Avatar = Way Of Water = Aonung Romance

=Chapter 19=

The following afternoon I was sitting in the hut alone when Neteyam stormed into the room.

"Where is Loak?" he asked walking right up to me. I frowned looking behind him to see, Tsireya, Rotxo, and Aonung walk in all with slightly worried faces.

"What's the matter?" I asked at my brother's rushed demeanor.

"You told mother you would be fishing with him today. Where is he?" Neteyam never spoke harshly to me. But I could see he was angry. My ears flatted as I instantly knew I was caught in a lie. He could see it too.

"So you've been lying to cover his tracks?" he asked somewhat disappointed.

"Payakan is his friend Neteyam. He," I swallowed the rest of my statement as Neteyam eyes narrowed. 

"Take me to him, now," he demanded. 

We all rode our ilu's to three brothers' rock. Dismounting we swam up to a set of sea plants pulling aside the leaves to reveal Loak and Payakan facing each other in the water. A deep frown plastered on my face as Payakan opened his mouth wide.

And Loak swam into it. Right into his mouth. Not a moment later the mouth closed. Both Neteyam and I leaped from the reeds fully ready to fight this giant beast for our brother. Only we were stopped. Aonung reached out his hand snaking around my waist and pulling me into his chest. I fought his grip only stopping when Tsireya signed for us to calm down. 

'Calm. Watch,' she signed. I tried to calm my worry my hand instinctively reaching to hold Aonung arm that still held me. Soon after Loak emerged from Payakans mouth completely unscathed. 

'What happened?' Neteyam signed to Tsireya who stared in aww.

'He bonded with Payakan,' she signed numbly in disbelief. 

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I thought bonding with a tulkun was a good thing. So when Tsireya told her mother I was surprised at her angered expression. All five of us were marched through the village to the chief's hut. By both Ronal and Tanowari. We all entered the hut all in a circle.

"You allowed this? You allowed him to bond with the outcast!?" Ronal was furious. She stepped up to her daughter and she pointed at Loak. Tonawari then stepped to her side.

"Tsireya. You disappoint me, daughter," he said his anger much more subtle but still as loud. 

"And you, the son of a great warrior," My eyes flickered to my parents as they rushed up. "Who has been taught better," the chief continued to scold Loak.

"Payakan saved my life, sir. You don't know him," Loak argued. 

"No Loak," Tsireya whispered. The chief nodded taking in Loak words.

"Sit, Sit," he ordered both him and Loak kneeling.

"SIT DOWN!" he snapped at the rest of us. We all obeyed.

Putting his hands at his lips he breathed out a large puff of air his hands moving with them, his expression turning deathly serious. 

"Hear my words boy. In the days of the first songs. Tulkun fought among themselves. For territory, and revenge. But they came to believe, that killing no matter how justified only brings more killing. So all killing was forbidden. This is the tulkun way. Payakan is a killer, so he is an outcast" the chief was trying to get a lesson through Loaks thick skull. My ears flattened as he continued to argue.

"I'm sorry sir but you're wrong," Loak argued.

"Loak, you speak to Olo'eyktan," Mother hissed from behind us.