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"Imala, you know we are not supposed to be flying our Ikrans!" Neteyam yelled as he watched Imala climb the mountain their banshees rested upon.
A growl left her lips before flipping her head to see Neteyam standing firmly beneath her with his arms crossed. She smiled at the sight, finding his annoyance somewhat cute. "But, Neteyam, I haven't seen Tswal in so long. I miss her," He knew it wasn't just Tswal she missed.
It was the feeling of being home once again.
Imala thought she would've been happy, and she definitely is, but she still feels like a piece of her is missing. Afterall, Imala had a strong connection with the forest and its beauty.
Neteyam sighed, he had been persuaded just by looking at Imala's upset face.
"Fine. But no flying," Neteyam mentioned before the two continued to climb, finally landing onto the small patch of grass.
"Ah, kxì, Tswal!" Imala announced before feeling Tswal's head but into her chest, initiating that she wanted a rub.
Neteyam couldn't help but smile as he watched Imala radiate a certain glow from her happiness — his eyes softened, fingers slowly curling out of balls, feeling the familiar warmth within his chest. He didn't even know what this feeling was, all he knew was that whenever Imala was around, Neteyam felt it.
And the warmth was sometimes overpowering, and overwhelming. It made his stomach flutter, flesh begin to heat and his cheeks flush a deep purple.
"Jake would understand if he saw us," Imala reminded Neteyam, inching towards him before noticing the colour of his face.
She gasped, immediately moving her hand to his forehead. "Are you ill? You look warm," Imala questioned whilst her hand patted down his skin, feeling the hotness of it.
Neteyam cleared his throat, reaching out to softly grab her wrist: "I am not ill. Hot, from climbing."
Imala nodded her head before turning back to Tswal, climbing onto her once Neteyam wasn't looking. "Oh, how I've missed you, Tswal," Imala whispered before connecting their queues. She had missed this feeling more than anything.
"Imala!" Neteyam shouted when seeing Imala fly off the edge, swaying around the large trunks of trees covering Awa'atlu.
Cries of victory left her mouth, smiling brightly to herself as she flew around Awa'atlu. Closing her eyes, Imala imagined she was at home within the forest.
Though the air wasn't the same, it was much warmer and had a distinct salty smell from the ocean, Imala liked to imagine she was swaying between the trees or floating rocks belonging to the Hallelujah mountains.
"What are you doing? What is that?" Rotxo asked from below, protecting his eyes from the sun as he looked up at Imala. "It is my Ikran. Her name is Tswal," Imala replied before landing onto the sand, patting Tswal's back to make her calm once landing on her feet.
"You fly these. . . things?" Ao'nung asked from besides Rotxo, looking directly at the banshee.
"We do. It is how we get around the forest," Imala replied before taking Ao'nung's arm, dragging him closer to Tswal, "It is okay, she is harmless."
Ao'nung smiled, draping his hand over Tswal's thick skin.
Awa'atlu didn't have Ikrans, it was a new and fascinating creature for Ao'nung and Rotxo. Imala was more than glad to teach them about her home, whilst they taught her about theirs.
Rotxo soon joined Ao'nung in petting Tswal, being careful to not intimidate her with long eye contact.
"Mala!" Jake shouted.
Her eyes widened before turning on her heel and looking at Jake. His body was wet from his previous swimming, eyes full of anger and confusion. "I thought I said no flying?" Jake questioned before she breathed a sigh from her nose.
Imala didn't know how to respond, instead, she hung her head low and kicked the sand beneath her feet. 'Childish,' She thought to herself.
Jake sighed. Why couldn't he be harsh on her? "Take Tswal back. I don't want to hear of you doing this anymore," Jake ordered Imala, nodding his head into the direction of where the other Ikran's were.
Imala smiled, mounting Tswal once again. "I will bring her back. . ." Imala whispered to Ao'nung and Rotxo, causing Jake to turn and warn her with an expression. She couldn't help but laugh, feeling the wind run through her messy locks as she flew back.
