Tsaheylu

The Last Night

Tsireya and I left the Marui Pod after I collected myself once more, heading towards the feast that had already started without us. I do my best to put on a smile, pushing aside my fears to not let on something was wrong, though I knew it would be futile. Neteyam would be there, and he knows me better than myself. He could probably smell it on me from a mile away.

The group were all sat waiting for us, eating away at their dinners happily. My stomach barely rumbled at the sight of the food, it merely churning sickeningly.

"Ai'ina you have to get some of the veggie skewers, they're amazing," Kiri says as I sit beside her, taking a large bite of some of the vegetables. My lips press together, the smell of it making me feel worse, "I'll try them tomorrow night. I don't feel too good," I tell her, giving her a small smile. Tuk beams as she noticed me sit down, leaping to her feet to come and sit on my lap once more. She plonks herself down and muches away at her dinner, peering up at me happily. "You alright Ai'ina?" Neteyam asks from across the circle, his eyes surveying me worried.

I force a smile onto my lips and nod my head, meeting his eyes despite myself, "Yeah. I saw so much blood today that I think I've been put off food for a while." I lie, turning my attention to Tuk as she poked me. "Ina, when I get older can I have a charm in my hair like you and Tsireya do?" She asks quizzically, her fingers fumbling with the pearl on the back of my head. Her innocence and want to know more about the Metkayina was sweet, though I hoped she wouldn't forget her Omatikaya heritage. It had shaped her older siblings into incredible people, and she would become an amazing woman if she embraced both teachings.

"Well, I am sure you can. But, like your mum, dad and siblings I think you'll get a lovely braid with some beads," I tell her, taking one of her small braids in my hand. She pouts sadly, her hands dropping into her lap disappointedly. "Maybe we can get a few pearls to put in your braid, then you'll be like us and your family. That sound good?" I smile down to the girl, watching as her eyes lit up once more. "Yes! I want a blue one like the one in your bracelet!" Her finger points to the blue pearl, rubbing over it gently as she admired it, looking to it like it was a precious gem. "We can find as many different coloured pearls as you want, Tuk." I say to her, letting her play with the bracelet carefully.

My teeth sink into my lip cautiously, the feeling of eyes burning into my back pulling me from the conversation. I slowly peer over my shoulder, looking to the head of the circle where Ronal, Tonowari and Nouet were sat. The women were staring at me bemused, chatting between themselves as their eyes flittered to Neteyam. My blood boiled at the thought of what they could be saying. Had they finally figured it out or where they planning for when they did. I didn't want to know, the thoughts weighed me down so heavily that it broke my heart a little, feeling the overbearing need to keep Neteyam safe. That was all I could do anymore, the rest was out of my control.

"Tuk, I need to go speak to someone a minute. Can you sit with Neteyam while I'm gone?" I whisper into the girl's ear, patting her leg to get her to move. She nods her head and jumps off of my lap, rushing over to her eldest brother and attacking him with her full weight, knocking him onto his back. She giggled as I stood up, Tsireya's eyes looking to me with sadness.

She meets my eyes tears filling them as she nodded, knowing what I was about to do. I take a step out of the circle, my eyes flittering to Aonung. He was watching me intently, seeing where I was headed. His eyebrow cocked in confusion, trying to piece what he could together. 'I'm fixing this...' I sign to him, looking over my shoulder to make sure the other's weren't watching. 'What do you mean?" He signs back, his eyes growing wide. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, 'You know what Aonung."

His eyes look to Neteyam then back to me, his jaw taught. He nods his head, understanding what I was saying, though there seemed to be no malice there. No anger.