Forgive me: An Aonung story

The old shack

"Where were you." My dad says sternly "I was at the spirit tree..I didn't mean to be out so late" I whisper back to him. "Sorry" I say again, he wraps me up in his arms as he kisses my head "okay babygirl. I just worry for you that's all" I nod my head at his words. "What's wrong. Come on speak to me" he says tightening his grip on me as he lowers us to the floor. "Has Eywa ever shown you something..like your future?" I ask him quietly.

"She has been known to gift those who need it" my mother joins in on our conversation coming to my side. "It is rare, but It can happen. What did you see?" She asks sitting besides Jake. "I don't know" I whisper, "try babygirl" my dad says giving me some courage to speak my mind. "I was some where far..water surrounded me I was on sand. Someone sat on a rock..I thought it was Ikàlu but I don't know. I think it was my mate. I really don't know" I whisper as I look to the floor. "Perhaps she was showing you Ikàlu, she knows you need a sign, that he is who you will be with" my dad speaks as I shake my head "it didn't feel like him..it didn't sound like him."

"I'm sure we will find out who it was, for now let's just have dinner as a family" my mother speaks giving Jake a look to not continue with this conversation. I stand up from my dads hold as I walk over to the campfire with my siblings ready to eat some dinner.

"They made us wait for you. We're all starving" Neteyam jokes as he grips my head pushing it slightly, I hiss back at him. "Yeahh it's your fault we're so hungry!" Tuk joins in by Neteyam's side, I exaggerate a gasp at her words as I hold my heart "Tuk you're supposed to be on my side! You've wounded me" I say as I jokingly fall to the floor. "No no I was joking!" She says as she clings to my side sticking her tongue out at Neteyam.

We all sit down as a family once we got our food enjoying each others company. We were all close, I liked it like this, peaceful evenings together speaking about how our days went.

"So how was hunting today Teyam?" Jake asks his eldest son proudly "very good. I shot down a big Sturmbeest today! You should've seen it. It was massive. Took loads of us to lug it back" Neteyam spoke happily, it was his element he has always been good at hunting. "What about you Kiri, how has training been going" mother asks "very good. I actually helped heal some of the hunters today who got hit by the Sturmbeest" she jokes.

"You should start training too Nàlàni" Jake says calmly knowing it was a bit of a touchy subject. I just nod my head at his words, it wasn't worth the argument, I was tired after today.

"I'll speak to your grandmother, maybe we can get you to start in the next couple of day." He says adding onto his sentence, my mother gave me a sympathetic look as I just shrug it off.

"Ikàlu" my dad greets looking up behind me, I freeze in my spot for the second time today. "Evening" he says behind me "please join us" my dad says inviting the boy to sit with us. I don't look over to him as he sits beside me, "hey" he says leaning over to me I tried to ignore the boy but my ears gave me away, they twitched as he spoke, he knew I heard. "Hi" I muttered back.

"Didn't you go out on your ikrans today?" My dad questions trying to make this less awkward. I nod my head as Ikàlu responds to him, "yes we did. I had a nice time together" he smiled, which faltered slightly when he looked at me.

"Does no one want to know how my day went?" Tuk asks a little hurt, "of course we do Tuk, what did you do?" My mother asks as we all intently listen, "well. Nàlàni re-braided my hair this morning! Look at it she added extra beads in-" she said happily as she twirled her head showing everyone. "-when she finished I went out with some friends, they all liked my hair too! We played about in the streams all day! Until I came home" she says with the biggest smile.

"Sounds fun" Lo'ak says as all our attention turns to him "and what did you do today?" Neteyam asks "there's not a lot you can do when you're grounded" Lo'ak sulks as we all laugh. "Skxawngs" he whines. "Then don't get yourself in trouble you'll have more to do" I say nudging him.