Shooting Stars | Lo'ak¹

Chapter 08: Fish Boy

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language 

Ja'lia gasped at the cold feeling of the water against her skin. The Sully children and Ja'lia walked into the water to learn about ilu, and learn how to ride an ilu to complete one part of their training.

The Omatikayan children shivered and felt goosebumps form on their skin as the Sun had only risen a couple of hours ago, and the water had yet to warm up. Tuk was attached to Neteyam's waist as she had refused to let the water touch her, even though she would have to when it was time to start training.

Lo'ak pressed himself firmly against Ja'lia's back when he heard her teeth begin to chatter, and he saw her arms wrap around her stomach to produce some warmth. Ja'lia personally felt that they should have done something else this early in the morning to give the water a chance to heat up, but she was the student, not the teacher.

It shocked the girl to see the Metkayina teens weren't even fazed by the chilliness of the water.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Ao'nung, Tsireya, and Rotxo clicking their tongues, and ilu started to swarm towards them. An ilu came straight for Ja'lia, and she reached her hand out to pet the animal as it moved its neck to caress her skin.

The touch of the ilu's skin against her's caused her to slightly laugh because it began to tickle.

"These are ilu," Ao'nung said, holding his arms out, "If you want to live here - you have to ride," He informed, and Ja'lia ignored everything she said as she felt Lo'ak move away from her, and the ilu slowly circled her, clicking its tongue in excitement.

Ja'lia smiled at the ilu, "My name's Ja'lia. Do you have a name?" The girl asked, and Tsireya answered her question. "Her name's Eymí, and she's mated to the ilu Ao'nung rides the most."

"I think she likes me," Ja'lia said.

"She does. The only other person who she lets near her is me," Tsireya said, and Ja'lia looked at her with wide eyes. "I thought ilu didn't have a specific rider?" The girl asked.

"They don't, but when Eymí was little when a bunch of kids threw rocks at her, and seriously injured her, so she's been terrified of most people ever since," Tsireya informed, and the teen girl beside her felt her blood boil. "That's terrible," She whispered, rubbing her hand up and down the ilus neck.

"Yeah, it took me months for her to even let me touch her, and then about a year for me to be allowed to ride her," Tsireya said with a sad smile, "But I'm glad that she's warming up other people, maybe you should see if she'll let you ride her," Tsireya suggested.

Ja'lia nodded as she continued to rub Eymí, "What do you think, Eymí?" Ja'lia asked, and the ilu splashed water in her face and squeaked. "I'm going to take that as a yes," Ja'lia shrugged.

The teen girl stood beside Eymí and tried to mount her, but it spooked the ilu, and the animal essentially jumped away from her, "Take it nice and slow," Tsireya said, soothing Eymí. "There's no rush. She needs kindness and patience. Today doesn't have to be the day you ride her. You have to earn her trust," She said softly, and the sea creature nudged at Tsireya.

Once Ja'lia felt that the ilu was calm enough, she asked Tsireya for some privacy so that she could get to know the ilu that she was going to attempt to ride for the day. The teen girl crouched to the animal's level and gave it a gentle smile.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Ja'lia said, bringing her hands up to cup the animal's face, "I want to be your friend," The ilu closed her eyes at Ja'lia's touch.