Riolla slipped back into her robes, an appealing pink flush upon her white skin. Og's sudden motion made the tree sway enough to attract her glance, and while she stopped to listen for a moment, he steadied the tree, not risking even a breath. But it was too late. Riolla, having seen the tree's hand of ripe bananas, smiled greedily and moved through the wild growth with glee, her eyes fastened on the heavy, golden bunch.
Og could do nothing but await the inevitable. Riolla yanked at the biggest banana on the stalk, and Og came tumbling out of his hiding place, holding his battered nose.
Riolla only barely contained her shriek. She did not at all contain her wrath. "You! Where did you come from? Have you been watching me, you ugly little raqa-fogged peeper? Saelin!" she called, wanting Og to believe he was moments from losing his head.
He picked himself up from the slick, vine-covered ground and drew himself to his full height, faced Riolla, and looked deeply into her furious eyes. He had waited years to be able to speak to her and he knew exactly what he was going to say.
"I… I love you, Riolla," he croaked, his voice cracking miserably.
She wrinkled her nose in distaste and gingerly grabbed him by the collar, marching him through the lush ferns and club mosses over to the fire, where she tied him to a thick-trunked rubber tree with vines, stirred the fire up angrily, and sat down to decide just how she could hold the old stickaburr for ransom.
"Saelin, I'm waiting!" Riolla's sharp voice cut through the mist several yards away from the warm spring's thick cover.
When no one appeared or answered her, she strained her ears again, keeping a dagger in Og's ribs to assure his silence as well. Several more minutes