𝐎𝐞𝐥 𝐍𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐢𝐞 || 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝐈𝐈

𝟸
-𝙽𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚢𝚊𝚖 𝚂𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢-

We gather on a rock not far away from shore. I lead the exercises and Tiseryi watches the four carefully. Well that's what I told her to do, but she seems insistent on watching lo'ak more.

"Breathe in and out slowly till your lungs are full." I say. "Breathe with your stomach, not your chest." I note as the boys' chests rise and fall.

I repeat the order but Neteyams chest simply won't stop moving. I place a palm over his heart and a palm over his stomach.

"Push my hand away as you breathe."

I breathe with him and his hand moves to push mine away. I slap it before returning my hand to his stomach.

"With your stomach." I correct. After a few tries I not his heart raves beneath my palm. "Slow your heart, Neteyam. Focus."

I note his breath hitching and his heart skipping. I remove my hands and instruct again. "In and out. Slow your heart, your breath, your mind. Focus on the sounds around you."

"Imagine a flickering flame." Tiseryi takes over I guess. "Breathe In. . . And out.

Suddenly she places her hands on Lo'ak and I smile as the boy watches her with pinned ears.

"Lo'ak, your heart beat is fast." The boy apologizes. "Try to focus."

I can only watch with a smile, knowing the only difference in this situation is that my sisters heart is mirroring Lo'ak's. Fast and uneven. I tune my head to see Neteyam smiling at his brother, chuckling lightly.

After everyone has it down we return to the Ilu. This time the boys and girls stay on much longer, allowing us to go on a short trip to the edge of the reef.

Neteyam stays close to me as the water surges past us. Suddenly his Ilu speeds up, a challenge firing in Neteram's eyes. I nod and urge my Ilue. Faster. Beat him. We keep a similar pace for a while before Neteyam's Ilu slips underneath mine. I don't have an option as the Ilu circle one another, making a break for the surface.

Suddenly, air hits my face as my teeth clench in a smile. I slip my hand from the saddle, sending me flying a little ways above the Ilu's. My hair hits my face roughly as my most returns to the water. I arch my back and dive into the water, Finding Neteyam waiting away from his Ilu he dives below the surface with a smile and grabs my hand, pulling me up the the surface with loud laughs.

"I totally won that." Neteyam grins.

"No way, I got the highest." I argue.

"Al right fine, you win." I smile as he gives up.

"What no fight for your honor little warrior." I shove him.

"That was so cool." Tuk pops her head from the water and clings to Neteyam.

"Maybe another time." I say with a smile.

"Re-match?" He nods. "Your on."

"How about now?" Neteyam asks as Tuk tugs his braids.

"Can't." Aonung interupts us. "We're taking you all shelling."

"We have to scrape shells from the corals." I explain at their confused expressions. "They suck the nutrients from the coral and we get pretty shells out of it. Come."

We call our Ilus and I lead them to the bottom of the reef where my mother and a few others already begin collecting. She wraps me in a light embrace before signing to me. I nod and follow her instructions, diving to the bottom, gesturing for the others to follow.

I reach up and take Tuks hand in mine. I pull her down to me as a glowing yellow animal approaches. It's thin fins lightly flutter as it binds with Tuk, securing its arms at her sides. I smile as Tuk sucks in a breath of water. She smiles before swimming off. I give everyone one before attaching one to myself.

As I hand out the scrapers, I see Kiri on a rock moving her arms in sync with a school of glowing fish. I smile as the seem to follow her movements, the freckles on her cheeks lighting up brightly.

Suddenly Tuk's hand on my arm makes me turn my head away. She shows me a large pale pink shell. I smile and nod before she pulls me alongside her. I help her scrape shells from the coral, giving her the prettiest ones and tucking the smaller ones in the pouch at my hip. Her smiles brighten my heart as we laugh.

Tuk taps my arm and points to her shells then to Neteyam. I simply nod as we swim to the boy as he collects his own shells. Tuk takes each shell we collected out of her pouch one by one. She wanted to show you. I sign to Neteyam but he only shrugs his shoulders. Another lesson.

I grab Neteyam and Kiri's hands and pull them farther down where the bioluminescent shells lay. Down there Tuk blows air bubbles as she screams in joy, moving to scrape all the pretty shells she can.

A hand on my shoulder causes my to jump. I turn to see Neteyam holding a glowing flower, it's pearly a light pink. I can't fight the smile as he tucks it behind my ear, the glowing freckles on his face rippling. I look up at the sky as the moon settles over the water and mother signals for us.

Our heads breach the surface and we disconnect the bonds. I let my fingers brush against the creatures fins as it returns to the depths. We swim back to the shore and Tuk wraps her arms around my leg saying goodnight.

"Goodnight Tuk." I chuckle placing a hand on her head.

"Goodnight A'Kila." Neteyam says with a flick of his tail.

"Goodnight Neteyam." I smile and turn to the other two. "Goodnight Kiri. Goodnight Lo'ak."

Exaustion takes over my limbs as Tiseryi grabs my hand a bright smile on her lips.

"He's amazing." She swoons. "I mean they all are but Lo'ak is just . . ."

"Your in love, Reya." I tease before she shoved me with a smile. "At least you don't deny it."

"He has only been here two nights, I don't Know what I feel yet."

"But you like him, no?" She smiles. "You think he's beautiful, and charming and. . ."

"Alright, enough Kila." Tiseryi blushes. "What about Neteyam?"

"What do you mean?" I ask honestly.

"The flower, the stares, the smiles." I pluck the flower from my hair, I forgot it was there.

"There is nothing going on between Neteyam and I. He is a stranger." I say, twirling the flower between my fingers. "Strange."

"Fine. Deny all you want." She says. "What of lo'ak? What do you think of him?"

"He seems kind, pure hearted." I smile down at her. "I approve. But I wouldn't tell mother of your infatuation with the demon blood boy."

"They do not have demon blood." She hisses.

"I know this. But Mother does not see it that way." I sigh. "Be careful, it's all I ask."

"I'm always careful."

"Yeah right."

We head into our home with clasped hands and smiles on our faces as my stomach ties in knots once again.

I lay awake, staring at the stars through the tight mesh ceiling. My thoughts run ramped, Neteyam's smile echoing through my thoughts, no matter how hard I try to push it away. I clutch the flower close to my heart as I fall into a deep sleep.