Skxawng • Neteyam

17

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"Breathe in." Tsireya inhales deeply as the five others around her do the same. After a morning of riding on their ilu's, Tsireya brought them to a rocky part of shore and sat them around in a circle. She was teaching them to breathe better. "And breathe out." They all exhale deeply as one. "Imagine flickering a flame. You must slow down your heartbeat." Tsireya explains.

Yeriyah sat between Neteyam and Lo'ak, and Riyah watched as the chief's daughter leaned forward and placed a hand on his stomach. She says. "Breathe in." And Lo'ak follows her instructions. "Breathe from down here. Breathe out slowly." He does so and Lo'ak watches her like a hawk. "Lo'ak, your heartbeat is fast."

"Sorry," He says, and Yeriyah smiles as amusement bubbles inside her.

"Try to focus."

"Okay."

"Breathe in." Tsireya tried with Lo'ak again, and Yeriyah could hear Neteyam and Rotxo snickering behind her. She knew precisely at what too. Kiri shook her head at them, always trying to defend her sibling. "Let your mind go clear."

Yeriyah should not judge because if Neteyam did the same thing, her heart would pound, especially after last night. Safe to say, she was extremely distracted today. The thoughts of his moans filled her mind and drove her crazy. She turned to Neteyam with a smile, but he didn't miss the burning intensity in her eyes.

Neteyam's eyes impossibly darkened, and looked her up and down. "Neteyam...Yeriyah?" Lo'ak asks from behind them, making them jump. They both turned to Lo'ak, who stared at them knowingly. "Are we interrupting you?"

"Of course not." Yeriyah waves him off and focuses back on the lesson. Neteyam's eyes burned a hole into her skin, and she also avoided Kiri, who now stared down at her as well. No doubt, questions were tumbling around her head.

After a little longer, they made their way back into the water and to the ilu's. Except for Kiri, who was dragged away by Tuk. Here they were implementing what they had just learned. The group of them swirled and weaved and danced through the coral. She and Neteyam raced and spun around each other. Tsireya and Lo'ak we right behind. They all twisted in and out and made patterns as they ascended to the top.

"Whoo!" Neteyam cheered as they emerged. Lo'ak chuckles, and Yeriyah smiles at them. The sun was setting, creating a beautiful glow across the sky.

"You are learning to breathe." Tsireya smiles. They spent the next hour in the water before they all got out. Tsireya makes her way over to Yeriyah, a shy smile on her face.

"I'm planning to gather us all at the beach tonight to go swimming. You should come. I have wanted to talk to you." Tsireya offers, and Yeriyah smiles. They hadn't gotten the chance to speak to each other much, especially not alone.

"I will come." Riyah smiles. "As long as you show me how to make one of those necklaces." She points down to the beautiful shells around her neck. Tsireya chuckles a little.

"I will, but you need to help me find the ones you one to put on. Come on." Tsireya beckons her along, and Yeriyah smiles. She looked over her shoulder to find Neteyam and Lo'ak laughing about something. She turned and followed Tsireya and crouched beside her as she sorted through a few she'd just seen.

"Ou, I like that one!" Yeriyah pointed to a blue-tinted one Tsireya smiled.

"Me too. We need at least twenty." She notes and pockets the blue one to use for later. The two girls walked around the beach looking for shells, and off to the side, the two brothers observed. Both were watching the ones they adored. Neteyam was the first to realize it.