"Spider?" Kiri questioned as Spider rushed up to her. She had been setting by the beach threading some nets. She quickly took in Spider's fearful expression as Loak stormed towards her. She grasped by his furious expression that Loak had found out. Standing she pushed Spider behind her. 

"LOAK!" I yelled running after him. He didn't hear me. Running up a leaning tree trunk I jumped off landing in front of him. 

"Calm down! Loak!" I yelled. He was on a mission. He didn't even glance at me.

"I don't want to hurt you brother," I warned. His stride didn't break and before I knew it he was upon me. Hooking my arm around his neck I placed my leg behind his and yanked him to the side. Throwing him off balance and falling to the ground with him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mother asked walking up to us all. Great just what I needed. Father was quick to follow, Tuk and Toru hot on their heels.

"Loak now is not the time," I whispered into his ear as he struggled in my choke hold. Reefing his head forward he threw it back. I saw a flash of white as his skull cracked against my nose. The shock and pain had me momentarily losing my grip just enough for him to get free. 

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Loak hissed running towards Spider. Throwing my legs out I tripped him quickly jumping on him and twisting his arm back. Yanking the knife from his grip I looked up at the others.

"Look at Tuk. Look at Toru. Don't show them this side of you," I hissed. 

"Get off!" he yelled. 

"Sylwanin!" My mother snapped walking up to me.

"What would Neteyam think?" That sentence had struck Loak like a slap in the face. His movement's stilled as he took in Tuk and Toru's scared gazes. Mother reffed me off Loak like she would when we were got into fights when we were younger. She hissed at me gently shoving me away from Loak who slowly stood. His chest heaved heavily as he stared down Spider. Standing I felt the blood drip down my nose. Quickly whipping it away I looked at my mother. 

"What are you two thinking?" she hissed grabbing us both by the ears. I hissed as she twisted them slightly.

"Ask him," Loak nodded to Spider. Father walked up to us with questioning looks.

"What is he speaking of?" mother snapped turning her angered gaze to Spider.

"Don't spider," Kiri whispered.

"I saved Quaritch. He was drowning and I saved him. I had to. He saved my life. I had to make it even," I watched mothers face as her once kind eyes glazed over. 

"You saved the demon?" Mother whispered.

"I did. And I'm sorry. But I had to. A life for a life," his words were drowned out by my mother's yell of utter rage and anguish. She sprinted forward her knife drawn too fast for father and I to catch her. I thought for sure that, that is where spider's life would end right there and then. 

But I was wrong.

I had never seen Kiri fight. I had never seen her in a threatening way. Yet as mother lunged for Spider Kiri placed her body in between them. Catching mother and rolling onto her back and using her feet to chuck her over them both. Mother landed with a thud quickly regaining her bearing to see Kiri standing over Spider, her knife drawn, her body posed to attack and the most threatening hiss I had ever heard erupting from her throat. Our whole family was frozen in shock.

"If you want him you'll have to go through me," Kiri threatened adjusting her grip on her knife nervously. 

"You take the side of this demon. He is the reason your brother is dead!" mother yelled going to rush him again only to be held back by father. 

"It is not his fault," Kiri deafened.

"We all need to calm down," I stepped forward.

"I will not! I should have killed you when I had the chance!" mother yelled reefing herself from father's grasp to point at Spider. "I will kill you," she added to her vow.

"You touch him and I will never call you mother again," I blinked in shock at Kiri's own vow. A shock my family shared and a shock that rocked my mother to her core. 

"So you would choose this demon over your own family?" Mother whispered. Kiri couldn't reply. Mainly because she believed both answers she could give weren't true. She loved her family and she would do anything to protect them. But Spider was a part of that family. And she would do anything to protect him as well.

"He is also our family," Kiri tried to reason.

"HE IS NOT OUR FAMILY!" mother snapped.

"So chose. Him or family," mother hissed. 

"What? Mum?' Kiri frowned in confusion.

"CHOOSE!" she yelled. Kiri glanced back at Spider. And back to us her gaze finding mine in a desperate plea for help.

"Mum," I whispered trying to step in.

"DON'T," mother snapped reaching out to keep me at arm's length her finger jabbing my shoulder slightly. Her gaze was zoned in on Kiri.

"Please don't make me choose mum. This is stupid," she begged but mother wasn't listening.

"Choose," she demanded her tone low.

"I can not," Kiri whispered.

"Then leave. Go! Come back when you make your decision," mother hissed. 

"Neytiri," father begged her.

"NO! I lost my son! My firstborn. And he saved the man who took him from us!" Mother ranted.

"If you chose him, do not bother coming back," mother hissed lowly before storming off. 

"Kiri. Take some stuff. Head to the forest. Camp out there a few days just till your mother calms down. Well bring her around ok," father said gently taking Kiri's arms before rushing after mother. Loak glared at spider before walking away as well so there I stood blood dripping down my nose as I watched them leave. My mind reeling with the events that just happened. 

"Come spider," Kiri said as they quickly gathered some supplies.

"Toru, Tuk come," I said beckoning them over. Quickly gathering Toru who at this point was on the verge of tear's in my arms I walked up to Kiri.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I um. I don't know," Kiri whispered tears glazing the corner of her eyes. My stomach twisted at the sight of them.

"Mum will come around. She always does," I said pulling her into a quick hug. She took a shaky breath squeezing me back finding comfort in my presence.

"Nin, what happened?" Tuk asked looking between us. Sweet little Tuk. Still as innocent and sweet as the day I left. 

"I'm gonna get the kids settled. There's an abandoned hut not too far from the village. Next to the springs. It's not much buts it's a roof over your head. I'll come to visit," I said giving her hand a squeeze before placing a comforting smile on my face.

"Come on. Let's get you guys some lunch yeah. What about some yummy fish and some fruits?" I asked quickly trying to defer their attention and taking Tuks hand.

"Nin, your bleeding," Tuk said worriedly.

"I'm fine. Tuk, I'm fine," I whispered forcing a reassuring smile and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. 

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