oel ngati kameie - avatar twow

prologue

It was a colder night, the wind blowing harsher than usual; however, that didn't stop the two teenagers who were sitting around a small fire, hidden from the people of the village. They were the only ones there, the moon hidden behind thick clouds.

"Dance with me," the girl giggled, spinning around the fire, her hair flowing freely. Her body was tinted with the flames of the fire as shells decorated her body.

"I will not," the boy said with a huff, although his lips held a smile as he looked at the girl.

The said girl stopped and looked at her friend in disappointment. She placed her hands on her hips as if she were a stern mother about to scold her child. Her eyebrow raised in question as a scowl overtook her features. "And why is that?"

"A true man doesn't dance; he hunts," the boy said jokingly, although trying to appear serious. He held his hands together and straightened his posture, grains of sand falling out of his hair.

The girl continued the act, huffing loudly, her head shaking in disappointment, despite trying to hide the laugh that was trying to escape her lips. "A true man dances when a lady asks him to," she reprimanded.

The girl walked towards the boy, a smile finally showing on her features, her hand holding out to the boy. In an attempt to convince him, she tried to give him puppy eyes that would usually do the trick for her. "Please?" she dragged out the word, dramatically batting her eyelashes.

The boy hesitantly grabbed her hand as if he was debating whether or not he should stand up. However, before the girl realized what was happening, she was pulled down on the sand beside the boy, his laughter ringing through the silent air.

The girl coughed from the impact and propped herself on the elbows, narrowing her eyes on the boy, who was barely holding himself together. She gasped loudly and held her hand against her heart, her head falling back. "How dare you throw a girl around! And you are supposed to be the Olo'eyktan of our clan. We will be doomed if you are to lead us!"

"Hey!" the boy shouted, an offended expression overcoming his features. The girl couldn't hold it anymore as now she laughed at the boy's face, who looked deeply offended, a scowl on his lips.

The boy slapped the girl on her arm so she would calm down, blowing out air through his nose aggressively as he fell onto the sand, his arms folding together like an upset child. Though when he looked towards the girl, who was still giggling, her couldn't help a smile.

"First of all, that was rude," the boy huffed out, despite not being actually offended by her words. "Second of all, I will have you by my side. Will I not? I am sure that if anything, you would be there to help me lead."

"You may or may not have me by your side; who knows, maybe I will run off and live far away from you?" the girl giggled as the boy poked her ribs. The girl jolted from his finger as she looked at the boy. Her eyes landed on his as she smiled, propping her chin up with her hand, abstinently drawing shapes on the sand with her spare hand. "You know I will be there."

"I know, I know," the boy said as he looked at the burning fire, the sparks that occasionally fell on the sand. "I mean, who would want to leave me? I am the best!"

The girl snorted at his words, "you are so full of yourself."

"Weren't you the one to tell me that I had a massive ego but a heart to match it?" the boy teased as the girl's cheeks flushed. She pushed him away as she groaned.

"Must you hold that against me? I felt sentimental, and now I take back what I said! You're an idiot!"

"Don't forget that idiot is your friend," the boy said, a smirk on his lips.

"Why do I put myself through this torture? I do not know. Maybe I should actually run away; at least I won't have a full-of-himself idiot around me!" she dramatically sighed.

"You are so rude to me!" the boy shouted, although he knew the girl didn't mean what she said. She would never tell that.

"Someone has to humble you," she said, laying back on the sand, brushing grains of sand from her face.

The two were silent as they laid, looking at the waves that hit the rocks by the cliff or the two ilu's swimming around in the depths of the water. The two teenagers would often run off, away from the prying eyes, to get free from their obligations. No lessons, no annoying elders, and no worries. Just the two of them.

"I am worried about what will happen if the Sky People come," the girl mumbled quietly. She believed that the boy beside her hadn't heard her, but to her dismay, he turned his head towards her with furrowed brows.

"Why worry? They will never come. Toruk Makto has defeated them."

"You heard what your father and mine say. The Sky People are still building their forces around the Omatikaya clan. And no matter how often the Toruk Makto sends them off, they will always come back. Stronger and more powerful, their need for revenge growing."

"You worry too much," the boy smiled sadly at her as he reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly before letting go. "If anything, we will both be old and dead before the Sky People are powerful enough to attack again."

The girl hummed under her nose, but the boy could see that she was unconvinced. Her eyes still held worry, even if she didn't try to show it.

"Hey," the boy nudged her with his elbow, her eyes landing on his as he gave her a comforting smile. "It's you and me against the world, Reya. We will get through it. I know we will."

"I know, Ao'nung. Me and you against the world."

Oh, how wrong they were.

love <3

gosia