Ma Tompawll

Chapter Five

"You should not be so mean, Nung." Kanu and her brother were sat outside the leader's marui, feet dangling into the cold water below them as eclipse sets in.

"When have I been mean?" Rotxo scoffs, giving him a pointed stare while Kanu purses her lips in annoyance.

"The newcomers, brother." Ao'nung rolls his eyes at Rotxo's words, choosing to stare at the glowing life touching his feet instead.

"They do not belong here, it is not my fault they can not-" With a deep sigh, Kanu turns to him, frown marring her face.

"It has only been a week. They are learning but they can not if you and your friends keep laughing everytime they try." She thinks back to a few hours ago where Lo'ak and Neteyam where both launched off their ilu, unable to focus and distracted by the mocking snickers aimed towards them.

"They can not even breathe though-" Her friend complains, holding his hands up in exasperation.

"Olo'eyktan said to treat them as our brothers and sisters. That means to help them see the sea Ao'nung." Rotxo nods along to his sister's words, placing a hand on Ao'nung's back.

"Yeah, we are not saying to become best friends all of a sudden, just be nicer you know?" Ao'nung sighs, reluctantly relenting with a pout.

"If your friends can not keep quiet, do not bring them either." Kanu stands, patting their shoulders and making her way home, paying no mind to Ao'nung's loud groan.

"Why aren't you finishing your band?" Kanu wonders out loud, picking up the barely started arm band Zuri left on her hammock, only the pearl weaved into some seagrass.

Zuri had been collecting pretty shells all afternoon, recruiting a bored Ezra and Rotxo to assist, the boys sprawled out on the floor of their marui next to her as their father made lunch.

"I want to make it with Tuk, see?" Kanu glances at the large bag Zuri had filled with sea shells in understanding.

"I see." She ruffles her sister's hair, grabing her knife and standing to help cut vegetables for their Stu. Her father passing her a basket, slicing fish and watching Zuri talk animatedly.

"But I do not know how to get to her!" She complains, flopping onto the floor and spreading her arms in defeat. Kanu raises a brow bone as Ezra rises to look over at his whining sister.

"She does not come to group lessons or out to play." Ezra tells them, patting Zuri's hand before rising to tug at their father's loincloth, the man giving him a piece of cut vegetable from Kanu's pile without looking.

"Why not invite her over then? Go to their mauri." Their father suggests, Zuri springing up as if she hadn't thought about that, turning to pull at Rotxo's arm.

"Come with me, Rotxo!" The boy only rolls over, giving Kanu a pleading look. He and Ao'nung had been getting trained by Olo'eyktan for their upcoming Iknimaya, giving the Sullys a day off and were completely exhausted.

"Ahg useless!" Zuri hisses out at him, grabbing Kanu's tail to tug her to the doorway.

"Please, Nu?" The older girl takes a piece of vegetable, handing it off to Ezra who happily takes it and goes to collect seagrass from a basket, arranging the shells into another basket and setting it out in a circle for the girl's arrival. He pulls out his own project, another leg band he was weaving for Kanu and sits.

"Alright, calm down we are going." Despite her words the smaller girl just squeals, holding onto her palm to tug her faster along to platform to the new family's home, just missing their mother who returns with a basket of fruit in hand.