Tacenda | Neteyam

002

Ao'nung nudged her as Tsireya continued talking. "Let's go swim."

"Where's Rotxo?" She asked while looking around for the boy's shadow. "Is he not coming?"

Ao'nung gathered his hair and twisted it onto a bun onto of his bed, leaving a single braid to secure it. "Yeah," he grunted. "He's coming, but he woke up late so he's probably eating."

Tsa'tvayi nodded quietly as Tsireya turned back to to them. "We're going to see how they feel in the water, then we'll see what they need to work on."

She nodded once more as she watched the family step further into the water. She couldn't help but feel the exercise would be useless, the way they moved even above water signaling their lack of knowledge with the element. They were truly like babies, newborn ones.

Once they were all in the water, Tsa'tvayi didn't hesitate before diving under, her legs and tail swaying behind her to boost her speed. She continued down until her chest skimmed the sand, Ao'nung besides her with a bright grin.

Reaching down, she grabbed a beautiful shell, it's pale pink color standing out against the white sand. Waving over at Ao'nung, she showed him the shell.

'Do you think the child will like this?' She signaled while lifting the shell.

She had noted the lack of decoration on their hair and knew that, while they might never feel truly at home in Metkayina, it wouldn't hurt to make them feel a little more comfortable. She knew what it was like to feel as if everyone was standing on two legs while you stood on four.

The new na'vi would never look like them, would never swim like them, would never hunt like them; but they could love like them, so Tsa'tvayi would try to make them feel more comfortable.

'What does it matter?' He signed back, his lips pursing. 'They are freaks. Weird.'

Rolling her eyes, Tsa'tvayi turned away from him and picked up a couple more shells before turning back as Tsireya reached them. Her brows furrowed as she looked around them for the new family, her ears flicking slightly when she couldn't find them.

'Where did they go?'

Tsireya turned to look behind her, confusion painting her face before she pointed up at the surface where Tsa'tvayi could see the new family huddled. Exchanging confused glances, the trio kicked off of the sand and swam to the shore, their heads breaking the surface with a splash.

"You don't like swimming?" The question ripped out of her before she could think twice about it, a small blush rising to her cheeks as the darker na'vi turned to glance at her.

"You have to slow down," whined the younger girl, "You're swimming too fast."

The younger of the two boys brushed a hand over her head. "Relax, Tuk." H turned to glance at them, before his eyes seemed to gravitate to Tsireya. "We can't hold out breaths long enough to reach you. It's too deep."

The older boy nodded as he met her gaze. "Can we try something else first? Not as deep, maybe?"

Tsa'tvayi had to blink back the shock that took over her body as his voice reached her ears, the sound far more beautiful than she could have ever imagined.

"Um," she said before throwing a glance at the siblings next to her, "Maybe we should try breathing exercises first."

She was interrupted by Rotxo diving next to her, the splash soaking her again. Letting out a groan, she dived in behind him and wrapped a hand around his ankle before yanking him deep into the water. She could feel his startled jump as he fought to release his leg, a grin overtaking her face as she peeked the shock on his face.

Letting go of the boy, she sped back to the surface and hid behind Ao'nung, where she knew Rotxo wouldn't dare grab her.

The boy followed behind her, a grin on his face as he splashed her a little before turning back to the group. He tilted his head before turning back and then turning again.

"Where's Kiri?"

"Kiri?" She questioned, her eyes scanning over the group for the missing member.

"Our sister," supplied the older one. "I'm Neteyam, this is Lo'ak," he placed a hand on his brother's nape, "this is Tuktirey."

"Call me Tuk!" Chirped the younger girl and Tsa'tvayi grinned down at her as she nodded.

Tsa'tvayi couldn't help the small kernel of affection that gathered in her chest for the smaller girl, her grin so bright despite the constant problems in her young life. There, she promised that she would do whatever she could to make Tuk happy in Metkayina.

Tsireya began swimming back to the shore, "Come on, let's practice breathing. Rotxo, go look for Kiri."

Ao'nung and Tsa'tvayi exchanged a glance before following after Tsireya, both of them ignoring Rotxo's groan as he dived back under in search for the missing girl.

Once they reached the shore, the group traveled over to the rocks and sat over the smooth surface. Tsireya clapped her hands before waving over Lo'ak, "You will be with me. Ao'nung will take Neteyam and Tsa'tvayi will take Tuk."

Tsa'tvayi smiled as Tuk approached her. "Come, sit." She waved her hand before her, the younger girl dropping into a sitting position.

"Your hair is really pretty," Tuk whispered as she gazed at Tsa'tvayi's decorated braids.

Reaching forward, Tsa'tvayi smoothed a hand over Tub's head. "Do you want me to your hair like mine?" She showed her the shells she collected the pink one standing out, "I picked these up for you."

Tuk let out a small squeal as she reached for the shells, her small hadn't wrapping around the pink one and holding it to the light. "It's so pretty."

"Thank you," she grinned before turning to the side. "Nete! Look! Come see!" She waved him over impatiently, a small smile gracing the boy's face as he approached them.

Tsa'tvayi watched as he knelt besides his sister, "What is it?"

"Look!" Tuk shoved the shell into his face. "Tsa'tvayi got it for me, to put it in my hair."

Neteyam smiled as he took the shell from her hand, "It's so pretty."

Tsa'tvayi watched the two siblings marvel over the shell and felt almost guilty over how happy they seemed with something so simple. It was a shell, one that she had made little effort to find, not a special one like the ones in her own hair, or the one Tsireya had found the day before.

It was just a shell, but they glowed as if she had gifted Tuk the sun.

"That's what I said," she laughed before turning back to Tsa'tvayi.

"Thank you," she repeated, and Tsa'tvayi had to fight back the urge to wrap her in a hug.

"It is nothing," she smiled softly. "Let me teach you to breath, that way we can go look for more tomorrow."

Neteyam threw her a glance that had a soft blush coloring her cheeks and her tail wrapping around her waist, before standing and going back to Ao'Nung. Thank you, it said.

She knew it wasn't for the shell. Not really.