Jake was sat outside their marui gutting their fish, Tanhì inside with Kiri helping her wrap their dinner. Kiri let out a sigh, tail curling around her leg and ears pointed down.
Tanhì looks up from her wrap, fingers pausing at Kiri's rapid folding of her food wrap, almost tearing the leaves in the process.
"Kiri?" Kiri doesn't look up at her, ears flickering, showing she heard her voice but made no move to speak.
Tanhì looks back to her husband silently asking if she missed something. Jake tilts his head sideways, holding up his palm, folding it in and raising his pinky. She knees over to Kiri, hand reaching out to stop her movements from tearing the wrap.
"What is troubling you?" Kiri looks up, ears pressed low as Tanhì places her hand on her leg to rub it softly.
"I'm fine, mom. Why would I not be?" Kiri continues, finishing the wrap to place it down loudly. Jake looks back hearing the noise, watching his worried mate and agitated daughter.
"'itetsyìp, tell me what is bugging you?" Tanhì sits crossed leged next to her, other hand rubbing the girl's shoulder making the teen lower her head.
"Why can't I just be like everyone else?" Kiri hides her pinkies, curling them in her fists and Tanhì's heart clenches at her gesture.
"You are not like everyone else, you are my Kiri. My sweet girl. I would not change a thing about you." Tanhì takes a fist, holding her palm up to rest her hand against Kiri's. The girl looks at it, her four fingered hand against her mom's three fingered one.
"I love this hand." Tanhì interlocks their fingers, bringing them to her lips. Kiri's tail uncurls from it's position. Tanhì grasps the back of her head, bringing her face down to her lips.
"I love these eyebrows." She kisses along the hair there making Kiri's tail thump behind her.
"I love this smile." She kisses her cheek then forehead.
"And I love you." Kiri's ears perk up, leaning her face against her mother's chest.
"I see you, ma'ite. If you were like everyone else, you would not be my Kiri, would not be the daughter I cherish." Kiri nuzzles her face into Tanhì's neck, hugging her. Tanhì smiles, embracing the girl as Jake continues de-scale their dinner.
Neither aware of their son fighting for his life with a hungry akula outside the reef.
A ringing sounds out in Lo'ak's ears, stirring him conscious. Opening his blurry eyes, he's unaware of what he's layed on. Looking around from the rock he's perched on, he takes a minute to remember what he was doing.
Shit am I dead? Mom's gonna be so mad.
He freaks out when the rock blows water on him.
"Shit." He sees the animals gills, gulping at the sight of its many eyes.
Jake rises from his crouched position, having finished roasting the fish, he walks outside to where his wife and daughter where sitting, leaving Tuk to munch on the fruit he cut for her.
Sitting, he lets his feet dangle in the water below and wraps them in his arms, squeezing them, content to hear their happy squeals.
Kiri sighs, pulling back to look at her parents thoughtfully. Jake's hand rests on Tanhì's thigh, rubbing the flesh as her tail curls around his forearm.
"What's wrong, baby girl?" He meets her eyes when she looks away sadly. Jake's other hand rubs her back waiting for her to open up to them.
"You missing Spider?" Tanhì's ears lower, shuffling more into Kiri to comfort her.
YOU ARE READING
Ma Tsawke (Book 2)
Romance(UNDER EDITING) Follow Tanhì and Jake's story as they navigate through life's many obstacles. "You are too hard on them, Jake. They only want to make us proud." She crouches, placing a hand on his thigh. Jake looks up at her and she sees his eyes wa...
