Crash Bandicoot: The Beginning

*Chapter 7: Native Fortress*

The village is incredibly peaceful, but to Crash it looks creepy. There are big straw huts and a central hut houses around him when being dragged by the guards. The other villagers turn to see him. Small children hid behind their mothers and fathers, speaking in a language that Crash still didn't understand. He can also hear the music and singing from the left side of the village. There is a hog pen on the right. Crash turned back to see the other natives who came in with food and dead animals in the different hut. He gulped a bit.

"Ohh..." Crash moaned nervously. He looked up to see a big hut with feathers, bones, and tikis around. The native guards push Crash inside the hut and block the exit. On the throne, there is an overweight chief, holding a staff. Next to him, there is a young girl with black hair in a braid. Crash looked up at the chief who look down at him with his dark eyes.

"What is this creature who enters my village?" He spoke. The native guard step forward and bow his head at his leader.

"Papu Papu, this is a creature that could be from that mad man, Cortex. He approached to the gate, and we must bring him here." He spoke. Crash scratched his left ear. Papu Papu stares at him.

"Who are you, you evil creature of that mad man from outside our island?" He asked. Crash lowered his ears at him. He tried to tell he came in peace, but no sound came out of him. The native girl turned back to the chief.

"He could not talk, father." She spoke. "I believe he doesn't mean any harm."

"Anything from that mad man is an enemy, my daughter. This creature cannot be trusted." Papu Papu spoke. He spoke to his tribesmen to take Crash away to tie him to the stack in the village in his native language. Crash whimpered as he was taken out of the hut. The girl made a pity look in her eyes.

XX

Crash is tied to the stake, surrounded by spears pointing at him while the villagers are preparing things for him. Crash doesn't know what is going to happen, but he knows it's not good. He looked around for Aku Aku, but he is nowhere to be found. Maybe the mask is planning something to get Crash out of this situation. Crash turned to his left to see a small child looking at him in silent. The bandicoot gave him a friendly smile, but the child didn't do anything. Crash sighed a bit, lowering his head.

"Hello, bandicoot." A female voice greeted. Crash looked up to see the girl from Papu Papu's hut. She held a bowl with water with both hands. She kneeled down to give Crash water who drinks it gracefully. "My name is Tia'ka. I'm a daughter of Papu Papu." She said as she brought the bowl back from Crash's mouth. "Do you have a name, bandicoot?" Crash nodded at her, but he couldn't write it down for her or speak it. Tia'ka petted his brown hair. "I know you are scared. When you came in my father's hut, I see that you are not dangerous. But is it true that you are part of the mad man outside the island?" She asked. Crash nodded a bit. "I see. That Cortex ruins this island by putting those strange looking boxes around. We hardly have any food because of them. No animals or fruit anywhere." She told him. Crash listened to her. This village is short on meals. Crash feels bad for this village.

"Tia'ka!" A voice yelled from behind. The girl turned back to see Papu Papu with his three tribesmen. He spoke to her in a native language like he is scolding her about something, using his staff to point at Crash. Tia'ka turned back to Crash and whispered to him.

"I'll find a way to get you out. You don't deserve this." She told him. She stood up and went around the spears to join her father. Crash watched the natives and the chief leave him. One old native woman stood outside the spears and throws the strange smelling red liquid with one hand at him. Crash shuts his eyes, grunting a little at the liquid. What is that stuff? He hears the chant of the old woman. After a minute, the old woman stopped and walked away with the bowl with the red liquid. Crash knows it's not blood, it's something else.