The next day the sully children were set to meet with the chief's son and daughter, along with Rotxo. They were going to learn to ride the native mammals, ilu.
The seven children stood in the shallow waters.
"If you want to live here you have to ride." Aonung announced to the Sully's. "Tsireya will teach the demon blooded boy and the demon girl and the child will be with Rotxo." Lo'ak and Kiri scowled at Aonung, the nicknames annoying them both. The boy then looked towards Neteyam. "And you, eldest of Toruk Makto, will be with me."
——
Neteyam stood with Aonung and an ilu. He mounted the creature, ready to make the bond, tsaheylu. As Neteyam brought his queue closer, his and the ilu's tendrils wrapped around each other.
"Good. Now you must keep tight hold here, try your best to not let go forest boy." Aonung tapped the ilu, signaling for it to swim. The ilu set off slow but then gained speed quickly. Neteyam tried to keep ahold of the ilu but ended up letting go anyways. He quickly swam back up to the surface of the water.
"ha!" Aonung couldn't help but laugh at the boy. "don't laugh at me you skxawng."
"It's not my fault you keep falling. Your position is all wrong forest boy." The boy jumped back onto the ilu, grabbing hold of the ilu once again.
Aonung placed his hands on the boy's thigh and lower back, manoeuvring them to the correct positions. Neteyam felt a tingle in his stomach, almost a sick feeling.
Aonung clicked his tongue, signalling for the ilu to start swinging. This time Neteyam kept ahold a little bit longer but still fell back off eventually causing Aonung to laugh again.
——
Neteyam kept practicing for hours after everyone else. He couldn't accept that he couldn't ride an ilu yet.
It was already eclipse by the time he was satisfied with his skills. He took the saddle from the ilu, placing it back into the small shack.
He turned around to walk back to his hut, startled when he was met with Aonung. He stepped back in surprise, his hand quickly moving to his chest for his knife.
"Calm down there forest boy, it's just me."
"You skxawng, you scared the shit out of me." Aonung's face shifted, he couldn't understand one of the words the other spoke. "Shit? What in the eywa is that."
"It's an English word, means a couple different things, but right now it means you really scared me."
"Oh, well sorry forest boy, but it's not my fault that you are so easily scared."
"Whatever fish lips."
The two walked side by side as they made their way to the Sully's hut. "How come your out here so late anyway forest boy."
"I was practicing to ride the ilu, I still have not mastered it though but I am getting there."
"Ah. I see."
The two came to a halt as the arrived at the hut. "I shall see you tomorrow, forest boy." He leant down, grabbing Neteyam's hand. He pressed his lips against the back of the boy's hand then turned around and walked away.
Neteyam stood still, stuck in his place. He could feel his face heating up, a tingling sensation left on his hand and in his chest. He watched as the other walked away before entering his own hut.