•Stone Hearted•

vi

The Metkayina trio dives into the water early the next morning. The water is cool in the crisp dewy air.

The sullys find it amusing to jump into the water. Neteyam and Loak jump first, yelping as they jump.

Kiri and Tuk followed screaming as they go down.

The sullys eyes widened as they saw the bright animals passing by them. Something that they have never seen before.

Loak, Neteyam, and Tuk try their best to follow the Metkayina kids but they were too fast.

Running out of air, Neteyam taps on Loak to go up, Tuk following.

They take deep breathes before looking at the others.

Tsireya signs something to them but they only put their hands up in confusion. Tsireya waves them down as they follow.

After a few minutes they need more air. All agreeing to go to the surface.

The trio follows them up.

"Are you alright?" Tsireya asks, she's the first one up.

"Your are not good divers.. maybe good at swinging through trees but-" Aonung chuckles til he is cut off by his sister hitting him on the back of the head.

"We don't understand your finger talk bro, we don't know what you're saying." Neteyam speaks up.

As Aonung is glaring at them Tsireya speaks. "I will teach you" she offers.

"Where's Kiri?" Rotxo brings up.

"Kiri?" Tuk asks looking around.

"Who?" Aonung asks only getting glares from Neteyam and Loak.

"Kiri. Where's Kiri?" Rotxo repeats so his idiotic skxwang of a friend can hear him again.

Just when they find Kiri they see that she has already bonded with an ilu so the trio leads the rest of the sullys to a shallow area, meeting Aonungs friends as well.

Aonung ticks for animals as they arrive, the sullys looking down in amazement.

"If you want to live here, you have to ride." Aonung explains.

The sullys understand as they bond with an ilu, Loak going first with the help is Tsireya.

"Connect with her, feel her breath, feel her heartbeat." Tsireya suggests.

As Loak does so, he closes his eyes. Like what he did with an ikran. "Now hold here" Tsireya points to the handle on the ilu.

Loak does so, telling the ilu to swim forward. As being the first one, he is like the guinea pig. Few seconds under the water he falls off.

Aonung and his friends laughing as they head to the surface. Tsireya trying to hide her chuckles.

Eventually when all of the sullys got ilu riding, they ride around for a bit. Chasing eachother and having fun.

Aonung went with his friends so Rotxo  stayed with the sullys and Tsireya. They all have fun looking at the bioluminescence water. Tsireya and Loak chasing eachother in circles as Rotxo and Neteyam just smirk at eachother, Kiri now hanging with Tuk.

Tsireya and Rotxo lead the sully kids except Tuk to a rock. Tuk had to go help her mother with food.

They all sit in a circle as Tsireya explains how to control their heartbeat, making it easier to hold their breath.

"Imagine a flickering flame" Tsireya explains as she makes an imitation of a flame with her hands.

"Calm your heartbeat down"