Maui was tired. He had flown all through the turbulent night and now fought a strong headwind. The constant shape shifting was taking its toll. He had stopped a few times to beg the ocean to tell him something. Pleading in desperation, raging in frustration. Finally, he felt the water give a small jerk towards the north. Praying that he wasn't misinterpreting, Maui had sped off as fast as he could. Far in the distance he could finally see what looked like an island.
Moana was near tears. She almost wished Pe'ape'a wanted her for food instead of this perverse intent for the violation of her person. He had spent the past hour whispering seductive promises of hours of pleasure, multiple orgasms. Obscenely he had performed fellatio on himself, inviting her to join in. Sickened, Moana had curled into a ball, squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears. Rocking back and fourth; she thought of home, of her people, of Maui. After awhile she realized she had not heard the muffled voice of the disgusting creature in quite some time. She removed her hands from her ears and listened. She heard his deep breathing, but it sounded far away. Wretchedly, Moana wondered for the hundredth time how she was going to escape.
Desperately, once again she crept towards the opening. After a few moments of searching, she found him. Upside down from a niche in the ceiling of the cave, wrapped in his wings, Pe'ape'a hung unmoving. Moana held still, watching. Please let this be a break. Let him be sleeping. She watched him, hardly daring to breathe. After what seemed like forever with no movement, she hesitantly eased herself through the gap, silent as a mouse.
Carefully, step by slow step, she made her way towards the entrance of the cave. Heart pounding, trying hard not to gasp for breath, she kept an eye on the bat and paid attention to where she placed her feet. Suddenly a rock twisted out from under her, slipping with a sharp smack as it fell against another rock. Moana's heart leapt to her throat, her eyes flew to the brown mass of fur, body tense and ready to run at a moments notice.
Pe'ape'a's dark wings rustled around him, but he made no other move. Moana quietly let out a slow breath. Gathering her will, she continued towards the cave entrance, fighting the urge to break into a run.
Maui could see the jagged cliffs encircling the island. Winging in closer, he saw a small area where the cliff had collapsed, causing a small rocky beach. Potentially a good spot for the ocean to drop off an adrift passenger. He spiraled down and became his human form to scout the area, giving his arms some time to rest. The beach held no sign of being disturbed, but the cliffs had some recently loosened rocks at its base, perhaps she had climbed up? Wearily he shifted to a lizard and scaled the wall easily. Halfway up, he stopped. Skittering over to a dark patch, he saw what appeared to be dried blood. Nosing about, Maui flicked his tongue, searching. Yes. This was her. She had been here! Maui jumped off the cliff, shifted again to a giant hawk, and shot up the cliff. Where did you go, curly? Maui's here to make you safe.
Moana let out a quiet sigh. The trip to the entrance had been harrowing, and she had to fight every instinct to not break into a run as soon as she got outside. When she was a good distance from the cave, she had hastily scooped a few mouthfuls of water and then relieved herself. She stood now, wondering where would be the best place to go while she tried to get off this forsaken island. She still had no boat, and the ocean had been a little less than reliable of late. She chewed her lip, deliberating.
Strong slender fingers closed about her waist. Moana froze in abject terror as the silky voice whispered in her ear, "Got you, my little kitten."
Moana screamed.
Nightmare wings pounded the air around her. Moana squirmed and elbowed the barrel body behind her. No! Moana all out panicked; fighting, kicking, elbowing, doing anything she could think of to get out of the tenacious grip. Laughing, Pe'ape'a rose into the air and made for the cave.
A shrill cry the split the air. A giant feathery ball pelted into Pe'ape'a, making him drop his trophy. Moana landed heavily and turned to see the great hawk wheel about, wicked sharp talons extended as he dove for the bat. Hissing, Pe'ape'a lunged at the hawk, fangs glinting in the light.
They collided with a sickening crunch. Feathers and fur spinning crazily in the eddies of their battle. The talons raked down the chest of the bat, ripping out large chunks of fur. The bat tore out handfuls of feathers, snapping at the neck and wings, fighting to get a good hold. They rolled in the air, an undulating mass of gold and brown. Suddenly they broke apart. Each breathing hard, landing heavily on the ground. Maui stood in front of Moana, wings spread protectively over her.
Pe'ape'a started laughing cruelly. "Maui?" He scoffed. "Maui is your lover, sweetness? You must be joking." His lip curled in a sneer. "This barbarian couldn't please a tapeworm."
Maui stiffened, trembling over her. Talons digging into the ground.
"Besides," Pe'ape'a continued mockingly "I doubt he'd fit, little one. Not in your tight little-."
With a scream, Maui launched into the air. Laughing, Pe'ape'a rose to meet him. Demonic eyes glowing red with hatred. Just before they collided, Pe'ape'a dropped. Spinning in the air, he grabbed great handfuls of Maui's tail feathers and ripped them out. Maui bellowed in pain and twisted to get at the bat. Abandoning flight, Pe'ape'a crawled up Maui's back, ripping and tearing and biting as he went. Feathers and blood rained down. Maui folded his wings and plummeted to the ground. At the last moment he flipped over, crashing them both onto the rocks. Pe'ape'a was up first, leaping clear of the raking talons, he beat his wings once before falling to the ground again. Moana saw a mighty tear rending its way through the coriaceous hide of his wing. Hissing in pain, Pe'ape'a ran towards Moana with an odd loping gate, murder in his eyes. "If I cannot have you, tiny angel, no one can." Moanas knees went weak, petrified with fear she lay on the ground, watching the avalanche of anger crashing towards her.
Heavy talons closed around her arms. With a jerk, Moana was flung up into the air. The world tilted crazily and with a frightening sense of vertigo, she felt herself dropping to the ground. The air was driven out of her as she landed heavily on the hawk's back, powerful wing beats carrying them away from the howls of frustration behind them.
