Avatar the Way of Water (My Version)

Becoming One with the Sea

The Sullys woke up a little later than normal, eager to start the day again and proceed in their training. Jake was determined to exceed in his lessons and tame a Skimwing. The children were eager to start. "Okay kids," he said. "Yesterday was quite a tough start but we'll get better,"

Lo'ak pursed his lips and crouched down for breakfast which Neytiri had prepared.

"Where's your sister?" asked Jake, noticing Sylwa wasn't among the rest of the awake children.

They peered around and they say Sylwa wasn't in the hut at all. He growled. "Where did she go to now?"

"Jake, she probably went for a walk," said Neytiri.

The loud clicking of ilus echoed from outside the hut. They peered out and looked across the water.

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In the distance, ilus were leaping around, two riders upon them. The young spirited Sylwa was riding an ilu, leaping to and fro out of the water. Tsireya on her own ilu watched them, smiling. She had been giving her extra lessons.

At first, it was quite a challenge but she had managed to get the hang of it in the end. She managed to last on the ilu for a long period of time and she didn't slip off. As they emerged from the water, Sylwa cried out: "I did it!"

"You did it!" praised Tsireya proud of her new favourite student.

Sylwa held up a hand. "High five!". Her teacher became confused. "You don't know what a high five is?"

"I don't," said Tsireya awkwardly.

"It's when people do this..." she gently reached over from her ilu and grabbed Tsireya's hand, raised it up and high-fived it. "It's something people do when they celebrate an accomplishment or something. You probably should do four fingers. A high-four,"

"Cool,"

"Thank you so much for these extra lessons Tsireya," she said.

"Call me 'Reya'," she insisted. "You've done very well,"

"You're a pretty good teacher,"

"And you're a spectacular student," she complimented back, making Sylwa chuckle back. "My brother will be shocked when he sees how much you've improved,"

"How do you put up with him?"

"He's not usually like this. But he is quite a bully. Not to me but to little kids or people who aren't like him,"

"Sounds like he's got a lot of growing up to do,"

"He does," agreed her new friend. She noticed how a little withdrawn she was. "You know you don't have to hide them,"

"Hide what?" she wanted to pretend he didn't know.

"We all have our marks," his words made her curious. She turned around and showed her hip, three slash marks stretching right across her skin. "There's no shame in carrying them,"

"How'd you get that?" she asked. Reya pursed her lips and turned her head away. "Sorry,"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"I really like your braids. They've lovely,"

"Thank you," Reya touched the braids on the scalp of her head. "How would you like me to braid your hair?" she offered.

Sylwa was surprised by the offer. "I would love that. Thanks,"

"First make your hair completely wet again,"