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abd • dit • ory
noun
a place which you can disappear; hiding place

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LAUGHTER echoed through the teenagers as they ran into the woods near the beach grinning like mad men, "come on Nete! I want to show you something I found!" A laughing warrior said noticing a cave with a bit of water dripping into it.

"What is this?" Neteyam asked the girl who was laughing, "just follow me," Elyä grabbed his hand walking calming into the dark cave full of shining stones, "look," she pointed to the water that is deep enough to swim in. It's clear water flickering as she walked in it.

"Well are you gonna come in Net?" El asked feeling her seashells and braided hair dipping into the salt water.

"I'm coming El stop bothering me!" He laughed jumping in to the water splashing her, "Neteyam!" She yelled laughing wiping the water off of her face, "really?"

"Sorry not sorry," he laughed swimming over to her, "so how did you find this place?" The warrior asked glancing around the dark cave the salt water filling his nose as the waterfall sounded in front of him, "oh it was while I was riding my ilu I noticed it so I ran to the forest and bam here it is."

She rambled on a bit more explaining how she found it and how Elyä couldn't wait to show him.

"Well it reminds me a lot of home and our old hiding place," she said finally staring at the boy, "you know like near the old battlefield?" Elyä asked, "we haven't been there in forever," she said sadly.

"Well once we get back we definitely could," he smiled before splashing her with the water, the moon slowly disappearing into the sun again.

"You promise me Neteyam?" Elyä asked not using the nickname this time with full seriousness in her tone.

"Yes I promise," he held out his pinky, "from earth to here, deep in my heart," he told her, "now let's go before my dad kills us knowing we snuck out again," Neteyam held out his hand to the smiling girl who took it with a euphoric haze with love in the teenagers eyes.

Neteyam cleared his throat, "well come on!" He chuckled still looking at her with stars in his eyes. His star.

"I'm going slow down!" She laughed chasing him out of the cove nearly falling over the rocks, "why are you running so fast the sun is barely out?" Elyä asked grabbing his hand as they ran into their new home.

They were young and in love, but that can never last forever.

THE GROUP OF TEENAGERS all stood in a circle listening to Lo'ak explain how a Tulkun saved him, "wait so Eywa saved you in a way, with that Tulkun?" Elyä asked lost near Neteyam and Ao'nung not even glancing at the Metkayina boy annoyed at him.

"I think so?" Lo'ak said confused by the question, "I wished I've been there," Kiri started, "the ocean blessed with a gift brother," she stopped all the questions wanting to hear more of the story.

"The Tulkun have not returned yet and anyway no tulkun is ever alone," Ao'nung explained to the fourteen-year-old who seemed annoyed at him leaning forward from the tree. "This one was," he said flatly feeling like no one was really listening to him except maybe Elyä.

"He had a missing fin. Like a stump on the left side," he put his hand on his arm in a way to show it.

"Poor tulkun," Tuk whispered as Elyä stared sadly at Lo'ak sweat glistening on her forehead as the sun glared down on them.

"Payakan. It's Payakan," Tsrieya said to Roxto sighing a little knowing the story of what happened to him most of the kids do having been told it from a young age, the death of many young kids.

"Who's Payakan?" Kiri wondered aloud as the three other teenagers nodded their head also lost on who the tulkun was.

"A young bull who went rogue, he's an outcast," Roxto told the group his accent stronger than ever, "a loner."

"They say he's a killer," the chiefs daughter said a plea in her voice that held a sense of love for Lo'ak, the outsider she can't help but love.

Elyä glanced at the two then back at Neteyam, "I don't think he's a killer, more like a survivor of a bad choice he made," she whispered to the boy that held her hand not really wanting to let go she messed with it.

"He killed Na'vi and other tulkun not here but far to the south," Ao'nung told him, Neteyam side eyed before looking back at his brother listening intently, Elyä holding tightly onto his finger messing with it.

"No-no he's no killer," the plea in his voice strong no one was listening.

"Lo'ak you are lucky to be alive," Tsreiya said staring deep into Lo'aks eyes, "I'm telling you guys he saved my life, he's my friend." He held onto her arm moving his thumb back and forth taking comfort in her touch and presence.

Neteyam stood up leaving Elyä to wonder what he was gonna do, "my baby bro, the mighty warrior."

She sighed knowing the youngest Sully was gonna be mad from him, "faced the killer tulkun and lived to tell the tale," he put his hands on Lo'ak's shoulders grinning.

Lo'ak stood up done with not being listened too, it's like his voice was white noise to them, no one can hear only see.

"No Lo'ak I'm listening!" Tuk said as the boy walked away anger beating through his veins.

"Lo'ak!" Kiri yelled before muttering a skxwang to Neteyam, "really Teyam, he seemed to be telling the truth why did you provoke him?" Elyä asked him tired of the situation just happy Lo'ak was safe but now angry.

"You never know," he shrugged she scoffed leaving the place heading back into the village to see some of the friends she promised to see and tell stories to the village kids.

Anger always comes with a price.

ESME'S CORNER!
hi I am so so sorry for the long wait and short chapter, I am currently sick and not feeling my best but I promise the chapters will be long again once I'm feeling better, and maybe some drama might be happening soon I haven't decided. But I love you all so so much <333  thank you all for nearly 2K and 200 votes!

Word count: 1, 097 words