Neteyam

Cut

"Merq'ena, get up." Viryn whispered as she sat up from her sleep hammock. "Hmm?" "We need to meet them at sunrise. Come on." She shook her hair so that the flowers fell out from the one motion. A lingering smell of the faint but sweet aromas was all that was left. "The sun's hasn't even peaked through the horizon." Merq'ena groaned. "It'll be up by the time we get there." Viryn grabbed Merq'ena's arm. You could tell just by looking at the two that Viryn was the weaker one, even when Merq'ena's arm wasn't flexed you could see her muscles that shrunk Viryn's skinnier arms even more.

On Merq'ena's arm there was a tattoo of a herd of direhorses. The ink was a navy blue and the drawing style was wispy like the running creatures were made of smoke. "Everyone else is probably hungover." Merq'ena groaned as she tried to fight Viryn's attempt to pull her up. "Don't make me do it." The taller girl rolled over and hummed in response. Viryn sighed and walked herself next to the hammock. She grabbed the edge and pulled the woven material up making Merq'ena to literally fall out of it. "Ouch!" "The sooner we get there the sooner we'll get our ikrans. We need to eat something so come on." Merq'ena let out one more groan until she gave her hand to Viryn who took it and helped her up. They picked up their bows and quivers and placed them around their torsos. for transport.

"Let's go." The two were even paced as they went to get food. Each one took a sweet purple fruit with a juicy centre. When Viryn bit into it the tasty meat of it was similar to the texture of jello. Viryn couldn't stand still, she eagerly moved on the balls of her feet as she ate to contain her excitement. The golden light slowly filtering in. Once Merq'ena finished the two were off again. The pattering of their bare feet on the stone woke up a few others from their sleep. Up ahead at the meeting spot Viryn could make out her mentor waiting. "I see you Neytiri." The two instantly halted at the sight of Neytiri and greeted her. "You are the first to arrive." The woman's statement was factual but she smiled warmly at the two. "We were too excited." Viryn grinned. Merq'ena nodded and began to crack her joints. "Neteyam should be here soon." Viryn hummed in acknowledgment. "How's he feeling." "Not well." Neytiri chuckled.

"Lo'ak told me that you went to the party. You had fun?" The two girls looked to each other before answering. "Ya, it was fun." "It was louder than I thought it would be." "I hope you are focused, not everyone will pass this test." Viryn straightened and nodded firmly. "We can do this." Neytiri eyes were always her biggest tell. They showed her emotions, the easiest way to see how she truly felt. When she looked at her eyes at that moment Viryn saw pride, it felt so good for Viryn to see it in Neytiri's eyes especially because she was hard to please.

Viryn and Merq'ena were two of the many orphans of the Omaticaya clan. Both parents lost in combat when they were still young. Viryn could recall her mother's singing, her voice easing her to sleep. Her father's rough hands cradling her head and his lips kissing her forehead. But they were gone. Merq'ena said that she couldn't remember anything, and that she didn't want to forget anyone or anything like that. To know something as fact but having no memories to back it up. Perhaps that was what the tattoos were for, so that if she forgets it's etched into her skin to remind her it was real. As the eldest orphans the village took care of them and in turn they helped raise the younger orphans. Merq'ena was the best at it, she was so gentle and good with the small ones. Viryn sort of just, talked to them as if they were the same age with a softer tone of voice. It felt extra special, they were children of war and they had survived.

At the sound of footsteps all three of them turned around. "Neteyam." Viryn smirked at the sight of a panting Neteyam. "I see you, mother." He caught his breath and straightened. "Hungover?" "Ya." The phrase was simple, easy, normal. Was it? Viryn's ear twitched when he said it. He answered her question, it's not the first or last time he would say a one word answer. They said it all the time. But something about this one was different. Or was it?