Tacenda | Neteyam

006

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TSA'TVAYI

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"LIKE THIS." TSA'TVAYI LIFTED her small wooden loom and showed the younger girl, Tuk leaning forward and inspecting the way the seaweed was wrapped around the shell in a way that left it visible, but secure.

Tuk, nodded with an impressed hum escaping her throat. The younger girl turned back to her own loom, one of the newer ones Tsa'tvayi had carved before the family had arrive, and copied her design, the shell quickly becoming secured into what would become Lo'ak's bracelet.

Tsa'tvayi had quickly noted the dynamics within the family, Tuk- despite being the youngest- was fierce protective of Lo'ak in the same way that Neteyam was with all the siblings. Kiri was a bit more aloof, her head always wandering. Tsa'tvayi hadn't had the time to interact with the girl, as she tended to always wander away.

Tuk huffed as she fought the seaweed before letting out a triumphant grin. "I finished." She popped the finished bracelet from the loom and extended it towards Tsa'tvayi, the older girl carefully grabbing it and inspecting it under the light.

She could hear Toruk Makto and his mate whispering behind her, the heat of their eyes occasionally burning against her back. Tsa'tvayi paid them little mind as she entertained Tuk, Neteyam and Lo'ak a bit further away as they tried to handle the fish.

Every couple of minutes a squelch was followed by a disgusted groan, Tsa'tvayi could only shake as she fought to keep her laughter inside.

The bracelet was beautiful if a little rough. To Tsa'tvayi it was obviously done by someone with little experience, but she could note the care that Tuk had taken with every twist of the seaweed, the material less bruised than what was created by the other children of the clan.

Little Tuk had done an amazing job and Tsa'tvayi was sure to tell her that.

"Its beautiful," Tsa'tvayi grinned as she passed the bracelet back to Tuk who had collected the other's she had made and held them tightly between her small hands. "Go show them."

Tuk didn't hesitate as she shot to her feet and ran to her parents first, her hand extended with two bracelets. Tsa'tvayi watched as their eyes widened upon receiving the gift, Toruk Makto leaning forward and the older woman, Neytiri as she had come to learn, smiling softly at the smaller girl.

"Here," Tuk shoved the bracelets onto their hands, first her mother than her father, and took a step back.

Tsa'tvayi pushed herself to her feet with a small wince, the bruises from the morning beginning to ache and darken against her skin, and approached the younger girl, the pair waiting patiently for their reactions. Neytiri spoke first, her fingers running softly over the purple shell, then over the two pearls Tsa'tvayi had gifted Tuk so that she could weave them into the jewelry.

"This is amazing," Neytiri sighed, her eyes soft as she glanced down at her daughter than up at Tsa'tvayi. The woman didn't say anything as their eyes met, just nodded, and slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. Tsa'tvayi's lip twitched into a small smile as she saw how perfectly the bracelet fit.

Toruk Makto was still marveling at his, his hands twitching over the seaweed and the sand-colored shells that Tuk had selected for him. There were no pearls, but three shells, a larger on in the center. The bracelet was thicker than Neytiri's with a harsher pattern fitting for the Toruk Makto. They were all durable, made with a special seaweed that Tsa'tvayi had spent hours outside of the reef looking for.

"Did you make this, Tuk?" He questioned as he lifted the bracelet slightly and traced the pattern.

The younger girl nodded quickly, her tail flickering behind her and occasionally tapping Tsa'tvayi's leg. "Yes," she bounced, "Tsa'tvayi taught me."

Tsa'tvayi felt her ears flickering softly as Toruk Makto gazed up at her, his eyes as soft as they had been looking down at Tuk. "This is beautiful."

Grinning, Tsa'tvayi pressed a hand on Tuk's head, "I have the most amazing student."

Toruk Makto didn't speak, simply humming before slipping the bracelet on and thanking Tuk.

Tuk didn't wait before calling for her brothers, the two boys approaching quickly their eyes pressed to Tuk's hand curiously. Lo'ak's tail was curled against his back as he tilted his head side to side in an attempt to see what the younger girl held.

"Here," Tuk thrusted out her hands, a bracelet in each, and bounced impatiently as the boys slowly plucked them out of her hand.

Lo'ak squinted his eyes as he looked down at the bracelet, the pale green shells glowing slightly under the light. He shook it slightly, a small ringing coming from the accessory. "That's so cool, bro."

Tuk's chest puffed up in pride as she turned to Neteyam, Lo'ak quickly securing the bracelet around his wrist.  The older of the two boys was gazing down at his bracelet with pure wonder on his face, the dark red shells that Tuk had picked, five identical shells that Eywa must have placed specifically for her, weaved between the seaweed. It looked like two bracelets held together by the seaweed, and Tsa'tvayi knew how much Tuk had struggled to make it.

It swelled Tsa'tvayi with pride when a bright smile overtook Neteyam's face. "Thank you, ma' Tuk." The words were spoken softly as he placed the bracelet around his wrist and turned to Tsa'tvayi. "Thank you, Tsa'tvayi."

Tsa'tvayi's ears flickered in embarrassment as she turned back to Tuk. "I have one more surprise for you." She stopped for a second, "Well, two."

Tuk stared up at her, eyes wide and awaiting. Tsa'tvayi reached for the small pouch she had tied around her hips and rummaged through it before pulling out another bracelet, this one small and made specifically for the younger girl. Presenting it to her, Tsa'tvayi laughed as Tuk bounced forward and snatched it out of her hand, an excited yelp escaping her.

"You made me one?" She marveled at the item in her hands, small pink shells placed between smaller pearls. "It's so pretty."

Tsa'tvayi's smile seemed permanent on her face as she nodded. "Special for my best student."

"Thank you!" Tuk laughed before slipping it on and turning to show it off to her parents, who watched with identical smiles on their faces.

"Ah," interrupted Tsa'tvayi, "I'm not done with the surprise."

Tsa'tvayi turned to face the family, her tail twitching nervously. "This one is for all of you." She could feel their attention turning to her, their eyes curious. "The seaweed," she waved at the bracelets they all wore, "It is special. If needed, you can eat it and it will allow for you to breathe under water for a period of time."

She smiled teasingly, "I know this is not the same as the forest, and the water can be as dangerous as it is beautiful."

Tsa'tvayi turned to Tuk before the family could speak, the shocked look in Toruk Makto's face as he snapped his head to look at his bracelet again being enough to satisfy her. "Now, how about we go to the ilu?"