invisible string ↝ ao'nung

VI ; Tied Together With A Smile

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
Hold on, baby; you're losing it
The waters high, you're jumping into it
And letting go, and no one knows
That you cry; but you don't tell anyone
That you might not be the golden one
And you're tied together with a smile
But you're coming undone
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Sylwana was back to her usual, calm, collected self. Though she now felt on edge as she, her siblings, and Tsireya, Ao'nung, and Rotxo all sat on the beach as Lo'ak told them about his adventures the day he met Payakan. Sylwana had settled beside her twin brother, and (to her slight annoyance) Ao'nung had found a spot right next to her, leaning against the rough bark of a baby mangrove tree.

"The ocean blessed you with a gift, brother," Kiri was saying, her eyes bright and wide. "The tulkun have not returned yet," Ao'nung stated, sounding a little annoyed,  "and besides; no tulkun is ever alone." He leaned forward as he spoke, as if to emphasise his point. The action caused his shoulder to brush against hers, and his necklace fell forward, swinging back and forth. Her eyes drifted to his chest, and when she realised what she was doing, she looked the opposite direction, out to the faint outline of atolls in the distance.

"This one was," Lo'ak repeated, looking fed up. "He had a stump- like a missing fin- on the left side." Tsireya's face dawned with a look of horrified realisation. "Payakan," she muttered, turning to Rotxo and Ao'nung, who shared her expression. "It is Payakan."

"Who's Payakan?" Kiri asked. "A young bull who went rogue. He is outcast, alone, and he has a missing fin," Rotxo answered.
"They say he is a killer," Tsireya warned, her eyes swimming with concern as she grasped Lo'ak's arm, who returned the gesture. Sylwana found herself looking at the differences of their skin; the dark, blue stripes of the Omatikaya and the rippled teal of the Metkayina.

"He killed Na'vi," said Ao'nung, a slight tone of urgency in his voice. "And other tulkun. Not here, but far to the south," he added.
"No, he's no killer," Lo'ak lamented.
"Lo'ak," Tsireya said shakily, "you are lucky to be alive."
"I'm telling you guys, he saved my life. He's my friend," Lo'ak stressed.
"My baby bro," Neteyam broke his silence, standing up and taking Lo'ak by the shoulders. "Who faced a killer tulkun, and lived to tell about it."

Lo'ak stood abruptly, looking around the group with an annoyed expression. "You're not listening," he snapped, storming away.
"No Lo'ak I'm listening-"
"Lo'ak, come back!"
"Skxawng."

Sylwana sighed, giving Neteyam a look. He simply quirked his brow in response.

Ao'nung turned to his sister. "You told him about Payakan," he said, annoyance in his voice. Tsireya narrowed her eyes. "I did not. It must have been one of the other islanders." Ao'nung ignored this.
"Rotxo?" The boy shook his head. "Well, whoever did, I'll-"
"Is it so hard to believe that maybe Payakan did actually save him?" Sylwana asked, avoiding looking at Ao'nung and instead directing her question to Tsireya and Rotxo.

Tsireya opened her mouth to answer, but Ao'nung beat her to it.
"This is not an old folks tale, it caused some uproar between the clans a few years ago," Ao'nung insisted. "Payakan killed several tulkun and reef boys from a village to the south. He was found alone, and all he said was that his mother was dead. Nobody knew what village he migrated to, and there was tension until the tulkun decided to banish him. Lo'ak could get into serious trouble with my parents if they found out."

Sylwana sighed, and Neteyam shifted next to her. "Lo'ak has always been too trusting, too curious. We always knew it would cause him some grief."
"Well, if he hadn't been left outside the reef all by himself-"
"I apologised!" Ao'nung grunted, cutting Sylwana off. "And Lo'ak forgave me-"
"In case you have not realised, I have yet to forgive you."
"It wasn't even you left out there, I see no reason you have to hold a grudge-"
"It was my baby brother, who I was told to keep an eye on, and I-"