𖣘 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙖 𝘼𝙥𝙞 𖣘 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𖣘

19.

⚠️caution!!!⚠️
description of minor seizure in this chapter

  Hantu attentively observed how Lei and Neteyam seemed to purposely avoid each other this meal. Him and Percikan exchanged multiple knowing glances before confirming their suspicions.

"Lei?" Percikan gently called to her as he wrapped his hand around her wrist as he normally did.

"Hm?" She lazily cooed while she lifted her head off of her other hand.

Percikan glanced back to Hantu to receive a final confirmation, Hantu replied with a slight nod. Percikan turnt his head back to Lei and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"What is wrong with you and blue?" Neteyam's nick name had now become familiarized with Lei's small circle of friends.

Lei furrowed her eyebrows. "Nothing is wrong." She lethargically pulled her arm away from his grasp, Hantu let out a sigh of dissatisfaction.

Lei ignored Hantu's rude gesture and rested her hand back upon her hand. It had deeply bothered her Ka'toa received no punishment, not even a "talking to."

Lei's mother nearly lost her cool the previous day after she was informed of who had stamped her son.

And for Neteyam? He was in deep, deep shit. But things have simmered down from the intial fight — Neytiri and Jake were embarrassed of their son's outburst. Especially after the Nyala Api had gifted them Uturu.

Even if Lei and Neteyam were on better terms it would probably be best if they avoided each other for Neteyam's sake.

"Lei you don't have to lie." Hantu said with a bitter attitude laced in his tone.

"What am I lying about?" She rasped while she forcefully picked her head up from her hand's support a 2nd time.

"Tell us." Hantu ragged her. "And what is that on your face?" He noticed a strange mark left upon her jaw.

"Lei what did you do?" Percikan's eyes widened as he gently grasped the other side of her jaw and brung the bruise into light.

"Get off." She hissed while slapping his hand away. "Mazzy threw me off." She discretely fibbed, her eyes flickered between the 2 boys.
"What is wrong with you 2?" She asked dauntingly while resting her jaw on her wrist.

"You are annoying." Hantu sputtered through a mouthful of food.

Lei stared blankly at her unmannered friend and shifted her attention to Percikan, lifting her eyebrows — she expected a response.

"My bow broke..?" Percikan was the worst liar among the Nyala Api, and probably the worst among the neighboring tribes.

"Poan ke 'aw fne- Nyala Api." Hantu insulted from across the table like structure before he abrasively sought himself out.

Lei chuffed out of amusement at Hantu's rude comment, she reassuringly tapped Percikan's shoulder.

Neteyam glanced over just in time to witness Lei speaking with Percikan, he watched as Lei bantered with the tan boy. He didn't save her brother, he did. So why wasn't she talking to him?

This had happened before. They get into an argument, they are forced to speak, and then they make up. It felt like an exhausting never ending cycle.

Neytiri slapped her eldest son in the side of his temple. "Do not even think about it."

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"Tighten your belly." Lei ghosted her palm over Kiri's abdomen whilst she struggled to ready an arrow in a bow. Lei frustratedly took a step backwards to asses Kiri's entire stance. She let out an aggravated breath, her ears flattened.