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Torches sticking up from the sand lined a pathway, to the right of the village, if one was facing it from the base of the Olawai trail. If possible, there were even more flowers that decorated the sides, growing thicker the closer you got to the celebration. Children ran around and banging bamboo shoots together, while adults were gathered around tables, drinking something out of coconut halves that made them laugh elatedly.
"Oooh, I want to try some of that," Snotlout's eyes shone like eager stars.
"You don't even know what that is," Astrid quipped.
"Doesn't matter," as he drifted off.
"Well, we lost one," Hiccup jested.
"I think it's okay, in this case."
"Yeah, it is," he murmured his agreement.
Two pigs and a goat were roasting in the ground, slathered in sauces, and covered in banana leaves. Root vegetables had been mashed, and there were even slices of fruit sprinkled with sugar cane for dessert. The drink turned out to be fermented guava, coconut water, and an optional slice of pineapple. It left the most natural, sweet aftertaste, and before he knew it, Tuffnut was on his second.
"That's mighty dangerous of you," came a voice from behind him.
Whoa!" He startled, nearly spilling his drink.
Ska'i laughed, managing to snag it from him before a drop fell.
After a chuckle, he tried flirting, "What do you mean, what's dangerous about me?"
She raised a questioning eyebrow. But couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face as she clarified, "You're already on your second inu, without eating anything?"
"Oohhh." He looked down at the drink in his hand. "And you're not supposed to do that?"
She took the drink from him, her touch lingering. "Not without help." Her fingertips sent a full-body shiver up his spine. He had no idea where she was going, but he was already subconsciously following her to the first switchback on Mount Olawai. She turned around to look down on the village lights and stretched, leaning back so far, she ended up on the ground, looking up at the night sky. That stretch distracted Tuffnut, he could do nothing but stand there.
She eyeballed him, then patted the cool, smooth lava rock next to her. "Join me."
"What? Really?"
Her guffaw surprised him, but he found it endearing at the same time. "Or, I guess you could stand there all night with your mouth open."
Tuffnut found himself laughing a lot, around this girl. Once he laid down, anxiety caused his heart to start beating so hard, he was sure she could feel it through the rock. He had to say something. "Uh," he began, then realized he had no idea where he was even going.
"I don't want to stay here," she confessed, randomly bursting it out. "Now that I met you guys -" and she rolled over onto her stomach, gazing at him with a type of desperate, longing look. "Now that I know there is so much more than this little island."
"But - but it's so great here!" Tuffnut stammered. "You wouldn't want me to stay?" Immediately, he could feel the blush heating the air around him.
But she didn't miss a beat. "You wouldn't want me to come with you?"
Comprehension struck, and his face lit up. "Why don't you just come with me?"
She belted out a laugh, "I'd love to, Tuff. . . .Can I call you that?"
A full smile broke out on his face. "I'd love it if you called me that."
