"Show yourself. I know you're watching me." Neteyam said as he looked around. He was trying to find you. The forest was denser here compared to the area surrounding his village. As the flowers and plants clung tightly to the thick branches, it became challenging to find anything specific. Even finding a clear path would seem challenging if you didn't know this part of the forest. Neteyam's eyes scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of your familiar posture. Ever since Neteyam arrived, you remained completely still, not moving an inch. You did your best to avoid being spotted by the boy below you.
You watched as his eyes scanned the area, aware you were more likely to hide higher up. His eyes even glanced over your body, completely failing to notice you as he searched higher. You noticed the boy below you looking particular good today. The sunlight streaming over his face and shoulders cast a gentle glow, almost making his skin sparle in the sunlight. You were certain you saw a new bead woven into his hair as he swayed his head to the right. Both of you were growing up rapidly, growing more mature every encounter you had. Both of you noticed that you were coming of age, but this all was still faster than anticipated.
"I can see you!" Neteyam yelled out, unable to locate your familiar posture despite sensing your presence nearby. He couldn't pinpoint your exact location. This frustrated him a bit, as one of the youngest and most skilled hunters in his village, unable to outsmart you. It heightened his desire for you even more. From the day you first met, he considered you a perfect match. However, over the passing years, he observed your exceptional intelligence. A woman who could outsmart him was something he had only dreamt about before.
"How could you see me?" You questioned, maintaining your hidden position. His eyes darted to the general direction of your voice. You managed to suppress your laughter as he still wasn't able to pinpoint your location. You swayed your tail, hoping to make it easier for him to spot you. His eyes trailed along your tail, moving up your body until they reached your face. You stood in the shadows, giving you a mysterious glow, but your face remained partially concealed, not fully visible. You slowly made your way down, so you would need to keep looking down at him.
"I couldn't, but I sensed you." Neteyam stated as you moved out of the shadows, now fully visible. You were tempted to express that it wasn't fair but choose to stay silent instead. Considering the time it took him to find you, with your help, of course. "You know, the Tsahik should be skilled at more than just hiding." Neteyam remarked as you were now standing in front of him. He wanted to see how you reacted on that title, curious about your feelings regarding it.
"Future tsahik." You replied, rolling your eyes in response. "You just don't know the other things I'm capable of." In reality, Neteyam didn't know. Although both of you were Omaticaya, you weren't from the same village. Neteyam was the future Olo'eyktan of his village, and you were the future Tsahik of yours. The only you two had was when both of you had time to come to the forest away from both of your villages. Whenever you were together, both of you were yourselves, setting aside the roles of being the future leaders of your villages.
"And you don't know what I'm capable of." Neteyam said as a grin slowly formed on his face. You recognized that look, and it signaled trouble. As you saw his posture shift into an attack stance, you swiftly turned around and ran away, leaving him behind. However, it wasn't for long, as you could hear him running after you. "I'm going to catch you!" You heard him yell, prompting you to burst out laughing. While Neteyam might have been faster than you, you were more familiar with the dense forest, giving you a slight advantage.
You slowed down after a while, noticing the absence of his footsteps behind you. With slightly heavier breathing, you turned around to look, but Neteyam was nowhere to be seen. His unexpected disappearance confused you, as it had never happened before. Proceeding cautiously, you took a step forward, attempting to decide whether Neteyam had lost track of you or if he was deliberately hiding. Suddenly, you caught a glimpse of Neteyam coming at you from the corner of your eye. Before you could react, he swiftly wrapped his arms around your middle while rushing towards you. The abruptness caused you to lose balance and fall backward, dragging Neteyam with you.
Instead of feeling your back hit the ground, you sensed the rush of air past you—the slope! You had completely forgotten about it. It was concealed behind large leaves, unknown to many, which made it particularly dangerous. You let put a little yell, which caused Neteyam to quickly shift one of his arms around your head to shield you, keeping the other arm wrapped around your middle. It wasn't an enormous slope, but it was sizable enough that landing incorrectly could result in a serious injury. As you both hit the ground, it knocked the breath out of you. Neteyam sat up, releasing his hold on you as he attempted to catch his breath.
"Are you alright?" Neteyam asked, still out of breath, his concern evident as he helped you into a sitting position. You took a deep breath, realizing that although both of you could have been badly injured, the adrenaline rush left you thrilled. It had your heart racing, and you were certain his was racing just as fast. "Nothing broken or bleeding. That's good, right?" You chuckled, trying to alleviate his sense of guilt. He might have assumed it was his fault, but it wasn't since he had never been there before. If anyone were to blame, it would've been you.
"It isn't your fault. I should've been more careful and not gone so close to the slope." You stated, noticing the lingering guilt in his eyes. He nodded as your eyes met, yet Neteyam looked at you questioningly as you gently pushed him back, prompting him to lay down. You settled beside him, pointing upwards. "This view is the best from down here." You smiled, gazing up sunlight streaming through the trees above. Neteyam looked in the direction where you were pointing. As you both lay there, the sunlight danced through the leaves. It casted a warm, golden glow around you, Neteyam's eyes shifted to your face. "It's beautiful." He whispered softly, barely audible to you.
Neteyam took in all the details of your features as he studied you closely. The way your eyes sparkled in the light and the faint smile that was on your lips. "Thank you for coming here with me today." Neteyam finally spoke, breaking the comfortable silence that surrounded you both. "I know we don't get many chances like this." You eyes met as you turned to look at Neteyam. His eyes were gentle as he focused on yours. His hand reached for your arm as he pulled you closer.
"It's always an adventure with you." you replied, your voice carrying a sense of fondness. The connection between you and Neteyam was something special. As future leaders of your respective villages, your lives were destined to take different paths. These moments of serenity were rare and treasured, allowing you both to let go of your responsibilities and simply be yourselves. Neteyam shifted his gaze back to the trees, losing himself in the dance of the leaves above. You glanced at him, appreciating the peaceful expression on his face. The worries and burdens that usually weighed on his shoulders seemed to have faded away, at least for now. It was moments like this that made you both forget about the pressures awaiting you back in your villages.
As the sunlight gradually shifted and the shadows lengthened, signaling the approaching of eclipse, you both reluctantly stood up, deciding it was time to head back. The playful chase and sudden fall were forgotten, replaced by a sense of calmness and understanding between you and Neteyam. Walking back out of the slope, neither of you spoke much. Allowing the weight of your responsibilities to fade into the background for a little longer. Upon reaching the outskirts of the denser forest, you bid Neteyam goodbye, each of you returning to your respective villages, knowing that the peace you found together in the forest would be cherished until your next stolen moment away from responsibilities. Both of you secretly wished that day wouldn't take long to arrive.
