A/N: This would be the end of chapter one if the first three chapters were combined like I said :) Anyways, healthy amounts of SamaiTousu in this chapter 3 And just so everyone knows, I'm saying their relationship started way before this story is based, okay? Otherwise, things would be rather... sudden XD;; Please enjoy~

「オキクルミの物 語」

Kaipoku's small cise (house) was already at its maximum capacity even without Okikurumi and Samaikuru present. It was warm inside the small cise; Kaipoku could feel immense heat radiating from the apetoko (fireplace) even where as she sat against the assokotor (wall). She traced invisible patterns with her eyes across the fish and paintings hung against the wall. The brightly colored décor in the house was the only thing truly keeping the kahkemacihi (young woman) awake.

"Where do you think they are, Kaipoku?" The hushed voice came from beside her. Kaipoku turned her head slowly to the face the other Oina girl, Tousukuru. The deer-masked Oina's jade eyes were dull and sleepy as they met the other's rather alert ebony eyes.

"I don't know…." She stifled a yawn and leaned her head back against the wall as she listened to the monotonous voices of the men talk. In the Oina tribe, it was tradition that the men would sit around the apetoko,and talk, and eat while the women confined themselves to spinning, or talking quietly in the back of the cise. Kaipoku had complained about it when she was younger- she always wanted to be up next to the hearth and listen as the men told brilliantly narrated yukar (stories about Kamui)… and sit next to Okikurumi. She didn't mind right now, though, as she began to doze off against the assokotor.

The whole dinner had taken everything out of her. After Okikurumi had left Yoshpet, she had been determined to find the kina (herbs) the demon had stolen. She searched the whole forest and was finally able to retrieve the misappropriated kina at the price of a few scratches and bruises as the monster pursued her. Then it had begun to rain, and all the scents in Yoshpet were masked by the smell of fungi and rainwater. Kaipoku had wandered about the wood in search of any landmarks pointing to the exit when Yoshpet's curse finally began to take its toll on her. Samaikuru had appeared no later and carried her out of the forest and back to her house.

It was then she resumed her cooking, fatigued and sore, and prepared herself for the guests coming over. Pirika had been helpful in serving the food and keeping the visitors company with her cute little antics. Kaipoku only had time to doze after all the food had been served and she, Tousukuru, and the other women were sitting in the back of the cise next to the assokotor.

Kaipoku ran her hand sleepily through her matakihi's (little sister) dark black locks. Pirika stared up at her sapo (elder sister) with uneasiness brewing in her large jade orbs. "Ne, is something wrong, Kai?" Kaipoku startled from her daze and smiled weakly down at her tures (sister).

"No, I'm just a little sleepy, that's all." She pulled the pon menoko's (little girl)head back onto her lap and continued to run her fingers through the puffs of raven hair on her head. Pirika pushed her lower lip out and stretched out across her sapo's legs. Kaipoku leaned over her matakihi (little sister)and pulled her chin up with one dainty hand. "Is something bothering you?"

"No…." Pirika sighed and squirmed into a sitting position on her tures' lap. "Do you think Samai and Oki-ki are coming?" Kaipoku looked towards the apetoko, recollecting what Okikurumi had said earlier; she could feel Tousukuru's gaze settle on her when she failed to speak.

"Pirika, that's not how we address people." Kaipoku stared seriously into the pon menoko's face. "You call them Nipa (chief) Samaikuru and Tono (equivalent of sir of Mr.) Okikurumi."

"But−" Kaipoku placed a finger over the pon menoko's lips. Pirika crossed her arms and shifted against her sister's lap. Kaipoku knew Pirika was getting restless. The dinner would be over soon, though, and Pirika would be free to roam as she pleased….

「オキクルミの物 語」

The minutes passed slowly. The men now sat quietly around the dying flames in the apetoko. Kaipoku dozed quietly with Pirika resting on her lap. Only the crackle of the flames could be heard in the small cise. The air was dry and warm against the Oina's cold flesh. Only the soft glow emanating from the center of the tumpu (room) lit the walls and set the faces of the Oina aglow.

Tousukuru shifted against the assokotor. She could hear the murmur of voices through the thick walls of the house. "Hemanta (what)…?" The shamaness sat up and stretched against the warm boards. She turned her head abruptly as the large door to the cise began to scrape open against the worn rugs and the voices got louder.

"Naa, naa (also, also)…." The two Oina men stepped into the dimly lit house, dripping wet with rainwater. Samaikuru let his gaze fall over the curios stares of the people. He straightened himself and pulled his coat off. "Could I get a blanket?"

Tousukuru stood from the omayse (floor)and busied herself to grabbing a blanket from a stack in the corner. Okikurumi stared around the small cise. He had not been in this home for what felt like ages…. The loom was still set up in the corner. A few carved decorations lined the walls- he felt a twinge of resentment. His crimson eyes searched the tumpu for the deer-masked Oina, and found her lying against the assokotor. Was he really a monster for what he had done…? He averted his gaze from the sleeping girl and accepted the thick, woolen blanket offered to him by the shamaness.

Okikurumi pulled the warm blanket over his soaking form and moved to take a place next to the apetoko. Naturally, the other men moved away to make a place for him. Okikurumi made just about everyone nervous. He stretched his hands out towards the flames and let his tensed muscles relax.

"Keray (thanks)." Samaikuru wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. He lowered his gaze to the woman standing in front of him. Tousukuru stared back up at him for a moment before reaching up to push a strand of violet hair from his temple. "… Keray." The Oina nipa nodded to the shamaness.

"I was worried for you." Tousukuru admitted quietly while reaching down to take one of his hands. "I was praying for you the whole time." Samaikuru tugged the blanket tighter around himself with his free hand and gave the shamaness' hand a reassuring squeeze with the other.

"Keray." Tousukuru hesitated for a moment before reaching up to hug him. The nipa alsolet his arms fall awkwardly around the kahkemacihi's (young woman) back. He had never been this close to Tousukuru before, and he felt slightly embarrassed. Tousukuru gently nuzzled her face into his chest, though it was cold and covered in a thin sheen of water. She could hear his heart drumming inside his chest: dokun, dokun, dokun (thump, thump, thump).

The Oina nipa rested his chin on the shamaness' head of short, spiky black hair. He could feel the kahkemacihi shake underneath him, though be it because of cold or relief he was not sure. His hands subconsciously stroked up and down her back as he hushed her quietly. Tousukuru felt his lips press against her forehead for a moment before he drew back. The shamaness stared up into his face and watched a stream of water trickle down his cheek to his throat.

"Tousukuru−"

"Samaikuru, is that you?" A gruff, aged speaker called out through the thick air. Samaikuru turned to the source of the raspy voice. The villager elder, Kemu, stood shakily with the help of his oak cane. "Oh, Samaikuru, it is you… well, it took you long enough to get here. We've already eaten, you know." Kemu's face was as weathered as the frail, veiny hand that reached up to grab firmly onto the nipa's sleeve. "You were supposed to ask the blessing, but don't you worry, I filled in for you." Kemu tugged with surprising force on the man's coat as he led him towards the apetoko. Samaikuru craned his neck to look back at the shamaness. Why now?

"Everyone, Samaikuru has arrived." The Oina okkay (boy) caught the gazes of those gathered and nodded slightly. A few mumbles ran through the small crowd of people. "Samaikuru is sorry he couldn't make it for the dinner here, but thanks Kaipoku for preparing it." Samaikuru's gaze now lost that of the people gathered around him focused on the shamaness standing off in background. "Samaikuru is going to say a few closing words, and then−" Kemu stopped in mid sentence as the Oina nipa wandered off into the cise. "Samaikuru?"

Tousukuru watched the nipa come towards her with the slightest bit of curiosity brewing within her ink black eyes. "Samai−" The Oina okkay had barely closed the invisible void between them before his mouth pressed into hers.

Tousukuru startled for a moment. She would have stumbled backwards had his arms not caught her shoulders. What was going on?! Tousukuru had barely begun to take in the fact that his mouth had completely captured hers in a kiss, when he pulled away. He pulled away slowly, keeping his yellow-eyed gaze level with her unfocused ebony eyes.

Okikurumi watched the strange event unfold with undaunted interest. He observed as the seemingly once estranged pair kissed once more, now slightly more two-sided. The whole scene was rather out-of-ordinary…. Since when did Samaikuru care about that shamaness? It was hard for the Oina okkay to imagine the nipa caring about anyone in such a manner. After all, the nipa he knew was always indifferent, arrogant, and stubborn. So very, very stubborn…. Maybe he was just like that to Okikurumi, though.

Okikurumi turned his head barely so the kahkemacihi's form met the corners of his eyes. He startled and turned back to apetoko when her alert green orbs met his.

Pirika bounced up and down on her sapo's lap. "Lookie, Kai, aren't they cute?" The pon menoko giggled innocently. Kaipoku wrapped her arms around her tures' waist and nodded silently.

"Yes, they are." She sighed and smiled. She had known they had feelings for each other. Tousukuru had always had a crush on him growing up. As young girls about the same age, they would stay up late and talk about the boy they liked. It was always Okikurumi that Kaipoku talked about, and Samaikuru Tousukuru talked about. To Kaipoku, Okikurumi had always been handsome and brave… she always overlooked those "little" quirks in his personality. Now that she thought about it, Samaikuru probably would have been a better expectation to aim for.

The Oina girl watched Okikurumi sit back on the palms of his hands as Kemu stood and interrupted the couple's moment. She had always found him so attractive… and no matter what she told herself, she could not convince herself to think of him otherwise. He was a strong, brave warrior- one of the best in the Oina tribe. She just knew if she could break through the barrier he had pulled up around himself, they could fall in love. They just had to….

オキクルミの物 語」

A/N: Daaaw :3 You know, there is a limited amount of SamaiTousu fanart out there (besides a Japanese website I found with LOTSLOTSLOTS of OkiKai and SamaiTousu 8D Thanks for reading :3