"What are you doing here?" Lalzari exclaimed under her breath yet loud enough for the little girl to hear. The young girl walked like an ancient breeze carefully marking the atmosphere.
"Malaa told me to give you company" the young girl said stopping in front of Lalzari.
"Ugh MALAA!" Lalzari bemoaned, frustrated by Malaa's need to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Lalzari's complaint made the young girl chuckle, her bubbly personality shinning through the cracks like the sun's ray through closed blinds. Lalzari immediately fell in love with this young girl through a smile so bright it would make the sun shy.
"And what's your name Miss Sunshine?" Lalzari asked as she playfully tapped the child's nose.
"Ahmali, I'm Fillard and Hidayam's daughter" she answered as the two started walking the trail once again, side by side. The image of Fillard became clear in Lalzari's mind. The stocky, muscularly tall man, with a voice so powerful yet quiet like the pillars holding buildings up high. Such a hot tempered man, had such a sweet delicate daughter, what a juxtaposition.
"You look a lot like Husayrah" Lalzari sighed once remembered of her friend the weeping willow whose life ended too quickly. Ahmali's face suddenly turned to an downwards frown as her eyes stiffened.
"That's because Hidayam is her sister" Ahmali growled as she crossed her arms kicking at the snow beneath her. Hidayam? The sister who betrayed Husayrah and got Amal killed?!!! Lalzari thought to herself, surprised that Husayrah never mentioned Ahmali. Ahmali noticed the enlarged pupils in Lalzari's eyes, sighing as she continued.
"Amal was my best friend you know... I'm not like my mom..." The snow covering the land only added to the melancholy aura that had surrounded the two delicate vixens. Ahmali's thick bear boots creating a loud trudge as she climbed through the snow.
"I never said you were like your mom" Lalzari exclaimed trying to comfort Ahmali's sadness. The small child grabbed onto Lalzari's balloon sleeves to help herself get through the thick sposh. Lalzari noticed her small red hands and immediately felt an urge to protect her little soul like armour protecting the beating vessel.
"When Husayrah showed you the visions... Did you see Amal?" The sweet child asked as she looked up at her snow guardian. Lalzari nodded and said
"I saw her death", Ahmali looked back down sadden by the answer. The exhausted vixen gathered all her energy as she picked Ahmali up, spinning her around onto her back trying to lift the mood.
"Hey hey heeey Miss Sunshine, did you know the ones that no longer breathe go to a wonderful place?" Ahmali wrapped her skinny arms around Lalzari's neck, resting her head on Lalzari's shoulder, murmuring,
"Where?" Her tone letting Lalzari know that she had to truly use more effort if she wanted the little girl to light up with that bubbly smile again. Ahmali wrapped her small legs around Lalzari's torso securing herself like a belt.
"They go to gardens filled with flowing streams!" Suddenly, she felt Ahmali's body tighten as she squealed,
"REALLY???!" Lalzari nodded proudly as she watched Ahmali's smile reappear on her little delicate face once more. The innocence of children blinded them from reality which might be the reason children are happier than adults.
Looking over the rocky perch, mist billowed out in soft clouds where water and gravity collided. Ahmali pointed ahead as she sprung down from Lalzari's back treading the water below, her mouth moving but her words lost in the roar of the waterfall. The breeze played with the few strands of Lalzari's hair that had escaped the secured emei piercing bun, brushing it against her shoulders. A stray water droplet landed on her arm as she pulled in a deep breath.
Reminded of the king's riddle Lalzari bellowed "OH BUT OF COURSE! They run forever but don't move all! They have no lungs or throat but a roaring call!!!! That's where they reside! The waterfall! The Naida's!"
The two femme fatals walked carefully to the river plunge in front of the descending waterfall. Immediately as they bent down to touch the flowing water a head came out of it starring at the two with intimidation. A slim woman, with long straight black hair, clasped to her face from the emergence of water. Her small pointed chin as sharp as a pyramid, her face adorned with red jewels, her deep arctic blue eyes striking to look at. As she came out of the water slowly her clothing revealed itself. Her almond skin shinning through the cracks of her attire. She wore a navy blue and teal vest and skirt adorned with golden woven threads.
"What are you doing here?!" She roared with a feminine light alluring voice, the kind that would make men beg her to never stop talking.
"Looking for The Naida's" Lalzari replied hastily as she stood up not letting her be intimidated by the nymph-like vixen standing in front of her.
Another one emerged from the water elegantly. She had dark purple hair with the same arctic blue eyes and red adorned flowers. Next to her a similar looking woman emerged, and next to her another one. Four of them emerged and stood behind the one who first emerged. She must have been the leader. Behind them a few men started emerging aswell. But this was different. This was a battle of feminine energy. Men would roar and shout, huff and poke their chest out but females are different. They silently speak with their auras dominating each other like tidal waves competing to overpower.
"You're not welcomed" the woman in the front said with her high pitched voice. Ahmali stood strongly next to Lalzari not letting the other feminine aura's grow.
"I've come to warn you Naida's... King Laham is planning to kill you all and he wants me to do it" Lalzari firmly stated as she stood tall and proud. The nymph-like woman's eye twitched for a second as a micro-expression of fear. Even the proudest leaders can be filled with anxiety for a split second.
"We knew this day would come Vultana" The purple haired Naida roared as she let her feminine energy dissolve, like an deflated ballon, breaking the strong intimidating aura the Naida's had created. Vultana took out her hand reaching for Lalzari as she announced
"Come and I'll see if you're trustworthy". Lalzari shot Ahmali a look before taking Vultana's hand and being emerged by dark flushing water.
The cold water seeping slowly into Lalzari's airways filling her lungs up little by little. The water felt so heavy and the darkness made it hard for her to see anything at all. The water resisting every movement of Lalzari's as she tried immigrating to a different location. Suddenly, a tight tug grabbed Lalzari's ankles yanking her to the bottom. The panicked vixen started kicking which only resulted in her being dragged further. The water suddenly turned hot like erupted lava, burning the vixens fragile skin. THE WATER?! HOW IS IT BURNING ME? Lalzari panicked as she thought of any way to stop whatever was happening.
'SWOOSH SWOOSH' The water sang as it captured Lalzari's airways cutting them off. Panic turned into fear which turned into more panic. Images of Melaniee raced through Lalzari's mind. Jamshar's voice tried comforting the trepidation filling Lalzari's racing thoughts. Yet, not even Jamshar's comforting voice could calm the vixen down. MAMA!!! I NEED YOU! Lalzari roared in her mind as if she was yearning for a call back. As Lalzari's focus disintegrated, her limbs started feeling heavy. Malaa's words chanted in her mind
"I'm protecting you. I'm with you. Just... Persevere".
Lalzari shot opened her eyes as everything was as clear as day. Gold blood rushed through her veins lighting up the water in gold luminescence. The water surrendering to Lalzari's feminine energy, obeying her every wish. The water instantly made the vixen as light as a flying speck and shot her straight up and out of the water onto the ground beside Ahmali. Ahmali shouted words that were too faint for Lalzari to understand as she helped her up on her knees to throw up the water that had filled her lungs.
"She must be special Ruwa!" Vultana bellowed turning towards the purple haired Naida. Ruwa stepped forward to catch a better glimpse of the illuminated vixen, surprised by an unknown having powers. Yet the gold rushing light within Lalzari's veins fainted away as her heartbeat slowed and she caught her breath.
In the midst of admiration, Naida's from the other side appeared and it sounded like bickering from what Lalzari could make out.
"Growing your tribe Vultana!" One from the other side of the water shouted as Vultana replied "You going to try and take her too or what?!"
Lalzari brushed her hair out of her face tightening the emei piercers in the soaked hair. Ahmali had torn off a piece of clothing trying to dry Lalzari.
"RUWA LOVES TAKING"
"WELL NOT LIKE YOU JABINA WE DON'T ALL STEAL LIKE THIEVES"
"SAMIR CONTROL YOUR LADY!"
"AT LEAST VULTANA KEEPS US FULL"
"JABINA STEAL THAT TOO WON'T YOU!"
The Naida's kept disputing making it hard for Lalzari to know what the issue even was. It was impossible to get their attention back once they started shouting at each other which made Lalzari more angry.
"They put me through all that to just argue amongst themselves??!!" She roared as Ahmali gave her an expression of agreement.
"HEY STOP AND LISTEN!" Ahmali screamed in a surprisingly loud voice causing The Naida's to stop and turn to the little fiery vixen as she stomped her foot to show her aggression.
"We weren't finished!" Lalzari continued as Vultana stared in suprise. These women were not use to another woman from the outside challenging them. They only had each other but knew how they argued and well the men... They hardly said much.
"It's all because Jabina divided The Naida's!" Ruwa bellowed as she charged towards Jabina before another Naida grabbed her stopping her. "They're all selfish" Vultana said rolling her eyes at The Naida's on the other side.
"I didn't divide anyone, YOU where the ones who said the water was yours!" Jabina roared. The water had begun to rise and the tides were getting bigger from the conflicts between the two opposite sides. Vultana turned her body towards Lalzari and Ahmali and stated.
"My mother was born in this water! It was always hers! We lived peacefully! Then Jabina and her clan wanted more and more! To control more and more! But it was ours first! Here, I even have a document stating who this land belongs to! Wouldn't you agree Miss Golden?!" Lalzari wiped her face in her hands as an annoyed expression filled her face. She was in complete disbelief of what she was hearing. Was this what had become of the innocent tribes that once were united?
"Seriously?! This is what you're on about? A piece of document? Who was here firsts? Who owns water? This is absolutely disappointing to see. Do you think your mother would be proud of you Miss Vultana? NO ONE owns the water! NO ONE! The only one who owns any land! Any tree! Any water! Is the one who owns YOU! Did you forget where you came from? Who created you?! ONLY HE OWNS ANYTHING ON THIS EARTH! How are you arguing and turning on your OWN!" Lalzari roared silencing The Naida's. They started looking around at each other with something that was subsided against the revengeful ways they had before.
A small boy came out behind Jabina. He had light blue hair covering his forehead and looked at lot like his mom. He walked over to the two girls who had been treated like outsiders, looking up at Lalzari as he stood right in front of her. His eyes then fell upon Ahmali, Lalzari came in front of her protecting her from anyone.
"They've been fighting like this for years! Finally someone told them the truth!" The boy roared as his mother stood in complete shock seeing her son think differently from her.
"You don't have time to fight! The king is wiping you all out of existence one by one! I've been planning to take down the king but I need your help!" Lalzari said as her feminine energy became stronger and more powerful than The Naida's combined making them obey her like the water did.
"What do you need from us?" Vultana obeyed.
"I need you to vacate asap! Go to another waterfall or river or pond! And make it seem like you died here!" Lalzari finished. Vultana nodded as she raised her hands in a circular motion making the water turn red like blood, the waterfall look like the biggest massacre ever.
"We'll leave by sunrise" Vultana stated as the other Naida's nodded following their leader. Lalzari shot a look towards Jabina and her clan but noticed fear written all over their faces. Jabina nodded as she looked at Vultana.
"I'm Ezzouie by the way" the boy said waving at the hidden Ahmali. "I'm Ahmali" her timid voice muttered."Ahmali" Ezzouie sighed smiling at the tucked away girl.
'BANG BANG KABOOM' A speed of bomb-like canons overtook the crisp air in an instant. Lalzari turned her head to the Kingdom as she gasped.
"The kingdom!" She roared grabbing Ahmali and running towards the abandoned kingdom.