Deep Water | Neteyam

18.

"Common, he's going to Payakan." Neteyam jumped into the water, where Rahil waiting for him to get on.

Khalo appeared next to him.

"Look, Khalo. I'm sorry for what I have said, I shouldn't have, and we both know it's not true. We can talk about this later, but right now I need to save my brother from dying. Just know that I'll always love you. No matter what." Neteyam shoved him off, spotting Kiri and Tuk on an Ilu. Letting Khalo a little confused a few meters behind him.

"There's Lo'ak! Lo'ak!" Tuk called out for him enthusiastically, waving to him. Without a response, Lo'ak disappeared underwater. "Lo'ak!" Kiri yelled after him.

"He's going to Payakan."

Khalo

"Shit." was the first thing Khalo heard when he and Mameí passed the water surface, and "shit" was the first thing he thought as he saw the sky peoples ship approaching. Neteyam glid off of Rahil, Khalo, Ao'nung and Roxto following him, all of them gathering around Payakan.

Neteyam was the first to be on Payakan, helping Ao'nung and Khalo getting on.

"Thank you." Khalo said out of breath, only catching snippets of what Lo'ak was saying.

"They are over there!" Lo'ak pointed to the ship.

Neteyam started to push the thing, while Lo'ak pulled on it.

"Call Dad, Lo'ak. Just go! Do it!" Neteyam ordered. Khalo cringed. He was no person to handel stressfull situation, he was most likely to zoon out and not to realize what was happening most of the time. He still knew what was going on somehow.

"Grab this and put it around it!" Ao'nung, this time, ordered and threw a rope over to Khalo. Khalo grabed it and did as he said, while Neteyam grabbed the other end of the rope, gliding back into the water, to Rahil.

"Khalo, you come into the water too. I'm gonna need some help." Neteyam called out for him, and Khalo followed. He owuld always follow the orders of Neteyam.

"Grab the rope and pull!" And they pulled. Or Mameí and Rahil did.

"I'm sorry too. You know Lo'ak cares for you. He is your brother, and of course you should protect him. I'm sorry I said such horrible things to you Neteyam. And I want you to know that I-"

"Pull harder!" Somebody yeled, Khalo wasn't able to make out who, but the thing was finally out. Not like his love confession.

Khalo didn't catch what was happeing now, but the sully's all spreat away frm each other like they knew what to do next. Khalo, Roxto, Tsireya and Ao'nung were rather lost on what to do next.

"Go that way! I'll draw them off.", was the only thing he realized was said, and done. Because it was from Neteyam.

"I'll come with you." Khalo said out of an intuition.

"No, you will not Khalo.Stay with Tuk and Kiri. Take care of the both of them." Neteyam demanded.

"But-"

"Khalo, please. This shit is dangerous, and you don't belong in this mess. Nga yawne lu oer, we can talk later. Please." Neteyam practicaly begged, and Khalo gave in.

"Promise you we will talk later."

"I promise. Now go." And he went.

As Neteyam told him, he directly stayed behind Tuk and Kiri, as they hid in the seaweed as these to him unkown objects came into sight.

He also stayed behind them, as Lo'ak tilted his head as a sign to leave the seawed. Even though Lo'ak, Kiri and Tuk weren't the ones growing up here, right now Khalo felt like they were the ones knowing way better how to handle such a situation under water. In the deep water.