Ecstasy Island/The Kensington Family/6
Nathan marveled at the village. The huts, while similar to those they had stayed in the previous night, were obviously not so modern. The walls were a wicker weaver, and the roofs thatch. The village seemed old; with well-worn paths and huts of a variety of ages. In the center was a large clear area with a firepit in the center. A bright, nearly smokeless fire burned in the pit. All around the pit were villagers standing around the fire or sitting on log benches. The villagers were dressed in grass skirts, both the men and the women. None of the villagers wore shirts, but they did wear necklaces. The women's necklaces were made of shells and beads, while the men wore necklaces of claws, teeth, and bones.
The girl led them over to the fire while the villagers eyed them suspiciously. She motioned for them to sit, and having little other recourse, Nathan motioned for his children to do so. The girl then made her way to the largest of the men. The man seemed like a mass of muscle and sinew bound into a menacing form. He was nearly a foot shorter than Nathan, and he was still intimidated by the man. The girl spoke to the man for a time. Nathan hadn't really made any progress on learning the girl's language, but from the look of things the girl was trying to convince the man to give them hospitality. Nathan tried to look harmless, but was not sure how it was turning out. Finally, the man seemed to sigh, nodding at the girl, then approached the family; the girl just a step behind.
He motioned to his chest and said, "Juhla." He then motioned to the girl's chest and said, "Nuhri."
Nathan hoped that was their names, and not a lesson for male and female. He motioned to himself and said, "Nathan." Holding his hand in front of Alex's chest he said, "Alex." Then he touched Marci's chest saying, "Marci." Finally, he touched Amber's chest saying, "Amber."
"Nathan," said Juhla. He carefully reach out, and caught Nathan's sleeve. "Nomburi, madise dala nomburi." Nathan wasn't sure what he was talking about. Juhla grabbed a gourd and poured out some water. "Nomburi."
"Wet!" said Nathan. "Yes, we are wet."
"Dala namburi esa gotecha," said Juhla. "Gotecha!" he repeated, then made a point of coughing and sneezing.
"We'll catch a cold if we don't dry off?" asked Nathan. "Yes, I believe we might."
"Yerki, conselu madise," said Juhla as he motioned to the villagers. Nathan got the impression that 'yerki' did not mean Yoarke. Juhla took Nathan by the arm, and motioned for him to follow. Other villagers were doing the same with his children. "Kambata," said Juhla, "kambata madise." Figuring anything was better to be in wet clothes in the cool of night, Nathan followed him. He was a little concerned with the children, but was still intimidated by Juhla. The muscular man took him into a hut, then grabbed a grass skirt and a bone necklace and handed them to Nathan. "Jusha madise," He said.
"I think madise means clothes," said Nathan. He held up the grass skirt. "Madise?"
"Jore!" said Juhla, nodding his head.
"Madise," said Nathan as he pulled at his shirt.
"Jore!" said Juhla.
Nathan felt some pride at reasoning out two words on his own. He added the words 'clothing' and 'yes' to 'wet' and 'sick'...then suddenly couldn't remember wet...or sick. He thought back. He took off his shirt, and held it up. "Nombuda madise?" he asked.
"Nomburi madise," corrected Juhla.
"Nomburi madise," said Nathan, "wet clothes is nomburi madise."
"Wet clothes," said Juhla. "Gonla wet clothes." Then he left the hut.
"Gonla must mean change?" said Nathan. He shrugged, then changed into his grass skirt and bone necklace, then returned to the fire with his nomburi madise. He laid them out by the fire to dry, then looked for his children. He didn't have long to wait as Marci appeared in a fresh green grass skirt and a necklace of obsidian beads and shells carrying her clothes. Nathan tried to ignore her barely-budding chest as he went over to her and hugged her tightly.
"Put your clothes by the fire to dry, honey," said Nathan.
"Okay, daddy," she said.
As she was doing so, Amber was brought out by none other than Nuhri, the girl they had met in the jungle. She still her wore face paint, and Nathan had just come to realize was the only one in the village that was wearing face paint. It made him wonder if she was on some kind of spirit quest or something when they had met her. Amber was attired similarly to her sister, but her skirt was older and the grass a golden tan. Nuhri placed Amber's clothes next to the others as Amber came over to Nathan and sat next to him. He was a bit taken aback by the ease in which she sat next to him. He had missed that. It used to be commonplace, and now it felt like heaven that she wanted to be next to him again.
Alex was the last one out. He was in a grass skirt, but unlike Nathan, and the rest of the men and boys, he wore a necklace of beads and shells instead of teeth and bones. Even the young boys of the tribe wore the bone necklaces, this could only mean that they had mistaken him for a girl. It was easy to see how. Even though he had no breasts, his smooth, hairless chest seemed rather girly. With his lack of muscle and curvy shape, he almost had a girl's figure. They probably thought she...that is he...thought that he was a late bloomer. Alex either didn't notice that he was wearing girl's clothing or didn't mind. Either way, Nathan was not going to open that can of worms by telling him.
"Alex," he said, "put your clothes by the fire to dry, and join us on this log."
"Okay, dad," said Alex as he nervously joined them. He seemed self-conscious as he joined them, crossing his legs as he sat. Nathan assumed that it was to hide his genitalia, but it only served to reinforce the illusion that he was a girl.
Once they were settled, some drums started to sound. Some of the villagers started dancing around the fire. After a very traditional-looking dance, Nuhri walked into the light carrying the monkeys she had caught.
"Navala caresh," said Nuhri as she showed the monkeys to the crowd. Maybe it was a hunting ritual? "Nebrana kural majizha. Tuva lutkahn vorlesh nabrahl." The crowd went silent as all eyes went to Juhla.
Juhla stood slowly. He walked forward, and took the monkeys. He looked them over, then looked back at Nuhri. Nathan never wanted to play poker with the man. His face was completely emotionless. Then, suddenly, he handed the monkeys back to Nuhri saying, "Kalis cuvarahl majizha!" After which the villager's cheered.
Nathan couldn't help but to cheer with them even though he had absolutely no clue what was going on. Nuhri was carried away, and food and drink soon appeared. The fare was simple, but still delicious. He happened across a fiery brew that had to be at least eighty proof, but was able to recognize it before his kids got any; so at least he nipped that in the bud. As parties went, it wasn't half bad. It had food, booze, and topless dancing women; what was not to love? He was getting a bit tipsy as the evening progressed. Eventually, Juhla started picking people out of the crowd to stand to the side. Nathan was a bit surprised when he was chosen as they all seemed to be younger men and older boys. No one that was really his age. He was wondering what it was all about when Nuhri arrived once more.
Nuhri walked into the firelight, naked but for body paint from head to toe. Nathan couldn't help but to savor the curves of her adolescent body. She was just budding into her womanhood. Her tiny breasts were perfectly pert, and the hair on her crotch was sparse and thin. It didn't help that she danced around the fire in a manner that left nothing to the imagination, but somehow simultaneously set fire to that same imagination. He was struck dumb, paralyzed looking at the native beauty. She finally danced over to those who had been pulled aside. Somewhere deep in his brain he was probably thinking that he should find out what was going on. He was a bit too far into his cups, and far too aroused to care at that moment, however. Nuhri danced from one man to the next, touching each one on the chest. With each man, he gave them a tiny shove, and they left the designated area.
She didn't shove Nathan as she stroked his chest. She just danced around him. There were two others that she also didn't shove. Nuhri danced between the three of them, her hands caressing their bodies. Nathan felt like reaching out and returning the favor, but the others were holding themselves back, so he reasoned that he was expected to as well. After a bit more dancing, Nuhri motioned the men next to one another. She bit her lip slightly, reached out, and shoved the other to men slightly. As the men left, Nuhri took Nathan by the hand and led him into a hut. Somewhere deep inside of Nathan warning bells were going off, but where Nathan was at that moment, he couldn't hear them. All he could see or hear was this sexy little nymph luring him into her chambers. Of course he was going to follow.