Moonchild | Neteyam

11

CHAPTER 11

       "Tuk - I am trying to make food," Neytiri sighed and held her head. Tuk had been bothering her for the past fifteen minutes, wanting her to come outside and watch as she swam around with her ilu.

"But mom - I'm really good! Come see!" Tuk pulled her mothers hand with all her might. She gave up a second later and groaned, sitting on the floor with her arms crossed, "You're so boring."

"Go play with your friends," Neytiri held her daughters hands in hers, "I need a moment."

"I don't have any friends," Tuk sighed and Neytiri looked at her sadly.

Erìhe had been sitting in the corner of the pod, working on the wooden miniature direhorse. She turned around to look at Tuk before standing up and crossing the room. "Come on, Tuk," she said and pulled the little girl to her feet, "Did you see the little pools by the seawall terraces? I bet there's really warm water there. Let's go check it out!"

Tuk immediately forgot her disappointment and sprung to her feet, her eyes lit up from excitement, "Sounds fun! Let's go!" The girl grabbed onto Erìhe's hand as she skipped out of the pod.

"Be back before eclipse!" Neytiri called after them. Before they turned the corner and disappeared from sight, Erìhe nodded and caught the woman's thankful smile.

Neteyam had been sitting on his mattress talking to Lo'ak and his eyes followed the two girls as they left. Erìhe had not noticed the look he gave her - it was pure resentment and anger.

"Look at me," Tuk demanded Erìhe's attention once they had reached the small pools by the seawall. She was walking along the narrow edges of the pools with her arms to her side, balancing herself as she carefully walked ahead of Erìhe.

Erìhe laughed as she followed her, "You're so good at this," she said as one of her feet sunk into the shallow pool. Having lived in the forest all her life, balancing on this was not tricky - but she enjoyed seeing Tuk happy.

Tuk giggled, "Better than you," she said as she looked at the older girl over her shoulder.

"Indeed," Erìhe agreed with a smile before stepping back on the edge.

"Erìhe!"

The two girls turned their heads to see a group of Metkayina girls in one of the many pools. It was one of the few pools that were situated lower and closer to the reef. "That's Níawi," Erìhe told Tuk.

"Your friend?" Tuk asked as she turned around.

"Yes," Erìhe said. She waved at the girl who grinned and waved back at them. "Shall we go over there?"

Tuk nodded in response before Erìhe scooped her up into her arms, walking through the pools to reach the group of girls, "Hello!" She greeted them while balancing Tuk on her hip. The three girls were sitting along the edges of the pool, smiling up at them.

"Care to join us?" Níawi asked as she propped her elbows on the edge to peer up at them. Erìhe stood so that her figure blocked the sun from her eyes, and she was easily able to see Tuk smiling.

Tuk and Erìhe looked at each other before the older girl set Tuk down in the water. She followed closely behind, stepping over the edge and sitting between Tuk and Níawi.

Níawi looked around at her friends, who were already looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to introduce them to each other. "Oh - This is Erìhe. She is one of the newcomers," she gestured to Erìhe who grinned and brought her fingers down from her forehead, greeting the other girls. They returned the gesture with smiles of their own. Níawi then motioned toward Tuk, who was looking up at the girls with a sweet smile. "And this is.." she trailed off, not knowing the girls name.