Maui watched Tuna's gaze sway between the two groups. With Moana safely hidden behind him, Maui looked to see how Taianui and Hina were faring. Taianui had pushed Hina behind him as well, though his sister seemed none too happy about it. Taianui began to inch towards the abandoned hook, but Maui stopped him with a small shake of his head.

Yes, he was at a complete disadvantage without a weapon, but Maui wanted to keep as much distance as possible between the two groups. With everyone on opposite sides of the eel, Tuna would have a difficult time keeping track of both attack parties. If they could keep the eel's attention divided long enough, then Maui would be able to grab his hook and settle things once and for all. He glanced briefly at the woman behind him. Her hand still shook slightly but she stared at her captor with no fear in her eyes. Maui turned back to Tuna, a plan forming in his mind. He just needed to keep Tuna busy.

He ducked his head to whisper behind him. "Moana, when I give the signal, I want you to run to the wall behind you and start looking at that tunnel. Understand?"

He felt her hand squeeze his shoulder. She would be ready to act. Now to get Taianui's attention.

Tuna's cackles echoed throughout the cave. "Your lovely wife and I were beginning to worry that you wouldn't make it. I don't think she would have lasted much longer; humans are such delicate creatures, you know."

Tuna turned to sneer at Taianui and Maui's face hardened in anger. There was no end to Tuna's insults. Maui made sure to catch his friend's eye before addressing the eel.

"This wasn't exactly a pleasure trip, Tuna."

Before the eel turned back to look at him, Maui jerked his head to his left, away from his hook. Taianui's brow furrowed and he looked at Maui in confusion.

"Ohhh?" Tuna mocked.

"I didn't think I'd ever see your sorry hide again, but you took something of value to me and I aim to get her back."

Maui allowed all the anger and loathing over the past several days to show on his face. A flicker of fear crossed the eel's face and he turned to look behind him. Taianui looked at Maui with his spear ready. Maui jerked his head to the left again and began walking to the right towards his hook. He pushed Moana gently to create a gap between them. His brave woman took a small step back, getting into position for her part of the plan.

Tuna glared at Maui and Maui slowly moved around the pool, the eel matching his movements.

"Well, I had to do something to pay you back for all the trouble you gave me. Taking your wife seemed to be the perfect revenge, seeing how you almost killed me."

Maui took a few more steps, Taianui paced him on the opposite side, and Moana shuffled farther behind him.

"That's the funny thing about revenge, Tuna, it can become a vicious cycle. Technically, we were already even; you insulted my sister, I almost killed you. There. Done. Should have just left it at that. But you've hurt another person that I love, so now you have to suffer the consequences again." Maui glanced at Moana, wanting to protect her from seeing any bloodshed. "But if you'd prefer, I would accept a sincere and humble apology, with the promise to never harm my family again. And don't worry, I have plenty of friends that would be willing to make sure you held up your end of the bargain."

Moana inched backwards. Maui moved slowly towards his hook. Taianui pulled Hina and the eel glanced between the three groups, confidence filling his yellow eyes. It was a deadly dance, each moving in sync with the others, none daring to move any faster. The eel was the predator, they the prey, and one wrong move from any of them could change the fate of the game.

With a loud splash Tuna plunged into the water, breaking the entrancing spell. Moana sprinted to the cave wall and quickly climbed the ledges. Maui darted to his hook and he could see Taianui and Hina running to keep the same distance between all of them.

Maui had only managed to run a few feet before Tuna reemerged from the pool. He skidded to a halt, heart pounding with adrenaline, and resumed the achingly slow pace he had before. The cold look in Tuna's eyes was replaced by fear, now that he could see how close Maui had come to his hook. Maui smirked and walked faster.

Tuna lowered his head until his snout almost touched the surface of the water. His long body moved in wide, serpentine strokes. Maui kept his eyes trained on the eel, waiting for his attack.

"There was once a time where you'd have never been separated from that hook of yours. You've gone soft, Maui. Your time with those humans has turned you into *nothing more than a dog."

Maui froze, skin burning in anger. He heard Moana shout angrily at the eel, Taianui and Hina joining her.

"You will pay for that insult, Tuna-roa."

Time seemed to slow as everyone moved at once. Maui sprinted the remaining distance to his weapon, dropping his body and sliding on the wet ground right as Tuna's jaws passed where he had been standing. Tuna rammed into the wall with a thunderous crash. Maui's fingers grasped the handle and he slide around, pushing with his legs and crouching in a battle stance. Tuna's long body crumpled into the side of the cave, but he immediately turned and lunged again at Maui.

Maui sidestepped and swung his hook, grinning in satisfaction at the splintering sound of Tuna's teeth shattering. Tuna shrieked and used his strong front fins to help propel himself to the pool and into the water.

"Moana! Keep looking for that opening! I'll buy you some time. Taianui! Hina! Head over to her and protect her if Tuna gets too close."

"On it Big Guy!"

Tuna shot out of the water with a roar. For a heartbeat he turned to glare at Maui, but turned to lunge at the others.

"Watch out!"

Maui swung his hook and changed into a hawk, flying after the eel. He cried out when he saw the eel lunge at Taianui, but his friend dodged the attack and sliced at Tuna with his spear, leaving behind a long, red gash on the eel's neck. Hina slide under the Tuna's jaw and left her own mark on the beast.

Tuna reared his head and roaredin pain. Maui dove, grabbing at Tuna with his talons. His sharp claws caught the sensitive skin beneath the eel's eye and Maui pulled back, forcing Tuna away before he went after the others again.

Tuna's skin ripped, the sudden release of tension causing Maui to fly backwards and land heavily on the cave floor. The impact broke the transformation and Maui lay gasping on his back trying to catch his breath.

"You will pay for that, demi-god!"

Panting, Maui sat up to see Tuna charging towards him. The eel's eyes were filled with hatred, blood flowing down his face and causing his sneer to become even more sinister. Maui barely had time to raise his arms before Tuna attacked with open jaws.

Maui yelled and grabbed the side of Tuna's snout. His arms shook and his abdominal muscles burned with the strain of keeping Tuna's jaws open. The eel whipped his head back and forth, intent on breaking out of Maui's hold. Maui grit his teeth against the pain of his back ripping open from the coral floor. Sweat dripped into his eyes and he could barely see through the hair fallen in his face. Maui knew he was in a dire position. Prostrate like he was, it was only a matter of time before his strength gave out and he would be crushed.

A yell sounded to the side of him and a sudden impact on Tuna's head caused the eel to rear back. With the pressure from Tuna's jaws slackened, Maui gathered all his strength and stood, pushing away the eel's head. Tuna landed on the floor with a loud thud.

Maui stood and grasped his knees, turning to see Taianui staring with wide eyes at the eel, his arm outstretched. Maui looked back at the eel slowly rising, Taianui's spear lodged in his neck.

"How dare you, puny human, *you will prepare my meals for me!"

Tuna shot forward, knocking him off his feet as he moved past. Taianui turned to run, but Tuna wrapped around him and lunged towards the water.

"Taianui!"

Maui and his sister both screamed as they watched Taianui disappear under the water.

Taianui quickly held his breath as he was plunged underwater. He could feel the eel's tight hold releasing him, but it did nothing to help his disoriented state. He spun head over heels, shadows writhing around him, the churning waters making it impossible to see the surface. He grasped around him blindly, reaching for something, anything, to grab onto. His fingers brushed what felt like a hard pole and he gripped it tightly.

Water rushed past his head and he closed his eyes, lungs burning. With a loud splash his head finally broke the surface. He took a shuddering breathe that released in a cry as he realized he was now high above the water, dangling from the shaft of his spear that was still embedded in the eel's neck.

Tuna hissed, "Release me, you insect!"

Tuna shook his neck, intent on flinging Taianui from his body. Taianui shifted his grip and tried to swing his leg onto the eel's back, but Tuna jerked forwards and Taianui almost fell onto the ground below. Grunting, Taianui fought against his slipping fingers and waited for the next thrust of the eel's head. Tuna reared back, allowing Taianui to use the momentum to swing his body and leap onto the eel's neck. His hands grasped the raised ridges near the base of Tuna's skull, but his lower body flung onto the other side. He pulled himself up onto the eel's back, but began to slide downwards on the wet scales.

"You shouldn't have drug your friend into this, Maui. After I'm done with you, I'm going to enjoy killing him too! Die, former demi-god of the wind and sea!"

Tina stopped his thrashing and lowered his head, coiling his body for another strike. The sudden lack of movement allowed Taianui to stop his slippery descent.

"Taianui!"

He turned at the feminine cry and saw Hina standing behind him. She ran to the pool's edge and drew back her arm, throwing her coral spear across the water. Taianui clutched the eel's body with his knees and grabbed the spear in midair. He twisted the handle, raised it high above his head, and plunged the sharp head into Tuna's spine.

Tuna screamed and shrieked, writhing in pain. Blood poured from the wound to its back. Taianui was flung into the water, Tuna's giant carcass falling in after him. White light flashed in the water and something hard hit his back, propelling him through the currents. Light filtered through the murky water, allowing Taianui to see the strong, slender arms that reached for him. He grabbed Hina's hands and she helped pull him from the pool. He crouched on his hands and knees, coughing and sputtering. He turned to lay on his back, smiling at the concerned faces of Hina and Moana. Hina gave him a small smile, but her eyes seemed suspiciously bight.

Taianui couldn't help but tease her. "Surely you're not crying for me?"

Hina chuckled, wiping away the moisture from her eyes. "No, of course not. I'm crying because you dropped my spear."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that."

"Its fine, I'm just happy that you're ok."

She reached down and helped him to his feet. Taianui stretched and took a deep breath, looking around the cave.

"Wait, where's Maui?"

Both women pointed to the pool and they all waited silently for several minutes. Taianui watched as a dark shadow move closer to the surface. He jumped back, turning his head to avoid being sprayed by Maui's shark form jumping out of the red-tinged water.

"If you had lost this, my sister would never have forgiven you." He smirked, handing the spear to Hina. "But you might want to wash it first. That water is a little-dirty."

Taianui laughed at the disgusted look on Hina's face. She turned to glare at him, but soon was laughing as well, the adrenaline from the battle slowly ebbing from their bodies.

"Ok, ok, that's enough. I'm sure Moana has had enough of this cave and wants to get out of here."

Taianui rolled his eyes at his friend, but followed after the couple. He moved to Hina's side and stepped close.

"You know," he bent to whisper, "I did just kill a giant sea monster. I wouldn't mind a little special treatment as well."

At Hina's confused look he pointed to the two in front of them, holding hands and walking so close together it was a wonder they hadn't fallen yet.

Taianui laughed when Hina punched his arm in answer, but the twinkle I her eye told him she wasn't as opposed to the idea as she pretended to be.

*Author's note: In the Polynesian culture, referring to someone as having the value of a dog is highly offensive, and the offended person is hard to pacify. Telling someone "you will prepare my meals for me" refers to servitude and is a deadly insult. I included these to show how cruel Tuna can be, but I did not use the traditional language in case it offended someone. If the English version is still offensive, I deeply apologize.