Te'fiti is the future Tsahik of their Metkayina village - the clan has high expectations for her, though she is also the biggest disappointment in her family. But when she meets Neteyam from the Omatikayan clan, will she change for the better?
Netey...
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"Where have you been!" Kiri muttered to the girl, smiling slightly at Tefiti's arrival. She shrugged. "Nowhere in particular."
Waking up on the edge of a cliff by herself was not what Tefiti expected earlier that morning. She had sat up, Neteyam had vanished, and the village was already busy below her, which meant that she was very, very late home. She cringed to the thought of her parents yelling at her as she returned, but then she remembered him; his voice, his smell, his touch.
"Nowhere in particular?" Kiri leaned closer to Tefiti as they walked. "You think I didn't catch Neteyam before sunrise this morning?" She hesitated a moment, the bounce in her step faltering.
"Please don't tell anyone." She hid her face from the girl, who laughed quietly at her reaction.
"Don't tell me you.."
"No! Kiri, gross." Tefiti nudged her, making her laugh even more. "You really think he would be that reckless?"
"He's such a bad liar. I asked him this morning and he said you were giving him diving lessons.. in the forest of the island." Tefiti was in stitches, as she collected her daily errands from the fishermen. "That's crazy."
"Anyways, I think he was looking for you. He's probably third-wheeling Lo'ak or something." She nodded promptly, waving to Kiri as she headed for the water. "See you later!"
She had finally found them all, once again in a large group on the beach and in the shallows of the water. Aonung and his friends, the rest of the Sullys, and some others hung around the beach, talking and playing in the water holding some sort of hollowed out container looking drink.
"Why wasn't I invited to the party?" Tefiti held her arms up in the air as Aonung approached her. Gasps and small conversation of "Tefiti!" And "Fifi!" And "look it's Tefiti!" errupted around the small group as Aonung slung his arm around her playfully.
"Where have you been? Someone slept in." The girl peered at the drink that the boy held in his other hand. It was a deep, cloudy purple, which could only mean one thing.
"Where did you get this?" She laughed in disbelief at the alcohol, smelling it deeply. The strong scent made her pull her face away from it immediately, making the other laugh loudly.
"Ta'nat stole it from his father's room." The other boy, Ta'nat, smiled from ear to ear as he pushed a wooden cup into her chest. She thanked him, taking a swig before peering around the small crowd of people around her.
"Where is Neteyam?" She looked to Aonung, who nodded to a small group of people. Looking closer, the group was made up or Rotxo, Tsireya, Lo'ak, a friend of Rotxo named Swahin, and Neteyam. In his hand he held the same drink which she held.
"Ta'nat! She exclaimed, pointed towards Neteyam and Lo'ak. "You really gave the Sullys the strongest drink reef people make?"
Aonung rolled his eyes, bending to her height as he examined the Sullys. "If they are real men they can take it." She jabbed him in the ribs harshly, which he groaned at loudly. "Where is the little girl, Tuktirey? If she sees this, she's snitching."
