Counting Stars - Aonung x Neteyam

Part 1

- Thank you, the truth is that I was a little dizzy. - he replied in a low voice and a small smile. I smiled back at him until I realized what he had just said.

- You shouldn't be dizzy. - I whispered placing a hand on his forehead right away. I noticed how his skin was a darker and warmer shade. I wasn't as much of an expert as my mother, but I knew what it meant. - You need to lie down; I'm going to call my mother.

- I'm fine, don't worry. We have to change for Lo'ak's ritual. - he said turning away from me and trying to walk. After taking the first step, his body failed and only my reflexes saved him from falling into the water.

- I'm going to call my mother; I'm not going to argue anymore. - I said in a firm tone walking towards his capsule which was not far away. This time he didn't respond and let me carefully place him in a lying position. I looked at him worried as he closed his eyes and sighed.

- It's possible that I'm not doing so well. - he murmured in a shaky voice. I snorted and stood up ready to run to our marui, but his sister Kiri appeared in front of me with my mother behind.

- I saw him faint and called your mother. - My mother walked behind her and soon Natyam's mother and father also came in. I stepped aside and let my mother do what she did best.

- Aonung, your hands are really cold. - Neteyam murmured, smiling without opening his eyes. I smiled from the door of the marui. Actually, it was my mother's hand, so I guessed the idiot was worse than he looked. I looked at him worriedly until I noticed that his mother hadn't taken her eye off me.

- What happened? - she spat, standing up. I put my hands up to start defending myself when my mother spoke first.

- It's a reaction to the syrup. He has a fever and may have a bad night. He needs to hydrate and eat lightly. We have to keep the heat at bay, it's probably good for him to sleep in the water. - he said looking towards my father who had just arrived. - I will take him to the shore near our marui. His wound cannot get wet so I will prepare a place for him to sleep. Aonung, go with your brother to Foi't's marui, I need strong and wide nets. - I nodded. I didn't want to go too far away, but I knew there was no way I could contradict my mother. I turned around with the feeling that the celebration they had planned for Lo'ak was not going to be as much fun as they thought. Natyam's mother followed me with her eyes until we stopped seeing each other.

The interesting thing about having always lived in the forest is that Neteyam always knew the sound that the animals around him made, so much so that he could even guess what time of day it was. There was a kind of bird that only sang in the middle of the night, others just at dawn and many others that could tell you what time of day it was.

Since he no longer lived in the forest the boy found himself disoriented many times. Especially since he was injured and woke up in the middle of the night to go back to sleep and wake up with the sun at its zenith. This time he woke up feeling dizzy and hot. Something that was normal these last days living near the water, where it was always hot and where the first days, he was always dizzy.

Something about spending too much time underwater, Ronal had told him. This time, however, he also felt like he was floating. First, he thought he was dreaming, as he was sure he could not have fallen asleep in the water, and then he thought the worst. He opened his eyes with a start and tried to straighten up, but a hand appeared out of nowhere and rested on his chest.

- Stop it, Neteyam, you're going to hurt yourself. - Aonung said in an angry tone. He turned towards his voice and the first thing he noticed was that he was lying on one of his legs. They were very close and even though it was a strange position, his body collapsed again after a wave of dizziness left him lying down again. He closed his eyes tightly and waited for it to pass.