Falling for the Olo'eykte

✧Chapter 20: The humans are back

Azura's POV

I was at the river with Tuk and my brother, our training was over and I had given them some free time to play around before returning to the Kelutral. The kids run around laughing uncontrollably as they threw balls of mud at each other. The view was heart-warming, Anek and Tuk had a beautiful and pure connection with each other. Both of them had become inseparable since the moment they had met.

All of a sudden, I heard the crack of a branch in the distance. Turning around slowly, I observed my surroundings to look for the author of the noise but there was no one around. My ears perked up on alert of a possible danger near us while my skin filled with goosebumps at the idea. Maybe I was just being paranoid and it was just one of the forest creatures. However, I could feel in my gut that something wasn't right.

"Neteyam?" I asked into the air but I didn't receive an answer. The lack of answers confirmed my suspicion. Only Neteyam could be the one to make a noise when coming to pick up his sister, yet he always made sure to make himself noticeable after our first incident. This meant we weren't alone and that someone or something was watching us closely.

"Kids!" I whispered-shouted, "Get behind me". Both of them continued playing, oblivious to the potential danger that observed us. An even more noticeable rumble interrupted once again the tranquillity of our peace. That was the moment when my brother and Tuk became aware of what was happening and abruptly stopped their game. They looked at each other in fear and then their eyes met mine.

"Anek! Tuk! Come here right now!" I beckoned the scared children towards my direction. They didn't hesitate and ran to me as fast as they could. Hiding behind my legs, each of them took each of my hands in a strong grip. "What was that tsmuke?" Anek asked with a trembling voice. "I don't know hì'i tsamsiyu, but I can assure you that it isn't good"

I felt how Anek tightened his grip. I felt uneasy knowing that whatever was out there could be here to hurt any of them. A sense of overprotectiveness grew on my chest, I guided the kids to one of the tallest trees nearby. "Climb this tree and stay there. Do everything I taught you and everything will be okay" I instructed while kneeling to look at both of them in their eyes.

"No!" Anek exclaimed with firmness in his voice. Unexpectedly he balanced himself over me placing his arms around my neck and embraced me tightly. Tuk was quick to join him, "Please Azura, don't leave us" "Yawntutsyìp, I have to seek the source of that noise in order to know if we are in danger. I promise both of you it's just a moment". My explanation wasn't enough for them and they hugged me even tighter.

Delicately, I loosened their grip on me and caressed both of their faces with affection. "There's nothing to be scared of. While we are together everything will be fine" I assure them, "I'll be back with you as fast as I can". They looked uncertain but nodded nonetheless. "I don't want to lose you" my brother said with tears in his eyes, "Please be careful" Tuk added.

"I will", placing a kiss on each of their foreheads I caressed their faces for the last time before helping them to climb the tree. Tuk's arms embraced my brother's small body as she comforted him. Her face remain serious but I could see the fear in her eyes, she was trying to be brave for him. "Doesn't matter what you hear. Do not come out unless I say so" 

Both kids nodded in understatement and hugged me for the last time. "Come back to us" Tuk whispered in my ear and I tightened my embrace on them. "Look at me, both of you. I promise I'll always protect you until my last breath. But at the moment I need you to hide to ensure your safety. I will go mad if anything happened to any of you". Those were my last words before descending the tree. 

Once they were hidden, I began to walk into the forest towards the direction the sound came from. Before their tree was out of sight, I made sure no one could see them from afar in order to keep them safe. As I observed my surroundings, I could see how it was too calm. Everything was quiet, there weren't any animals making noises or the sound of plants moving from the wind. Just silence.