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chapter thirteen. payakan. ━━━━━━━━━━━━
The bright beams of sunlight cast on Awa'atlu.
The warmth of it burnt against Maleia's back as her hand held onto Lo'ak's arm.
Lo'ak's hand latched on her waist as she crouched down to the rock, getting on the same level as the others surrounding her.
Her head was turned to those in the water.
Maleia fixated on those catching fish for their families, or themselves.
How the water rippled around them which created a comforting scene for her to observe.
That waa until Kiri's voice broke her trance, "I wish I'd been there. The ocean blessed you with a gift, brother."
Maleia smiled at that sentence, happy that Kiri thought her home graced this animal to Lo'ak.
"The Tulkun have not returned yet. And anyway, no Tulkun is ever alone," Ao'nung explained before he bent down to their level.
Lo'ak shook his head.
Maleia noticed his hand had left her side to follow his words, "This was one. He had a missing fin, like stump, on the left side."
Maleia thought for a moment— missing fin.
"Payakan.. It's Payakan!" Tsireya announced.
Maleia widened her eyes as she removed her hand from off of Lo'ak.
He looked towards her after she had done so.
His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, not knowing who Payakan is or why his name sounded so malicious to the Metkayina's. "Who's Payakan?" Kiri asked.
Maleia looked to Lo'ak with her fang biting into her bottom lip.
"A young tulkun who went rogue. He's outcast. Alone, and he has a missing fin," Rotxo said.
Maleia nodded her head in agreement. Payakan was outcast for a reason, he went against what all tulkun's believe in.
"They say he is a killer," Tsireya told Lo'ak.
"No, no..." Lo'ak tried his best to disagree but there was no changing their minds.
"He killed Na'vi, and other tulkun. Not here but far in the south," Ao'nung said.
However, Lo'ak believed what he wanted to.
He knew Payakan was not a killer.
He saved him.
"No, he's no killer. I'm telling you guys! He saved my life..." Lo'ak said, his face inching closer to Maleia's, she tilted her head to his words.
He then turned to them all, "He's my friend."
Maleia looked down to the ground.
But, the soft hold on Lo'ak's hand on hers made Maleia look up at him with softened eyes.
He stared into her eyes.
Begging for her to believe him.
She sighed before nodding her head, trusting what Lo'ak tried to explain.
Neteyam stood, "My baby bro! The Mighty Warrior, who faced the killer tulkun and lived to tell about it."
Lo'ak pushed Neteyam from off of his shoulders.
"You guys aren't listening!" Lo'ak exclaimed before walking from them all.
Maleia stood onto her feet before telling them all she was going to follow him, "Lo'ak! Lo'ak!"
He stopped at the shouts of her name, turning around before running a frustrated hand through his dark braids.
She knew her next words would trouble her.
Her parents would never forgive her for this, but she had to see what Lo'ak was talking about.
