He awoke with a start in the dim light of dawn; the women still slept, their rhythmic breathing betraying the depth of their slumber. He cautiously squeezed his bound wrists under his backside; it was tight, but there was enough give to allow him to get his hands behind his thighs. Despite an unfortunate attack of cramp, he managed to work his feet through and now had his hands to the front. He released the tether from his neck. One of the woman let out a large sigh, unnerving him somewhat; he stood statuesque for a moment as the woman rolled to her side and continued to dream.
He carefully picked his way to the entrance and peeped outside. Mist swirled through shafts of brilliant sunshine as the dew dripped from the edge of the hut and the green abundant foliage. There was no-one in sight so he padded carefully to the waterfall and plunged his head into the flow. The coldness of the water came as a shock to him; he shook the droplets from his hair and realised he must make a decision and fast. Where was he to go?
He took a path which went further up the valley and followed this on a mild ascent for half a mile or so. He then detoured from the path on finding a rocky plateau. Here he paused for a while to work his bindings against a ridge of exposed rock. After much work and the loss of some skin, he managed to free himself and sat on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley. He was free for the moment, but what was to become of him?
He skirted the outcrop and found fruit he'd recognised from the day before, hanging plentifully from within the lush vegetation. Though still very early in the morning, the sweat began to drip from his body. He found a convenient pathway up the rocks, like a stone stairway; beyond this a small fall dropped into a pool worn into the rock. He climbed past the fall and found he could see down to the habitation he had escaped from at this point, he could also see the ocean on both sides at this narrow point. His eyes scanned the horizons, looking for sails or smoke; nothing but blue ocean registered. He also noted that the rock face behind him was adorned with carvings, which judging by the lichens and moss that decorated them, had been there some considerable time.
He gorged on the fruit till his appetite was sated then rested as the temperature and humidity increased. He looked down to the habitation and awaited the inevitable hubbub which would occur when his loss was discovered.
The early mist evaporated rapidly, and he was almost asleep once more when he heard the shrill calls of the women. He looked down and could just make out the brown figures darting between the huts and the gaps in the vegetation. Then several of them started to climb the ascending path. He thought about leaving his position and venturing further into the interior, but considered this too risky; just what or who lurked within the island might bring death or injury. Though the women had trussed him up, they had not harmed him –yet. This resolved the dilemma for him, though it left him uneasy; where were the males? They may not be so accommodating.
He stepped down from his perch and went around to a spot where he could see the pathway from whence he had detoured.
It was not long before the lithe and athletic females appeared and passed the spot where he had found refuge; he was almost disappointed with their not realising the mistake. They were soon back though. The superb woman who was dominant over the others was the first to creep through to the outcrop she carried a lengthy spear which she beckoned to the others with. He could not help but be aroused by her beauty and the memory of his previous encounter with her. He almost wanted to be captured.
What he could not understand was her look of trepidation as she ventured across the plateau; the women knew he was unarmed and was certainly no dangerous animal, yet they looked really fearful. He peeped round from his vantage point, smiled at the gorgeous huntress, and then retreated back up the stone steps. He stood awaiting their approach near the pool. The women, three of them, turned the corner and dropped their weapons. Only his beautiful tattooed mistress ventured any closer and she fell to her knees with a look of abject horror in her eyes. The two other women cowered together behind her and would not even look in his direction.
