Tribal Tattoos & Darker Tides

Master of the Jungle

Does not own photo!!! Photo not mine!!!

She stared back at me with bright blue eyes of a defiance that I had never seen in a woman before. She was ready, ready to challenge the strongest man on Rook islands son. The son he spent his time on to make a strong and healthy warrior. She would surely lose and it was almost as if she knew she would, I guess it was the only way for her to make her point. Her family was killed and she wanted to join the Rakyat, she must had been no older than eighteen... My age.
She looked good to, I am not going to lie, she had the body of those super sexy hot mamas I have seen in those porno magazines they pass around in BadTown. Short black curly locks of hair, hazel eyes that burned with an amber, and creamy tan skin that picked a fight against the small light brown beauty marks on her cheeks. She wore a black sports bra that revealed a variety of small scars on her smooth tight stomach. Jean shorts that ended at her thighs, you could see the muscles in her thin calves, her skin glistened with sweat, her lips were plush and looked soft. You could tell she was a native by the the look of her bare feet, they were covered in dirt. She certainly didn't fit in the crowd though.
I myself was also distinct amongst the other warriors, I never stuck with a stupid dress code as the others would. I never wore a shirt with abs like mine, I didn't need to. I was trained to perfection, I had scars all over my chest, some fading, some just starting to fade. I wore tan shorts that ended above my knees, my feet bare, a holster strapped across my chest, it's knife hanging over my left hip. My bow and quiver sat soundly against the stone stair leading up to my father's throne.
He sat and watched from this place, staring on with narrowing eyes, a wave of his hand would start the dual ending with my victory in his honor. It was obvious my father was leader of the tribe, a strong dominant individual that could be seen amongst weaker ones. His cheeks were fine cut, the black marking of leadership on them, his head was shaved, the tattoos of god scattered across his forehead going down the back of his neck, his back and disappearing into the black long pants he wore, shirtless, bracelets going up and down his arms, a necklace hanging down from his neck with a green gem on it. I had gotten my tan skin, hazel eyes, and Spanish accent from him.
My sister who sat calmly on her knees beside him had more of my mother's looks, she was the beauty of the tribe. My father expecting her to represent the kindness and innocence of this island's people. My father saw the potential of leadership in me more than her, therefore if when he died, I would take his place. My sister wore a tight dress, it fit to her goddess like figure, I never approved of her attire, to revealing for the princess of the rooks.
My attention was brought back to the blue that resided in the orb like eyes of the fearless woman before me. I smirked frankly, yet she only reacted by stepping back and getting into a fitting position. I snorted, looking over my shoulder at my father who nodded silently, my smile grew strict, I nodded in return. I pulled my holster from my body and threw it with my other weapons, we started to circle, almost like to tigers about to duel... In this case, one tiger and one monkey... A foolish monkey.
She held a stone stance, no fear at all, that was a first. Most woman were intimidated by me, but not this woman she had the guts to challenge me, in front of my own family. This was in fact her only way of getting my father's trust, but she could have chosen someone else.
"So... Your family is dead?" She continued to circle silently. "My mama died a while back of illness." Still silence, this was embarrassing, the other warriors watching with smug grins and utter amusement, I couldn't turn down a challenge though. She was weak, her stance was off, her thumbs were tucked into her fingers, she wasn't focused, wasn't aware of the fact that we were being watched. I sighed loudly, then took a deep breath through my nose taking in the jungle scent of the large tree that was just beside the stone bricks that we were to fight on. The shade from it's branches was extremely desired, the light that leaked through just right for me to see her every expression.
I eventually stopped, she did the same, lowering her fists, we stared at each other for a slim moment. "Why do you want this?" I asked softly, my patience was growing thin with her silence. My father must feel the same, he slammed his fists on the arm rests of his chair.
"Stop Joking around! Fight!" His accent weighed strong on the words. I looked back towards the woman ahead of me, already coming with clumsy fists at a quick speed. I rolled out of the way chuckling as she stopped and turned to me. I stood up brushing my knees off teasingly, following my shoulders.
"Damn that was close chica." I stated sarcastically, she took a deep breath and then started taking slower steps towards me, she stopped directly in front of me before swinging a fist that I easily blocked, she kept throwing punches at me, I had to admit she was quick, but I was quicker. I then took a hit to her forehead, she stepped away, holding where the blow had taken place.
She stayed calm though despite the bright red mark that was starting appear on her forehead. I chuckled at it, this time she came at me with quicker hits, I blocked one the second hit though was unexpected. She uppercut at me, I blocked, but as I blocked with both arms she slammed her fist into my stomach. Gasps echoed through the crowd as grins slowly faded, Rook's tiger had just gotten punched. I see now, so she learns from her mistakes, I growled, not to mention that punch was hard, her fist literally was like iron.
She pulled away in her stance again, I stood up strong, my chest protruding out to maintain intimidation, not that I intimidated her. I sort of felt like she wanted to hit me there, she purposely knew that I would come back twice as hard if she did. What was her plan? What was she thinking? I started throwing fists at her, fists she blocked quite well, my forearm hitting hers. She then finally gave me a place to hit, I snatched her shoulders and angrily kneed her in the stomach, she yelped falling back onto the floor and holding her stomach.
"Enough!" My father yelled, all eyes turned to him, he stood from his stone throne and started his way down the stairs, he made his way over to us, stopping between her fragile body and mine. I knew I was in trouble when my father stared me in the eyes, he raised a hand and I flinched away. "Do not think yourself higher than the people Vaas, how much shall I remind you?" I stared down with disgust in myself, I gulped.
"I apologize father, it will never happen again."
"Vaas..." I stared up into my father's eyes, he was upset with how I had fought her despite the fact I knew that she was not a skilled fighter. She shouldn't have challenged me in the first place, I had every reason not show her mercy. My father placed a hand on my shoulder, it was gentle calming, but also showed responsibility. I was my father's reflection as he always told me, I was his responsibility and in the end it was his fault for my actions. He taught me, gave advice to me, showed me the life of the jungle, and it was him who had practically sculpted the man I am now. "You knew she didn't know how to fight like you. What have you learned?"
"T-To show mercy for my enemies..." He nodded his head.
"Yes my son. A good leader always shows mercy to his opponent no matter what they have done. You worked out of revenge." I bit my inner cheek, I still didn't understand. "A leader can show his strength in the feat of battle, but also kindness. Do you want to become a monster?"
"No father."
"Then don't let your strength and pride overpower the good in you." Our attention was then brought to the woman who weakly picked herself up off the ground. My father's hand leaving my shoulder, he stared the woman up and down, she held her now bruised stomach wincing between clenched teeth. Her expression hardened when she looked up at my father. I took a moment to weave my fingers through my crispy Mohawk.
He nodded his head staring her back in the eyes, no woman or man had the guts to stare my father in the eyes, unless they were me, or my sister. My father smiled and nodded his head with approval.
"Your name child?" She bit her bottom lip and glared down at the ground before returning to my father's eyes.
"Sofia." Sofia... A name that fit her so well... Sofie is what I will call her.
"Sofia, you did good." She snorted, my father's eyes widened, even I was surprised. She snorted in front of the leader.
"I lost... I didn't do good."
"No." He shook his head smiling to her. "You didn't give up. A true warrior never gives up in the face of danger." My father nodded his head once again, placing his hands at his hips. He stared around admiring the beauty of the courtyard in the temple, the chirping birds, streaming light. "I think Vaas will teach you." He stated plainly, knowing me well enough to not need to look at the expression of complete disbelief on my face. Hell No! I was not going to teach a woman who knew nothing, but trouble. She didn't deserve to be a warrior, she was weak, unteachable, not to mention arrogant, and extremely annoying. She would only bring me down. My father smirked over his shoulder at me, my lip twitched. "It will be good for you." He said before starting to walk his way up the steps, I groaned with annoyance.
"Father, she is weak, she won't last a day." My father giggled before turning half way up the steps and laughing at me.
"It is your job to make sure she lasts Vaas. Think of this as my test for you at the end of the week, I will come get her. She will teach you the innocence and selflessness you were never born with and you can teach her the strength and skills you always had." I watched as the crowd of people dispersed and my father sat back down in his throne. The woman stared at me with a small smile, her cheeks turned a bright red when I looked back over at her.
"You must think your so slick, don't you?" I accused, she chuckled and shrugged.
"I don't know what you are talking about." She had an Hispanic accent like me, it took me a while to realize it until now. I shook my head as I waltzed over to my weapons, crossing the bow over my chest with the quiver and holster. She stood in the same place when I turned and looked at her, she was waiting for me to be ready, good. If I was going to teach her, I might as well get this week over with.