I See Home With You|Aonung

Chapter Five

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Wow another update this soon?! Say it ain't so! I appreciate the love this story has gotten lately so here's another chapter. 😀
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The next day they were to train with the children of Tonowari and Ronal. Niae sighed as they ate a quick breakfast and immediately made for the edge of the village.

"Come on! Swim with us!" Tsireya called from where she treaded water. With a whoop, Neteyam and Lo'ak jumped in like excited children. Niae rolled her eyes as she and Kiri dove into the water, taking care to go headfirst.

They swam out a little ways, Neteyam and the others going further ahead to catch up with Aonung, Tsireya and Rotxo. Kiri had drifted off a while ago, leaving Niae to explore on her own. She dove deeper, as she marveled at all the life around her. It may not have been the forest but it had its own sort of beauty.

Meanwhile, Aonung and Tsireya watched in confusion as Neteyam, Lo'ak and Tuk made for the surface.
What's wrong with them? Rotxo signed to Aonung.
They are bad at diving. Aonung signed back as they began to make their way to the surface.

Stop. They just have to learn it. Tsireya signed just as they broke the surface for air.

"Are you okay?" She asked, frowning in concern as Tuk cleared water from her eyes.
"You're too fast!" Tuk cried, "Wait for us!"

"Just breathe." Tsireya crooned in an effort to calm her down, as she huffed and puffed.

"You are not good divers. Maybe good at swinging through trees-" Aonung mocked with a smirk, only to get cut off by Tsireya smacking the back of his head. "Stop it." She scolded as he glared at her.

"We don't understand this finger talk," Neteyam said, making wild gestures with his hand, " We don't understand what your saying."

"We will teach you." Tsireya promised, as she smiled at them.
"Kiri? And Niae is gone too." Tuk asked, finally noticing the absence of two of them.
"Kiri? Where is Kiri?" Rotxo asked, looking around.
"Who?" Aonung asked, completely confused on who they were talking about. The siblings glanced around frantically for their missing sisters.
"Calm. I will find them." Tsireya smiled as she dived to go look for them. She found Kiri easily enough, as she was sitting on the ocean floor among the plant life, close to where they had started.
Together the two swam around looking for Niae and found her laying on the ocean floor further out, digging through the sand with her other hand full of colorful shells and shed fish scales.
"Come. We learn to ride." Tsireya smiled as she gestured them to follow her back home.
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"If you want to live here, you must be able to ride." Aonung instructed as they split off into groups. Lo'ak with Tsireya, Neteyam and Niae with Aonung and Tuk and Kiri with Rotxo.

"Make the bond carefully." Tsireya instructed as Lo'ak made the bond and slowly mounted the Ilu, who squeaked at the feeling of it, "Feel his breath.
Feel his strength."

"Look at his legs." One of Aonung's friend laughed, gesturing to Lo'ak's weird stance. And indeed Niae could see that he was positioning as if he was riding an Ikran.
"Hold tight." Tsireya said as she let go. And with that Lo'ak and the Ilu sped forward, diving rapidly and causing Lo'ak to fly off. Niae winced as she watched Lo'ak fly, only for the Ilu to round back and squeak in his face before splashing water in his face and swimming away.

Meanwhile, like his children, Jake was also learning to ride. He stood in the water as Tonowari gripped right to a Skimwing.

"The Skimwing is difficult to master. It is a warrior's mount," Tonowari cautioned, "Maybe you should start with an il..."

"No, this one." Jake protested, as he made the bond and began to wrap his hand tightly around the strap of the handle.

"Remember, when diving, it is important to take the right position." Tonowari instructed even as his face screamed discomfort and doubt.

"I can do it." Jake said, firmly, as he shot forward. He did good for a while until his mount suddenly dived and sped up causing him to get blasted off his ride. While the others in the group laughed, Tonowari winced in sympathy.
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Niae watched from the sides as Tsireya led Tuk over to a younger Ilu, a small bowl of fish in Tuk's hands.

"Calm." Tsireya soothed the Ilu as it clicked nervously. Then she guided Tuk closer and showed her how to feed the Ilu.

"I love her already." Tuk exclaimed, happily as she smiled and laughed. Niae smiled at her enthusiasm, happy that at least Tuk could adapt so quickly to change.
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Niae sat next to Kiri as Tsireya and Totxo demonstrated breathing exercises for them in an effort to help them breathe easier in the water and swim for longer before needing air. Although Kiri and Niae only listened as they had no issues with swimming at all.

"Breathe in... and exhale," Tsireya motioned, voice soft, " Imagine breathing into a flame. Breathe in. Breathe all the way down here. And exhale slowly." She could see that Lo'ak was struggling so she pushed one hand against his stomach and the other over his heart, causing him to tense up.

"Lo'ak, your heart beat is fast," she scolded, softly, "Try to concentrate."

"Sorry." He blushed as Rotxo and Neteyam shared looks of amusement at his very obvious crush.

"Breathe in... and exhale. Empty your mind. You are learning to breathe." Tsireya started again, her hands falling from his body, " The way of water has no beginning and no end. The sea is around you and in you. The sea is your home before your birth... and after your death. Our hearts beat in the lap of the world. Our breath burns in the shadows of the deep. The sea gives and the sea takes. Water ties everything together. Life and death. The dark and the light."