Blood and Water | Neteyam

Festival of Tides - 1

"Come on, Tcelia! It'll be fun! Just like the good old days."

Tcelia rolled her eyes at the boy walking beside her, the damp forest floor squelching under their feet. "Oh, you mean the days we got stuck in quicksand and thought we were about to meet our end? Or the time we learned, firsthand, that Slingers will definitely maul you if you get too close to their cubs? Or maybe you're talking about the time when–"

"Okay, okay!" Lo'ak interrupted with a grin, swiftly hopping onto a thick, diagonal tree trunk that jutted out like a bridge. His arms spread wide for balance as he walked up its mossy surface, beads of dew catching in his hair. "Maybe not exactly like the good old days. There'll be way less imminent death this time. I hope. Probably."

Tcelia crossed her arms, looking up at her friend, who was now crouching on the branch like a jungle cat, limbs relaxed despite the height. He lowered himself down until he was hanging upside down, dangling from the branch by his legs, forcing her to stare directly at his exposed abdomen, his long hair nearly brushing the damp earth.

"You hope? That's really reassuring, Lo'ak," she said with an exasperated sigh, her sharp gaze flicking to meet his smirking face.  "I don't think it quite makes the cut, Lo'ak."

Lo'ak flashed her a grin, as if pleased with his own theatrics. His voice came out light and teasing, "C'mon, it used to, all the other times!"

Tcelia groaned, tilting her head back and pinching the bridge of her nose. "It was different back then," she muttered, her tone more serious now. "I don't think it's such a great idea, not with the festival happening tonight."

Lo'ak's playful demeanor flickered, the grin fading from his face. He hooked an arm upwards awkwardly and jabbed a finger at her chest, although the effect was somewhat comical with him hanging upside down. "You know," he said, narrowing his eyes in mock accusation, "ever since you got together with Neteyam, you've become so boring!"

Tcelia eyed the way Lo'ak was hanging upside down, arms flailing slightly for balance, and raised an eyebrow in judgment. "You really think this is the right time to insult me?"

Lo'ak blinked, feigning innocence. "What? I'm just telling the truth. You don't want to do anything fun anymore. It's always 'Let's sit quietly and gaze into each other's eyes'—"

His words were abruptly cut off as Tcelia jabbed him sharply in the stomach. With a startled yelp, Lo'ak's grip loosened, and he came crashing to the ground in an ungraceful heap. A cloud of dirt puffed up around him, settling like a halo of mock defeat.

Groaning, he shot her a wounded glare, rubbing the back of his head but making no effort to rise from where he lay sprawled on the forest floor. "Oww. Seriously?" he muttered, his voice half-annoyed, half-amused. "I'm just saying, it's part of your job as my best friend to make time for me, too. You know, balance things out a little."

Tcelia crossed her arms, her expression unyielding. "I am with you right now, aren't I?" She gestured pointedly to herself, making sure her presence was undeniable as she towered over him. "Just because I think sneaking out in the middle of the night to witness some dangerous animal's mating ritual is a terrible idea, doesn't make me a bad friend."

Lo'ak clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "It's not a mating ritual, it's a coupling ritual, where they find their mate. Very different, according to the scouts. And yes, it does make you a bad friend."

Tcelia sighed, rolling her eyes harder this time, feeling her patience thinning. "Why do you even want to go so badly?"

Lo'ak hesitated, looking up at her as if weighing his words, before admitting, "It's not that I wanna go. I miss you, and I thought you'd find it interesting. Excuse me for trying to help our relationship."