Worlds Apart: Volume I

The During: Beautiful

"Tell us what happened, Lo'ak," Tsireya said as they all gathered around. "You seem so calm about your time out in the open sea."

Ney'ite sat between Tuk and Kiri. She kept her eyes focused on Lo'ak. She didn't want to even look at Aunong. Ney'ite didn't like that he was there with them now, but Lo'ak and Kiri were not saying anything. Ney'ite accepted that he would be apart of their small group today.

"A big sea creature with a large crest on his head saved me," Lo'ak explained. "It had a wide tail and was gray with a white belly. He stopped the creature that was attacking me and brought me back to the surface. Without him, I would have drowned."

"You saw a tulkun?" the three Metkayina teens said at the same time.

"I wish I had been there," Kiri smiled. "The sea has given you a gift, brother."

TAunong didn't seem convicned, "The tulkuns have not come yet, and no tulkun swims alone."

"It did here," Lo'ak said. "He was missing his one fin. The left one was only a stump."

"Payakan!" Roxto said. He was looing between Tsireya and Aunong. "It is Payakan."

Ney'ite drew her brows together, "Who is Payakan? And do you guys seem so concerned about that?"

"He is a young, unruly bull," Aunong explained. "He is outcast and missing a fin. He was supposed to be a killer." He looked at Lo'ak. "He has killed Na'vi and Tulkuns. Far down south, not here."

Lo'ak shook his head, "He's not a killer."

"Lo'ak, you are lucky you survived," Tsireya said as she looked at Lo'ak.

"Well, he saved my life," Lo'ak didn't want to hear anything that they were saying. "He is my friend."

"My little brother," Neyetam stood up and grabbed Lo'ak's shoulders. "The mighty warrior who fought a killer tulkun and survived."

"Neytetam, stop it," Ney'ite scolded her brother.

"You don't listen," Lo'ak pushed off his brother's hands and stood up.

"I'm listening," Tuk said as she stood up and did her best to follow Lo'ak. "Lo'ak, come back."

Lo'ak walked away from them. He was done with having no one listening to him. He walked off back towards their home. Ney'ite stood up and tried to walk after him.

"Let him cool down, Ney'ite," Kiri said as she grabbed Ney'ite's wrist. "He doesn't want to be around any of us right now."

"Did you really have to patronize him, Neyetam?" Ney'ite asked as she looked at her brother.

"You know I was just trying to lighten the mood," Neyetam grumbled.

"Whatever," Ney'ite rolled her eyes as she walked away from the group.

Ney'ite just walked through the village. Everyone was running through and completing the tasks of the day. Ney'ite helped where she could. Ney'ite didn't say much as she worked. Last night and today had irritated her beyond all belief.

"Forest girl," an old woman caught her attention.

"Yes," Ney'ite turned towards the voice.

"I need you to take this basket to the Tsahik's hut," the old woman said.

"Of course," Ney'ite nodded as she took the basket.

Ney'ite started to make her way towards Ronal's hut. Ney'ite didn't want to make her way there, but she knew she had no choice. Ney'ite didn't know what she feared more: possibly seeing Aunong or possibly seeing his mother. Ney'ite stopped and took a breath before walking into Ronal's hut.