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CHAPTER TEN
❝Where's my pretty girl?❞
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THE NEXT FEW DAYS were rough; there wasn't much time to take a breath, to adapt. Even now, as she watched the young Metkayina dive into the reef, Ni'Alu remained embedded in her spot. Lo'ak and Neteyam dashed forward, dive-balling head-on into the ocean. The girl peered over, Tuk and Kiri hurling themselves off the edge beside her. Water splashed onto Ni'Alu's face, and her ears flattened in discontent.
"C'mon, Ni'Alu! Don't be a chicken!" The younger Sully brother urged. The girl hissed at him, a downturned pout on her lips.
Kiri pressed her palm against the water's surface, laughing at her friend. "It's gorgeous." Ni'Alu's eyes shifted to her. "Please join us!" Her expression softened at the request, and she scooted closer to the group. Her throat bobbed with a visible gulp, her gaze flickering between the Na'vi and the water below. It wasn't until a cool palm wrapped around her leg did she startle, tumbling forwards as it yanked backwards.
Her skin erupted in goosebumps, and she gasped for air seconds before the water engulfed her. Ni'Alu's eyes burrowed shut, and she flailed aimlessly, pushing towards the light she knew rested above.
When she finally emerged, her head swung towards the perpetrator.
"Skxawng!"She growled, lunging towards a chuckling Neteyam. She gripped onto his arm, pushing him under to surface to remain afloat. "I hate you!" The boy sputtered, but eventually regained his steady paddle.
"You don't mean that, Ni'Alu," he said, a smile on his face. "I forgot you've always avoided swimming." She fixed a glare at him, struggling to keep her head above the water. The boy frowned, wrapping an arm around her waist to tread water for them both.
Lo'ak rolled his eyes. "This is so embarrassing." In a blink he dove under, Kiri and Tuk following soon after. The pair that remained looked at each other, and Ni'Alu nodded in silent approval. He let go, and the girl went rigid, sinking below. She pushed upwards, cupping her palms against her body's natural reflux to float. In the grand scheme, though, it probably didn't propel her downwards as much as she'd imagined, and she suspected she looked rather idiotic to their aquatic-born counterparts.
Still, once her eyes adjusted, it was beautiful.
The water was rich with sea-life and submerged vegetation, a ripe world that Ni'Alu had never seen. To her, it was entirely different than the forest. An incomparable experience—and while she longed to run amidst the tree-tops again, she could still admire why the Metkayina chose to live this way. She watched as the trio leading them glided forward, occasional strokes accompanied by hip-juts to the side. It was natural to them—as easy as blinking or breathing. Lo'ak pointed ahead, struggling to match their established pace. Eventually, though, Ni'Alu's chest began to burn, and her eyes darted between their companions and the surface above. Ultimately, the latter won.
It seemed the two boys beside her had the same itch, each of them bursting from the water's top-coat, deep gasps settling between them. The eldest Na'vi of the Omatikaya trio spoke, an exhausted heave present in the way his voice wavered. "You two okay?" The pair nodded back, and each of them placed their faces underwater. They drifted aimlessly, watching as the Metkayina children gestured towards them. Tsireya was patient, but eventually settled with a playful shrug, urging them to continue their diving lessons. Lo'ak wasted no time submerging himself once again.
This time, the group was more successful, but there was still the incessant desire for their bodies to return to the air above. And while the Olo'eyktan's daughter encouraged them throughout the process, Ni'Alu could scent the irritation wafting off Ao'nung and his friend. It wasn't long until their practice ceased altogether, the Na'vi regrou ping at the surface. But, surprisingly, Tuk was the first to express her discontent.
"You're too fast! Wait for us," she whined. Tsireya grimaced, her brows furrowing sympathetically.
"Just breathe." Ni'Alu snorted, indignant to the girl's explanation. As if that would help them.
For once, the tallest Na'vi of them seemed to agree, restlessly chiming beside his younger sister. "You are not good divers. You may be good at swinging through trees..." He chuckled at his own wit, but Tsireya quickly smacked his head. The boy's ears folded back with surprise, and Ni'Alu giggled at the sight. He fixed a glare at her, but she simply shrugged, turning her gaze to Neteyam.
But, interestingly enough, his eyes were already set onto her, his forehead creased quizzically. He huffed once the pair made contact, and he raised his hand up, pressing his fingers together. "We don't speak this finger talk. We don't know what you're saying," he argued.
"I will teach you," Tsireya replied. Neteyam smiled in agreement, but a third voice rung out. It was the shorter boy, the one who Ni'Alu couldn't remember the name of.
"Where's Kiri?" The group looked around and, sure enough, the eldest Sully daughter was missing from their ranks. "Did you see her?"
In a heartbeat, the girl emerged from the water's surface, a satisfied grin on her features. "It's amazing, truly," she gaped, her eyes creasing at the corners. Ni'Alu rested a hand on the Kiri's shoulder, smiling alongside her. It would good to see her happier, even if she was still mulling over the loss of her human friend. Maybe this could be their new home.
Time seemed to move faster after this realization, and the Sully family's training only further continued. Which is what left them in their current state, wading subtly through the shallows. Ao'nung was in front, an array of noises escaping his lips. Four-finned creatures from earlier arose ahead, and Ni'Alu watched as their bodies cut through the water.
"These are Ilu. If you want to live here, you have to ride," the tallest concluded, gesturing widely to the outsiders. "We'll pair off, eldest few first." Kiri had already wandered off towards her own vices, Roxto in tow, and Tsireya was quick to volunteer herself as Lo'ak's mentor. But, per her brother's insistence, she added Neteyam to their mix, too. So, that left Ni'Alu paired alongside the chief's eldest.
It was clear both were unsettled by the layout, their only exchanges categorized as harsh jabs—either the Metakayina boy's criticisms of her posture and the Omatikaya girl's merciless rebuttals. It wasn't her fault she was biologically predisposed to be doomed in the water.
"Sit straighter," Ao'nung chastised, his lip curling up slightly.
"I am trying to," she hissed. The boy rolled his eyes, pressing his palm to her lower back, forcing her to readjust herself. Her glare heightened, her pupils dilating.
"Relax, I'm helping you." He lifted his hands away, his shoulders raising with a hefty sigh. "Metkayina children ride Ilus the minute they're born."
Ni'Alu's tail lashed, and she mumbled, "Good for you, then."
If the boy had heard her remark, he'd likely decided to brush it off, returning to instruction. "Make the bond gently. Feel." The girl grasped her braid, guiding it's tendril-like endings towards her mount's own queue. When the connection was made, the creature made a restless squawk, and Ni'Alu breathed deeply to settle it. Ao'nung nodded, "Now swim." So, she did.
It was tentative, at first, both of the pair testing each other's minds out. First, gentle paddles in a circular motion—then, more confident strides in the water. When the two dove under, Ni'Alu opened her eyes to watch the sea life blur beside her, a restless grin on her face. It wasn't like flying; it was different. She felt weightless, zig-zagging through the colorfully rich anemones. By the time she'd lapped back to their original spot, the taller boy sported his own smile, too.
"You're learning. Good," he praised, grabbing the Ilu's neck to halt the two's movements. The girl's lips parted, pants escaping her frame. She wasn't tired, though––in fact, she wanted to continue.
"That was fun." Ao'nung nodded, closing his eyes softly in agreement. Her eyes darted to the water ahead, then back to her companion. He wasn't too bad to look at when he wasn't scowling all the time. From the corner of her eye, a darkened patch of skin caught her attention. She gestured at it, raising her brow. "What is that?"
Ao'nung looked down, but shook his head once he recognized the source of her question. It was a black ink-drawn pattern scattered on his thigh. "Tattoos. Markings of Eywa." She hummed, prompting him to continue. "They chronicle a Na'vi's life; their achievements, goals. I got mine when I became an adult in the clan's eyes. A deep-sea hunter."
"They're beautiful." At that moment, the two locked eyes, a newfound respect between them. It wasn't until a startled voice arose that their gazes broke from each other. From their left was Lo'ak, Tsireya and Neteyam, the eldest cheering on his younger sibling. It seemed he was having a rougher time than her. Whatever the commotion was, it had peaked the eldest's interest, and Ao'nung dove under, swimming towards the trio. Ni'Alu slumped in defeat, but was soon in tow on her own mount. When they arrived, she disconnected her queue and rested next to Neteyam. He offered a smile, mouthing a warm greeting. She did the same, then turned her head to follow the group's source of infatuation.
There was a small crowd now, watching the Sully boy's attempts. When Tsireya stepped back, she coached him with some final remarks. "Hold on," she said, and Lo'ak dug his heels into his Ilu. The boy burst forward, and the group sunk their heads underwater to watch as he flailed helplessly. He last less than a minute, his body flinging backwards as it curled under the current's pressure. The group jumped upwards, a chorus of laughter. Even Neteyam joined in, too, to which he earned a hefty jab in the ribs from the girl beside him.
She cringed at Lo'ak's sullen expression, whispering to his elder brother. "Be nice, it's his first time." Ao'nung cackled loudest, jeering with his friends. Ni'Alu sent him a glare, and he quieted slightly. "It's hardly fair," she defended. "We've never swam; just as you've never flown." He perked at the comment, and the girl's smirk widened. "In fact, would you want to?"
The tallest sized her up, his forehead creasing. "How would we do that?" She shrugged.
"Pair off. Our ikran's can carry two Na'vi each—perfect to show you all how it really feels to be alive. In the air. Off the ground. There's only so much you can see under the water, what about above?" The chief's son seemed to ponder it, his eyes shifting between the posse behind him. Ni'Alu stepped forward, inching closer to the boy's chest. "Scared?"
By this point, Lo'ak had returned, enthusiastic to the idea. "Yeah! You've never flown before, have you?" He turned to Tsireya, an abashed smile on his face. "Would you want to ride with me?" The agreement was instantaneous, with her latching onto his arm with approval.
"I want Kiri!" Tuk said, rushing to her sister's side. She petted the young girl's head, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to her hair. Ni'Alu surveyed the remaining group, and Rotxo offered himself to ride with her, only to be interrupted by the tallest Metkayina boy.
"It's between you and him." He shrugged his head towards Neteyam before continuing, "I choose you." The eldest Sully's expression soured, and Ni'Alu's watched his reaction. Odd. Still, neither she nor Rotxo argued, the latter graciously following behind the partner he'd been assigned. When only Ao'nung and the girl remained, she side-eyed him.
"Why me?" The boy only offered a half-hearted shrug, turning to follow the group. She trailed behind him, her eyes tracing his back. He was well-defined—years of swimming accredited to his physique. His shoulders were broad, chiseled by the ocean's tides, a feature many would swoon at. Her face heated a little at the notion, and she cursed herself internally. It didn't take long, however, for Ao'nung to catch on, and Ni'Alu quickly averted her gaze.
Their ikran were rested slightly off from the cliffside, each antsy to ride again. The Metkayina didn't permit them on their clan's nesting ground, but it was safe to assume their mounts' preferred to comforts of the outer-brim canopies as opposed to the scorching sand.
"Where's my pretty girl?" Ni'Alu darted ahead of her companion, approaching the familiar speckled pattern of her ikran. She could tell that their time apart had hurt, and the girl was regretful in her neglect. The days had gotten busier, and she knew that the Sully head would disapprove of any of them reverting back to their forest ways.
Ao'nung shifted on his heels beside her, apprehensive to come closer to the creature. Ni'Alu's eyes softened, and she grabbed his hand, bringing it to the ikran's snout. "This is Eyrina. Beautiful, isn't she?" The boy nodded wordlessly, his eyes never leaving sight before him. "She is a kind soul, loyal to a fault. It is known by our people that ikran's bond for life, so I'm the only rider she'll ever take. In that sense, she is mine—just as I am hers." She lowered her head closer to the Eyrina's. "Ready to fly, girl?" The beast let out a huff, eager to stretch her wings. A yes, it seemed.
She maneuvered to face the boy, a smile on her lips. "Ready?"
A/N: I AM SOO SORRY ABOUT NOT UPDATING. I've been stacked up w work and new friends and all this stuff which hasn't given me a lot of leisure time to write. i haven't read over it yet, so expect small updates for this tomorrow. as for the next chapter, it'll be a little shorter as it's filler until the real stuff comes into play.. as always, thank u sm for reading!! leave comments :)