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chapter 5

Tsireya walked over to a group of boys splashing one another with water, Mi'reya and the Sullys right behind her.

"There you are," she groaned. "We have been looking for you everywhere."

"Who's we?" Ao'nung asked as he looked behind Tsireya only to find Mi'reya, who was talking with Neteyam and Lo'ak, occasionally either of them laughing. Tuk was in Neteyam's arms, and she braided Mi'reya's free hair delicately.

Ao'nung scowled at the scene before him, his mood long gone as he looked at Tsireya, annoyed. "What for? I'm busy."

"For our lessons. We're going to have them ride ilu's today," Tsireya said.

"If he doesn't want to, he doesn't have to. I am sure everyone will be more than pleased with him gone," Mi'reya interrupted as she dove into the water to stand by Tsireya. "He and his friends can go."

"You know, I think we will be more than happy to teach our new friends how to ride ilu's, isn't that right, guys?" he grinned, turning around to his friends as they nodded uncertainly.

Tsireya widened in happiness while Mi'reya's in surprise, certainly not expecting Ao'nung to want to teach the newcomers. That's unless he wanted to do something.

"Okay," Mi'reya hesitantly mumbled, still confused and turned back to the Sullys, motioning them over. "Come! Ao'nung and his friends will help us teach you."

The group was huddled in the circle as Ao'nung called for ilus to come, the noise, despite Mi'reya's wishes, sending a shiver down her spine. Many ilu came over and began to swim around the group in a circle, occasionally nuzzling the Na'vi people.

"These are ilu," Ao'nung said, motioning to the swimming creatures. "If you want to live here, you have to ride."

"Some of you will be able to ride a skimwing once you live here longer; those are the creatures our warriors ride. The ilu's, though, are a good starting point," Mi'reya explained as she called her ilu over, petting It on its head. "If you are to stay, you will have to pass the iknimaya, and you will be tested by taming a wild skimwing. From there on you will receive your first tattoo."

"Oh, we have something like that back home," Neteyam explained as he walked to stand by Mi'reya. "We have to tame an Ikran on the Halleluyah Mountains. It's the things we flew on here."

"Yeah, me and Neteyam have our own Ikrans. Kiri was supposed to get one soon, but we had to come here," Lo'ak explained as he went to pair up with Tsireya.

"That's nice," Mi'reya smiled as she walked Neteyam and Tuk over to the side, Ao'nung taking Kiri with him.

Mi'reya called over a spare ilu as she guided Tuk onto the ilu. The girl giggled in excitement as she petted the ilu.

"Now look," Mi'reya began to explain as she moved Tuk's limbs into the proper position. "You have to make the bond gently; at first, don't hurry too much, be slow. If you fall off, that's okay."

Tuk smiled widely as she bonded with her ilu, the ilu feeling her emotions and vice versa. The girl began to swim slowly and was successful enough not to fall off. She did a small circle around Mi'reya and Neteyam before jumping off the ilu.

"You did great," Mi'reya grinned at her, proud that she got it on her first try. Something that a few children could do. "I must say, Tuk, you are one of my best students's so far. I'm impressed."

"Thank you!" Tuk cheered as she jumped onto her ilu before taking off again, giggles escaping her mouth from the excitement. It reminded Mi'reya of the first time she bonded with an ilu for the first time with Ao'nung. The boy was so confident that he fell off several times before getting his posture right. Mi'reya, to make the boy feel better, also fell a few times, despite getting it on her third try.

Mi'reya smiled sadly at the memory before turning to Neteyam as it was his turn to try. Calling another ilu, Mi'reya guided it under the boy, moving his limbs into the correct position.

"Remember, gently. The ilu's are kind and calm creatures; too many emotions will make them go wild. You have to let the ilu feel everything, know your every thought, every emotion, and if it trusts you enough, it will allow you to do the same," Mi'reya explained, unaware of the person walking towards her.

She grabbed Neteyam's queue and gently connected it with the ilu. The ilu began momentarily thrashing before it calmed, and Neteyam sighed in relief. He held onto the ilu and slowly began swimming forward.

Being too confident in his abilities, Neteyam sped up but was quickly thrown off when he realized he couldn't hold onto the ilu well enough. He fell into the water while the ilu sped back to Mi'reya, who giggled at the scene.

"Quite embarrassing, not being able to ride an ilu," Ao'nung scoffed behind her, knowing it would annoy the girl.

"Must you be so rude? He is learning," Mi'reya defended Neteyam as she narrowed her eyes at the boy beside her. "Do I have to remind you how many times it took you to ride an ilu?"

"The difference is that I was three times younger than him," Ao'nung scowled but smirked slightly once he saw how frustrated the girl was getting.

"Yes, but he is new; he hasn't grown up here, has he?"

"I can only imagine how he will be with a skimwing, that thing will eat him alive," he laughed, looking at his friends, who began laughing with him.

From the corner of her eye, Mi'reya saw a confused Neteyam walking towards them, most likely having collected himself after his failed attempt. Mi'reya seethed at Ao'nung, her eyes like slits. "Don't you remember how you nearly got killed when you tried to ride one."

"And you would have been dead if it weren't for me," Ao'nung hissed at her, the memory flashing in his eyes as he remembered it like it was yesterday. The two had ran off in the night outside the reef to tame wild skimwings. They nearly got killed and ended up with large bruises, but they succeeded after long hours of trying. Everyone was surprised at what the two had accomplished, considering that many older warriors couldn't tame skimwings. And the looks on their father's faces were beautiful when twelve-year-old Mi'reya and Ao'nung rode into the village with tamed skimwings. However the lecture they both got was less than pleasant.

"Perhaps it would have been better; at least I wouldn't have to live with you anymore," Mi'reya mumbled; she ignored the look on Ao'nung's face, grabbing Neteyam's arm, pulling him away.

Mi'reya pulled Neteyam as she quickly sped away from Ao'nung and his friends, not daring to look back, already regretting her words.

"Is everything okay?" Neteyam hesitantly asked as he noticed how Mi'reya had tears in her eyes. Considering how strong and assertive Mi'reya was, he was surprised since the girl rarely showed her emotions before them.

"Yes," she quickly said, hoping her voice didn't give anything away. It annoyed the girl how much Ao'nung still had an effect on the girl. "He is just being an idiot."

"Are you sure?" the boy asked as he cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder; however, the two didn't stop walking away from Ao'nung and his friends, looking for another ilu.

Mi'reya flinched at his touch, and Neteyam quickly dropped his hand. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and sighed in frustration. "I am sorry. It's just that he annoys me so much. And to think he is supposed to lead us one day."

Neteyam's eyes widened in surprise as he heard her words, remembering how Tonowari mentioned she was their future Tsahik. "You are supposed to be with him?"

"Trust me; I sympthasize myself too," she laughed, a small smile coming onto her features; however, her eyes still held sadness.

Neteyam smiled at the girl's laugh, finding it pleasant to hear. He made it his mission for the girl to laugh as much as possible since he knew she needed it.

The two were unaware of the piercing gaze of Ao'nung as he clenched his hands, guiding Kiri onto the ilu.