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"Imala! Come sit with us," Tsireya shouted as she watched Imala settle her azure body into the warm water of the hot springs.
Imala twisted her head as she watched Tsireya wave her over, two unknown girls by her side. "Um, are you sure?" Imala asked, not wanting to impose her personal time with friends. Tsireya laughed before nodding her head enthusiastically, moving slightly to the left to create more room for Imala.
Her hands began to loop small pearls and seashells through bands, Imala recognising she was constructing a top.
"I like that one, it is pretty," Imala announced as she pointed to a yellow and pink shell, flickering her eyes as she admired it. One of Tsireya's friends perked up: "I can make a necklace for you, with it."
Imala smiled before shyly shaking her head, "I don't want to bother you for that."
The girl waved her words off, "Please, it isn't a bother. It's my shell anyways. I can always find more." Imala couldn't help but brighten her smile before agreeing to Junhe, Tsireya introduced, making the necklace.
"Thank you," Imala replied as she kicked her legs in the water, watching it is ripped around them. "So, do you like it here?" Paawnu, the final friend, questioned as she looked directly at Imala, still absentmindedly placing her pearls onto her clothing.
Imala looked around: "It is beautiful but it isn't home." They all understood.
They would miss Awa'atlu if they had to suddenly move as well.
"Is Jake your dad?" Paawnu asked. Her tone indicating that she was abrupt, and sort of rude. Imala widened her eyes at the sudden question before flicking her eyes to Tsireya, "No, he isn't. He just likes me a lot. I hung around with his family from a young age, they raised me."
They all smiled at the sentence, all besides Paawnu. "So you're not related to Neteyam?" She said which caused a glare from Tsireya.
Imala looked around; uncomfortably. "No, he isn't my brother. Why do you ask?" Paawnu's lips fastened into a tight seal as she hummed to herself, many thoughts travelling her brain once finding out they're not related.
"Ignore her. She's just. . . curious. As we all are," Junhe told Imala. She nodded, curiously watching their fingers move at a fast pace. "What did you do in the forest? Was you also a teacher?" Tsireya questioned Imala.
"No, I was a training healer. Mo'at helped me learn the ways of healing, it was somewhat useful but wasn't enough to be seen in the clan," Imala explained as she slouched her body down, resting against the back of the hot spring. Tsireya furrowed her brows: "Why is that?"
Imala sighed: "I wasn't trained enough to heal with full intent."
They all nodded. "Well, if I'm ever injured, I'll come to you," Janhe told Imala which caused her to smile softly at the words.
"I also flew one mission," Imala added on which caused them to gawk at her. War is something they didn't understand. It has never happened amongst the Metkayina people. "It was scary, I'm glad I never have to do it again," Imala chuckled to herself.
Suddenly, the girls jumped when seeing two figures land into the water.
"Ao'nung, you scared me!" Paawnu frowned as she looked down at her top, noticing the pattern had now been ruined. Ao'nung only shrugged before swimming alongside Rotxo and towards the girls.
"What you talking about? Boys. . ." Ao'nung questioned Tsireya, she only squinted her eyes at him before sighing. "No. We was talking about Imala," Tsireya responded which caused Ao'nung to stare directly at Imala.
His head tilted, gulping like he had swallowed a hard pill: "Oh."
"I bet Paawnu loves talking about Neteyam," Ao'nung said as he nudged Paawnu, making Imala furrow her brows.
Why was she so interested in Neteyam?
"Stop!" Paawnu warned Ao'nung.
Imala looked over the edge, directing her eyesight towards the four Sully's at the shore of the water.
Kiri was playing with Tuk, throwing water at her whilst they collected shells pretty shells they had found. Lo'ak and Neteyam were fighting on the sand causing Imala to laugh at them, squinting to get a clearer view.
Neteyam felt as Lo'ak softly punched at his skin, only laughing. "Is that the best you got, baby brother?" Neteyam questioned before placing his palm onto Lo'ak's forehead and pushing his backwards.
Lo'ak rolled his eyes before spinning around, "Don't look now but I think Imala is staring."
Neteyam froze his body as his eyes moved around to find Imala perched on the edge of the hot spring.
His mind went blank as the only thing he thought of was last night.
Neteyam still savoured Imala's warm skin touching his, how their noses pressed gently together as their lips were only inches away.
Only inches.
If only he had closed that gap.
He shook the thoughts off, wondering if Imala even liked him that way. Did she? "You're a skxawng!" Neteyam yelled to Lo'ak, raising his arm to dumbfoundedly wave at Imala. She went soft, slowly raising her hand to wave back.
