Late Night P1 | Rough Draft | fin

Ilus and Mud

Jake reaches out to give you a hand, and helps you down as there's a muddy spot off the rock pathway that you're trying to avoid stepping on.

Going on hikes was one of the kids favorite things back home, so why not try to get them used to it here?

"Kiri, be careful when coming down. It's slippery at the end of that pathway." You call out to her, watching as she approaches.
She's leading the way, her brothers all close behind with Niikeym at the end of the line, holding Tuk as always.

You nearly face planted just trying to get down to the level below, if it weren't for Jake helping.

He heads over to the kids as they approach, but Kiri insists she's fine.

"Hey, hold o-"
Jake doesn't even get to finish his thought as Kiri falls and lands flat on her ass.

Of course, Da'mik is first to laugh and point as she pulls herself up.

"I can't believe you just did that." Lo'ak comments.

Niikeym goes next with Tuk, stepping ahead of his brothers since they're cackling away like a pair of idiots.

He makes it down okay, and checks on Kiri as they walk over to you.

"Come on, kids. we've got to get back in time for your ilu training." You wave over to Lo'ak and Da'mik.

They end up going down the small, wet slope right after the other - and as Da'mik slips it's a domino effect of Lo'ak falling on his back.

And there go the other kids laughing away at them, and you can barely keep yourself together as you run over to retrieve your mud covered sons.

"Honestly? That's what you get for laughing at your sister."

She appropriately sticks her tongue out at them, and Da'mik shoots her a look.

Teenagers or not, some days they were still your little toddlers.

You help Lo'ak up so he doesn't keep Da'mik weighed down, and help to brush off as much as you can.
"Mom, mom-" He protests with embarrassment, feeling like an adolescent cat still being bathed by its mother. "I'm fine. I got this."

You sure couldn't wait for this angst phase of his to pass.

You rejoin with Jake, only a few steps ahead now as Da'mik and Lo'ak hang at the back of the line together.

The sun shines so much brighter when you come out of the woods, and working your way back out to the main edge of the ocean.

Tonowari and his children are setting things up already as you arrive, things going a bit early as he was a bit excited to show Jake.

The kids all set out, and Da'mik elects to stay with Tuk as she's too tired from the earlier hike anyway.

It saddens you to know it's something else he can't participate in, but at least hes being mature and understanding about it - despite how childlike and sarcastic he can be with Lo'ak.

"It would be easier to start with an Ilu." Tonowari suggests while still holding on to the tsurak. Jake has to throw himself up to get on, and ties down his wrist as an added effort.

You're only a few feet away, one of tonowaris friends helping you get settled to your Ilu.

She's so much more tame than when it came to your Ikran bonding, and you can see why the babies here always had it so easy and were often spotted with the younger ilu.

Of course, you have to pause and watch the disaster that is Jake struggling to hold on to the skimwing.

Between balancing in the air, water, and fighting against the water current? Oh, man. No thanks. You'd try it later after you were used to it with the ilu.