Tì'i'avay Krrä [Tsu'tey x OC]

VII

Srake lumpe kem sayi za'u fìtsenge?
(Why did I come to this place?)

"Wait up." Jake tried to ask, "just- hey, slow down." He tried to grab her arm.

"I just wanted to say thanks for killing those thing- ah! Damn!" Jake hit the ground while holding his face in his hands.

The woman bent over to look at him, pointing her bow at him, resentment in her face.

"Don't thank." She gritted out above a whisper, "you don't thank for this!" Her eyes flicked up at me, and I realized she was more hurt than I thought, not just by this. Her eyes flicked back to Jake.

"This is sad. Very sad only!" She hissed.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, whatever I did, I'm sorry!" Jake exhaled sharply through his nose.

She looked like she might walk off, but she looked back at Jake to jab at him some more. Make him feel as hurt as she is, make him understand just why she's hurt.

"All this is your fault. They did not need to die!" She said all in one breath. Her anger turned to irritation as he opened his mouth again.

"Well, they attacked me, how am I the bad guy-"

"Your fault!" She went to strike him again, but Jake tried to calm her so he didn't earn another slap from her bow, "your fault! You're like a baby. Making noise, don't know what to do."

Jake got to his feet slowly.

"Fine, fine" he scoffed, "if you love your little forest friends-"

"Jake! They're complex beings with thoughts and emotions." I whispered harshly to him.

"Then why not let them kill my ass? What's the thinking?" He asked a little teasingly.

The woman reflected on her actions and back to his words. She mustn't have been expecting this question.

"Why save you?" She looked away from him, and instead to me for a split second.

"Yeah, why save me?"

"Not just you, she too, was saved. I felt I had to save you." She was speaking to both of us.

"But you," she pointed at Jake with a hiss, "Stupid! Ignorant like a child!" She scowled and began to walk off.

Jake had a smirk on his face. It's not the first time he's been called stupid today.

He bent down to pick up his spear and we began to follow behind her again. Dipping below the warbonnet ferns again and over more roots.

"Well, if I'm like a child, then maybe- you should teach me." Jake offered. It's an ingenious move that I doubt she would fall for, diplomacy and honesty is the best way to go.

We began walking on a thick root.

"Sky people cannot learn, you do not see." She answered simply and dismissively.

"Then teach me how to see!" Jake pleaded while chasing after her.

The root extended out into the canyon below, and intertwined with a similar root.