CHAPTER 114: SERAKAI OR TAHRAKA (4)

As promised, Atia and Aiyana aided Yoa when asked of it. It went from offering backing in battle, herding crabs—the correct way—to helping him build more on the ancient treehouse used by guardians of the past.

"You said I could build my own place there as well..."Aiyana, aged seventeen, murmured.

She had been pacing along a branch, a fire crackling beneath her skin since the Chief discussed her upcoming Solai Day. This one was special, named Tayun’s Crossing, for those crossing into the path of the grown, a ceremonial step into full adulthood. She would earn her first ink, marking responsibility and recognition in the tribe.

That wasn’t the problem. It should have been a day to celebrate but for Aiyana the path ahead was narrowing. She would need to start looking for a potential mate if a Serakai did not come forward once she was eighteen.

The gods were fickle, and though Caelomè might grant her a Serakai, it might not be someone from their tribe or even nearby. Chief Tamuari was only allowing her six journey’s of the moon for a Serakai or someone worthy brought forth—after that, he would choose a spouse for her.

"You plan on hiding from the Chief?" Atia mused, though he sensed Aiyana needed her own space away from everyone and her responsibilities.

This was the exact reason Yoa was making Yiska’s hideouts cosier, so he might rest away from the tribe that might question his injuries.

Aiyana didn’t respond, she didn’t need to. "Guess I’ll join ya. You two can’t be the only ones having all the fun," Atia hummed, putting his hands behind his head, his abdominal muscles and arms flexing as he did. A small smirk formed on his lips a little after Aiyana’s gaze lingered for a moment.

She’d been doing that a lot more lately. She’d been noticing how much broader and muscular Atia was becoming. Not like Yoa, nobody could match that beast. But he was growing and so was she.

Maybe it was the heat of her upcoming Solai Day. She would be crossing the path into adulthood, and for both men and women, heat pulsed in their bodies, a need to mate and procreate. For some it was worse than others. Atia wondered how this savage princess would be and how he might react to it. A strange discomfort formed in his chest at the idea.

The dull ache had been growing every time he thought about Aiyana mating with another. It had been worse after he turned eighteen, and he wasn’t sure if that was coincidental or not but he’d been anticipating her Solai Day for a while, watching for any sign she might be the one Caelomè had woven for him.

More men paid attention to Aiyana as well, and it wasn’t only because she was Tamuari’s daughter. It had always been clear from a young age Aiyana would grow into a beautiful woman. Already she was breathtaking, whether she was put together, or sweating and fighting by his side.

When Aiyana’s eighteenth Solai Day came, nothing went as planned. Though, somehow it had all worked in her favour, offering her more time to remain solo, or as solo as the newly created bond allowed...

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Word had spread along Tayun’s vines that the Oncari Princess was coming of age, and so on the celebrated day ,an attack disrupted the ceremonial ink, and was the catalyst to another kind of ink forming on Aiyana’s wrist.

Jealous of the young Princess, Ixana, renowned for her beauty attacked the Oncari, her target—Aiyana of the Sharptooth bloodline, daughter to Chief Tamuari.

Unaware to the upcoming attack, the day followed Aiyana walking towards Soluma, the tribe already gathered around the riverbank, their presence silencing the forest and sending any nearby prey to the treetops and beyond, out of the Oncari’s reach.

She walked, carrying a woven basket filled with her toys from cubhood, and on top, flowers. Dressed in old clothing, and marked with a few splodges on her cheeks, Aiyana sauntered along the path, tossing petals and flowers along the ground, her bare feet imprinting in the ground.

Tradition always followed with the Solai girl or boy to drop their toys of cubhood as they neared the river, marking themselves ready to take on the responsibilities of adulthood. Unlike others, Aiyana wasn’t utterly traditional, and instead of the usual toys, she dropped weapons—small of course as she was young at the time—but it made the day all the more special, with many chuckling at their Princess. Though, among them, there was one doll, and one she didn’t wish to part with but did, watching it as the doll made of coconut husks fell to the earth.

Next she stepped forward and gazed into the water as one of the elders recited the importance of Tayun’s Crossing. Women stepped up beside her, two of them holding giant leaves to shield her body as two others helped strip Aiyana in front of their tribe. Their princess’s chin held high, gazing ahead, unseeing the crowds of people that could see her shadow behind the leaves below her head.

The two plaits were untied, her hair as dark as the night sky falling down in waves to her waist as the last of the Elder’s words came to a halt.

"Step forward, Aiyana Sharptooth, daughter of Tamuari Sharptooth, Chief and Chief’s daughter of the Oncari. Wash away your cubhood, cross Tayun’s path, and resurface a woman."

Under the elder’s words, Aiyana dropped into the water, baring herself for a single moment before the water embraced her like an old friend. She gently wiped at the splodges on her cheeks before kicking her arms and feet until she resurfaced the water. Hoots erupted along the crowds, but the ceremony was not over yet.

She continued kicking her legs against the river’s current until two of the women stepped forward and offered their hands, pulling her up. Water ran down her body, her feet planting on the ground, her back to the crowd as she was offered a white robe, one that fell over her and was tied up with the multiple strings at her chest. It was off the shoulder, it’s arms giant as the piece flowed down to her feet.

The women began weaving her hair back, two braids atop her head joining into one, crushed red plant sap wiped from the very top of her hairline and wiped back once, and twice more, each side at the end of her cheeks near her ears.

Next she kneeled on another giant leaf, steadying her arm as her father, full of pride, rested beside her and picked up the inked fish bones. It was tradition for a cub’s mother to ink their child, in her place, Tamuari would draw the mark of her achievement on her left arm—Two dots side by side followed by a curve, another two dots, another curve so it made a circle with one diagonal straight line sliced through it.

"Your mother would be so proud of you," Tamuari said quietly, his eyes softening, watering for a moment before his gaze locked onto the ink on Aiyana’s upper bicep.

Tamuari finished the circle and started to draw the line until an arrow shot the fishbone from his hand. Hisses and growls erupted through the crowd and Chief Tamuari and Aiyana shot to their feet, alert for the new threat.

Harpy eagles dropped from the sky, in both animal and human form. Warriors leapt into the fray immediately, pouncing from trees and the ground to take down the creatures foolish enough to attack the Oncari. Aiyana scooped up one of her old blades, annoyed the ceremony wouldn’t allow her to carry a weapon with her.

It was a good thing she was somewhat of a violent cub then.

More harpy warriors sprang into action from the trees and bushes, their telltale signs of warriors from their sneaky, hidden Skyfangs—retractable blades worn in the shins and calves for aerial kicks or surprise close combat. Besides the typical Featherblades thrown at her.

Tamuari pushed Aiyana further down until she was hidden behind a rock.

"I will not cower!" Aiyana hissed, eyes blazing in fury.

Her father grinned, and placed his hand on her unmarked shoulder. "And we never shall. Fight with heart and spirit, Yana." He then turned, hooted across the river behind them before jumping on top of the rock.

Tilting his chin up, Tamuari glowered at their foe. "You dare ruin my daughter’s special Solai Day?" He did not raise his voice for the message to come across. He never did.

Aiyana stared up at her father in awe as he shifted into his great jaguar form, something he didn’t do very often in front of them all because of how it encouraged their tribe to become even more ruthless. Tamuari leapt into the air, tackling down three warriors at once who could not fly away quick enough.

"Yana!" Atia skidded along the ground to her side, his blades in hand, already bloodied. "Chief has signalled me to take you to safety."

Aiyana scowled. He’d just encouraged her to fight. Her protests died on her tongue as her eyes shot to him and saw his bright grin and how it lit up his chiselled, handsome face. Her lips parted as she remained crouched, stunned into silence. She’d always known he was good looking, the other girls wouldn’t stop talking about it in the village, but this close she could see why they marvelled so much at him.

Not only that he knew her so well that he’d joked about taking her away from a fight. His grin dropped a little, as a strange sensation wrapped around them.

Before she could fathom what this warm, fuzzy feeling was, Aiyana smirked, raising her blade. "Shall we?"

Atia cleared his throat, then gestured towards the fray. "We shall."