The Breath of Water | Neteyam

62 • Preparations Pt. II

A/N: I added a new term to the Rulebook :) *kxamtìsyor*
(Also I start college tomorrow so if updates get slower that is why 😖)

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Neteyam had called his team back together since the games were tomorrow and their team still didn't have a Txurtu.

"I have no idea who would make a good Txurtu, guys."

"Hey, Liyanin's picking up the Eyktan's sum atxep today, did she get yours?" Femtrì asked him.

"Yeah, gave it to her yesterday," he responded, a bit off-put at her off-topic interjection. "...now as I was saying, how the heck am I supposed to pick another player when I have no idea who would make for a good Txurtu?"

Masanai dipped her head in thought, her brows scrunched together. Rotxo sat on a rock, his tail swaying.

"...I have an idea." Tsyätrril sighed out. "...but I hate it so much."

"...yeah, I didn't want to say it either." Masanai added. Neteyam looked between the two, curious of their shared idea.

"...guys. Care to share with your Eyktan? He is kind of in a bind." He quipped.

"Oh damn, that's crazy!" Femtrì exclaimed, now beginning to understand what they were insinuating. She laughed out loud, seemingly to tease Tsyätrril. Neteyam looked at Rotxo, hoping maybe he would say.

"I honestly have no clue what they're getting at." He confessed, just as baffled as Neteyam. Tsyätrril walked over to the brothers, a tinge of pain on his face.

"There is a person who would be perfect to be our Txurtu. And I can guarantee no one has picked him."

"Who is it?" Neteyam asked, practically begging to know.

"...your teacher's younger brother—Aonung."

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Aonung was walking along the shoreline, relieved now that he had managed to apologize to Kiri. It wasn't as nerve-wracking as he thought it would be, but he still felt jittery.

.

'If you ever try to bully me or my brother again, I won't be so forgiving. I am only doing it this time because of your sister. You got that?'

.

A shiver went down his spine upon recalling of what she said since he now knew what she was capable of. He plopped down on the sand, looking up at the sky. He then began to remember that Taronsäwem was tomorrow, and he wouldn't be participating in it.

"Damn, I really wanted to play this year..." he sighed, kicking some grains with his foot. He had thought about convincing one of the other team's Eyktan to choose him as their Txurtu, but each team had a player that would definitely not want to work with him, and he had no idea who the Eyktan were, so he felt that idea was futile.

"...what are you doing out here?" A soft voice called out; it held a softness in which that was familiar upon the boy's ears. And such a familiarity made him smile.

"Peya," he said as he watched her sit next to him. She didn't say anything more, only resting her head on her knees, looking at the sea as its waves crashed against the sand. Aonung kept his eyes on her as she did this, her expression showing signs of relaxation.

...Why?

Why was she so relaxed? She was with him—the bully—the haughty son of the Olo'eyktan. She shouldn't be coming to him willingly. He was so perplexed. And angry—angry for her. Was she stupid? She had a good standing with the other teens, if she was seen getting friendly with him, that would surely change. Hell, even Rotxo didn't stick around like Aonung thought he would; he didn't choose him as his partner for Taronsäwem this year either. He could always feel he was losing the relationship he had with Rotxo, but he didn't want to accept it, so he ignored it—distracted himself with things he made Rotxo and himself do. And unfortunately, he never once thought maybe, just maybe, that teasing, mocking, pestering, and bothering were things Rotxo did not want to do at all.