Eventually after several minutes of runing. Jukku stops, trembling as he falls to his knees shaking with a deep sinking fear. He didn't know how he could run away; he had never ran away from anything before, besides Zani. Zani was scary especially even after he does something wrong like stomping on her tail when he wasn't watching his feet. This wasn't just something driven by regular fear, this was something unnatural for a Mongu. Something that was supposed bred out of them generations ago. It was supposed to leave a fear of disobeying striders so no Mongu could dream of disobeying and love of fighting in the place of fear of conflict to keep Mongu from running away from their fights in the arena.
And yet despite knowing that he was going to die if he had stayed and fought happily. At least normally he would.....Jukku stares at Noya his eyes holding nothing at all almost devoid of thought beyond how he ran.
Noya on the other hand was happy that Jukku isn't pulling her to run anymore, rubbing her tail trying to soothe the aching senstation as she pants attempting to catch her breath. Almost choking on her spit while doing so. Despite her fast development in the muscle department all of the other aspects of her body develop normally, including her lungs.
This was the second time in her life she's ran and for a reason she couldn't place, she hated it. The tight burning in her lungs from how much she ran was nothing compared to how she felt about running away. The very concept deeply upset her beyond reason, smoke visably streaming from her clenched fists. Regardless looking down at Jukku felt wrong, this was Jukku. Jukku saved her, Zani said Jukku was strong, but for some reason he's just standing there looking at the ground like a child waiting to recive punishment. confusing Noya deeply. After waiting for Jukku to stand back up, Noya got curious and did the main thing a Mongu would do.
*Poke* *poke*
*Poke*
Poking Jukku in the face with her tail before slapping him with it. Finally snapping the boy out of his lingering haze.
Jukku:"Eh? Noya stop, Jukku no like poking."
Noya flinches when Jukku started speaking. Then speaks in a voice that she shouldn't be able to, a concerned one.
Noya"Is Jukku okay? Jukku was still for long time, looking at feet. Do Jukku like feet?"
Jukku slaps Noya, making her whimper then points at the mountain side. Not caring about Noya's concern in the slightest and annoyed at her being concerned.
Jukku:"We bathe up this. Climb"
Jukku says before realizing from Noya's face that she didn't know what climbing was. With a hop Jukku latches himself onto the stone then climbs up a fet feet before droping down back to Noya. Impressing the girl even more, she did know a body could do that! With an eager start Noya latches onto the wall herself and starts to climb.....For two feet before her arms immeditly gave out and she fall flat on her face. Jukku snickerd at this. There was a genetic bug in Mongu to where they can't climb regardless of strength until they reach a certain age.
Jukku"Noya big, long. But, Noya weak. Short runt climb much better. Jukku help"
He says before picking up Noya by his tail. Wrapping his tail around her waist with a surprising gentleness as he lays her on his back. Using his tail as a harness to keep her still. Then starts climbing as Noya's tail instinctivly wraps around Jukku's torso, the odd fluttter in her stomach returning momentailry before she wraps her arms around Jukku as well. This was somthing that Zani used to do for Jukku when he was smaller, as every other Mognu has done for their child or younger sibling.
Both of them going completly silent as Jukku cimlbs the Mountain side. Occasiannly the silance was broken by sounds of Jukku's grunt; from clmibing vines and jumping from the branches of trees that grew on side of the mountain that were several times larger and wider than a person. A aura of calm surrounding them both. Jukku was glad Noya stopped making so much noise whenever he jumped or his hand slipped, Noya however was just enjoying how comfortable Jukku's back felt.
Eventually passing a Mongu man holding an infant the same way Jukku was holding Noya and several tree snakes that didn't seem bothred by their presance as they ascended. Eventully reaching well over 5000 feet high, the ground below them has long since becoming a haze of color and smoke from the dust blowing around the mountain. After one more jump they arrive at the bathing area, properly named The Cleansing Falls. One of the two places in the village that had actual care and effort put into it's design. It is a large sauna like area on top of the Mongu village mountain. A natural stream falls off the side of a cliff into the slightly volcanic valley bellow. A suana made into stone tiles form a ninety feet diameter circle of always teaming water that runs off the side thorugh a controlled hole to let the water inside the pool stay relativly still, forming a waterfall as it flows out of the hole.
Jukku:"Noya we here, get off Jukku..."
Noya doesn't move, she fell asleep in his back. After noticing this Jukku grins, remembering the same mistake he made when he fell asleep on Zani's back. Dipping his toe in the water before holding Noya over the water with his tail. Before dunking her in and out of the water, except Jukku never got the chance. The second before Noya's hair could touch the water she woke up and immediately latched onto Jukku. Terrified of making contact with the water, despite having never seen anything like the pool before them.
Noya:"NO, NO! Noya no like! That bad!"
Jukku looks at her confused. No one has been scared of water this much. Then he tries to pull Noya off his tail to no result. So he tries something else, the thing that Zani did for him at his first time in the pool.
Jukku:"It just water. It fine, It not dangerous, Jukku show you."
Jukku after some slight maneuvering and plenty annoyance the boy managed to strip bare despite Noya refusing to stop hanging on his tail. Then steps into the pool and steps in the shallow edges.
Jukku:"See? It fine, no hurt."
Jukku says then walks back onto land waiting for Noya to get off his tail and get into the pool. However after six minutes and a few attempts of throwing Noya, it became to the boy that Noya was never going to go into the water on her own. So Jukku at the end of his patience strips the flailing and clinging Noya like a misbehaving toddler. His nose flaring and cringes after catching a wift of Noya's stench.
She smelled like rust and a day old corpse.
Zani was right they needed to bathe. Jukku thought before gripping Noya firmly.
Jukku:"Fine, Jukku put Noya in hard way."
Noya:"NO! NOYA NO WANT JUKKU! NO WATER! NO WATER! WATER HURT NOYA!"
Noya screams, eyes full of tears and trembling. Every part of her body screaming for her not to touch the water. Despite her best attempts Jukku holds Noya firmly against his chest ina constricting hug. He was too annoyed to be gentle. With a grunt Jukku leaps forward over 40 feet holding the flailing Noya until they fall below the water surface. Sinking 3 feet below the deceptivly deep pool before their heads pop out above the surface.
Noya clinging to and clawing at Jukku's face. Racking her nails over his eyes and hair trying to push herself up. Jukku choughs and grunts as Noya's actions make him take un water while his head is being pushed underneath the water. After several gasps and paddles Jukku carries Noya to a more shallow part of the pool where the water is stomach level. Coughing several times as Noya starts crying, snot running out of her nose and wailing. Her body starting to glow a faint red and make the water around them bubble.
Noya:"JUKKU NO! NOYA NO WANT WATER!"
Jukku:"NOYA, STOP DAMN! JUST WATER NOYA!"
Jukku had never seen a Mongu this scared of something harmless! Not even a baby Mongu has cried this much about being in the water! Jukku pushes Noya then brings his hand back to punch Noya for being so difficult and nearly downing him. But as Noya starts rubbing her face against his chest, the Mongu boy felt a sensation that he shouldn't have been able to feel. He felt bad for making Noya cry this much, his anger vanished in an instant. Rembering something that Zani did for him only once when he was little and first saw a corpse being dragged away. Zani had to find him hiding inside the forest on top of a tree, clinging to the log like a lifeline. Inhaling deeply before he starts stroking Noya's tail with his own and running his hand through her hair, making her flinch as he did. Then spoke in a much softer and calming voice.
Jukku:"Noya scared, Noya no need to be. Water is safe, is good. Noya is good. Noya is good."
Jukku then started humming, it wasn't any specific song or anything like that. Just random soothing noises for Noya. Despite the fact that Noya is starting to burn Jukku's skin and the water was becoming dangerously hot.
Jukku:"It fine, Jukku here. Jukku has you, Nota safe with Jukku." Noya wails die down to a whimper and sniffles. Her face still buried in his chest and clinging to the shorter boy's body tightly. The faint red glow of her body fading away and the water going back to it's more luke warm temperature. They stay like this for several seconds as Noya starts to stop making noise, all fear and panic gone from her body.
She didn't know why her body wasn't telling her she was dying anymore, she was still in the water. But something about having Jukku there, trying to comfort her when she needs someone to be there desperately. It filled her with a sense of ease and peace she's necer known and is enjoying it completely. Jukku on the other hand just thinks, he would have punched Noya on any other circumstance. He had no problem hitting her before, but for some reason an alien sensation had made hime do this instead. It was starting to become clear to Jukku that Noya's presence was something very strange, but he wasn't opposed to it. Inconvenienced yes, but not against it in the slightest.
So then Jukku walks Noya into an even more shallow part of the pool and sits her down.
Jukku:"Noya stay here. Jukku be back."
Noya didn't want to loose the sensation of having Jukku comforting her, but she knew that they didn't come here to make her feel better. So she nods and silently waited for Jukku to come back. And after two minutes Jukku walks back holding two hollow pyramid shaped nut that resembles a coconut. The top broken off showing a thick purple slime inside the nut.
Jukku:"Teliv Nut, take it and do like Jukku." Jukku says before he takes the slinw from inside the Teliv nut and rubs it on his atm, with Noya doing the same with a shiver. Noya was not enjoying how thick and cold it was in the slightest. This continues for several minutes until they're both clean and soaking wet, standing outside of the pool near it's edge. Then Noya notices something that Jukku has and she doesn't.....
And as any Mongu would so she pokes it hard making Jukku slap her. Noya whimpers and rubs her cheek before speaking.
Noya:"What that Jukku?"
Jukku lookes at the spot on his chest where Noya poked him. A tattoo in the shape of a staff over a horizontal club. For once Jukku had no answer for Noya. It has been on him since he could remember and it wasn't like he was the only one. Zani had one, other Mongu had one, though their's looked different.
Jukku:"....Jukku not sure.....it just there....But Noya no have it....where is it?"
Jukku says then starts poking Noya trying to find where her branding was. But after a few seconds of no results he stopped and lead Noya to an open room. A room with a fireplace, no furniture and there were only three walls. Sitting down by the fire with her amd telling Noya that had to sit here until they were dry. Then remembering that he forgot to do he coils his tail around Noya's, making her twitch at the sudden tug. Water falling from their joined tails before Jukku made Noya turn around with him, to where their tails were closer to the fireplace.
Noya:"Jukku?"
Jukku:"What?"
Noya pokes Jukku's lap hard making him groan in pain.
Noya:"What that?"
Jukku slaps Noya before answering.
Jukku:"It Jukku's male stone, all Male have it. Female don't, Noya female. Zani say so."
He says, his voice implying that he isn't going to answer more questions about it. Not that he had many answers about it to begin with, all that he knew was that when Zani said something was. Then it's law in his eyes that wouldn't be questioned, thankfully Noya catches on to his tone and stayed silent.
However after they dry off and dress themselves. Just as Jukku was about to put Noya on his back she stops him by pulling his tail. Hesitating before speaking.
Noya:"Jukku...Noya...NOYA WILL BE BETTER FOR ZANI AND JUKKU! AND, AND NOYA WANT TO STAY LONGER!"
Noya shouts bracing herself to be slapped by Jukku. Only to be surprised as Jukku nods and sits down, Noya quickly joining him. Then points up to the sky.
Noya:"Jukku! Look, look! Moon!"
Noya says extremely ecstatic to share the sight she's grown to enjoy immensely, despite it being the second time in her life seeing it. The mist of the mountains and their elevation above the clouds gave them an unrestricted and breathtaking view of the moon and stars.
This makes the second time Jukku has done something he shouldn't have been able to, he disobeyed a strider's direct rule about curfew for Mongu. As they sat Jukku wondered about why he wasn't going down the mountain with Noya, about why he was even humoring her at all. Regardless he eventually arrives at an advanced conclusion for a Mongu. For whatever reason Noya's presence was letting him do things that he fears with everything he was and that Noya was extremely weird.