"YOU'RE SURE IT'S UP HERE, PRINCESS?" Neteyam's braids swung over as he leaned forward, peeping downwards from an elevated tree branch towards the pacing golden haired one, who let out a weak chuckle, blurting out --

"-- You don't have to call me by my title, warrio -- Neteyam" she pursed her lips, at his teasing chuckle, hearing him whisper 'Tsu'laika, got it', stammering past the blush as she continued, "No -- Wait -- Isn't a deep dent hard to miss?" She roughly tucked her loose curls, as he titled his head at the pale rounded branch, "Maybe I should come up there? -- "

"-- No No!" he exclaimed, stopping her from attempting a jump up, "No need, pri -- Tsu'laika." she lightly chuckled,  "I don't want you to...you know"

He gestured down to the dark green around her as she followed his trail, weakly exhaling as she remembered. She pursed her lips in annoyance, and at the awkward silence, before --

"...Someone's coming! Don't move!" Tsu hid herself behind another tree, pretending to be interested in the moss festered on it, while the one in the tree froze as he read the girl slowly mouth 'not a word', proceeding to look down as If he were never here

"We're not supposed to be here?" Neteyam whispered to himself, loud enough for --

"Who's not supposed to be here?" a familiar scratchy voice interrupted

"Iza!" Tsu's hair jumped with her dramatic turn around to see the pale eyes and messy curls of her little brother, his face lighting up at her pale hair

"Tsu'laika! Where have you been? What're you doing here -- And --...where's the other jungle one?" he looked around in furrowed eyebrows

"Uh --..." she awkwardly narrowed her eyes at him, looking up to the 'jungle one' for a split second, then down as she flatly drew out, "...No...no clue"

Izaa narrowed his eyes as he read her blank stare, finally releasing it after a moment, "There's one melon left from the basket you guys brought for us, so you should probably wrap this up if you still want some" he pointed at her up and down as she cleared her throat, resting her side on a tree, almost slipping past it as she nodded

"...What're...What're you doing here, then?" she lifted her chin at the young boy, as he awkwardly readjusted his stance, avoiding eye contact

"...Zo'kem hangs around here" he shyly mentioned, avoiding his sister's dismay with narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows

"You hang out with skxawngs, now? He's worse than frickin' Ao'nung, y'know" she warned, let out scoffing laughter, her mouth quickly shutting as her eyes widened at his guilty look, flatly continuing, "...Have fun, then. I guess", she gestured her head sideways, resting her hand on the back of his head to push it forward, "Come back home in one piece, I beg" kissing her teeth as she stifled a chuckle to herself, before --

A muffled thump thundered from behind the girl startled her, the girl sharply gasping, shooting her head back with widened eyes to the boy's jumping dark braids and amber eyes as --

"I think I got -- "

"Tsahey!" , she breathed out, the boy's eyes widening as a smile creeped up, "I nearly got a heart attack, you skxawng!" she teased, weakly smacking her back hand on his chest, as he stifled a relieved laugh.

And in a moment, her eyes widened as she recognized the little beaded box - that used to be pink, in the boy's hand, delicately holding it as she roughly ran her fingers through her curls.

She unconsciously moved closer towards his chest, gasping, lightly chuckling, but completely silent as she smiled at the origins of this tiny item. Neteyam, who towered over her, felt his heart warm as she smiled from ear to ear. She finally looked up into his amber eyes, realizing the effort it took for her to face his height.

As she dove into his amber eyes, facing back down to the little thing, chuckling as she drew out, "...This belonged my mother, when she was still called tsakarem; future tsahik...It is very dear to me...I --"

"-- Neteyam!" their heads shot towards the voice in the distance, the two looking back to each other with eager eyes, still with more to say

"We should go. Now" Tsu informed, the boy nodding, but still standing by her, as the girl finally continued, "I will see you again, jungle one," she slowly signed to him as she smiled at the thought, the smile turning into a frowned scoff as his head tilted, "For training tomorrow, remember?" she continued signing with her words

"Right." he stifled a breathy laugh as his shoulders released tension, raising his hands to attempt a mimick at what she had done, signing as he spoke, "I will see you again, --...sea princess, Tsu'laika" he made the girl chuckle as he made up sign movements for her name and title, hearing a voice summon him once again, as the two went their separate ways.

THE SUN HAD BEEN SHYING AWAY BY THE SECOND, and the golden haired girl was back with dear solitude in her room, her safe space. She turned the little pink box upside down to reveal the contents of it, roughly scattering them out on the woven carpet.

Childhood toys and baby teeth were the contents she could recognize - she believed it was better not to know what the rest were. Her hands lightly trembling from the hurry she was in to do what she nearly lost her hand for. With the help of that one jungle boy, that warrior, Neteyam.

A smile started to form at the thought of his kind deed, before she quickly dropped it into a furrowed eyebrows, before lighting up at the baby rattle she recognized, quickly grabbing it.

She peeped out from the corner of the doorway, scanning for a coast clear of immediate family. To find None.

She squeezed the contents in her hands tighter, if that were possible, her eyes trailing from side to side as a lighthouse light would, shining her blue-purple eyes out for any sign of family, as she ambled out of the 'palace'.

A bounce was added to her walk as she finally passed the hard part of her journey, now with her feet beaded with beach sand. She felt a hand force the little box out of her hands, violently rolling her eyes - in her head, as the hand spun her around to finally see --

"Give that back, Zo," she commanded, groaning as Zo'kem snickered at her frustration to grab the rattle back, "I don't wanna give you another black eye, y'know?"

"What are you doing playing with...rattles, tsakarem?" he asked as she finally got a hold of the rattle, as he sung, "You look cr --"

"-- Shouldn't you be corrupting my brother, or something?" she took a few steps forward to pretend like she was desperately looking around for Izaä

"'Or something'.", Zo mocked, grabbing her hand along with her attention as his tone calmed, " Tsu'laika, the elders have spoken, they are talking about you...choosing a mate"

"Choosing a mate? Choosing a mate?-- I've barely completed iknimaya -- who are they planning to ruin my life with? You?" she passionately blurted out, scoffing out a chuckle at the boy who remained silent at her words, the girl freezing with a dropped smile as she caught on, waiting for him to burst out laughing and telling her it was all a joke

She frowned, feeling so sick she could throw up, as she pushed his hand away, trailing backwards, his voice sounding muffled as he reasoned, "I am not the only option, Tsu, but this is your future! the only way! Tsu'laika!" he called out as she inaudibly excused herself from his presence, her mind blocking out any vigilance she had left in her as she stormed away.

Her heart pounded. Her frown deepened. The sky had darkened. As she bitterly muttered to herself --

"Find a mate? Pick a 'Candidate'?! I've barely come of age, you skxawngs. I don't even frickin' want one!" she whined, groaning as she kicked off some elevated sand, "...Oh, I'll find a mate, I'll find one right up your hairy --"

Tsu grunted at harsh impact of - someone, stumbling backwards as she regained her balance, looking up to find --

"Tsu'laika?" a mighty voice asked as if he didn't notice the pale hair that only one possesses, "what are you doing out here, so late? Is it not almost dinnertime?" he continued

"Tonowari I...I just needed some...fresh air, and...some herbs" she forced a quick smile as Tonowari narrowed his eyebrows, before shaking his head as he asserted,

"You know better than to be out on your own at a time like this, Tsu" he scolded with a calmer voice, that voice still managing to be heard by all the young men who watched as the girl looked down, sighing as she looked around, her hands tangled behind her back with the thickened silence, "Come, I shall escort you back to the palace"

"No," she objected, stammering, "Tonowari, I can't -- I nee --"

"-- Your resistance is costing me, Tsu." he turned back to the girl, who roughly caressed on her shorter curls, still refusing to walk with the her godfather as she pressed,

"But --"

"-- Not another word from you. Let's go home." he pushed, the girl freezing at his words, giving in as she strolled towards him with her head down

"...I can escort her back, Olo'eyktan sir", their highnesses' ears both shifted at the familiar accented voice, "If you don't mind. You can still continue with your work while the princess gets back home, safe and sound" the girl finally whipped her hair to her side, her heart pounding, face lighting up at --

"...Yes, that's a much better idea." Tonowari said to him, giving a stare at the girl, before softening his face to the boy as he continued, "Thank you, Neteyam. Everyone, back to work" the Olo'eyktan ordered as Neteyam's braids hit his shoulder's as he approached the frustrated girl. Her lips pursed as she caressed the side of her glowed-speckled face.

The two could hear the water ripple with the amount of silence that stood between them. Tsu did all she could to avoid meeting his eyes, while his lips lightly pursed at her avoidance. He could tell she was troubled, as --

"Ugh I can't believe him!" she blurted out, interrupting Neteyam's trail of thought on whether to ask if she was okay

"Tonowari?" he asked, invested

"Yes! No! I--I don't know-- everyone? I just wanna see my spirit sister in peace and I can't even do that" she squeezed her eyes, scrunching her nose as she gestured her frustration with her hands, now walking backwards in front of the boy

"Your spirit sister?" he repeated, as she quickly nodded

"Malu. She is tulkun. She is away, but I can contact her - through ritual. Using this" she shook the rattle up in her hand, now calmer, "...I was really hoping for a vent session with her," she looked up to the crescent shaped stars aligning, "This was the only time I could catch up with her, tonight"

"...By Tonowari's orders...you can't be out here on your own. And...that I should be the one to take you home." Neteyam began, his mood lifting as he saw her head tilt, it turning into a smile from ear to ear as he continued, "...It would be an honor to join you in this ritual, Tsu'laika-"

A gasp was forced out of him as the girl jumped to throw her arms across his shoulders into a big hug. He froze, trying to process the fact that Tsu'laika was hugging him, him. He finally, but slowly and lightly wrapped his arms around her, as high as possible to remain respectful.

He smiled as he made his hug more natural. He smiled, lightly resting his head on her large hair - soft, smooth, like a cloud. He blushed as he enjoyed her aroma - vanilla and cinnamon.

She blushed at his scent - like he was fresh out of the shower, finally pulling away from the gentle hug. She grinned, looking into his amber eyes that glistened in the moonlight along with his glowing skin. As he looked into her blue-purple eyes battering, and her bright hair that appeared a starry blue.

She interrupted his quest in her eyes with a grab of the hand, leading him down the beach. The bounce in her walk made its reappearance, giggling as she told, "Keep up! You must meet her. I think she will like you a lot"

"You think?" Neteyam's pitch heightened, his eyes narrowing as the girl teasingly chuckled, tugging on his hand as she dismissed him, exclaiming

"C'mon!" and so he did.

authors note

it's my bday today <3 here's a gift from me tho

tsu and neteyam are too cute fr

dont forget to vote and dont be shy to comment !!

dedications

    ST4RRYBL4DE candysznn euphoreallia STEALENITY solyyybenonyy kissesontongue valleydollss NEW-R0MANTICS 

day ones fr

( All Right Reserved © pinkalientea. 2023 )