"Missing?" Tuk asked, her voice beginning to quiver slightly.
"He's been gone for hours!" Neteyam shouted "He went to go apologize to Aunnoung and and..." Neteyam began to stutter. Tuk lightky brushed her hand over her panicked brother's cheek.
"I don't know where he could've gone." Neteyam sighed, trying to calm down "By your silence I'm assuming none of you girls have seen anything." He reasoned.
All three of us solemnly shook our heads. Tuk's eyes began to well up with tears.
"I think we need to calm down." Kiri then spoke up "Let's think." she suggested as she stood up.
"She's right." I agreed and stood up as well "We don't want to assume the worst."
"Have you searched the whole village?" Kiri asked Neteyam, who was still kneeled on the ground holding Tuk's hand.
"Yes, I haven't seen him anywhere. I even asked around and no one saw him. His saddle at the jetty port is gone." He explained "After father told him to go apologize to Aunnong he left-"
"Aunnong." I repeated "Have you spoken to him?"
Neteyam took Tuk in his arms and stood up "I thought that as well. But I haven't seen him or his friends anywhere."
"Maybe he followed them out to the reef for hunting." Kiri wondered "That would explain why they'd be gone for as long as they have."
"But until dark?" Neteyam questioned "Do hunting missions really last that long?"
"Sometimes." I answered "If they have a good reason to follow a school of fish. If it is the season but I'm not sure if..." I trailed off.
"Then that's probably what happened." Kiri reasoned "They must've made up after the fight."
Tuk the emerged from her brother's shoulder and faced the group "But Lo'ak hates Aunnong and he hates him too."
"Yes, but why would they take him hunting unless they made up with him?" Kiri pondered "I don't see Aunnong just taking him out like that. He's probably hunting."
The logic seemed founded enough. She had good reason to come to that conclusion, but something about it didn't seem plausible. Not on Loa'k's end but Aunnong's.
Would he really just bring someone who humiliated him in front of his friends out for an innocent hunting trip?
Would he forgive?
That was until I came to a very startling realization.
With my rushing thoughts, my brows began to furrow as I thought pensively and I noticed Neteyam took notice.
"Like how when you take Spider out on walks to make him feel better after someone makes fun of him?" Tuk recalled.
Kiri's expression grew soft and solemn and she immediately went quiet. The mention of that memory seemed to tug at her heart as her ears flared downwards and her prominent eye-brows upturned.
"Kiri?" Neteyam asked stepping closer "Are you ok?"
"Yes, yes I'm fine brother." Kiri said dismissively, her voice shakey "Um...and I'm sure Lo'ak is too."
YOU ARE READING
The River Tree (Neteyam x Metkayina OC)
Fanfiction(Formally known as @momochromeray) "The sea gives and the sea takes" that's all orphaned teen Kaia allowed herself to accept. As a young socially awkward girl trying to find her place within her clan she has given up all hope trying to connect with...
