𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗦 - 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘆𝗮𝗺

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗫𝗩𝗜 ⸺ 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝘀.

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★ ┊ ★
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           THE MORNING STARTED with the sound of the horn. All around the village, Na'vi were diving in direction of the reef, as Amraë and Tsireya swam on their ilus in direction of the Sully hut.

"The tulkun have returned!" the latter was shouting around with waves of the hand. "Everybody, our brothers and sisters have returned!"

Amraë had been bubbling with excitement since the first of the tulkun had been spotted on the horizon. The migration of the tulkun was an essential ritual in Metkayina life, one that Tsireya had spent hours talking about with stars in her eyes during various stages of their training. The Sullys were already out when they got there, Lo'ak and Neteyam diving first. As the former joined Tsireya on her ilu, Amraë waved the latter over.

"Come on guys, let's meet them!"

Amraë held out a hand for Neteyam to climb behind her, barely waiting for him to get settled before diving behind Tsireya and Lo'ak. Most of the clan was already among the tulkun, the shouts of excitements hearable throughout the entire village. Tsireya and the other reef kids had spent hours describing the tulkun, especially after Lo'ak had encountered one, but Amraë still fell speechless before the spectacle that unfurled before her eyes. The mammals were huge, much bigger than she had pictured them to be, some throwing themselves above the waves in impressive agility, before landing back down in splashes. The Metkayina were all around, some on their tsurak, others on ilu, and others swimming freely. Lo'ak and Tsireya had already vanished, and Säsì took Amraë and Neteyam closer, passing near many Na'vi rejoining with their Spirit Brothers and Sisters. Tsireya had explained that each Metkayina was linked with a tulkun, and that this link could never be broken. The tulkun were not simple animals. Their intelligence was far more superior that that of a Na'vi, and they shared a true culture, comprising of history, arts, mathematics, and a complex language. They were known to be wise, and their knowledge boundless. The return of the tulkun was a time of great joy for the Metkayina, a time of sharing stories and reunion.

A tulkun dived right next to Amraë and Neteyam, splashing them generously. The former couldn't help a shriek as the latter erupted in laughter. Amraë was smiling like she had not in months, the majesty of the mammals forming a spectacle like she'd never seen before.

"Hold on!" she shouted to Neteyam before Säsì dived, nearing a female tulkun with her calf, the mother's skin covered in intricate tattoos. It was like a dance, both tulkun and Na'vi twirling around each other. Further ahead, Tsireya was speaking to her Soul Sister, looping in the water. Amraë spotted baby Na'vi swimming with effort under the watchful eye of a mother tulkun. This, Amraë thought, was true harmony. As they resurfaced, her cheeks hurt from grinning so widely.