The waves crashed against the rocks of the cove as Slee fumbled with the hard-shelled fruit in front of her, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She'd overslept again - the sun was already high in the sky by the time she has rolled out of her thatch tent, and she knew she had plenty to do today even without the late start. She'd need to go on another gathering expedition at the nut groves on the other side of the island, one of the rainwater collectors had a hole that needed to be patched, she'd need to make a new skirt before the one she'd been wearing fell apart entirely, the feral cats on the mountain were having [i]another[/i] turf war she'd have to mediate, she'd need to look presentable for her family's next visit...

And of course, there was that business with the newcomers. The tall, pale, hairless ones that had left their "ship" just floating in the bay to the south, that barked orders at each other and hunted and set fires and dug their massive holes. The things that looked like her. She frowned slightly as she cracked the fruit on the rock in front of her, juice spilling out onto the white sand. She was [i]very[/i] curious about those things.

"Heya, Slee," a raspy voice called out to her. Slee looked up to see a small, furry shape padding towards her across the sand, looking at her intently with beady black eyes. The monkey bared his fangs in greeting as he approached, sitting down on the other side of her makeshift table.

[color=8dc73f]"Ort,"[/color] she answered with a mouthful of fruit. [color=8dc73f]"You got something for me?"[/color]

The monkey scratched his ear. "Yeah, there's been a development or two."

Slee swallowed sharply and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. [color=8dc73f]"What is it? Did they do something? Does it look like they're leaving?"[/color] she blurted, her voice betraying her excitement.

"Ah, ah, ah, you know how this works. The stuff [i]first.[/i]" 

Slee sighed and rummaged in her thatched bag a moment. She produced a small bundle made of leaves and twigs and tossed it over to the monkey, who snatched it up from the sand with quick fingers and immediately ripped it open to reveal the five red berries inside. The rockberries were considered a delicacy among the monkeys of the island - unfortunately, they only grew on the mountain, at elevations the creatures insisted were too cold for them. The situation worked for Slee, though; she had an infinite source of bargaining power with the little guys.

Ort popped a berry into his mouth and chewed it messily, smacking his lips and baring his teeth again. "Ah! That's the stuff."

[color=8dc73f]"Now tell me what you saw,"[/color] Slee said, folding her arms and peering down at him.

"Right, right. So, it was business as usual this morning, yeah? Big pink things all walking around, making noise and hooting at each other in weird hairless-speak. I'm watching from the trees, when suddenly, one of them starts yelling at the big one - you know, the one with the fur on his face - and then the big one takes this thing out, and they all go real quiet."

Slee furrowed her brow. [color=8dc73f]"Thing, what thing?"[/color]

Ort popped another berry into his mouth. "Looked like that thing you keep around you," he said, gesturing to the crude stone and wood spear she kept for protection from the island's more carnivorous inhabitants. "But shiny, right? Shiniest thing I ever saw, all long and sharp. And he held it up to the other one's neck and he said something real quiet, and next thing I know they're all back to business, faster and quieter than I ever saw."

Slee scratched the back of her head, shaking sand loose from her matted red curls. [color=8dc73f]"There's something going on with them,"[/color] she murmured, [color=8dc73f]"And I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."[/color]

"Sure you're not just curious cus they look like you?" the monkey asked, and she swatted at him in irritation. "Hey, easy, I get it. You're the only you-thing you know about, suddenly a bunch more you-things show up, you get curious. But if you ask me, I think your 'family' has it right. Whatever those things are, they're dangerous."

Slee glared at him. [color=8dc73f]"Go back and keep looking. Tell me if you see anything new."
[/color]

Ort shrugged, dragging the satchel of berries on the sand behind him as he rose and walked off. "You're the boss."

Slee took a deep breath and turned away. Behind her the beach gave way to the sea, still pounding on the rocks as it did night and day. She walked to the water's edge and peered down into the shallows - the water had a way of comforting her, reminding her who she was, where she was from, what she belonged to.

But this time she caught a glimpse of her own reflection, rippling in the waves. She saw her red hair, tangled about her neck, blue eyes that stared back up at her like the sea itself. She saw her arms, her legs, her smooth, pale skin - her face, the likes of which she had never seen elsewhere.

Until now.