𝗂𝗇𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮

𝗑𝗂𝗂𝗂.

𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘙𝘛𝘌𝘌𝘕

        SEYLU HAD SUFFERED FROM NERVOUS attacks since she was four years old. Her accident and the event of Nori had amplified the plague she had on her. She had learned to deal with them after a few years. It had been months since Seylu suffered from one, but it wasn't uncommon for her to be set off by something, spiking her nerves.

Her father was the only one inside when Seylu entered, sitting tensely by the fire. He had been alerted by his children of what had happened, and had offered his assistance to the Sully family. "Hello, Seylu." Tonowari spoke, his strong voice guiding his daughter over to him. His hand was illuminated by the fire in the center of the mauri, and Seylu used it to pull herself down.

"Hi." Seylu said quietly, feeling Tonowari place her shawl around her shaking frame. She wasn't cold, just still thinking of Nori.

Tonowari frowned. "What is troubling you, daughter?" the Chief asked, eyes observing Seylu's dejected face.

She breathed shakily. "I saw her today, Father. I saw Nori." Seylu said, a tear rolling down her stained cheeks.

Tonowari placed his arm around Seylu, tugging her close. She rested her head on him as she began to cry quietly. "What memory did you visit?" he questioned.

"Our last one the day before it happened. We played in the ocean, Nori found purple flowers for us." Seylu said slowly, stopping to breathe between her words.

"You still have that flower." Tonowari commented, hearing Seylu's sobs.

She nodded, beginning to struggle to breathe properly. "And–and then it changed, and I was grown, and sh–she was still nine. Her legs were gone, b–but she was still so happy. She told me... she told me to wear our pearl." Seylu cried, burying her head into Tonowari's embrace.

Tonowari shushed Seylu gently, wrapping his other arm around her body. "Breathe, daughter. You must breathe." he directed, breathing in and out to demonstrate what she needed to do.

"I can't." she sobbed, gasping for air.

Ronal walked into the pod with her younger children, immediately falling to her knees to place her hands on her daughter. "It is happening again?" Ronal asked her husband, who nodded grimly.

Tsireya and Ao'nung remained in the entrance to the pod as they listened to their sister's cries. "Seylu, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth." Tonowari directed gently.

Seylu tried, but she was too worked up to think properly. Ronal took Seylu's hands in her own. "Sweet girl, you are alright. You must breathe. Breathe." Ronal cooed, hand on Seylu's distraught face.

In through your nose, out through your mouth. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Seylu slowly began to breathe, eyes closed as she tried to imagine anything other than Nori, her best friend who died because of her.

It took a few slow minutes, but Seylu calmed down, her breathing steadying.Ronal kissed Seylu's forehead, leading her over to her sleep mat. Seylu wiped her eyes, avoiding the gazes of her brother and sister, who had entered the tent fully.

Seylu reached for her small box that she crafted out of driftwood when she was five, grabbing it from behind her mat. It held all her treasured belongings. Seylu took the shell off of her head, placing it in the box. She dug around for a second, before she found the lavender colored pear, rolling it between her fingers. It had a sister, a twin, but the other pearl rested with Nori.

She attached the pearl to her headdress, her fingers lingering for a moment. Seylu turned back to her box, pulling out the dried purple flower that had lasted nine years and holding it to her nose. It still had the faintest remnant of its sweet smell, and Seylu smiled.

Seylu put her box back where it stayed and laid herself down on her mat, resting on her side. She placed the dried up flower in front of her, fingers brushing her necklace that held Ouali's tooth.

The rest of the family sat quietly, worried for Seylu. These types of events happened few and far between now that she was older and matured, but it wasn't altogether uncommon for Seylu to have an attack like this. Ao'nung kept his eyes trained on her, covering her with her shawl when he noticed her shiver.

Tsireya was so young when Nori died, merely four years old, and she didn't remember her older sister's best friend. Ao'
nung remembered some moments with Nori, walking on the beach with her and Seylu as they held his hands, or building castles in the sand with them. He remembered Nori's funeral, having to look away from her wrapped legs to not grow sick.

Nori was a breath of fresh air, a ray of sunshine. She was a healer, and Seylu was a warrior. They were so different, but they were the best of friends. Nori never had any worries, any pressures she placed on herself. Seylu was always pushing to be perfect no matter the cost, and Nori always told her that she was being silly for her thoughts. Nori and Seylu did everything together. Seylu never smiled the same after Nori died.

Seylu woke up the next morning at the same time she always did, pretending like nothing happened, which she always did. She hunted as normal, Neteyam not joining her, and she and Tsireya collected the crops as planned. Kiri had still not awoken, and Seylu planned to visit the family later that afternoon.

She sat outside her mauri, legs crossed as she cleaned a small pile of fish to deliver to the Sully family, knowing that they would not be attending the evening meal the entire clan shared. It was quiet and peaceful as she gutted the hammerbrow fish, tossing the innards to her waiting ilu which swam in the water beneath her.

Doing what she always did calmed her immensely, and cleaning her kill was what she did every day. The sun sparkled against the sea, and the waves lapped on the land. Seylu closed her eyes, blocking her vision entirely. She continued gutting her fish.

꧁꧂༺༻꧁꧂