Ma Neteyam

5

Neteyam took a deep breath, " I understand that you must be angry at me for following you, but I have an explanation for my actions-"

He paused to think for a second, but he knew every second wasted was a chance for her to lash out and possibly attack. It had to be perfect, no stutters, no hesitation.

Yet as he stood behind a mangrove a few feet away from her hut, he growled inwardly for not finding a good explanation that won't make it seem as if he was a stalker.

He started over again, " I'm very sorry for invading your privacy, I simply wanted to invite you for a swim." he flashed his best smile at a creature who sat upon a branch, it scuttered away quickly.

He let out a low frustrated groan. He was procrastinating, that he knew very much.

He was also nervous, and slightly frightened. Reminders of the warnings Aonung said kept blocking Neteyams train of thought.

He understood not to take the warnings for granted, but would she really end his life? She had the chance too already but didn't.

Tsireya said it herself that she doesn't believe her cousin is a bad person, simply someone who experienced much heartbreak at a very young age. Someone who was misunderstood. He doesn't truly believe she'd kill him.

Although he also never thought she'd knock him out, and she did so with no hesitation.

Wether she did so as a warning, trying to send a message that the next time he wouldn't be so lucky. Or as a sign that she truly meant no harm and is broken and scared inside... he wasn't sure.

But right now he was taking his chances on the latter option instead of the former. Before he even realized, his legs were moving on their own. Quickly speeding towards the hut no one else dares to near.

By the time he was already looking up at the marui, adrenaline once again shut out any common sense.

Vareyas hut was dead quite, almost looking abandoned except that the condition of it looked anything but. It was well made, that much he could tell.

Constructed with sturdy bamboo, it was perched peacefully upon a thick branch. There was no sign of movement inside, but from down here there was truly no way of knowing.

He looked around the area, searching for some kind of path that can be used to climb, and found nothing. All the branches were too separated and thin for him to climb on.

There was no rope like vines either for him to use to bring himself up.

He stared up once again, letting a deep breath out, wondering how Vareya got herself in and out of this place everyday.

Neteyam grew up and lived in the forest where all he did was run, climb, and crawl to get to places. For him to be having trouble finding a way in means she wanted to make sure no Metkayina would find a way either.

His stubbornness decided that this should be no problem for him. There were small grooves on the tree, he should be able to manage.

Neteyam learned to be wrong after only making it a foot up before losing his grip and falling back on the ground.

He stared up again at the challenge before him and thought about the best way to do this. Once an idea struck, he removed his hunting knife, and began using that to lift himself up.

About halfway there, he was exhausted and his muscles began to shake.

The knife was small, and every time he had to remove it and stab it higher up the tree, his feet and other hand dug into the small grooves of the tree, making his entire body ache from holding himself up.