Read Me

~Returning~

D'ella POV:

It has been a couple eclipses since Za'ke left and I haven't slept or eaten anything since. Him leaving was part of it but most of it was because I could feel the ocean below me as I lay in my family mauri.

When we first arrived I wanted nothing more than to dive into the cool water and feel like I was floating. But now it feels like it was just slowly pulling me down, hypnotizing me to stay as long as I could so I could never leave.

Being with Za'ke helped forget those fears of the water. Having someone who grew up with it teach you about how calm it could be helped soothe you. But when the thing that helps calm you leave it's like pulling the plug and all the dark water and the things lurking in it lurch inside you.

I felt little putter patter feet hit the soft floor of the mauri instantly know it was tuk.

She rolled my shoulders back so I wasn't facing the wall and could read her little baby blue lips.

"Za'ke is back D!" She said with a large smile.

I was very excited my new friend had come back but the fear of having to face the water so soon kept me on the sleeping mat I share with my twin sister and sometimes Neteyam.

I just rolled back over facing the wall and I could feel Tuk's smile and happiness fade.

I felt her run off towards the exit when I felt heavy feet approach me. I thought it was my father trying to get me to ride with him on the tsurak again I pulled kiri's green shawl over my head that I was using to feel smaller.

I felt someone lay directly behind me, chest against my bare back as I had taken my top accessory off wanting to be more comfortable.

I felt an arm wrap around me, hand on my stomach when I realized the arm was finned. I knew immediately who it was because of the small tattoo on the wrist.

I turned around still laying down so I could face Za'ke. I looked down to see if he kept my gift on.

When I saw he still had his pearl belt on I took kiri's shawl off so he could see mine.

Maybe things were different when it came to the metkayina and exposed body parts because when Za'ke saw that my neck peice was gone exposing my chest he grabbed kiri's shawl and covered me again.

I didn't see any problem with it as my chest was for feeding young and nurturing my future children. Many omaticaya woman did not use neck accessories only their long hair over their shoulders because of this belief.

Maybe the metkayina thought differently about the Navi body.

He grabbed my chin and made me look up at him. "I missed you very much yawne" he said looking in my golden green eyes.
(Yawne=Beloved/love)

'I missed you as well Z' I signed back to him showing him the signs his little sister had tought me while he was away.

Learning sign was the only thing I aloud myself to do these last few eclipses.

He smiled at that "Very good baby! I have a little reward for you, you were so good while I was gone weren't you?" I quickly nodded my head in agreement so I could have my reward.

I saw his eyes crinkle in a laugh wanting nothing more than to be able to hear it.

He reached into his medicine pouch I had given back after I took out all the shimmery things he gifted me.

He pulled out a leather band that had a very big tooth in the center with pink pearls and shells braided into the rest of the band.

He sat me up and made me face him as he played with my hair so he could wrap the brown leather band with pink pearls and large tooth around my head, the big tooth on the center of my forehead.

He laid my hair down which was now braided to match my mothers only mine had purple beads on the two front braids instead on green and blue like my mothers.

Za'ke seemed to like my new look because after he fastened my new head peice he ran his fingers through my hair which was long enough to cover my chest which was once again bare as the shawl had fallen into my lap.

Za'ke seemed to notice this to as he moved one side of my hair out of the way so he could get a clear veiw of one side of my chest.

Something seemed to tingle when he slowly drug the tips of his fingers to the center of my chest.

He circled two of his fingers around what my mother called 'buttons' which I found funny, but in this moment nothing was funny.

He took away his finger tips and layed his palm against my chest and it was like my breast fit perfectly in his hand. Like they were made to fit together.

It was like something snapped Za'ke out of his trance as he quickly pulled my hair back over my chest and backed away about a foot so our crossed knees where no longer touching.

I was about to question it when my father walked in and smiled at me. He quickly walked over to me and crouched down to hug me.

He pulled away and started talking "I hate the thought around boys but this one seems to make the glow I love so much come back. So I'll tolerate him for now"

I could tell the last bit was threatening even without hearing.

My father turned back towards me after glaring at Za'ke for a second. "Why don't you two go down and play in the sand. It's quite warm today?"

I looked at Za'ke and back to my father before looking at my lap where my fingers fiddled together.

I took a deep breath and as I felt the band on my forhead press against my head it was like it gave me the confidence to sign 'Yes'

After my hands spoke for me my father smiled so big you couldn't see his human shaped eyes.

That made me happy.

(NOT EDITED)