Stifled giggles filled the small room as the girls huddled by the small window trying to get a better look at the strange men that camped in the trees.
This was the best they were ever going to get in terms of relating with these 'Supernatural beings' as the eldest woman in their clan had described them.
Nenei had scoffed at the description which had earned her several stern stares.
Nenei looked up from the basket of wool she was perusing.
I wonder why they are giggling
She thought as a slight frowncrossed over her smooth round face.
"You all are giggling like silly girls. I'm sure there are men in the seven clans for your eyes to feast on," Nenei called out to the five girls who giggled and craned their slender necks to catch a glimpse of the stranger who bellowed with laughter that resonated in the air.
"Oooh! I see him," The one in the middle pointed and Nenei lifted her eyes to the thatch roof over their heads and shook her head whilst knitting with quick movements of her hands.
"Oh, but Nenei you will agree with me that these men are…different, plus I believe you're saying this because you haven't seen them for yourself," Shei got off the stool she used to enable her to get a better view and ran to where Nenei sat knitting scarves on the other side of the room.
"In what way?" Nenei asked with a huff and another roll of her black eyes.
Shei giggled and covered her mouth with both hands as if to prevent something from spilling out, her black eyes staring earnestly at Nenei.
It was just an act, Nenei knew.
"What is it this time?" Nenei asked with a sigh.
Shei looked back at the girls to be sure they were still occupied with ogling the men outside.
The information wasn't for all to hear.
With that confirmed, Shei inched closer to Nenei and whispered in her ear.
"Father says they have colored eyes,"
"Ha!" Nenei exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air, the knitting pin flew out of her fingers.
Shei nodded.
"It's true,"
"And how are you so sure?" Nenei demanded.
Everyone in the world has black eyes and the world comprises the seven great clans.
That was what she was taught and what she strongly believed until these men showed up and she began to wonder if more worlds existed that they had no idea of.
"Father is one of the elders Nenei dear, why would he lie about such a thing?"
Nenei's brows furrowed as her mind became a whirlwind of thoughts.
Colored eyes?
Impossible!
No one in the seven clans has been known to have eyes with colors other than black.
Black was all they knew, in terms of skin color, hair color and eye color.
"Ooh!" The girls by the window exclaimed suddenly, drawing Nenei back to the present.
They all suddenly began to adjust their gowns made of wool spun from the great wool tree that stood proudly in the middle of the seven lands otherwise known as the Tree Of Life.
"Goodness, goodness," Shei muttered as she hurriedly ran her hands over her gown patterned with the leaves of the great tree to make sure it didn't have any tear whatsoever while the girls scrambled as they rushed to put everything in place.
Nenei paused her search for her knitting pin and looked up.
"What is up with you and your friends, Shei?" Nenei wore a puzzled look.
"They're coming," Shei danced on the spot.
"You really need to –" Her Father's loud voice bellowed from the front yard and cut her off.
"Nenei!" He called.
"Yes Father!" She got off her knees and rushed out to the front yard of their hut and halted suddenly in her tracks as her eyes went as wide as the flat clay dishes in her kitchen.
There was a man walking behind her Father as he approached the hut.
Is that a man?
Nenei thought in awe as she let her eyes drink in the sharp angles of his face and the fact that he's nearly twice her Father's height.
Her Father had always been the tallest man she knew in the whole of their clan, but now as he led the way, she wasn't so sure anymore.
"He must be a giant," Nenei concluded with a nod to herself as she walked towards the low wooden fence that separated their compound from the rest of the trees.
A ray of the morning sun beamed on them and she could see the stark contrast of her Father's black skin against the stranger's light skin.
Nenei couldn't believe her eyes.
Not everyone is black after all.
"Welcome home Father," Nenei led her Father and his guest to the place reserved for hosting visitors.
She gestured for them to sit as her eyes strayed to the Stranger whose stormy gray eyes locked with hers.
It took all her self control not to jump and exclaim loudly in her native tongue, but Father wouldn't approve of such behavior in the presence of important guests.
Shei told the truth!
Nenei thought as she kept staring at eyes that reminded her of the way the sky had changed the day it stormed all through the day and all through the night.
Her Father cleared his throat and immediately she averted her gaze to her toes.
Father caught me staring
She turned and faced her Father.
"Nenei," He began and got a nod in reply.
"I have brought the leader of the foreigners to show him some hospitality," He concluded.
F-f-freigner?
Nenei struggled to pronounce the word in her head.
A strange name for a strange man
"Did you hear my instructions, Nenei?" He demanded.
"Yes Father, right away," She turned and walked hurriedly back to the hut wishing she could get one more glance at this strange man without getting caught by her Father.
"What's he like?" The girls asked in unison as soon as Nenei walked in.
She smiled and looked at their beautiful faces eager for a detailed description.
"I'll tell you…on one condition,"
"Name it," Shei pleaded.
"You all have to help me prepare lunch for Father and his guest. I'll tell you as you help me."
Immediately, they hurried to the kitchen and the sounds of pots and pans being used could be heard along with the cheerful laughs and giggles as Nenei told them about the man sitting outside with her Father.
Shei was right. These men are different.
Nenei thought to herself as she plucked the leaves off a vegetable stalk.