𝗂𝗇𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮

𝗑𝗂.

𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘕

        RONAL HAD ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY protective of her children, but when Seylu had her accident, her protectiveness only increased. Ronal would guide her everywhere, help her relearn things, and forbid her from going anywhere after eclipse. As the years progressed, Ronal began to be more lenient with her restrictions.

"Seylu, I really do not want you going to the Spirit Tree tonight. You know you can't see in the dark." Ronal said, threading a top on her mat. Tsireya weaved a basket, and Seylu rebraided a section of her hair that had fallen out.

"Mother, I will be okay. I really want to go see her." Seylu pleaded. Her voice quieted at her second sentence, and Ronal frowned. She never spoke of Nori, so she must have been feeling her energy that day.

Tsireya spoke up, putting her weaving down. "Besides, she won't be alone. Me, Ao'nung, Rotxo, Neteyam, Lo'ak, Tuk and Kiri are going as well." she said, smiling at her older sister.

Seylu winked in her general direction, tying off her new braid. "Please, Mother?" she asked, bottom lip poking out to prove her sadness.

Ronal sighed, finishing the top. "I suppose, as long as you ride with your brother or your sister, that it will be okay." the mother said, and Seylu smiled, finding her mother's arms and hugging her as gently as she could to not disrupt the baby Ronal carried.

Tsireya and Seylu left for the cove a few minutes later after Seylu grabbed an arrow, Seylu getting bombarded by the young children she had begun to teach, them showing her the waist bags they had made. The sisters continued on their journey, meeting up with Kiri and Tuk on the way.

When the four girls arrived, Tsireya, Kiri and Tuk knelt on the sand, while Seylu ventured into the sea, waist deep, searching for skate fish. She found one who was wounded, tail almost totally bitten off by another creature, and another with a missing fin. Seylu threw her arrow at both fish, piercing their hearts instantly on the same arrow.

Lo'ak, Rotxo, Ao'nung and Neteyam had arrived by now, settling on the sand while they watched Seylu retreat from the ocean, two dead fish hanging from her arrow. Seylu sat down besides Rotxo, giving him a small smile.

"Hi, Seylu."Rotxo said, in awe that she was sitting next to him.

Ao'nung rolled his eyes from Kiri's right. "Rotxo, stop. That's my sister." he said, disgusted.

Seylu rolled her own eyes, Kiri smiling from next to Rotxo. "You're so caring, baby brother." she said, taking a large leaf from behind her to place her fish on. She took her knife out, cutting the heads and tails off the fish as everyone watched her.

"That's disgusting." Ao'nung cringed, leaning against a tree.

"Did I ask?" Seylu retaliated, tossing a head at her brother, who kicked it away quickly. Seylu chuckled, seeing Lo'ak, Kiri, Rotxo, Neteyam and Tsireya laughing quietly at Ao'nung's reaction. "Lo'ak, what happened out there yesterday?" Seylu asked the boy, her gray eyes focusing on the fish before her.

Lo'ak proceeded to explain about the tulkun he met and how it saved him from the akula. Kiri was in awe of what her brother witnessed. "I wish I'd been there. The ocean blessed you with a gift, brother." Kiri said, and Seylu smiled, continuing to clean the fish she had killed.

Tsireya knelt on her left, Tuk between them, peering over Seylu's shoulder to see what she was doing. "The tulkun have not returned yet. And anyway, no tulkun is ever alone." Ao'nung said, leaning forward from the tree.