Chapter 2.1 A Boy From the Others

"You'll be fine just stay warm and don't stray", Mother told me as she led me towards the stones of worship.

"I know Mother stay out a day and night. Realise I can't live without men, become a women, simple", I said sarcastically.

"Arcadia it's one of our most sacred rituals. How dare you mock it", Mother exclaimed.

"Sorry", I whispered, but of course I didn't mean it.
We walked the rest of the way in silence.
"Arcadia I love you, despite our differences. Please try hard to rethink your thoughts on things, You are only making your life harder", she said gently as she left.

No way I thought I was not going to become a weak women, no matter how difficult it made my life. Look at my Mother she had conformed to their rules and she still had a horrible life.

So I decided I would stray, I was going to see the river I had heard so much about. I made my way with excitiment listening to the sound of the river to know my way.
"Your beautiful", I murmered as I stood at it's bank.

A cough from behind startled me, I spun around, just a little scared.
"Sorry", a tiny squeak said.
There before me stood a boy from the Others.

"What, why, who?", I managed to stutter.
"I'm sorry. I... was trying to find my papa. There was a fishing accident, I woke up here. Why are you on our side", he asked me tiredly.
"This is our side", I told him slowly.
" What, then how can I get... ho, ho me", he said his voice shaking.
"You can't", I said slowly.
"Do you have food?", he asked.
"Here", I said handing him an apple, watching silently as he devoured it.

"I'm cold.... and and tired", he muttered.
"Come with me", I say leading him back to my stuff, which I had dropped halfway.

I set him up in my tent and pondered what I was going to do. What had I done? Our people hated the Others, they were never going to help him, but I couldn't just leave him. He would never be able to go home, so he was going to have to come home with me, to the village. No matter what the consequences, my life was going to get really hard.

 He woke up sometime later.
"You can't go home", I told him.
"I... know, our people... use to, I mean... tttthh ey try. Cause, it it would be help.....ful", he stuttered sadly.
"I'm Arcadia", I murmered.

"Shark of the River Tribe", he said and I detected just the hint of pride in his voice.
"You came from the people called the Others, on the other side of the river", I say, hoping he would confirm it.
"We're called the tribes", he said back.
"Oh", I said.
"What are your people called, your just Them to us", he asked quietly, gaining in confidence.
"The villagers and you are going to come and live with us", I said determined that he would.
The only problem was I had no idea how to convince the people who hate the Others, to take one of them in.

Shark nodded, "So what are you doing out here", he asked,
"Having my womanhood ceremony", I replied confused. What else would a woman be doing?
"Oh I thought you might be on a hunting trip", he replied.
"Woman don't hunt here", I said, the tribes let woman hunt, they were getting alot more appealing.
"I didn't know", he said meekly.
"Well it would be best not mention your people or their ways. The only way to allow you to stay, is if you pretend not to know the tribes", I told him.

"I don't want to forget my people", he protested.
"I won't let you, you can talk to me about them. I promise", I told him quietly.
"Yes then I'll come, its not like I have a choice", he said, and then to my great suprise he hugged me and to my greater surprise I hugged him back.

"Your not nearly as bad as they say", he whispered in my ear, so quietly I only just heard him.
Was it wrong that I was glad I found him?