Little Miss Perfect | Neteyam¹

Chapter 28: War on the Horizon

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language

When part of the Sully family and Marali arrived at the group of people, it was complete chaos. War cries were coming from every direction as the Omatikaya group went to the center of the Metkayina people.

"The war has come to us!" Tonowari snarled, "We knew about this hunting of our tulkun, but it was over the horizon - far away," He announced as he slammed his spear into the ground. "Now, it is here!"

Tonowari continued to furiously speak to his people about the devastation they had recently faced, and Marali felt her heart clench in sympathy for the Metkayina people. The tulkun were sacred; they were family, and those demons took it upon themselves to hurt the Metkayina people in the worst way possible.

As Marali continued to listen to Tonowari's speech, she discovered whose tulkun had been killed. Ronal hadn't been the nicest to the Omatikaya people when they first arrived, but that didn't mean she deserved to have something so precious torn away from her.

The Sky people knew no bounds. They don't care about anyone but themselves. It's all about how they can benefit from something and screw whatever doesn't fit their agenda, even if it means taking innocent lives of animals.

The girl looked over at Jake and knew he was about to speak. "You've gotta understand how the Sky people think." Jake tries to reason, "They don't care about the great balance."

More cries and snarls sounded from the Metkayina people.

"Listen! Listen to him!" Neteyam pleaded, and Marali could tell the boy was growing frustrated because the people didn't want to listen to his father. She slowly interlaced her fingers with his, and he gave her a look that said 'thank you.'

"The Sky people are not going to stop. This is only the beginning!" Jake says, warning the Chief and the Tsahik. "You've gotta tell your tulkun to leave," he pleads, "You've gotta tell them to go far away!"

"Leave?" Ronal scoffs as she takes a step down from the pedestal. "You live among us, and you learn nothing!"

"We will fight to protect our brothers and sisters!" A warrior yells out, and voices of agreement are heard throughout the crowd.

"No, no, no." Jake said, desperation laced through his voice, "If you attack - if you fight, then they will destroy you." He yelled over everyone, "They will destroy everything you love!" He warned, holding a hand out in Ronal's direction. The Tsahik took a step back and placed a protective hand over her stomach.

Marali understood why the people were upset, she truly did, but she didn't want to see any of them get hurt. Of course, the Metkayina clan had amazing warriors, but the difference between a spear and a bullet is speed. That bullet would reach one of them before they even had a second to think of a counterattack.

She looked up at Neteyam to see him already looking down at her. She could tell from his eyes that he was pleading with her.

"I need you to promise that you won't fight."

"I promise."

Their words echoed through her head as she forced a reassuring smile to her face. Neteyam slightly relaxed when he saw the smile on her face. He knew it was selfish to ask her not to fight, she was a warrior, after all, but he didn't want to risk it. Little did he know that soon, her promise would be broken, no matter what Marali initially told him.