𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦

        

𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗈𝗏'𝗂𝗅 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗓𝖺𝗁𝖺𝗅𝖺

—— ఌ︎ ——

        THE SULLY FAMILY followed Zahala and Tsireya through the village, their youngest daughter jumping on the nets, all of them holding belongings. “This way.” Tsireya directed from in front of Zahala.

        Zahala’s ilu swam up to her, and she smiled and tossed him a piece of fruit. He swam away, and Zahala followed after her cousin. “Just up here.” Zahala said, turning over her shoulder to talk to the family behind her.

        Tsireya and Zahala arrived at an unclaimed mauri pod, which would be perfect for Jakesully and his family. They stood by the entryway. “This is for you.” Zahala smiled.

        “Your new home.” Tsireya said, and the family walked inside. The girls placed the items they were holding outside of the tent, beginning to slip away.

        A voice calling Zahala’s name stopped them. Tsireya continued walking, Zahala promising to meet her after dinner. Zahala turned to the boy who called her name. It was the same boy as before, Neteyam. 

        “Thank you for helping us.” Neteyam said, his braided hair falling in front of his eyes. He brushed it away.

        “You’re welcome.” Zahala smiled, her shell continuing to manage keeping her hair up and out of her face.

        Ov’il walked down the nets, looking for his sister. He scowled when he saw her talking to one of the Forest Na’vi. “Lally!” he called, walking closer. Neteyam could clearly see the tattoo on his face and arm. It meant he had just reached adulthood, but Neteyam did not know that.

        Zahala turned to him. “Yes?” she asked innocently, unaware of Ov’il’s hidden rage.

        Ov’il stared at Neteyam for a second, before looking down at the young girl. “Mother wants you home.” he delivered the message.

        “Oh, okay,” Zahala said, looking over at Neteyam once more. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” she smiled, waving as Ov’il tugged on her arm, pulling her away.

        “Yeah, tomorrow.” Neteyam returned the gesture, watching her walk away before he turned and re-entered the mauri.

        Ov’il let his little sister go, walking alongside her through the village. “You like the Forest People?” he questioned, looking down at her. He was tall, nearing nine feet, while Zahala just barely skimmed over seven feet tall.

        Zahala nodded, her cyan skin getting splashed with water by ilus in the sea. “They’re very nice. I’d like to get to know them more.” she said, and Ov’il frowned at her words.

        “Just be careful, okay, Lally? I know you like new and thrilling things, but be mindful.” Ov’il warned softly, feeling a deep need to protect his first little sister.

        “I am always careful.” Zahala said, feeling offended at Ov’il’s words.

        Ov’il merely chuckled. “You are not always careful. You are curious, and you follow Mother and Father’s rules, but you get too caught up in what you are doing and are not always safe.” he explained his sister’s whole behavioral tactics, and she frowned.

        “Whatever.” she rolled her eyes, and Ov’il shoved her gently, laughing at her.

        The two Ae’tuak siblings walked into their family’s mauri, finding their father sitting with Na’ana, and their Mother finishing the evening meal. “Just in time, children.” Mayan said, handing them each a helping of food as they sat around the fire pit in the center of the mauri.

        Tanilu placed his infant daughter onto her mat where she played with a toy Tsireya and and Zahala had made for her. He turned to his son and daughter. “Is Jakesully’s family settled into their mauri?” the warrior asked, eating the food Mayan had made.

        Zahala nodded. “Yes, Tsireya and I helped them bring their things. We are teaching them in the water tomorrow.” she said, thanking Mayan for their meal.

        “Ov’il, you will help me and your uncle, yes?” Tanilu asked his only son, who nodded after a moment’s hesitation.

        Mayan sat down across from Zahala. “Lally, I want you to keep a safe distance from those children. We don’t know what they are like, or how they act. I do not want you getting hurt, okay?” she spoke, setting Na’ana into her lap to feed her.

        Zahala nodded, unsure of what her mother meant by her warning, but she nodded anyway. Ov’il glanced at her from across the fire, but she turned her head away. “Father, do I have to bond with a skimwing on my birthday?” she asked Tanilu, worried.

        Tanilu nodded. “It is part of your passage into adulthood. It is the last step, happening when you are eighteen. You do not have to worry yet.” he explained, recalling how Ov’il had tamed an aggressive skimwing on his first try the day he turned eighteen. 

        “Then what happens on my fifteenth birthday?” she questioned. Zahala would turn fifteen in four months time, but she was confused about what would happen.

        “You and your Spirit Sister will complete a series of tasks, which is followed by the mating ceremony.” Mayan explained, and Zahala nodded. She knew of the mating ceremony. It only happened for the clan leader’s family, and Zahala would be taking part in it.

        Zahala continued eating her meal, her questions suspended for the moment. After the meal, Zahala helped her mother tidy up the mauri before she and Na’ana walked out of the home and towards where Zahala was meeting Tsireya.

        Zahala didn’t have to take Na’ana with her, but she enjoyed spending time with her sister, and Mayan didn’t argue at having extra time to herself. Tsireya was sitting outside of her mauri, waiting for her cousin.

        They did what they always did, every day, on repeat. They dove into the water, their freckles lighting up as the sun began to eclipse. Neteyam and Lo’ak walked through the village, seeing the cousins laughing in the sea. They each let their eyes fell on a cousin, for different reasons.

—— ఌ︎ ——