𝖲𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

𝗍𝖾𝗇

     

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐧

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄

      THE NEXT DAY, TU’AHU HAD LEFT THE TENT WITH KIRI EARLY IN THE MORNING. Kiri was going to help Jake and the lab guys check on the ikrans, particularly Loran. Tu’ahu was meeting Aonung by the dock, as he wanted to show her something.

      “Don’t bother lying to me, I know there’s something going on with you and Aonung.” Kiri said suddenly as the sisters walked through the village.

      Tu’ahu sighed, pulling her soft shawl over her shoulders. “Are you mad?” she asked tentatively.

      Kiri shook her head. “No. After you punched him in the face, he apologized to me for calling me names.” Tu’ahu was surprised. Neither Kiri nor Aonung had told her this.

      “Really?” Tu’ahu asked, and Kiri nodded. “He never told me that.”

      “Good, I asked him not to. I wanted you to hate him or not hate him based on your feelings, not anyone else’s.” Kiri said, nudging her sister affectionately. 

      Tu’ahu smiled. “Don’t worry, Kiri. I think I’ll always hate him a little bit.” she said, greeting Ronal and Tonowari as they passed them.

      “Are you with him, like officially?” Kiri asked as the two emerged from the center of the village, walking on the beach.

      Tu’ahu shrugged, hand instinctively grabbing her braid with the shell in it. “We’re just us. Me and him. There’s no official label.” the older sister explained, and Kiri nodded.

      “Well, I think it’s cute. Does anyone else know?” the younger sister asked, looking out to the ocean.

      “Mom and Dad do. Tuk’s a baby, and I haven’t said anything to Lo’ak and Neteyam yet.” Tu’ahu said, spotting Aonung in the distance, sitting on a dock.

      Kiri chuckled. “I pray for you when you tell them.” she joked.

      Tu’ahu rolled her eyes. “They’ll live. And if they make a big deal about it, I’ll just cut their tails off.” she shrugged, and Kiri laughed.

      They walked to the beginning of the dock, and Kiri and Tu’ahu said their goodbyes. Tu’ahu began to walk down the dock as Kiri kept walking to the ikrans. Tu’ahu walked silently over to Aonung and pushed him in the water. He yelped as he fell in, and Tu’ahu was laughing when he surfaced.

      “Good morning to you, too.” Aonung grumbled, wiping his face.

      Tu’ahu shrugged her shawl off and tipped her head over, tying her new braids into a tight bun on the top of her head. She walked closer to the edge of the dock, peering into the water. And then, a hand was on her ankle, and she was in the water. Aonung was laughing as she pulled her head above the water, and Tu’ahu couldn’t help but smile too.

      “What did you want to meet for?” Tu’ahu asked, floating in the sea.

      Aonung swam closer to her, taking her finger and pointing it out to where many of the tulkun were floating and flipping through the water. “I want you to meet my Spirit Brother.” Aonung said, and Tu’ahu traced her finger to the tulkuns.

      “Aww,” she cooed, watching a baby tulkun jump through the air and land in the water. “I’d love to.” Aonung smiled, calling over his ilu.