Moving Against Water

06

Walking through their forest was a lot easier than her own home. She sighed as she got the top of the tree, being grateful for some sort of similarity.

She looked and saw the water going farther than she could see, but when she got down to the beach, she saw Lo'ak and Ao'nung.

She quickly jumped down, running her way to them.

'Oh look sister to the rescue,' one of Ao'nung's friends said, making him turn to look at her.

'Sola'-

'Get away from my family,' she said as she stood in front of him, her glare hard as he looked down at her, 'Take your friends and go.'

Ao'nung smirked down at her, but quickly was pushed back by Neteyam.

'Back off,' Neteyam said as he stared at him, his finger pointing in his chest.

Ao'nung didn't answer, just turned to look at Sola again. He raised his hands as he stepped back.

'You will respect my sisters,' Neteyam growled as he stood eye level with him.

Sola turned to stand with Kiri.

'Are you okay?' Sola whispered, Kiri nodding as they both turned to walk.

'The whole family is a bunch of freaks,' she heard one of the friends say over a laugh.

Sola instantly stopped walking, turned her head as she glared at the group.

Lo'ak turned to walk back, now standing in front of Ao'nung.

'I get it extra finger, it's weird,' he said holding up his hand, 'But I can do something cool with it.'

He moved his fingers around in front of Ao'nung's face. As fast as he could he swung his fist up, sending Ao'nung stumbling back.

'It's called a punch bitch, don't ever disrespect my family again,' Lo'ak said a smirk on his face, but he was quickly tackled to the ground.

Neteyam turned to look at her, hesitation on his face.  She smirked at him, quickly turning back.

She pulled someone off Lo'ak and hit him in the jaw, him falling back. She jumped on top of him as she kept hitting him. He quickly swung his elbow up, clipping her in the lip. She instantly tasted the blood in her mouth as she continued hitting him.

Her head jerked back as she was pulled by her queue, being pulled off. Her head tilted back as she felt the blood dripping down her chin.

Ao'nung's hand still held her head back, but his other came to hold her jaw.

'You're pretty when you fight,' he said as his face was bleeding too.

He smirked down at her, but instantly fell to the side as Lo'ak tackled him off of her.

'Enough!' she heard from the very familiar voice, her ears instantly shooting down.

She turned and saw her father and Tonowari walking towards them.

'Let's go,' her father said as his anger was radiating off of him.

She stood, the blood still on her face as she looked at the group.

One of the boys looked at her up and down, a laugh leaving his lips.

She instantly jumped forward, an echoing hiss leaving her lips as her jaw snapped.

Jake reached out quickly grabbing the top of her arm.

'Let's go,' he said as he dragged her with him.

She looked and saw Ao'nung with his father. His eyes hard as he was spoken to. He looked over his shoulder and caught the eyes of her.

She glared as she turned around, allowing herself to get dragged back to their pod.

——

'What were you three thinking?' Jake said as he stood in front of his kids, 'I told you one thing, stay out of trouble!'

Sola kept her eyes down as no one spoke.

'You will all apologize to them,' Jake said and her head instantly shot up.

'No,' she said shaking her head, 'Lo'ak was just defending Kiri.'

'He's the chief's son,' Jake said as he looked down at her, 'You will find a way to make peace.'

'Yeah and he's your son,' she said as she didn't break her gaze at her father. She turned and walked out of the pod.

She walked down to the beach, far away from the huts. She stood in the water as she washed the blood from her lip and chin. Wincing slightly as the salt mixed with the cut.

She sat in the water, it instantly cooling her sore skin. The waves hitting her knees as she rested her arms on them.

'Leave me the fuck alone,' she hissed as she didn't need to look up to see who it was.

'I've come to apologize,' Ao'nung said as he stood next to her sitting form.

'I don't want your apology,' she said as she stood in front of him, 'I want you to learn how to leave me the hell alone.'

'Do you know how much trouble I'm in?' she asked as she pushed his chest, not finding the energy to stop as she continued, 'Because of you! You and you're stupid, stupid friends!'

'Me?' he asked as he grabbed her wrists to stop her, 'You're brother hit me!'

'Because you didn't stop them!' she yelled up at him, 'You just let them treat us that way!'

'I know,' he said as he lowered his voice, 'And I'm sorry.'

'I don't care,' she said as she pulled her arms out of his hold. She turned and sat back in the water, splashing it on her face and slicking her hair back.

He sat next to her, the cool water feeling relaxing to his skin as well.

'I'm not apologizing back,' she said as she turned to look at him.

'I wouldn't expect you to,' he said as he looked down at her.

She turned back and rested her head on her knees, frustration and tiredness flowing through her. Her breath hitched as she felt a hand on her back.

She turned to look at him, a confused look on her face as she tried to shake off his touch. She glared as she turned look forward again, putting more space between them.

He instead moved close to her, his tail laying on top of hers as his elbows rested on his knees. His tail moving to wrap with hers.

She let out a deep breath as she didn't look at him, the cold water splashing the both of them as the sun began to lower.