Moon Child

05

{Stupid Brothers}

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"Breath from here. See? From your stomach, not your chest," Ixchel explained, placing her hand against Neteyam's stomach. "You were breathing perfectly fine the other day, Neteyam, what has happened, eh?" She smiled, poking his stomach. "You know this, come on. Breath."

Truthfully, Neteyam remembered how to breath like Ixchel and her siblings had taught him. He only pretended not to. When he forgot, Ixchel gave him special attention, touching his heart and stomach, whispering to him for him to breath. He even liked when she yelled at him for forgetting, she was so cute when she was frustrated. He breathed in and out, controlling his heart beat.

"See? You know, you're smart!" Ixchel nodded proudly. "Would you like to go back in the water, try your ilu again, or are we done for the day?" She stood, helping him up. "I have to feed some of the ilus as chores, so we can be done."

Neteyam nodded, "I'll help you feed." She took his hand and led him to the beach to grab some fish for the animals.

"And so your mother didn't actually like your father at first?" Ixchel laughed as Neteyam told the story. "Did she—she's the daughter of the chief, right? The Olo'eyktan?"

"Yes, future Tsahik. And uh...she was meant the mate with this other guy, but instead mated with my dad. She didn't really like the other guy, he was actually supposed to marry my mom's sister before she died. So they never actually loved each other, but he was meant to be Olo'eyktan so, they were gonna get married. But...she loved my dad, so."

"That's beautiful," Ixchel smiled, looking to his parents who were out at sea as she fed the next ilu. "That's true love there. Beautiful."

Neteyam nodded, feeding another one next to her. "Are you going to be the next Tsahik?"

Ixchel nodded. "Yes, I am the oldest. I'll be of immense help with the power the Great Mother had given to me. My mother expects me to help many of our people in the future, she's already beginning to train me." Once they had ran out of fish, she balled up the net, petting the last ilu.

"Who will be the next Olo'eyktan?"

"Israfiel," Ixchel answered. "He will be the next. My brother, he is not suited for it, not old enough, but Israfiel will be."

"And then...I'm guessing you two will..."

"No, no, no," Ixchel laughed, turning to him. The ilu left from lack of attention, swimming back out into the sea, "Tsahik and Olo'eyktan are not always mated. My mother and father just happen to be, same with your grandparents. That is why your father was Olo'eyktan, but your mother was not yet Tsahik. Tsahik is past down from mother to daughter, and Olo'eyktan is based to whoever is best suited, but these two do not have to be mated. It's not a requirement."

Neteyam nodded, "I see." It went quiet for a moment as they both stared out at the water. Tuk was riding a baby ilu, yelling at Lo'ak and Kiri to watch her swim. "Would you though?" Ixchel turned to him. "I mean, is this...Israfiel...as cool as I am?"

Ixchel laughed, shaking her head. "No, you are definitely cooler, ma yuey'evang. Come, walk with me to put up the nets."

"...and I rode the ilu all the way out to the rocks, Ixchel! It was amazing, I was going so fast, it was like I was flying in the water, just flying!"