𝐈 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦

Chapter 2: Rescue

The next morning I was up and dressed before the eclipse had ended. I had planned on going to the aerie, to spend time with Seraph. However, my plans never really worked out for me. When I exited my home, Neteyam was waiting outside wearing his riding gear.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, stopping the moment I saw him.

"My father wants you to accompany us on our patrol." So that was the reason. I should have guessed it was because he had orders from his father, though they could have sent someone else to fetch me.

"I'll go get Seraph and meet you at the meet up." I walked past him, expecting that to be the end of the conversation but he followed. He must need to fetch his Ikran as well.

Once outside the caves, I called out to Seraph. Once he had heard my call he glided down from his hiding place in the trees and nuzzled his snout against my chest.

"I missed you too, my brave warrior." I smiled openly and kissed him between the eyes. He pushed against me affectionately and I laughed. The bond between us was stronger than most, it was as if my own heart beat within his chest, and his in mine. I dreaded the thought of something happening to him.

"It's almost like his entire personality shifted the moment you made the bond." Neteyam observed, his own Ikran had came down at his call.

"Only for me." Giving him one last kiss between the eyes I climbed into the saddle on his back. "He would kill anyone else he didn't want near him."

"I don't doubt that." He climbed onto the back of his Ikran, "We should go, my father and mother are waiting for us."

I watched as his Ikran dove off the cliff, Seraph following close behind. Once they were in the sky, Neteyam led us to where his parents were waiting.

Patrol missions were usually quiet. Once the humans tried entering the Hallelujah Mountains Eywa herself attacked them, signaling to us that they were in our territory. Our great mother protected us, as we protected her with everything we had.

Once we joined up with his father and mother we began patrolling the skies for any enemy activity. Everything was quiet, the only sound was the beating of wings and the howling of the wind in our ears. Seraph occasionally ran his wings under waterfalls that we passed, spraying me with water every time.

I was lost in thought when Neytiri moved beside me.

"I'm glad that you came." She smiled as she spoke over her radio. "It's been too long since we've flown together."
"It's my honor to fly beside you." I bowed my head and I smiled back at her.

I was close with Neytiri when I was younger, she had been my mentor during my rites of passage. My father would have been the one to mentor me, and present me to the clan once I passed, but since his death and return to Eywa, Neytiri trained me in his stead. She did not try to replace him, since she knew the same loss and grief I was feeling and I would always be thankful for her guidance.

I watched as Seraph and Neytiri's Ikran played with each other, having flown with each other hundreds of times since I had first claimed him all those years ago. Although my Ikran was a ferocious beast, he had a playful spirit. He rarely let it show but her Ikran brought it out in him, probably from the emotions I felt toward Neytiri. Everything I felt, he felt both emotionally and physically and I could feel his emotions and physical hurts and joys as well.

I let Seraph take control of our flight, and I let myself day dream about my third rite. The Tsahìk had stung me with an Arachnoid, then had me swallow a glow worm to begin the Dream Hunt. My spirit animal had been a Palulukan, an apex predator of the forest and one that my people feared, despite our own courage.