𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗱

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING, McKenzie was eating her breakfast that Quë'ny had made for her. She was certainly waiting for Aonung.

The sound of a helicopter flying from a distance caught her attention. Walking out the Mauri, she saw the familiar chopper and an Avatar peeking out to the ocean.

Wait— that's norm— something must have been wrong she thought, quickly running back inside to grab her stuff before calling out to her best friend.

——

Jake came out to the beach as the helicopter tried to land, he commanded Lo'ak and Neteyam to keep the people away.

Jake greeted his best buddy, Norm.

"Hi, it's good to see you." Norm greeted. "Get the gear."

Jake went to help him get the stuff out, "Neteyam, keep them back!"

"How is she?"

"She's still unconscious." Jake replied, helping to carry the stuff inside.

McKenzie flew in the air after giving thanks to the chief and his wife. She flew in full speed, seeing the chopper at the village. It was almost eclipse, the sun shining behind her, Däve let out a roar.

Jake, Norm and Mac were sitting outside after Ney'tiri had kicked them out. They turned to see McKenzie. She landed Däve beside the chopper.

Neteyam ran up to her and crashed her into a hug with Lo'ak behind him. He joined the hugged.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" She asked the duo.

"It's Kiri." Neteyam sighs.

"She had a seizure underwater." Lo'ak added.

Worry was written on her face, the boys let her run to the Mauri. Just as she bust inside, Kiri woke up and begin to cry. Ronal and Tuk were surprised by her sudden appearance, Ney'tiri went over to her younger daughter and cried.

"Oh my sweet child." She kissed her forehead softly with a sob. "Kiri, my child."

Jake stared softly at Kiri before glancing up at McKenzie who had tears in her eyes. Feeling the urge to hug her and apologize for what he said but it wasn't the time.

——

McKenzie sat with Kiri inside the Mauri, watching their mother and little sister making dinner. It was a comfortable silence between the mother and daughters.

"Ken? Why did you leave?" Kiri asked, looking up to her with a frown. Tuk gave her mother the last fish to cut before going over to them.

"Yeah, what happened?"

McKenzie glanced over at her mother before smiling down at Tuk, tucking a lock behind her ear. "I had an argument with dad. It was nothing, and I needed to clear my mind." She responded with a sigh.

Kiri nodded and laid her head on her shoulder, Tuk went to sit in on her lap. The three all cuddling close, "Can you sing for us? I miss your voice." Tuk asked with a pout.

"Yeah, sing for us." Kiri added. Before they started begging her.

"Alright, okay." McKenzie laughs, Ney'tiri watches with a loving smile, finally feeling happy to see her girls together again.

Jake and his two sons sat outside the Mauri, listening to the eldest daughter singing. Jake was planning on talking to McKenzie, he wanted to apologize for his bad choice of words. He didn't know how much pain he had caused for his children. How much pressure he had been giving them. He just has to find the right words to express.

——

McKenzie saw how her family grew comfortable around the water and in the clan. Aonung and Tsyeria worked along with her siblings every day with Roxto.

She would be lying if she said she didn't feel a distance begin to grow between her siblings and her, but she needed to time to adjust to the new environment.

McKenzie yanked Ao'nung's hair slightly while she braided.

"Kẽn-iy," he hissed moving his hand up to his head. The girl let a satisfied smile spread on her face as she continued. Ronal was on the other side of the tent weaving baskets.

She said she was too busy to be distracted when she entered, demanding that she braid her son's hair since she found out how skilled her braiding was from Ney'tiri.

"Don't be baby," she responded, rolling her eyes slightly. She admired the curls that sat in her hands as she worked.

"At least I don't swim like a baby," he responded teasingly, causing an involuntary laugh to come out of her mouth. As much as she wanted to deny it, she still moved poorly in the water, and probably always would.

"Let's put you on an Ikran, Sea boy, and see how well you conduct yourself," she offered lightly as she worked on his hair.

His back pressed against her legs, and his head reached to her hip. She would often forgot to acknowledge how tall he truly was when she was around him. His curly hair hung loosely down his waist. His fingers were caressing her ankles and slowly moving up her leg, luckily there was a basket sitting infront of him covering what he is doing.

"Ao'nung, have you begun to prepare?" Ronal asked, ignoring their childish bickering. McKenzie was confused by her words but continued to work instead of questioning.

"Nothing can prepare you for something you do not wish to do," Ao'nung responded harshly, causing Ronal to hiss at his disrespect. McKenzie could feel the tensions building around her and knew there was no way she could help unless she knew what they were talking about.

"What is he preparing for?"she asked Ronal, ignoring the boy below her.

"His courtship rituals to pick a mate," she started casually. McKenzie accidentally pulled one of Ao'nung's stands of hair.

"Sorry," he hissed in pain again. She wasn't sure why she was so surprised by the idea. She too, was set to be engaged to the future Olo'eyktan, though her arrangement was made upon her birth.

In a way, Ao'nung had a lot of freedom in his ability to pick who he was to marry, but it was clear to see that he still felt constricted in his liberties.

"I'm going to lose my hair if you keep yanking it like that," He complained as he messaged his head, his other hand gently rubbing her leg.

Before she could apologize, a familiar horn went off. Alerting Ronal and Aonung.