Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Three Months Later

A few seconds after Avril woke up she heard footsteps that definitely belonged to Dakar, coming towards her door.

“What now?” She groaned and tossed in bed, not wanting to get out anymore. She hoped he was just walking around but her hope was dashed when she heard him knock. At first, she refused to answer and feigned sleep. But he kept knocking loudly and she reluctantly pronounced a yes. He had sharp hearing and he heard her. He pushed the door open and walked in holding one of Avril's clay trays.

“Morning! It's a bright day!” he mused and stood beside Avril's bed. She peeked at him with one eye and saw him holding the tray. She opened her eyes fully and raised a brow questioningly.

“Your breakfast, ma'am,” he announced and lowered the tray so she could see the contents. It contained two plates covered with two other plates and a clay mug of Avril's invention.

“In bed?” She asked indifferently.

“Yes. In bed. Today is a very special day for both of us. Especially for you. I want you to begin it in high spirits.”

She sighed and sat up “Is today perhaps, April Fool's Day? You know I lost track of the days of the week and date of the year since I came here,” she said and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

“Hey, don't be silly. I truly made you breakfast. This isn't a prank!” he blurted irritably.

“Okay! Okay! Fine. Let me see it,” she yawned and stretched her arms. Dakar dropped the tray gently on her thighs and stood still. She uncovered the first plate and saw two freshly baked bread. They were steaming hot and the aroma filled her room immediately.

“Oh my” she muttered under her breath. All the sleepiness vanished immediately from her eyes. She opened the second plate which was smaller and saw butter. She immediately raised her head to look at Dakar.

“The guys brought them in last night,” he said, answering her question. They hadn't had butter for some days and Avril was absolutely cranky because of it. She hated butter the same way she hated waking up late.

Next, she uncovered her mug and the sweet smell of coffee hit her nostrils. Her smile couldn't be hidden and it was contagious too, because Dakar had a similar twitch in his snout.

“Oh my goodness! They finally got me the satchet instant coffee? Oh my God!” she exclaimed and beamed happily at him.

“Eat up before it gets cold, Avril. Today is a long day.”

“What do you mean today is a long day?” She asked as she took a loaf and broke it in half.

“I will be outside when you come down. Eat up okay?” he grinned and left her room. Avril stared after him. Whenever he did her good like this, he was up to no good and will demand for stupid favours in return.

“Well, whatever stupid thing he asks, it's worth it,” she mumbled and spooned butter over her bread.

After eating everything and licking the plates clean, she took the tray and walked out of the room to the kitchen. She washed them and looked at the deliveries that arrived from the dolphins last night. Lots of candies, instant coffee, biscuits, even noodles and pasta. She hurried out satisfied with them.

She got outside and saw Dakar doing something by a corner of the mountain. She could not see him fully so she strolled there.

“What are you doing?” She asked as she reached him. He moved aside and let her see what he was doing.

“Arrows? What for?” she asked, looking from him to the arrows.

“We are going hunting for wild goats,” he answered and kept tucking the arrows into a long, narrow basket.

“We?”

“Yes. We.”

“No. Not today. I'm going to harvest the strawberries later,” she cooed, looking away and rubbing her ear.

“No excuse is going to work today, Avril. We're going hunting. Go get some water and food ready for the expenditure.”

“I thought I was the bossy one here. Stop bossing the boss around,” she scoffed and began walking away.

“How did I mange to live with that girl for three whole months? This is not me,” he mumbled and shook his head. He threw the basket over his shoulder and clutched his bow tightly, then began to walk towards the entrance to the house in the mountain. He reached the statue and stopped. He glanced at his bow and back at the statue then sighed and walked into the dark entrance.

“Avril!” He called as he climbed the stairs. He heard her running and he chuckled softly, knowing that she already knew he would still smell her out.

“You coming or not?” He asked in the living room.

“Fine. I guess you're going to have to do me another favour in return for breakfast in bed. How about weaving those fronds into baskets for me? I reckon they'd be not more than fifteen.”

A frowning Avril creeped out from behind the carved sofas.

“I hate basket weaving,” she muttered.

“The only thing you love is waking up late and eating.”

“I love pottery.”

“Let's go hunting,” he said defiantly and turned to go. Avril began to follow him.

“Which part of the island are we going?”

“North of the island,” he answered and she gasped loudly.

“That far?”

Dakar didn't answer. He wasn't really going there for hunting, or he would have gone alone. But what he wanted to do, he needed Avril to be present.

They walked on in silence, except for Avril's frequent groan and winces whenever she tripped over a stick or itchy leaves touched her skin. Tired of the unpleasant sounds, Dakar stood on all fours and made Avril mount his back. She carried the basket of arrows and that of the bread and water. Dakar wouldn't give her the bow and had it in his mouth.

“Why are you too silent today?” She asked after about an hour journey.

“Thinking about stuff,” he dimly answered.

“What stuff?”

“Stuff I shouldn't be sharing with you.”

“Hmm. That's strange. You usually share everything with me.”

“Sorry for surprising you.”

Ten minutes passed and Avril spoke up again “Won't you tell me what's wrong with you? I'm not used to seeing you quiet like this.”

“Nothing's wrong. I said I was just thinking about stuff.”

“Why did you ask me to accompany you when you knew you were going to think about stuff?” Avril asked with rising anger in her voice.

“I am going hunting,” he replied with a calm tone.

“Thinking about stuff when you're supposed to be focused. Wow, excellent,” she retorted, sarcasm very evident in her voice.

“Avril, you can just stop talking, alright?”

“Why do I have a feeling like you're hiding something important from me? Because you've never been this moody. And come to think of it, you've been acting very weird these days. Always wandering around in the dead of the night. Skipping meals. I'm sure you didn't even have breakfast.”

Again, Dakar was silent and that really pissed her off.

“Stop! Stop, Dakar!” she ordered and kicked him to stop.

“Put me down,” she said and began to throw off the things in her hands. Dakar stopped and she jumped down, almost hurting her legs.

“I am not going hunting anymore. Unless you're going to tell me what's bothering you,” she crossed her arms and frowned at him.

“Stop being so stupid, Avril. I told you to not worry about it. Now get on and let's go,” he replied, surly.

Avril scoffed “Just because you're all big and frightful doesn't give you the right to order me around.”

“And just because you're all small doesn't give you the right to act stupid.”

“Don't you dare insult me, Dakar!”

“That wasn't an insult.”

“You know what, I'm going home myself. I rather get strangled by a giant island snake than stand here speaking to a savage beast who's had his social senses amended after living alone for decades!”

She had blurt everything out before realizing she had gone too far.

“What did you just say?” He growled and his eyes flashed red. Avril shuddered at the sight of it and began to step backwards. Suddenly, the air around them turned hot and her skin began to burn. She let out a yelp and fell to her knees with her hands lifted to her face. She felt like she was standing in an invisible fire.

Dakar stood with eyes red and fangs bare. His fur had risen on his back and his tail erect. Waves of heat were emitting from him to the environment.

Avril was still on the ground screaming. She had crouched down and her head touched her thighs. Her hands were hidden between them.

Dakar came back to his senses and his eyes changed to green. His fur fell back and he looked down at Avril.

“Oh no! Avril!” he exclaimed and jumped towards her. She jerked up immediately and mistakenly brushed her left arm against his right paw that was reaching out to carry her. Pain pierced through her nerves as his claws dug into her skin. She let out a loud yell and jumped off the ground, hugging her arm.

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Avril,” he apologized and tried to walk to her.

“No...get away from me. Get away from me, please!” she screamed and began to run towards the direction they came. Few seconds into her run, she slumped and laid motionless on the forest floor.