𝒪𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝓅𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓈-𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐱𝐎𝐂

𝟬𝟰

As the sun shone onto my face through the door of our mauri I sat chopping fruit for my breakfast. Ilu training is always taxing on the body, especially if those people are not metkayina.

I hoped my father would let me help with Jake sully and his Tsurak but my mother forbade it. I said I wouldn't help with anything else if I wasn't helping with the Tsuraks but Tsireya convinced me to come along for a laugh.

While I placed the chopped fruit into a bowl Aonung came in rubbing his eyes as he yawned, Tsireya followed after him bouncing about.

" morning Lani ." Aonung sighed sitting next to me, resting his head on my shoulder as he ate small chunks of fruit.

" Monung aonung." I smiled looking at my brother as h struggled to keep his eyes open. Aonung is not a morning person, he would happily sleep until eclipse if our mother didn't shake him awake every morning.

"Are you excited to teach the sullys how to ride ilus?" Tsireya asked with her mouth full.

"Not really. I wanted to go with Dad to help with the Tsuraks. Y'know they're letting him pair with Eleu's sister? surely I should be there!" I complained.

" Maybe you'll get to if you stop complaining." A voice spoke as a pair of hands were placed on my shoulders.

" Morning dad." I giggled looking up to see him beaming at me. It's no secret that I'm a daddy's girl. Aonung and Tsireya are mommy's kids but I'm a daddy's girl. 

" morning Lani." he smiled crouching next to me, grabbing a great bowlful of fruit, and wolfing it down. 

"I was thinking. since you're so desperate to help me with Toruk macto and the Tsuraks I think you should come along after the ilus and the sully kids.  you're stronger than most of the men anyways" he said through mouthfuls of food.

"Really!? thank you!" I beamed hugging my dad, I always get my way with him.

" Lani come on the sullys are waiting!" Tsireya grabbed me by my arm, dragging me out of our Mauri.

Neteyam

" bro I swear if I have Aonung teaching me I'm gonna drown myself," Lo'ak said as Aonung, Tsireya, and Nalani walked up to us, Tsireya was dragging Nalani by her arm like how mother does to Lo'ak.

" She looks happy to be here." kiri muttered rolling her eyes.

Lani 

" tsireya this is going to be so boring do I have to come?" I whined as she dragged me, her grip tight around my upper arm.

" Lani seriously stop it you are older than me and you're acting like a child!" she hissed as we approached the sullys.

" Hi, guys!" Tsireya chirped smiling brightly and looking at them.

" hey" Lo'ak nodded his head at her smirking lightly. he's such a try-hard oh my eywa.

" Hello," Lani mumbled from behind her.

" hey"  Neteyam smiled gently at me and I smiled back.

" so first off do you all know how to swim?" Aonung piped up and they all nodded, neteyam seemed hesitant at first but maybe he's a bit slow. fallen off a tree too many times or something.

Neteyam 

" right come on get in the water then!" Aonung said diving into the ocean, his sisters following after. Loak and I waded in gently but kiri dived too, she acted like she'd lived here all her life

we caught up with the three siblings who stood in the middle of ilus swimming around.

Lani began making clicking noises, I think she was calling the ilus over as nine of them came immediately.

" If you want to live here, you have to ride," she said as an ilu nudged itself against her, chirping loudly. she smiled and stroked her gently.

" so ilu riding is kind of like ikrans I'm guessing? I mean it's easier since you're in the water so you can't fall like thousands of meters to your death like we could." I scoffed standing with my hands on my hips. Nalani and Aonung exchanged a glance before giggling.

" yeah for sure forest boy, why don't you show us if you know so much about ilus?" Lani retorted, placing one hand on her hip, inking her gaze with mine. there was a moment of silence as we just glared at each other but Tsireya spoke up.

" so! uhm who wants to go with who?"Tsireya babbled looking at us all, glaring at her sister.

" I'm not fussed." Aonung shrugged.

"Okay great! go with ..kiri?" she smiled at my sister who smiled back warmly, happy her name was mentioned.

" I'll go with him I guess."Nalani shrugged nodding at me. her sister shot her a look, probably saying stop being rude.

" fine by me." I smiled briefly looking at her. She's so beautiful.

" then that leaves me and lo'ak! !" Tsireya smiled brightly at my brother who was smiling almost twice as brightly.

Nalani waded over to me with the ilus following her as if they were her children, she patted all of them smiling before turning to me.

" go on, choose one," she said gesturing to nine of the ilus swimming around her. she shooed away the  ilu which was probably hers.

" how do I choose them? will they try to kill me?" I asked hesitantly. she took one look at me before bursting out laughing.

" no! god is that how you get an ikran?!" she spluttered rocking back and forth in the water, trying not to fall over.

" well yeah... you go into the halleluiah mountains and whichever ikran stands their ground against you will try to kill you. that's how they choose you." I smiled looking at her and laughing, showing her pearly white fangs.

" That sounds like fun!" she finally said, her laughter dying down.

" Lani hurry up and send the other ilus over once he gets chosen!" Aonung shouted at us.

" In a minute!" she screamed back before turning to me.

" right just let them come to you, they'll offer themselves to you," she said, clicking at the ilus who then swam towards me. they were all gorgeous, but the biggest one looked me dead in the eye and chirped. I think he chose me. I looked to Nalani for reassurance and she smiled. she sent the other seven away before shouting at her brother.

" Anoung! Look who chose neteyam!" she laughed pointing at my ilu, her brother's face contorted from annoyance to shock.

" No he didn't!" he laughed turning away to kiri who was already sitting on her ilu. i tried to get on but my ilu screeched and swam away.

"Sorry, he's the fiesty one. they're a lotta work." Nalani sighed, calling him back. my ilu resurfaced and chirped again, probably laughing.

" you have to be slow with him or he'll run." She said stroking his head as I got on reaching round for my braid, connecting it to him.

I leaned forward, telling my ilu to go. he shot off into the water rapidly. The water pushed against my body and I felt myself slide off. I swam to the surface, cursing silently. my ilu resurfaced too. chirping in my face plashing me with water.

I hate my ilu.