The Light that Led Me To Him

5

-Kausiwa-

It was fun hanging out with Tsireya. She showed me around the village, taught me how to breathe correctly, and taught me hand signs. I can't wait to surprise Tonowari with this. I hope this will make him happy. It was eclipse by now, but they weren't back yet. I was worried, and Tsireya was trying to keep me calm. Tonowari is my soulmate and the first person I saw when I woke up. He makes me feel safe, but it's so late and something could have happened to him. "What if something happened to them on the way back?" Tsireya shook her head at my statement and gave me a gentle smile. "Father and Ao'nung will be okay. My father is the best warrior in the village and Olo'eyktan. Even if they run into sky people or akulas, he will make sure they come back alive." What are sky people? "Tsireya, what are sky people?" "They are small people that came from the sky. They destroyed a part of the forest and have killed animals. They are heartless beings that will destroy everything to get what they want."

My eyes widened when I heard her describe them. How could people be so heartless and selfish? If I every go against a sky person I will make sure they die. Tsireya noticed my anger and grabbed my hand. "My father should be coming home soon. Why don't I teach you how to make some food?" I smiled at her. "That would be nice." Tsireya led me to where they had their kitchen was set up. She taught me to make the foods that her mother and Tonowari taught her. I enjoyed making food with her. We almost finished the food until I started to have a flashback.

My energetic 15 year old nephew, Rìvu, came running to me. "Aunt Siwa! Aunt Siwa! Let's make something for dinner together!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me from my sitting position to the kitchen. "Where is your father and mother, Rìvu?" Rìvu stopped in front of the kitchen and looked at me with a pout. "They are busy arguing again. I want to make something that will distract them enough to get them to stop fight for a bit." I looked at him with a tilted head. "Why don't you just cook by yourself? You already are considered an adult of the clan because you passed the rite of passage of our people." He gave me a straight faced look before speaking. "Aunt Siwa, you already know that I am as bad a cook as my parents and will likely burn it. The burned food with likely start another fight among them where they will blamed each other for my cooking." I gave him the same straight faced look. "Just use yovo juice like I taught you."

I snapped out of my flashback and felt Tsireya shaking me. She gave me a worried look. "Kausiwa! Kausiwa!" I shook my head to get fully conscious. "Sorry, I was having a flashback." I grabbed Tsireya's hand and rubbed it to calm her down which she did after a bit. "Was it a painful memory like the one of your ex mate and child?" I was saddened thinking about it, but I quickly calmed myself. "No, it was about me and my nephew cooking together. It was a nice memory." Tsireya gave me a bright smile until a smell of burning food filled the air. She ran over to the burning food, but I looked for a yovo fruit. I quickly grabbed it and took it to the burning food. I squeezed it over the stew we were making. When I finished getting the juice out of it, I looked at Tsireya. "Stir it quickly or it won't be able to be saved."

She followed my instructions quickly and stirred it. As she did it, she looked at me. "How did you know that is would work?" "It came to me in the memory that you unlocked for me, Tsireya. Thank you for unlocking it." She turned back to the pot quickly as if embarrassed. Her tail was wagging like being thanked made her happy. Does she not get thanked a lot? "Tsireya." She looked at me with a tilted head. " Do you not get thanked a lot?" Tsireya's ears went down when I said that. "My mother is very strict on me. She sees everything as progress and never thanks me for stuff I do for her. It's nice to be thanked." I felt sad when I heard that. Poor Tsireya. She's so young. Her mother is too tough on her. I put my hand on Tsireya's shoulder. "Tsireya... I am very thankful for you. You are very kind to me despite what others say on me and where I am from. You are very kind."

"We're back Kausiwa and Tsireya." We turned around to see Ao'nung and Tonowari walking in. My face lit up upon seeing them. "Tsireya taught me how to make stew. Come eat!" They sat in front of me and Tsireya. I poured some stew into bowls for the four of us and passed them out. We enjoyed dinner together until Ao'nung and Tsireya finished. "Goodnight father and Kausiwa. We must go back to our marui." I was confused as to why they didn't live with their father, but I just waved goodnight to them. When they left me and Tonowari cleaned up the marui. My curiosity got the better of me, so I asked him. "Tonowari, why don't Ao'nung and Tsireya sleep here?" He grabbed two cups and a bottle of a liquid and sat in a different side of the marui. He motioned for me to join him, so I sat in front of him. "Due to me being Olo'eyktan, I have a separate marui from my children." He poured some of the liquid into a cup and haned it to me. I grabbed it and took a sip. It was intoxicating. "What is this, Tonowari?" "It is kava. It can make you drunk, so drink it slowly." I nodded and continued to drink it.