𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤 ⋆𓇼⋆ ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ x ᴏᴄ

20.

⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆ Ta'kari POV ⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆

It's quiet in the forest.

I have no idea where I'm going, or even what I'm trying to do, but I just need to get out of the reef and find something... remotely familiar.

After having that dream and hearing about Aonung's jealousy for his true love, I just can't stand another moment in the village of Awa'atlu.

I don't know why I'm so surprised about Aonung.

No wonder he disliked me before; I was the one getting in the way of him and his love.

But it doesn't explain why it hurts. 

I'm already hurting from the dream, but this is a different sort of ache, one in my heart, instead of my head and body.

I huff under my breath, impatiently pushing my way through bushes and trees and hissing when they scratch me back.

I growl at a couple of prolemuris that swing through the trees to watch me, and they quickly fuck off as well.

Finally, the sound of running water reaches my ears.

I pick up my pace, and to my great joy, I see a small river ahead, a wide stream of clear water flowing along a glowing bed of colourful rocks and waving river weeds. The bank is lined with feathery green plants and luminescent blue flowers. 

The sky is blanketed by glowing purple vines and large plants sat on the surface of the water, drifting back and forth in the gentle current.

As darkness falls, the forest began to glow. Leaves, flowers, and creatures were alight with bioluminescence, like green and purple lights. 

I sigh, ignoring the flood of memories that come with seeing the river, even though it's a completely different to the one I remember.

I sit on the bank, trailing my toes through the water and absentmindedly stabbing my knife into the ground.

I wait like that for a few moments before I become aware of the sound of footsteps behind me.

I quickly turn, raising my knife and hissing, before the figure raises his arms, holding his bow high above his head.

"Ack, it's just me Ta'kari," Neteyam says, blinking at me. "Um. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I snap, lowering my knife and plopping back to the ground.

Neteyam tentatively sits beside me, his braids swishing softly behind him.

"What's wrong?" he asks softly.

I look up at him, but there's something in those beautifully soft yellow eyes that breaks me.

I just know I can trust him.

"I had a dream," I sigh. "About Ta'unui."

"Oh," Neteyam breathes, his face crinkling slightly in a pitiful, guilty expression.

"Ka'yi... my best friend... she was there. I went to the river, one a lot like this, because it was where we would always hang out. At first, she didn't even know what happened. And then she remembered."

Neteyam is completely silent, simply watching me.

There's something so comfortable and reassuring about his gaze, so I can't help but keep talking. 

"I think they all did die, Neteyam," I whisper, starting to tremble. "And I couldn't help them."

"Sh," Neteyam says, taking one of my hands in his. Even though his are thin, they're still bigger than mine. "There was nothing you could have done."