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TSA'TVAYI
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"I SEE YOU." TSA'TVAYI greeted Tsahik as she stepped into the pod. The older woman was fluttering around the area as she prepped to mark her. Small jars of ink littered the floor, a couple of teeth- alula, ilu, and something from a smaller fish- glinted harshly under the sunlight.
Tsa'tvayi's heart fluttered at the sight of the sharp tools, excitement swelling inside of her. She could feel the moment Neteyam connected the dots, his body tensing besides her as he inhaled sharply.
She threw him a quick glance, the boy's reaction confusing her slightly. His ears were pressed tightly against the sides of his head, his eyes narrowed on the tools that Tsahik had laid out. Tsa'tvayi's tail brushed against his back lightly as she urged him to turn to her.
When his golden eyes met her, she cocked a brow. 'What's wrong?' There was no need for the words to leave her lips, Neteyam understanding her quickly.
He didn't respond, instead shaking his head pursing his lips as his tail curled around her leg. Tsa'tvayi looked at him for another moment before turning away and stepping closer to Tsahik, Neteyam flowing close behind her as he kept his tail on her thigh.
"Congratulations, Tsa'tvayi." Tsahik had a small smile on her face, Tsa'tvayi grinning back widely.
"Thank you, Tsahik. I am grateful to Eywa for allowing me this, even if the circumstances were disgraceful."
Despite the excitement that came with being allowed the markings of the Metkayina, Tsa'tvayi wished it hadn't come with the risk of Lo'ak losing his life. Still, she knew it was a rare occurrence where a member of the clan was welcomed for warrior training because they saved a life- not many endangered themselves in their own land, it was the behavior of skxwangs and they were better left for dead.
It was not advised to risk ones life for who with no common sense. Fortunately, Lo'ak had been abandoned outside of the reef, he had not made the decision willingly. If he had, Tsa'tvayi would not have been allowed to search for him.
It was the way of Metkayina.
"Come." Tsahik waved her over and instructed the girl to lay on flat on her stomach, Tsa'tvayi's eyes widening in shock.
"My markings will be on my back?" The words fell from her lisp numbly. "Not my arm?"
Arm markings signified shielding, they were specific to hunters of the clan. Back markings, on the other hand, were rarely seen. Only left to the strongest and bravest of the clan- to the Olo'eyktan and the best warriors.
They were not easily earned.
Tsahik hummed in response as she waved her over once again. "Olo'eyktan has decided. You have saved Toruk Makto's son on your own during eclipse. You were injured as you left and injured as you came but you kept the boy awake and alive." Tsahik picked up a needled bone as Tsa'tvayi laid carefully on the ground and placed her head on her crossed arms, Neteyam sitting besides her with his knee pressed against her arm. "You returned a child to his family, safe. You did what Ao'nung failed to do as future leader of Metkayina."
"A back marking has been earned and will be given."
Tsa'tvayi couldn't speak at Tsahik's words, her head turning quickly at the sudden news. She was to be marked as one of the best warriors in Metkayina without having completed Iknimaya.
Neteyam brushed a hand over her head softly and she turned to look at him. His eyes were warm as he smiled. "Congratulations."
Tsa'tvayi smiled back, her eyes falling shut as Tsahik began a prayer to Eywa. They settled there for some time, the only sound in the pod being the water and the Tsahik, before the older woman grabbed one of the teeth and began carving on Tsa'tvayi's back, the girl's jaw tightening at the pain.
She could feel Neteyam shift from where he sat, the boy soothing her softly as he caressed the back of her head and neck. "Calm," he whispered, his voice thick as Tsahik continued inking her back, "It will be over soon."
Tears were welling in her eyes as she bit down roughly on her tongue to hold back the screams that were threatening to escape her. It was so painful, the sharp teeth digging into her skin, the ink stinging as it settled into the fresh cuts. She could hear her skin ripping with every stroke and wondered how the older members of the clan sat through the pain so often.
It probably didn't help that her back was still lightly bruised.
Neteyam's touch soothed her as the pain continued, the girl burrowing her head into her arms and squeezing her eyes shut- truly only the strongest warriors would suffer through the pain of a marking. But she had been gifted the chance and she would bear it.
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"CALM, NETEYAM," TSA'TVAYI HUFFED out as they walked slowly to his family's pod. The boy was hovering around her, his eyes flicking constantly over her face as he watched for any signs of pain. "Tsahik made sure everything was alright, and she gave me that." She signaled to the small jar Neteyam held, a special salve filling it for the pain of the markings.
She'd been warned that the markings would throb and that she would likely be leaving a mess of ink everywhere for a couple of days. Neteyam had quickly asked for advice in tending for her back, his eyes attentive as Tsahik instructed him, her eyes flicking between the two in curiosity.
Tsa'tvayi had wondered what the older woman saw as they stood side by side, Neteyam's tail returning to the spot he'd claimed on her thigh, her own brushing his back lightly. They'd left quickly after that, the pair wanting to avoid bumping into Ao'nung.
She didn't want to see him, not yet. She had no desire to listen to his excuses and his apologies when it seemed he never matured. He would be Olo'eyktan one day and he'd almost killed Toruk Makto's son, regardless of how little he meant for that to be the result of leaving Lo'ak outside of the reef.
She didn't know if she could forgive him. Not for his rude words or fatal behavior.
Neteyam sighed in defeat besides her, "I am worried, we do not mark like this in our clan. It looks painful."
Tsa'tvayi smiled as they reached his pod, "It is painful, but it is worth it; Like your ikran."
From the corner of her eye she could see him nodding, his lips pursed.
"Tsa'tvayi!" Tuk's excited cheer met her ears as she smiled at the younger girl.
"Little Tuk," She greeted, Neytiri glancing at her softly before turning back to the child's hair. The older woman was undoing the braids, Tuk sitting calmly despite the tugs.
"You are changing your hair?" Tsa'tvayi asked as the pair stepped further into the pod, Neteyam slipping past her and dropping onto his sleeping mat.
Tuk nodded before she was held in place by Neytiri, "Yeah, mom says it's time. She's doing Neteyam next, Lo'ak ran away."
Tsa'tvayi twitched with silent laughter as she noted the dread on Neteyam's face. She could see him muttering under his breath as his shoulders dropped, Neytiri throwing him a sharp glare.
She hesitated slightly as she fidgeted, before willing herself to speak. "I could help?" She offered softly. "I braid Ao'nung's hair often."
Neytiri nodded quickly. "Please. Neteyam has a lot of hair, too much time wasted."
Tsa'tvayi let out a laugh as she approached the boy, a smile on his own face as he patted the space besides him. She quickly kneeled and Neteyam turned to face away from her. "Are you sure? Your back does not hurt?"
She shook her head. "I am alright, really. It is still numb from the salve."
Neteyam nodded slowly. "I will believe you, but we will stop if you feel uncomfortable."
Tsa'tvayi huffed at his protectiveness and began unbraiding his hair, the boy helping as he worked on the front hair. The group sat like that for a while, only shifting into other positions as they removed braids and then began parting for fresh ones.
Eclipse began as they worked, Tuk falling asleep in her spot as Neteyam nodded off. Every once in a while, she tapped his head and he shifted into a new position, Tsa'tvayi braiding quickly. Neytiri had begun to hum softly as they worked, Jake arriving from his own training with Olo'eyktan.
He greeted her, a smile on his face as he lifted Tuk and took her spot, Neytiri beginning to work on his loks, the growth making the hairstyle look slightly tough.
Neteyam's breaths eased as he fell into a light sleep, Tsa'tvayi grinning as she watched his eyes fall close and his weight settle onto her chest, the boy falling back slightly. She appreciated the new position as she began to work on the front braids, keeping her hands soft as to now wake him.
"Here." Neytiri stepped over, her voice low as she held out a handful of beads. "For the front."
Tsa'tvayi reached out a hand, the older woman pouring the beads into her open palm. She inspected them carefully as Neytiri turned back to where Jake had begun to fall asleep, Tsa'tvayi shaking her head in amusement at the resemblance between the man and his children.
The beads were all wooden but their colors differed. Some were in deep shades of red, others blue. There was a lighter one, a pale blue that stood out slightly from the rest. They all had carvings on them, and Tsa'tvayi ran her finger over the textures softly.
They were beautiful. Placing them carefully on the floor, she continued braiding, this time reaching over and placing beads on the stands.
They continued like that long into the eclipse. Lo'ak and Kiri slipping in quietly and quickly dropping onto their sleeping mats. They greeted her, silently teasing Neteyam before turning and falling asleep. She could see Neytiri throwing them fond glares as they escaped the braiding.
Tsa'tvayi finished up carefully and tried to detangle herself from the boy, but found herself stuck.
"Neytiri," she whispered, the older woman throwing her a confused glance. She gestured to the woman's son. "I need help."
Neytiri shook her head with a small smile and turned back to finish her mate's hair, Tsa'tvayi gaping as she was ignored. She tried to detangle herself again, but Neteyam merely turned and pulled her closer, his face pressing into her stomach and his arms wrapping around her thighs as she fell over.
Tsa'tvayi could hear Neytiri letting out a huffed laugh and scowled as Neteyam mumbled into her stomach. "Stay."
It would seem she was going to spend another night outside of her own pod.
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New chapter! I'm currently fixing the formatting of this story, so don't mind any updates you get after this one. Also, I won't be putting author notes anymore, any announcements I make will be on my profile so if you want to know, you have to check it...or follow to get a notification.