Hooked Wayfinder One Shots

Nightmarchers

"I don't see why we're out this late," Maui complained to Moana. They've been seeing each other for a year now, ever since Moana turned thirty. She confessed her love, and one thing led to another and now they're together. Maui knows this woman is gonna be the death of him, considering, um, their situation. Demigod goes with demigod, mortal goes with mortal. It's the circle of life. Unless you're Moana Waialiki, who's too stubborn to take no for an answer. 

"It's a full moon out," Moana smiled, taking his hand and guiding him through the brush of the trail, "What a romantic setting." Maui smiled back and continued to follow her down the trail. She finally led him to the undertoe, where she danced with Tala on afternoons. Moana already set everything up, two coconut drinks and some cooked pork and roasted seaweed. 

"My favorite," Maui smiled, "How'd ya know?" Moana rolled her eyes. 

"Well, when you've been friends with someone for twenty five years and then date them for a year, you pick up on some things," she stated. They sat at the under toe, eating the delicious food and enjoying each others company. All Maui enjoyed was her company, her caring voice. He would be happy if they where still friends, yet he was happier they where more. It made a semi demi mini god feel good. 

They talked about recent voyages to islands, about him pulling up that island, and how they discovered a cool animal he learned to shape shift into. They where finishing up and ready to head back to their own huts when Maui heard something in the distance. Moana was about to kiss him goodnight and leave when he took her arms and sat her to the ground. 

"What?" she barked, annoyed by him pushing her down so harshly. 

"Do you hear that?" Maui asked, raising his hand to his ear, while keeping his right hand on hers. 

"Hear what? Maui, I swear you're losing your-" Moana paused and listened, too, "Drums?" Maui's stomach dropped, and he pulled Moana down behind a large rock, following behind in pursuit. 

"What night is it?" He asked, a tone of frustration and worry tinted into his voice. Moana racked her brain. 

"Uh, Ku. It's the night of Ku," Moana stated. Maui cursed and peeked up, seeing nothing but hearing the drums get louder. 

"Listen very carefully, Moana," he instructed sternly, "I want you to stay down. Don't look up, don't look to your sides, keep you're eyes focused on the ground. Listen to the tide, don't listen to the drums. They'll lure you in. Keep you're eyes DOWN." The sternness of his voice scared Moana, and the drums did nothing to help the situation. 

"Maui, what's going on?" she asked, her voice shaky. 

"Night marchers." he replied, "The spirits of fallen soldiers. Look into their eyes? You're dead. You'll join their march on the lookout for an entry way to the after life. Their drums will lure you, their chants will make you curious, but you have to keep you're head down. I've heard them a few times in my lifetime, maybe thirty times or so. They always lure people who don't know of the legend." Moana gulped. No one in her village was taught this, what if the carried some children away? Some fishermen, harvesters, elders, what if they carried away them? Moana felt tears rolling down her cheeks. 

The drums got louder and their chants got more audible. 

Tupato o te po marchers, 

haere mai tatou i i roto i 

te po 

tupato, tupato, tupato 

Moana covered her eyes and stared at the ground. Behind the basic lyrics that they repeated, and the loud beating drum, it seemed to call her. It felt energetic and calming at the same time, like when she gets visited by Grandma Tala, or when she saw the ghost ships of her ancestors. The tune called her...

Moana slowly started raising her head, careful not to have Maui see, the rock was tall and long, so she was sure that she'd be safe, right? If they couldn't see her peeking over to glance at them, they wouldn't care. 

"Aue!" Maui cried, noticing her slowly rising, "Stop it! Stop!" He pulled her down, and she shook the glazed look off her face. 

"What- why," Moana shook her head, "I'm sorry. It's just so, enchanting." Maui sighed. Mortals. Everything is so enchanting to them, even the thought of death. 

"Please just stay down," he pleaded, looking into her dark brown eyes. Moana nodded and covered her ears until the chanting and lights slowly faded off down into the reef. They waited in silence for ten minutes, not wanting to look up and see the marchers still there. Maui peeked up over the rock and saw they where gone. 

"You can come up curly," he stated. Moana let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. She slowly stood up. 

"Will they come again?" Moana asked, dumbfounded and awestruck still by what just happened. 

"At the end of each season, on the nights of Ku, Kane, Lono, and Akua they come." 

"Then why have I never seen them before?" 

"They have a specific trail," Maui stated, "Got any ancient burial ground or a place for cheifs?" Moana nodded. 

"Up on the hill is the place of cheifs." 

"Ah," he sighed, "They must start down there and work their way behind the mountain. They have a very strict trail and seldom break it. You're lucky we're alive. If you would have looked up and saw the white of their eyes..." Maui sighed and ran a hand through Moana's hair. 

"Thank you for saving me Maui," Moana leaned up and lightly pecked his lips, "You're my hero." She embraced him into a hug and they walked over to their own huts, finally getting a peaceful sleep. 

A/N

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Tupato o te po marchers,

haere mai tatou i i roto i

te po

tupato, tupato, tupato

In English this is: 

Beware of the night marchers,

we come in night

Beware, Beware, Beware...

(I created my own little chant because I couldn't find ONE article about their chant, but every article I read said they had a chant, so I said screw it Imma make my own). 

Aue- a form of expression, usually said when someone is shocked, surprised, or scared. 

(So I was a camp counselor last year and we had a scary stories around the campfire. One girl recently moved from the island Oahu in Hawaii and she told us the legends of the night marchers. I forgot about it till now, so I decided it'll be fun to throw my new obsession into it :) )