not so fond

9

After you, your brothers and your father had all made it back safely to your family hut, greeted by your mother, you all finally fell asleep. You closed your blue eyelids feeling happy and sleepy, not sure if it could get any better than this. Although it only felt like a second, you however felt well rested as the sultry sun washed the green floors and tree roots of Pandora, as well as shining deep into the rivers and ponds. You awoke to the sound of a few older boys going past your hut, most likely to go early hunting to bring back food for the celebration the following night. Their chants and hoots of encouragement to one another stirred you out of your sleep, causing you to roll over in your hammock and pull its sides down onto you in attempts to fall back asleep.

Once you realised you were no longer going to fall back asleep you sat up in your hammock stretching your long limbs out into the air feeling a comforting shiver swim down your spine making your tail sway in happiness.

Slowly you removed your legs off of the hammock followed by the rest of your body, not wanting to wake the rest of your family. That was until you stepped on something, something warm and round-like with a fury end, kind of like your own tail. It was a tail but not your own.

"OWWWWW OW OW OW OW OW OW" Lorno Cried out from his sleep immediately grabbing his tail from off the floor where he decided would be a good place to sleep instead of his shared hammock with Sezan.

"Lorno! I am so sorry!" You apologised to your younger brother leaning towards him, hearing your parents awaken behind you. "Why are you on the floor Lo'?" You asked face grimacing, knowing the pain he was in.

"Y/N what is it?" Your father asked groggily, having faith his now oldest would fill him in.
"I accidentally stepped sìn Lornos kxetse Sempu." (on Lornos tail dad).
As you spoke Lorno's cries became whinier and louder making Sezan who tried to ignore the noise finally wake up also.

Your mother had already gotten out of her and her mates hammock using the cold water she had previously collected from the river, using a piece of cloth, wetting it and rubbing it on the boys tail.
Whilst still crying the boy yelped each time his mother would try to grab hold of his tail.

"KEHE SA'NU FWA TÌSRAW, RUTXE!" (no mom that hurts, please!) The little boy called out trying to snatch his tail back. Your father and brother began to laugh and you soon joined realising how dramatic he was being. It was equivalent to someone stepping on your finger the pain would be gone in a minute. "Kem si ke hangham ro oeyä 'itan." (do not laugh at my son.) Your mother warned making all 3 of your immediately stop the laughter before she chuckled herself at her dominance within her household.

After a million apologies given to Lorno by everyone, them for laughing and you for stepping on his tail in the first place, your family sat surrounding the woven mat Tl'ezan made before he started training to become a warrior. You all gathered round like you always did getting ready to have breakfast. "Tonight is the festival Sa'nu!" Lorno said aloud feeling better. Your ears perked at this. "Yes it is Lo', would you like me to pick your best loincloth out for tuk!" Your mother teased, being aware of his crush on her. "No Mom, i can pick it myself." He tried to defend but turning shy. After your mother, Sez and you had finished cutting the last pieces of Yovo you had left, you saw her placing them in a bowl with a cloth on top, "Sa'nu is that for the festival?" you asked, as fermented Yovo was usually a desert
eaten at celebrations or if you just wanted something sweet. "Yes Y/NN, you'll bring it for me."
She said smiling as you nodded at her. You then noticed your mother and father giving each other pushy looks. Your mothers eyes told your dad to 'just do it' whilst your fathers silently responded telling her to do it. You ignored it and sat down soon joined by your mother the last person to join.

The floor was silent for a moment before you all heard a small giggle erupt from Sezans chest before he began to mimic his twin brother crying about his tail under his breath. This caused you to snicker having Yovo shoot out of your nose making Sezans giggles build up into full on laughter as Lorno tried to be angry with his brother but couldn't help laughing at his older sister. A smile emerged on your mothers face as she put her hand over her mouth leaning away from you. "ew fìtxan txavä'" (ew so disgusting) She laughed moving forward again to give you a cloth to wipe it off your face and rub your arm.