My Beloved | Neteyam

EIGHT. Dangerous Waters

Rewonay was not used to the tide sound being so far away. The sea and its melody were part of the forever atmosphere of Awa'atlu. It was always there. When you eat, when you sleep, it was even the first thing one hears when one took their first breath. So it felt tremendously foreign for Rewonay to be in the forest. The sensation of her feet against the earth was not the same as the feeling of her feet against the warm sand. The smell of the vivid green leaves and thick trunks was softer than the salty scent of the sea. And the sunlight was reaching her teal skin with a lot more difficulties than at the water's surface. It was strange with a slight feeling of loss. Was it what Neteyam and his family felt when they got to Awa'atlu?

"Come,"

Neteyam gently smiled as he gestured for her to follow him. With his bow in his other hand, he looked different. The moment they got into the forest behind the village, Neteyam began radiating a different kind of energy. He was a lot more confident, a lot more at ease. The way he moved on the earth and slithered among the lianas and roots felt so natural. The sound of the beads at the end of his braid knocking each other mixed beautifully with the ruffling of the leaves, his steps were so light on the brown soft ground, and the dark blue of his skin blended perfectly with the palette of the forest. He was in his element. And he looked incredibly handsome. More than he already was.

The sun had been up for just an hour only but Rewonay and Neteyam were already in the forest. It was the only time of the day when they were certain it would be the both of them only. So it was the perfect time for her to learn more about what makes the Omaticaya clan so unique.

"When you are in the forest, you have to pay attention to everything," Neteyam spoke. Rewonay was trailing just behind him, listening closely to his words. His back was broader than she thought, his muscles flexing slightly at every move he would make. His perfect braids would graze his skin and sway so satisfyingly from left to right. He was also a little taller than her. Ut just slightly. "The forest is full of life, so it is full of sounds that come from everywhere. You must figure which is the foliage only, and which are animals roaming around,"

The sound of the forest was drastically different from the sound of the ocean. It was sharper and more defined. Though, Rewonay could barely make the difference between the sound of her feet against the leaves and the leaves against the wind. Underwater, her hearing is muffled. The sense of touch is what the Metkayinas rely on the most. If there is a shift in the water, then it means that something moved nearby. Her hearing ability was a lot less developed than Neteyam's. Unlike Ao'nung would think, the Metkayinas were not the better clan. All clans were different and unique. They all excel in something and they all lacked in something.

"How?" Rewonay asked.

Neteyam stopped walking. A few rays of sunlight shone on small parts of his body, lighting half of his visage. His yellow irises were shining brighter like rare gems. He gently took Rewonay's hand and pulled her closer. The Metkayina princess uttered no word and turned a blind eye to her heart that had missed a beat as her arm brushed his.

"Listen,"

Closing her eyes, Rewonay focused on her hearing. The winged beast was singing they soft melody, harmonizing with the foliage ruffling and the branches creaking. The steps of animals of all sizes rose from afar here and there, adding more life to this organic symphony.

"The nature sound is gentle. The animals against bushes us harsher," Neteyam explained. "Come,"

Neteyam let go of her hand. It felt cold. The feeling was quite uncomfortable for Rewonay. Though, she did not give it much thought and followed after him. As they advanced further into the forest, Neteyam kept telling more about hunting like a true Omaticaya. The key was relying on one's sense. Smell, sight, hearing, and never underestimating it. If the forest was a magical and ethereal place, it was also a dangerous one. Predators could come from anywhere, everywhere. Once, his father stumbled upon a grown viperwolf and almost got eaten. It would be reckless to travel in the forest with knowledge about survival and hunting though, she was with Neteyam so there was nothing much to worry about. Besides, the part of the forest near the coast (so where they were) was not the housing of predators. Still, it was better to be careful.