"Be careful when you step into the pond," she said. "We don't want to make too much noise or stir up the mud around the bank where they could see where we entered the water. Quickly now—I can hear them getting closer."
I lowered myself into the water then I pushed myself gently away from the shore. Teuila led me to the other side of the pond, then she pulled a pocketknife out of a pouch on her tunic and cut two four-foot lengths of reed. She tested each tube by puffing through them, then handed one to me. I could hear the sounds of the men's voices rising in volume and the rustling of the brush very close by.
"Put this in your mouth then duck under the water about three feet. Don't go any lower than that or you'll choke if the other end dips beneath the surface. Then follow me toward the waterfall. The rippling current will help camouflage us in the depths."
I looked at Teuila with frightened eyes, then placed the tube in my mouth and submerged under the water. After a brief moment of panic, I realized it wasn't so different from using a snorkel. I was scared using one of those at first too, but once I learned that I could breathe comfortably underwater, it didn't take long for me to relax. After I dropped a few feet, I opened my eyes and saw Te' submerge beside me. Then she took my hand and pulled me toward the churning undercurrent next to the waterfall.
When we reached the base of the cataract, I glanced up through the foaming water and noticed a group of half-naked tribesmen walking around the base of the swimming hole, pointing toward footprints in the ground. I looked toward Teuila fearfully, and she pumped her palm up and down, motioning for me to remain calm. Her dress was billowing underneath her, spreading out to her sides, and I worried the white sheen of the fabric would be noticeable from above. But she placed her hands between her legs in a Marilyn Monroe manner and pressed the gown downwards as her long black hair floated upwards.
I shook my head, smiling at the improbability of the situation. Only Teuila could make almost suffocating under water while a bunch of savages circled around us menacingly look sexy.
Suddenly, I noticed Manaia standing on the edge of the embankment, looking intently into the water. He walked around the edge of the pond, thrusting the dull end of his spear into the water, as if searching for something under the surface. When he reached the clump of reeds, he paused for a moment, then moved closer to the edge of the waterfall. Teuila's eyes widened as he got closer, and she motioned for us to move closer to the base of the cataract. She pinched her fingers around the base of the tube in her mouth then pulled them away quickly as she puffed her cheeks.
I glanced at her for a moment, then nodded my head in understanding. One of the first things I’d learned when using a snorkel was how to purge the water from the tube whenever I ducked under water. I took a deep breath in, then we paddled under the falling water as I felt the reed vibrating from the pressure of the deluge above us. When the we finally reached a calmer section near the embankment, I blew heavily out the tube, feeling the water passing upward through the reed, then I breathed deeply in. There was still a bit of water in the cylinder and I coughed suddenly, but after a few more frantic purges, I was able to breathe comfortably again.
As we treaded water trying to remain in a fixed position, we looked up through the gurgling surface. Manaia stared in our direction for a long moment, then he finally stepped back from the shore and joined the rest of his team on the cliff. Teuila's father motioned in the direction of the brush where she'd emerged earlier, then the group quickly dispersed. I kicked my legs toward the surface, but Te' reached out and grabbed my arm, motioning for me to stay submerged a little longer. About a minute later, Manaia reemerged at the edge of the abutment and turned his head to scan the surface of the lagoon, then he took off again into the forest. Teuila waited another five minutes, then she signaled that it was safe to resurface.
"Oh my God!" I said, looking at her with wide eyes. "That was intense. I was sure that Manaia had seen us. That was smart of you to wait until he'd left the second time."
"It's still not entirely safe," Teuila said. "I think we should wait here for another half hour or so. Once we know that they're not coming back, we'll have to find another place to hide. I want to put as much distance between us and the village as possible."
I circled my hands gently underwater as my eyes darted over her face.
"What about the beach where my charter boat came in? You said that was a good day's hike from your village. That should be the first place my crew will look for me if they return."
"That might work," Te' nodded. "But we'll have to be careful about staying too close to the shore. My father will probably send out another search party following the perimeter of the island by canoe. We'll scope out the area when we get there."
I kicked my legs excitedly, realizing we'd soon be alone again.
"Teuila," I said, throwing my arms around her, almost pulling both of us underwater. "I'm so happy we're together again. I could live in a cave with you if I had to."
"Let's hope your friends return for you soon," she said, peering nervously around the edge of the waterfall. "That might be the only safe place for us to hide soon if they don't."
11
Teuila dressed my wounds with the milky sap of a spongy plant, then she wrapped my feet in banana leaves to help quell the bleeding. After a few minutes, I could feel the pain and throbbing begin to subside, and I shook my head marveling at her ability to apply natural cures. But I was far more concerned about the cut on her finger, which was still dripping blood under her makeshift bandage.
"That feels better," I said, lifting her hand to take a closer look at her incision. "But your cut looks far worse. Will a couple of leaves will be enough to close that wound?"
"I missed the main artery," she said, squeezing her finger tenderly. "I just need to apply a tight compress to stem the bleeding and allow it to clot."
She glanced down at my wet T-shirt and smiled.
"Do you think you'd be willing to part with your shirt? If we tear it into strips, we can wrap it around both my finger and your feet. We've got a long walk ahead of us to get to the other side of the island and it will help keep the dirt out of your wounds."
"Why not?" I smiled. "I've done it once before already. Now that we're alone, I don't feel so self-conscious about protecting my modesty." I pulled my shirt over my head and handed it to her. "Do you want my bra too?"
Te' peered at my bosom pushed together with the constricting garment and shook her head.
"It's probably best that you keep that on for a little longer. There will be plenty of sharp objects poking out of the brush as we make our way through the jungle. We don't want to get those pretty breasts of yours all scratched up. Besides, we might be able to find a better use for it later."
She bit the bottom of my shirt to make a small incision, then tore it in half lengthwise down the front and the back before pulling off the sleeves. Then she hacked two narrow pieces of bark off a nearby tree with her adze and placed them under my feet, wrapping the long ends of my shirt around the husks and tying the ends firmly behind my ankle.
"Not quite as pretty as your Western shoes," she said, but hopefully they'll last at least until we get to the other side of the island.
I stood up and paced forward and back a few steps, testing my newly fashioned sandals.
"They're surprising comfortable," I nodded. "Especially with those leafy insoles. Maybe we can hook you up with Nike when we return to the States."
"Nike?"
"Just kidding," I laughed. "They're a big shoe manufacturer back home. You're a woman of many talents, Te'. I'm sure we can find you a more interesting job when the time comes."
Teuila looked up at me and smiled.
"I'm excited to learn all about your culture. But right now, I think we should head over to the other side of the island. We don't want to overstay our welcome here. My father may come back to search for us if he doesn't find us elsewhere."
Teuila tore up one of the sleeves into a
spiral strip, then she wrapped and tied it tightly around her wounded finger.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go see if we can find a better hiding place."
* * *
It took most of the day to cross to the other side of the island. Te' wanted to stay off the marked trails to avoid running into our search party, so we walked along the side of narrow creeks and streams to stay out of sight. I was afraid the stony riverbeds would splinter my makeshift moccasins, but the flexible bark absorbed most of the brunt and the shirt-tie miraculously survived the entire trip. When we passed the same waterfall where I was bitten by the snake, I knew we were getting close to the beach.
"How can you navigate through this dense jungle so easily?" I said, amazed at how she'd found her way back to the same spot on such a large island.
"I've lived here my whole life," she said. "I know this island like the back of my hand. There's not much else to do for fun around here, so I've made lots of expeditions in my eighteen years."
"I hope your father and your boyfriend don't know the island as well as you do. Otherwise, there'll be nowhere safe to hide."
"Don't worry about that," Te' said, peering up at the darkening sky. "I've had lots of practice hiding out in the forest. It's starting to get dark, so we won't have time to build a more comfortable shelter until the morning. We'll have to make do with a camouflaged lean-to for this evening. I'm looking forward to showing you how easily we can live off the land. We'll try to make the most of our little exile until your friends return."
"I'm looking forward to it too," I said, recalling my Robinson Crusoe fantasy. "This should be quite the adventure."
When we reached the beach where our charter boat had set anchor, Teuila checked out the lagoon and nodded.
"This will work fine. It's nicely secluded, has shallow water and shoals to catch fish, and has a good lookout for approaching boats."
"Where will we sleep?" I said, wrapping my arms around my chest, feeling the cool onshore breeze.
"It's probably best not to sleep on the beach tonight. My father may be sending out a canoe patrol to search the perimeter of the island. We'll have to sleep inland this evening."
I peered into Te's brown eyes and smiled.
"As long as lying I'm next to you, I can sleep anywhere."
Teuila found a secluded spot behind a sand dune and hacked down some large palm leaves to provide cover and keep us warm. Then she harvested a few pineapples and coconuts from some nearby palm trees, and we enjoyed an impromptu dinner.
"You must be hungry after trekking all day," she said, noticing me shivering as she placed some leaves over my bare torso. "Tomorrow we'll catch and cook up some fresh fish. But it's too risky to build a fire right now. Will you be warm enough sleeping here tonight?"
We lay down in the pit and Te' snuggled up close to me, pulling the big leaves over our bodies.
"I am now," I said, feeling her warm skin pressed against mine.
As much as I wanted to make love to her again, after ten hours of hiking we both fell asleep within minutes. In the morning, I woke to the sound of seabirds chirping in the distance as the morning sun began to warm up our little nest of leaves. Te' rolled over when I began to stir, and I kissed her gently.
"Did you sleep well?" I asked, caressing her warm shoulders.
"Like a log. But I had a few nightmares. I dreamed that my father found us and dragged us back to the village where he tied you to a stake in the main square. As everybody celebrated my marriage to Manaia, he set you aflame while I watched helplessly from his arms."
"Jesus!" I said, flaring my eyes open. "Would he actually do that if he caught us?"
"Perhaps not quite so viciously. But he's had other tribespeople punished for far less an offense."
Te' began lifting herself up to get out of the pit.
"We need to begin building fortifications and a better hiding place."
"Can't it wait a few more minutes?" I said, clutching her wrist. "This is the first time we've been alone in almost two days. I was hoping we could have a little fun before we get to work. Besides, don't you need to let your finger rest a little longer to let it heal?"
Teuila lifted her hand and untied the strip of cloth around her finger then opened the leaves to peer at her cut. The bleeding had stopped, but she had a nasty inch-long scar on the side of her hand.
"It still looks tender," I said, lifting her finger to my mouth as I sucked on the tip gently. "Maybe it needs some of my special healing juices."
"I'm not sure it works that way," Te' chuckled. "But it feels good, just the same."
"Well if it feels good licking your finger, maybe I can make you feel even better licking you somewhere else."
I lifted Teuila's robe over her shoulders then lay her down on the leaves.
"Lie down while I give you some loving."
As I nibbled my way down the front of her chest, I cupped her firm breasts in my hands and sucked on her nipples. It felt sublime to be holding her in my arms for the first time, knowing she was truly mine. I swirled my tongue over her fleshy peaks, and she moaned in pleasure. I could feel her hips gyrating below me, and she gasped when I pressed my thigh against her opening.
While I continued to suck and nibble on her breasts, Teuila ground her pussy into my thigh, coating the front of my leg with her wetness. After a few minutes, I pulled away and drew my tongue over her quivering abdomen until I reached her furry mound. It had been eons since I'd seen or felt a full patch of pubic hair, and I paused as I caressed her soft fur.
"Mmm," I purred. "I love how soft you are down here. I could run my hands through your hair all day."
"I like the way you touch me, Jade," Te' panted. "Kiss my private areas. I want to feel your lips on my agava."
As I drew my face over her bush, I could feel the moisture from her pussy beading in her hairs. I closed my lips over her muff and lifted my head up a few inches, gently tugging her hair as I sucked her dew into my mouth. It might have just been my wild imagination channeling my Blue Lagoon fantasy, but her juice tasted sweeter and fresher than anything I remembered.
The closer I got to her jewel, the harder she pushed her hips up into my mouth, and when I finally encircled her clit with my lips, she gasped out loud. As she spread her thighs further apart and I began to circle my tongue around her button, she began to whimper and call my name.
"Oh Jade," she whispered. "That feels so good. Lick me with your beautiful mouth. I want to feel you kissing me everywhere."
Hearing her cry out my name in the throes of passion sent a shiver down my spine, and I began to feel my own panties sticking to my skin. I wanted to feel her trembling against my face and call out my name as the waves of pleasure rolled over her. As her hips began shaking with increasing fervor, I sucked her into my mouth, dancing my tongue over her nub. When her hips began to rise up off the ground, I cradled her buns in my hands as she pressed herself tighter against my face.
"Yes, Jade," she groaned. "I can feel it coming now. Hold me while I release my pito. It's coming now!"
Suddenly, Te' growled as her hips began bucking wildly against my face and her buttocks started quivering in my palms. I opened my eyes and watched her tummy cavitating as she thrashed her head from side to side. I held her tightly while she spasmed against my face, coating me with her sweet, pungent syrup. When she finally stopped shaking, I lowered her hips to the cool leaves and snuggled up next to her.
"Does my healing touch work better that way?" I smiled, grinding my hips against her wet mound.
"Yes," she purred. "But now I think there's another wound that needs my attention."
Te' and I made love for the rest of the morning, then our growling stomachs reminded us how little we'd eaten in the last twenty-four hours.
"Come," she said, pulling me out of the pit. "Let's catch ourselves a proper breakfast, then we need to begin preparing a safer resting place. No more sleeping on the beach. I don't want to take any chances that my father and
his thugs will stumble across us while we're resting. Let me show you how to catch fish the Anutian way."
She led me into the brush until we came upon a small stand of seedlings. Te' hacked two of them off near the base with her adze, then whittled the ends of each shoot down until they had sharp pointed ends.
I looked at her quizzically, wondering what she had in mind.
"Were you planning on using those in case we get ambushed?
"No, I would never harm my own people. These are for another type of creature. We're going to use them to spear fish."
"Really?" I said with wide eyes. "You can do that too? You really are a woman of many talents."
"It's not so easy to spear a free-swimming fish," she said. "But it's a lot easier when there’s a bunch of them trapped in a contained area. That's where you come in. You're going to push them toward me."
"How will I do that?"
"You're going to rake them into a trapping area."
I pinched my eyebrows with a confused expression, and she smiled at me as she began chopping down a taller seedling. After she felled it, she chopped off the top to about a fifteen-foot length, then hacked off the branches on three sides so that it looked like a giant comb.
"That's a pretty big rake," I said.
"You'll find it works remarkably well at herding schools of fish into shallow water," Teuila said.
"How am I supposed to use it? It barely looks like I'll be able to lift that thing."
"I'll help you carry it to the shore. Then all you need to do is place the branch atop the water and push it up and down to scare the fish forward. I'll look after the rest. Are you ready?"
"Lead on, Pocahontas," I chuckled. "Show me your ways."
Teuila and I carried the big branch to the edge of the water, then we floated it to the far corner of the lagoon where we saw some schools of iridescent fish darting underneath the clear water.
Polynesian Pleasure Page 6
