~2~
Ceshca and her scouts followed the visitors for three days once they found their location- she learned all of the strangers ranks, positions, and occupations. They called themselves explorers of the deep. The commanding officer, Mark Stone was a strict and rough man with the men that were under him. His first officer was a young girl about Ceshca's age, Kelly Jones was what she was called; pretty but annoyingly snappy with the men, being that she was the only female in this group of nearly twenty people. Ceshca could understand what Jones was going through, being that she herself was the Captain of her father's personal guard, showing no fear or female emotion was the only way to keep orderly respect amongst a group of highly trained men. There were two men that captured the princess's interest greatly so, as she and the scouts trailed the group day by day. A father and son, duo, the older gentleman was in his midfifties and his son appeared to be in his midtwenties. The father was called Cookie, for some strange reason, while his son's name was Neo. Ceshca and her scouts thought that these strangers had such short meaningless names, yet they had to be called something. Both men kept to themselves, apart from the large group, to study and make charts and notes; Ceshca assumed they were the guides of the expedition.
One night Ceshca's curiosity got the better of her as three of her guards and herself snuck down into the visitors campsite. She was searching threw Neo's belongs that were outside of his tent when suddenly the young man appeared; he had been awoken by the soft glow of their orange crystal pendents and came out to investigate.
"Hey! What the hell!" a very startled Neo said almost too loudly at the sight of the nomadic newcomers. Faster then Neo could blink the nomads had vanished into the night, Kela had stayed behind to make sure he didn't attempt to follow, the big cat was warning Neo with a very low, nearly inaudible hiss from deep within her throat. The leopard was always by Ceshca's side no matter where she went, even into battle.
Neo stood there in the middle of the campsite, momentarily stunned by his sleepy groggy mind, then suddenly his mind reminded him of what he had just seen and the young man dashed off to try and find the nomads. Kela growled but merely followed him, Neo ran and ran tripping over rocks and snagging his toes of moss and slippery surfaces.
Gasping for breathe as he ran, hands braced out in front of himself to bat away the branches and leaves that smacked into him in his own haste, he slid to a sudden stop as he found himself in a small clearing; face to face with four of the most curious and beautiful beings that he had ever laid eyes upon. Kela lept in front of him, hissing viciously, guarding her master and friends.
"Kela, leave him be." commanded Cesha in Keneenean. The leopard circled, coming to sit next to the female that had spoken. Neo assumed she was the leader of this small party, he dug his fingernails into his palms to keep his eyes from bugging out of his skull as he took her all in. She was small in stature, maybe only 5 feet, she wore a very short bright orange skirt and a bra, she had piercing intelligent green eyes that seemed to look right threw him and see everything. Her right hand was wrapped about a menacing looking spear, her hair was long brunette curls that was bunched high atop her head; and a strange crystal necklace that glowed the same bright orange what her outfit was, perhaps it was even brighter still. As Neo stared, suddenly his intelligent, highly versed mind snapped to attention, instantly recognizing the dead ancient language that had come from the woman's mouth. Had she just spoken Keneenean? His mind raced to try and find the right syllibles and pronuciation.
"Who are you?" Neo attempted to ask, struggling to form the words that he did know, as a linguist he could sometimes understand ancient languages better then he himself could speak it, especially if it is a dead language; or so he had previously thought.
"We are the people that dwell in this land stranger." replied one of her companions.
"Do you speak English?" he inquired, studying their dress and tattoos intensely.
"We do." answered Ceshca, her transition was flawless, her enunciation was perfect as if she had been born in America.
Dumbfounded for a split second Neo forgot that it was his turn to say something, his instant attraction to this short woman didn't help the matter either. But eventually his brain did engage.
"Oh, oh excuse my manners. My name is Neo Livingston, I uh, am a explorer and a liguist for this group of men, I work at a museum in New York." gushed the man as he attempted to take a step forward to shake her hand. Only to have a spear shoved in his face, halting his advance.
Ceshca stepped closer to him, pushing the spear of her companion away.
"I am Ceshcaclamechcama, daughter of Montinmma and princess of Keneena." she announced herself with gusto and pride, her smiled made Neo's knees weak.
