The Power of Three- Lo'ak x OC x Neteyam

Chapter 7

A few days after Kiri's episode, Ava, Neteyam, and Lo'ak had decided to help their parents clean their marui before heading off on whatever venture they had planned for the day. They all pause when a horn sounds off in the distance, declaring the arrival of something, but they didn't yet know what.

"What was that?" Tuk asks Jake as they step out of their home.

"The Tulkun have returned!" Tsireya's voice floats across the water. "Everybody! Our brothers and sisters have returned!"

She beckons to the Sully teens, Ava being the first to dive into the water and make a connection with an ilu. Neteyam and Lo'ak are not far behind her, and the foursome speed off towards the open reef. Not wanting to be left behind, Tuk rushes into their marui to rouse her sister,

"Kiri! Kiri come on, come on!"

"Tuk leave me alone." The Na'vi warns, not in the mood to move beyond her perch.

"Come on!" Tuk whines, pulling hard at her sister's arm.

"What?" Kiri relents, standing up and following the child outside. She gasps in surprise at the sight of the massive pod of Tulkun dancing in the ocean beyond them, Metkayina dodging in and out of the waves between them. Exhilarated whoops and shouts ring across the waves, the families of Tulkun announcing their arrival with shards of their own songs.

Out on the water, Tsireya points out a beautiful female Tulkun rising out of the waves.

"Look! It's my spirit sister!" Neteyam and Ava look around in awe, ilu's floating so close together that their blue knees touch. The male looks to his best friend and laughs in pure joy, sending her a wide grin before diving to respond to Ao'nung's call to come to him. Ava follows after a short moment, the world underwater an organized chaos she was used to seeing after having so many family members. All around her the ocean clan greeted their ever-migrating family members, telling stories of new life and death, as well as those of love and sorrow.

"Ava'ritey, join us this way please." Tonowari's voice reaches the forest teen's pointed ears from across the reef, the Olo'eyktan resting on his tsurak's back next to a large bull Tulkun, the winged fish raising its beak out of the water to eye her unemotionally. Ava always would choose Yryni over the Metkayina's preferred war mounts; the skimwings unnerved her with their picky yet uncaring taste in riders. She much more enjoyed the soul-bond with her ikran, and nothing could beat the freedom she felt while in the open skies. Shaking her head to rid herself of the sudden wish to find her avian mount, she guides her ilu across the water, careful not to run into anyone else on her way. Without looking she knew Neteyam and Lo'ak swam behind her, somehow she always knew they were close by to watch and protect her.

"Olo'eyktan, I See You," she greets respectfully, bowing her head at the clan leader. She repeats the phrase when Ronal appears beside him. The Tsahik nods her head in return, her blue eyes once again soft and kind.

"My mate and I were discussing how we wish to reward your saving of one of our children some weeks ago, and with the appearance of our Tulkun we have found an answer. You may choose and bond with one of our pod, and she and you may receive a warrior's tattoo as to remember your sisterhood." Ava blinks at him blankly, unable to form any response to the honor she'd just been given. A few amusing seconds pass before she lays her ears back and drops her head in deep gratitude.

"Thank you Olo'eyktan, Tsahik, but you do not have to do this, I was only doing the right thing."

"It has been decided," Tonowari counters kindly. "My spirit brother will introduce you to his daughters so you may choose your new sister and be welcomed as one of the Metkayina." Ava glances back at her male companions, the brothers looking at her with a new light in their eyes.