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chapter eight. breathing. ━━━━━━━━━━━━
"Breathe in..." Tsireya told them.
Maleia sat on the rock with her legs crossed. Her elbows rested on her thighs as she leaned forwards and felt her eyes become heavy with exhaustion.
But, she followed Tsireya's teaching in how to calm their hearts and breathe better underwater.
She took in a large amount of air, making sure to take it from her stomach and not her chest.
Maleia sat up as she looked around at them.
"Imagine a flickering flame. You must slow down your heartbeat..." Tsireya said before placing her palms onto Lo'ak's chest, "Breathe in."
Maleia knows she was only helping him, but she couldn't help the way her stomach flipped.
"Breathe from down here. Breathe in slowly," Tsireya continued to order.
Lo'ak looked around at the following children sat with him on the rock, locking eyes with Maleia as she stared at him back.
"Lo'ak, your heartbeat is fast," Tsireya warned.
Lo'ak only widened his eyes.
His heartbeat picked up once looking at her.
Maleia smiled to herself before rubbing the tired from her eyes.
Rotxo and Ao'nung noticed this, both of them sharing little glances before trying their best not to best into laughter.
Neteyam had also noticed this, and watching their reaction only made it funnier to him.
Kiri watched the shameless acts of the teenage boys— shaking her head before Tuk looked around, confused, not understanding what was so humorous.
Maleia looked around at the group.
She tilted her head to the side, noticing their snickers and humoured faces.
"What is happening?" Maleia whispered to Kiri.
Kiri only sighed in response before they all went back to their breathing practices.
Soon, they had finished.
And, they decided to put it to the test.
Maleia stood on the rock and called for the closest ilu— a smile filling her face as the ilu clicked once it reached her.
She bonded with the animal, stroking its head so it would be calm under her touch.
"Come on!" Tuk shouted to Lo'ak.
The boy stood with a laugh before they all called for their ilu's, connecting with them.
Maleia dived under the water.
She felt the pressure push her body slightly, but with her amount of practice, it didn't shuffle her body in the slightest way.
She moved carefully around the others.
A smile filling her face as she watched as the bioluminescence started to glow in the ocean, meaning it was closer to night.
Maleia turned around to find Lo'ak.
He was holding his hand out, trying his best to tag Maleia's ilu.
Her eyes widened at the sight before she skilfully moved the ilu around his, both of them swimming in circles before breaking the surface.
"You are learning how to breathe!" Tsireya told Neteyam and Lo'ak.
Maleia moved on the water.
An orange cast flowered across Awa'atlu as the sun began to set in the distance.
She stopped her movements before deciding to sit more comfortably atop the ilu, watching the sunset in front her.
Not like Lo'ak.
Instead, he decided on watching her.
He couldn't help the bashful smile that filled his lips as he stared at Maleia. How fascinated, and connected, she was with her own home— the beauty of it, and her.
