From the Forest | ATWOW

CHAPTER FOUR

"ERRMMM, NOT QUITE" A soft chuckle left Sai'eyla's lip as she put down the bracelet she was making and shifted to where Tuk was sitting to help. Her hands came to take the bracelet out of Tuk's smaller ones, and she started to untangle the strings.

The two girls were sat near the forest underneath the shade as Sai'eyla was trying to teach Tuk how to make the bracelets. The warm breeze was nice against their skins and especially cooling after they'd spent their mornings in the water.

A groan came from Tuk as she flopped down onto the ground and off the log they were sitting on, clearly frustrated that she couldn't make a perfect bracelet right away.

"Tìmwey Tuk, you just need a little bit more practice" (patience). The knotted string came undone in the girl's hand, and she held it out to Tuk again, who refused to accept it.

Sai'eyla sighed, shaking her head at the stubborn girl laying on the floor. Tuk sat up, pout still engraved onto her face as she took the wonky-looking bracelet out of her hand. She picked around at it before starting over again.

A small smile made it's way onto Sai'eyla's mouth as she watched Tuk try again, her eyes following the clumsy attempts at threading the beads and shells onto the string. She brushed a strand of long hair out of her way as she picked up her own bracelet to continue.

The shells were a shiny beige and silver color mixed along with a few extra beads that she had brought for the two of them in case--not that she wanted to make bracelets with Tuk or anything. Continuing to string the shells and beads, she listened to Tuk complain and make silly comments, some that made her laugh and some that were more concerning.

They hadn't even noticed the sound of leaves rustling in the background until a voice called out.

"Tuk? Are you over here?" A voice called out, jolting Sai'eyla out of her daze as she started frantically looking at their surroundings. Tuk's eyes widened with surprise and happiness as she heard the familiar voice of her brother.

"Lo'ak!" Tuk cheered out, jumping up and down for joy, not realizing how terrified the other navi looked.

He approached from behind, nearing the log, not paying attention, as he whacked some leaves out of his face with a grumpy expression. "Tuk, there you are--"

Sai'eyla sprang from the log, turning around to see the boy, accidentally knocking her head into his chin and caused both of them to wince. Her hands instinctively came to the top of her head, and her face was crumpled in discomfort.

Suddenly, a sharp breeze of wind came and shoved her over the log. Quickly she stuck her hands to save her fall but instead of the ground her hands came across a firm chest, and somebody grunted from underneath her.

"Woah--hi," The voice croaked out, hands coming to wrap around her waist to prevent from shifting any further on top of them.

She opened her eyes only to gape at him, eyes shifting all over him. The first thing she noticed was his eyebrows; he had eyebrows!

Then they shifted further to his nose, his green-yellow eyes that clearly weren't looking back at her, and then down to his lips. Lo'ak's own eyes immediately fell onto her lips, and he felt his breath hitch. The hands that were on her waist felt frozen, and he didn't feel like moving. He was awe-struck.

"Hi," Sai'eyla squeaked; still a little flustered at the warmth of his hands on her waist. She tried to move back and off of him only to be held down by his slender fingers. Only then did she realize that she was also straddling him, and along with that, she could also feel his--

"Lo'ak! Look! Look! I made a bracelet." Both heads snapped to look at Tuk, and Lo'ak quickly realized what situation he was in. He looked back to the navi that was on top of him and internally groaned at the sight of her, and god had he always been like this? Is this what Kiri was seeing?