When he emerged on the other side, he closed the doorway portal, and hid behind a partial standing stone wall. The swiftness of his actions came with practiced repetition indicated he traveled to this particular world far too many times. The Inhabitants couldn't touch the energy if it even existed on this world. He found it difficult to sense the energy, but the energy existed to some degree else the Gateway wouldn't function. From what he could see the Gateway on this side stood as part of a now crumbling building. At one time it must have been a doorway within that stone structure, which perplexed him. The existence of the Gateways perplexed him, in truth. Kahoali didn't venture beyond their own borders or their own world. Even the ancestral stories supported the solitary, reclusive existence of the Kahoali people, and yet the Gateways existed. The stories also supported the Ancestral Kahoali built the Gateways. How could both be true? One of many contradictions Moto couldn't accept. Either the Ancestral Kahoali were isolated from the other Inhabitants of the Universe or they were explorers. He chose to believe the latter. The existence of the Ancestral Gateway gave tangible evidence the Ancestral Kahoali once explored and traveled beyond their own world.
He again put aside his wandering thoughts and inched his way to the edge of the wall. It stood tall, but not tall enough to hide him if he stood at his full height. He thanked the crumbling wall for at least some covering. He knelt on one knee near the edge and peeked around. A part of him felt silly for sneaking about just to catch sight of his prey. Warriors faced their foes! They did not hide behind crumbling walls to get a glimpse of a girl he shouldn't be glimpsing! He ignored that part. Instead he took in his fill of the sight of his prey. She stood at an angle to his position so she would not see him unless she turned her head in his direction.
It helped that she talked to an elderly man. It gave him time to study her before she felt his presence. At least, Moto thought she felt his presence. From past visits, he learned he couldn't stay long before she turned towards the exact spot he occupied and made her way towards him. Because of that lesson, he mastered the art of fleeing. A warrior such as he should not flee. However, he didn't want to converse with her, not yet. Not that he would ever talk to her, if he possessed any good sense at all. Conversing with her required knowing what he wanted to do about her. He shoved those thoughts to the deepest reaches of his mind. No place in his world existed for her, and from what he could tell, none existed in hers for him. Not that leaving his world would ever be an option. He, a protector of his people, a Chosen of his Queen. His place resided with his Queen and people, not with a distraction, and not with one who shouldn't exist for him.
He didn't budge.
Something in her called to something in him. The draw to her went beyond her physical beauty. Her hair shone a dark auburn and fell just below the line of her jaw. When the sunlight hit her hair just right it shone a reddish bronze, silky, shining. Moto longed to run his fingers through her hair, and her eyes. Her eyes resembled the same deep-sea green as the oceans of Ki. The same eyes locked with his.
He felt a jolt go through him, and not for the first time. He ducked behind the wall and cursed her for distracting him. He chided himself for not paying attention to her actions instead of admiring her features. He would have noticed her turning in his direction. He thought about taking another glimpse of her, and then dismissed the idea. He needed to be gone. He opened the Gateway doorway portal and stepped through. She distracted him. He didn't need that kind of distraction. He would resist, for as long as possible.
Once on the other side and safely back on Ki, he sank to the forest floor. He leaned his head against the arched stone of the Ancestral Gateway, and not for the first time. He often sat like this after returning from her world. "Fool," he said to himself. He didn't know her name. He didn't know what drew him to her. Every time after his visit to her world ,to her, he felt her take a piece of him. He took a piece of her as well.
He closed his eyes and savored the feel of her. He may not know her name, but he knew her. He felt a longing inside of her for something she herself felt no awareness of, and a sadness that she kept buried so deep he didn't know if she knew it existed inside of her. If he focused too much on that part of her, it felt strong enough to bring him to tears. If he didn't know better, he would think the bonding process began between the two of them.
He shook his head against the thought. Impossible! Kahoali bonded with other Kahoali, and she was not Kahoali. Aside from that fact, she complicated things. Moto pushed off the ground and stood. He glanced at the darkening sky and cursed. Too much time passed. The evening repast began just after dark fell, and the light of day faded. Another example of just how much she distracted him. He couldn't afford the distraction. He would vow to never seek her out again, but he discovered
