Solo

five

"And then you loop it onto the seaweed... like... this!" I smiled as I showed Tuk how i create my bracelets and necklaces.
"Wow..." Kiri spoke in awe from beside her.
"Do you make necklaces in the forest?" I asked them.
"Sometimes you can make chains of flowers!" Tuk jumped up as she went over to her bag in the corner of her family's pod, she pulled out a crumpled chain.
"Like this... but it's a bit broken now... it's all I have too." She sighed.
"Tuk..." Kiri sighed sadly.
"Do not worry! There are some banks around here where we grow flowers, I will take you there one day." I smiled.
"Thank you Laya, you've been so kind to us recently." I heard Jake's voice as I turned around.
"It is no problem." I bowed my head and stood up.
"I should go help with hunting." I told the three of them.
"Bye Laya!" Tuk waved and I waved back.
"Bye!" Kiri and Jake smiled and I smiled back as I walked across the walkway, looking around me as I pulled some banana fruit off of the trees. I reached to grab a higher one as I held my basket steady,
Reaching forward
Reaching forward
THUMP.
"HOLY SHIT!" I heard running come towards me and I couldn't help but laugh as I stood myself up, grabbing my basket and the banana fruit, placing it back in the basket as I jumped to get another one off the tree.
"Are you okay?" Lo'ak's worried expression appeared as he jumped over the walkway, looking over me for any cuts.
"Yes." I laughed and he climbed back on the walkway, offering me a hand to take as his other hand took the basket out of my hand, I pulled myself up with his help and smiled at him.
"Thank you."
"I just..." he breathed out a laugh.
"I was walking along and I see these legs fly up in the air and then a thump, and then a laugh?" He chuckled and shook his head.
"Never seen someone laugh while getting hurt." He added.
"I feel silly." I told him.
"Don't. I think you handled the fall pretty amazingly." He smirked and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Laya." We both turned to see Aonung. He gestured his head in a way that told me to follow him, he began to walk and I turned back to Lo'ak.
"I will see you later." I smiled and he looked cautious of leaving me alone with Aonung.
"You should go back." I told him and he nodded, starting to walk back to his pod before turning to look at me again.
I started to follow Aonung until we reached our pod. He entered first and turned to me.
"Are you trying to embarrass me?" He hissed loudly.
"No... Aonung, I'm not. I'm just trying to teach them." I frowned and he paced back and fourth.
"What is the matter?" I asked him, placing down my basket as I saw he was troubled.
"YOU!" He yelled and my ears flattened, I lowered my head and looked at him before looking at the floor.
"I will not embarrass you Aonung." I explained.
"Good." He said harshly, yanking my face up to get a closer look as he tutted.
"My father is the leader here. Remember where you came from." He spat and I looked down further.
That one hurt. Because I didn't know where I came from and he knew that.
I went to turn around when he grabbed my arm, I hissed and grabbed his hand which roughly gripped my wrist. 
"What have I told you? Do not turn your back on me." He explained and let go of my arm, it was bound to bruise. I could tell that by how hard his grip was, the loss of blood flow in my wrist I could easily recognise by the cut off of circulation.
I knew he was under a lot of pressure, but surely I was an ally, not an enemy.