Chapter 1
The wind was shrieking against the wood of the raft, and the raft tipped to the side. All the villagers on the raft screamed and held on for dear life.
"I'm going to drop Pari! Somebody help!" Pai screamed, the wind ripping away the words from her mouth. Peep reached over and grabbed infant Pari just as she slipped from Pai's grip. He swung himself against the raft, and it splashed into the water, becoming more level. All the other villagers huddled near the center of the raft, hoping they could keep it from tipping.
"Why did we ever leave that lovely tribe? We were safe, happy, and well-fed!" moaned Samoa, clutching the pole in the middle of the raft. The other villagers, Peep, Pai, Oro, and Febi nodded, and looked over at Oro.
"We thought it would be a good idea to leave, and look for more land."
The only villager not participating in the conversation was Cola, a 5-year-old. She was an orphan and Pai had taken care of her since she was born. She was shivering with cold, and she was soaked. Oro had wondered about bringing a nursing mother and child along, but Pai was an excellent builder, and Cola was good at finding mushrooms, so they got to come. Now all of them were shivering, praying that the next wave wouldn't crush their raft and smash it. She woke from a daze with a start as ice-cold water splashed her face.
"Everybody better grab something and hold on tight!" Oro yelled, and the next few minutes were rough. Pai saw the raft tipping and grabbed for Pari and Cola. Suddenly, they all saw a large hand grab the raft and throw it towards a glimmer of land. Pai breathed a sigh of releif as she saw everybody was still on the raft, including Cola and Pari. The raft broke up on the beach, and everybody waded to shore. They looked around and saw some ruined huts, and what looked like a storage house for food. Bees buzzed busily around a hive, and next to it was a giant fallen statue. An amphitheater was a little ways away.
"Well, I guess we should start repairing this place." Oro said, and just then the Guiding Hand grabbed him and carried him to the researching room. The Guiding Hand soon had everybody busy, and showed Peep the chief's robe, which fit him perfectly. Everybody celebrated the new chief. Pai spent some time on the beach thinking about the tribe back home. She sighed and shifted. Pari was getting heavy, and she was nearly grown up. Pai watched in amazement as little Pari wiggled, and jumped out of her mom's arms, giggling.
"Wha!" she said in a tiny voice as the Guiding Hand came over and picked her up.
"Hm-hm-hm." she added as an afterthought. The Guiding Hand put her back down and went to check on Oro. Pai was smiling at her daughter.

to be continued

Pai turned her attention to Pari, who was giggling and trying to sneak up on a parrot. Pari was wiggling on her stomach, and she slowly crawled over to the bird and let a yelp. The parrot squawked in surprise and flew away. Pari jumped up, clapping her hands and giggling, and ran over to her mother.
"Silly girl", Pai mumbled,"Your going to get your clothes all dirty!"
"Mama! I surprise thingy that's pretty! Wheee!" Pari leaped out of her mothers embrace and raced over to the fallen statue and ducked behind it.
"Wheee!" she cried, dancing and twirling around and around."Whee! Look Mama, look!"
Pai just smiled at little Pari. She was so like her father, full of energy and joy. She smiled at the sky, thanking the Guiding Hand for blessing her with this little girl. In response, the Guiding Hand picked her up and dropped her by the beehive.
"Ok, ok, I'll get to work!" She grinned, feeling much better than she had in weeks.

Authors note
I apologize that this story is in short sections, but I am mostly working on my other story, so I will get another part written as soon as possible.

Pari was now eleven years old, and she was looking around at all the different jobs she could pick. She knew that she had to pick a job when she was fourteen, and she was considering farming, because that's what her mother did. She also knew that when she was eighteen she could get married. (If she wanted to) She had always had liked Watu, who had come to the island in a barrel with two other kids. But maybe...
Several years later pari was starting her training in fruit-picking when Watu walked over to say hi.
"Hey Pari" he said nervously, "I've been wondering. Will you marry me?"
Pari was stunned. Watu actully loved her?
"Yes!" she cried with joy. "Yes! Let's get married tonight!"
years after that Pari was a mother of three: Kayak, Minna, and somebody you might know: Swahili.
"You'll never catch me!" she heard Swahili cry gleefully back to her brother.

You know the rest. If you don't, read the Story of Reina.

The End