The next morning, Ammon’s chest ached a little less, but he still felt as though he’d been roundhouse kicked in the torso by Chuck Norris. Kohana sat across from him, roasting bananas, potatoes, and grass using the coconut shell as a pot. Ammon had thought that the coconut shell would burn up in the fire, but he’d been wrong. He guessed that he had a lot to learn when it came to island survival. And he had a lot to learn about Kohana too.
“So how is it that you speak English?” Ammon gazed into the flames. “Since your accent is so strong, I imagine that those here speak a different language.”
His query made Kohana stiffen, and Ammon wondered whether he’d said something wrong.
Ammon backpedaled. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I was just curious.”
“No, it’s all right.” Kohana prodded a piece of banana with a stick. “Actually, I was taught how to speak English by an outsider. About twenty-five years ago, a man washed up on shore like you did. His sailboat was wrecked, and he swam for miles until he found our island. At the time, the people here were much more accepting of outsiders than they are now, so they allowed him to stay until help arrived.”
Ammon was amazed that Kohana could speak so fluently just because of one person. “Wow. So you learned English from one guy? He must have been an impressive teacher.”
“Yeah, he was. The man’s name was Harry Caraway. He was an American who’d come to Spain to teach English. I was only six at the time he showed up, and during his years here, he worked with me every day. A few of the others here on the island also know the language because of him, but since Harry became my closest friend, I know it best.”
Ammon was impressed. “Well, your language skills are amazing.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Kohana prodded the coconut and stared into the fire. “To be honest, I haven’t used English in over ten years. I feared that a lot of what I learned had slipped away. Here on the island, I only speak the language of my people.”
“So what happened to that Harry guy, anyway? Is he still here?”
Kohana gave him a sad look.
“Oh God, did he die?” Wow, now Ammon felt like an ass. “I’m sorry.”
“No, he didn’t die,” Kohana said. “The chance for him to be rescued came, and he took it. I don’t blame him for leaving.”
“Why didn’t you go with him?” Ammon had no idea why a person would want to live on some island in the middle of nowhere when there was a world with education and plumbing a plane ride away...well, assuming that the plane didn’t crash again.
“He asked me to go with him, but I decided against it.” Kohana’s eyes darkened, and Ammon thought he may have seen regret in them.
“Why?”
“I had my reasons.” Kohana didn’t raise his voice, but the man had a way of speaking that let Ammon know he shouldn’t question him further.
“So how come the islanders aren’t friendly toward outsiders anymore, if they liked this Harry guy?” Just his luck that the people here went apeshit right when his plane crashed.
This question didn’t appear to please Kohana, because his eyes narrowed. “It was actually Harry who caused the coldness toward the outsiders. He brought attention to the island when he was rescued. Those here have an agreement with local governments regarding secrecy, but if the wrong person were to let everyone know that this island exists, then we’d be in a lot of trouble, because people would start flooding in. After we had a close call with the media because of Harry, the others here pretty much agreed that it would be better to, uh, get rid of any more problems that washed ashore.”
“So, basically, the others decided to kill any newcomers before they draw attention to this place?” Ammon’s stomach had never sunk so fast.
Kohana nodded. “That’s the general consensus, yes.”
“And you don’t agree with them? Is that why you saved me?”
“Killing a person is beyond my abilities. I’m not that cold.”
Thank God for that. “But you could have left me on the beach. I have a feeling that it would have been only a matter of time before nature killed me. Did you really only save me because of the gods?”
Kohana shrugged.
“Well?” Ammon asked.
“The food is done.” Kohana pulled the coconut from the fire with his bare fingers and quickly dropped it in front of Ammon. “Eat all you can. I want to make sure that you’re strong enough for the journey ahead. Where we’re going isn’t far, but with your injuries, I have a feeling that even a small distance may be hard on you.”
Ammon nodded and hesitated before plucking a piece of cooked banana from the mixture. When he popped it into his mouth, he was surprised by how mellow and delicious the food tasted. He then moved onto the potato and took a bite, even though it burned his tongue. Though eating a sweetened potato was a strange experience, he realized it wasn’t so bad. It was like eating a yam with a tangy, banana-esque aftertaste.
As he wolfed down the potatoes and bananas, Kohana watched him with a smile. Ammon looked up, feeling guilty for hogging the food when the other man likely wanted breakfast as well.
Ammon pushed the half-full coconut toward him. “Here.”
Kohana wrinkled his nose as if Ammon had offered him fried kitten. “No, thank you. Food like that doesn’t sit well with me. I prefer to eat meat.”
“Are you sure?” Ammon studied the other man, realizing that he hadn’t seen him eat last night or this morning. For somebody so bulky, he sure didn’t eat much.
“Oh, I’m sure.” Kohana waved away his concerns. “I’ll find something later.”
Ammon relented, even though he was still uncertain. He once again returned his attention to eating as much potato and banana as he could.
* * * *
Walking was torture. Though Ammon tried to hide his pain from Kohana, who was lumbering at his side, the man must have seen the agony on his face, because he gazed at him with pity.
“We’re almost there,” Kohana said.
“Good.” Ammon nodded, then took another step forward. Pain shot through his torso as if somebody had lit his chest on fire. Son of a bitch.
“Do you want me to carry you? I’m strong enough.”
Though he knew that Kohana was trying to be kind, he found the offer insulting. Him? Get carried? He didn’t care if he was missing both of his legs and an arm. He still wouldn’t stoop so low as to clamber onto another man’s back.
“I’m fine,” he said through gritted teeth.
Kohana looked at him with respect. “You’re strong.”
“I’m a construction worker. Anybody would be strong after doing heavy lifting all day.”
“I didn’t mean physically strong,” Kohana said.
“Oh.” Ammon stopped and wiped sweat off his brow.
“Many men would go to pieces after experiencing such hardships. But not you. You’re holding it together.”
Ammon winced. “Well, it’s not like I have much choice in the matter, do I? I can either run around in circles, screaming, ‘Oh shit, I’m going to die!’ or I can do my best to stay calm. I prefer to stay calm.”
Kohana’s mouth twitched. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“So are the others on the island going to be pissed at you for helping me?” Ammon asked.
He must have been great at asking questions Kohana didn’t want to answer, because the man’s eyes narrowed again. “They won’t be happy, but honestly, it’s been many years since I’ve been close to them. The only one who likes me is the village leader.”
“But why aren’t you close to the others?”
A distant look crossed Kohana’s face.
“Oh, not this again.” Ammon sighed.
Kohana glanced at him warily. “What?”
“You’re really great at not giving me answers.”
“I am, aren’t I?” To his surprise, Kohana cracked a smile, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “Most of the things I have concealed from you were in order to protect you, but this time, I’m trying to protect myself.”
“Yeah, you’re still being vague.” In fact, Kohana was turning vagueness into an art form.
The man sighed. “Do you really wish to know the truth?”
“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”
“I mate with men instead of women,” Kohana said. “It makes the others uneasy. Because of that, they avoid me.”
All of a sudden, Ammon remembered the way Kohana’s cock had felt pressing against him, and his face became hot. “I see.”
Kohana noted his blush. “I knew this would make you uncomfortable.”
“No, it’s okay,” he said. “I don’t care what your preference is. I don’t think that others should care either.”
Kohana shrugged. “All cultures have their norms, don’t they? For us, men mate with their destined female and reproduce. Besides eating and drinking, having children is pretty much a goal in life here. The others simply don’t understand my lack of interest in procreating.”
“People don’t like anyone who’s different. I guess humans will be humans, whether on an island in the middle of nowhere or in a sprawling city.” Still, it surprised him that Kohana was being avoided. Then again, he’d seen many people get treated badly because they were different. His mom, for example, had always been a heavier woman. Just because of those extra pounds, he’d watched other people hassle her endlessly. To this day, it still infuriated him no end.
Kohana glanced at him. “What about you?”
He shook his head to clear it. “Huh?”
“Do you have a woman?” Kohana stared at him so intensely that Ammon felt unnerved.
“No, I don’t,” he said.
“Really? That surprises me.”
“Why?” He’d had a girlfriend or two, but nothing that had lasted long, much to the fury of his mother. Something about his past relationships had always felt off, and he found himself pushing the women away for dumb reasons like “she chews too loud” or “she picks the polish from her fingernails.” He’d always assumed it was because he hadn’t found the one.
“You’re an attractive man.” Kohana gave him a once-over. “Dark hair, tan skin, and strong muscles. You look like somebody who a female would take great interest in mating with.”
“Thanks.” He was surprised how much he appreciated the compliment. Maybe it was because it was nice to know he still looked strong even when he was hobbling around like a moron.
Kohana nodded, then stopped so fast that Ammon almost ran into him.
Ammon looked over his shoulder curiously. “What?”
“We’re here.” Kohana pointed to a cave just ten feet away.
“Already?”
“Looks like talking was a good distraction.” Kohana flashed him a big smile. “You forgot that you’re in pain.”
Tingles ran down his spine at the sight of the other man’s grin, and he had no idea why. Maybe he was coming down with a cold on top of everything else. Shit.
“I guess I did forget I was in pain.”
Kohana led him over to the mouth of the cave. “We’ll have to move again soon, but changing positions should at least throw the others off our trail for a bit.”
Ammon swallowed. “How do you plan on winning if there’s many of them and only one of you?”
“I’m strong, and most respect my powers. Some of the others also feel the same way about attacking outsiders as I do. They’ll be more likely to hesitate, because they don’t really want to kill you.”
“I see.” Despite Kohana’s words, Ammon remained uneasy.
Kohana stepped into the cave. “You have to promise me something.”
“What’s that?” Frowning, Ammon followed Kohana inside and smelled mildew, damp moss, and wet stone.
“If I tell you to run, you have to run.” Kohana faced him, his expression serious. “I know that you’ll probably want to help me fight, but you can’t do that. Not with these people. The only way you’ll survive is if you get as far away as you can. If possible, go into the ocean and swim. Most here don’t like the water. It’ll be your best chance of escaping.”
The words made Ammon’s stomach drop. “What will happen to you if you end up fighting?”
Kohana didn’t say anything.
“Oh God, the others will try to kill you, won’t they?”
“Even though I’m helping you, I don’t think the others will try to kill me. But fights with my people are violent. I’d say losing my life would be a definite possibility if I end up tussling with the wrong person. Of course, the village leader will likely try to do everything he can in order to keep that from happening.”
Maybe it was sheer stupidity, but Ammon found himself feeling more worried about Kohana than he was about himself. “This is madness. Why would you put your life at risk to help a stranger? You don’t know me. I’m just some man you found on the beach.”
“We’ve discussed this already.”
“Yeah, but I still feel like I don’t know the whole truth.”
“I have nothing else to say to you. Not about this.”
Once again, Kohana was great at telling him to stop his interrogation without raising his voice.
“Fine.” Ammon’s nostrils flared, even though he backed off. “But I’m worried about you.”
“You shouldn’t be. I can handle myself.”
“But you might die.”
“So could you.” Kohana held his gaze, daring him to argue.
“Okay, fine.” Ammon groaned. “But just so you know, if you decide to take off on me instead of putting your life at risk, I won’t blame you.”
“I won’t take off on you. I’m not that sort of man.”
As Ammon inspected Kohana, he sighed and nodded. Though he hadn’t known the other man for long, he knew well what sort of person Kohana was—he was brave, loyal, and fierce.
And Ammon feared that he would be the cause of the man’s death.
* * * *
That night, Kohana sat across from him, roasting yet another fish on a stick. Ammon squeezed his eyes shut, basking in the warmth of the fire that lit up the small confines of the cave. Kohana hummed to himself, and Ammon was surprised how soothing he found the other man’s song.
“I like that,” he said. “You have a nice voice.”
“Do I? I suppose I can’t hear myself, so I wouldn’t know.” Kohana paused. “Though I’ve been told that I sound like my father.”
Ammon opened his eyes. “Are your parents still on the island?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Kohana looked down at the roasting fish. “They’re dead.”
Ammon went rigid. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. They passed away a long time ago. The leader of our village raised me after they died. I never wanted for anything.”
Ammon stared off into space, feeling guilty for bringing up the topic.
“Really, it’s fine,” Kohana said. “Life expectancy here isn’t long. Death is something I’ve become accustomed to. We’re always fighting each other here, and fights lead to death.”
“I guess I’ve been lucky. The only person in my life who has died is my grandmother, and I was never close to her. She lived in Hamburg, Germany, while my mother and I were always traveling between England and Demark. When I watched her get lowered into the ground, it was like seeing a stranger being buried.”
“Then you’re lucky. I’ve lost many friends. Every time one of them was buried, I felt like I was losing a piece of my heart.”
Ammon could only imagine. Though he didn’t have many close friends, he’d thought about how difficult it would be when he had to bury his mom. “I can’t fathom that.”
“I suppose that’s why I’m so religious,” Kohana said. “On this island, it’s believed that the twelve bear gods watch over those who have passed on. Moving into the next world is considered to be a blessing and not a curse.”
“Bear gods? I’ve never heard of your religion before. How did that even get started?”
Kohana eyeballed him. “In the beginning, there were men and there were beasts. The beasts were valued for their strength and power, while the men were valued for their intelligence. The first and strongest bear god, Honaw, was once a flesh-and-blood man and also a great shaman. He made an alliance with the beasts and used his energies to merge his body with a bear’s. He was a fearsome animal that could change from man to creature on a whim. Soon, eleven other men, all of whom wished to obtain the power of the beasts, joined him. They too merged their energies with the bears, and they became the twelve bear gods.”
“Wow. So everyone on this island believes that?”
“Yes, we all do. We would be foolish not to. Honaw and the others were the founders of Walking Bear Island.”
“They were? But why did they come here to begin with?” Ammon couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to live on such a secluded island.
“While the twelve bear gods possessed great power, the regular people didn’t understand them and were fearful. Kings called up their armies to destroy the bear gods. Even the fiercest beasts in existence couldn’t do battle against tens of thousands of men wielding swords. So they left on a boat, along with their women, searching for new land. Eventually, they ended up here and populated the island.”
Ammon nodded, even though he wondered how anybody could take such a tale seriously. Sure, it was an interesting story, but that was all it was—a story.
“You aren’t saying anything.” Kohana flipped over the fish. “You must find my beliefs as foolish as Harry did when he first heard the story. I can tell.”
“I wouldn’t say I think your beliefs are foolish.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand that you aren’t about to believe the story.”
“Well, I think certain parts of the story are believable. Like I don’t doubt that there was a band of men who had to flee the main land to come here.” Ammon shrugged. “But I found the wild beast part to be a little less believable.”
“That’s what Harry said too.” Kohana dropped his voice to a whisper. “At first.”
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” Kohana pulled the fish out of the fire. “Dinner is ready. Eat.”