Inoa's Choice

The group nearly gasps as Inoa walks forward to her choice for third-in-line. There are only 3 females eligible, Maila, Dundy, and Hahela. Inoa touches noses with her choice. DUNDY is greatful that Inoa has chosen HER. Most of the group cannot believe it. Inoa stands back and watches their expressions. Dundy may be young, inexperienced, rebellious, and formerly low ranking, but she is Kapepe's daughter, and full of energy and promise of a good adult. Kapepe looks at Inoa, then Dundy, then nods her head in acceptance. Dundy is unsure of what to do now. She looks around. Inoa goes and sits next to Kapepe. Dundy follows and sits on the other side of her. Suddenly, Eikawaii chirps in agitation. He sees a pup walking around, 50 feet away. Kapepe stands up, and leads the group over to it. Kapepe sniffs it. It smells like Neemi? She sniffs Nui, the female pup, again. Sure enough, Neemi's unmistakable scent is etched into the pup's fur. How did Neemi escape attention in a pregnancy? Kapepe picks up Nui and brings her back to the burrow, settling her down next to Kal'Kaua, Ulani, and Aolani.

Sorry for the shortness!

Family Tree

A written family tree of the Hawaiis:

Iwahine's mother and her sister were evicted from their mob. Iwahine's mother formed the Hawaiis, while her sister formed Hoahanau's old group and moved away from the Hawaiis' area. Iwahine's mother led the group for 5 years before she died of old age, at 12 years old. Then, Iwahine's older sister Maunu took dominance. Iwahine then had a litter of her own, who may be Kapepe's litter, and she was evicted. Iwahine got back in, though. Soon, Maunu died, and Iwahine's only remaining sisters were Marigha and Inoa. Iwahine became the dominant female and had several litters, who may be the rest of the group, before Kapepe, now a two year old female, asked for the position. Wise old Iwahine gave to Kapepe and Mahalo and Kapalo joined from a rival group. Kapepe had never had a successful litter for a year, but finally she had Hahela and Dundy, then, more recently, Kal'Kaua and Ulani. Maila, Kapepe's sister, also had pups, but only Aolani is alive. Thus, all of the group except for the 3 pups, the teenagers, Mahalo, Kapalo, Inoa, and Hoahanau are Kapepe's siblings.

Next post coming soon, continuing the story! There's some surprising twists, and Inoa's choice shocks everyone.

The Stranger

The group can't stay grieving for Iwahine long. Kapepe is reluctant to leave, though, and does not hurry. Suddenly, Mahalo stands more alert, watching a dot in the distance. The dot grows gradually closer and closer. Its a lone male, Hoahanau. Iwahine's mother's sister formed a group, thus making Hoahanau the cousin of the Hawaiis. Mahalo is still nervous, though. Hoahanau is the last remaining member of the Hawaii's cousins. The rest of the group died out. Hoahanau gets low on his belly, approaching the grieving Hawaiis around Iwahine's body. Kapepe bats an eyelid for a second, but doesn't pursue a chase. That's up for Mahalo to decide. Mahalo approahces Hoahanau nervously, then scent-marks him, giving him place in the mob. Hoahanau is grateful. He stands up, peeking over the grieving meerkats around Iwahine's body. He approaches it slowly. He sniffs the air and buries his nose into Iwahine's fur. It smells like his mother. He breathes the sweet scent for a few moments, the scent of love, the scent of pups, the scent of kindness, the scent of sacrifice. Hoahanau is suddenly alerted by a chirping, arising from Mahalo, Kapalo, Kapu'a'notting, Malamalama, and Malama. Marigha quickly has to decide who is third in charge. If she should die in this battle, then Kapepe would be left with a huge burden. She goes over and bows to Inoa, her last sister and the youngest of the Iwahine-Marigha-Inoa generation. Inoa is surprised, but regains herself quickly. Kapepe and Maila grab Iwahine's body and retreat to the burrow. The rest of the group launch an attack. Kal'Kaua, Ulani, and Aolani hide in nearby bushes. If the Hawaiis lose, then they could be killed. The fight drags on. Finally, the Shellos are defeated and sent running back to their territory. After the dust settles, the carnage is revealed. Neemi, Monee, Marigha, Omba, and Gumba are all dead. Hahela is seriously injured and seems about to die. Hoahanau is horrified. Behind a bush, the pups chirp. The group gravitates toward them. Another body is discovered. Kapu'a'notting. A brave warrior has been lost today, along with 4 other loyal Hawaiians. The group gathers up the bodies and the pups, dragging them on their way home. At home, Kapepe and Maila are horrified to see their friends, their mobmates, their family dead. The whole group, with Hoahanau, gather in a circle and grieve. Even the pups feel sober, and Kal'Kaua is in one of his truly calm moments. The group now contains:

Kapepe, dominant female
Mahalo, dominant male
Ke Ali, male
Malama, male
Malamalama, male
Kapalo, male
Inoa, female
Maila, female
Eikawaii, male
Hahela, female
Dundy, female
Hoahanau, male
Aolani, female
Kal'Kaua, male
Ulani, female

Only 15 members, three of them pups. They are now not gaining on Shellos, but falling back to Palace strength. There's another matter that has to be settled. With Marigha now gone, Inoa, placed upon such a huge responsiblity, now has to decide who is third in charge, as she is now second in charge. She considers for a moment. Minutes pass by, the group silent, awaiting her decision. Finally, she walks forward to a female.

Who has Inoa chosen? How will the Hawaiis get along without much-loved members? And will Hoahanau fit in? Find out next post!

The Death of a Hero

Its been several days since Aolani and Kaikala emerged. Maila has keeped Kaikala close to her and not gone out foraging for several days. Starving and nearly out of milk, Maila's predicament is passed onto Kaikala. She is horribly weak and showing signs of a strange sickness. On this particular morning, Maila emerges first. Kaikala drags herself up soon afterwards. The Hawaiis are still sleeping. Maila grabs Kaikala and trods over to the Hawaiis' burrow. Kapalo, Mahalo's brother, is up first at the Hawaiis. He flirts with Maila a bit, comforting her and Kaikala. Mahalo himself is up next. He has no worry about Maila or Kaikala. Soon, Kapepe, Iwahine, and Kal'Kaua emerge. Kapepe sniffs Maila and Kaikala closely but allows them to stay. Maila starts to spread around, foraging around the burrow, desperate for sustinance. Slowly the Hawaiis get up. Despite Kal'Kaua's injury, he is still feisty as ever and tumbles around with Ulani. Aolani joins their games though she is slightly smaller than them. Kaikala is too lethargic and weak to play at all. The Hawaiis now number 23. The Shellos are still larger at 28, but Palaces only number 14. Iwahine keeps a close watch on the rough and tumble games of the pups. She is the oldest female in the group and may even be Kapepe's mother. Iwahine has always loved pups. Marigha, her younger sister, is quite antisocial. Iwahine is second in charge, as enforced by Kapepe, and Iwahine thus appoints her sister Marigha as third in charge. Maila soon stands up and looks around, starving and eager for Kapepe too send the foraging party out. Today, Aolani will be foraging, but Kaikala will not. Instead, Iwahine will babysit her. Kapepe chirps lead calls and sets out. Maila keeps close by her. Dundy in turn keeps close by Maila and Malamalama. Malama stays near his brother also. Mahalo is in position next to Kapepe, and Kapalo is off from the group a little ways. Its like this nearly every day. Meanwhile, at the burrow, Iwahine lactates for Kaikala and she soon starts to gain a little strength. However, the Shellos are arriving. Iwahine, scared for her and Kaikala, grabs the tiny pup and brings her deep underground. The Shellos swarm the burrow. They work amazingly quick and enlarge the entrance. Iwahine seems doomed. Iwahine keeps Kaikala behind her, ready to defend her at all costs. The Shellos are just too much. They drag old Iwahine out of the burrow and viciously maul her. Kaikala is killed almost instantly. Finally, the Shellos claim the burrow as their own by scent-marking it. Iwahine struggles and limps off to find the foraging party, her life hanging by a thread. Finally, Iwahine finds them. Kapepe rushes up to her, the group surrounding her in concern. Everyone grooms her. The three tiny pups cuddle in Iwahine's fur. Dundy grooms her. Mahalo keeps a somber watch. Kapepe hangs her head, comforting the older female, who might be her mother. The Hawaiis are at 22, it would be a horrible loss if it went to 21. Tears seem to be slipping out of Kapepe's eyes as Iwahine's breathing slows. Iwahine coughs once, leans over and cuddles the pups a last time, and stops breathing. The great Iwahine has gone.

R.I.P. Iwahine, faithful Hawaii female.

((I cried while typing this. Iwahine was my favorite and it was a tough decision to kill her off.))