A Journey

Stuck and Hurt

Moana's pov

I watch the tide climb higher up the sand of the cavern.
Ill have to go to the rise soon if it keeps this up.
This storm is pretty bad. I hope everyone in the village is alright. This rain has been nonstop for a while.
I know I cant make it back in this. I'm not even going to try.

The draft keeps putting out the torches near the entrance and the water.
So the only real lighted area is of course, Maui's corner.
I let out a loud sigh and allow my body to fall to his mats.
My eyes linger across the walls.

Why of all the things he's experienced would he carve these?
Pictures of the village and Tefiti.
Okay maybe I understand the Tefiti one but.. maybe he was just drawing from inspiration around him.
I wonder if I could manage something like those?
My eyes land on a large rock that's been chipped.
I grab a piece and move down the wall away from his images.

What would I even draw?
I push the rock to the surface of the wall.
I make a oval and mindlessly design tefiti's heart.
I step back and look at it.
It actually looks okay...

I take the rock and draw a swirl with her heart at the center.

"Moana!?"
I turn my head.
Did someone just-?
"Moana, are you- are you *cough* In here, can you hear me?"
Maui!
The rock rolls from my finger tips.
"What is wrong with you coming out in this storm!" I instantly move to find him and punch him in the gut. I run to the entrance.
"I just came to make sure you were alright prin- ahh.."
I hear him grimace.
My resolve softens.
"Maui? Are you hurt?" I question the darkness over the loud thunder of rain.
"I'm fine." He announces dismissively.
I step towards his voice
"You're lying. I can hear it in your voice. What happened?"
"I might have been hit by a small tree but I'll be fine. I came to see if you were okay." He explains.
I get closer to him with every word.
"Okay look you have to come to me or me to you. If you're hurt I'll help you."

"So you're okay?" He questions humorously.

"It's too dark you'll have to keep talking so I can find you. I cant keep any torches lit for the draft." I explain ignore his attempt to lighten the mood.

"What do you want me to talk about princess?" He questions.
"Anything. Like what happened and why the hell you came out here."
"I told you. I came to make sure you weren't drown or freezing to death in a drafty, wet cave." He announces with annoyance.

"Why didn't someone stop you? There's no way you could see where you were going. Where was my mom and dad? Surely they wouldn't have let you do something this foolish."

"They warned me against it but I figured the tide would get pretty high soon, should make sure you don't drown."
My fingers brush him. I almost pass him up dismissing him as the cold rock wall.
"Moana?"
I stop.
He was so cold. There is-
I lay hand flat against him,
"You're freezing!"
I feel around until I can get his arm over my shoulders.
I feel him struggling for breath.
"Ahh." He pulls away.
"Hey Mo, You don't have to torture me. I wont come looking for you again. Ill swear it."
"I barely touched you. Where did you get hit?" I exclaim.
"My back." He speaks in a grimace.

"Well you'll have to suffer through it untill I can get you to your corner. Its the only place with out a draft. Ill take a look when I can see." I inform him.
"Okay."

I half carry him to his bed. As soon as I do I'm able to see the bruises covering his back.
"I thought you said a small tree!!"
"I was a lizard mo. A big tree would have squished me like a bug." He states in monotone.
"The small tree just left bruises. Ill be fine." He says dismissively as he tries to sit down.