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TSA'TVAYI
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TSA'TVAYI CLICKED HER TONGUE, Ean'ora rising besides her with a happy chirp. She could feel the eyes of the brothers behind her as she smoothed a hand over the ilu's smooth skin and felt it's heartbeat under her palm.
Turning to face them, she grinned mischievously. "It might be a bit of a tight fit."
She watched the confusion fill their eyes, Lo'ak turning to Neteyam and blinking quickly before tilting his head. "What do you mean?"
Neteyam shook his head slowly as his golden eyes flickered between the ilu and her. "That's not happening."
Ean'ora chirped loudly as if in agreement and Tsa'tvayi smoothed a hand over her head. "It definitely is."
The two held eye contact in a battle of will, a smile bright on Tsa'tvayi's face as Neteyam's tail twitched behind him. Finally, the boy let out a groan and threw his hands in the air. "Fine."
Lo'ak stepped forward and waved a hand between the two, breaking the eye contact between Tsa'tvayi and Neteyam. "What's not happening, bro?"
Tsa'tvayi turned to him and held out a hand, the younger boy hesitantly placing his five-fingered hand in hers. Lo'ak's ears lowered as he threw her an embarrassed hand and began to retract his hand, as if he had forgotten their difference. Tsa'tvayi didn't let go, instead tightening her hold and tugging him closer to the ilu.
""We're riding Ean'ora a bit further into the water, you won't find anything good so close to the shore."
Lo'ak's tail switched violently behind him, his ears popping up in excitement as he stepped forward rapidly. "Really?" He blinked, and Tsa'tvayi could only see Tuk's excitement in his eyes. They were definitely family.
"Really," she assured, a similar excitement causing her tail to wrap around her leg.
"Yes!" He pumped his fist in the air, a movement that had Tsa'tvayi's head tilting in wonder. She'd never seen anyone do anything like that before. Deciding to ask about it at a later time, she turned back to Ean'ora.
"I will sit in the front as neither of you know how to ride yet," she stated while swinging her leg over the ilu and tightening her fist on the saddle. "I don't know who wants to be at the end and who wants the middle, that's up to you."
From the corner of her eye she saw the brothers exchanging glances, Tsa'tvayi making the tsaheylu with Ean'ora. "But," she hesitated slightly before turning to glance at them, "I imagine Neteyam would prefer Lo'ak sits in the middle."
Neteyam tilted his head at her words, his eyes flashing curiously. "Why is that?"
Tsa'tvayi lips twitched at the question. "Every step your siblings have taken has been under your watch. I can't see you being comfortable with your younger brother riding the back of the Ilu where you can't see him."
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?"
Tsa'tvayi let him change the subject, Neteyam and her exchanging teasing glances. "We are. Was your breathing better yesterday?"
She didn't want to lead them too far down if they wouldn't make it back to the surface without running out of air.
Neteyam nodded, "Yes, although perhaps not as well as Tuk," he teased.
"My best student," Tsa'tvayi sighed before throwing the pair another smile.
"Here," Tsa'tvayi unrolled the net she had attached to Ean'ora and handed it to Neteyam. The boy fumbled slightly under the weight, his body beginning to sink before he caught himself. She grinned proudly at the improvement that they were already making despite it being their third day in the water.
"You and Lo'ak will hold the net open and I'll usher the fish to you, usually I have to do it all myself, so we might leave with a full net today."
Lo'ak reached forward and held onside of the net. "What is the spear for? And the daggers?"
Tsa'tvayi waved a hand in dismissal. "It is a precaution. We are not the only things in the water, much less the largest. Just as we hunt, we are hunted."
His brows raised as he looked at her, Neteyam's head tilting.
"Do not worry," she assured. "As long as we are inside of the reef, we are fine. I just prefer to be ready if anything were to happen."
"Also," she threw in as she began swimming a bit further from them, "I would hate to be the one to tell Toruk Makto and his mate that I lost their sons at sea because I didn't carry a weapon."
The brother's laughed at her words, Neteyam nodding in agreement. "They would not take that kindly."
"Alright," she waved her hand to the water. "Dive a bit, until you body is fully submerged, and try to move as little as possible. Extend the net and when you feel the first fish hit it, close it tightly. They are slippery and will escape before you blink."
Tsa'tvayi didn't wait for them to respond before diving under and kicking far into the water. Small fish swam around her, their scales brushing against her skin. She payed them little mind, not finding the necessity in hunting a fish that would not last a bite.
She swam quickly but quietly, her movements smooth as she glided through the water. Her eyes scanned over all of the surfaces in search for a school of fish. When she found one, with enough fish to feed the entire clan for a couple of days, she grinned and shot forward.
The fish dispersed quickly, their scales whipping against her skin painfully. Later, she knew, small scrapes and bruises would arise. Now, she ignored the pain and gave chase. Tsa'tvayi corralled the fish forward, the group heading exactly towards the net.
Finally, Tsa'tvayi shot forward once more, her muscles straining with the force, the net coming into view and closing at the exact right time. From under the water Tsa'tvayi could see the moment that the amount of fish they had fought registered into the boy's mind, both surging forward as they fought the weight and movement of the live fish.
Tsa'tvayi didn't hesitate as she swam upward and reached forward to carry some of the weight. A laugh escaped her as she peered at the incredulous expression on Neteyam's face.
"I didn't think this was what you meant when you said there were a lot of fish at this hour." His voice was strained as they adjusted their grips on the net, Lo'ak letting out a loud snort.
"I don't think anybody thought that," he laughed. "Imagine dad's face when we get back."
Tsa'tvayi didn't respond as she clicked and called for Ean'ora to approach them. The ilia reached them quickly and set herself into the best position for Tsa'tvayi to tie the net to her. There was no way they would be able to carry it back.
"Come on," she grunted and began attaching the clips to the ilu. "Let's head back," she grinned, "This is the biggest catch this season and the foreigners were the one's to bring it in."
A laugh pulled out of her as Lo'ak let out a loud and victorious whoop that echoed in the wind, Neteyam grinning brightly. Tsa'tvayi pulled herself onto Ean'ora, her muscles twinging slightly. She heaved out a breath once she was on and gripped the saddle.
Lo'ak followed and threw himself onto the ilu with so much energy that Tsa'tvayi felt almost jealous, already she wished it was night so that she could toss herself into her pod and sleep the hunt away.
Neteyam pulled himself behind Lo'ak and reached forward, his hands firm against her hips. "Hold onto the saddle, Lo'ak."
The younger didn't question the command as he reached forward and wrapped his hands besides her on the saddle, his arms encasing her.
"Why?" She asked as she formed the tsaheylu with Ean'ora. "Was he slipping earlier?"
Neteyam tightened his grip on her slightly. "No. But you look like you're going to fall asleep at any moment, and we don't want you to fall off."
Tsa'tvayi's ears twitched rapidly at his words, her face warm. "Thank you," she mumbled before leaning forward slightly and, after assuring herself that everyone was holding correctly, commanding Ean'Ora to go."
The trip was slightly slower as they went back, a sense of victory filling the trio as Tsa'tvayi took the time to point out some spots on the way. Neteyam's hands remained firm on her skin, Lo'ak letting out laughs every once in a while.
Tsa'tvayi had never enjoyed hunting more.
Once they reached the shore, they dismounted the ilu and clipped the net off, each grabbing a side before beginning to tug it out of the water. The fish were heavy, the muscles of her arms crying in pain.
"Holy shit!" Came the startled shout as Toruk Makto gaped at them, Lo'ak shaking with silent laughter. Besides him, his mate walked slowly, her eyes canning over the net in shock
Tsa'tvayi didn't let anybody else speak as the couple approached them, the net finally out of the water. "Oel ngati kameie" she bowed her head slightly and greeted them both for the second time that day, "I gift my days hunt to you and your family as a welcome to our clan and as gratitude for the assistance of your sons."
Neteyam dropped the net in shock, the item thankfully tied tightly enough that the fish couldn't escape, and turned to her, his eyes wide. Tsa'tvayi ignored his gaze, instead turning to greet a beaming Tuk.
"Holy shit," Toruk Makto repeated, his voice low and filled with wonder as he gazed down at the multitude of fish. This time, Lo'ak's laughter was loud and joy-filled, his mother's head snapping to the boy as her eyes softened.
Briefly, Tsa'tvayi wondered how long it had been since he had laughed like that, she knew his mother must have been thinking the same.
As the family marveled at the fish, Neteyam's gaze burning against the side of her face, Toruk Makto's dropped jaw, and laughter filling the air, Tsa'tvayi felt that they would come to be happy in Metkayina.
She would make sure of it.