Tamir (The One-Hundred #3)

There she was. Her. Amawa-na. The most beautiful girl I’d ever laid eyes upon. Pale skin, dark, straight hair, hazel eyes… she was perfect.

She was working in the village’s garden, humming softly to herself. I watched her for a few moments, completely mesmerized by the way she moved, the way she sang… But what boy wouldn’t be at ten years old? My heart seemed about to burst in my chest.

When she looked up at me, my face broke into a smile and I rushed over.

What are you doing, Amawa-na? I ask, kneeling down beside her in the dirt.

Oh, Wan-ma wanted me to work out here.

Wan-ma was the woman who adopted her, but Wan-ma also has three biological children of her own, two of which died last winter. We were the only tribe that actually attempted at reproduction instead of relying on receiving babies every full moon. Initi only tried through marriage if their numbers were running low. Wurn somehow kept their population high, even with all their aggressive behavior. The more people you had, the stronger you tribe was.

Do you need help? I offered.

Why would she need help from you? I heard from behind me. You kill every plant you touch, Tamir-in.

I groaned as Damian-sai came to join, sitting directly across from Amawa-na. His short blonde hair was a shaggy mess and his bright blue eyes were filled with humor. Like always.

I’ll help you, he smiled at her, glaring at me.

Stop it, Amawa-na whined. I’m done, anyway. No reason to fight.

She stood up, taller than both Damian-sai and I. The sun shone on her face and through her hair in such a way that it made my heart race. I could tell it was some degree of love—after all, it’s what we’re raised to feel towards everyone. But this was different. I would have done anything for her in that moment, been anything for her if she only asked.

It would take me six years to change that feeling.

~

The village was bustling with life—as much life as the smallest tribe could muster up. Amawa-na tended to the garden right outside her house, humming softly to herself. Her painted face was so soft, so beautiful in the morning sunlight… The wood I cradled in my arms almost toppled onto the ground because of my distraction.

Damian-sai slapped his hand against my back, disturbing the unstable logs I held, making two fall and stir up dirt at my feet. I groaned and turned to him.

What, you’re not happy to see me, brother? He chuckled, looking over at Amawa-na. I followed his gaze, picking the wood up off the dirty ground. I have something I want to show you.

He pulled me over to her, babbling to me that she should come too, and she did. Damian-sai took off into the trees once I was able to set the logs for fire down somewhere the Tribe Leaders would find the pile. It was hard to keep up with him. He was a hunter; he ran all the time. Me, I only collected things. That made for a lot of walking. I didn’t run much. However, I did try to hide my inclination of fatigue from my friends when I was forced to. It was one less thing to feel insecure about.

Here. Damian-sai stopped abruptly, making Amawa-na and I almost crash into him. Hesitantly, he scratched his head, staring at the empty spot in the grass. I don’t understand, he murmured. "It was just here."

What was it? I asked, studying our surroundings. I’d never been this far from the Revli Tribe’s village. We must have been half way to the Initi Tribe by now if my calculations were correct.

It was… You wouldn’t believe me unless you saw. Frustration entered into his voice and body language.

I shrugged, looking at Amawa-na for help. Her eyes were filled with concern and confusion. "What was it then? It couldn’t hurt to tell someone, even if it’s just chumps like us, she teased. Besides. We’re supposed to be accepting, right?"

I nodded, agreeing with her, but Damian-sai shook his head, his brain somewhere else. It told me it was all a sham—that we only accepted everything because sometimes the truth hurts. Because sometimes what we come to accept isn’t right, yet we fear of offending and we crumble beneath the weight of silence.

What are you talking about? My brow furrowed. I pushed aside the slight offensiveness I felt with the words he’d murmured. "It told you? What was it you saw, Damian-sai?"

He turned around, once again present. His eyes darted between us, a wild look flashing across them.

I told you… I knew you wouldn’t believe me.

Try us, Amawa-na dared him. Something strung its way across her face too, something like a fire that seemed absent in our tribe. "You’d be amazed at how accepting I can be."

Damian-sai turned to her, stared at her for a moment in wonder, trying to figure her out too. This is a side we’d never seen of her. Not before then.

Yeah, I butted in, accidentally turning the attention on myself. Me, uh… me too.

He took a deep breath, looking around once more and down at the spot he had pointed to.

It was… he sighed. It was almost dead. I found it, and I was about to perform the Death Ceremony, when… when it talked to me.

But what was—

Amawa-na shushed me. Go on.

Damian-sai groaned. It was… glowing. It was a dark orange—I know it sounds crazy, but it was. And—and when it talked—when it talked, it was in my head. I don’t know how—I don’t know why… But then its fur was soaked, and it was just lying there, watching me with dying eyes. Or at least… at least I thought it was dead…

What was it? I finally spit out, sending a glare in Amawa-na’s direction.

It was… it was a leopard.

Chapter 2

I scoffed. A—

Okay, Amawa-na interjected, cutting off my snappy tone. See, that wasn’t so hard.

Damian-sai stared at the spot on the ground, distant again. I turned to start walking away, rolling my eyes so neither of them could see. Animals that could talk? It was insane. I concluded he must have eaten something that caused hallucinations as I walked away.

Tamir-in, where are you going? Amawa-na called after me.

I peered over my shoulder, still moving towards the village. Home? Are you coming?

She looked over to Damian-sai, contemplation clouding her face.

Not yet. I want to talk to Damian-sai for a bit, make sure he’s okay. But you go ahead. I’ll talk to you in a little while, okay?

I shrugged and nodded as I turned on my heel, loading up on firewood as I go. My mind wandered about the future. In a few years I’d be old enough to reproduce, and I’d receive a dot on my chin. Then I’d be able to marry her—Amawa-na. There was no one else I saw myself with. I could have sworn right then and there she was my soul mate. No one ever made me feel like she did… I was so certain she was the one.

The trees parted and I entered the village I’d known my entire life. I placed the wood I’d gathered down with the rest from earlier and sat on the small stage we held for conversions to our tribe, waiting for them to return. I had no other friends in the Revli Tribe. No one really wanted to be my friend, or at least that’s what I thought. I didn’t talk to many people and the only reason why Damian-sai and Amawa-na were my friends was because they spoke to me first.

About an hour passed before I noticed them weaving through the trees, Amawa-na’s face hard and Damian-sai’s still heavy with what he saw. They spotted me immediately, Damian-sai diverting his eyes as Amawa-na said something to him. He nodded and gave a small smile before walking in the opposite direction of where I sat.

Where’s he going? I asked Amawa-na as she sat down next to me.

To his adopted mom’s house. He wants to rest for a little while.

Is he okay? I glanced over to her. "Will he be okay?"

She clenched her jaw. Why didn’t you accept what he was saying? Her head snaps around to face me, anger flashing in her eyes, We’re supposed to be accepting of everything. We don’t have to believe it ourselves. You know that, right?

Yes, I do, Amawa-na, I sighed, moving my body in her direction and showing her I give her my full attention.

Then why’d you reject him?

I didn’t reject him, I shook my head. I just didn’t think his story is true. Talking animals? Amawa-na, you can’t believe a leopard talked to him.

She shrugged. "Maybe I don’t. But maybe I don’t want him to think he’s insane. How would you feel if someone did that to you, what you did? What if I did that?"

I’d be grateful, I snapped. Because you wouldn’t let me accept a lie.

Amawa-na shook her head. Tamir-in… I know we’re only children… but it seems like I’m more of a grown-up than you are.

She stood up to walk away and I grabbed her hand without thinking. My heart leapt into my throat as she turned around, startled.

Saying everything is okay and acceptable doesn’t make you a grown-up, Amawa-na. You can’t let him think—

I can and I will! She shouted, yanking her hand from mine. A pinch in my heart made me lose my breath as she stood there, breathing heavily. And no matter how many times you try and change his mind, he will never once think that I believe he’s gone crazy.

Amawa-na stormed away, leaving me sitting on the edge of the stage. Our first fight. And it was over Damian-sai, our closest friend. I had a choice to make. I would either let her walk out of my life and hate me for the rest of hers, or I could apologize.

It didn’t take but a second to decide what I’d do, but my brain tingles with nervous energy anyway. It couldn’t get any worse than this.

I took a deep breath and stood up, my knees popping from staying still for so long. I watched her wipe at her face once, and my heart ached.

It can’t get any worse than this.

I ran after her.

I’m sorry, Amawa-na, I said, gripping the upper part of her arm. She stopped and stared at me. I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have walked away from him.

What? She asked, seeming a little confused and awestricken with my words.

You were right, I repeated, my hand still holding her arm. I’m sorry.

She gave me a sad smile, as if the words reassured her as well. Amawa-na wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tight, my heart pounding in my ribcage. I could barely breathe, and not from her holding me too tightly.

Thank you, she whispered in my ear, making my heart flutter.

Any time, I whispered back, wrapping my arms around her midsection.