When her father is captured, Nîryni must travel with her best friend but upon meeting a certain Metkayina girl, they both start to see each other as more than just friends.
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●"This is the Cove of the Ancestors. Our most sacred place." Tsireya sat on the back of an ilu leading the others to the spirit tree. She was excited to see their reactions and to see them connect with it for the first time.
Nîryni was speechless while looking around at the floating islands that created gorgeous formations. Her eyes were wide and moving rapidly due to her trying to take in everything she saw. She wished Lo'ak was here to experience this as well.
"Eclipse is the best time of day to be here." She looked back at Nîryni and was glad to see the older girl looking just as amazed as she had hoped.
♡
Nîryni held onto Tuk's hand while they both followed after Tsireya. The spirit tree glowed brightly underneath them in waves. It gave off a sense of belonging and peace. Eywa's presence was strong here and they all could feel it even without the physical bond.
Tsireya stopped them when they were close enough and gestured for them to make the connection.
After making sure Tuk was okay, Nîryni glanced at Tsireya with a little bit of hesitation.
She received a nod with a smile and that was enough to make her reach around to grab her long braid and use it to reach out to not only the ancestors but to the great mother as well. Subconsciously, her eyes closed and suddenly she was no longer in the water.
Her lashes fluttered when she opened her eyes once more. All around her was the forest she didn't realize she had missed. She could hear the sounds of the various and familiar animals going about their day. The breeze flowed through her strands of hair and made her headpiece move subtly against her skin.
"Nîryni, will you help me with the rest of the gathering? Your father will join us later."
The teenager tensed up and slowly turned around to see a woman that had not aged in years standing behind her. Äslla looked younger than what Nîryni remembered. Her braids were nowhere to be seen causing her hair to flow freely in the wind. The stress lines had faded from her face and she stood tall without an ounce of sickness plaguing her body.
Nîryni had forgotten how similar they looked over time but now it was like she was looking into a mirror that showed her future.
"Nîryni, are you alright?"
How long had it been since she heard her mother's voice? She choked back her cries and nodded. This wasn't the first time she saw her mother after her passing so she was able to hide her feelings of sorrow better.
"Yeah, sorry. I was daydreaming as usual. You said you needed help?"
Äslla didn't look convinced but waved her over, "Yes please. Your dad said he would help but he's running late."
Nîryni grabbed a basket from her hands. "Of course he is." The two started to walk along the trail, stopping whenever they found something worth taking. Nîryni felt like she was back to being a little girl and genuinely smiled in the presence of her mother. They talked about everything they could think of and the moment seemed to last forever. Yet the second they stepped off the trail and stopped at the edge of their home, Äslla lost her playful nature. She sat her basket down and looked down at her daughter with unreadable eyes.
