Solo

six

I awoke the next morning to a purple bruising around my wrist, just as I had suspected.
I was under so much stress that sleep didn't feel like sleep, it felt like work.
I looked across the room to see Aonung, he was still fast asleep, but even his face looked troubled as he slept.
I got up quietly and went for a quick dip in the ocean, playing with Zia for a few moments before getting back out, grabbing my basket with berries and walking to the Sully's pod.
They were all awake, Tuk was the first one to see me, she ran up immediately and jumped on me. I set the berries down just before and took her in my arms, dancing around with her as she giggled.
"Good Morning Laya!" Jake called as he finished tying Lo'ak's hair.
"I bought you some of our berries! They are my favourite." I told her as Tuk jumped down, I handed the basket to Neytiri.
"They are the same we have at the forest. They are also my favourite." She smiled, her smile soon dropped as her hand took my wrist to her eye-line, scanning the bruise.
"What happened to your wrist my child?" She asked.
Lo'ak was over in a second, peering behind his mother as his family huddled in.
His face grew angrier and his brows furrowed, my heart sank as I remembered he watched me leave with Aonung.
"This is a funny story." I laughed.
"I fell off the side of the walkway whilst fetching the banana fruit." I gestured to the basket and watched as Lo'ak's nostrils flared.
"That sounds like something Lo'ak would do." Neteyam sniggered and earned a slap from his brother.
"Does it hurt?" Kiri asked.
"Oh no!" I giggled it off.
"Lo'ak actually helped." I told them.
"Ah my brother, the mighty saviour." Neteyam's hands rested on his brothers shoulders, which were tense.
"I will teach you all how to ride an ilu today." I explained.
"But first, eat, I will meet you down at the ocean." I grinned.
"Thank you again Laya!" Neytiri called and I waved at all of them before walking down the walkway, I heard footsteps behind me and I flinched, knowing what's to come.
"Laya." Lo'ak.
I turned around with a smile on my face.
"Did he hurt you?" His face was pained.
"Who?"
"You know who."
"Aonung? No! This was from when I fell. I bruise easily." I told him.
"I've seen the way he speaks to you." Lo'ak moved himself closer to me in order to keep anyone from hearing, I now had to look up at him and his face was scarily close to mine, his eyes searching mine.
"Tell me you'd put him in his place." Lo'ak mumbled.
"Of course Lo'ak." I nodded.
"Thank you for caring but I assure you, nothing has happened or will happen." I nodded and he thought about something for a few seconds before nodding, backing away.
"I'll see you down there."

"This is ilu. If you want to live here, you must ride."Aonung  announced as he began to call for his ilu.
I called for Zia and she came up beside me in seconds, she brushed against me and then Tuk, who was staying up with the support of Lo'ak.
"I love her already!" Tuk giggled and I smiled.
"I will teach Tuk." Tsierya reached her hand for Tuk, who took it willingly.
"Kiri with Rotxo, Neteyam with Aonung and Lo'ak with Laya." Tsierya announced and I gave a smile to Lo'ak, gesturing him to follow me.
We stopped as we reached a reasonable distance from everyone else.
"First, you call for them." I explained.
"Like this." I told him and called for Zia to join us.
She was beside me in a few seconds, I patted her.
"You try." I told him and he attempted to call for an ilu, I giggled and told him to try again, he noticed my laugh and did the same atrocious noise as before.
"Stop it! Be serious!" I laughed and he called for one, almost perfect, one began by greeting him and swimming up beside him.
"Climb on him." I explained as showed him as I swam onto Zia. His eyes widened as he cleared his throat, climbing onto his own.
"Make the bond. Gently. Feel him. Feel his breath." I tried to tell him and swam off of Zia, holding his ilu in place as the bond was made.
I held them both steady.
"Bond with him. Feel his emotions."
They were off within seconds, and Lo'ak fell off the back of him. 
I held in a laugh and swam over to him.
"Again."