Deep in the Violet | Neteyam X fem OC

Chapter five

"Oh, it's you," Naveah said with a mixture of surprise and relief, recognizing the two Sully girls.

Kiri's playful smirk and Tuk's wide grin greeted her, their eyes glinting with amusement. "Sorry for the scare," Kiri said, a hint of laughter in her voice. "We didn't mean to startle you. We saw you- I mean, I saw you leaving early from the camp. And then Tuk followed me as I followed you... Sorry, I'm talking nonsense. And I haven't even properly introduced myself! My name is Kiri," she said with a wide smile, stepping closer to Naveah.

"And as you heard my sister mention, I'm Tuk!" the other girl chimed, her infectious laughter filling the air. "Neteyam is our brother."

"It's nice to meet you both, Kiri and Tuk," said Naveah, tension finally leaving her. "But please, next time let me know about your presence. You never know what's out there in the forest. I thought there could be an animal, and I was ready to strike," she said, swinging the blade in her hand.

"You see, I told you we should have announced ourselves!" Tuk said angrily to Kiri.

"Okay, okay, I take the blame for this one. But we heard you singing, and we did not want to interrupt that beautiful song," Kiri said with a sincere smile.

Naveah blushed, not used to receiving compliments. "Oh," she stammered.

"What kind of a song was that?" Tuk asked, curious to know more.

"It's an old folk song of my clan. But my version is nothing compared to how my dear sister Tewah used to sing it. I wish you could have heard her," Naveah said, her smile turning bittersweet as memories played in her mind, gazing into distance.

Tuk and Kiri exchanged a small, sincere glance, wanting to know more but also understanding that some things were better left unspoken.

"You were missed at dinner yesterday," Kiri noted, breaking the silence.

"Really?" Naveah raised an eyebrow, a hint of disbelief in her expression. "I highly doubt that," she thought to herself.

"We missed you," Kiri continued, her tone earnest. "And we wanted to thank you personally for saving our reckless brother."

"Yeah, thank you, Naveah," Tuk added with sincerity.

"No need to thank me for that, I only did what was right," Naveah replied, finally feeling more at ease. She sat down on the rocks, her feet dangling above the sparkling pond, and resumed tending to her wet hair, combing it through with the wooden comb that fell out of her hands moments ago, as the girls startled her. Kiri and Tuk joined her.

"We assumed it must feel very lonely and strange here in this new environment, among new people," Kiri continued, and Naveah looked at her, unsure of how to respond. "And we thought that, uhm, maybe... you could use a friend? Or at least someone who can show you around," Kiri quickly added when she noticed Naveah's confused look.

"I don't mind loneliness, really." Naveah let out a small sigh. "If I'm completely honest with you, lately I'm more used to being alone than to actual interaction with people." A hint of sadness was obvious on her face.

"Oh, I see," Kiri said, sensing that there was more to Naveah's words than she was letting on.

"Has it always been like this for you?" Tuk asked with genuine concern.

Naveah hesitated, unsure of how much she wanted to reveal about her past. She had grown so out of touch with other people that she was afraid to show any vulnerability. Her interactions with her clan members had been harsh and fruitless, leaving her feeling disconnected and unappreciated. And as the time went by, she had built an imaginary wall, an armor around herself, protecting her from the world and cruel words of others. But this wall, while protecting her, also prevented her from connecting with others. Now, with this new opportunity, she wondered if she should start shedding her layers of protection, ready to loosen her guard at least a bit.