Burn for Me

Chapter 39: Last Happiness

3rd pov:

The rain pounded down onto Tsamera's back and face, her eye guard no longer being able to stop the rain from burning her eyes amidst the heavy storm.

Her Ikran shrieked in disdain, despite it's size and being one of the more powerful Ikran in the group, she still struggled to fight through the torrential winds.

"NETEYAM, LET'S SETTLE DOWN FOR THE NIGHT, THE STORM IS TOO HEAVY, WE CANNOT SEE ANYTHING ANYWAYS." She shouted to her mate over the deafening thunder claps.

Neteyam pursed his lips, initially reluctant to turn in a few hours earlier than normal but he eventually nodded his head in agreement, there was no point flying blind.

He let out a loud yip to the rest of the hunters, pointing his bow in the direction of some caves at the side of a mountain covered in foliage and turned his Ikran to lead the group to shelter.

The riders hopped off and rushed inside of the caves, immediately beginning to set up camp, the Ikran stayed in another cave.

"Come on, let's set up and dry off." Tsamera nodded to her siblings.

"Holy fuck I think there's more water falling out the sky than there is in the reef." Aonung shook the rain from his hair and wiped his face.

"Monsoon season must be upon us, we're going to start having to turn in earlier now, which means we need to pick up the pace, another hour we're in here is another hour Quaritch is getting further away from us." Neteyam sighed.

"Neteyam, he is in the same conditions as us, he will also be taking shelter earlier as well, relax." Tsamera lay a hand on his shoulder, trying to provide him some comfort from all the stress he's been under leading the hunt.

The warrior sighed, running a hand through his braids, "I know I know it's just..."

"Just what?" Tsamera turned to stand in front of him, hands cupping his face so he made eye contact with her.

"It's just...it's been a month Tsamera, and it seems we're still a step behind him, wherever he goes we just miss him, I'm frustrated, and with the weather conditions getting worse and decent food becoming more scarce in these parts of the forest, it's got everyone's morale down. I feel like I'm playing a losing game, I don't know, maybe it was stupid of us to think we could track down a bunch of humans with a shit ton of robots and high tech. Even my dad struggled to get him-"

"Neteyam, stop comparing yourself to your father, you are not him. You are you, and in my opinion you are better."

Neteyam scoffed at this jokingly, finding it funny and completely absurd that his wife held such an opinion, "I get you're trying to make me feel better but that's a bit far."

"I'm being serious 'teyam, you are a blend of both of your parents which makes you the perfect leader, like your father and the perfect warrior, like your mother. Annddd, don't you have a title of your own, Rider of Ancient Fear ring a bell?"

"Kempxo Makto is for the reef, we are in the forest."

"But that does not change the fact you are worthy of such a title." She reached up to fix his eye guard which had begun to slip back over his eyes again, "My mighty warrior." Her fingers fiddled with the straps on both of his hears, eventually pulling the guard up to rest on the top of his head again, Tsamera gave him a smile once she met his eyes properly.

And of course, like always, it melted him. Her words always made sense to Neteyam, he knew she was honest, if Tsamera didn't mean it, she wouldn't say it (unless it came to her emotions, that was more messy from Neteyam's own personal experience).