The tension in the room settled into knots in each of the teenagers. Amina had been whisked away by her father and with the elder tribesmen, Gharr and Sky leaving, the teens were alone.
Collectively they decided to move toward the watering hole, a place they could just unwind and be free this afternoon.
No more barks from Musa or grunts from Gharr. They were free to have the hot day to themselves.
Unsurprisingly, the teens split up upon arrival, splintering into intimate groups of two.
The hot weather, the stress of their expectations and responsibilities to their elders and tribes as a whole took a lot on them. And with hormones raging through their bodies, the company of an attractive friend was the antidote.
It was no surprise that Forest and Ibha split off from the others quickly. No one ever expected them to hang out in larger groups anymore. They had stars in their eyes for each other. It was nearly impossible to separate them.
Some romances like that of Nbolki and Ando were just beginning to bloom.
Will they continue their path toward a union of spirits, or would they drift apart as they age?