Two ghosts - Lo'ak

Chapter 7

Pandora Reef
Metkayina clan

It had been days since they had arrived at the Metkayina; Li'teya hadn't spoken to Lo'ak since their argument.

"I'll do what you wish, father", Li'teya spoke as she stood in her hut.

"I knew you'd come around. You must continue with your warrior training. No distractions." Freddie commanded.

"Yes, sir".

Every spare moment Li'teya could find, she spent training. Hand-to-hand combat, archery and dagger control. Her father wouldn't let her stop until he was satisfied. Tsu'tey would watch as she dragged herself into bed every night, hours after eclipse. Her body was littered with scratches and bruises. Bags gathered under her once bright blue eyes. He had never seen her like this, and it was killing him.

Lo'ak sat with Tuk as she forced him to play when Tsu'tey marched over, grabbing Lo'ak's ear.

"Ow ow ow", he groaned.

"I'll bring him right back, Tukey" Tsu'tey smiled, but as soon he turned around, his smile dropped, dragging Lo'ak across the beach.

"Bro, what the hell is your problem!" Lo'ak shouted, rubbing his ear.

"You need to make up with my sister now," Tsu'tey demanded

"What?"

"Are you dense?" he questioned. Lo'ak stared in shock at Tsu'tey, his kind demeanour immediately disappearing.

"You know what our fathers said. I'm in too much trouble already." Lo'ak argued.

"You haven't seen Teya since that night, have you?"

"No, I haven't. I never see her come out of the hut."

"Follow me," Tsu'tey said, walking around a secluded beach area.

"Bro, where are you going?"

"Shhhh", Tsu'tey whispered, pulling Lo'ak behind one of the trees.

"What are you.." Lo'ak stopped talking when he saw her. Her hair, generally in two braids, was pulled into a loose ponytail, and her arms and stomach were covered in cuts and blood.

"Again?" Freddie shouted.

Li'teya spat out the blood from her mouth and charged at her father. Freddie swung his knife at her as she dove by his feet, slicing his shin. She stood behind him, sweeping his feet, causing Freddie to crash onto his back as Li'teya towered over him placing her knife to his neck.

Lo'ak stared at the hollow shell of Li'teya. "What happened?" Lo'ak whispered.

"My father has not let her stop training since that night. She comes home every night hours after eclipse and is awake before the morning." Tsu'tey explained, a saddened look on his face.

Lo'ak looked back at Teya; she placed her knife back into its holster as her father began listing every mistake she made.

"Please bring my sister back", Tsu'tey whispered.

"You're her brother. Why can't you?"

"Wow, you are just as blind as she is", Tsu'tey chuckled quietly as he walked back to the village.

Lo'ak threw his hand up into the air before taking one last look at Li'teya.

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Tsireya knocked on the wall of the Evans's hut, ready to start their training. She led the Evans siblings and the Sully children to the edge of the docks where Ao'nung and Roxto waited.