Status: Finally finished. :)
The Nagual
Back to the Jungle
They were in a roofless car made specifically for jungle-like terrain. Felia sat in the back seat and watched the mane of red hair next to her fly out behind her in a perfect Hollywood picture. Her dark tangled in on itself. Kahili laughed a little when she saw Felia's hair.
"Here." she said, handing her an elastic band from her wrist.
"Thanks." Felia replied, taking the band and wrapping her long hair behind her and out of her face.
"You alright?" Kahili asked.
"Is it weird?" she asked instantly. "Is it weird that, you know," she hushed her voice, wary of the driver in front of them, "my animal is a jaguar?"
Kahili sat still for a moment. She said in a low whisper, "Yes. Even among other Naguals, yes, your animal is not common. Jaguars and other big animals usually indicate that the Nagual is powerful."
"Does that mean that I am?"
"I wouldn't know for sure. I mean, you did pass out after your transformation. But that happens for the first time . . ." she started to trail off. Felia looked away. "Hey, Felia." Kahili said, making her face her. "We'll get this all sorted out when we meet up with Fraus Olc and the others, alright?"
Felia nodded but felt even worse. The last time, (and first time,) they spoke of Fraus Olc, the leader of the Naguals, was back at the boat shortly after he had somehow discovered where they were and sent a message. While Felia didn't feel comfortable knowing that somewhere there was a person who could pinpoint her exact location without any trouble, Kahili didn't exactly have a pleasant tone when she talked about him. Felia was beginning to think she had made a mistake for the hundredth time that day.
---
"Well, this is as far as I can take you two." said the driver after he stopped the car in front of a dense jungle. "Now, I can head back around-"
"No, no. This is fine, thank you." Kahili said in a pleasant voice while handing him another fifty dollar bill. The woman seemed to be made of cash.
"But-but-" stuttered the driver. He was slightly overweight and it was revealed that his hair was disappearing underneath his cap when he removed the hat to scratch his head out of confusion. "But Miss? Why-"
"Don't worry about it." Kahili said with a pleasant smile. "We go through here all the time. It's part of our job."
"What job is that?" the driver asked.
"Environmental researchers." she answered immediately.
"Ah." he replied, his voice still puzzled. Felia made her way to Kahili as the driver turned on the engine of the car once more. "Will you need me to come back later?" he asked.
"We'll be fine. Thank you." Kahili said as Felia stepped beside her.
The man shrugged but ended his queries. Using the poorly made dirt road, he executed a near-perfect K-turn and drove off, leaving Kahili and Felia alone for the first time in a few days. Felia had almost forgotten what it was like to be alone with her. However, she relearned quickly as she saw Kahili dart off into the tall brush with a laugh and a voice calling for her. With a tired but almost relieved tiny smile, Felia pushed back the brush and ran through the jungle, looking for the girl with fiery red hair.
"Here." she said, handing her an elastic band from her wrist.
"Thanks." Felia replied, taking the band and wrapping her long hair behind her and out of her face.
"You alright?" Kahili asked.
"Is it weird?" she asked instantly. "Is it weird that, you know," she hushed her voice, wary of the driver in front of them, "my animal is a jaguar?"
Kahili sat still for a moment. She said in a low whisper, "Yes. Even among other Naguals, yes, your animal is not common. Jaguars and other big animals usually indicate that the Nagual is powerful."
"Does that mean that I am?"
"I wouldn't know for sure. I mean, you did pass out after your transformation. But that happens for the first time . . ." she started to trail off. Felia looked away. "Hey, Felia." Kahili said, making her face her. "We'll get this all sorted out when we meet up with Fraus Olc and the others, alright?"
Felia nodded but felt even worse. The last time, (and first time,) they spoke of Fraus Olc, the leader of the Naguals, was back at the boat shortly after he had somehow discovered where they were and sent a message. While Felia didn't feel comfortable knowing that somewhere there was a person who could pinpoint her exact location without any trouble, Kahili didn't exactly have a pleasant tone when she talked about him. Felia was beginning to think she had made a mistake for the hundredth time that day.
---
"Well, this is as far as I can take you two." said the driver after he stopped the car in front of a dense jungle. "Now, I can head back around-"
"No, no. This is fine, thank you." Kahili said in a pleasant voice while handing him another fifty dollar bill. The woman seemed to be made of cash.
"But-but-" stuttered the driver. He was slightly overweight and it was revealed that his hair was disappearing underneath his cap when he removed the hat to scratch his head out of confusion. "But Miss? Why-"
"Don't worry about it." Kahili said with a pleasant smile. "We go through here all the time. It's part of our job."
"What job is that?" the driver asked.
"Environmental researchers." she answered immediately.
"Ah." he replied, his voice still puzzled. Felia made her way to Kahili as the driver turned on the engine of the car once more. "Will you need me to come back later?" he asked.
"We'll be fine. Thank you." Kahili said as Felia stepped beside her.
The man shrugged but ended his queries. Using the poorly made dirt road, he executed a near-perfect K-turn and drove off, leaving Kahili and Felia alone for the first time in a few days. Felia had almost forgotten what it was like to be alone with her. However, she relearned quickly as she saw Kahili dart off into the tall brush with a laugh and a voice calling for her. With a tired but almost relieved tiny smile, Felia pushed back the brush and ran through the jungle, looking for the girl with fiery red hair.