To Save Those Once Lost.

Chapter V

"Kiri," Ao'nung called sternly, catching the girl's attention and turning her away from the vines, beads, and seashells she was holding.

Though when the man saw the materials, he paused for a moment as he looked between the teenager and them.

"What are you doing?" Ao'nung questioned, his chest squeezing slightly at the question.

"I'm making the neckpiece that my mother told us about. I don't know of any accessory like that, so it must mean we are to make it. Now help me." Kiri ordered, Ao'nung sneering at the order. Because he knew that was not what Eywa wanted. Though a part of himself preferred such an idea, much more willing to create a betrothal necklace with Kiri rather than give up the one he held in his hand.

But this is what had to be done.

"That is not what must be done." Ao'nung sighed, the girl looking up at him questioningly while the man looked away before pulling out the necklace from his pouch, and holding it out for the younger to see.

"You... You already made one?" Kiri questioned, looking between Ao'nung and the neckpiece curiously, though Ao'nung didn't answer as he placed the neckpiece back into his pouch.

"We need to go now," Ao'nung ordered, Kiri still looking at him incredulously merely stood and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ao'nung, what is the importance of this necklace, and why did you already have one made?" Kiri questioned accusingly, though the man didn't answer as he and Kiri held a silent staring match, both trying to determine who would win.

"I will tell you at the Cove of the ancestors. But we are going, now." Ao'nung ordered while Kiri deflated, only to have to jump forward to start her stride to keep up with Ao'nung who immediately began his way to the Ilu and Skimwing pen.

"Why now? We have until eclipse." Kiri questioned, though once again the hunter refused to answer her question, which made the girl huff as they called for the Ilu and Skimwing.

Kiri cursed under her breath as Ao'nung took off, not prepared to have to order her Ilu to swim so quickly after the hunter and his Skimwing just to keep up with them from behind. Finally, once they arrived, Kiri shouted in frustration as the man went to the shore.

"What are we doing here?! Why did we leave? What is that thing so important for?!" Kiri snapped, stomping forward to where Ao'nung sat on one of the rocks at the shore, the girl clenching and unclenching her fists to keep her composure.

Everything felt so close to coming to a head.

It felt as though a fire was about to erupt right inside of her.

The heat of it was so intense and overwhelming, everything felt like it was about to burst, and every time she thought about that neckpiece and how it somehow correlated with her brother, that fire within her only continued to grow hotter and wilder. As if it was a caged animal that was begging to be released.

"It is a betrothal necklace," Ao'nung stated simply, and Kiri froze instantaneously.

"A what?" Kiri breathed, slowly taking her seat on a rock adjacent to the man who merely sighed as he pulled out the accessory once more, displaying it openly in his palm.

"Each bead symbolizes a promise or vow of some sort. Sometimes they can just mean small things such as always being there to hold their hand, or it can mean something much greater." Ao'nung began, running his finger over each bead that had been woven into the strands of vines. There were four.

"The woven vines symbolize the bond that is held between both individuals, the tighter it is only shows just how close they are to one another," Ao'nung stated, pulling at both ends of the accessory to show how tightly woven each strand was until it had been crafted into a sturdy and thick band that Kiri was certain not even a dagger would be able to slice through cleanly.