When they come back, it was already dark. People are already lighting the lights along the beach. They watch as three ikran landed. The chief's daughter and her friends.
She takes off her mask and grabbed Lo'ak's hand, pulling him behind her as she walks. The people watch him in wonder, eyeing him up and down. He look down, scared that people will embarrass him because he's a half blood just like the Metkayina did to him. The chief of the village soon walked through the crowd as they make path for him. He's a tall and very muscular middle aged men. His long hair braided into a complex braid.
"What is this daughter? Who have you bring here?"
"His name is Lo'ak. He said that he is lost. We found him near our property" nirani answered. Lo'ak stare at her. She is obviously beautiful. When she look at her hand that's holding his, he noticed that she have five fingers.
"Where are you from son?" loak looks up at the word 'son'
"I'm from...the metkayina clan"
"Metkayina?" he looks at him up and down. Confused on what a forest boy is doing at the ocean clan but decided not to ask.
"How did you lost? Are you perhaps hunting alone?"
Lo'ak explained everything to him. Finally, the chief, out of sympathy let's him stay for the night.
"My name is Osayr. I am the chief of this village. You are free to stay here for the night. I will send a group with you tomorrow to assure you come home safely"
"Irayo"
Osayr nod
"Faerran will show you where you will be sleeping tonight."
Loak turned around to see the the girl with long hair from before. A few braids on her hair. She too have taken her mask off with the other girl. Now that he have seen her face, she is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.
"Follow me" she said
As they walk, Lo'ak looked around. He discovers that the people in here either have five finger or eyebrows. Are they half blood too? He asked himself. When they reached the forest, it became silent. The forest is dark but thank goodness, lights are hanged on trees.
"Erm..Farraen is it?" he jogged to catch her up
"Faerran"
"Oh sorry..uhm...ive noticed that the people in here have five fingers and eyebrows. Are you people perhaps, half blood?"
Faerran stopped walking and turned around. The dots on her face glowing.
"Yes we are. Our elders came from different part of clans—but since they fell in love with a sky people, their clan throw them out. That is why they build their own village. For people like us. Outcast"
Lo'ak flinched a little. He hides his hand behind him.
"You are very welcome to stay here Lo'ak. You too are an outcast. Am I right? Or does your people actually treats you as one of them?"
Lo'ak didnt answer. He instead stay quite while keeping his gaze on the ground.
"Your hammock are just below my family's hammock. You can call me if you need anything"
Faerran ushered him to follow her. They climbed the tree together. The hammock is big. Big enough for two family. She gives him a blanket with furs. When Faerran saw the confused look on his face, she too become confused.
"What is that?" he asked
"Blanket. Very cold in this forest at night. This blanket will keep you warm."
He took the blanket from her hand
"Is this made from an animal skin?"
"It is not. It was made from a plant"
"ohh"
"Dinner will be served soon. I will call you when it's time for dinner. For now, make yourself comfortable first"
"How come you trust me Faerran?"
"I do not know"
"Aren't you scared that I will leak this village's information? What if I'm actually an avatar?"
"I can easily kill you Lo'ak. You should not mess with people from my village. We have something that people from other clan do not have. Not even the sky people"
Lo'ak nod
"You suddenly said that what if you're an avatar and will leak this village's information. Are you perhaps telling the truth that you're an avatar?" faerran slowly pulls out a sharp knife from behind her
Lo'ak is alarmed by this. He raise his hand as he tries to reason her.
"No no no!! I was just asking I swear! I will not do anything that will bring harm to your village"
Faerran squint her eyes before slowly putting the knife back on her small bag
"Alright then. I will take my leave now"
After she left, the boy let's out a breath that he unknowingly held. He put his hand on his chest to find his heart is beating fast. He admits that shes a very beautiful girl and he might have developed a small crush on her but she's still scary. What if she actually killed him? He suddenly stopped.
Tomorrow, he will go back to his family. Does that mean he will not see her again? The thought of not seeing her anymore pained him. He quiet likes it here. No one judges him or embarrass him when he first arrived here. Not like...the Metkayina.