End?

Time

Its been a few years since Neteyams death, two possibly almost three years, Aonung did his dutys as the heir, he had done his coming of age ceremony without taking a mate he knew he could never put someone else in the place that belonged to his past lover, he didnt want to, Aonung became more quiet and distant he helped around when he was needed but would leave and go off on his own somewhere, he stayed around Tsireya and Rotxo most now, he had tried to avoid most of the sullys he felt like he couldn't bear to see them.

Aonung looked at the sky as he walked out of his pod, it was a pod he had decided to build by himself when Neteyam was still alive they would hide out in the unfinsihed pod sometimes, it was starting to get dark and he could see the stars in the sky he felt his eyes sting as he was reminded of his lover, he looked away and went to find his mother, she had given birth to his youngest sibling two years ago but the baby seemed ill from birth though still healthy for a baby, just a but smaller then he should have been, Maybe because of how much Ronal had been worrying for her son and her people.

"Mama?" He said in a quiet tone softly knocking on the wooden side of the pod "Son, come in" A quiet voice said, He nodded and slowly walked inside to see his mother holding the small child in her arms while sitting on the floor in a corner slowly rocking.

"Tsireya said you wanted to see me earlier i apologize im a bit late" he responded quietly as he slowly sat next to her careful of the sleeping baby, she shook her head "Is fine, But yes I wanted to ask, do plan on taking a mate? You know your father wishes you do?" She asked with a slight sad tone knowing his answer already.

Aonung looked away "I do not want a mate" was all he was able to say, every single time they had said it, she looked at his face and thought for a second "..Son, do you have a mate already?" She asked with slight venom, "No" he responded quickly "I just..I had someone I wanted to be my mate but..I can not have them" he said locking eyes with his mother as she stared for a bit "What do you mean can not have?" She asked he decided he might as well tell her, his mother he knew she was more open to things as this.

He sighed "He, mama" he responded with a slight voice crack, "I was in love with another male, He is not in my grasp and if he managed to come back I dont know if he would still be in my grasp, I took what I had for granted and I lost it all" Aonung said quietly looking down he couldnt hear anything.

He felt a hand in his face lifting his face up to meet his mothers light blue green eyes they were soft it was different from her usual expression as she realized what he was saying "..my son, I apologize I did not notice sooner" she said pulling him to her shoulder he shook his head "No mama, I should have told you sooner.." He felt her hand on his head loosen and he sat up lifting his arms "I will care for him you rest" He said looking to his younger brother.

She hesitated but gave the sleeping child to him, he held the baby close while helping his mother lay in her hammock, he touched her face and kissed her head like she had done for him when he was younger "Sleep well Mama" he said as he turned and sat a bit away from her not leaving the pod but wanting to see the sky.

"I miss you" he mumbled leaning back and looking at the baby in his arms still asleep he didnt know things would end this way he wished they didnt end he wished he would come back he wished there was a way he could come back, The thought of asking Ewya for him back came to mind, it wouldnt hurt to ask even if he knew the great mother most likely wouldn't.

"Never hurts to try right?.." he thought out loud "what are you talking about??" He heard a quiet voice say, he looked "Reya" he smiled "Nothing to worry about just thinking" he said realizing he didn't answer her, she nodded and sat across from him looking into the pod at their sleeping mother then back to him, Lo'ak and Tsireya had become a mated pair after asking permission from Tonowari and Ronal 4 months ago, Aonung remembered how he and Neteyam had made the promise that when they were older they would ask permission and they would finally be one soul, together.

The sky was dark now stars shining brightly but Aonungs eyes stayed on the moon, the brightest of all, he felt his eyes sting again as he remembered Neteyams smile he looked at his sister "I miss him" he whispered afraid his voice would break she nodded with sad eyes "Go see him" she said "I cant keep going like this I see how it breaks you, your eyes are so dull you look so tired" she sighed "Dont avoid it go" she held her hands out to take the baby from him.

"I dont want to" he responded quickly she opened her mouth to say something "I might not leave, I might go too much if i go" he continued his voice a whisper, Tsireya's expression softened she took the baby "Then I shall cover for you brother" she smiled sadly

He looked at her and hugged her he kissed her forehead "Thank you, little sister" he said smiling at her, he got up and started walking to the spirit tree to see his lover again.