Akala had left the village early -- or late, depending on how one looked at it. With nowhere really that she had to be, however, did it really matter what time she left?
Away from the dense forest at the heart of the island, there was really little to fear. Akala walked along the coast with a confident grace, footsteps quickly erased by the waves that lapped at the sand. Occasionally, she would pause to examine something the tide had brought with it -- a shell or small crustacean, before walking on.
What she saw in the sand before her was something entirely new, however, and she cocked her head slightly as she studied it. It looked something like a woman combined with a snake. Some people would have been afraid, but Akala, like most Yoreiqi, was more curious than cautious. "Hello!" she called with a wave as she approached.
A bright blue sarong was wrapped around her slender waist, and a pack made of bright red and white cloth hung on her back. She was shirtless and barefoot as well -- typical of any Yoreiqi woman.
