Hold My Hand

Chapter 6

"Honestly I have no idea who snitched. But when I find out" Aonung says and hisses before slapping the tree next to him.

"Why are you so angry about it?" Kiri asks.
"Because. I hate seeing Rayena in trouble" Aonung replies.
"I means it's very rare" Tsireya replies.
"I know. Which is why I hate it so much" Aonung says.

Kiri nods and looks away.
"Is something wrong?" Tsireya asks her.
"No. I am fine" Kiri replies.

Rayena comes back and sits down with them.

"What were you talking to Jake about? It seemed serious" Tsireya asks.
"I felt bad about Lo'ak. Hearing him call Lo'ak a disappointment more than once. It's not very nice" Rayena says.

Tsireya sighs and Rayena puts her hand on Tsireya's shoulder, "trust me, Lo'ak is not a bad person. He might have bonded with a Tulkun that he should have not bonded with, but he means well. Plus, if it wasn't for Payakan, Lo'ak would have been dead."

"What do you mean?" Tsireya asks Rayena.
"I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd be worried. But when I went to find Lo'ak by the reef that day, I found his ilu, he had been bitten from his fin. But Lo'ak was found with Payakan so it must mean something" Rayena replies.

Neteyam then joins then again, Lo'ak follows behind.
"What did I miss?" Neteyam asks.
"Nothing really" Rayena replies. She then sees Lo'ak sit down, "I thought you were grounded?"

"Wait, how do you know that?" Lo'ak asks as he didn't know Rayena heard the conversation with him and Jake.
"Oh um" Rayena tried to think of a lie.
"I asked father and he told me. So we both convinced him to let you off" Neteyam makes up a lie.

As they're talking, Aonung walks away.
"Aonung. Where are you going?" Rayena asks.
"I'll be back" Aonung says and walks to one of his friends.
"I thought he stopped being friends with them" Rayena says as she turns around to Tsireya.
-
Neteyam decides to go for a swim, as Lo'ak was with Tsireya and Kiri had gone off somewhere whilst Tuk was asleep. He didn't have much to do.

As he was swimming he spotted Rayena, who was also by herself.
He watched her as she was playing with the fish. She moves her hands, and the fish follow, as she moves her hands from one side to another.

He decides to swim forward to her.
Neteyam pats her on the shoulder, causing her to get startled as she turns around, with her hand placed on her chest.

Neteyam points up, indicating Rayena to swim up.
She swims up with him.

"How do you do that?" Neteyam asks.
"Do what?" Rayena replies.
"Get the fish to move with your hands. Like you're controlling them" Neteyam replies.

"I guess the ocean just loves me. I've always been playing with fish and swimming with them" Rayena says, "come. I will show you."
She takes Neteyam's hand and swims back down.

She lets go of his hand and puts her finger up, indicating to him to wait.
He watches as she puts her hand out to the fish. They slowly swim towards her hand.

She begins to do what she was doing before, getting them to move with her hand, before she swims to Neteyam.

She moves backwards, her back faced towards him.
Neteyam looks confused as to why she hasn't turned around yet but her back hits his chest lightly.
Rayena then holds onto Neteyam's hand, the same hand that the fish are following.

She looks up at him and smiles before letting go of his hand.
Neteyam's gaze moves from her to his hand as he lifts it up and watches the fish follow his hand as he moves it around.

Rayena smiles as she watches and so does Neteyam.
He looks back at Rayena, her head still against his shoulder and her back against his chest.

Ronal finds them but stays back as she watches them.
-
"That was so cool!" Neteyam says as he's walking with Rayena.
"I like to play with this fish because I like them to know that I am their friend. So that they are not scared of me" Rayena says.