Gathering

A mature 'Ohia-Lehua tree, one of Hi'iaka's kinolau or favored body forms, can be a low-growing shrub or a ten foot tree. In their native home there is room for versatility in appearance. Most comfortable in the Pacific Islands of her birth, the Goddess Hi'iaka traveled for very special reasons: specific assignments, and always with recovery or restoration of balance a primary goal. In her transportable form, Pale's aumakua, her family guardian, rode the updraft of the Snapping Turtle Wind. The wind circled the roof and buffeted the windows of Molinas'.

"You have a frothiness about you makani. Is that anger or hunger you assail at this place?" Direct in her questioning it was an indication the goddess was wasting no time. From a tuck in her kikepa she withdrew a short length of ocean algae, limu. Rubbing the limu between her palms the algae turned to dark green dust. Hi'iaka blew the limu into the wind. Hoku, the Sea Turtle ate the gift. A sigh of appreciation rose from the roof near the back door of the bakery.

"We are here for the same purpose, Goddess of the Egg. This place where such goodness. Good food and company has grown, there is a sadness. How do Humans mourn if they are not honest with that emotion -- grief?"

"It sticks like sour poi left in the bowl too long!" The two travelers enjoyed the shared imagery.

"Yes, it sticks and then flakes, and good food is wasted as well." Honu smacked her jaws appreciatively. "The limu ... it was very good quality."

Molinas' was an old and established community gathering hole built to take full advantage of the view and the access to the tide flats that edged the island. In the long past glaciers had dredged deep a passage for the largest among the Beings. It was this connection that Honu and Hi'iaka were playing with.

"The girl is a muli ... as in Muliwai. She was born between the fresh and salty ocean waters of Beings on this planet. Not just the youngest sister, or daughter, this girl belongs to the Waters." Hoku is not much of a talker, but the nourishment of the premium limu sustained her storytelling.

"Once her mother-sister ho'olele passed out of that lovely woman's form there was very little connection. no land-based hold on the girl Shine. Her cords are mightily involved with the voice of Kohola. The Whale. They are moving through these waters, most of them are already gone to other places. But. One pod remains. And they are working their kuleana to initiate that girl. They called her from that ferry."

"Shine is alive?"

"Yes."

"Can we, together, find her?"

"Yes. But, she will not be the same girl this community knew before. We have until the start of the new year. When The Sisters rise on the horizon, and the Hilo moon follows. I mean, you and me together will find her, prepare her for her journey. Then, she will decide if she'll return." Hoku closed her mouth, and her eyes. The length of telling pressed at her limits for verbalization. Telepathy was their preferred communication. Now there was time to digest the story.