Through The Valley • Ao'nung

Chapter XXI

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The girl had been thrown around, hit her head and nearly drowned, humbling her as only the most skilled Metkayina hunters were allowed to tame the animal. But the girl stayed persistent, which rewarded her once she finally did secure Tsaheylu with the creature, their strong breath and heartbeat harmonised in sync as the both became one. All of her thoughts and concerns travelling to the animal and the other way around.

Unlike the girl was used to the Skimwing made it clear their relation would be temperamental and take a long time to form a loyal bond with each other.

Her Ilu however, hadn't left her side the entire battle and waited for her outside of the cave, but the girl was still too nervous to seal the bond with their first ride.

She pondered on her approach as she was swimming circles on the animal that was almost too large for her to comfortably sit on. She doubted her ability to travel with it as it didn't have any reins. The girl had been clenching the animal between her thighs as it would often squirm uncomfortably under her body.

It almost felt like the animal was mocking her, daring her to let it show its full potential as if it was convinced she couldn't handle it. At'anau was doubtful herself, but needed to fulfil the part of the Iknimaya. This would be the perfect way to show herself to the clan and her father that she could be an outstanding warrior.

Using the animal to go beyond the reef and meet her Ikran would be the small detail she'd keep in the shadows, however.

Calling her Ilu from on top of the skimwing, too afraid it would scurry off if she abandoned it, she untied the makeshift straps of the small animal and untied knots out of the tough fabric to make the rope longer and forced the loop in the creatures mouth, cautious not to let her fingers linger too close to its teeth.

The animal shook its head as it hindered and itched its gums, but the girl tugged on the bad excuse of reins she created and scolded the animal to quit whining.

The fabric of the leather wasn't the strongest and she wasn't sure it would survive the resistance of the animal in the water, but her grip had to suffice.

After another a couple of deep breaths and a mentally motivating peptalk to herself she motioned the animal to exit the cave. The two folowed the ilu and were met with the sun setting in the horizon. The sky a beautiful warm tone of orange as most of the people in Metkayina were ready to finish the day. She had to get back soon as well as her father would worry too much otherwise.

Focusing back on the large animal domesticating her she offered it to increase speed underwater and created momentum as the girl felt its body flow like a snake. She remembered the various times she watched the Metkayina hunters ride these and when she was on one herself, but being the rider instead of a passenger was a night and day difference.

When the animal decided it was fast enough to take off, it lifted its head out of the water and the girl kept her balance on one knee steadily. Pandora's low gravity and high air density allowed the skimwing to use its dark orange marked wings to fly above the water, its tail remaining in the water to propel it forward. With its powerful tail, the creature traveled up to cruise speed, air drying the girl's hair in a minute and made a beeline towards the reef border.

The girl was too focused to notice her augmented pulse and kept her body close to the animal, catching as less wind resistance as possible. With shaking hands she kept steady on the hovering animal. She couldn't decide whether or not her first flight with her Ikran was as unstable as the one right now, but the girl noted to herself to never stand on the mountain banshee ever in her life.