oel ngati kameie - avatar twow

chapter 2

"Mi'reya!" her father shouted as the girl jolted from her sleep.

Mi'reya and her father had a weird relationship. It wasn't necessarily of hate, but most definitely not of love. Deep down, Mi'reya knew her father wanted what was best for her, but he was never suited to take care of a child. He always loved to hunt and fight in battles, not be forced to stay home to take care of his daughter.

It was never meant to be like that. Mi'reya's mother was supposed to survive the pregnancy and take care of her daughter as she grew up to be a beautiful mature woman, while her father would return from his battles, telling his baby girl stories of his bravery and bringing her small gifts.

It never seems to go according to plan. To many, it was a miracle Mi'reya had survived the birth, her mother's pregnancy going in the wrong direction as she lost too much blood, and her child was at risk of death. Mi'reya's mother begged Ronal to save her child, and all the Tsahik could do was pray. The woman prayed to Eywa that the baby would grow one day into a strong fighter and that the child would be born healthy and happy.

Eywa had heard her prayers, Mi'reya being born as a healthy child, despite the circumstances and her mother passing away from the lack of blood.

Tonowari always told her that her father was never the same after her mother's death.

"Mi'reya," her father said again as he pulled the sheet covering the girl. She groaned and peeled open her eyes, the sun blinding her for a few moments.

"Yes, father?"

"Tsireya is awaiting you, along with Ao'nung and Rotxo. She is requesting your presence for training," he said as he walked out of the muri, calling his skimwing. "Do not make them wait for you." With that, he flew away.

Mi'reya grumbled as she stood up, brushing the tangles in her hair with a comb as she walked towards the entrance of her muri to be met with the chief's children and their friend.

"Finally," Ao'nung scoffed. "Could you be any slower?"

Mi'reya rolled her eyes as she put away her comb before walking past the boy. "Had I known you were waiting, I would have made sure to take my sweet time." Mi'reya then turned to her two friends and smiled. "Hello, Tsireya, Rotxo."

"Must you two always jump at your throats; the day had only begun," Rotxo groaned, clawing his face in frustration.

"If she left me alone, I would be more than happy," Ao'ning smirked, bumping the girl's shoulder as he jumped into the water.

"You are one to talk to. I pray to Eywa every day that I can finally be free from you," Mi'reya hissed as she called for her ilu, following Ao'nung into the water, making sure to splash as much water in his face. "Where are we going anyways?"

Tsireya, who was always tense when Ao'nung and Mi'reya bickered, spoke up in a cheery voice. "We are go to train Toruk Makto's children; I was thinking we should just take them for a swim today."

Tsireya always felt terrible, never knowing whose side to choose - her brothers, her blood, or her best friend, the girl that always protected her when children would tease the young girl for being naive.

Nobody actually knew what happened between Ao'nung and Mi'reya; the two were always inseparable, making mischief around the village and running off when the moon rose. At first, Mi'reya's father and Ao'nung's father tried to put an end to their constant scheming but soon realized how their children rebelled against it, running away for days and missing their lessons.

One day when Ao'nung and Mi'reya ran off to collect shells for their strongcords, only to Mi'reya's father's surprise, the girl returned to her Miru alone, with red and puffy eyes, her typical cheery nature long gone. The girl hid for days in the walls of her home, not showing her face to anyone; not even Tisreya could coax the girl to leave her home. The girl barely ate, her body thinning. Those who peeked into her Miru described her to look like a dead person alive. After two long weeks, Mi'reya walked out of her miru as if nothing had changed; she taught the children how to dive and train ilus, hunt fish, and collect shells. The only difference was that Ao'nung was never seen by her side again.