High Tides ||Neteyam Sully||

13|| A Bond

Neteyam and I walked out to the beach again. I fiddled with the shell in my hands while we walked in a calm silence. 

I looked up from my hands at Lo'ak and Tsireya, still sitting together. Lo'ak seemed tense, and my sister seemed to be trying to convince him of something. 

Neteyam placed his hand on mine, giving me a concerned look and then looking back at his younger brother.

"What's going on?" 

"I need to know why Payakan was an outcast. He isn't a killer. Come with me or don't. I'm going." He stood before any of us could protest. 

"Lo'ak!" Tsireya shouted to him as he disappeared into the water.

She looked back at me with a fearful expression. 

"We will get the others; you go with him. We will meet you there." 

At my comment, she smiled and ran after him into the water.

"Get the Ilus. I will get the boys." I looked at him. He held the same worried expression as before. 

I cupped his jaw and kissed him gently. I felt him relax slightly under my hand before pulling away. He nodded at me before rushing off into the village to get the Ilus. 

I walked to where Rotxo, Ao'nung and their friends like to hide away from their responsibilities. 

I saw them laughing and talking. 

"Rotxo! Nung!" I called to grab their attention, nodding my head for them to come with me. 

They jogged over to me, catching up as I walked off towards where Neteyam was saddling up Ilu. 

"What's going on?" 

"Lo'ak is meeting Payakun again. He is learning about what happened."

They nodded and called their Ilus' over, climbing on them. 

"Where is 'Reya?" 

"With Lo'ak, we are meeting her out there," I spoke to them as I climbed onto the back of my Ilu.

We took off as soon as Neteyam was atop his Ilu. 

We dove, swimming for what felt like hours before we saw Tsireya. She motioned for us to be quiet before swimming towards the large kelp.

We followed her, looking out at the open water where Lo'ak and Payakan were together. 

Lo'ak made a confused gesture at the creature, at which Payakan opened his mouth. 

I felt neteyam tense next to me as Lo'ak began swimming towards him. 

Just as Lo'ak disappeared into his gullet, he shut his mouth. 

Neteyam sprung forward, but Tsireya and I stopped him. 

I held his arm as she told him to wait. 

He will be okay. He looked angry and began to fidget as he waited for his brother to swim back out of the creature's mouth. 

I looked at Tsireya, we both knew what was happening, Lo'ak was going to bond with Payakun.

I rubbed Neteyam's arm to try and soothe his anxiety. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it but didn't take his eyes off of the outcast. 

Minutes passed, and I could see Tsireya beginning to worry, fidgeting with her necklace. 

Suddenly Lo'ak swam out from his now spirit brother's mouth and rushed to the surface. 

Neteyam relaxed and looked at me, Signing that he needed air. His Ilu came to him and helped him rush to the surface, away from Lo'ak and Payakun. 

The rest of us shared a look before I turned and chased after Neteyam.

I surfaced next to him "what's wrong?" My brow creased and I tried to make eye contact with him. 

"I can't take care of him anymore."

"Yes you can, he's your brother." I reached for his hand but he pulled it away. 

I bit my lip and looked down. 

"I can't stop him from doing things anymore, he's going to get himself hurt one day, or worse." He looked at me, I saw the tears lining his eyes as he spoke. 

"Tey..." I placed my hand on his shoulder, "He is your brother, he will always need you, maybe not as much as he used to but he is growing up." 

He looked down and I saw tears slip from his face, landing in the water and creating small droplets. 

I moved from my Ilu onto his and hugged him from behind, resting my head on his back as he let more tears fall from his face.

"My dad told me to watch him. Keep him out of trouble and I can't even do that."

My hold around his torso tightened as he spoke. 

After a moment of silence, he sat up straight and wiped his face, ridding the tears from his eyes that refused to fall earlier.

He touched my arm as a sign to let go but I didn't, I wouldn't.

I felt his chest heave with a sigh before he lent forward and dove into the water, beginning our trip back to the village.

I looked ahead seeing the others as they got into the reef. 

I let go of neteyam, letting the water take me as he kept going. Blotch was close by and came to my rescue immediately. 

Neteyam stopped and looked for me. I smiled at him as I sped past him. 

He shook his head and took off after me. 

I caught up with the others, Lo'ak with my sister on her Ilu and my brother and Rotxo asking him about what he had seen.

I slowed to swim by them, Neteyam slowing to stay by my side as he too caught up to us. 

I kept my eyes towards the village as we grew closer. Ahead of us, the town stayed alive, people working away, children playing.

Within the village, I saw my parents. My father seemed angry which was something rare. I reached over and tapped Ao'nung on the leg, pointing at our father who had now locked his eyes on us. 

I clenched my jaw and looked down shamefully. Father had found out about something.

He met us at the dock. his arms were crossed and his eyes were dark.

"Come with me." His voice was low and stern,

I was the first to climb up onto the dock. 

The others climbed on the dock and followed my father towards our Marui. I fidgeted with my hands as we followed him. 

I looked at Tsireya, we shared a look of fear.