Amara's gaze slides away from Uakea as she realizes just how big the cave they're in is.

The ceiling is tall enough to accommodate Uakea, and though she does not stand at her full height, it is clear that there would be at least a foot of room over her head if she did.  People mull about in the dim light of the cave, and it is warm with their presence.  Their voices, which had paused when Amara slid down the tunnel, start up again, a soft buzz of many voices, most of which are gentle and low.

A child scampers up to Amara and looks at her with eyes so wide and brown and dark she could almost swear she was looking into a mine shaft.  Their hair is long and kept in a small braid over their shoulder, and they smile at her sleepily as they wave to her.  They crouch down so they can look up to see her face.

"Hey, hey," they say, their syllables pronounced in a lazy, happy drawl, "who're you?  Where's Sori?"

Amara blinks, then looks back up the shaft and points upwards.  "Oh, she's--"

"Taro," a gentle, fluid voice calls from the back, "come back here, flowerbud.  Give that woman some space."

Another tall woman wades out of the small crowd to take the child up in her arms.  They flop and laugh and wave at Amara again.  She can't help but smile and wave back, her previous tension dissipating completely as she watches them go up and flop back over into the woman's arms.

Amara’s hand lowers, and her gaze goes up to see who had called the child away.

Her jaw goes slack, just a little, as she is met with the most beautiful woman she's ever seen.

“I--“

“Sorry,” the woman says, a small, apologetic smile on her face.  “He’s friendly.  Likes new people.”  Though as she speaks, she holds Taro closer, protective and loving and wary all at once. Amara feels herself soften involuntarily.

“No, no,” she says, her voice quieter than she intended. She clears her throat. “No, I...it’s okay. I know how kids are, I...”  She tucks some of her shorn-short acorn-colored hair behind her ear and smiles. “I’ve been taking care of kids all my life. Siblings, you know?”

The woman’s eyes, dark and warm as they are, cool, just a bit, but she smiles again after a second. Amara feels her heart skip a beat, though this time out of anxiety.

“I...can honestly say I wish I did.”  The woman looks back up to Uakea, then to Amara. “I’m Yunbii, by the way. Bii.”

“Oh, sh—uh, shoot, yeah, sorry.” Amara tries to smile again. It comes out lopsided but genuine, her eyes squinting as she grins. “Name’s Amara.”

“That’s a pretty name.”

Amara feels the color on her neck creep to her cheeks, and she rubs her nose to hide it and her grin. 

“Yeah, well...uh...” She glances to the side, at the dirt floor. “Thanks. Bii’s a cute one, too.”  She glances up at Bii for a second, then clears her throat and takes Uakea’s still-hanging hand. “Sorry.” She stands.  The back of her neck burns, and she can feel herself blushing.

“Was wondering if you’d stay sitting there much longer.”  Uakea pulls her out of the way of the tunnel, towards Bii, and sticks her head up the tunnel. “Clear!”

The sound of shuffling and leaves rustling drifts down from overhead. The dimming light from above cuts to darkness, and Sori slides down.  Her hands glow a pale blue-indigo as she signs to her mother.  Uakea nods.

“Molwen,” Uakea calls into the dark, “light ‘er up.”

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