After Tsireya helped Liläk the girl was able to keep up with her siblings much better now. Kiri was still the best at holding her breath, but now that Liläk could swim without panicking, Kiri took her to the parts of the sea she went to, as she had promised.
It was a very beautiful sight, but what Liläk noticed the more was the way Kiri seemed to go into full trance while looking at her surroundings. She remembered the way she always used to wander around every time they where at the forest. Kiri sometimes used to fully meditate as she rested in the grass. Liläk admired her capability of being so connected to her surroundings. Her connection to the sea was no exception. Kiri was an exceptional person. Even if her and Liläk didn't speak as much, Liläk adored her.
Tsireya was going to teach Tuk how to ride an ilu, the metkayina suggested Liläk could join them as she still hadn't done it. Tuktirey was feeding an ilu Tsireya had brought, in her own words she was the most gentle of the herd and therefore, she would be perfect for Tuktirey.
-I love her already!-Tuk exclaimed as she giggled. Tsireya and Liläk smiled.
As Tuk was giggling, an ilu approached them. It was the same one that had neared Liläk when Lo'ak and Neteyam first began their ilu training.
-Hey boy.-Liläk said as the animal put his head under Liläk's hand.
-I was waiting for him to come around.-Tsireya mused.-His name is Tsìlpey.
Liläk smiled. His name was Tsìlpey...hope.
-Liläk he loves you!-Tuk declared. Her excitement of being near two ilus and finally learning how to ride them coming through...she was over the moon.
-He hadn't been this nice to anyone before...so yeah, he likes you.-Liläk's faint smile became even wider now. She looked at her sister and motioned Tsìlpey with her hand for him to approach her sister. Tuk laughed as she pet both ilus, one with each hand.
-See? He loves you too.-Liläk told Tuk, smiling fondly.
They got on the ilus and submerged. She absolutely loved it. It was similar to flying on an ikran, but much more relaxing. Tsìlpey glided through the sea as he whistled happily. He neared the corals as Liläk wanted and he spun joyfully while he swam. When she didn't have to worry about swimming and holding her breath, she lasted considerably more underwater.
The next days they kept practicing their breathing. Tsireya took them to a rocky island and they all sat around in a circle.
Without Aonung around, Rotxo was much nicer than he had been with them before. Liläk sat beside Neteyam who was happy to have his sister around once more.
-Breathe in.-Tsireya said. She then exhaled softly, after holding her breath for while.-And breathe out.-She completed. While they where breathing, Rotxo motioned with his hands to Liläk, explaining to her how it should be a relaxed motion, almost a meditation.
-Imagine flickering of flame.-Tsireya said. Liläk noticed that as she spoke, Lo'ak didn't take his eyes away from her. She gave Neteyam a side look to see if he had noticed. But Neteyam had his eyes closed, concentrating.
-You must slow down you heartbeat.-Tsireya then put her hands on Lo'ak's stomach, similarly to the way she had when she was teaching Liläk.
-Breathe in.-She commanded him. Liläk still glanced at Neteyam sometimes to see if he was noticing what she had.-breathe from down here.-She continued.-Breathe out slowly.
Lo'ak did as he was told looking at Tsireya. Real subtle Lo'ak. Liläk didn't want to miss anything but still gave Neteyam looks, was he really not seeing this!? She thought about what her father used to tease them with...she was sure that she had a hold of the one brain cell at the moment.
-Lo'ak, your heartbeat is fast.-Tsireya commented. At this, Liläk and Neteyam looked at each other instantly. Finally he notices, Liläk thought.
-Sorry...-Lo'ak said softly.
-Try to focus.-Tsireya said calmly.
-Okay.-Lo'ak said as he looked in front of him.
Neteyam and Liläk contrived their faces and chuckled slightly, trying to contain the laughs that wanted to erupt from them. Kiri rolled her eyes at the immaturity of her older siblings.
After the days passed, Liläk's ability with the ilu improved immensely. Even Aonung had to admit that she had learned very fast...though this she overheard in a conversation the young metkayina had with his friends.
She was now able to keep up easily with Lo'ak, Neteyam and Tsireya. It was no wonder to Neteyam she would be able to, she was exceptional when it came to ikrans, this would be no different.
They spun and swam around one another, making intrinsic movements as they slid through the diverse underwater world. When they got out they all looked at each other happily, they had held their breaths for quite a while.
-That was insane!-Liläk beamed. Neteyam smiled, glad that Liläk was enjoying now. Neteyam and Liläk could be happy if the other wasn't, but it was much easier when the other was.
-You are learning to breathe!-Tsireya said gladly.
Whenever Liläk thought she knew everything she could learn from the sea, Tsireya showed them something else.
It was dark at night when she took them to the bottom of the sea once more. The bioluminescence of the sea plants was eerie. It was not as bright as the forest, but still, Liläk was glad to see it. And now, every time she saw anything that slightly reminded her of the forest, she thought about what Tsireya told her "try to see how the sea holds a piece of your home".
Tsireya carefully grabbed a beautiful creature that was bright orange and glowed. It was graceful.
"They allow you to breath underwater". Tsireya explained through signing. She attached it to Tuk's back as she attached herself to it. Kiri got one too and Tsireya then brought one so that Liläk could breath.
It was her best experience under water, by far. She had no trouble holding her breath for long periods of time now, but this allowed her to truly look at her surroundings, not seeing them as something to calm herself, but being able to truly appreciate it.
They were beside what Liläk deemed as an underwater tree. Ronal was with them as she harvested some stone like fruit from it. Tuk wondered around gleefully and Liläk swam slowly, with no stress or fear or even a hint of concentration, she just swam, relaxing with the sights.
She noticed Kiri was standing on the bottom. She swayed her hand as she seemingly commanded a shoal of glowing fishes.
Liläk raised her eyebrows, impressed. Kiri glowed looking as if she was one with everything around her. Her sister was so impressive.
Beside her, Ronal peeked from behind the sea tree, she seemed shocked. Liläk smiled as she looked at the tsahìk. She had warmed up to them after all. Ronal noticed Liläk looking at her. She looked at the girl and then swam away, after Liläk looked at her with a knowing look...she was impressed at Kiri who she had qualified as "not a true na'vi" when they first arrived. Ronal had to admit she felt a bit of respect for Liläk and a lot of admiration for Kiri.
They had much more free periods now that they had improved so much. Liläk was happy to enjoy those moments to go fly on Pìwopx, but after some days she realized she had spent little time with her siblings compared to how much she used to back home.
Neteyam and her seemed to naturally gravitate towards one another sometimes. She found him walking by the shore.
-Where are you going?-she asked him.
-I was looking for you.
-Great. Do you want to go fly?
Neteyam smiled and followed his sister gladly.
-So Lo'ak has a little crush...-Neteyam commented mockingly as they walked by the shore.
-I thought you would never notice!-She retorted.-Did you see the way he was looking at her?-Neteyam laughed loudly, but his smile was erased from his face the moment she looked past her. Liläk looked at him confused as she turned around.
Aonung, Rotxo and some others were teasing Lo'ak as Kiri screamed at them to stop. Oh these skxwangs crossed a line now...she thought angrily. Neither of the twins said a thing, they just walked angrily towards the group of bullies.
Neteyam pushed Aonung away from Lo'ak strongly, it was hard to know which of the two twins was angrier.
-You heard what she said...leave them alone.-He muttered furiously.
-Ah big brother coming...-A boy said beside Aonung, mockingly, but his voice lowered immediately the moment he saw Liläk's face. She hissed at him and he walked back not wanting to mess with her. The rumor that she had shot a man through the neck had spread through the Metkayina youth quickly.
-Back off. Now. -Neteyam growled. Aonung glared at the twins, he was having fun with Lo'ak but he was not stupid enough to start a fight with Neteyam, let alone Liläk. He raised his arms reluctantly and backed off.
-Smart choice.-Neteyam commented as he looked at Liläk.-And from now on,-he added looking at Aonung .- I need you to respect my sister.-He told all of them.
The boy beside Aonung hissed at them, Liläk snorted at him.
-Don't test me.-She warned him. Aonung put his arm out as a gesture to tell him to quit playing. Kiri stuck out her tongue at them mockingly.
-Let's go.-Neteyam commanded Kiri and Lo'ak. Liläk looked at the boys for a while before leaving, as if to make sure none of them would be stupid enough to follow them. Some of them looked like they were about to hiss at her, but none of them actually did. They didn't know if the rumor was true, but they had heard stories about Neteyam and Liläk being incredible hunters...and they were Toruk Makto's eldest son and daughter.
When Liläk was far enough, the boy beside Aonung started teasing them again.
-Bye-bye!-He said mockingly.
-All freaks...the whole family.-Aonung commented. Liläk clenched her jaw.
-Don't...-Neteyam told her shortly, not wanting to get in trouble. Lo'ak had stopped walking and turned around.
-Lo'ak.-Neteyam warned.
-I got this bro...-Lo'ak told him. He approached Aonung as the others sneered. Liläk looked interested...she wasn't going to make the first move, but if any Metkayina put a single hand on Lo'ak, she wouldn't hesitate...no one messed with her siblings.
-I know this hand is funny.-Lo'ak told Aonung as he showed him his hand.-Look, I'm a freak.-He said as he showed him his pinky, the one finger the na'vi didn't have.-Alien...But it can do something really cool...watch.
Liläk smiled as she saw what Lo'ak would do.
-First I ball it up really tight like this.-He showed him.-Okay? Then...
Lo'ak punched Aonung in the face abruptly. He did it three times until Aonung was on the ground.
-That's called a punch, bitch!-Lo'ak exclaimed.-Don't ever touch my sister again.
Aonung ran and tackled him. That was it. She ran and got him off Lo'ak agilely. As she pinned him to the ground he hit his head. Once she had him, she punched and hissed at him. She noticed that the others started pulling Lo'ak's tail. She saw as one metkayina boy approached her, ready to attack her. She unsheathed her knife quickly as she crouched on top of Aonung, who had almost fainted by having been punched four times already and hitting his head on the ground.
-Don't you dare.-She growled at him.-Leave.- The boy turned around and left.
-Okay, I'm out.-He said as he retired the fight.
At the commotion, Neteyam doubted but then went ahead to help Lo'ak whose fight with the other boys was simply pathetic.
She put the knife away and tackled the guy who was pulling Lo'ak's tail. As they got the ground, the boy stood up quickly and hit her with his tail.
-Did you just hit me with your tail, what the hell!?-She exclaimed as she pulled on it making him fall to the ground again. As he fell by her side, she punched him and went away to tackle someone else.
Kiri laughed at the absurdity of the whole thing, but happy that no matter who bothered her, her siblings were there to fight for her.
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Hello! I hope everyone is doing great and that you enjoyed the chapter! I love the fight it's so hilarious. I mean the way Aonung was completely invested in Lo'ak's supposed hand trick...
If anyone is interested in it I will link a playlist I have been creating that has helped me with inspiration for writing Liläk :)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL42wGUQGGgdOHWO2MOcY1JoxGl7qa8res
Lots of love,
-Ambee