Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XIII

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They all stood in the shallow water that reached their hips as the kids watched Ao'nung call out for the animals. At'anau and her siblings noticed how the summoning calls were likewise theirs for their Ikran. 

Reminding her of the mountain banshee she loved, her eyes pointed towards the sky which was occupied by different creatures than the ones she grew up with. 

"These are ilu." The boy announced as the animals swam around them all. "If you want to live here, you have to ride." Ao'nung had lost the girl's attention as she watched bigger sea creatures cut through the water and soar back in the air. Their tail used as a deceleration through the surface when landing back in the water not too far from her, her watch not going unnoticed by the rider. 

At'anau averted her eyes from the creature to the ones glancing back at her and snapped out of it when she noticed the rest of her siblings had obtained an animal and the oldest son of the chief was making his way towards her with one as well. 

Less afraid of the tamed animals the girl walked to it slowly and watched Ao'nung who looked like he had different things to spend his time on. The Ilu resembled much like a direhorses of the ocean, which she had ridden before on the ground when her father turned a blind eye. 

The boy held the ilu steady for her and motioned with his head for her to get on. 

The girl and animal made eye contact before she held on to the make shift reigns and swung both feet on either side of the ilu. Ao'nung still held onto the animal and she pointed at the ones further away. "what are those?" 

Looking at the hunters she was pointing at he vigorously adjusted the girls foot that was blocking the animal's gills. "Tsurak," he answered "ridden by hunters only." with that he eyed the girl who was no hunter in his eyes. 

"will we learn?" she questioned, genuine curiosity in her eyes as she hoped for a proper answer.

"skimwing and ikran have common ancestors" Tsireya had heard the girl from the ilu she was helping Lo'ak on " that's why they are tamed only when iknimaya is sealed."  At'anau couldn't help but feel attracted to the fact the reef girl knew her culture enough to be able to link the relations of both animals. 

"But, let's start with the ilu for now." The girl smiled at the older one who was still fixated on the Skimwings in the air. 

Iknimaya, the girl understood, a dreamhunt. Once again she thought of her Ikran and the dreamhunt she had already fulfilled by her side. 

"Have you ever done Tsaheylu, before?" At'anau put her attention back on the animal beneath her and ignored the boy urging her to make the bond. Ao'nung reached in the water and held one of the creature's two kuru up for her to connect her queue with, but the girl had already done so when she got a hold on the one on the other side and signalled for the male ilu she now connected with to abandon the boy and join her brother who was a couple of feet away. 

The ilu she had yet to name, received all the well and awry heartstrings she felt that moment their bond was made. 

People she didn't know had joined them, presumably the older boy's friends that came to watch the immigrants fail their challenges. The twins watched Lo'ak make the bond with his ilu slowly, before getting ready for his first flight. The girl heard some mumbles about the position on his feet and other snickers from beside her and watched Tsireya move out of Lo'ak's way and stand behind her brother. 

Lo'ak inhaled deeply, steadying himself and with the last words of Tsireya to hold on Lo'ak let his ilu increase its speed. As expected the youngest brother was not going to start off slow and instead kept doubling its pace. The kids all put their heads underwater to get a better look on what was happening and the oldest twin stepped off his ilu to do the same. 

At'anau straightened her back to look further through the surface of the water and watched her brother's feet lose their grip. Despite the velocity the creature was going and the resistance of the water Lo'ak held onto the reigns with one hand, but once his muscles gave up he let go and the current swirled him around. The ilu accelerating and turning back around to their starting point, but not before complaining in his rider's face once. 

Ao'nung didn't let a second pass before standing back up in the water and laughing loudly, joined by the nameless friends behind him. Neteyam shook his head before getting back up on his ilu and At'anau noticed Tsireya hiding a smile behind her hand. 

At'anau wanted to do something, but her mind was still haunting the skimwing, which reminded her too much of her mountain banshee. 

"You're not going to let it go, are you" The girl looked at her brother who noticed her gaze had looked back at the hunters in the air. 

"not a chance." 

But first they needed to find her sister. 

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