The Lost Tribe: Maliha the Wanderer (Book 1)

Acceptance

Maliha sat in the grass, the blades tickling along her skin as she watched Enzo interact with his aunt. Maliha was glad that they had reached this point in time. A few days ago, she had been doubtful that they would ever be capable of being amicable, let alone spend considerable amounts of time together without saying or doing something hurtful to one another. However, in the few days that had followed Maliha and Jiya's confrontation and the revealing Jiya's fearsome Draganir, the two women had formed an unlikely bond. Enzo was their point of understanding and for him, the two had begun to work past their initial disdain. It had been outright hostile between the two at first but Hanan had coaxed Jiya into apologizing for her Draganir's possessive behaviour over Enzo and Kaori had encouraged his daughter to be less combative towards Jiya, especially a she was a Draganir first and such creatures were temperamental and possessive.

Kaiori and Hanan had been the fundamental pieces in forcing the two women to make amends and to see eye to eye. Hanan was much like her sister, Makula, she carried wisdom in every sentence she spoke. The few conversations Maliha had with Hanan had made Maliha desperately miss her mentor and friend. As the days passed the ache for her small tribe of friends that she had met amongst the Der Surjaz grew stronger and stronger. The two sisters had been separated for more years than Maliha had lived but there were certain characteristics and traits that were identical, Maliha's mind often tricked her into believing they were one which only enhanced her longing ache for her friends.

As the days had passed since the unravelling of Maliha's past and Enzo's heritage, a bond had begun to form amongst the small cohort. Enzo had taken to Makaoi and Kaori in the way he had always taken to men, with awe and wonder. He hung onto their every word and move as they interacted with each other. Absorbing every sentence and action that her father and brother committed. They were truly becoming a family and it warmed Maliha's heart, especially, when she herself had missed out on this love.

A hand glided across Maliha's shoulder lovingly as a tribeswoman walked past on her merry way. Maliha smiled at the woman and her child as they continued on their journey.

Maliha had to get used to the touching. In the days after she had come to them, she had slowly been pulled further and further into this tribe and what a tribe it was. They were cold to the outside world but amongst them, there was a strong sense of family that Maliha had felt nowhere else. The bond reminded her of the Der Surjaz, it was reminiscent of them, but it was purer here. The Nah Barros had pulled together when things had become unbearable whereas the Der Surjaz had slowly begun to crumble. It was amazing to sit back and watch how both tribes were so similar and yet so fundamentally different. It was crazy how two tribes that were so akin could despise each other so deeply that two sisters would be separated for years.

A shadow formed bove Maliha's head, she hastily looked up to see who it was and found a smile spreading across her face at the sight of her brother. His chest was glistening with sweat and was riddled with scars that she had never noticed before.

"Have you been thinking about it?" Makaio panted as he collapsed onto the grass beside her.

"I have been thinking about it," Maliha murmured shyly as she watched Kaori and Jiya teaching Enzo small defensive moves. As her father moved through each movement, Maliha began to understand why this tribe was revered as having some of the best Warriors. There was a fluidity to each stance, he flowed from one move to another whilst Jiya and Enzo tried their hardest to imitate him. Maliha often found herself laughing as they flittered from one move to another. She felt envious that she could not move with them, but her flu had not disappeared yet. Enzo's had only lasted two days but Maliha still felt weak and drained.

"Have you made a decision?" Makaio asked, not able to hide his excitement.

Maliha sighed deeply, looking away from the loving scene and facing her brother. He had an eye patch over his green eye whilst his brown eye remained to be seen. Her brother was handsome and loving but there was a sadness in his eyes when he cared to show them both. It was easy to see that Makaoi felt that this ritual would fill the void he had been feeling but Maliha doubted it.