A day had passed since the fight, Te'rani had gone fishing early in the morning.
She was on Ayu'te now. Te'rani was out in the ocean, a little further away from the village this time.
She swam across the ocean on Ayu'te, watching the ocean life was relaxing in its own way.
The water embraced her body perfectly as she swam.
Te'rani was just sitting on Ayu'te, well, technically she was lying down.
She sighed loudly and closed her eyes. She already missed Neytiri and wanted to see her again, Te'rani told herself she would after getting some time to herself in the water.
She needed to think about her vision. And the best time to think is when she is weaving. It was common knowledge that the ocean clans like the Metkayina and the Ta'unui were at the top of the weaving game, and Te'rani was no exception.
Te'rani laid still, lying on Ayu'te's back for a few peaceful minutes before something splashed water right on her face.
Te'rani's eyes flew open and she got up immediately to see another ilu, riderless.
The ilu swam up to Ayu'te and they exchanged a few series of clicks and whistles.
Now, slowly, the sun was beginning to set behind Te'rani.
She looked at the sky, noticing the time as shd swung her other leg to her side.
She disconnected her queue from Ayu'te and submerged herself in water.
For a few seconds she just let her body float in the ocean. Her body felt cold, in the most calming way possible. Her hair, her hands, her legs were embraced by the water. She wished to spend all her days under the water.
She opened her eyes, a lazy smile on her face. That's when something caught her eye.
A figure, blue enough to blend in the ocean perfectly, was inspecting a school of larger fish that swam by.
Te'rani smiled under the water. It was Kiri.
She swam to Her and stopped till she was right behind the Younger girl.
Te'rani tapped Kiri's shoulder, causing her to look back.
Kiri smiled when she saw the firmiliar face.
They both wordlessly continued to swim around together.
Kiri felt glad to have someone like Te'rani by her side after a day like her's.
She felt comfortable around her, like she could say anything and not be judged.
Soon, after multiple minutes passed, Te'rani and Kiri swam up for air. .
That's when they noticed it was getting dark.
"You should go home, its getting dark" Te'rani said as she looked at the disappearing sun. She remembered her promise to Neytiri to spend time with her. Unfortunately, the events of the last two days had kept them busy in familial matters.
Te'rani called for Ayu'te and got on her back easily.
Te'rani didn't have to call an ilu for Kiri, because the riderless one from earlier, it had its eyes set on kiri already.
Te'rani flashed kiri a smile before diving under the water and swimming to the village.
Kiri and Te'rani's ilus swam in circles around eachother happily.
Te'rani liked seeing Kiri so happy. Her joy was contagious. The young girl somewhat reminded Te'rani of a younger version of herself. Different, but so familiar.
They swam and quickly reached the maruies, still in the water.
It was very dark outside now, all the sea life glowed, illuminating their path.
Kiri found her mauri and got off her ilu, sitting down on the platform just above the water.
Te'rani moved her ilu closer.
"Hey....about yesterday....you wanna talk about it?" She asked her.
Kiri looked at her for a second before nodding. Te'rani got off Ayu'te and pushed herself up to sit next to Kiri.
"What's bothering you baby girl" She asked.
Te'rani saw Kiri close her eyes for a while. Te'rani gazed at her with soft, concerned eyes. She knew what that expression meant. Kiri began to shed tears.
Te'rani placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"The sky people....they took spider" Kiri's voice cracked.
"He was our brother" Kiri sniffed.
Te'rani's heart broke for her.
"Oh kiri..." She said softly in a sad tone.
"But that's not it" she said.
Te'rani waited for her to continue.
She didn't notice it, but the little fish in the water below them were swimming in circles around both Te'rani and Kiri's feet.
"I feel her"
"Who?"
"Eywa. She's so close. I hear her heartbeat"
"She't just...there. Like a word about to be spoken" Kiri said.
Te'rani smiled slightly. She is.
"I don't get it, why am I different? What does the great mother want from me?"
Te'rani recognized those words. She'd been wondering the same thing for a long time now.
From behind them, Neytiri watched her daughter talk to Te'rani. She felt a sort of longing to talk with Te'rani, to listen to her talk about the ocean, to just spend more time in the presence of such a calming person.
Neytiri watched for a while before Tuk held her hand and attempted to pull her away and grab her attention.
"Eywa has something different planned for all of us, you know...in a way...I'm going through what you are"
"I have gone through what you are" Te'rani spoke.
Kiri turned to look at her.
Te'rani looked at her sadly.
She brought her hand to Kiri's face and wiped most of the tears that went down her cheeks.
Kiri felt greatful for Te'rani. She found a friend, someone who could understand her. Te'rani didn't think Kiri was weird for her abilities, instead she thought Kiri was special. It touched Kiri's heart.
Te'rani thought it would be better if she didn't tell anyone about her visions. She knew she could trust kiri, but she didn't know how it would turn out if she spoke about her visions. There was some sort of taboo on it that Te'rani didn't understand.
Heck, Te'rani wasn't even sure yet if her visions were going to come true.
Te'rani ever so slightly shook her head at herself, no, she decided she couldn't speak about her vision.
"Eywa loves you, she will reveal her purpose sooner or later" She said.
Kiri nodded.
Te'rani removed her hands from kiri's face and looked at her for a second and smiled.
She opened her arms wide and looked at Kiri happily.
Kiri chuckled a little and smiled finally. She leaned into the hug.
Kiri was much smaller than Te'rani, but it felt good to be held. It reminded her of a parental kind of embrace.
Te'rani swayed around a little, causing Kiri to laugh into her chest.
Te'rani smiled as she rested her head above Kiri's shortly, before letting go.
"So...what does Eywa's heartbeat sound like?" Te'rani asked.
Kiri looked at her.
"Mighty" she said in a confident tone.
Te'rani smiled in awe. Kiri truly was special. And she was right. Eywa was mighty.
Their moment was ruined when they heard Neteyam's voice from inside the mauri.
"Tell her what you told me" he said from a distance.
Both kiri and Te'rani turned to see him infront of Neytiri, with Ao'nung.
Te'rani got up immediately. She walked to them with Kiri by her side.
Little Tuk went to stand next to Neteyam, who looked between Ao'nung and his mother in anger.
Neteyam looked really pissed. Ao'nung definatlly did something. What was it this time?
Ao'nung looked more ashamed and nervous when he saw his aunt.
"I took Lo'ak outside the reef" He looked down.
Neytiri gasped, she was standing infront of Te'rani, who did so too.
"You did what?" Fury and disbelief dripped in Te'rani's voice.