“All that you are is also seeking you.” - Clarissa E.

River and Lei’la traveled fast in a whirlwind of a hundred miles per hour. There was a storm awakening beyond the battle trial mountains where the sun tribes were. So instead, they made their way north for an island nearby called the wildlands.

“What is it like there in the wildlands?” River asked as they reached the docks in Magion bay.

Lei’la was undocking a small wooden fishing boat off the pier, “Wild.” She shrugged. “We call it like it is. The forest over there are free to grow unperturbed by tribespeople.”

“What are you hoping to find there?”

“There is a settlement underground the wildlands that got erected years ago to prepare for land terraforming. Bunch of my snow tribe friends got resettled there to practice the ritual. They’re scheduled to perform it in a few weeks time. And guess what?” she grinned, holding a hand out for River as she moved close to the edge of the docks.

“What?” River said, sighing as she took Lei’la’s hand. To hell with pride, she thought to herself while hopping into the boat with her heart on her throat. I’m not interested in getting acquainted with strange marine creatures. Her full dependence on the teenage girl stung like hell but it beats weeks of travel on foot. On a common scenario, she was used to be the one whom anyone else depended on. Yet this odd universal adventure had her looking at tribespeople for clues, information to help her navigate. She was technical support, for goodness’ sake. It was her job to help others. All she knew that ever since she came through her first portal, her pride has been taking quite a lot of beatings. And nothing ached more than having a young skinny girl the size of a pro basketball player carry her, a heavyset grown-ass woman, into her arms throughout an entire journey like a freaking baby.

Lei’la burst into giggles as she settled in their bags on the sides of the boat to account for a balanced weight distribution.

“What’s so funny?”

Her grin widened, “It’s just you look like a newborn lalbiu, pouting like that.”

“I’m frightened to know what that means.” she said, dryly “Please don’t tell me. I don’t think I can take it.”

Her grin turned into a smirk, leaning all the way as she tipped her face up to catch the warming rays of the sun before she pushed her paddles —one for each hand— with an effortless push that propelled them forward in what seemed like half a kilometer.

River gripped the sides of the boat, woefully unprepared by the fast rate they were going on.

“It means baby.” Lei’la said with a tone of non-chalance.

Deflated. “What did I just say?”

She laughed, taking in the wonderful view of the bay waters sloshing around them like glittering jewels. “You have pride. Too much of it.”

River ducked her head down at a slight incline, suddenly embarassed “And here I was. Trying my best to hide it.” she clutched the ends of her dress hard, wishing she was doing something else useful with her hands like paddling along with Lei’la “I apologize. It’s just that. I’m not used to having to depend on someone for help. I’m used to people calling me for help. But I.. lately I’ve been the one asking for a lot of help. And it’s growing more obvious that the exchange is entirely one-sided. I don’t have anything to give in return.”

“I get it.” she said, “You feel like you owe them a debt that is equal to the amount of help they’ve given you. I’ve had the same problem before.”

“Really? But you seem so capable.”

“I was orphaned at a very young age. When I couldn’t find a place to sleep in the village, I’d resort to spending my nights in the forest among mud and twigs. It’s funny how it is all coming back to me. It’s like the fire stones flipped a switch in me and suddenly everything I am finally makes sense. I remember now why I felt it necessary to excel in every area of my studies.”

“Why?”

“I felt like I needed to contribute back greatly to the very village that helped give me shelter. As compensation.”

“How did that work out for you?”

“It became..” her brows lowered as a moment passed “..transactional. Initially, the sun tribe took me in. Gave me shelter, food, and clean clothes. I will always be thankful for that. But as the years grew, my work started feeling like busywork. My heart isn’t in it anymore. And I don’t want them to know or make it seem like I’m ungrateful.”

“I can imagine that.” she nodded, “That must have been hard for you.”

“It was.” she trailed into silence before starting up again. “Anyways, my point is I don’t want you to feel the same shitty way I did. You’re my friend. I want to support you. And I need you trust me to give it to you. I don’t way you feeling shitty every time you accept help from me. You can certainly gripe about it or be ironic or even quip. I don’t mind. I know what’s in your heart.”

Surprised, “You do?” River’s brows were reaching close to her hairline. “H-how?”

“Call it an elder weaver’s wacky intuition.” she took her hand in hers, the boat slowing into a gentle sway. “River, your debt to me is a gift and I’m honored to have it. However, you must know that I’m the kind of friend that values your well-being over debts. I don’t want you to lose heart. Don’t worry yourself working over it because I don’t. You can take as much time as you want.” Soon as the words left her mouth, she became sad.

“What is it?”

“I just remembered that you don’t have as much time as usual. Your mortality gives you a only a few decades to live with. I wish to have more. It’s weird but it’s like.. you’re the closest thing I have to a family.”

“I feel the same way” she smiled, “Can I ask you something? It’s totally fine if you don’t want to answer it.”

“Ask away.”

“How long did it take for the sun tribe to take you in after your family was gone?”

Her expression turned placid “20 years. I made nests in the Dumuzid forest two decades alone by myself before the hunters took me in.” Blushing red, she continued “They don’t like taking in weak orphans. I had to prove I can hunt and provide for the tribe as well as any other child at my age.”

“C-child? You were a child at 20 years old?”

She seemed struck by the question. “Yes. Children take up unto 28 years to grow fully.”

“I—whu—” she sputtered, taking a second to calm down a bit. “How old are you?”

“A hundred and eighty-nine.”

“You’re a hundred years older than me!”

She donned a patient smile, picking up her paddling again “Age is a state of mind.”