IVY HAD BEEN ASLEEP FOR a long time, the worn out girl had finally gotten the rest she needed.
She stirred, slightly, her nose twitching and her eyes squeezing, beneath her closed eyelids she could detect the scattered light through the nets and the fabric covering the entrance.
Her eyes fluttered open and she groggily sat up, thankful she hadn't had a nightmare.
She shook her head waking herself up, the cool morning air was no where to be seen, an instead was replaced with the midday warmer breeze, how long had she slept for?
She pushed away the patterned fabric, hissing in pain when the light touched her eyes, blinking it away and massaging the ache away from her head.
She couldn't look directly at the sky or up anywhere near the sun like the others, but judging by the lack of shadows she assumed it to be midday.
Out of the very corner of her eyes she saw three—no four people walking towards the rockpools, she squinted her eyes and squinted at them, she made out four Metkayina teens, one taller one shorter she assumed to be Roxto and Aonung, and the other Laurite and Oeyani, she could tell two forest Na'vi were there, Neteyam, and either Kiri or Lo'ak.
Ivy realised it was Lo'ak, Kiri, Tsireya and Tuk appeared walking behind them, she made a beeline forwards, her knuckles clenched together as the memories of Laurite and the Kakita shell flooded her mind.
She saw Tuk turn and point at the pale girl, Kiri spoke to Tsireya and redirected her path to Ivy with Tuk.
"What's going on?" Ivy asked Kiri returning Tuks quick hug.
"Is it true you saw a Tulkun?" Tuk asked from below, her normal wide eyes glistening with curiosity.
Before Ivy could answer the young girl Kiri stepped in "Lo'aks convinced you guys met a Tulkun, Aonungs convinced you couldn't of, they're arguing"she shook her head tiredly, fed up with the boys antics.
"So did you?" Tuk asked as the three girls hopped up the rocks to where the others were seated.
"We met something" Ivy shrugged fiddling with her jewlerry and keeping her eyes on the ground "I dunno if it was a Tulkun, I have no clue what they are"
"Tsireya was telling us the other day" Kiri tilted her head realising Ivy must of not been paying attention again, the girl zoned out quiet a lot.
"Oh" Ivy said simply, they had reached the group, she kept her eyes down and away from Laurite and Oeyani, Kiri noticed this, as did Tsireya and Lo'ak, the Sully girl wondered what they did to her that made her launch at Laurite the other day.
Ivy sat between Tsireya and Lo'ak listening to the boy and Aonung bickering, Tsireya who was desperately trying to stop the boys from insulting eachother greeted Ivy.
Aonung turned to Roxto and the girls asking who's side they were on when Lo'ak turned to Ivy "you ok?"
"Yeah"
"You slept for like 15 hours" he told her, before Ivy could answer Kiri spoke.
"I wish I'd been there, the ocean blessed you with a gift brother" she smiled at him while Ivy took in the winding rock structure carrying pools of the brightest turquoise water she'd ever seen in it.
"The tulkuns have not returned yet" Aonung spoke up leaning forward "and anyway, no Tulkun is ever alone" Lo'ak and Ivy simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Lo'ak placed a hand on Ivys shoulder "well this one was" the pale girl nodded up to Lo'ak then to Aonung.
"Yeah" she agreed and turned to Tsireya, a girl she knew would listen much better and attentively than her brother "and he had like...a missing fin, a stump on his—on his left side"
Tsireyas ears perked up and her lips slightly parted perplexing Ivy "Payakan" she stated as she tilted her head to the others "it's Payakan"
"Huh?" Ivy tilted her head while Lo'aks hand slided off her shoulder.
"A young Tulkun who went rogue" Roxto informed them, realisation engulfed his eyes, Ivys head turned to Lo'ak at this, rogue? What did he mean rogue? How could a giant and friendly sea creature go rogue? "He's outcast, alone, they say he has a missing fin"
"They say he is a killer" Laurite spoke up with furrowed eyebrow muscles, Ivy dropped her head and subtly rolled her eyes, what were the two girls even doing here? Why were they involved, they had nothing to do with it, and Laurite called the creature—Payakan a killer? She really was as dumb as Ivy thought.
"No—no" Lo'ak tried to defend his new friend.
"He killed Na'vi, and other Tulkuns" Aonung informed them, Ivys ears fell and her stomach knotted up, what were they talking about? This gentle creature was no murderer. Ivy knew that for a fact, so why were they saying he was "not here, but far to the south"
"You are lucky to be alive" Tsireya whispered and Ivys mouth dropped, she could understand Laurite acting this way, but Tsireya? Come on.
"Are you sure he wasn't trying to attack you?" Oeyani asked, now Ivy made eye contact, sending the girl a look that asked are you a fucking idiot?, Ivy already knew the answer to that question, it was yes.
"I'm telling you guys, he saved our lives" Lo'ak held his ground while Ivy was becoming increasingly more pissed off and she could tell by Lo'aks tone he was to.
"Yeah, I wouldn't of been able to pull him out in time" Ivy said quietly her eyes flickering down not wanting to remember the pure adrenaline and fear that had been gushing through her, she didn't want to remember the feeling she experienced when she thought Lo'ak was dead, the thought of Payakan not being there in time to pull them up made Ivy feel sick.
"He's our friend" Lo'ak looked at the suddenly quieter girl, drowning in guilt as he had almost drowned, he must of knocked off at least five years of her life from the stress it caused her.
"My baby bro" Neteyam stood up snapping Ivy out of it as she looked up, lowering behind Lo'ak to sheild her eyes from the sun "the mighty warrior who faced a killer Tulkun and lived to tell about it"
Ivys scoffed in exasperation, what wasn't getting through their thick skulls? Lo'ak hissed and and aggressively shoved him off "seriously you too Neteyam?" Ivy asked standing up with Lo'ak.
"You guys arent listening" he stated annoyed, Ivy had already set off towards the water, she didn't want to hear anything else.
"No Lo'ak I'm listening!" Tuk spoke up and a wave of guilt washed over her as she clicked for her Ilu.
She heard Lo'ak jump down beside her "that was infuriating" she spat stopping at the edge of the water watching her rippling reflection stare back at her.
"I know" he sighed "let's go see him"
Ivy looked up to him, her hand still above her eyes "what if you get in trouble"
He took her wrist "doesn't matter, let's go"
🌿🐚
Lo'ak called for the Tulkun—who's name they now knew to be Payakan from infront of Ivy, she was relaxed on her Ilu more focused on keeping the sun from her eyes, as this hour of the day was the brightest, thankfully it didn't last long.
"Payakan!" She yelled out after Lo'ak, scanning beneath her for the Tulkun, or maybe scanning beneath her because she was scared the shark-like creature would attack again.
"There Lo'ak!" She called softly pointing down at the recognisable animal ascending to the surface, once he broke it Ivy smiled lightly, once again reassured that this thing wasn't a killer.
She disconnected her queue as did Lo'ak and paddled forward through the air bubbles Payakan had caused, she grinned at the creature and ran her hand along it while Lo'ak spoke "it's good to see you" and crawled up onto his fin waiting for Ivy to be beside him.
"Why are you outcast?" Lo'ak asked signing along side it while Ivy slid off Payakan fin into the water and into Lo'aks shadow so she could rest her hand "what happened?"
The creature cooed and clicked, it was the most strangest sensation that Ivy couldn't quite explain, but she could understand him, he spoke no words, he made no gestures, yet she could still tell that he was telling them it was too painful.
"I trust you" Lo'ak said from behind her while Ivys eyes flooded with sympathy, she too knew what it was like to not be able to talk about something because of those same reasons "you can trust us"
"Payakan you don't have to" Ivy turned to the creature, raising her hand to rub his skin.
Suddenly the creature began to submerge, slowly so the two teenagers would have time to get on
Ivy broke out into a grin as did Lo'ak who pulled her up and swapped sides so she'd be on the inside and him on the out, the two took a gulp of air before the water completly engulfed them in the abyss of blue, Lo'ak blended easily into it, Ivy on the other hand did not.
Payakan twirled through the sea, Ivy and Lo'ak clinging on for dear life, Ivy looked up to see a school off small silvery fishes embellishing the blue, but her attention was shifted to Payakan, who's mouth opened further than Ivy thought it would her eyes widened as he gulped the fish.
The left over swam right past them Ivy put her head down to get them out of her face as did Lo'ak.
The Tulkun spun upside down, Lo'ak moved to the other side of the fin, rising his arm up and grazing the surface while Ivy stayed sheltered from the sun below.
As Payakan flipped over and descended Lo'ak returned beside her and looked at her signing faster? in question if it was ok for her, she quickly nodded and he turned to the animal faster!
Payakan smiled with his eyes and swayed his split tail energetically, propelling the three forward at a great speed, which also happened to make Ivys eyes uncomfortable from the pressure so she lowered her head listening to the sand he disturbed beneath her and the water rushing past her ivory skin.
She quickly realised her hand overlapped with the boys and snatched it back, hoping he hadn't noticed.
Ivy didn't know how long they'd been goofing around for, Payakan had been using his tail and launching the two through the air before they plummeted down into the frothy water below them, Lo'ak and Payakan had talked for hours, Ivy sometimes joined, but she was having fun bathing in the sunlight, balancing on Payakans horns and splashing around, she listened to every word though.
Listener, not a talker.
The rose to the surface for air, Lo'ak crawled up, grabbing a hold of Ivys hand to pull her up, she faded away from the light and took a breath of air while Lo'ak ran up his tail and she went to balance on one of Payakans horns.
She listened to Lo'aks call pulling her hair from her face, before she could turn around the boy snatched her up by the waist "Lo'ak you moron!" She yelped trying to wiggle her way out "let me go or I will feed you to Payakan"
She slid through, since she was wet from the water it was easier, the girl hissed at him and tackled him trying to push him into the water, it went on for a while, a game, first one to fall off looses.
It didn't last very long, Lo'ak was stronger but Ivy was slicker, it ended with them both tumbling down into the water and scrambling back up "i win!" They both yelled at the same time.
"What the fuck are you talking about you went in first!"
"I pushed you in and you pulled me in that's cheating"
Ivy rolled her eyes and called down to Payakan "the offer still stands you can have him for dinner!" But Lo'ak had swept her up again and dropped her into the water, she plunged down with a scream and hid her smile as her plan formed in her mind.
She broke the surface, and started sobbing, keeping her eyes from Lo'aks, she heard the boy gasp slightly and crouch down "h—hey what's wrong—"
Bam, she snapped up and latched onto his ankle, with the help of Payakan who rocked him off slightly she managed to drag him in cackling loudly and scrambling back onto onto the Tulkuns back.
He wasn't long after her.
He grabbed her on the waist still laughing holding her mischievous eyes "that was so not fair!"
She laughed and draped her hands over his shoulders "you're so gullible, it's embarrassing"
She had just realised how close they were, she'd never been this close to him before, she'd never been this close to anybody before, besides her parents, their foreheads were pressed together and her hands were entangled in his braids.
Her smile faltered, not in a sad way, his eyes were really pretty, irridescent golden spattered with gradient variants of it, it was what Ivy imagined the sun would close up would look like, as it kind of reminded her of the sun at eclipse, the only time she could look anywhere near it.
Her breath hitched as she felt his warm breath fan her face she was no longer looking at his eyes, his hands situated on her waist left her with goosebumps and the most heated cheeks Ivy had ever felt "Lo'ak?"
"Yeah?"
Her tail flicked, she didn't even know where she was going with that, but before she could answer the sunlight had diminished, coating the world in darkness, but illuminating it with bioluminescence.
She pulled her head back awkwardly, her eyes flickering to the ground then back up to the sky, where stars had now appeared "can you tell me more about the stars?"
"Yeah come on" Lo'ak immediately answered pulling her hands from his waist and replacing one in her hand to pull her towards Payakans head, Ivy seemed a bit out of it as she laid down besides him.
Lo'ak started whispering details and random information about the sky, Ivy noticed he could now name every one of the planets in Earths solar system, including how big they were and the order, how did he learn all that over night?
She'd learned brief information about galaxy's and the Milky Way, she'd learned of black holes and quasars, neutron stars and nebulas, Lo'ak kept each explanation short so he could tell her more and more of different things, he lay the other way from Ivy, his legs Payakans right fin and hers to his left, their heads next to eachother.
Ivy clung to his words like no other while she countinued marvelling, if she was back at the fortress she could of asked Max or another scientist to show her photos of these nebulas and galaxies, but Lo'ak was good at describing them to her.
It was late now, Payakan was resting below them and she was starting to get tired as well, even after her long nights sleep, she pushed herself up and spun to Lo'ak who stood up taking her two hands with his to pull her up.
But he didn't let go, neither of them did, instead they just gazed at eachother quietly, Ivy moved her hands from his and over his shoulders to pull him closer, he pressed her forehead against hers just like earlier.
Her heart was racing, thumping violently to the point it must of been equivalent to when the evil shark-like creature had been attacking them, but there was nothing about fear to do with it.
What we're they doing? What was happening? as Lo'aks hands circled her waist her eyes started to flutter closed until...
He suddenly moved back, Ivy jumped back, confused at why had just happened, while she was wrapped up in her own problems, aka her cheeks felt like they were on fire and her heart was throbbing away she failed to at first notice the worry in his eyes "Lo'ak what's wrong?"
Lo'ak moved his hand to his radio necklace "we're coming—ye—yeah Ivys here as well"
"Lo'ak what's happening?" Her eyes filled with concern while she fiddled with her fingers.
"It's Kiri" he informed her taking her hand gently.
What about Kiri? Her eyes widened in worry for her friend, had she been hurt? Had Aonungs friends come for revenge? What could possibly be wrong with Kiri.
Lo'ak pulled her foward and she quickly followed, he called his Ilu while Ivy begged him to tell him what was wrong, he looked to her before turning to Payakan "I'm sorry we have to go"
"Lo'ak!" She asked again squeezing his hand so tight she thought it could of cut off his circulation "Lo'ak! what's wrong with Kiri?"
"She's had a seizure"
Ivys ears perked up in shock, a seizure? Why? Kiri was perfectly healthy, she always had been, this has came out of nowhere, maybe she was stressed, Ivy didn't know much about seizures or what caused them, she could only guess "what!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah quick come on" he jumped on her Ilu and she slid into the water "ride with me there no time" he held out a hand and pulled her on, she took a gasp of air before Lo'ak submerged them under.
🐚🌿
Lo'ak and Ivy shoved past all the Metkayinas talking quietly amongst themselves and towards the Sullys marui pod where Jake was talking to Tonowari out the front, he turned when he saw the two teenagers barging forward.
"Where is she?" Lo'ak burst out, Ivy could tell by the tension this was the first time he'd talked to his father since the fight yesterday "where's Kiri?"
"In here" he immediately responded, Ivy grabbed Lo'aks shoulder in fear of what she would see he ceased his storming so as to not drag her forward and turned the corner.
Kiri was laying motionless in the middle, she looked lifeless, Tuk was crying quietly, glimmering trails of tears ran down her soft face and Neytiri hugged her comortingly while Neteyam sat solemnly to the side.
"What happened?" Ivy asked quietly gazing down at the girl not taking her hand from Lo'ak, who had rested his over hers.
"We don't know" Neteyam lifted his head and shook it "Tsireya was taking us to visit the spirit tree, Kiri connected and...she had a seizure"
"That makes no sense" Lo'ak told him unsatisfied and Ivy dropped her hand away from his and off his shoulder.
"I know" Neteyam stood up, his braids flinging and swaying, before he could say anything else Jake walked in.
"Norms coming" he announced looking around stoically "he's gonna take a look at her"
Ivy swallowed and nodded slightly, before snapping her eyes back to the young unconscious girl, she barely looked alive, it made Ivy uneasy, she should let the family be together.
Lo'ak has started to crouch down to see his mother, Ivy took this opportunity to slip out and go to her marui pod, praying that Kiri would be ok, that she would wake up.
But what if she didn't?
She hopped down onto the sand, the thought of Kiri not being ok taunting her mind like Laurite and Oeyani.
Kiri.
No, she couldn't let herself think like this, she had to focus her mind on something else.
Unfortunately the first thing that came up was Loak, and how she had desperately wanted to kiss him earlier.