Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XXXIII

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The day had started for the folk of Awa'atlu as they had settled on their post and worked on the crops. At'anau had been dismissed, avoiding the hovering hand of her father wanting to guide her out the tent in a way of consolation to last night's words, but she didn't dare to meet his eyes as Ao'nung had acknowledged the father and walked with his daughter towards the ilu where all the other siblings had been waiting for them. 

Jake noticed the distance his daughter held between them and shared a look Neytiri gave him, the woman who was the founder of the girl's stubbornness. Jake wasn't sure how to handle the kid he wasn't used to have fraction with and wondered how both of them would cope with the emotions in the air. 

Tsireya walked along the girl that was an inch taller than her and noticed her silence. She wanted to open her mouth, talk to her and maybe lift her spirit, but caught her words by the way she noticed her brother's eyes linger at the back of her head. 

She had never seen him as uncomfortable around a person and she wondered if it was nervousness or dishonour that shone light on his true personality. 

"At'i!"

Both kids looked astonished at the oldest girl whose eyes disappeared in her sudden smile as she greeted the youngest and her embrace. 

he greeted the girl who pointed at the ilu that had been waiting for her next to all the others.

The armoury was not far from the ilu all her other siblings had geared up already and mounted so the trio grabbed the saddles. At'anau dismissing Ao'nung's attempt to pass her the equipment and grabbing it by herself. 

Clothing the ilu she jumped on it and opened her arms for the youngest to jump in and placed her in front of her. Neteyam and Lo'ak shared a look with the other siblings who seemed invisible to the girl, but decided to drop the topic. 

Tuk voiced her surprise in seeing the gorgeous white seashell she gifted around her sister's neck and she had to convince the little girl she had been wearing it the whole time. 

The boys watched the two siblings interact, Tuk mostly talking about all the things she had been doing for the times the oldest had been gone and as time passed and stories continued to be told the girl couldn't help but feel guilty, realising all the time she had missed by lingering in the past without noticing her siblings' achievements. 

The group led the kids to the sea terraces, one not too close to the border, but private enough to continue talking instead of doing their assigned jobs. 

Lo'ak had been questioned. Interrogated how he survived a whole night on the strange tides as a foreigner and that's how he began his story of the Tulkun he had met that saved his life. 

"I wish I had been there," It hadn't been hard for At'anau to stay quiet as she enjoyed watching her siblings, especially Kiri be intrigued by the stories told. The girl had been struggling if not as much as she had and At'anau scolded herself for not being there for Kiri when she needed it. Luckily the younger girl found it in herself to show genuine joy when the door had opened about a bigger world beyond the reef that intrigued her.

"The ocean blessed you with a gift, brother."  

"The tulkun have not returned yet," Ao'nung sceptic voice exclaimed "and anyway, no tulkun is ever alone." At'anau caught Neteyam rolling his eyes at Lo'ak when Ao'nung spoke, from her seat between them both and ignored the boy as well.