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Kireyi
(play "on possession" by sea oleena. go ahead and let it play through until the end!)

It had been a week now. Guilt seemed to wither away, the girl slowly learning it hadn't been her fault. Kiri and Lo'ak in particular had cheered up, even if it was in the slightest. They hadn't looked so tired and sick anymore, color filling their eyes and skin again.

It had been a week. No, not a week since the boy passed, but a week since his ceremony. A week of mourning, loss, learning to adapt again without him there, the setting almost as if they were back in the Metkayina tribe. It had been a week, and Kireyi found herself running through the forest again, following her siblings and the Sullys as training started once more.

The air was cool today, not the slightest amount of humidity in spite of the rain tattering along the greenery around the girl. The water felt so nice, something she began to miss profusely as time continued to pass. If they hadn't been training, her and her siblings had been found in the river often times, swimming along the shallow water. The girl noticed how much effort was needed running along the soil and slicked leaves, trying not to fall down the steep drops below her. Today they would work on hunting after their run, and the girl would seriously use a bow for the first time.

Kireyi couldn't help but giggle at the soft touch of Neteyam's hand, letting one of her braids flow through his fingers as he passed her. Her mind trailing to the night he finally proceeded with her braids.

————

The girl sat with her body between the boy's legs. Patiently sitting as he parted and brushed through her hair, just as his mother had taught him for his younger sister's hair. Kireyi delicately hummed, swaying just the slightest bit as she melted in Neteyam's touch. Her own hums filling his ears, calming the boy as he continued to part her hair. His braiding was nimble, easily getting through the first few sections in only minutes.

The two had sat along an edge of a nearby waterfall, secluded from everyone leaving it as alone time for the couple. Just as time and time before, Kireyi brought along fruit to cut for the boy, alternating between feeding him and herself.

His body was warm against her back, and she reveled in the feeling, not getting any uninterrupted peace with him in so long, "Ma Reyi," Neteyam's voice came out as almost a purr, catching her attention.

"Yes?"

"Turn for me, so I can show you something," She listened, her back against his left leg now, her own two legs over his right. Neteyam rummaged through his pouch, pulling out a small pocket of beads and feathers. The beads had been the same whites, browns, and shades of blues he had always brought, but the feathers she'd never seen before. They ranged in colors of purples, creams, and browns, "I brought similar things to my hair, just colors to fit you."

Kireyi softly smiled, her fingers glazing across the intricate beads and feathers. She could recognize familiar engravings, including new ones in the assortment of beads. And the feathers, the feeling so soft and light, so similar to the feather in the boy's hair, "They are so pretty...."

"Are they? You like them?" How could she not? The detail was so meticulous, everything chosen specifically for her. She could only imagine how long it took him to do everything.

"Of course Ma Teyam, how long did this take?" She turned her head to look at him, seeing how excited he'd been from the liking she took to his gift.

"Well.... not too long I'd say, perhaps three days? I worked on them while everyone slept," Her eyes widened, causing the boy to laugh.

"Three days?" Her fingers laced through the accessories in his palms, "Thank you...."

"Hm of course, I can use them all if you'd like," He offered.

"Yes! I trust you, do it however you see fit," Kireyi couldn't help but smile, kissing the boy on the cheek before she turned back around, allowing him to finish her hair.

The braided style was similar to his and his mother's, the bead's and feather's placement like his own. Kireyi ran her fingers through her hair, unfamiliar to having it all braided. The length still ran alarmingly long, as her own hair had been too. She had been facing Neteyam now, and he finished the final braid, "How does it look?" Her blue eyes were wide with anticipation, innocence of a child filling them, waiting for some type of compliment. Especially as she'd never worn her hair like this before, it being entirely new.

"It looks pretty, you look pretty," Neteyam smiled, brushing a strand back. She giggled at his touch before holding her arms out and submitting her weight onto him, the two now laying in a hug of laughter.

————

Neteyam

They all came to a stop, the Omatikaya partnering up to teach the Metkayina to hunt. Kireyi stuck with Neteyam, the boy leading her away so they could safely practice targeting, "Just as you taught me, get a feel for the bow, grow familiar with it. How it works, the pressure you can apply to the string, the weight of the arrows."

He handed his bow and arrows to Kireyi, letting her examine them. The boy simply watched, sitting against a tree as she messed with it. Kireyi trailed her fingers along the bows wood and string, also feeling the arrows. After a minute she decided to sit too, sitting criss cross as the bow laid flush against her legs. Neteyam's eyes were stuck on her, and he couldn't help but silently chuckle as she brought the arrow close to her face, carefully inspecting it's details up close, even tapping the end of the sharpened stone.

Finally she stood again, beginning to pull on the bow's string, getting a sense of how much tension it held, the weight of its build. Neteyam joined her, "You feel good with it?"

Her eyes were still glued to the weapon, "Yes, I think so."

"Okay, let's get you holding it correctly then," He placed her hand on a specific position of the bow, directing her arm up, "You want a straight arm as you hold it, the only one that should bend is the one drawing back your bow."

He noticed how she hadn't said much, only mimicking his movements and stance, yet it made it easy as she was quick to hold it correctly, "Like this?"

"Yes good, now pull back on the string," She followed his instructions, and he adjusted her the way he needed to, "Give me a wider stance, and shoulders back Ma Reyi," His fingers grazed her skin, gently pulling her shoulders back.

He continued to adjust her stance until it was good, making sure she was still comfortable as mobility was the most important. Drawing an arrow in an uncomfortable stance wouldn't do any good, "Am I doing it?"

"Well, are you comfortable?" Neteyam stood a few paces away from her, checking her stance for any errors.

"Yes, why?"

"Good, now give me the bow," He held his hand out to the girl, confusion written upon her face. Either way she obliged, giving it up, "Walk to that tree and back, then hold out your hand."

"Alright...." Her nose scrunched, not understanding. She followed his instructions, and as she held her hand out he placed the bow back in it.

"Now get back into your stance," Her ears flickered, and he knew she finally understood what he was doing. The boy was testing to see how well she could do it on her own after walking off what he had just taught her.

His eyes were glued to the girl, and he hoped it wasn't intimidating. He really just wanted her to learn well, and he needed to be careful of any mistakes in her stance, if there was someone could be hurt. Kireyi's form was better than her first attempt, but there had been just a few mishaps, Neteyam approached, trying to keep his demeanor gentle. Kireyi being nervous was the last thing he wanted while handling weapons, "Engage your abdomen and back, most of your strength will come from there not your arms. And lift this hand just a hair higher for me."

The girl was quick with her adjustments, listening full heartedly, "Is this better?"

"Hm, good Kireyi," Neteyam brought his fingers up to the string, tugging on it to feel it's tension, "Good tension too, it may need to change sometimes depending on your situation okay?"

"Okay," Telling her to hand him the bow, he had her walk to the tree and back.

"Alright, do it again."

strong - neteyam x oc Hikayelerin yaşadığı yer. Şimdi keşfedin