Another Chance |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

Chapter 13: Sky High

Neteyam fiddles with his beaded curtains, adjusting them to his liking as the storm rages on outside, cold winds wrecking the serenity inside the marui.

Ao'nung sits amongst the omega's beddings, a little unsure of himself.

Neteyam glances down at the Metcayina, eyes raking over his body while he cradles his bump gently, delicate fingers spread out over the dark skin. He realises that he does not really know much about Ao'nung beyond his guilt about the mating and his love for hunting and all things boyish.

Ao'nung, in turn, also doesn't know much about Neteyam. The alpha doesn't know what songs Neteyam enjoys, doesn't know what the beads on his songcord represent — nor if Neteyam has been thinking about names for their child.

Ao'nung watches Neteyam as the Omaticaya sticks his hand out into the open, catching raindrops on his palm.

Neteyam's ears twitch and he tenses. "Do you hear that?"

Ao'nung turns his head towards the entrance and strains his ears, but he cannot hear beyond the thunder and the pounding rain. "What is it?"

Neteyam frowns, hairless brows furrowing. He feels the child move around inside him and places a calming hand on his stomach, chewing on the inside of his lip. His tail flicks around behind him, agitated.

Ao'nung stands, squinting. As he walks to stand next to Neteyam, he tries to figure out what the omega is hearing, but he cannot.

Until he can.

There is distant humming in the background, but it is not the voice of any living being — no. Dread fills Neteyam as he realises what it really is. A machine.

"The sky people are here."

Ao'nung's eyes widen. "Are you certain?"

"This sound, it is the same as their aircrafts. They have been developed to withstand the harshest of storms." Neteyam paces around the marui before a determined twinkle lights up his golden gaze. "We must warn the people."

As Neteyam makes a move to exit the marui right into the raging storm, Ao'nung stops him with a gentle palm against his stomach. "Stay here. I will tell them."

Neteyam doesn't protest, but he graces Ao'nung with a furious eyeroll.

As Ao'nung hurries to his father's marui, he feels his heart pounding against his chest, fury and worry eating at his core all at the same time.

Ao'nung is no coward. He may not have fought directly against the sky people before — having not really been allowed to do so as he is heir — he doesn't know what to expect.

Shielding his eyes from the unforgiving curtains of rain attacking him, he stares into the horizon and spots the enemy; they're flying, but under them, there is a large ship.

Ao'nung bursts into his family's marui. "Sky people incoming!"

Tonowari gets to his feet, jumping outside and hissing in rage when he too spots the unfamiliar things on the sky.

The village stirs to life. Ronal hurries out of the marui too, already blowing into a shell as loudly as she can — she signals war.

"Son." Tonowari turns to Ao'nung, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You must fight alongside the people today. Gather your best hunters."

Ao'nung doesn't waste time to chatter. He gives his father's arm a squeeze of reassurance, then dashes away, calling immediately to the hunters. Kaey is the first to arrive, Naìtvì right behind him, followed by Rotxo and Lo'ak.

"What is it?" Lo'ak asks, voice filled with undisguised nerves. "What's going on?"

Ao'nung points to the sky, and Lo'ak's ears pull back. "Where's Neteyam?"