Solo

eleven

"Breathe in." Tsierya demonstrated how to breathe slower as we all sat in a circle.
"Breathe out." She let out a long breath.
"How can you even hold your breath under water for a long time?" Neteyam asked
"We adapt. Like you will." I assured him.
I noticed Lo'ak struggling with his breathing and I kneeled in front of him.
"Breathe in." I placed my hand on his heart, feeling it's unusually fast heartbeat.
"Breathe from down here." I instructed as I placed my other free hand on his stomach.
"Breathe out slowly." He tilted his head as his heartbeat continued to race in his chest.
"Lo'ak... your heartbeat is very fast." I explained.
"Sorry." He cleared his throat awkwardly and I heard Neteyam and Rotxo giggling behind us.
I turned around and Tsierya was covering her mouth, a smile hidden by her hand, I turned back to Lo'ak who looked embarrassed.
"Try to focus." I smiled at him.
"Okay." He nodded and let in a long breath, holding it before letting it out again.
"If you learn how to breathe, you are already one with the water." I explained before going back to the rock which I sat on.
Lo'ak's gaze stayed fixated on me and I blushed, looking down.
"I have to get back. I'm grounded." Lo'ak announced and stood up.
I looked up and frowned.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because of the fight."
"But I told him it wasn't your fault." I stood up and Lo'ak chuckled, resting a hand on my cheek.
"You don't know my dad, Laya." He sighed in defeat before calling for his ilu, swimming off onto the beach.
"That is so unfair!" I spun around and Neteyam smiled , patting me on my shoulder in reassurance.

It was getting darker and I had dropped in some berries to Neytiri and Tuk, staying and playing with Tuk for a while before making my way back to my own pod, where Aonung still hadn't returned.
He had left earlier today with Maro and Tisil and still was not back.
I looked up at the moon and frowned.
It was getting late.
Almost as if it was right on queue, Aonung jumps up from the water and into our pod, laughter filling it.
"That was crazy!"
"Did you have a good time?" I asked him as the boys jumped up after him.
"A very good time." Maro snickered and him and Tisil nudged each other.
I eyed them both suspiciously before turning to Aonung.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing..." He trailed off.
"Are you lying to me?" I asked him and looked at the other two boys behind him.
"What did you do?" I asked and Maro hissed at me.
Aonung whipped his head round to correct him and Maro's ears lowered, his tail swaying behind him.
"We took the Sully boy out beyond the reef." Tisil announced, proud of himself.
"I hope you are joking." I scolded and looked at Aonung, his head lowered and I hissed, growing angry as my tail hit him, I paced back and fourth and looked at them all.
"Po omum ke'u käsatseng." He knows nothing out there. I scolded them and they all looked at each other with worried glances, I looked out to the ocean before turning back to them.
"Ngaytxoa." Sorry. They all mumbled under their breaths and I hissed, letting silence engulf us all before I turned to Aonung.
"Peseng?" Where?