Chapter Eight | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Ten

Having Nork back home was a blessing Utel wasn't about to overlook. He was now determined to master the Gardening skill, and was planting everything in sight.

Utel also asked him to make some new Garden Planters, but he was so busy gardening, she wasn't sure he'd even heard her request. On the other hand, Gnaar had finally gotten out of his toddler pants, and was learning to be helpful around camp.

Nork, of course, had other things on his mind. Namely - woohoo - and who to target next. For a while, he even tried to talk up the chieftain's other woman.

She, however, was amenable to conversation, but nothing more. Perhaps Nork was going to have to look elsewhere.

The cowplant was seemingly happy with his return, though, and continued demanding fish at regular intervals. Nork fed the stupid thing, then went back to his Gardening practice. There was always more to do around here, and since he was now a Master Fisherman, his "service" to the Village was now optional - at least for a while, to give him a break - and Nork was taking full advantage of his vacation time.

Utel, however, had discovered that their last little romp in the sheets had - quite literally - borne fruit. It had taken her a while to notice, due to being so busy with the other children.. but it was now time.

In agony, and without anyone around to help her because Nork was (once again) too busy planting things - this time deep into the night hours, Gnaar went to fetch some clean water to wash off the babe once it was born, and Utel managed the best she could on her own.

Unfortunately, things were going to get harder before they got better... because this time, it was TWINS. Utel's work had just gotten a whole lot harder, and she was completely unwilling to contact the other village women and take them away from their duties just to help with all the children Utel was now in charge of.

In the midst of all this baby chaos, the Cowplant apparently went hungry for a little bit too long. Nork wasn't sad to see it go, but Utel certainly was. That had been her pride and joy. There was nothing she could do about it, however, and she went back to caring for the children all the time.. while Nork .. took care of the garden for her, and still didn't make the extra planters that she needed.

Saazul had finally grown up, and had decided that she was to be the next fisher for the family, and spent much of her time away from the camp (which was unfortunate, because Utel certainly could have used the help).

While struggling with all the children, Utel decided to memorialize their generation by painting a portrait of Nork and herself.... and it didn't turn out too horrible, in her opinion.

Then, one night, while Utel was inside preparing the babies for bed...

Nork found someone to romance. Only - this time, she had stopped by the camp to say hello, and Nork saw no reason to hide his affections, so he flirted with her mere steps away from his two newest children.

At first, Saazul was unaware of the flirting going on behind her, and was playing with a lump of clay she had found abandoned around camp from one of the toddlers. Sighing, she then decided to do some camp cleanup, and started carrying the trash towards the refuse pile.

At first, she wondered why someone would ever want to woohoo in what was obviously another camp's bush, but she shrugged it off and continued about her business.

It wasn't long, though, until she noticed the true culprit of the bush shenanigans. Gasping, she quickly ducked behind a coconut tree, just barely managing to avoid being seen. WHAT was her father doing? And who was that woman??

Questions flew through Saazul's mind, but the most important one.. was.. did Utel know about this?

Inside the hut, the babies had - once again - woken up young Nirraa, who was exhausted from a long day of babies crying, and she broke into a massive temper tantrum. Utel was nearing the end of her rope.

Finally, an hour or so later, Utel managed to get the babies and Nirraa all back in bed, and was contemplating taking a bath before retiring herself.

Then, Saazul ran in through the front door, nearly waking the babies.

"Saazul!! SHHH!" Utel hissed, and peered in the bassinets to see whether either Icre or Khiad had woken, but they hadn't.

"What do you need, Saazul?" Utel asked, frustrated at her oldest nearly un-doing all her work of the last hour by barging in noisily to the hut.

Saazul caught her breath, and looked around to see if Nork had noticed her sprint to the hut... but apparently he was back at work on his new garden as if nothing had happened.

"Mama... Utel... Nork was outside woohooing a village woman. Did you know? What should we do?!" Saazul whispered, and watched Utel's annoyed expression turn to shock.

"What? Who?" Utel said, then.. remembering the babies, modulated her voice back to a whisper, "Did you know who it was?"

Saazul shook her head, and started to say something, but Utel waved her off. "I will talk to Nork about it when he gets back in from gardening tonight." Utel whispered, "You should probably get some sleep. I think Nork arranged for you to join the fishers tomorrow in the village."

Saazul grinned, hugged her Mom with a whispered, "Thank you!" and headed into her room to go get some sleep.

Utel, in confusion and a little bit of internal rage, chose to go take a long tepid bath in one of Nork's wooden bathtubs. What had Nork been doing? She had heard rumors, but had assumed them to be false, because, surely, Nork cared for her as much as she did for him? Why would he be wooing another woman when he just had lovely twins of his own born at his own hearth??

Frustrated, but at least clean, Utel curled up in her bed, trying not to cry, and fell into a sleep borne of exhaustion.

In the middle of the night, Nirraa sat bolt upright, and decided that she was no longer a toddler.

(Which meant I had to interrupt everything for an impromptu makeover and find her a bed of her own. Too bad I hadn't planned ahead for this...)

In the morning, a dirty, happy, and exhausted Nork poked his head in the front door to say he'd made breakfast, and got a little more than he had bargained for.

Utel immediately went on the offense. "Who was that woman you woohooed in our OWN CAMP last night?!" she yelled

Confused, Nork looked at the startled babies, then noticed Nirraa's bed was empty... and still he struggled for words. Why was Utel so angry?? He's just finished his gardening skill, and had made breakfast in the sand pit for everyone.. what was wrong?

"Basae! She's already had one baby by me, why would I deny her another?" Nork finally replied, almost stuttering. He'd never seen Utel get angry before, and this was actually a bit frightening.

The argument escalated quickly, as the truth came out. Nork couldn't understand why Utel was so angry. Jealousy was a foreign notion for him, and he'd never stopped to even think that Utel would be upset.

Utel's anger simply boiled over. The more the Nork played innocence, the more her temper rose. Before she knew it, she was kicking Nork out of their camp. She didn't give herself any time to think it over, just .. demanded that he leave. Now.

Shocked, angry, and more than a little bit confused and hurt, Nork grabbed his fishing pole and their old, packed-up tent, and stormed out the front door, leaving Utel collapsed on the floor in tears. Gnaar ran out of his bedroom, trying to console his mother, and Nirraa simply stood in the door in shock. This was completely out of character for their family, which was a usually peaceful, happy home, and neither had any idea how to deal with it.

Utel brushed Gnaar's help off, fed the babies tearfully changed their diapers, and stomped into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Chapter Eight | Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter Ten