There Are Many Paths To Tread

There Are Many Paths to Tread- Chapter 5

But Moana's didn't smile at my question, nor break into enthusiastic chatter like she would have normally done.

In fact, she looked so very downcast and dispirited that I knew I needed to inquire the reason why she was in such mood.

I started to force myself back into a sitting position, ignoring Maui's protests and turned my attention back to the young girl who was now looking straight at me.

'' Moana, talk to me, what's wrong?'' I asked softly, feeling for the poor teenager who now looked like she would burst into tears.

'' I-it's just that, I'm sorry you got hurt. I-if I hadn't started raising my voice...,'' Moana answered with a tremble in her voice.

'' You've never travelled the ocean before, have you? So you wouldn't have known that water carries voices farther and louder than on land,'' I answered sympathetically.

I cast a warning glare in Maui's direction before he could 'butt in' on the conversation.

'' So really, I'll forgive you even though there is nothing to forgive. It wasn't your fault the Kakamoras launched a harpoon at me.''

'' I- I guess so, but I've lived on Motunui all my life, and the life there had always been peaceful, and to see you get wounded the way you did it shocked me. And it made me realize just how dangerous this mission to restore Te Fiti's heart really is,'' Moana stuttered out weakly.

''Which is why you should really consider just abandoning the whole mission,'' Maui huffed out, for which I shot him another warning look.

''But I can't, Maui! My Grandma showed me that the curse is now beginning to wrap itself around the island where my people live. The fish are gone from our reef, some of our coconut trees are producing coconuts that are dry and ashy on the inside! I don't know how long it'll take for the entirety of the curse to bring our island to ruins, and my people with it.''

Moana's looked up into Maui's eyes, her expression earnest and pained.

'' Maui, my people haven't sailed in generations after monsters emerged from the depths of the ocean and made voyaging a death-trap. None of them would be able to escape the land crumbling around them,'' Moana continued, her voice breaking at the end of her sentence.

I couldn't help but scoot all the way to the end of the boat to pull the girl in a gentle, comforting hug.

Moana slowly sunk into my arms, her tears wetting my shoulder as she held onto my waist.

'' Dear gods, she very much tries to act like a responsible grown-up but she looks like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old teenager bound to this dangerous mission. Well, maybe in this era she is considered to be an adult, already,'' I thought rather morbidly.

'' Hey, it's gonna be alright, we will do our best to fix this disaster. And I'll help you learn how to be a Wayfinder. You see, until you came along to save us from that island, I was with this big pompous windbag for the whole three hundred and sixty-five days,'' I said, trying to be comforting in my words.

Moana gave a small snort of laughter and Mini Maui was splitting his sides laughing at his bigger counterparts indignant splutter of protest.

'' I picked up a few new skills on sailing, even though I couldn't really sail beyond the reef with a hopelessly wrecked up boat.''

Moana slowly pulled away and looked up at me beseechingly.

'' Maui did tell me you were somehow transported from a different age, or world, and were shipwrecked on his lonesome island. Is it really true you have no family, no people of yours here? '' Moana said softly.