Mighty Jewel | LO'AK + NETEYAM

chapter six

Kyalayi and the Sully boys made their way out of the forest. Tuk safely tucked in Neteyam's arms.

"It hurts." She cried out causing the group to start jogging. Kyalayi stepped closer to the oldest Sully. She gently grabbed Neteyam's hand who shielded the girl and moved it out of the way.

"Where does it hurt?" Neteyam asked his little sister, he couldn't see any opened wounds. He had previously checked her back, arms and legs. Tuk hadn't a single scratch on her.

"Everywhere." Tuk whined, chocking on her sobs.

"We should take her to my father. I think I know what it is."

The brothers stared in each other's eyes. Lo'ak frowned, he knew that if they went to Marrek, their parents would find about Tuk's expedition. Neteyam soon realized that there was no other choice. He would choose getting yelled at every day if that meant saving Tuk. A bad for a good. Neteyam willingly ignored Lo'ak as he nodded his approval to the girl, causing the youngest son to scoff. Annoyed. Lo'ak knew that his father would somehow find a way to put the blame on him. Or his brother. Now that the eclipse had set, the village regained its peaceful energy. Villagers in their hut, enjoying a meal with their family. The group silently walked towards Kya's home without alerting the others. A hot and bright fire lighting coming from the hut.

"Dad." She timidly spoke which caught her father's attention. Marrek stopped cooking and walked over to his daughter. Worried of seeing her daughter in this state. Her bottom lip subtly shaking. Before he could reach her, Kya stepped to the side revealing the Sully's. That's when Marrek noticed that the youngest had been hurt.

"You went into the forest?" Marrek firmly asked to his daughter before returning his gaze on Tuk, still hidden in her brother's arms. Disappointed in Kya for letting one of the Sully kid get injured.

"Sir, I found no traces of any wounds on her body." Neteyam explained but Marrek's head spun with every possibility of what could have wounded the little girl.

"Put her on the ground." Marrek instructed as the eldest did what he was told. "Move, boy." He ordered to Lo'ak as he stepped a bit closer to his sister, in desperate need of being useful. Kyalayi kneeled on the ground where Tuk's head rested. She fondled the girl's braids to calm her down, to slow the tears that kept falling from her eyes. Neteyam and Lo'ak crouched at their sister's side while Marrek examined the girl. "Where did you find her?" His gaze on Neteyam.

"Trapped under some vines."

"She might have ate some of it. Depending on the kind, they are very poisonous. Kya, go grab the moss I extracted from the deck. You," He redirected his attention to Lo'ak after seeing his daughter leaving Tuk's side. "Go." He paused. "Come back with your parents."

"Yes, sir." Lo'ak gave the healer a single nod before rushing to his own hut. There wasn't time to think about a possible lecture from his father. Tuk's life was at risk. "Tuk." Was the only word he could blurt out, his breath slowly catching up. Neytiri stepped toward her youngest son, she frowned as she placed a hand on his shoulder causing the boy to face his mother. "She's been hurt." Neytiri's traits softened from the shock before she let her lungs inhaled a big breath. Jake and Kiri caught up with the situation, everyone worried and panicked for their youngest. Lo'ak did what he was ordered. He came back with his parents. Neteyam stood up at their arrival, his body stiffed with shame and blame.

"Sir, I—" He tried to explained.

"Not now, boy." Jake angrily cut his son before joining Marrek around the fire. The rest of the Sully and Kya were by Tuk's side. Neytiri caressed every part of her youngest's skin, holding up her motherly tears to not show any fear. Tuk didn't need to see her own mother be afraid so Neytiri stayed strong. For Tuk. The young girl had stopped crying but started to shiver and the tips of her fingers had turned white. That's not good, Kyalayi thought.

"Dad. Hurry up."

Marrek was boiling the extract of the moss he had sampled earlier. He mixed it with crunched seashell and dried seahorse skin. The healer was going as fast as he could but the medicine still wasn't ready. One error and it could do the complete opposite of the desired effect. It could make Tuk sicker instead of healing her.

"You healing my girl?" Jake whispered, cocking his head to get a reaction out of Marrek.

"Give me time." Marrek glared at the father. He knew the feeling. He understood his intentions. Any father's worst fear was seeing their child getting hurt and feeling powerless toward it. Jake had to wait for Marrek and it killed him. "Here." The healer put the pot out of the fire's flames. He took a spoon and filled it with the medicine before hurrying towards Tuk. Her eyes were now closed, her body exhausted from fighting the poison. Jake followed the man and joined his family. Kyalayi lifted the girl's head with the help of Neytiri as Marrek gently let the medicine dropped in her mouth. A few drops, at most otherwise it could kill her.

"Is she healed?" Neytiri finally cried while Kiri laid a hand on her mother's shoulder, comforting her.

"She will be. Let her sleep." Marrek said.

"Thank you." Jake responded, nodding toward both Marrek and Kyalayi.

Not long after, the Sully made their way back to their hut. Tuk asleep in her mother's arms. The brothers walking with their tails in between their legs. Each blaming themselves for what had happened.

"Sir, I—" Neteyam tried to explain a second time, when they arrived, but once again he was cut off by his father.

"You're the oldest. Your brother and sisters are your responsibility." Disappointment toward his son filled Jake's gaze causing the boy to dropped his. He grasped his two son's shoulder forcing them to crouch. They kept their gaze down, embarrassed and angry.

"Neteyam." Neytiri had just put down her daughter, Kiri by her side, she decided to intervene. "How did this happened?" She firmly asked yet still in a gentle way. A motherly way.

"We were underwater. Learning with the other kids." Neteyam wanted to blame it all on Ao'nung, but his father hadn't raised him to be like that. He raised him to be a leader and leaders always took responsibility. Lo'ak watched his brother struggle to find the right words, playing with Kya's necklace he had wrapped around his wrist. Lo'ak soon got irritated, none of this was truly their fault. If Ao'nung had looked passed their fingers like Tsireya and Kya did, none of this would had happened. Tuk's life wouldn't hung by a single thread. He thought about the jewel eyed girl. About what had happened in the forest. He remembered the confusion on her face when he had said the word hybrid. He swore he saw her eyes darkened. When Lo'ak was about to speak his truth, he stepped closer to his father but got pushed back by Neteyam. The eldest had finally chose to act like a leader. "I got distracted." Neteyam spoke up, lifting his head to his father to own his words. Or at least, act like he did. Jake shook his head in disappointment and Neytiri let out a long breath.

"You know what you father always say." The mother softly said.

"Sully's stick together." They all replied in union.

But Jake wasn't satisfied, he thought his sons needed to do better so that no other child of his would get hurt. He couldn't relived the dark sentiment of loosing someone you cared about. Someone you loved. While the brothers got yet another lecture, Kyalayi couldn't help herself but eavesdrop. Again. The girl couldn't bare the unfairness. It was obvious that Ao'nung had purposely told Tuk to go in the forest. He couldn't care less about what could happen to the Sully child.
Be good to them.
Kya felt like she had failed to own up her promise. Failed her father's words. But that didn't stirred up the courage she needed to step in and took both Lo'ak and Neteyam's defense. Instead, she listened.