Aching Heart ☆ Neteyam

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔢𝔫

It was the next morning and we all were given a break from training. Lo'ak and Neteyam spent the morning together so me and Kiri went to the beach and spent the morning paddling in the shallow water. I sat on the sand with my toes in the water and Kiri laid head first in the water, watching the sand below. If couldn't hear the noise of the bubbles she blew from the water I would be certain she was dead.

I basked in the sunlight, half a hundred feet away from Kiri, propping my body up on my elbows and letting the sun sink into my skin. Having spent a whole year living in a mountain, I would take every chance I got to lay around in the sunlight.

Our quiet morning was interrupted by the sound of heavy feet approaching and light chatter. I opened my eyes to see Ao'nung and his friends approach Kiri, quickly I got up from my spot and headed over towards just in time as they started to surround her and pull at her hands.

"Get off her" I yelled, shoving Ao'nung as hard as I could away from her, causing him to land several feet away on his arse. "Touch her again and I will fucking kill you" I hissed, crouching around Kiri in a protective manner. He brushed the sand off himself as he stood up, wearing a matching raging expression to mine.

He walked closer to me, circling around me and Kiri with his friends, blocking us in. Ao'nung laughed as I hissed at them, my tail swinging furiously behind me the angrier I got. "Stay away from her" I yelled once more as Ao'nung took another step closer. "Aw, freak is letting freakier protect her" he jested, pushing my buttons but the last thing he said made me snap.

"Nothing but demon blood" he yelled and i lunged for him. Balling my hand into a fist and connecting it with his cheek, knocking him to the ground and getting another punch in on his face before someone pulled me off his weak defenceless body, throwing me to the ground. I raised my arms to protect myself but not before his hand connected with my chest, his nails digging through my skin, tearing it open.

And just as his hand was raised once more to injure me again, his body disappeared from above me. I sat up quickly, taking in what just happened. Neteyam had pulled the boy off me and was now throwing punches at him and Lo'ak was dragging Rotxo as Ao'nung was dragging him.

One of Ao'nung friends was stepping closer to Kiri, calling her names and I didn't even need to think about what I was doing, I just ran at him. Wrapping my arms around him, tackling him to the ground. "You leave her alone" I screamed at the boy who was trying to push me off him unsuccessfully as I threw punch after punch at him and he only managed to get in one. "Touch her again, I will kill you" I yelled through gritted teeth as his body went limp.

Wiping the blood from my nose and my chest I turned to watch what was happening. Neteyam was handling Rotxo okay but Lo'ak was getting dragged by his tail over towards the water. "Jungle freaks" he yelled at Lo'ak as he screamed in pain at his tail being pulled. Quickly I rushed over towards them, swinging my right fist back wards, aiming it at Ao'nung's face and throwing it right under his eye, knocking him off his feet once more.

I quickly helped Lo'ak too his feet, attempting to move him away from the fight when I was pulled violently back by my tail and before I could turn round to defend myself, two hands wrapped around my neck, squeezing tightly as he lifted me off the floor. My eyes were met with the dude I knocked out a minute ago, unfortunately he made a decent recovery.

I clawed at his grip around my throat attempting to loosen it as he began to crush my airways. I brought up my elbow, smashing it down on his arms but he would not break loose. I could see Ao'nung come up behind him telling him to let go but he wouldn't.

"Arelliya" Kiri and Lo'ak called from behind me, making Neteyam turn to face me. I could see him run over to me in the corner of my eye but before he could reach me I brought up heel, exactly how I did in my fight with the sky people, but this time kicked him in the throat. Instantly he dropped me, gasping for breath and clutching his throat.

"Fucking dickhead" I yelled as I swung my fist at his face just as I did earlier but this time knocking him out instantly, his unconscious body falling to the floor. "Touch my family again and I will kill you all" I spat at the two conscious boys who had run over to the now unconscious one.

Ao'nung took a step forward to me and the rest of the family, a flat look on his face but before he could get close enough Neteyam placed both of his hands on his chest, pushing him with such a force he allowed stumbles back. "Tell your friend if he ever comes near Arelliya again he will no longer breathe" his voice came out as cold as ice, sending chills down my spine.

My chest heaved at the adrenaline pumping fight we had just endured. Endorphins rushing around my body as my heart slammed in my chest. But I was no longer angry, the sight on Neteyam should have scared me but all I could feel was an aching throb between my legs the undeniable aggression radiating off him as he threatened to kill one of the boys to protect me almost sent me over the edge.

"Stay away from us" Neteyam spat as he turned to face me, taking my face in his as he looked over my injuries. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice still furious but trembled slightly at the end. "I'm okay, I've had worse" I smirked slightly as I turned to face Kiri and Lo'ak, keeping my side up against Neteyams chest.

"Are you okay Kiri, Lo'ak" I asked worry consuming me at the thought of their words breaking down Kiri. "I'm fine, are you sure you're okay though" Kiri asked, signifying to my clawed chest and bruised throat. "I'm good as long as you three are okay" i smiled looking between all three of them who nodded and smile in response.

Neteyam didn't leave my side as we walked away from the boys, going to sit down on the other side of the village, just to avoid any other inconvenience. But as we were walking though the village, everyone turned and stared at us, more than usual. And not too long after realising everyone was aware of the fight, Jake came looking for us and called us back to the tent.

"All three of you, with me now" he whisper yelled to avoid bringing any more attention to us. I stayed partially behind Neteyam as we walked back, not wanting people to see me look so beaten up, although Ao'nung and his friends looked far worse. "What was the one thing I asked you not to do?" Jake yelled at us as the other two apologised. "It was my fault" Neteyam says defending me.

"I started it" I said as I moved out from behind Neteyam. Jakes eyes widened as he took in my appearance as he scanned over my injured body. "And I'm not sorry for it, they went after Kiri. Calling her names, cornering her. I was protecting her and they were protecting me" I said my point, not letting anyone take the punishment for the fight that I started.

His expression softened after hearing what they were doing to Kiri, but I knew he was fighting himself on how to handle the situation. "Okay but you need to go apologise" he said towards the three of us. "What no way! They deserved what they got" I stated, gritting my teeth slightly at the thought of having to apologise.

"He's the chiefs son, so if we want a place to live you need to all go and apologise" he finalised his statement and although I hated it I could see where he was coming from. "Now boys, give me a moment alone with Arelliya" Jake said, nodding his head to the side to tell them to leave the tent.

"What do you think you were doing going up against them boys by yourself" Jake said in both a worried and proud tone. "I was defending my family" I said defiantly, and i would do it again ten times over. "Look at what they've done to you" he said gesturing to my bloodied and bruised skin. "You think I look bad, you should take a look at them" I said with a small laugh, causing Jake to smile.

"They look worse than you?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "A lot. I even knocked out, easy peasy although he attempted to return the favour" I said with a roll of my eyes as I brushed my fingers along the bruising around my neck.

"Listen princess, you've got to keep yourself safe. I know you can protect yourself but look at you, you're all torn up and bruised" Jake said, bending down to my level and placing his hand over the scratch marks on my chest. "I had a good reason Jake, I wouldn't let them touch Kiri, not ever" I said with a fierce look in my eyes which made him smile. "That's my girl"