Kireyi
(play "seigfried/selfcontrol/whiteferrari" the cover by woom)
Just as Neteyam promised, he stayed near her the whole time, though it hadn't been hard. The family ate and stayed together, not really moving away from one another. Kiri and Lo'ak stayed close to their mother, Tuk moving between everyone, sitting in their laps or consoling her brother and sister. Their breakfast was short, and Kireyi was taken by Tsahik to prepare for the ceremony.
"The others will be here soon to wash his body of the blood, for now we will prepare herbs to burn, including teas to steep and food to offer," Tsahik led the girl into the tent, instructing her to grab specific containers of herbs, "You have done this before haven't you?"
Kireyi's eyes shot up in surprise, "Yes.... I have," The girl then looked to Neteyam before continuing, "How did you know?"
"Oh young girl, I can just tell," Tsahik approached Kireyi, gently applying new ointment to her shoulder and neck, "For who?"
Kireyi gulped, keeping her eyes down, "My spirit sister...." She could feel her emotions rise, she missed the ocean profusely. Missed the feeling of Eleu's presence in the water around her- missed the water itself.
"Hm, and what happened?"
"Grandmothe-" Neteyam cut in, but Tsahik held up her hand, silently telling the boy to trust her. Kireyi, her eyes stuck to the ground had not noticed.
"The Sky-People took her life, took her from me," Tears began to welt, threatening to fall.
"Oh young one," Tsahik took the girl into her arms, "Tell me, how is she? And how are you?"
"She- she is peaceful once more. No, she had never stopped being peaceful, she always was." Kireyi's voice was confident despite her slight stammer. She was sure of her answer, that Eleu was at peace.
"And you?"
"And me...." Her voice trailed off, obviously searching for an answer, "Well I do not know."
Tsahik tore away from the hug, hands lingering on the girl's arms, "Yes you do, you just haven't taken the time to see. Now, before you leave back to your tribe you must tell me, speak with me about how you are. That is the one test I have for you my child."
"Only one?"
"Yes only one, as of now I am only teaching you about other's. But the real test," Tsahik began to whisper, "Is if you understand yourself."
Kireyi looked her in the eyes, feeling a sense of clarity, "Alright.... I will do that."
"I have great faith in you, your energy is strong," The woman let go of Kireyi's arms, softly clapping her hands, "Let's finish preparing for when they arrive. Other Omatikaya have already began with the feast, we however are in charge of the serious details."
"Will Kiri help us?"
"That is up to how she is feeling, this was a hard death," Kireyi could understand where Tsahik came from, but she believed Kiri would help. The girl was resilient and she always wanted to help, Kireyi had admired that about Kiri.
"Alright then," She finally glanced to Neteyam, his expression lax. Her gaze didn't last long as she turned away, she had felt shy for a reason, one the girl couldn't pin-point.
It only took a few minutes for the two to collect everything, and the Sullys had arrived ready to wash the human boy. Kireyi moved to step out, but Neteyam quickly took her arm in defiance, the look on his face didn't show that he was going to be horrible without the girl, but more so that she didn't need to leave. She softly nodded in reassurance leaning down, "I will just be right outside."
"Just outside?" His voice was lighter than she expected it to come out.
"Yes, just around the corner Ma Teyam."
His thumb circled along her arm before he nodded, "Okay," And he hadn't looked disappointed, gently smiling before turning to his family again.
Kireyi stepped out of the hut giving the family their time, and she patiently waited for the ceremony with her siblings.
ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.
Many gathered around the Tree of Souls, waiting upon the Tsahik's arrival with the family. It was just before dinner now, Spider's preparation taking almost all day. Kireyi was let off early, told to bring her siblings up front in the crowd, as it would be good exposure to the Omatikaya's traditions, and Spider was a friend of theirs too. The Omatikaya began to spread out and away making room for their Olo'eyktan. He led Tsahik and her family towards the divot in the ground made for the human boy.
It had been arranged so carefully with specific herbs and plants, and though Kireyi knew the Olo'eyktan was speaking- she couldn't hear him. Everything seemed to sound like mumbles, her own heartbeat and thoughts drowning the speaking out. Despite the talk with her brother and Neteyam, a sense of guilt continued to eat at her, the boy's burial making everything rise again. Kireyi began to feel shaky, moving closer to Aonung for support, her thoughts eating away at her. She wanted it to be over, she wanted out- selfish. Everything running through her mind suddenly seemed to stop at that word, she wanted out? She wanted it to be over? Sure....perhaps it was a loss for her and her siblings too, but it must've- no it definitely felt worse for the Sullys. She was being selfish. And the word was slow- drawn out as she repeated it in her head.
The emotion filled eyes that looked at Spider as he laud in the divot became numb, and nothing went through her head now. No echo of the Olo'eyktan's voice, no whispers of herself in her mind, only the birds and chirping of bugs.
"Kireyi...." Her ear twitched at the voice, turning to look at her brother leaning down, "Are you alright? I called you a few times."
Everything rushed back into her, the quick passing of numbness leaving, "Yes.... I'm fine sorry."
"It is our turn, to offer our gifts," Tsireya's hand cusped her sister's shoulder, also recognizing how much Kireyi needed her and Aonung in the moment.
The younger girl led her sister forward, Aonung and Rotxo right behind them. The three offered small bracelets or weapons they made with the boy, leaving Kireyi last. She held out her hand, revealing the gift, it was minuscule, perhaps no one would understand the meaning except her and her siblings, but it meant the most to her. Tiny shells, ranging in many colors of blues and yellows, all the way to blacks and whites. Each shell a different color, each color a different meaning. Love, hate, trust, balance, and so on. And she scattered them around the divot in which the boy laid, a Metkayina way to wish peace amongst the passing.
Unlike Eleu, who Kireyi knew was at peace, she couldn't tell with Spider, or herself for that matter. All she knew is she wished peace for him and herself, for both to be able to live in that balance just as her Spirit Sister Eleu did. She had been grateful she brought so many shells with her, as she was able to give this gift to the human boy. Stepping back and away she took a deep breath, the crisp air filling her lungs, and for some reason dropping those shells felt like the closure she was looking for- the closure she needed.
YOU ARE READING
strong - neteyam x oc
Fanfiction"Don't look away from me," He moved closer. And she couldn't. Kireyi herself was like the water, if he pushed she would pull, he learned that if he wanted to be closer to her he needed to see how she reacted to his own "movements" just as if he was...
