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04

The ocean was unlike anything Mi'niri had ever seen. Her eyes slightly burned as she opened them fully, observing the plant life around her with childlike awe. She brushed her hand against a piece of coral and watched it twitch, colors appearing wherever she touched. 

She began to swim forward as the Sully children got further away, eyes training on them to make sure no one was hurt. After a few minutes, they went towards the surface, but Mi'niri stayed. She didn't feel the need to take another breath, so she didn't. She watched Tsireya and Ao'nung sign towards each other before turning to the family, Tsireya signing something.

 Lo'ak and Neteyam shrugged, attempting to swim towards the Metkayina and after a few moments motioning towards the surface. This time, Mi'niri followed after, popping up next to Neteyam with a blank expression. "How can you stay under for so long?" Lo'ak complained, Neteyam nodding. "I can barely move under there." 

Mi'niri went to reply before Tsireya came up across from them, looking at the three with confused eyes. "Is everything alright?" She asked, and Mi'niri watched Roxto appear next to her. 

"You're too fast! Wait for us," Tuk complained, Mi'niri grabbing her and placing her on the girl's hip. Tuk's head rested in the junction of her shoulder as Ao'nung appeared next to his sister, staring at the Sully's with an indignant expression.

"Just breathe, breathe." Tsireya reassured, and Mi'niri scoffed a little in response. How were they meant to breathe if they were obviously struggling? Her inner thoughts were interrupted by Ao'nung snorting, her eyes staring at him.

"You are not good divers. Maybe good at swinging through trees, but..." He trailed off with a laugh as Tsireya smacked his head, scowling at her. Mi'niri snorted before pressing a hand to Tuk's braids, blinking slowly at Ao'nung's glare in her direction.

"Where is Kiri?" Roxto suddenly asked, and Mi'niri felt her stomach drop as she realized the other girl was not there with them. She frantically looked around, ignoring the other's questions before handing Tuk to Neteyam and diving under the sea.

She swam around for a few moments before finding Kiri enjoying the underwater life, swimming up to the surface after a few minutes of making sure the girl wouldn't be hurt. When she met back up with the group, Ao'nung was calling for Ilu. He turned around once there was a group of the animals circling around them. "These are Ilu. If you want to live here, you have to ride." 

Mi'niri was grouped with Ao'nung, watching as he explained what to do. "Make the bond gently." He instructed, and the girl reached for her braid before connecting it with the Ilu's antenna. She shivered as they became one, closing her eyes. "Feel her breath, her strength. You are now one." Ao'nung's voice rang out, and Mi'niri opened her eyes again to grab the saddle's handle. 

"Grab it tight." Ao'nung said, slapping her leg to get it positioned right. She gripped the handle tighter and leaned down, squinting in front of her. With Ao'nung's call she shot forward, growing a bit unsteady before leveling out and going under the water. 

It was exhilarating. Before she knew it the Ilu shot out of the water and she was airborne for a minute, slamming back down into the water and circling back to the group of kids. She breached the water with an ecstatic smile, whooping happily as Lo'ak and Neteyam called back to her. 

She slowed down next to Ao'nung and smirked down at him, watching his face crumple into a glare. "Seems like forest girl's got you beat, huh?" She taunted, cackling as he went to splash her and moved away to Lo'ak's side. She was pressed against him, and Lo'ak simply wrapped his tail around her waist as he watched Tuk and Neteyam practiced.

They stayed that way, pressed against each other long into the day. Once Tsireya decided they'd practiced enough, they moved to the rocks that outlooked the ocean. Mi'niri was sat next to Lo'ak, Tsireya on her other side as she explained to them how to slow down their hearts. She did as she instructed, preening at Tsireya's praise before turning to Lo'ak, who was struggling. She placed a hand against his chest firmly, frowning at his fast heart rate. 

"Lo'ak, your heartbeat is still fast." She muttered, glaring at him slightly as she moved another hand to his stomach.

"Sorry," He mumbled, looking down at her with a flustered gaze. She didn't look at him as she focused on his chest and stomach, pressing down when needed to show him how to breathe properly.

"Try to focus, skxawng." She said lightly, and hummed as he apologized. Above her head, Lo'ak watched as Neteyam and Roxto laughed at them, miming with each other the way the pair were acting. Tsireya giggled with them, hiding her smile as Mi'niri looked up, seemingly satisfied.

They practiced breathing for another few hours before heading back, Tuk perched on Mi'niri's hip again. They were greeted by Neytiri before settling down in the middle, Mi'niri grabbing her food before heading outside to sit by the water.

She never ate with the family, and they never asked her to. It felt like she was imposing, and after everything the family had done for her, that was the one thing she didn't want. 

"Why aren't you eating with the other freaks?" A voice rang out, and Mi'niri swallowed the rest of her food before looking up with a scowl. Ao'nung was looking down at her, and she rolled her eyes before staring back down at the water that her feet were submerged in.

"It's their family time." She simply stated, popping another chunk of fish meat into her mouth. She groaned internally as Ao'nung sat down next to her, looking at him with an annoyed expression. He seemed to think for a moment, letting his feet sway in the water next to hers.

"Are you not their family? If not, why are you here?" He asked after a moment, and Mi'niri stiffened. He felt her freeze up and turned to look at her, opening his mouth to apologize before she was up on her feet. 

"You know, I liked you better when you insulted me." She hissed, turning away to stomp back into the Sully's marui. Neytiri and Jake looked up, alarmed at the hurt expression on her face. The man went to grasp her arm and Mi'niri flinched back, an expression of fear on her face as she snapped out of her thoughts. 

Jake's hand went back to his side and he couldn't keep the pained look off his face, and she simply turned away, laying down on her sleeping mat and pulling the weaved blanket that the Metkayina had provided her with over her. 

Yet again there was a rift between her and the Sully family.

An outsider looking in. Intruding would be the better word for it, actually. 

She fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of her mother and father and the training they put her through in her early years.