Golden Hour

XI - Tulkun

I sat in the hut with Tuk, helping her make bracelets. We had already made a lot, but she still continued to create them. I had tied my last bracket together, hearing the horn being sounded outside. I stood up quickly, grabbing Tuk's hand as I pulled her into me.

"What's going on?" She questioned. I shrugged, pulling Tuk along with me while I walked. Everyone was running around, trying to reach the beach. What was going on that was so special?

"The tulkun have returned! Our brothers and sisters have returned!" A loud voice shouted out. Tuk and I watched as Tsireya pulled Lo'ak into the water, swimming towards the Tulkun.

"Come on." I smiled as I called for Teko. Teko swam over while chirping, rubbing his head affectionately into Tuk and I. My little sister giggled as she rubbed her hand along his back. I got on, forming the bond and waiting for Tuk to hop on behind me. Tuk placed her hands on my shoulders, holding on as Teko swam smoothly through the waves.

The two swam between all of the Tulkun, watching as the Metkayina's smiled and laughed with them. She saw Kiri on another ilu on the other side of the large animal, smiles painted on her face.

"This is incredible!" Tuk laughed. I laughed along with her, smiling at the excitement my little sister held in her smile.

Tuk had wanted to be with Kiri so I told Teko to swim next to her ilu. Tuk jumped from Teko to Kiri's ilu, a smile still planted on her face. I looked around at all the Metkayina, spotting a familiar face.

"Y/n!" Tsireya called out as she waved me over. Tell Sean over Tsireya, stopping in front of her. Tsireya smiled at me as I looked at the beautiful Tulkun in front of me.

"Hi Tsireya." I spoke with a smile. Tsireya greeted me back, gesturing to her Tulkun. Tsireya's tulkun was a beautiful blue color with dark stripes and splotches painting its body.

"This is Mèyve, my spirit sister." Tsireya spoke, stroking her hand on the tulkun's head. I did the same, earning a high pitched squeal from Mèyve.

"She seems to like you." Tsireya smiled. I laughed, my head falling back as I did so. My braids fell into the water, some coming undid as I did so. The undone braids turned into curls, the hair slowly starting to dry. Neteyam and Lo'ak watched their sister and Tsireya from their ilu's smiling at their interactions.

"I've met a boy." Tsireya signed to Mèyve. I smiled, knowing that she was talking about Lo'ak. "And I've made a new friend." She added as she looked at me. My eyes widened as I looked from Tsireya to Mèyve.

"It's nice to meet you Awa'te. I am Y/n." I spoke, signing slowly to make sure that I got each word correct. Mèyve wailed in response, but I didn't know what she said. I looked to Tsireya to translate.

"She said that it was nice to meet you too." Tsireya spoke, taking a breath before adding more.

We went up for air, moving to sit on Mèyve's fin, signing to the tulkun for a while. I laughed hard at something Tsireya said, my ears quickly perking up at the sound of my name.

"Y/n." I turned my head to the voice, seeing Ao'nung sitting on his ilu. I looked at Tsireya and she nodded, beckoning me to go with him. With a smile plastered on her fave, her eyes widened playfully at her olde brother. "I want you to meet my spirit brother." Ao'nung spoke. I smiled and quickly nodded my head.

"I'd love to meet your spirit brother." I spoke as I grabbed the hand that was held out for me. Ao'nung pulled me onto his ilu, placing a warm hand onto my thigh. Shivered we're sent down my spine as my hands reached across his lower stomach.

We reached a large Tulkun who was floating in the water, sliding off of Ao'nung's ilu and filling our heads into the water.

"This is Kenü, my spirit brother." Ao'nung signed to me. I nodded, thinking of what to sign back.

"It is nice to meet you Kenü. I am Y/n." I signed back to Kenü slowly in order to make sure I didn't say anything wrong. Kenü made clicking noises that I didn't understand. I turned to Ao'nung who translated it for me.

"He said that it was a pleasure to meet you. And...." Ao'nung signed, but trailed off.

"And what?" I signed quickly.

"He said that you were very beautiful." Ao'nung signed as he looked at me. His light blue eyes shimmered in the sea. Right now he looked in his element and it was beautiful.

My eyes widened and a smile spread onto my lips.

"Thank you. I think that you are very beautiful too." I signed back as I looked at him.

Kenü made more clicking noises that were very loud. Ao'nung and I covered our ears. While doing so I looked over to Ao'nung to see if he could translate it. The look on his face showed that he was just as confused as I was.

"What was that?" I questioned Ao'nung once Kenü stopped. He shrugged, but his eyes widened as he pointed to a large moving blob. I squinted my eyes to see what it was. Another Tulkun.

"Is this your mate?" Ao'nung signed to Kenü once the second Tulkun stopped next to him and nuzzled him. Kenü made a sound that sounded like he was agreeing. "It is." Ao'nung signed to me.

I smiled softly at Kenü as I watched him and his mate swim off together. Ao'nung and I swam back up to the surface, water dripping off of our faces once we reached the top. I gasped for air quickly.

"Wow we were down there for a while. You seem to be understanding how to breath." Ao'nung spoke as he pulled me back onto his ilu again. I wasn't thinking when I rested my head against his back. All I was thinking about at the time was controlling my breath so I don't die.

Ao'nung tensed up, but then relaxed when he realized that I was just catching my breath.

"Sorry." I spoke as I lifted my head from his back. He looked at me and smiled slightly.

"It's alright." He spoke before turning back around. His ilu swam to the shore where my Dad was waiting for us. My cheeks grew red when I realized that Ao'nung's hand was on my thigh and my arms were wrapped around him.

"There you are. I thought I lost you in the sea of tulkun's." Dad spoke once Ao'nung's ilu stopped in the shallow water.

"Ao'nung and Tsireya introduced me to their spirit siblings. It was very nice." I spoke with a smile. Ao'nung smiled down at me, the gesture not going unnoticed by my dad.

"I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it here more now." He spoke, as he nodded his head back to our hut. I nodded, telling him that I'd catch up with him.

"Thank you for bringing me to meet Kenü. I know that he is very special to you." I spoke as I looked at the sand beneath my feet. My toes wiggled slightly, getting covered with sand.

"He is. But you are very special too." He spoke, his voice getting low and his ears lowering. My head shot up at Ao'nung's words. Did he just tell me that I was special to him?

"What?" I whispered. I took note of how close in proximity we were. My lips were almost touching his.

"You're special. To me." Ao'nung spoke again, putting an emphasis on the 'me'. I looked at him through my eyelashes, his eyes dilating slightly.

With the sun setting already, the sky had turned a beautiful shade of purple and pink. It had made my skin a darker shade of blue and look like it was glowing. My eyes had turned brighter, the dark amber color now being more of a cognac brown.

Ao'nung's skin had turned lighter, his features becoming sharper. His blue eyes had turned lighter, the water reflecting off of them.

I started to lean in, Ao'nung doing the same. Before their lips could touch, someone called my name.

"Y/n! Dinner is ready." I heard my Dad shout from the hut. Thankfully he couldn't see us. I backed away in embarrassment, my eyes casted down on the ground again. I only brought them up for a quick second when I had said goodbye to the boy in front of me.

1456 words, proofread. They were so close! As always, Jake ruined another thing for his children. 🙄