I'd only ever seen a dead Akula dragged onto our shores three times. Once when Tonowari made a kill, twice when Rimlo's father made a kill and thrice when father had his accident.
Surviving against these creatures was incredibly rare much less to kill one.
Everyone was completely aware of this fact, and even more so when a boy from the trees and sky who had only just mastered holding his breath and learning our mantra came to shore with full grown Akula.
Stranger things have happened sure, but none to this degree.
As the four able bodied men, tugged at the massive rope tied around the Akula's body and dragged it on to shore, the crowds began to take note of the rare sight and naturally came to take a gander.
Announg passing by with Kiri and Rotxo were one of these.
Announg curiously stepped closer to the carcass and nodded his head in satisfaction.
"Impressive, Rimlo." He complimented.
"What's that?" Kiri asked as she peered intensely at the sharp teeth
"It's an Akula. A full grown male one by the looks of it." Rotxo gasped.
"And with one arrow too!" Announg observed, "What an effective kill, I hope to be just like you someday."
Rimlo stepping off from his Ilu and onto sure chuckled and shook his head "Oh,no,no, it's Neteyam you'd want to be like someday."
"Yeah, just like Neteyam." Announg idly agreed and then paused suddenly.
"Wait...Neteyam?" All three kids questioned in unison.
From behind the carcass arose the man himself. Neteyam, pulling the back side of the giant creature, stepped onto shore. He had a bit of an uncharacteristic bashful nature to his steps.
"Yeah..yeah, it was me." He nervously confirmed.
The crowd upon hearing this erupted into a cacophony of surprised gasps and praises. Warrior and child alike surrounded Neteyam with dozens of "congratulations"s and "Thank you"s. Neteyam simply sweetly nodded and reciprocated the "I see you" motion at least a dozen more times. Respect and gratitude abounded as he made his way through the crowd to reunite with his mother and father, no doubt beaming with pride.
The beams did not manage to make their way to the southern side of tide, where I sat upon my Ilu lightly bobbing in the water and clutching the fallen arrows with the game caught flopped over my shoulder. My teeth gritted and I found myself unable to get the command to go forward to form in my head. My Ilu, completely oblivious to rhe occasion as per usual, remained idle and clicked cheerfully every few heavy seconds.
I wished for it to rain, for the thundering clouds to return and conceal my shameful return and pathetic emotions regarding the whole thing.
Envy is shameful, I was aware of that. I've always been aware of that; but I more so found myself contending with a different kind of emotion. One that bought out the worst in me. One that forced all that moved me to work incessantly. One that never allowed me to rest in my own head.
Anger.
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"We are not the first to strike." Rimlo affirmed as he pushed his spear forward.
"We are not the first to strike." We repeated and mirrored his movements.
"We are brother and sister of tulkun." The teal warrior continued bringing the spear in.
YOU ARE READING
The River Tree (Neteyam x Metkayina OC)
Fanfiction(Formally known as @momochromeray) "The sea gives and the sea takes" that's all orphaned teen Kaia allowed herself to accept. As a young socially awkward girl trying to find her place within her clan she has given up all hope trying to connect with...
