Tacenda | Neteyam

002

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TSA'TVAYI

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TSA'TVAYI WAS ONCE AGAIN in the water, her braids swirled around her as she adjusted her grip in her ilu's saddle. She kept her things pressed firmly against its side as she lent forward until her chest was fully laying on the animal under her.

Faster, she thought, the Tsaheylu between her and Ean'ora allowing her to communicate with the beautiful beast without hinderance. Ean'ora sped up, the water blurring besides her as they raced to the shore. Tsireya had barged into her pod early, the sun low in the sky as a comforting darkness filled the air, and announced that they would be helping the new family learn to swim as soon as they rose from their sleep.

Tsa'tvayi had let a curse slip from her lips as she turned and dug herself back into her hammock, her hair a tangled mess around her. Of course, her friend had payed her little mind as she tugged her out of bed with strength that Tsa'tvayi didn't know she possessed. Naturally, she hadn't been able to sleep again, so the girl had seen the sun rising from inside of the water, Ean'ora pressed loyalty to her side.

The water was colder than usual as it washed over her skin, the scent of the ocean, of home, encasing every inch of her body. Tsa'tvayi willed Ean'ora to slow down, their heartbeat beating in tandem as they breathed in the Metkayina air. She could hear Tsireya arriving with the new family, could hear them fumbling in the sand as a childish laugh rang in the air.

A hand tugged on her hair, Tsa'tvayi turning her head quickly to glare at the offending appendage. Ao'nung grinned sharply down at her as he reached over and tugged her braid again, the girl glaring at him and splashing at him with her tail.

He laughed as he turned back to look at Tsireya. "What time did you wake up this girl?" he splashed some water straight into Tsa'tvayi's face. "You look like you spent the entire night in the water."

Letting out a groan, she let herself fall back onto the water, her body floating as the sun heated her skin. "Your sister," she whined lowly, "Believes me to be unnatural. She is unaware that I must sleep just as she does."

"She is skxawng," he mocked before turning to face the approaching group.

Tsa'tvayi didn't pay the group any mind as she gazed at the sky, the clouds moving and blocking the sun. Letting out a small sigh, she let her body sink to the bottom, her back pressed against the sand, before turning and swimming back to the shore.

"Who is she?" She heard someone ask, the water pressing against her ears leaving her unable to distinguish if it had been one of the boys or the girls. Rising out of the water, she met Tsireya's gaze.

"I didn't introduce her yesterday," Tsireya giggled as shame coated her face, "This is Tsa'tvayi. She is a friend."

Tsa'tvayi waved, her eyes darting over the group's faces. She paused slightly as her eyes met the oldest son's golden ones, before blinking quickly and turning back to Tsireya.