Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XXXXVI

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̶̶̶̶  «̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　 Them or Us     »̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶  

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The adult warriors had sat down with the soon to be of age children and enlightened them of the creatures behaviour. 

Akulas are depicted as large, carnivorous creatures with sharp teeth and claws, known for their speed and agility in the air. Hunting an Akula would likely require specialised skills, such as knowledge of the creature's behaviour and habitat, which the girl wasn't as familiar with as the people around her were. 

There was no way to get out of the situation that wouldn't deeply trouble the clan, chief and if not her parents, so she had to go through with it. 

She watched the other boys around her and read their demeanour, slightly glad she wasn't set out to do the task on their own, which would simply be impossible. 

At'anau dreaded the time passing as the moment their needed to get in the water crept closer and prepared her breathing while she listened. 

Too soon, the specialised hunters pointed them to the habitat of the predator they needed to capture and exterminate. 

They assured the kids they'd be on the look out, but no option of help if they would lack on purpose. 

At'anau and the three kids mounted their Tsurak and started their journey to deserve the clan's honour. That's when the girl swallowed her irrational feelings and focused on reality instead of what she wanted. 

The girl looked behind her once as she sat on the skimwing above water, Ateyo had his arm crossed, watching the kids' painted faces before they faded in the distance. 

The girl turned back in front of her and inhaled deeply, filling her lung capacity entirely like the Metkayina kids had taught her, her midriff stretching in her body to create the space and dove down into the deep oceans. 

Holding on to the heavy spear she swam through woven corals and followed the boys who went through they journey more confidently than her. 

The kids searched for the animal, swimming through its territory and almost seeking it out. The reefs were empty, little to no fish swimming around which must mean they were at the designated spot, yet the predator was no where to be caught. 

At'anau kept eyes on her back as well as in front of her as the boys searched holes of caves inside submerged boulders. 

Growing nervous of the distance she was with the other she sped up and stayed with the other children, passing a tunnel and throwing a glance inside of it out of habit, watching a piece of a tails slither inside the shadows. 

Her flight response pushing her away from the sight quickly and caught one of the curly haired boy's attention and she grasped it alertly. 

On the Tsurak she signed for what she had captured and the action caught on of the remaining kids attention as well. 

At'anau made the kids follow her, but stopped right before standing in front of the cave's mouth. The girl didn't know if it was bravery or stupidity the oldest seemed to have too much of, but to the group's delight he was the first to take a look inside. 

The three watched him search the view before he dismounted the Tsurak under water and signed. 'it's asleep.' 

The girl watched the boy enter the dark tunnel slowly, her the one next to look in the cave just on the edge of the opening. The animal had moved, it now facing the exit of the tunnel instead of showing only its tail.