The Whale Rider Page 21

Nanny Flowers gave an anguished sob and reached out to hold Kahu tightly. Koro Apirana tottered to the bedside and looked down at the sleeping girl. He began to say a prayer, and he asked the Gods to forgive him. He saw Kahu stir.

Oh yes, grandchild. Rise up from the depths of your long sleep. Return to the people and take your rightful place among them.

Kahu drew another breath. She opened her eyes. ‘Is it time to wake up now?’ she asked.

Nanny Flowers began to blubber. Koro Apirana’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Yes. It is time to return.’

‘They told me not to wake until you were both here,’ Kahu said gravely.

‘Who are you talking about?’ Koro Apirana asked.

‘The whales,’ she said. Then she smiled, ‘You two sounded just like the old mother whale and the bull whale arguing.’

Nanny Flowers looked up at Koro Apirana. ‘We don’t argue,’ she said. ‘He argues and I win.’

‘Your Muriwai blood,’ Koro Apirana said. ‘Always too strong for me.’

Kahu giggled. She paused. Then her eyes brimmed with tears. In a small voice she said, ‘I fell off.’

‘What?’

‘I fell off the whale. If I was a boy I would have held on tight. I’m sorry, Paka, I’m not a boy.’

The old man cradled Kahu in his arms, partly because of emotion and partly because he didn’t want those big ears out there to hear their big chief crying.

‘You’re the best grandchild in the whole wide world,’ he said. ‘Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter.’

‘Really, Paka?’ Kahu gasped. She hugged him tightly and pressed her face against him. ‘Oh thank you, Paka. You’re the best grandad in the whole wide world.’

‘I love you,’ Koro Apirana said.

‘Me too,’ Nanny Flowers added.

‘And don’t forget about us,’ said the rest of the iwi as they crowded into the room.

Suddenly, in the joyous melee, Kahu raised a finger to her lips: Sssshh.

The ancient bull whale breached the surface, leaping high into the moonlit sky. The sacred sign, the tattoo, was agleam like liquid silver. The bull whale flexed his muscles, releasing Kahu, and she felt herself tumbling along his back, tumbling, tumbling, tumbling. All around her the whales were leaping, and the air was filled with diamond spray.

‘Can’t you hear them?’ Kahu asked. Interlock.

She fell into the sea. The thunder of the whales departing was loud in her ears. She opened her eyes and looked downward. Through the foaming water she could see huge tail fins waving farewell, ‘Child, farewell.’

Then from the backwash of Time came the voice of the old mother whale. ‘Child, your people await you. Return to the Kingdom of Tane and fulfil your destiny.’ And suddenly the sea was drenched again with a glorious echoing music from the dark shapes sounding.

Kahu looked at Koro Apirana, her eyes shining.

‘Oh Paka, can’t you hear them? I’ve been listening to them for ages now. Oh Paka, and the whales are still singing,’ she said.