Welcomed, Not Accepted

    "Don't worry, I will be just fine. I have taken in all you have said to me, trust me I will do well to keep a low profile, chill. Just them, I am not going to parade myself for everyone to see me haha" Pradai assured old man Gaius not to worry about her getting caught or anything. 

"You better be. And be back on time" Gaius added. Pradai got down from the tree house and started walking away. She stopped and waved at old man Gaius

"Have a good morning sir!" She said and off she went with joy in her heart. Gaius smiled

"She really does have a strong spirit. And a cheerful heart" Gaius said, inhaling the good morning scents from the plants all around. 

                                       ****

  It took Pradai some time to get off the hill area, she had been given direction already by old man Gaius, even if he didn't, she had gotten familiar with the roads, but this place she was going to visit Kar and Curl, it was completely new to her for it will be her first time to really get into the Meiv's village. 

As she found her way down to the village, she made sure she was overly covered, and cautious. 

She was amazed when she found out the village was just as the same one she saw back in the Barren lands, the same type of houses, and the same type of setting, but this one, was realistic, she could really feel it, touch it, see it and be in it. 

On fully entering the Meivs village, she immersed herself in it, and became a part of it unconsciously. She removed the covering that covered from her head down to her face. For that moment she didn't care about anything. 

"Wow" Pradai was amazed at the spectacular view all around her, although the picture of the village she saw in the Barren lands which she believed was the same village was different from the actual one she was at the moment, but this was more beautiful, amazing, wonderful and breath-taking. It was her first time seeing many Meivs, and how beautiful and amazing they all were. They were all taller and bigger than her, except Young Meivs and baby Meivs. 

Even though everyone went about their business, they were all happily involved in each other's thing. The baby Meivs that were playing was what got Pradai's attention the most

"Oh my, awww such beautiful creatures, they are real beauties" she went ahead to carry a baby Meiv playing with other baby Meivs, but she was heavy, she couldn't carry her up. How it happened she didn't know, but the baby Meiv reduced her weight so that she would be able to carry her up. 

"Owww" Pradai exclaimed as she carried and embraced the beautiful little creature, carrying her even made her happy. She loved the energy. The baby Meiv licked her

"Owww ow don't be nasty baby" she brought her down and a dozen more babies gathered around her , all chattering beautifully, raising their little hands for her to carry them, because they had seen how their mate enjoyed it. And they know who was good or not for them. 

"Oh oh. So many babies, where do I get the strength to carry you all?" As she bent down to carry one, another would come in-between, and another would come in-between again, and yet another, it happened like that until she quit trying.

"Okay okay fine. No carrying again" they stopped disturbing and were cool for a moment

"Aww so cute" Pradai commented, they circled around her giving her the middle spot. 

"Now, this is better. Very well organized aren't you all? But I'm sorry really I have to go, don't wanna waste all the time today here" but they wouldn't clear off for her to go away, instead they came closer, maintaining their circle, making it smaller and getting closer, and smiling at Pradai so warmly and beautifuly.

She thought they were harmless and couldn't do anything much, but before she could know it, they wrapped their ponytails around her legs tightly, and quickly took some steps back pushing Pradai to the ground! 

"What the..." before she could finish her statement, all of them jumped on her like a playground. They took their turns to touch her first, squeezing her nose and ears. They nearly bumped her eyes if not that she covered her eyes with her hands, she couldn't stand up because they were so heavy, and she couldn't get them off her persuasively because her hands were already busy doing something important and better - protecting her sight.  

With all the noises they were making, the body pinching and squeezing, and the heaviness, it got Pradai so much helplessly that she couldn't control what happened next out of her frustration… she furiously got them off her body and standing up in that same instant. The babies became afraid and ran away to hide, Pradai didn't know what she had just done. She looked around to see the Meivs who were around all startled and looking dead at her, and surprisingly she saw that they were terrified. 

Her eyes were blazing with blue flames. She was panting and breathing profusely, she still wasn't sure what was going on, how she got up furiously, why the babies ran, and why these Meivs had the same look on their face - fear. It was all going through her brain and she started feeling heat inside.

Whatever it was, it wasn't good. She thought. 

Luckily for her, there was a water well nearby. She rushes and dipped her head into water and drank a lot of it. Then she took some time to relax and cool down. She felt herself again. And although everyone still had the same look, she felt better of herself. 

The babies got out from their hiding places and rushed over to her. 

"Oh no no no no" Pradai tried to push them away, but with everyone looking at her, things might get worst this time. She also remembered promising to keep a low profile and threading cautiously

"Oh boy I really blew my cover" the baby Meivs hugged her still, she just had to embrace it, but she needed to get out of that particular place, and the babies had put her in a tight spot, moreover, she had wasted enough time already. She didn't know what else to do.

"Where are your mothers you little creatures?" 

"Obviously, they can take good care of themselves" 

Pradai looked ahead to see Curl coming close to her. She was more than happy and relieved, at least she was getting out of there. 

"Oh thank goodness! Finally!" Pradai exclaimed

"Chap! chap!" Curl whistled to them and they left Pradai running to him, he bent down and talked to them, like grown men. They nodded their heads and left. 

"Oh wow what did you do to them? Magic? Pradai asked

"No we don't do magic, we are magic" Curl said with a wink

"Oh, so what did you do!?" Pradai still wanted to know, incase of next time.

"Just tipped them off, kind off" said Curl with a shrug

"They won't leave me alone, such a burden!" Or are you going to give them meat?"

"Right! Meat" Curl snapped his finger

"Let's go eat meat" he quickly took Pradai by her hand 

"Oh okay" 

   Curl took her to his home and asked her to wait for him outside 

"Stay off the grid" Curl said

"Sure" replied Pradai, excited that she had seen Curl at least, but what about Kar? She came to see them, so she had to see him too. 

"And yea I want to make sure there's enough meat haha, and too, if no one's there, these boys likes lurking around, might as well start stealing my meats" Curl said as he marched inside a dark Barn.

After some minutes of waiting outside, Pradai decided to take a look inside, but before she could Curl showed up smiling wholeheartedly. 

"What took you so long?" Pradai asked Curl who was obviously coverimg something else with his smile. 

"Like I said I needed to make sure that…" he was halfway completing his statement when a female Meiv came from behind and stared at Pradai. She was tall and looked strong, beautiful but mean. 

Pradai removed her face and used Curl to cover herself. 

"Who is she? Why is she looking at me like that? Am I in trouble?" Pradai whispered to Curl. Curl scratched his head, he didn't want to turn around, no need to, he knew what it was all about

"Ermmm which should I answer" 

"Start answering all of them!" Pradai replied, trying not to let the Meiv hear her voice

"That's my Hupa" Curl whispered to her ears.

"Huh?" Pradai looked at her, but removed immediately

"Aishh" Pradai looked at her again, she closed her eyes stiffly

"What are you doing" Curl asked Pradai puzzled. Pradai raised her finger up

"What's that" Curl asked again. Pradai opened her eyes

"Just a minute" she said, as she stared back at Curl's Hupa. Curl stood by herside, his Hupa looked at him, and he shrugged

"If anything happens to Curl" she said, as she snapped her fingers and walked away. 

Pradai exhaled "wow, that was so much to take in, I nearly killed myself trying to hold my breath. Wow what does she mean by that?"

"Don't worry, she is really a sweet one. She is just making sure you're a good creature" Curl replied

"Am I? Like is she okay with me now?"

"You will have to find out yourself" Curl concluded. 

"Come on, time is going let's go eat." Curl said as he took Pradai inside the Barn

"But… what about Kar? I want to see him too"

"Unfortunately, you can't see Kar this time. But don't worry I will let him know you asked of him" Curl said

"Why? What's wrong? Is it my fault?" Asked Pradai worriedly

"Oh no. You see, I do not have a Puha, so I'm like replacing him as the head of the family, so I'm free. Unlike Kar, his Puha is strict and want more from him, just like many Puhas. But that's not a problem he will come around, I just have to make him" Curl said smiling. 

                                        ****

"But why does none of them likes me?, Not like I can harm any of them" Pradai said looking sad

"They won't like you, not until you prove you're worthy and likeable" old man Gaius said pathing her back. 

"Right. Atleast baby Meivs likes me" Pradai said with a happy smile. Old man Gaius nodded in agreement. 

"Prove to them that I'm worthy… " said Pradai to herself.