The next island Konane and Makani came to was deserted.
Konane docked the boat effortlessly and hopped out, offering Makani a hand to help her down. She didn't need it but took it out of politeness.
The duo looked around the beach. There were no boats to be seen, and this beach was not clean like previous beaches. On Makani's island, some children got the chore of cleaning off the beach so the busy fishermen could walk around without having to worry about their unprotected feet. On this beach, that was obviously not the case. Dead fish, driftwood, and seaweed littered the length of the sand and as Makani and Konane started toward the strip of trees that looked thin but through which nothing could be seen, they had to watch the ground carefully to avoid stepping on anything disgusting or painful.
When they made it to the line of trees, they pushed hurriedly through, silently praying to the gods that a village would be awaiting them.
One was. But it was not at all what they had expected.
This island was obviously deserted. Most of the houses were in absolute ruin, beyond the point of repair. A well for clean water was covered by its roof, which had caved in.
Konane grabbed Makani's shoulder as she hesitantly started forward. "Don't," he hissed.
"What?" she whispered in reply. "It's deserted."
Konane pointed to a large hut that was colorfully decorated. While the roof needed to be re-thatched and the colors were faded, the building looked like a palace for the gods compared to the other buildings. Someone had been taking care of it.
"So someone's living here all alone. They can tell us what's happened to everyone else!" Makani pointed out after a moment.
"Makani, don't you find it at all suspicious that someone is living here all alone with nobody else in sight?"
Makani paused, thinking. Then her brain made the connection that Konane's had instantly made. "Oh. Oh." Did Konane truly believe that whoever still lived on this island had been responsible for the disappearance of the others?
Suddenly, the door to the large hut started to creak open. With lightning reflexes, Konane grabbed Makani and shoved her behind the well. He ducked behind a tree.
Makani dropped to her knees, pressing her back against the well. She leaned ever so slightly to the right, trying to peer around the edge of the stones and see the figure emerging from the only hut that wasn't dilapidated.
A large man stepped out. Makani could not make out any of his features because he was turned away from her, but his hair was to his shoulders, black and curly. There were markings on his skin, tattoos - many of the men and even some of the women in Makani's tribe had some. It was rumored that Moana had one on her stomach.
Makani's breath caught in her throat as he turned and started toward her. She whipped her head back behind the well, hoping desperately that she had not been seen.
She could feel the vibrations of the huge man's footsteps getting closer and closer. Her heart was beating so fast and hard that she was sure he could hear it. She couldn't breathe.
The caved-in roof of the well was suddenly thrown on top of her. Her first instinct was to push the musty old thing off, but her second, smarter instinct made her curl into a smaller ball underneath the sudden protection.
There was a creaking sound, a splash, and then another creaking sound. The man was drawing water. There was a slurping sound as he drank and then he said, "It's been a long while since I had guests. It pains me that you would try to hide from me when you haven't even met me yet."
Makani's heart stopped. Then it started up again, faster than ever before.
The footsteps vibrated their way over to her and lifted off the roof that had been her cover. "Boo," the man said, grinning.
This close, Makani could clearly see not only his large lips, broad nose, and hazel eyes, but also his tattoos. Her brow furrowed as she saw the ink spell out familiar stories - the sun being lassoed across the sky, a desperate battle with a gem-incrusted crab, and...
The man turned around to pick up his jug of water from where it lay on the ground and Makani gasped as his hair fell forward and the centerpiece of his back's tattoos was revealed.
"Maui!" she exclaimed, and as the man turned back to her, she threw her arms around his neck.
Maui stiffened and did not hug her back. Makani quickly released him, coloring.
"Who are you?" he asked, squinting at her. "How'd you know my tattoos?"
Konane stepped out from behind the tree he had been hiding behind and walked to stand behind Makani. She could feel the anticipation radiating off of him as he looked, for the first time, at his father.
"Maui," he breathed, and Makani felt his hold on her shoulders tighten. She reached a hand up to pat his arm gently.
"Who are you people?" Maui demanded.
Makani made a qiuck decision. "I'm Makani, the granddaughter of Moana, and this is Konane. He's your son."
"We have a lot to talk to you about," Konane finished quietly.