Neteyam

Horizon

The ocean seemed to mirror their unease. Its waves reaching for them even as they were closer to the skies than the sea. Viryn pulled her long hair from over her shoulder to the front so Kiri wouldn't have to go fly with a face full of hair in her face. Kri knew where he was going. She could feel it in his laser focus in one direction. But Merq'ena sat stiff,y in her saddle. Spider almost was sat in the same position to try and reduce contact as much as he could. You could fit Tuk in between them.

"There." Viryn pointed at the ocean. A yellow blob was floating in the distance. "I don't think they're is going to be there." Kiri said once they moved closer. The teens noticed how small the boat was and the lack of blue on those who were in the said boat. "Fall back." Merq'ena spoke over her shoulder as she pulled Ni'ri back away from the boat and towards a sea stack. Viryn hovered still just a bit off from casting a large shadow on the dingy yellow boat. Her eyes trying to pick up something that wasn't there.

Kiri, who had her arms around Viryn, gently pulled Kri's rider back. "I know." Viryn sighed in response to the phrase that Kiri hadn't even opened her mouth to say. They were not there, and no matter how long she stared down at that dingy boat they were never going to appear out of thin air. "We'll figure something out." Kiri whispered to Viryn while placing a hand against Viryn's back. The older girl nodded once even if she didn't believe Kiri. Kri cooed lightly as Viryn turned him away from the ocean. Merq'ena was already dismounted from Ni'ri and gestured where Viryn should land.

"We're not going back." Viryn said as soon as Kri's appendages settled on the sea stack. "No we're not." Merq'ena grinned up at her and held out a hand to help Viryn dismount. When Viryn held onto Merq'ena she did not shy away from placing all her weight because she knew that her sister could and would be able to take it. "I have an idea." Viryn turned to Kiri and Spider. "It's risky." She warned by looking at each of her peers. Viryn first looked to Merq'ena, she could feel her sister's grip onto her forearm. Helping her stand in silence. Then she looked at Kiri. "But I need you to trust me." Her eyes still unsure on the well being of Viryn.

The older girl looked much more haggard than Kiri would like. The strange event on the ride had made her more nervous. More unsure in Viryn. But Viryn looked at Kiri firmly. There was a desperation there in Viryn's wide eyes. She needed to find them. Kiri glanced at Viryn's leg, the bandage firmly wrapped around her thigh. She had seen the wound when Ronal came and applied a fresh bandage. The blue skin was split apart and the deep red inside barely concealed the glint of metal within. She could see Viryn's flesh and bone. Under that bandage it was still there, maybe even worse. Her eyes went back up to Viryn. It felt like yesterday that Viryn was just a body. A shell left behind. She died. Viryn really died.

Neteyam or Lo'ak never told her what really happened. They couldn't even meet her eyes when she saw Viryn's body. The bullet holes obviously showed there was conflict and Viryn came with blood on her knife and an empty quiver. When Tsireya said that there was a chance to undo the wrong, Kiri remembered their expression so vividly. As if they were making them in front of her at that moment.

Kiri nodded and held out her hand to Viryn. "I trust you." Viryn smiled at Kiri. Then the three looked at Spider. The boy felt as out of place as he looked. They looked to him in silence. "Whatever I'm going to say isn't going to change anything." He joked with a lopsided smile. "Spider." Kiri lowered her ears as she looked at him. It hurt him more to see her react like that than to not even acknowledge him. The human boy lifted his hands already ready to wave away Kiri's attempt to console his joke. "I didn't mean it as that-." "It would." Kiri and Spider looked up at Viryn.

"It would change something." Viryn repeated her words. Spider looked at Viryn with wide eyes. "If we're going to do this." Viryn filled the silence and hopped towards him. Which of course made Merq'ena move with her. "We need to be on the same page." Spider anxiously watched her every move as well as Merq'ena's expression. "Are you with us?" Viryn held out the hand that Kiri and held onto for him to take. The human boy looked at her hand. Even though she was not fully grown her hands were massive. As big as his face. With three fingers and a thumb. The palm of the limb was purple and he could see the wrinkles on it as well as the calluses.