Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XXXXVIII

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̶̶̶̶  «̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　My responsibility　 ̶ ̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶  

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The two children each made it back to their own families for dinner and listened to the stories thrown around. At'anau had been quiet as she had always been, but seemed uncharacteristically uninterested in the discussion at the table. 

At the thought of the boy she had to tell her goodbye to for the day, she smiled at the returning feeling buzzing in her tummy. 

Stuffing her face with the food so her giddy smile was hidden she recollected herself and dismissed the eyes her brother threw. 

With the Tulkun left now the seas were calmer, everyone in their tent or working at land, but the girl soon caught the youngest brother leave the shed to a specific part of the shore and followed him when the tent was cleaned. 

Lo'ak had no eyes on his back as he called for his ilu and grabbed the saddle and necessary gear to clothe him for travels. 

"whatcha doin' ?"

Lo'ak turned to looked at the girl who walked towards the siblings, her hands swinging back and forth with an amused glint in her eyes.

Lo'ak turned back to the ilu and rolled his eyes as if the girl didn't know he was doing so. "don't worry 'bout it." he muttered walking to the ilu, but the sister caught up to him and stood between the two, clicking her tongue between her teeth once.

"I'm a loyal warrior of Olo'eyktan now, little brother." the girl straightened her back, tilting her head as she looked at the boy who clenched his jaw and averted her eyes, fighting the urge to roll them at a person who once again told him what not to do. "You know I can't let you go out beyond the reef," her hand landed on the saddle he held as she took it from his hands. "on your own." She watched the boy's thoughts fog and he looked at the girl in confusion with a little spark of interest.

"What?" he said as the girl threw the stuff back on the rack behind the boy  "well," she whistled for her ride "I've been wanting to meet your killer Tulkun for days now."

The girl watched the skimwing at her feet and made her way on it with ease as the boy watched at the sight, rolling his eyes again "he's not-," he muttered before dropping it as her sister stayed indifferent and turned impatient 

"let's go." At'anau held her hand out for the boy to sit behind her and caught the sight of her older brother behind him making their way to their spot. 

"Where are you going ?" Neteyam called out to the two, to which Lo'ak and At'anau answered simultaneously.  "nowhere-" "-Payakan"

Lo'ak looked at the sister incredulously at her honest answer, but only watched her blink in indifference. 

"What?" Neteyam called out "you can't just cross the border!" he called out for the girl who was the one mounting the animal, but didn't seem to give his words any mind. 

"oh! oh, " At'anau exclaimed as the animal slowly turned away "looks like we're going!" 

"At'i!" Neteyam called out to the sister as he was the only one in distress, while they simply hovered off

"Can't hear you!" the girl yelled in front of her as she slowly moved in the water "we're crossing the border!" 

On the Tsurak the two stayed above the water as they travelled, while Lo'ak pointed the girl towards the right destination.