The Breath of Water | Neteyam

64 • Kxamtìsyor

A/N: Long time no update 😅, well here is one now! Next one might take long as well, as of now I have no more stocked up chapters. (And it's the second half) College has given me motivation issues, but don't worry, I'm still writing! Don't know how long I'll be gone, but I will try my best. Thank you all for your patience 🤟🏼💕

•-•-•

It was now 'half-time', or as the Metkayina call it—kxamtìsyor.

They had been playing for 4 hours so far, and only one more player got eliminated. Even Kaysitxi managed to stay in the game. Though there was many a time where she had a brush with 'death', Wekyu or Duräley went to her rescue. Eri was frustrated with her, but alas there was nothing she could do. Team 1 had lost a Säwemyu (due to Kaysitxi being too slow), Team 2 had lost one of their Säwemyu (Rotxo), and Team 3 had lost a Srungsiyu and a Säwemyu.

The players were sent to their resting quarters which were separate from one another. Each team had their own area, and each player had their own hut. They could do what they wished to for two hours, but had to stay withing the designated area. Lo'ak had went straight to his hammock, plopping down on it; the mantle of overseeing everyone's survival as the team's support really stressed him out. Aonung went into his hut to draw up some courage to go talk to Peya, and even though Rotxo was eliminated, he was still part of the team, so he went with Femtrì to get something to eat along with Tsyätrril and Masanai. Neteyam had stayed in his room, looking up at the ceiling as he fiddled with the beads on his fkxile (bib necklace). He began to think of the first half's events—he had nearly became lonu. Upon seeing that situation of Femtrì and Rotxo nearly getting eliminated at the same time, his heart had quickened. At with that, he realized he wasn't ready to go out on the battlefield yet.

'You make me want to become a mother.'

Huh? Why was he thinking of that now?

"Neteyam?"

He sat his head up, looking over at the voice at the door. "...Oh, hey, Dad."

"How you doing?" Jaked asked, leaning on the wall. Neteyam fully lifted his back off his hammock, his legs now hanging over the edge.

"Honestly...I am wondering why I am here." Neteyam expressed, sighing as he shook his head. His eyes were on the floor, afraid to look his dad in the eye as he said these words.

"Whaddya mean by that? You don't feel like you deserve it?"

"...I don't...I just now realized that I was scared. Scared to go out to the main playing arena, when Rotxo became kerusey and Femtrì almost did, too."

Jake thinned his lips, folding his arms in thought. "Buddy, you do know that that is a natural thing you are feeling?"

"Yes, fear is a natural emotion...but my teammates—"

"Neteyam, your teammates picked you, no?"

The boy looked around, then nodded, trying to figure where his dad was going with this.

"Okay so they knew that they were putting a forest boy into the fray."

"Dad...!" Neteyam laughed out.

"What? You are a forest boy," Jake restated. "...but my point is that they put you here, knowing that this would be your first time playing. You don't think they're scared?"

Neteyam didn't say anything, he only continued to listen.

"Everyone has fear in these types of situations...just that some are better at hiding it than others."