bald scalloped head.
It cawed again.. as if to say 'Is it time yet?'
It's beedy little eyes seemed to mock the perfect soldier and he glared at their red rimmed depths in disgust.
"I'm not dead yet…you stupid ugly bird.." Heero heard a small laugh from behind.
Trowa was situated on the other side of the tree. But Heero nor any of the others had enough leverage to turn completely around. The ropes that were tied to their wrists and feet were cut very precisely in length. These natives were not incompetent. The ropes were cut at a length just so Heero and the others barley were able to stand up. They could not bend to reach their feet, and untying the ropes appeared to be nearly impossible. They were hardened with some type of muck that dried like cement with the suns heat. Heero turned his head and just barely he could see the side of Trowas long brown bangs that covered half his face.
"They're waiting." Trowa said quietly, watching them up in the sky. "They think it's only a matter of time."
"Hn.." Heero stared up at the bird who's cries were growing more and more desperate. His temper flared after a while when the noise didn't stop. He searched the ground and found a flat rock the size of his palm. Grabbing it his eyes narrowed onto the annoying pest in the branches and he threw the rock with perfect aim. It hit its target with assuredness, right on the side of the head and the bird gave a screech of pain falling out of the tree. Heeros eyes sparked in the shadow of his resting place, he watched with torpid hollow eyes as the bird writhed and twisted around in the dust. Crimson gushed from its punctured head, its wings flapped desperately in pursuit of the sky once more..but its strength was failing him. With one final attempt it flopped its head on the desert ground and died. Heero lifted his chin feeling some what repenting for his past weaknesses.. He had let them have him..these wild Neanderthals. It was his fault. If it hadn't been for his thoughtless mistake, for his arrogant under estimate of their power he wouldn't be sitting here…slowly melting away in the sun… like a coward.
Like a failure.
The bright sun blared in his eyes and he closed them, wishing to see no more. If death was as quick as that birds had been…then perhaps it wasn't so bad at all…Through out his entire life he had been taught to fear emotion. And to relish pain. Pain made you stronger. The more you could take..the stronger you were. Heero knew no limits in pain. He would fight to the end until his physical body just couldn't take it anymore and gave out.
He wished someone could do him a favor like he had for the starving bird…to just throw a rock and bash his head in ending his pointless life in the sheer blink of an eye. He had never had anything to live for. Nothing but the cruelties of war..his expertise. Now that he didn't even have control of his own life..what was there left on this Earth that he cared for? Could none of these people take pity on him and just kill him now?
No man deserved slow agonizing torture. But perhaps this was Karmas way of getting back at him. After all…he had the blood of thousands on his hands…
He just never expected it to be this way…
Heero cringed when he felt something damp seeping through his tattered shirt, and he looked over and glared when he saw Duos mouth gaping open in his sleep, his head had fallen over onto Heeros shoulder. He shoved him away but regretted it when the annoying 02 pilot awoke with a start. Heero sighed. Duo jumped and started mumbling incoherently.
"Huh-wha-? Oh…Hey He-man." Duos eyes traced from Heeros cold piercing eyes to the wet spot on his shirt. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed some of the spit off the top.
"Uh sorry about that.." he chuckled. Heero shrugged his hand away and went back to his usual silent and observing mode. Duo glanced at Wufei who was on his left and then at Quatre who slept quietly on Heeros right. He was just about to settle back down again until the screeches from the sky caught his attention. Duo squinted with his hand placed over his brow eying the dots in the sky.
"Hey look at the little birds up there," He said with a smile. Wufei rolled his eyes as the braided pilot sat oblivious to the others amused faces.
"Those are vultures you idiot." Duo looked at him wide-eyed.
"Sick..those are vultures man! What- what do they want!?" He asked loudly. Wufei growled and covered his tender ears and glared at him.
"You," He answered hotly, " and that's exactly what they'll get if you don't stop shouting in my ear like a moron!" Duo shook his head.
"Jeesh. Ok… calm down Wu-man! You don't have to be so mean and nasty." He whined. Wufei snorted and mumbled something under his breath but Duo was too busy staring at his face to notice. A small frown formed on his lips as he stared.
"Wufei..man..I think you're breaking out in zits…or hives..- or something." When his Chinese commrad set his eyes on him again Duo gestured towards his face.
"They're all over your face," He said with an air of sympathy.
'Poor Wu-man..maybe the sun irritates him even more then Quatre.' His mind lingered on the blonde boys name causing him to turn and pass a causal glance in his direction. His frown sharpened in confusion when he noticed that Quatre had some too! And not just on his face, but his neck as well. Duo turned around slowly his face exulting in an expression of perplexity until the sound of Wufeis gruff laugh brought him back to a state of consciousness.
"They're not hives baka, they're bites." touched his own cheek with a sour expression, "from these insects.. They're everywhere." Wufei looked and Duo and suddenly he laughed again.
"And what are you- over here trying to feel all sorry about? You have them too!" Duo arched back at the statement and carefully with the tips of his fingers traced delicately over his warm skin. To his dismay the snickering Chinese had been correct in his observations. The friction against his fingertips swelled above the surface of his skin and he winced as the open flesh bites stung when he touched them.
"Don't touch them," Trowa advised from the other side of the tree, probably assuming what Duo was doing from Wufeis blunt laughter. Trowa turned his head but could only see part of Duos long unkept braid twitching around in the dirt as he swerved his head, his arm uplifted to his cheek.
"The salt from your sweat will only irritate them." Duo nodded to himself at Trowas advice and with much difficulty, realizing now how much his face itched, placed his hand firmly on the ground.
Wufeis humor dissolved soon enough, he flicked his eyes on the braided boy in dismissal before looking somewhere else.
Duo sighed.
His mood had become increasingly better, along with his health when they had been moved to a tree instead of those hellish wooden poles. Though the tree was dead its trunk was large and its branches were thick so it provided a decent amount of shade through different intervals of the day. Sometimes Trowa got most of the shade, or in the afternoon it was Duo and Wufei. Duo kicked at a rock with a bored expression but he missed. He knew Raja would be visiting them soon, she usually did around this time of day. He couldn't wait for some more of that green fruit she always brought. It tasted somewhere in between a kiwi and a watermelon.
'At least she'll be willing to keep me company.' He glared at the back of Wufei's silky black hair. 'These guys are no fun.'
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Raja cupped a hand against her eyes to shield her vision from the undying sun. The blistering heat caused light perspiration to glisten all over her skin. It was miserably hot out today. Even for her Palla chose to show no mercy. Raja sighed as she made her way down to the Kibo tree, where the prisoners were currently being held. But as she drew near her eyes narrowed sharply. She stopped in front of them Duo and Quatre noticing her presence first and giving her a cheery greeting before the others merely nodded their hellos. She walked slowly around the tree until she came to the other two, Trowa and Wufei.
Though she couldn't understand what any of them said anyway, she noticed that Trowa never seemed to say much to his friends. And when he did they all made sure to listen to him very carefully. His silence held a fine line of power over them she concluded, and in return for his speaking he demanded their respect. They were all very different in personalities..she didn't have to speak their tongue to know that.
Duo was the bright eyed and talkative one out of the group. When Raja sat and weaved she would often stop and watch him in amusement as he carried on conversations with rocks and insects. He would see that he caught her attention and then in an eager attempt to keep her watching he'd act out ridiculous charades and make faces. She never had to feel intimidated to come and inspect them for Duos cheeriness even in his unfortunate position was always up and ready to greet her. He had marvelous eyes…the shade of a color she couldn't even name for she had only seen it one other time in her life; . She had been twelve summers old at the time and there had been water that poured from the clouds. It had frightened her so bad when Yalluk- the god of the night time sky sent furious jagged beams towards the earth…the color of Duos eyes.. while Yalluk himself roared. Raja was so taken with fear that she clung to Yatimas hip until the last of his roars died away. Duos eyes often gleamed upon her when he thought she was not looking. And she knew what this look meant. His eyes were dangerous..but they appealed to her in a way she had never experienced before. She couldn't help but crave his attention.
Quatre on the other hand could be very quiet and reserved as well. But he had kind eyes and a gentle smile, Raja could tell he was the youngest of the group and that going hand in hand with the weakest. She was glad that he had friends of his own to support him through this. He seemed very troubled over the last sun set. When she came to visit them she often found herself staring at his skin, its white pale color truly amazed her. In all her years she had never seen such skin, nor hair for that matter. His hair was brighter then the sun. It astounded her.
She kept her distance from Heero. Of the five, he was the most distant and cold..even more so then Woof woof. When she came by to do the daily rounds of water and food she found him staring at her from the corner of her eyes. His constantly blank expression confused her. For it was only his eyes, those mysterious dark blue eyes that showed any emotion at all. Other then that he remained silent and she had never heard more then ten words come from his mouth.
All five of them intrigued her in different ways however she had to admit that besides Duo, Wufei was her favorite. Because of the barrier she could never understand what any of them were talking about, but Woof woofs constant scowling expressions always gave her a good idea. She took supreme pleasure in teasing him, when he was in a good mood and curiously observed him from afar when he was not. He reminded her of a lion. With some of the females in their pack they might show much affection, even to the young. But with others they snapped their jaws and growled if distance was not kept. She often had to stay on her toes around him. She never knew just quite how he'd react but she was always kept anxiously waiting for more.
Walking tall and confidently towards them she greeted Duo with a nod.
"Himwinyama Duo." The boy gave her a large cheeky grin.
"Him wiin yamma Raja." Raja shook her head trying to contain her amusement. His accent was horrible but she impressed that he had tried. She glanced at Quatre who gave a small smile in return .
"Hello Raja." Raja trotted around the tree after Trowa and Heero gave their mutual acknowledgements. She sat down and crossed her legs with a huge smile- preparing for her favorite part of the trip. Wufei glared at her, clearly annoyed by her presence but she poked him in the chest nonetheless.
"Excuse me Woof woof! Not bothering you am I?"
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"Samahani Woof woof! Tafad hali kwa beh miite?"
Wufei stuck up his nose, folding his arms and turning away acting as though he hadn't heard. The girl scooted over to where he had turned so he turned the other way. She mumbled something curiously- craning her neck trying to get him to look at her. Wufei smirked and closed his eyes.
'This brat never gives up.'
Inwardly he smiled as the girl grunted and poked him in the shoulders persistently.
"Woof woof- semeh jaha ca…siwezi kuzema..? Woof woof…" He quirked his eye brows but continued to stare at the darkness behind his closed eyes. Suddenly he felt her fingers pinch his eye lids and open them wider then they were able to. His eyes momentarily bulged in surprise and he stumbled back against the tree with a start. The first thing he saw was her worried heart shaped face peering closely at him through her hands.
"Wuufaay toa macha!," She whined. He growled and swatted her fingers away, his ears catching Trowas laughter from the other side of the tree .
"I heard you onna! What do you want?" He asked irritated, rubbing his abused eye lids with care.
The tone in his voice came out harsher then he had intended. His main goal was just to scare her away, but to his annoyance she merely flashed her teeth at him smugly. She waved her hand inches from his face.
"Himwinyama Woof woof."
"Go away. I'm not in the mood." She glared at him and folded her arms warningly.
"Himwinyama Woof woof." She said through gritted teeth.
He rolled his eyes mumbling her stupid greeting back to her with less enthusiasm.
"Peo Saboosh ka?"
"Yeah yeah just hurry up and be done with it! I don't want you bugging me all day, you're worse then the flies." The girl was oblivious to his crude little remarks as she walked around and passed the food out. She came back with the water and held it out of his reach. Though Wufei had only known her now for one week, he knew that smile and he knew what she was up to. Duo peered around the tree and wiggled his eye brows.
"She wants you to say ahhh Wu-man." Wufei snorted.
"Shut up Maxwell before I tip this water in your face." He turned back to the blonde girl who kneeled before him on the balls of her feet, balancing with the small bowl of water. Raja tilted the bowl upwards towards his lips and watched his irritated expression turn to one of defeat. He had tried drinking the water on his own the previous day, but the way his binds had been tied proved to be a definite problem. With a long heavy sigh he opened his mouth slightly and she perched the bowl against his lips. The water was cool to his surprise, he drank it slowly trying to make it last. This would be her last trip of the day.
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Raja smiled at him brightly as he drank.
'I don't know what he was saying to me but it couldn't have been anything pleasant. I wonder why Wufei's so grumpy. He reminds me of Khama in many ways only..Khama did not act like a Pirana every moment of the day!' His mood often disgruntled her, just as Heeros odd quietness did too. Raja let her mind drift in thought, unaware that her eyes were now boring through the black haired boys tanned solid chest. When Wufei was finished quenching his thirst he noticed this and lifted his lips off the bowl with a smirk.
He said something to her that she didn't quite hear, but it mattered hardly. She shrugged her shoulders at him and passed the water on to the others, Duo watching the two of them contently with his strange violet orbs.
Wufei was now completely oblivious of her presence, since he had long finished his goal in ignoring it and was now staring bleakly up at the sky. Raja followed his eyes and frowned when she spotted the Weahjas looming overhead, slowly orbiting closer to the top of the tree. She touched the boys nose, gaining his attention before pointing at them in the sky.
"Weahjas."
"Vultures." Was his response.
'So they call them vul-churrs. Interesting…' Eager to hear him say more she swept her fingers across the ground pressing her fingers into it and bringing up the dirt within her palm. She grabbed his hand and placed the dirt in it, watching the small grains slip through their briefly entwined fingers.
"Paitah." His dark black eyes swayed over the ground that she touched and he let the rest of the dirt fall away with a blithe expression.
"Earth." Raja sighed and sat back on her heels staring at him.
What was it that made him so silent like Heero, the strange one. Trowas silence gave reason for his actions but Wufei's did not. She wished she could trade ears with one of the other strange men and then talk to Wufei and tell him what a baboons ass he was being. She wanted to know so much…but there was only so much any of them could give. Even Duo. He was quick to understand when she talked to him but all together the conversations were slow. His tongue often spoke so quickly that she merely chose to ignore his speech and follow him on his expressions and gestures alone. Their language was so awkward…so much slurs and rolls of tongue…it was as if they said something all in one breath and never stopped.
'They must come from a very far away place if they speak so differently from us.' She mused, stroking circles in the dirt with her index finger. The Umbaapai people and even the Bunjacas were able to communicate with her people. She had met a few of their warriors in the past when they traveled by to give word of the trade progress. But these strangers…they were something else.
Then suddenly it occurred to her.
'If I bear their skin color…then why can I not understand them?? I am sure their language seems familiar to me. It's almost as if I have heard it before…a long long time ago…'
"I wish I could remember.." She whispered to herself sadly. A soft hum alerted her ears bringing her back to the present and when she looked up she saw the strange boys mouth moving, his eyes centered on her.
He spoke softly, and quietly so that none of the others could hear. Raja frowned at him her frustration growing but she could see that behind his eyes and face of glowing bronze skin there was a pigment of emotion that she knew. Worry. She flushed when she realized he was talking to her again.
"I am fine." She said nodding for reassurance. She almost regretted opening her mouth because it drove him silent once more. He folded his arms and went back to glaring at the clouds. The sun shown down upon the top of his head but he stared at Palas endless realm with proud fearless eyes. Raja watched this with sheer fascination. These men…even in the face of slow discomfort and death were so strong..and enduring. She admired their courage and above all respected them because of it.
She glanced once more at Wufeis face but stopped when she noticed something she hadn't seen before. His skin, though darker then the others was apparently not strong enough to protect itself from Pallas wraith- she sighed and looked at the others. He had sent the Nuks after them, she could tell by the open flesh bites on their skin. They were stricken with small welts everywhere, and Wufeis and Quatres seemed to be the worst. Immediately she jumped to her feet and returned to her basket.
"I will be right back," She called over her shoulder leaving five very confused captives behind, the vultures coming ever so closer….
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"That's not what she usually says. You know?," Duo stated frowning after the fast disappearing figure. "It more along the lines of Lee- o ah Togo. Something like that."
"She probably forgot something," Trowa replied shifting quietly against the tree.
Duo shrugged throwing the thought aside for now. Meanwhile he turned to Wufei hoping he wasn't too cranky anymore now that Raja had come and absorbed some of his sting. He caught his companions attention with a lazy smile and he wiggled his eyebrows.
"So," He murmured , Wufei sensing carefully underlying coyness his friend gave off without attracting the others ears.
"What were you saying to Raja that you had to say so quietly?"
To Duos surprise Wufei chuckled and threw his off guard.
"Nothing that concerns you Maxwell." Duo gaped at him turning serious in an instant.
" You like her ...don't you? Hah! First you were over here making fun of her hair and now your whispering things in her ear like she's your g-"
"Maxwell, the onna is a nuisance. She means nothing to me. And she should mean nothing to you." Wufei responded, his gaze turning to steel. Duo opened his mouth to speak but only air came out. His brows were furrowed together, the realization and pain that flickered momentarily behind his eyes did not go unnoticed by his Chinese friend.
"I know you hold feelings for her- she's a cute kid I'll give her that but once we get out of here there's no turning back. Understand?" Duo stared at him for a long while…he couldn't bring himself to speak. It was true, Raja had quickly grown on him. Like a fly in a web she had him, and he adored her despite all of the barriers and minimal things he knew about her. It was true that he hadn't even known her long enough to even call her a friend…but it was what it was. It would be hard to say goodbye. If there was ever to be a good bye.
Swallowing hard he managed a nod before turning away to stare off gloomily in the direction she had run off to.
'I wish you could come with us Raja. I wish I could take you away from here… Far away where you belong..'
The peaceful silence crumbled against a loud screech that protruded from up above. Heero was the first to look up.
"They'll attack us if you don't find a rock or something hard to throw at them soon," He warned his eyes gripped in malice. Duo and the others scanned the perimeter but nothing hard and threatening was in their reach.
"Lousy birds," Wufei cursed something else in Chinese as he watched them towering above their heads. There were three of them and they weren't small.
Duo caught himself recoiling closer into the protection of the tree. He put on a hard face, not wanting the others to see him in his fear but he immediately blanched when one of the birds started leaping down the branches.
As its head grew larger and larger Duos panic hit the roof. It now loomed on a branch above his head and stared down at him with venomous hungry red rimmed eyes. Duo gulped to swallow the saliva that was building up in his mouth. His initial reaction being to turn to the closest help.
"Wufei.- Wufei!- DO something. Get it!- Get that thing away from me!" The bird screeched again but it was much louder now. More anxious. Duo jumped in alarm, his eyes switching back and forth between the vulture and his friend. But Wufei would take no action other then staring at it!
"Wufei- do something!" Duo yelled struggling against his bindings. Wufei shrugged angrily.
"What do you want me to do? Strangle it!" He snapped.
"Do something," Duo said exasperated. Wufei rolled his eyes thinking it was funny but suddenly the mangy flying beast landed on the ground between them and he wasn't so cocky anymore. Duo immediately pulled his legs into his chest without a second thought to the pain. He winced when he felt the nerves in his right knee scream in protest. The bird cocked its head and screeched a horridly loud sound. Quatre was watching intensely quiet as the bird advanced on Duo and Wufei, his blue eyes wide as saucers. Overhead the other two began approaching them jumping from branch to branch. At the sight Quatre squirmed around against the tree, moving his hands across the dirt searching in vain for something. Anything solid that could be used as a weapon. Trowa and Heero watched the approaching vultures but still they were silent. Duos escalating fear was clearly evident now, and though Wufei still remained calm his eyes were glued to the birds movements trying not to be intimidated. But he was failing. The bird was larger then he had thought. Standing at about four and a half feet tall, it could've been the size of a large child. It snapped its beak threatening them, slowly inching closer. With one final step bringing it only two feet away it lunged at Duo with a viscous cry. Duos face was turning a ghastly shade of pale as the bird lunged its head at him snapping and biting. Wufei kicked his legs out trying to ward him off but the bird jumped out of his reach corning in on Duo entirely. The braided pilots anxiety soared now, full force, as he plastered himself like a second coating to the tree.
The bird lunged at him again, snapping it beak and nipped him hard on the right knee making him clamor in surprise. Pain soon followed, Duo hissed and held his knee carefully- blood seeping through the tattered hole in his jeans- the fine coating of yellow puss oozing out to coagulate the wound once more.
'I don't wanna die this way! I don't want to be pecked apart into pieces!' Duo wailed inside, accepting the pitiful breach of cowardice and yielding to it. The bird seemed to have sensed his defeat and advanced on him with a final pounce. It full fledged attacked him and Duo awaited the slow misery and pain that he knew was to come in a matter of seconds. He closed his eyes.
Before the vultures beak came in contact with his flesh again it gave a loud shriek of pain and was silent. Duos face was scrunched in anticipation but nothing was coming.. anymore…
Carefully he peeked one eye open. The first thing he saw was Wufeis face caught in a mixture of surprise and admiration, then the bird who lay dead in the dirt an arrow running straight through it's skinny bald head into one eye and out the other. His face exulted into a huge grin and he could've leaped with joy had the bindings not been there to hold him back.
Raja stood a quarter mile away, her slender frame small against the vast desert sand. He couldn't make out her expression but he saw that her bow was in her hands as she notched another arrow aiming and releasing it with rapid ease.
Heero watched her closely as she killed off the remaining birds, her arrows hitting their mark every time. They fell from the branches in a heap. He glanced at Trowa. The corner of his mouth was tilted upwards. He himself however refused his body any reaction of emotion…even the one he wanted to show most. Appreciation.
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Once the birds lay limp on the ground and she knew they were dead Raja slung her bow back over her shoulders her breath quickened only slightly. The strangers were on the verge of being swarmed. Three Weahjas would have been more then enough…
And that one…it was about to eat Duo alive. She prided herself on knowing she was able to take care of them and that if it hadn't been for her she be coming back to some very severe wounds…possibly even death. The death birds were not titled that way for nothing.
She picked up the small bowl of herbs and the mashing rock before approaching them. The first to greet her was Duo he spoke in such an excited rush that she could only guess he meant thank you. Quatre was all smiles and even Wufei showed his thanks. Trowa mumbled something quietly passing her a small smile while Heero merely said nothing. Raja stiffened when she realized he would probably never talk to her or even look directly at her. He had eyes like the dessert on a hot summer night. Cloudless and dark. You could see nothing in them. He face was always blank…
After they settled down and she finally pulled Duo off of her leg with his appraises, Raja settled herself down by Quatre and set to work.
The boys watched her with curious faces as she mashed the leaves in the bowl with the giant rock, grinding them down until they were almost liquid. Rubbing the slimy green substance it formed between her thumbs she held it up to the sun looking for something. Grunting to herself she nodded and pulled a small pouch out from her quiver. Duo, being the nosiest of the five craned his rubber neck as far as it could go so he could see what was inside. He eyed it dubiously.
"Tree sap?" He asked cringing. She looked up and smiled.
"Majuheca. It will help with the flies and the sun." He sat there confused for a moment before shrugging it off .
She slowly mixed the yellow sap into the ground leaves until it formed a light maroon color. She then took it and started with the nearest and easiest- Quatre.He shrugged away from her touch at first eyeing the bowl in her hands warily, but after her persistent prodding and soft gestures he allowed her to continue.Out of the five, Quatre had taken the brunt of the hit from the suns merciless heat. His skin was so severely burned….Raja wondered if it would ever turn a lighter shade of red again.
Trowas condition was considerably well due to the fact that he wore an odd thick wool that covered most of his arms and upper body. He looked miserably hot and sweaty in it though and Raja wondered how he could stand the heat with such thick attire.
When Raja got to Heero she grew timid and suddenly shy. His silence intimidated her but mostly it was just irritating.'Maybe he's lame in the head… Perhaps he can't speak very well.' She thought with a look of pity risking a glance into his deep . Yes, that was probably he did not say much to the others.'The poor thing…'His eyes bored holes through her head as she worked with slow shy fingers over his bare shoulders. His body could have been sculpted by Gizzam himself- she was fascinated by the raw muscles that rippled and sloped nearly everywhere her hands could reach. She didn't dare let her fingers linger too long across them though- she didn't want him thinking she was being suggestive…She ignored his blank staring by simply keeping her eyes attached to only his skin as she worked the sap in smooth circles putting just enough to keep the bugs away and stop the heat from causing more damage to his roughly burnt skin.
Duo was generally quiet when it was his turn. Raja was surprised at this too, for he was usually the one attempting to talk to her about things. Even if it was silly.Raja admitted to herself that she enjoyed his attention and was constantly eager to see him again when she retired back to her home…there was something so exciting about being around him. Like embarking on a new adventure just by being near him or in his presence. Raja was fascinated with him. He was like her little pet that she studied and observed and laughed at. She had to admit that she admired his hair too. Most of the men had their wives weave their hair back with straw plates which was a trait of being physically attractive. The more attractive your hair plates were designed the more handsome you appeared. She would often stop her work and tug on his long soft tail of hair that was loosely intertwined by three thick partings, in what Duo called a braade. It was beautiful she decided. She loved playing with it. When she heard laughter she looked up to find him chuckling softly and studying her as she rubbed the tail of it between her fingers. As Raja dressed the small bites across his face he watched her with a lazy smile, and Raja couldn't help but smile fondly back at him. His cheeks were sun burnt, his wound had reopened, and there were bites all over his face but he seemed to not have a care in the world today despite the death birds. It amused her and she was happy for him. After applying the sap to the last of his burns she regarded his knee with hesitance. After making eye contact with Duo to make sure she had his permission he gave a stiffened nod and held tightly to the ropes of his bindings. She pulled an extra leaf from the pouch in her quiver and pulled out a large red Samha leaf. It was primarily used for healing but often when mixed in the blood it caused the person to grow tired and sleepy. Raja explained this to him with gestures and eventually he understood.
But she knew that the leaf alone wouldn't heal this sort of wound. Warily she rose from her spot, her legs prickling from going unused for so long and she walked off to a spot a few yards away. Raja had continued to feed them after the men decided that the only food the prisoners would be having was the rotten carcass meat left over after their meals. Examining the carcass carefully she found what she was looking for. She sat down by Duo once again holding something tightly in her palm that was balled together in a fist. She gulped and looked at him hopefully as she opened her fingers. He sat back and made a face of disgust.
"Maggots!" He cried. Raja shrugged.
"Maagutts." Phased by her silence he debated with himself eyeing the white little larvas as they squirmed around in her hand and finally with a very pained expression he complied. Raja carefully set to work. She rubbed his shoulders gently trying to soothe his pain and she was surprised by how quiet he was as she worked to dry his wound from the yellow substance that gushed from its surface. After it dried she gently stuffed the live maggots inside his wound. Duo turned his head away clearly finding it unbearable to watch. Once she pushed the last of them in she wiped her hands in the sap rubbed it against the leaf to use as a paste and pressed it across the large cut. Noticing Duos sudden weariness she backed away and left him to succumb to his slumber.
Purposely she saved the most stubborn for last. She knew she was going to have trouble with him from the start and as she sat down Wufei fulfilled her hunch with that sour scowl he wore on his face day and night. He was not in the slightest, happy to see her again. Raja could tell he was in one of those moods…she wished he could just pick one or the other and stick with it for a whole day, not juggle them back and forth and expect her to keep up. He watched her with inimical dark eyes- which she felt were more like two black daggers sent out to pierce her own. Despite his greatest attempts to unnerve her Raja folded her arms and layed down line.
" Now Woof woof," she said wagging a finger in front of his face, "I'm doing this for your own good. There's no need to be so unfriendly."
He mumbled something snide in reply but it was obviously in some other language beside the one he already spoke. He did not look like his friends Raja assumed he spoke two tongues but he was born from the other place.
She dipped her thumb and index finger into the sap, her eyes carefully set on his own and approached his skin with caution. Wufeis gazed at her confidently. But as soon as Raja began to sigh in relief , her fingers tracing across the surface of his collar bone, he swatted her hand away. Raja growled and went to dip her fingers into the bowl again that rested on her bare thigh but with a smirk he reached across and flicked it and it went flying into the dirt.
"Woo fay! " Raja crowed, turning to him with an angry look on her face "You hippo! Why do you have to be so mean!". Wufei disregarded her pouting with an indignant sniff. He said something in the usual tongue he spoke but all she could really gather from it was the name he called her when he was mad which was Oannah. Usually the name didn't bother her.. however right now it did.
"My name is Raja. Not Oannah." She snapped, poking him firmly in the chest. Then gathering herself to her feet she picked up the bowl a couple yards away. Luckily most of the sap had stuck to the bowl and with a small huff she came back to the tree ready to begin Round Two.
This went on for half an hour. Her persistently trying to dress the bites that covered his skin and him cunningly finding some new way to make her drop the bowl. He even reduced himself to tickling her. But Wufeis creative spark wore thin and soon his amusement at her struggle went short lived- he eventually just started shoving her hands away from him. After one last attempt Rajas anger finally climaxed. With an angry growl she threw the bowl at him and walked away.
"Do it yourself then. I hope you do it wrong," She called behind her shoulder fearing she would smack him if she were to look at him. After a few minutes a gentle hot breeze blew against her face and her shoulders slackened from the tension. She sighed and closed her eyes slowly beginning to relax.
"Raja."
Raja opened her eyes warily at the sound of Wufeis familiar gruff voice and turned around. His bindings had been tied in an odd series of knots, she knew this to be the males work…probably those who worked under Talibens influence. They had purposely designed the ropes to be tied in ways to torture and tease their prisoners. She glanced at the others and noticed only Duos and Quatres were tied loose enough for their arms to roam freely. Heeros were bound the tightest and Wufeis were not far behind.
Wufei lifted his hands to touch his face and tugged on them when they went no further. He bent into himself and felt his cheeks and then reached for the bowl but she had chucked it out of his reach. Raja watched him until her anger had soon dissolved. Slowly she understood he was admitting defeat and with a scornful glare in his direction she came and sat back down.
Not swaying off track to study him anymore she simply dipped her fingers once more and set to work. She dressed his bites shortly offering no care and gentleness. She could see it in his face that he wanted her to go slower but his stubbornness restrained him from voicing it.
'Two can play this game my dear Woof woof.' She thought to herself with a wry smirk. After rubbing the wounds on his face with harsher pressure then necessary she was about to clean up and head back into the village until he reached out and stopped her.
"Myechest tuu." He said tilting his chin . Raja knew what he meant when he curled into himself again and began to undo the tattered clothe that covered his upper body. For some reason unknown to her Raja flushed when she saw the darkness of his bare skin and the muscles that traced across his chest and all down his stomach in sharp edges and blocks centering around the small hole that punctured his belly . He must have great strength…only the fastest and strongest men of the village possessed muscles across their fronts like the ones she was looking at. Mikal had a few and Taliben as well but she did not see it often among the others. Suddenly her eyes traced fresh open welts red and vibrant against the bronze color of his chest. She opened the flaps of clothe and pulled them back to get a full view. What she saw made her gasp. Poor Wufei. If only she could understand him and he would've told her..The welts ran deep along his sides and it was obvious to her what had caused them. They were known to the Massai as Keelipi the crawlers with thousands of little legs and large stretching bodies. Where ever they crawled they left a trail of venom that irritates the flesh and causes it to open up in mild lacerations. They were small but they were painful. Raja put the remainder of the sap across them with a more gentle touch. She glanced up at him but he was now staring off in a place where she couldn't be. He looked sad. Raja worked as quickly as she could feeling it would be better if they were all just left alone now. But when she was about to turn away something across the top of his chest caught her eye. Above his right breast was a strange marking…in black…a symbol etched into his skin. Raja traced the symbol curiously.
Wufei smirked at her and when he spoke she jumped back, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment.
"Don't touch that onna. Its disrespectful." Raja merely stared at him for a while before turning her back and putting her things away. With a wave she got up and said her goodbyes walking towards the village with a hunger in her belly.
' Taking care of them makes me hungry…and tired..,' She thought with a sigh. Especially Wufei. She wondered what the symbol on his chest stood for and why he seemed so protective of it. Tired and stiff Raja climbed the hill to her home and walked into the Aluk with Yatima there to greet her.
"Himwinyama Raja. I haven't seen you since this morning how was your day?" She asked slicing open the ripe fruit in her hands with a blade. Raja kept her smile secret.
"It was interesting."
She was definitely right about that..
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Omg…18 pages! That took FOREVER! Am i crazy? Yes i think i just might be. .
Maybe the Vultures came off a little unrealistic but from personal experience they're actually pretty freakin scary- really mean too! That's one of the reasons I don't own any large birds. They creep me out. But ANYWAY….
I know- eew Maggots and millipedes! Well as much as I hate them I did add the stuff about maggots and things like that…you never know what is crawling around in areas of primitive jungle life. Yuck. So yes! Another chappie I worked sooper dooper hard on it and I tried to give the characters that seem more forgotten like Heero and Trowa a better background. Give them some more life on their planets ya know? REVIEW PLEASE!!! Ideas are always good too I'll take them into possibility and criticism is welcome as well. But lets keep the mean stuff PG plz! Lol I haven't got flamed for making Sailormoon run around in a loin clothe and I don't want one any time soon! Hope you liked it!