The Breath of Water | Neteyam

82 • Pänu

Translation: promise

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"What's wrong with you?" Lo'ak chuckled as he chewed on a piece of dried fruit. Kiri was shuddering, closing her eyes.

"I wanted to go check up on Liya to see if she was feeling better, but..."

"...but?"

"...her and Neteyam were fucking...!" she cried out, hitting her ears, trying to forget. "Ah! Please, let me forget the noises, please, please, please—"

"—HAHAHAHA!!" Lo'ak busted out laughing. Kiri hit his arm, wanting him to shut up. "They've been going at it like animals in heat, dude."

"So you heard it too?"

"Yes, unfortunately..." he sighed. "...I kept forgetting. I see now why the villagers gave them a Marui that wasn't in a crowded area."

As if they had summoned him, Neteyam walked through the doorway carrying a sack of something.

"Oh, speak of the devil." Kiri said. Neteyam's head tilted in confusion as he set the sack down.

"...You guys were talking about me?"

"You and your marital activities..." Lo'ak teased. His brother's movements froze, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Woops...not my fault." He chuckled. He then knelt, opening the sack.

"If you're here that means Liya is on her own, where is she?" Kiri asked.

"She is still on cooking duty, you know?" Neteyam said, looking up at her. He removed the things that were in the sack—they were utumauti (banana fruit).

"So...I can still talk to her."

"Even if I tell you, you would not know where to go. I'll just show you when I finish this."

"Ughhh but then you'll be all over herrrr." She groaned.

"Actually, I have a lot to do today. So, I won't." he placed the fruit into a bowl. "Tonowari said that we should take these, to have some food that reminded us of home."

"Woah, utumauti...!" Lo'ak said, getting closer. He dropped the piece of dried fruit he had, grabbing one of the utumauti. He bit into it, its juice dripping down his face. "Oh, yeah, that's so delicious. It's been too long..."

Kiri picked one out for herself, biting into it as well. "Where did they get these?" she said while chewing.

"He said that they had a small area of these kind of trees, but it's rare they ever get a good batch since the trees aren't in the right place."

"Got lucky this year, I see." Lo'ak said, biting the fruit again. Once Neteyam finished putting the fruit into the bowl, he stood up, holding the sack in his hand.

"Well, I am done here. Kiri, you coming?"

"Oh...! Yes." She said, wiping her face as she got up. "Lo'ak, do you want to come also?"

"Yeah, I wanna see if she's feeling better, too."

"Alright, when we get there you guys can't be in the way, so you're going to have to help." Neteyam said.

After some walking, they arrived, entering into the kitchen. Liyanin had her back turned, kneading some dough. She was singing a song, that song that Neteyam had taught her.

"...you are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

"No way you are singing that goofy song!" Lo'ak laughed. Upon hearing a new voice, she turned around.