He dreams:

  I dream of a mother, of being held. It is warm and soft amongst the skin as if she was the earth mother herself, a true goddess. I could hide and remain hidden, but there isn't much room, and I struggle to be held along with another, a brother perhaps. My dream of safety doesn't last long as she is ripped away from me, crashing to the ground before being climbed over by Autara warriors, my eventual captors.

  'Howaru! Pataru!'

  I scream for her as I am dragged away in the arms of a stranger. Did I ever have a brother for he is lost to my sight?

  I wake in another dream and memory of my capture. It is one of a strange house where I am shown a bed under the floor, away from the Autara family. This is my new home. I never find out what happened to my mother or even my father. I never learn my original tribe and the lands I should reside in. Did I have a brother or many more siblings? The questions fade like the memory, a restless spirit traversing the cavern of one's mind, searching for light and a path out of the darkness and the unknowing.

  Another fragment of dream and memory passed my spirit. I am seven years old and more at home with the village dogs than with people. I live in the shadows except when it is time to work. By night I am back under the house, eating scraps with the rest of the pack. Tonight is the night I found my brother. I ran from ______ the ariki and householder. I escaped a hiding and followed the dogs between houses, along the edge of the village beside a creek. The dogs led me to an empty house raised on low poles, said to belong to one of the Tohunga, now dead from a curse.

  I crawled under the house, waiting for the ariki to chase me down, but he never did. And so I slid on my belly until I came across a mother dog, nursing pups. That is when I found my brother and remembered my name, Howaru, and perhaps my brother's, Pataru. The puppy was a runt fighting hard for a drink. Just like us, I remember thinking. I named him Pataru and myself Howaru and thanked the gods for their intervention and reminder I had a name.

  And so I became a sixth pup, visiting every day in my new hideout, feeding him until he was weaned and then I took him, and he became mine. I finally had a family!

  His dreamworld was disturbed by a rooster's crow. Howaru tried to ignore it, but other noises quickly followed. He decided the village must be waking and opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. He lay in the guest fale, listening to the village. Fishermen dragged nets on their way to the shore, discussing weather prospects and if the wind was heading off the Island or towards it? Women prepared breakfast at the communal ovens asking what the condition of the fire. Dogs chased laughing children, barking at their heels. And as a group of weavers strolled by, cackling in laughter, he heard them guess what lucky woman had Howaru between her thighs in the night.

  Howaru hitched himself up on his elbows. The three girls lay around him, limbs like vines wrapped around his torso, snoring in fits. If he were back on his Little Rock, the only sound would be the waves. Waves like Takaroa's whispers, to lull him to sleep with ceaseless assurances. Here on Feke, he was adjusting to so much more life and the terrible sound of it all.

  Ra streaked through a gap in the window covering. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. I'm done with this, he thought. These girls are boiling my insides, and he raised himself up to a sitting position leaning back on the fale wall. He gently brushed aside the sleeping women's arms and noticed he was still feeling the effects of the puga. Beside him, on the bedding, the three girls glowed. They were naked except for the ornaments from their costumes; pearl diadems, necklaces and bracelets of rainbow-coloured coral, and flowered headdresses. All three were outlined by the same warm purple hue. They shared equal mana. His own, a golden halo cast around his body, was now the colour of the sunset and a deep red to reflect his sobering mood.

  Howaru got up, and after dressing in the gifted cape, rinsed his mouth out using the gourd of water, reserved by the lodge entrance. He took a final look at the girls, their pliant bodies spread out on the matting. He swelled as he lingered on their nakedness and the memories of the night.

  "No Howaru," he commanded himself, there will be time for that later, before heading out onto the main village path towards the meeting fale.

  Outside the air was cool and immediately felt refreshed. He was keen to leave for Kafiki Island and the Waimate river inlet that morning. If his escort slept overnight at the fale, he could summon a waka to cross to Kafiki and the interior of the Island. He'd also need a slave to carry provisions or to act as bait once they were in the Baby Eater's hunting grounds. He'd be heading into the interior of Kafiki. A day's hoe at least. If he wanted to find the boy Teā alive, for Selai's sake, he would need to leave soon. Do I care about that? He questioned himself again, was she a reason?

  Villagers passed by greeting him warmly, "Good morning hero!," and, "Welcome back Howaru," and even raising an eyebrow to ask, "Did you sleep well last night?" Another passerby, an elderly man, tattooed in the tribal ink of Unusi, gifted him a meal. Howaru, his hunger forgotten until that moment, accepted the preserved pigeon gratefully. He peeled off strips of fatty flesh, eating as he walked, his mood lifted at the show of respect by his tribe. They have truly forgiven me, he thought—ten summers in exile. A taboo raised, and I was accepted again. But for how long? How many more like that old scab wanting to claim utu for past battles. I'll need to keep Totokono… He's forgotten his clubaxe.

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  Howaru dropped the pigeon carcass and ran back to the guest lodge, passing the Unusi man who greeted him again. Inside the fale, the women were still dozing except for one. Roused, her thick black hair tousled about her oval face, she sat kneeled with legs tucked under her bottom, yawning.

  "Totokona! Have you seen it girl?"

  Startled, she stared up at him blankly before he repeated the question.

  "No Howaru," she said, looking around her confused. They both searched the single room for Totokona soon finding nothing.

  "Fuck!" he hissed under his breath before eyeing the girl again. A suspicion creeped up inside of him. "Tell me, girl, has someone convinced you to hide my weapon for a jest?

  "No Howaru. Not me."

  "Because if so, you'll have a difficult time laughing with my fist down your throat."

  The girl, terrified, began to shake while her mana disappeared entirely, scared into nothingness.

  "Of course not Howaru. I would never do that. I l-love y-you," she blurted, tears rolling down reddening cheeks.

  "And what about those two eels?"

  "We're all cousins Howaru. I'd know," then, leaning forward onto her hands, she declared, "We worship you Howaru! We would never do anything to anger you. It was the greatest honour just to dance… and, and to be chosen to bed…"

  "Enough!" Howaru cut her off as he noticed the window covering again, torn from its hanging. Howaru fled the lodge and headed towards the meeting fale. Robbed already! Fucken miserable place! Full of thieves and gutless dogs. A scrawny dog crossed his path, and he kicked it hard in the ribs, sending it yelping into the bushes between two huts. Shocked villagers watched him pace away, keeping their distance averting eyes, weary of his changed mood.

  The path to the main beach was lined with shells glistening in the dew of the morning, he followed it until it split with a second path heading up to Matalagi. Howaru followed it up the long slope to the top of the rise and was able to get a view back over the jungle behind, south beyond Feke over to Kafiki Motu. Black smoke smouldered out of Takali Foto, smudging the clear blue sky. Will I even get back to Kafiki today? The volcano and its smoke reminded him of his own dark mana, and he checked his arms but noticed no colour at all - the puga must have worn off. He carried on up the path towards the fale beach holding his arms out in front of him, trying to distinguish his mana. Would it darken again now that I'm back among these wretched people?

  When he arrived at the meeting house, a line of six warriors was waiting outside the main entrance. The old man who had shared his pigeon earlier stepped out to meet him. All were tattooed in Unusi ink, and all were ready for battle, dressed in matted armour, with each man wielding the common Unusi double-axe.

  "Howaru Tinilau," the old man began, "I am Fegai To'o of Unusi, from Tatola village. My father was Chief To'o Tatola, and his grandfather the champion of Kafiki known as Valemei, we are the descendants of Punga, the god of sharks."

  About twenty warriors including Chief Taumatafiti, circled behind the Unusi men, holding spears or clubs, carved in Feke designs.

  "I know Valemei. He is represented on the handle of Totokona, as all the Island Champions are. I know your family line."

  "Hero of Feke. You know it now, and you knew it before you ran away from Kafiki. Do you remember Lui, my eldest son?"

  Howaru knew where this was going. "No. I don't recognise the name."

  "You killed my boy, my eldest son Lui, twelve summers ago on Kafiki, down the road to Tumutumu. He was only sixteen and not yet a full warrior, and you challenged him to a diving contest. And when he won you murdered him. Then, you stole his body away and gifted it to the Tumutumu tribe who shrunk his head and fed his flesh to their captives."

  Some of the Feke warriors began to snigger but were silenced by Chief Taumatafiti, who only had to turn his head in their direction.

  "I don't remember your son, but it sounds like something I might have done."

  "My remaining five sons are here because they want to challenge you in battle, each one ready to kill for utu."

  Howaru sized up each of the men, wide-set like all Unusi, muscled and heavy limbed, wider than him but all at least a foot shorter.

  "So I'm supposed to fight all five at once, without a weapon?"

  One of the brothers drew a large clubaxe out from behind them, swinging it in a wide arc towards Howaru before releasing it. Thump! Totokona rolled onto the grass near his feet.

  "As father and chief of the Tatolo hapu, I am commanding my boys to elect the best fighter among them to battle Howaru one-on-one. Fists only. I will not have another of my sons murdered by your hands."

  "That's a wise choice", Howaru replied as he picked up his beloved weapon.

  Chief Taumatafiti stepped into the circle now, walking over to the old man, extending both hands, palms down in a calming gesture.

  "Chief Fegai," he began, "Howaru has had a taboo lifted and is on an important affair for the Matavai tribe. Unusi were made aware of it at the last tribal council. Have you not been made known of this mission yet?"

  "I have, but my son's cry out for utu. I cannot stop them except to forbid the use of weapons for risk of death."

  "Then of what good will that be?" one of the five brothers spoke up, the smallest, adding, "We can never balance our mana if we cannot seek utu father."

  "And what mana will you gain back if you all take him on at once? Like a pack of dogs? There's no mana in that my sons."

  "It won't matter father. He'll be dead. That's all," said another, grimacing at Howaru.

  "Listen to your father, listen to your chief. You never lost mana in what Howaru did to ______, only I. As a father to a child, not as a warrior. The utu is only mine to seek."

  Howaru observed the father. His skin sagged around the eyes while his beard, white on the chin, was patchy in places. The man must have been in his eighties but had aged badly, as those in grief were want to do.

  Still, he had no compassion for him, the memory of this boy Lui mixed together with a thousand other slayings. Totokona had loosened many souls away from their bodies. Men, women, children, along with monsters and demons too, all who opposed or angered him. Most deserved it, while some were the result of lingering battle rage or while under the influence of kava. None he would take back nor could he.

  "If we can't take his life we should at least be given a chance to beat him," said the largest of the five, dropping his axe to the ground.

  "I'm ready when you are," Howaru spoke up, letting Totokona fall the ground also, flexing his fingers into fists.

  And with that, Howaru stepped into the middle of the circle of warriors as the five brothers dropped weapons and approached with raised fists.