Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XV

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̶̶̶̶  «̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　 Self Study       ̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶  

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At'anau waited throughout the entire day for her parents to talk to her or do so much as mention the intention of their sanctuary in Awa'atlu, but neither of them spoke about it in the presence of their children and the oldest girl was starting to feel stored in the dark. 

She hadn't had a moment yet alone with her parents without the siblings around as they were all too busy learning their new ways. Tsireya and Rotxo had taken the time to sit down with the children and focus on their breathing, which At'anau had found therapeutic in a way but a waste of time as she could be doing something more purposeful. 

She noticed her siblings improving the relationships with the Metkayinan kids as time passed and the oldest chiefs' son was absent. At'anau had also realised she was a shyer person than she thought to be as her siblings found it easy engaging in conversations with the others, but she only stayed by her brother's side. 

She started putting Tsireya in a different light once he noticed how much her youngest brother enjoyed her teaching and companionship and soon got to know Rotxo was more her friend than he was the other boy's. 

The kids sat on the boulders in the sea and continued the exercises on their breathing, At'anau wondering what the older boy would be doing that is more important than the task he was assigned to by his father and questioning why she couldn't be doing exactly that as well. 

For multiple times the hunters in the sea had caught her attention as they travelled to the seawall terraces just on the border of the reef. She assumed that's where most fish would be and concluded the kids weren't fit for that role to the clan. 

At'anau missed the smile her brother threw her when they all noticed the closeness of the young girl and Lo'ak as she adjusted his posture, but only got an augmented heart rate instead. 

When they all decided they were going to practise in the waters again, a seventh person joined them and to her dismay he had come back from hunting. She decided she wasn't going to ask him to bring her along next time but grow out of her shell for that one instead. 

As they all placed themselves on their ilu who had been patiently waiting for them until they were ready the kids all swam towards the deeper parts of the reef. Making it a race and At'anau chasing after her brother holding her laugh in the water as her ilu tried snapping at the tail in front of him. 

Swimming circles around the rockweeds of the sea the kids chased each other and At'anau was distraught by how well the boy who had tried his best to get under her skin was now sporting along with them just fine. 

Playing fetch with all the ilu by throwing crystals and reflecting sea shells taught the girl that her animal and that of the other boy's had a closer relationship than those of her brothers as they often seeked each other out more than the others. 

Jumping up in the air with the girl on her back she chucked a big conch far away from them when she was out the air and let Ao'nungs ilu hound at it in a bolting pace, throwing the mighty free-diver off his ilu without it going unnoticed by her and her brothers. 

Ao'nung cursed at the girl who resurfaced on the water let her attention get stolen by a hand full of hunters returning from the terraces with full nets. 

Seeing as none of the other kids were fixated on her at that moment she decided to take a closer look towards the border. 

The rest of the kids got back up in the air catching their breath and letting out the laugh they had to hold in under the water. Tsireya smiled at the two boys who laughed at each other "You're learning how to breathe." She exclaimed amazed and glad for the kids. 

At'anau's ilu cut through the water with its rider steadily on its back and jumped up in the air only when notified his partner was in need of a new breath of fresh air. As they lunged back in the air At'anau let her feet off the ilu's back, kicking them behind her freely as the sun at the horizon watched them in joy. 

The rhythm and momentum the two shared in the water and in the air was something so different yet similar of riding her ikran and she couldn't help but feel a piece of home returning to her as she soared further to the reef's borders. 

"Your sister learns quick." Tsireya expressed as they all watched the girl reach the high skies and deep seas. "yea," Lo'ak agreed, slurring the word as he observed his sister whose voice roared in the wind "she's known for that." 

At'anau reached closer to the sea terraces and watched the nets being thrown into the water from her distance. she looked back behind her at her siblings who had turned into specks from where she sat, but she noted on not staying for too long as dawn would be setting soon. 

Respecting the work on the field At'anau kept in mind to go around them, but noticed there wasn't really a way to go around a border so she tried swimming closer to the place without disturbing the hunters. 

Once she was close enough she jumped off the ilu, landing with her feet on the boulders with a couple of looks from the people working on their crops. 

The girl made sure not to stand in the way as she was only there to visually learn, so she climbed up the tall rocks that provided a small form of shade for the people. The girl sat straight, with her back to the sun and eyes on the people who each had different ways and materials they caught all the different sea creatures in. 

At'anau's eyes caught the big rounded nets that were thrown into schools of fish in the water and she was fascinated. This was quicker than a singular bow and arrow and she wondered why her dad had never shown this. 

"I don't think you're supposed to be here," At'anau's cheeks heated up by the confrontation and looked for the source of the voice before she looked at the man looking up at her. "are you?" 

At'anau had noticed her age gap with everyone at her arrival, but had decided to ignore it, rethinking that decision now as it could've been a sign the place wasn't fit for kids like her. "I don't know?" She confessed looking at the young man. 

"So what are you here for?" He had to speak up for the girl to hear and she was quite unsure of what to answer so it took her a while. "To learn," she said, but it came out questionably. 

"Are you?" At'anau adjusted herself on the warm rocks, but was less frightened as she wasn't passive aggressively kicked out yet. "yes." 

"By who?" the man seemed to be a talkative type, one she hadn't come across yet. Not that she met a lot of members of Metkayina who had decided she was worth their time. But now she had someone's attention, one she wasn't going to let go of so soon, she decided she had chosen him to teach her. 

"you." 

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very happy y'all made this far in the story, now the real deal can begin hehehe

my bf just told me he's never seen avatar..

divorce is the only solution rn

jk we'll be going to the movies tonight to watch twow because I just forced him to watch the first one. And you bet my focus will not be on him even for a second. 

mwa xx