Dream || Neteyam

Four

In some ways Ni'awtu was thankful for the mishap with the young boy. It gave her an excuse to ignore him and do her duties like normal. 

For the couple days after her teaching him, she avoided Neteyam to the best of her abilities. 

Though, she has to still deal with the rest of the family. With girls of the Sully family, she didn't seem to have a problem. 

Kiri is really intelligent and genuine which Ni'awtu really appreciates, and Tuk is also very intelligent for her age. And yet, she is everywhere all at once and always laughing, like a kid should be. They listen and learn quickly, another thing Nia loves about them. 

"Kiri, you are amazing at holding your breath." Nia says, shocked. The three of them sit on the edge of the beach in the shade. 

Theyve been diving and riding Ilus all day. The two of them are the most impressive out of the family. 

Even the father of the children took a while to get used to his skimwing. Nia watched him when he was learning and enjoyed it when he fell off. Both of his sons share his cocky qualities. Lo'ak especially.

"I know. I didnt even know I could until we got here."

"You as well Tuk. You have both learned fast." Tuk smiles at her, and continues drawing in the sand. "Better than your brother." Nia whispers in a vengeful tone. 

Kiri snickers and looks up to her. "You didnt enjoy teaching him two days ago?" She pretends to be shocked, but from her tone both girls can tell the sarcasm in her voice. 

"Absolutely not."  Not only avoiding Neteyam, Ni'awtu spent half of the night out until she knew Tsireya would be asleep, and then left before she awoke. 

She did her normal chores. Traveling to the reefs barrier to catch fish, helping with kids, learning how to lead better then she already knew. Nia stayed on the beach far away from where Neteyam would go, and that is when the two girls stumbled upon her. 

She was quite grateful though, because of how lonely she got when she wasnt with anyone. Although, she is rarely with anyone anyways. 

"Neteyam can be stressful, but he honestly just wants whats good for everyone. Ever since coming here, hes been very protective over us, but also distracted." Kiri says, explaining some of his behavior. The first day they got here, he did tell her that he was the eldest and understood, maybe thats what he meant. "Im sure he is distracted by all of the beauty and fun things to do and learn. Its truly wonderful here."

"What was your home like?" She changes the topic quickly. 

"Crazy." Tuk says enthusiastically. 

"Crazy." Kiri agrees. "The forest is so vast, you find new things every day. We have Ikrans that fly, and direhorse that gallop through our land. Green surrounds us, and waterfalls. Floating mountains, and sky people helping us. It is hard to describe." Nias face lights up at all of this. Shes only ever known the water and water creatures.

"Can you try?" Nia asks, her breath taken away with wonder. 

Kiri sighs and nods, daydreaming about her home. "The sky is always loud with wind, and our ikrans flying around. It is bright, but not in the way the water reflects here. The forest has plants everywhere, it is so special with all animals and things. Like your reef." Nia thinks about how they felt when they got here, looking at all of the new things, and imagines it for herself seeing them. 

"But the bad sky people are also why we had to leave." Tuk says, sadly. 

"Yes, the bad sky people." Kiri looks out to the water, a piece of hair blowing in her face. Nia wonders why Toruk didnt stay to fight like he did in the great tales of the Omaticayas war against the sky people.