One Ilu Ride Away (Avatar)

~*❦ Sunrise ❦*~

~*❦ Tsireya's POV ❦*~

    I opened my eyes softly, my vision slightly cloudy at first from my double eyelids but then clear, letting the beautiful sun rays enter my eyes. I sat up slowly, stretching, and got up, bouncing around a little on the net floor. Where am I going? Perhaps I should wake up Lo'ak—and the rest of his family of course.

    Today we had all planned to swim in the reef this morning. Of course, I wanted Tuktirey to come, but Lo'ak thinks she's annoying and only agreed to bring her because of his (very scary) mom. Personally, I love Tuk, and I don't want time away from her—SHE'S SO CUTE! I mean, I begged for her to tag along. I just...want time away from everyone, at least later.

    Well...ALMOST everyone.

    Mornings are my favorite time, besides when I'm visiting The Cove of the Ancestors at eclipse. I walked joyfully across the netting and onto the beach, feeling the sun warmed sand underneath my feet, head filled with thoughts. What will I do later? Oh my Eywa, what if it doesn't go right?! Calm, Tsireya, calm. Just remember when the Tulkuns returned and you rode the ilu together...his hands on your stomach...

    I smiled uncontrollably at that memory. Shoot, stop smiling, someone's gonna see you. Wait, what was that noise? I whipped around me to see...Ao'nung!

    "Dude!!" I hissed. "Why are you following me?"

    He smirked. "Why are you smiling? Something on your mind?"

    I ignored him. "Stay RIGHT HERE," I whispered, sharply pointing my finger to the ground.

    Rolling my eyes, I quietly climbed up the steps to where the Sully's were sleeping and giggled when I saw Kiri sleeping with her mouth open—and drooling very hard. Sneakily, I tiptoed over to her and put my mouth up to her ear. "Hehe...Kiriiiii..."

    She opened her eyes quite abruptly. "Huh? Did you say something?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, Reya, hi there." She gave a faint, tired smile. "We're still swimming, right? Are you ready?"

    I smiled. "Always."

~*❦*~

    It was quiet underwater but the waves were fierce. From under the surface, we spotted one forming and approaching, a really giant one. It was coming toward us rapidly. Rotxo started to sign with his hands, "Let's speed up!" while grinning. Ao'nung nodded and they all started to go faster on their ilu mounts.

    I gave Lo'ak, who was trailing behind a little, a glance. "Come," I signed. He signed back, "Come?" and gave a confused look. He motioned with his hands—he pointed at me and then motioned me with his hand, as in saying "You're saying 'come with me'"? I nodded, a warm grin spreading on my face and motioned for him to come with my hands, like he did.

    We had been teaching the kids from the forest how to swim and sign well, but they didn't know much yet. Sometimes this was a good thing because my brother would talk to me about secrets underwater right next to the person we were talking about. I was proud of their progress.

    Ao'nung pointed up when we were a bit in front of the wave, telling us to go up. We all shifted our bodies upwards, quickly speeding and then we all broke the surface at the same time, finally being able to breathe again, and flying in the air.

    "THAT WAS AWESOME!" Rotxo shouted. Neteyam laughed, letting his braids fly in the breeze. I eyed Tuk, who was riding slowly on the water surface, Kiri trailing next to her, watching the fish swim by. We dove back in and rode back to the shore to drop the creatures off so we could take a swim without them.

    It only took a minute to arrive back at the sandy shore. I slowed down, took out my braid from the tsaheylu, patted my ilu goodbye, and waded towards Tuk and Kiri. "Bye bye!!" Tuk one-legged waddled to get off her ilu because her height made her struggle. She waved to her favorite ilu energetically and then slowly swam back into the water. Awwe, she's so adorable!

    After we swam back down to the coral in the reef, Kiri stopped to pet a turtle that she spotted. The turtle gracefully swam up to her and turned sideways to rub her cheek. Kiri smiled, running her hand along its stomach. Lo'ak, Neteyam, and Tuk went up to get air.

    Ao'nung and Rotxo looked at me, their annoying faces mischievously grinning. "You like that five fingered scxawng?" my brother signed. I frowned. "Hey, be nice! He's not a moron," I signed back. Rotxo looked at Ao'nung and laughed. "Tsireya likes the forest boy!" Rotxo signed. I let out an annoyed sigh, which was the rest of my air, and I rose to the surface to breathe. Ugh! Why does Ao'nung have to be my brother?? He's so annoying...