Coin Flip - Lo'ak

18:

Once the whole Lo'ak and Payakan situation had simmered down, Tsireya had a bright idea.

"Why don't we show them Ranteng Utralti?"

"What's that?" Tuk and Neteyam voiced their curiosity simultaneously.

"Our spirit tree, let's go we'll show you." Ao'nung stepped forward and called for the ilu's so we could make our journey to the sacred place.

"Avera, can I ride with you?" Voiced Tuk from right next to me.

"Yes of course! You picked the best rider here, I can guarantee you that." I winked back at her as I commented under my breath.

"Hey! I'm right here." Sounded Ao'nung from in the water. And here I thought he sat on his ears at all times, guess he just has "selective hearing" as they call it.

Tuk and I gave him a dismissive giggle and got into the refreshing water and onto Firik.

The ride over was extremely "chill" - a slang word Tuk taught me. We were trailing behind the rest of the group but none seemed to swim in any hurry so we allowed ourselves to enjoy the view of the colourful sea-life along the way. How could anyone ever get tired of such beauty. I pray I get to witness Eywa's enchantment forever.

As we emerged from the water, we all took a pause from swimming further to take in the beauty of the scenery above the water - this was our sacred place.

"We are here," states Tsireya. "This is the cove of our ancestors." 

The view never gets old. It reminds us all that we are only tiny vessels on such a huge planet. I just wish that I too was apart of this history, that my own ancestors were once here, calling it their cove but I know that isn't true, however it doesn't hurt to pretend I am apart of this - in some way at least. It gives me a purpose after all, otherwise I may as well just spiral in the stupid ways of feeling sorry for myself, yet again.

Looking around us, the expressions on the Sully kids can't be anything different than mine from when I first saw this place, and the time after that, and the time after that. It was astonishment. And despite seeing this place many times throughout my existence, it never fails to bring out that reaction from me, even now. I can't wait to see their faces when seeing our spirit tree.

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It is now eclipse and the beautiful iridescence of the coral below do not compare to the light emitted from our spirit tree a few hundred metres before us. It is impossible to miss.

We come to a slow and steady halt.

"This is it, this is the spirit tree," Tsireya informs us.

By now, the Sully's can hold their breath for very long - thanks to our training, and we all descend our ilu's and swim straight down to the tree branches.

Every clan has their own spirit tree so there was no need to explain what to do, everyone knew, it was natural.

We waited to all find a branch of our own before attaching our queues.

As many times as I've watched people do this and hear about their experiences, I've never tried. I am too afraid of what there is to find out.

There are so many mysteries that come with how I ended up at the Metkayina clan, and this is the only way I'll find out the truth. But I'm scared.

What if I was abandoned? What if it'll show the first few years of my stay here where life was so different, so isolating?

Will I see the bullying? What if I realise I wasn't any better at my home clan?