“Are you sure… are you sure it’s safe?” Miri asked, wringing her hands. “Aren’t there… creatures?”
“Nothing to be scared of, you beldurra!” Kayta chided, floating on her back. The black makeup on her eyes and cheeks ran down her face when she dunked herself under the water.
“Only small harmless fish,” Siymin assured her, wading to the center of the pool.
Miri chewed her lip for a moment, untying her boots and taking off her socks. She dropped her jumpsuit on the ground, leaving her in shorts and a shirt as well. She walked to the edge of the water, stutter-stepping at the end of the grass.
“Miri, it’s fine,” Nick said, holding his arms out to the sides. He stood near the side of the pool where the water came up just below his armpits. “And the water’s great!”
Glancing to her right, Miri found a long, flowered vine growing on an overhanging tree. She reached for it with a smile and backed up, running toward the pond. She soared over the edge and let go, free falling into the water with a squeak.
“Look at you!” her brother said as she emerged from the clear water. She soaked in the pleasant sensation of warm water, rinsing away the dirt and grime on her skin. Miri laughed, swimming around the natural pool. It was droplet-shaped, the small edge draining to a brook that snaked through the forest and merged with the river.
“I miss that laugh,” Nick said quietly, more to himself than to his sister.
They swam and splashed each other until they became tired, sitting in the sandy shallow part of the water at the widest end of the pool.
Kayta was the first to hear the noise over the splashing of the waterfall. She shushed the conversation, pointing up with a single finger. A buzzing hum grew in the air. Kayta stood as quiet as possible, followed by the others.
“LaKaio?” Nick whispered. Following Kayta and Siymin’s lead, he crouched behind arching tree roots and overgrown bushes, trying to peer around them without being seen.
Siymin nodded with a tight upper lip, pointing out to the woods. Three LaKaio zipped by on their boards followed closely by six more.