Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XXV

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̶̶̶̶  «̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　 Honest Thief    »̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶  

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Meeting the boy at the armoury who was packing two bags, she watched him grab two of each object and store it in the satchels. "Your dad told me to collect the needed."

The boy turned around, eyeing her before closing one of the bags up and tossing it to the girl who caught it with a hand, the other one around the necklace her sister gifted her she couldn't seem to stop fidgeting with.

She mumbled a thanks before following him out of the tent, looking in the pouch and eyeing the knife and other shaped cutting gears she hadn't seen before.

Ao'nung called for his ilu and At'anau wanted to as well but was met with the creature already under her feet. Ao'nung passed the girl a saddle for the animal and geared it up for travel, before following the boy on his tail.

The kids meeting other group members on their way located themselves in the rocky reef, abandoning their ilu and diving down. At'anau followed the boy down between the dark submerged boulders until an eerie feeling crawled up her arms. The boy looked up as the girl couldn't keep up with his pace and watched her eye the surface before the limitless surroundings. If he could've he would've let out a sigh, but instead swam up, reached for her arm and motioned her to stop staggering behind.

The girl could make up what he meant through the context and the frustrated look in his eyes thus ignored the darkness setting between them as they went deeper.

Soon they turned a corner behind thick coral and boulders and were met with a big force of current. The girl held on to the rock, surprised by the waves underwater, but grateful for the bio-luminescent lights the creatures granted them.

At'anau tried focusing on the tail she had to follow instead of the closed environment around her, but was soon met with many other clan members picking on the rocks already.

At'anau questioned the suspicious back piece they carried. An anemone on their skin like wings which glowed a red-ish pink and were guided to the bearers wanting.

At'anau turned to the boy who had one on his back in a second and turned to her with one in his hands.

With a frown the girl looked at the translucent creature and searched for teeth.

'your queue,' the boy signed to her when she didn't move and watched her snap out of it holding the end of her braid between her fingers before connecting it with the animal.

The boy watched the girl's yellow eyes widen as her pupils reformed. He motioned with his head for her to turn around and she did, letting him put the gill mantle on her back, his fingers grazing her skin just with the nib.

The creatures embraced her and the pressure of the deep waters and carbon oxide in the girl lungs vanished like a fresh breath of air.

The boy motioned for the girl to follow him once again and led her to an exposed rock that fanned out like fins of rays. On top of the surface sat round green glowing shells almost glued on the boulders.

Stopping the girl from exploring instead of working he pulled her back once she started wandering off. Ao'nung pulled the knife out of the satchel he packed them both and showed it to the girl so she would copy him.