Tacenda | Neteyam

005

Lo'ak let out a loud laugh as he stepped forward and lifted himself onto the ilu, his body pressed tightly against hers as he teased his brother. "See, Nete. We just met and she already has you pegged."

Neteyam rolled his eyes, a small blush on his cheeks as he trudged forward and placed himself behind Lo'ak. "Maybe she can just tell you're a lot of work."

Tsa'tvayi laugh interrupted the incoming argument. "I think you both are a lot of work, already." She adjusted her grip on the saddle and lent forward a little, reaching a hand behind her and pulling Lo'ak closer. "Hold on tight, we won't go underwater, but Ean'ora likes speed."

Two sets of hands reached forward, one on her waist and the other on her hips. Tsa'tvayi didn't let them speak before willing Ean'ora forward, the ilu letting out a loud chip before shooting forward.

The hands around her tightened, both of the boys pressing closer as they screamed in delight. Tsa'tvayi laughed loudly as the water whipped by them, their skin soaking despite the fact that they weren't diving. As they laughed and shouted behind her, she decided that they wouldn't go another day without riding an ilu themselves, preferably under water.

The feeling of being guided by an ilu underwater was one she would never be able to explain. She was determined to let them experience it.

Once they were out far enough, but still within the reef, she pulled Ean'ora to a stop, the boys's hands retracting.

"That was awesome," sighed Lo'ak as Neteyam slid off of the ilu and fell into the water with a splash. Tsa'tvayi nudged the younger boy off softly, his eyes dazed, and followed after.

She didn't want to take too long, aware of the fact that they were unused to the water and would need to rest a lot faster than her. There was no sand for them to catch their breath from the constant treading, just water and an ilu.

"You will learn to ride your own today, you'll love diving with the ilu," Tsa'tvayi grinned back as she clipped a long spear off of where she had attached it to Ean'ora's side. Then, she pulled out two daggers and slipped them onto the band around her thigh.

"Will you be teaching us?" The question was sudden Tsa'tvayi turning to meet Neteyam's warm gaze. She felt slightly embarrassed under the heat of his eyes, the girl nodding and then shaking her head, before nodding again.

"I will teach Tuk and the other's will partner with you." Tsa'tvayi felt slightly guilty as his face fell before he fought himself and narrowed his eyes.

"Tuk?" He questioned, "Tuk can ride the ilu? She is not too small?"

Tsa'tvayi shook her head. "She cannot ride every ilu," she responded. "But, there are some meant to teach the children. We have younger in the clan who ride. They are not like your ikran."

Neteyam nodded slowly before Lo'ak cut in. "And if we want you to teach us?" Tsa'tvayi watched his ears flicker as his gaze dropped. "I don't think the other's like us much."

The younger boy shifted in the watered tucked his smallest finger into his palm before closing it into a fist. Tsa'tvayi's chest hurt as she watched him hide away his features, the unique ones that he had been shamed for since he stepped into Metkayina, likely long before that too.

"Tsireya seems to like you very well," Tsa'tvayi teased softly, a smile curling at her lips. "You do not want her to be the one who teaches you?"

Lo'ak blushed as Neteyam laughed and turned back to her. "He believed nobody had noticed."

Tsa'tvayi grinned this time, "Eywa herself has noticed."

The younger boy spluttered as they teased him, "Weren't we going to hunt?"