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Chapter 13

"Listen, whatever they say, you have to respect them. You can't oppose them. The whole family, you have to respect them. Even Ao'nung." Neteyam recited for like a hundredth time already as we approach the Marui Pod of the chief.

"Neteyam, relax. I've got this." I told him but he gave me a doubtful look.

After the incident of me punching Ao'nung just a while ago, Neteyam brought me back to the lab. He was stressed out and knew that the chief will 'talk' to me after finding out what I did.

"Promise me to stay out of trouble this time. I mean it." He said as we're about to walk in.

"I'll try." I answered and finally we walked in. I just realized how different Neteyam is out here than when we're in the forest. He's like a soldier, very obidient, very mature.

We saw the chief's family there except for the youngest one. Tonowari is in the middle, on his right is his bruised son, on the left is his wife, and in the corner is Tsireya who's sorrowfully looking at me. His friends were also there in front, facing them.

We slowly walked in the middle and settled there as Neteyam did a sign thing to acknowledge the chief. "I see you, chief."

The chief just nodded and also did a sign thing but didn't say it back.

Just then, someone also walked in. "What happened here?" It was Jake whose eyes immediately found us.

"Sorry sir, everything was entirely my fault. I should know better than to take Enid outside." Neteyam confessed bowing his head to his father.

"You should've know that before any of this happened. I told you to keep an eye on her." Jake scolded his son.

"Sorry, sir."

Jake stopped then glanced at me. "Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

I gave him a disgusting look. "You're not my father."

Jake just tightly shut his eyes and turned to Tonowari, doing the hand sign too. "I see you."

The chief did the sign too. "I see you."

"It's not Neteyam's fault. That sky woman just hit me in the face without any good reason." Ao'nung suddenly interrupted, touching his bruised face and red nose.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Fuck off, Ao'nung. You stupid lizard."

Neteyam immediately held my arm and gave me a what-did-I-tell-you look. "Enid, he's the chief's son."

"I know, and he looks like a lizard." I shot back looking back at him.

"I apologize for her. She's in pain and the sky people's medicines usually have strange effects." he explained to the chief.

"What? No, I'm not in pain. Don't apologize for me, he deserved that punch on his face."

Tsireya, Jake, and Neteyam all widen their eyes on me. Neteyam was about to talk again but Tonowari spoke.

"So you did that to my son?" He said pointing at Ao'nung's face.

"Yes I did." I answered with full confidence.

His eyes shifted to his son and examine the wounds then looked back to me again. "...bare handed?"

"Tonowari." warned her mate and he suddenly acted restless.

"Sorry, sorry, I was just... wondering." the fierce looking husband sinked in his seat.

Finally Ronal took some action again. She looked at me, studying.

"Mother, I was lying..." Ao'nung butt in when he saw her mother walking towards me. "...I started it. I pissed her off--"

"Silence." she put her hands up and shut Ao'nung off. She never broke her gaze at me, and neither did I. I'm never gonna give her the power over me. "So, you're healed." she said as she stopped to tower over me.