Moonchild | Neteyam

10

CHAPTER 10

Neteyam watched as Erìhe walked ahead, towards the group of boys. He saw Ao'nung smiling as he saw her approach - Neteyam had no doubt that he was waiting to make fun of them again.

When Erìhe came to a stop in front of the four boys, she stood confidently as they took in her appearance. She was smiling, as if she did not feel uncomfortable by their eyes raking her body.

"Forest girl," Ao'nung said as he stood up. His friends mimicked his action and laughed as they got to her feet.

"Baby tail," one whispered to the other - he was not being so secretive about it, even if he had used a hushed tone.

Instead of showing offense, Erìhe continued smiling at them. She knew they could be mean, so she had decided to take a different approach.

Many older kids back at home said that she was pretty, and that she could get anything she wanted if she tried hard enough. Erìhe did not believe them - but she decided to put their theories to test. Aok had once taught her how to smile in a way that would make boys feel special. Erìhe found it repulsive - but it did not stop her from trying it.

"Where can I get firewood? Neytiri asked me and Neteyam-" she turned her head and lifted her hand to gesture at the boy who stood rooted where she'd left him, "-to fetch some."

"Neytiri? Not mom? You aren't hers?" Ao'nung asked instead of listening to her request.

Erìhe's smile faltered momentarily, but she had fixed her composure before any one of them could notice it, "Yes," she replied simply, "Now where can I get the-"

"Why did you follow them here?" One of the boys asked her, "Did they even want you to come along?"

"Well-"

"Are you their pet?" Another asked.

Erìhe had forgotten to smile at them, "It's-"

"We asked her to come along," Neteyam cut in, glaring at Ao'nung. None of them had noticed him walking over, and they all looked surprised to see him standing there, a hand on Erìhe's shoulder. "She is not our pet and she is not unwanted."

Erìhe held back from rolling her eyes. She knew he disagreed with his last statement.

Ao'nung held up his hand to silence his friends as he smiled at Erìhe - this time genuinely enough.

"Anyways-" Erìhe matched Ao'nung's smile, "The firewood?"

Ao'nung was now watching Neteyam, who had his narrowed eyes trained on him. It seemed like he finally decided to let them be, as he pointed to a hut a few houses down, "There. Just ask the people in that house."

Erìhe smiled at him once more, and he returned it, "Thank you," she said before taking Neteyam's wrist and leading him away. When they were no longer in earshot of the group of Metkayina, she let go of him, "Why would you say that? I had that all under control."

Neteyam laughed bitterly, "Of course. You were just taking their insults for the fun of it."

"I was keeping it civil," Erìhe corrected him.

"That was civil," Neteyam scoffed as he looked at her from the corner of his eyes. The two of them were now headed toward the hut they had been directed to and Erìhe kept her eyes up ahead.

"Nothing about the way you looked at him seemed civil," Erìhe said.

Neteyam raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

Erìhe waved him off, "Forget it - let's get the wood."

Neteyam chuckled as she walked past him.

When they arrived at the pod, Erìhe was hesitant to enter. However when she looked over to Neteyam, she could tell that he had no plans of going in first, so she sucked it up. She knocked twice on one of the wooden posts of the pod before stepping inside, smiling at everyone within.