Chapter Two - Call Of A Friend

I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder, and opened my eyes to see Amura standing next to my bed. Sitting up, I ran a hand down my face. My hair felt dry to the touch, but still sticky from the sea water. It was matted to my head and hung in tangled, curly clumps around my shoulders. As my vision cleared, I could see the excitement in her eyes, and in the way she bit down on her lower lip.

"Guess what I found out about the visitors!"

"They're here already?" I rubbed at both eyes.

"No, but a couple of the men from the voyage told us everything. The master of the mo'o and his people are from an island like ours—only it's much colder there. And listen to this—they tamed the mo'o! Actually tamed them—like pets! Our scouts found the man from the legends and he agreed to teach us how to tame them," she gushed. "Oh, and the most interesting part is what they look like! The scouts said these people have very pale skin—as pale as the sand on the beach! Imagine that, Moana! And they have eyes of all different colors—like green and blue! And their hair—red and yellow! Isn't that strange?"

"Yeah, it'll be interesting to see them up close."

"I bet the men are really exotic and handsome and—" Amura's eyes shot over to me and instantly widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth. "Uh, I mean…they're probably nothing…"

"Amura, I don't mind if you talk about boys. You can talk about how attractive you think they'll be." I smiled and gave her a shrug. "It wouldn't matter to me if they were."

She pressed her lips into a thin line and gave me a dubious look. "If you say so, Moana…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, come on, Moana. Don't act like you aren't the least bit interested."

"I'm not, Amura. I don't care about boys or how handsome they are—my one and only love is the ocean."

"Oh, please, I see how you look at the other couples here." Before I could protest her hand shot forward and covered my mouth, stopping me. "Don't deny it, I can see the envy in your eyes. I know you won't let yourself fall in love, that's why you do all that dangerous stuff, like sailing fifty-foot waves."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, pushing her hand away. Something about the way she said it made me feel on edge—defensive.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Moana." Her hard tone made my temper flare instantly. "I know why you surf and sail and constantly look for things to do—it's to distract yourself. Because as scary as those things are, the one thought that scares you the most is the idea of falling in love. You don't want to face the truth that you want to know what it's like—to fall in love, to be with a man."

I frowned and looked away, unable to meet her penetrating gaze. She was right about nearly everything she said, except one thing—I had faced the truth. I knew that I wanted to fall in love and everything else that went along with it, but I couldn't. It's never been in the cards for me. I couldn't fall in love, so I had focused on the one thing I did love and could allow myself to be drawn to—the water.

"You don't understand me, Amura, if that's what you think."

Her eyes narrowed. "I think sometimes I know you better than you know yourself."

I scowled and raised my chin up in defiance. "I really don't see how it's any of your concern what I do with my life. So maybe I like chasing after thrills, so what? It's my life—not yours!"

"No, you don't get it, Moana! Your actions don't just affect you!" she snapped, irritation in her eyes, but there was also a glassy sort of look to them. Tears? No, it couldn't be. Why would she cry over something like this? When she saw me staring, her gaze darted away and she quickly swiped at her eyes. "Do you know how…how terrified and helpless I felt when I saw you wipeout, and then you didn't come back up? Do you know how scared I was when I dragged you to the shore—not knowing if you were dead?" She drew in a shaky breath. "And what about your father? You know how protective he is over you because of what happened with your mother. And your gramma—all your people. You're the next chief, Moana. It's your job to lead us all. I don't know what we'd do if you were gone."

All the anger that had welled up inside me seemed to vanish in an instant. When she was met with silence she narrowed her eyes at the ground, unwilling to meet my gaze. Her reasoning suddenly made a little more sense. How long had she felt this way? I never meant to scare her. I just…I liked the thrill. I had always felt the call of the ocean.

"I…I'm sorry," I replied lamely.

She waved a dismissive hand. "Just give what I said some thought—" she began, but I cut her off.

"I know…that you have good intentions."

"I care about you, a lot." When I didn't reply, Amura continued, "I'm sorry, Moana, I don't mean to get angry, I just…I hate seeing you endlessly chasing after the next high. Remember what your father always says—you can find happiness right where you are."

My gaze drifted over to the window, and to the ocean that lay just beyond our sandy white beaches. Even now I could feel the pull of my whole being toward it. Why couldn't I just be happy where I was? It was a question I had always asked myself, and yet I still felt that indescribable pull—that yearning to discover the unknown and see how far it went. The only people who maybe had an answer were the scouts. That was their destiny—to go out and discover new things and places, to explore. Mine was right here in Motunui—to lead and guide my people.

"Maybe you're right."

Amura beamed at my comment, thinking she finally got through to me. "I know I am."

"So, what were you saying about these new men?" Her beaming smile became a grin. I ran a hand through my hair, shaking my head in amusement. "Amura, you don't even know what they look like. They might all be ugly."

She pursed her lips. "Surely they can't all be ugly. Besides, they have skin the color of sand, Moana—sand! You like sand, don't you? And their eyes are blue and green—just like the ocean! You love the ocean, Moana."

I couldn't help but chuckle, glad to see the topic of conversation had turned to something more lighthearted. "Yes, I love the sand and ocean. I also love a lot of other things that I don't think would look handsome on a man."

It was already late afternoon, so we spent the rest of the day talking in my bedroom. I picked up a brush and combed through the knots in my hair while I listened to her talk about the problems she was having with a boy in the village. Amura's family was among the higher class on the island—which was why she had a lot of free time to hang out with me. I had trouble making friends when I was younger—mostly because of my tendency to push away anybody who tried to get close. I loved my people and I was friendly with them all—always willing to help them when they needed it, but I never allowed anyone past arm's length.

My fear of falling in love spilled over from avoiding boys, to avoiding people in general. However, Amura was different. She didn't let me push her away. No matter how hard I tried, she just kept coming back with a smile on her face and a determination that never wavered. Eventually, she broke down my walls and I let her in. We'd been best friends ever since. She was the only one I could tell all my secrets to.

She was in the middle of a story about her younger brother when we heard a knock on the door downstairs. My heart leapt to my throat in excitement. Maybe it was the visitors! I stood and walked over to my window, trying to spot the doorstep from my second story window, but it was impossible. There were palm trees planted right by the doorway, blocking my view.

I leaned over to try and see if I could spot the visitors and Amura joined me a moment later, craning her neck to try and see them as well. One of the men took a step forward, towards the door, and I caught a brief glimpse of him. I immediately recognized him—he was one of the scouts. These must be the men who had been missing when the ships came back—which meant they were the ones who elected to stay behind with the newcomers. So where were the strangers?

I heard the door open below and quickly ducked back inside, brushing the linen curtain that hung from my doorway aside, then tiptoed to the steps. Amura was right behind me, and together we sat on the top step to listen in on the conversation.

"It's good to have you back safe and sound."

"It's good to be back, Chief," one of them answered. "Chief Hiccup, the one they call the master of the mo'o, asked us to deliver you a message. He said it has been a long and tiring trip—not to mention a tiring day—so the Chief will be staying on his boat for tonight and will come ashore in the morning. His ship is docked just inside the barrier reef, sir."

"Very well. You may go and return to your families now."

"Thank you."

As they filed out, Amura grabbed my arm and pulled me back into my room. "Come on—let's go see their boat!"

"It's getting dark, we won't be able to see anything."

"We might if we hurry. Come on, please?" She clasped both hands and jutted one lip out in a pout—as if she were a child instead of an eighteen-year-old woman.

I let out a chuckle. Truth was, I wanted to see them too. "Let's see if we can see them from the roof."

We climbed out my window and scaled the poles forming the roof. We made sure to step carefully, or else risk falling through the thatched roof and hurting ourselves. We walked along the beams and then sat down, gazing out over the waters. The wound on my leg still throbbed with each step—but it didn't hurt as much as it did a few hours ago.

"Oh, Moana, there it is! Look!"

She pointed to a ship moored some distance away. There, bobbing out on the ocean, was a ship much like our own—only the shape of it was different, though it was hard to tell exactly how different from so far away.

"Maybe we don't have to wait until tomorrow to see them," Amura mumbled.

I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"We could get a boat and sail out there after everyone else has gone to bed. We could see them before everybody else."

"They might tell my dad, and then we would be in trouble."

"They don't have to know we saw them. If we're quiet, they will never notice us."

"No matter how small the boat, they would see it coming. And even if they didn't, it would still make noise. We can wait until tomorrow to meet them—just like everybody else."

"You're no fun."

"Says the woman who doesn't want me to ride fifty-foot waves."

"I said fun, not suicidal." After a moment or two of silence, she let out a sigh. "I guess you're right, though. I should be getting back home. It will be dark soon."

"I'm going to stay up here a little while longer."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

I watched Amura carefully climb down to my window sill, then jump into the palm tree by my window and make her way down. As soon as she touched the ground, I turned my attention back to the boat, trying to make out any details.

"Moana?" I heard my dad call from inside the house.

My eyes widened and I cursed under my breath as I hastily stood and made my way back down from the roof. My dad would freak out if he knew I was up on the roof. He was always cautioning me about being safe and not taking risks. I listened to his footsteps making their way up the stairs as I grabbed the ledge of my windowsill from above and took the leap. A white-hot pain flashed through my leg as I swung myself inside the window and made contact with the ground. I tripped and landed on my bed just as my dad pushed the linen aside and entered my room.

"Moana? What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. I just tripped…over a loose floorboard." The deep throbbing in my leg preventing me from thinking up a better lie, so I went with a half-truth.

His smile turned into a look of worry. "Oh, I'll have to fix that later. Wouldn't want you hurting yourself."

"Yeah, wouldn't want that." I laughed nervously and sat down on my bed, tucking my injured foot underneath me and ignoring the pain as my dad sat down next to me.

"Moana, I wanted to talk to you. I'm not sure if you know, but the scouts have returned from their journey, and they've brought back the man we've heard about—the master over the mo'o."

I feigned surprise. "That's great! Are they here already?"

"They're moored just inside the barrier reef and will be coming ashore tomorrow." His smile turned affectionate and he leaned forward, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. "Moana, this is a very important event. Our island hadn't had any visitors, aside from the traders, for many years. We will celebrate their arrival with a welcoming ceremony tomorrow. You are now eighteen, and as the future Chief of our people…I am putting you in charge of it. You will act as the Chief tomorrow. It's time I let you take on more responsibility."

"Y-you want me to conduct the ceremony?" I had heard a lot about the welcoming ceremony to greet visitors to our island, but aside from the traders, we never had visitors, so I had never seen the ceremony done before. I turned my uncertain gaze to my dad and saw the proud look on his face—so full of hope and high expectations for me to fulfill. I didn't want to let him down. I plastered a fake smile onto my face. "Um, sure dad, I can do it."

"Great!" He gave me a huge smile before standing, then leaned over to press his forehead and nose against mine. "Well, I'll let you get some rest. It's going to be a big day for you tomorrow."

As soon as he left, I rushed over to my window and stared at the boat so far away. Tomorrow, I would welcome the visitors to our island…the strange, exotic men and woman with skin as pale as the sand and eyes of such bright colors. The thought terrified me.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of happier things...of waves and sailing and surfing—wait, my board! My eyes snapped open and darted off into the direction where I had gone surfing earlier today. I had left my alaia board on the shore, promising to go and get it later. It shouldn't be left out there to endure the elements, it had to be properly stored.

I waited until my dad's snores filled the house before sneaking out my window and climbing down the palm tree, then ran as fast as my injured foot would allow. When I finally made it to the shore, I let out a sigh of relief when I saw my alaia board lying right where I'd left it, illuminated by the moonlight. As I walked over, I caught a glimpse of the new ship, bobbing out in the waters not too far away. Now that I was closer I could see just how different the newcomers ship was from ours. Unlike the flat rafts that rested in between two hulls, their boat seemed to be one giant hull. The massive boat rose into two points on either side, and the front had been carved into the shape of a mo'o head. Instead of the curved poles we used to hang out sailclothes, their pole shot up straight, and their square sailcloth hung from a straight pole that intersected the other one. Very peculiar. But perhaps the most interesting part was what was on the sailcloth—a black mo'o that curled up into itself, though it wasn't one I had ever seen before. The whole cloth was a blood red color, and it was very easily to tell this was the man from the legends.

I absentmindedly wiped the sand from my board as I stared out at the boat. The same pull inside that drove me to the water called to me now, daring me to venture out into the water to see the boat, and the newcomers, up close. I tried to tell myself that I should wait—that I would see them in a few hours when the sun rose and they came ashore, but my feet didn't listen very well; before I knew it, they were taking their first steps into the water. When the water finally reached my calf, a stinging pain shot up my leg from where the salt water met my wound, but still my feet carried my forward. The water finally reached my hips and I placed my alaia board on the surface, then hoisted myself up onto it. As I paddled out towards the boat, all I felt was the same thrill I always got right before surfing a big wave.

My arms dug deep into the water as I pushed myself forward, trying to be as silent as possible. The last thing I needed was to be caught not only sneaking out to see the newcomers, but also swimming out on my alaia board. This was a bad idea...a very bad idea, but then again that had never really stopped me before. As I pulled up alongside the ship, I gazed at it in awe. I couldn't see any people up there, but I could hear conversations floating down. The words that I heard were strange, and I couldn't understand what was being said, but it had a pleasant sort of sound to it. I wondered what they were saying…what they looked like.

A shadow swooped through the sky and my eyes darted up, my whole body tensing. What was that? My eyes scanned the sky for anything amiss, but found nothing. I turned my eyes back to the boat, trying to gauge if I could climb the side and peek up over the railing and see the newcomers. Suddenly a dark creature swopped down and I felt two hard claws clamp down on both my arms, hauling me up into the sky.

I let out a scream as I flew through the air, feet dangling and hair whipping around my face. Kicking my feet in frustration, I tried to wrench myself from the grip of whatever giant creature had grabbed me. The ground was far below us, and falling that far would hurt, but I would rather take my chances in the water than in the grasp of the beast flying through the sky. A sudden thought flashed through my mind and chilled me to my core—the stories my gramma told me about Maui always mentioned that he was a shape shifter, and that one of this favorite form was that of a giant hawk. Oh gods, it was Maui—I was sure of it. He was tired of waiting for me to bear a daughter, so he was going to drag me off anyway!

The giant hawk circled around and headed for the newcomers ship. Wait, what was Maui doing? Why wasn't he headed out to sea? As we swopped above the ship, the claws suddenly released me and I tumbled down onto the wooden deck. My hands shot out to catch myself as I fell hard onto my knees, hair falling into my face. I quickly pushed it aside and looked up to see a man land in front of me, riding a very terrifying beast.

I sucked in a deep breath when I realized it wasn't Maui that had snatched me up—but a mo'o, though it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I could only assume it was a mo'o, from the colorful wings and the giant horn on its snout. It stared at me with beady, calculating eyes, opening it's jaw to reveal rows of tiny, razor sharp teeth. The man jumped down from the back of the mo'o and it was then I got my first good look at him.

Amura had been wrong about the foreigners. The man standing before me had hair as black as night, and eyes just as dark. The only thing that turned out to be true was his pale, sand-colored skin. He had hard features and a large jaw, with five blue lines streaking all the way down his chin. His gaze was sharp and cold as he gazed down at me. He began to walk towards me, but then stopped, his gaze swinging to something behind me. I turned and saw others standing around on deck, and gasped in surprise. These men and woman looked more like the ones that Amura had described, with hair glowing golden and red in the moonlight. It was too bad I couldn't see the color of their eyes in the darkness.

Suddenly a man spoke from behind me, and everyone turned their attention to him. I turned to see a tall figure step out onto the deck from a small room. His gaze landed on me and then to the man who had kidnapped me. The black haired man spoke in a sharp tone, pointing an accusing finger at me. My gaze swung from him to the man who had emerged from the room, and took in his appearance as he replied to my kidnapper. He was different from the man with black hair. Though it was hard to tell in the limited light from the moon and the torches that lined the ship, his hair was the same light brown as coconut shells. He had a strong, defined jaw, but his features were softer, smoother, than the other man. His hair looked soft and was very short, only reaching his neck—shorter than the black-haired man and the men in my village.

My gaze trailed down to his clothes and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. His clothing was very strange—a sort of fabric covered him from his neck down to his feet, and it fit snugly on his body. I had noticed similar clothing on the other people on this ship. How could they stand to wear something like that when the sun rose and scorched the earth with it's heat? My gaze traveled further down and noticed, with heat rising in my cheeks, that he wore no malo like the men in our village, but instead very tight cloth that wrapped snugly around his legs. I forced my gaze lower and was again startled by another discovery—he was missing half of one leg. Instead it had been replaced with a metal contraption.

He suddenly cleared his throat and my eyes shot back up to his face, noting that he turned his attention back to me. My mind went into a panic when he started towards me. I shot up, but my foot got caught in my wet skirt and I tumbled back down, banging my elbow on the wood. The man's gaze turned into worry and he paused, holding up both hands, as if in surrender, and then he did something surprising—he spoke in my language.

"Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you. We just want to know what you were doing. We won't hurt you, I promise." He spoke with an accent, but his pleasant, calming way of speaking put me at ease. He gave me a smile and crouched down, and it was then I could see the kindness in his eyes.

"My name is Chief Hiccup." He pressed a hand to his chest, and then gestured to me. "Who are you?"


To celebrate the release of Moana on DVD—you get a new chapter! :D Thank you all so much for all the comments, they really made my day! I was blown away by the number of favorites and follows this got too—you guys are awesome! Sorry it took so long to post this. This new chapter is actually my attempt to get back into writing, since I haven't written a single thing for over a year. The previous chapter and the first half of this chapter were written about a year and a half ago, so I'm still trying to get back into the hang of things. Also, please forgive any typos. I always revise my work several times, but there always seems to be something that slips through the cracks, so if anyone would like to volunteer as a beta, it'd be much appreciated (and you get to read the chapters early!)

Other than that, hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! :)