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Chapter Two
Lala opened her eyes in the dim light of the research hut. Today was the day! She could sing! (But she won't since her rough voice makes her sound like a strangled monkey). Excitement was bubbling in her like an overcooked stew. She took a deep breath and smelled something unfamiliar, but delicious. She tiptoed around the empty beds to the door blinding with sunlight.
Outside, Hakea was cooking in a little bowl. The smell hung in the air, unwilling to go. The children were running around. They had never been to a 'party', whatever that was!
"Lookie!" Atepa yelled. She was pointing to a simple shell with many hues of pale blue.
"What is it?" asked Yap, mystified.
"I don't know." said Atepa, picking her ear.
"Let's take it to Mali."
"No, Thee, I want to keep it."
"Teppi, no, what if it hurts you?"
"It's not gonna hurt me. It's my friend. My best friend!"
"But you just met it. Anyway, look, you made Yap sad."
"Oh, so sorry, Yap, my friend. I think I'll take Shelly to Mali, now. So sorry." Atepa picked it up and ran to Mali. He took it from Atepa and brought it over to the research table. From then on, Atepa was careful to hide every collection she found in the research hut, under her bed. She never noticed them disappearing(Thema made sure of that). Whenever she found a new one, she brought it to Mali. Thema used the copies for other things, although lala would sometimes take them and use them as jewelry. Atepa cried whenever she saw her 'friends' on Lala.
Lala had done her hair for that special occasion. with a littloe help from Hakea, Lala's long banana blond hair was tighlty placed in two flat buns by her ears. Lala liked it so much, she decided to keep it like that.
"Lala, for your 14th birthday, I would like to ask you, which job would you like to start with?" Hakea asked. Lala had been waiting for this.
"I would like to farm!" Lala said eagerly.
"Great! You can start after the celebrations!"
"The what?" Lala had expected to start right away.
The villagers danced and feasted from sunrise to sunhigh. As they were cleaning up later, Atepa itterupted.
"What are we called?" she asked.
"What do you mean, Tep?" Hakea asked.
"The tribe." Atepa said simply.
"I know." said Mali. "We are part of the West Tribe!"
"That's a wonderful name for the tribe! The West Tribe is perfect!" Hiji annouced.
So they now had a name: The West Tribe.