Promise me

6 • Tulkun

"Come I must take you to the tulkun!" Aonung exclaimed. He had seemed very excited as if it was a 5 year old being given a bow as a gift.

He extended his hand out to me to ride atop of his ilu. I politely agreed as I placed my hand in his and he helped me sit behind him.

Preparing for the water to rush in my face, I squeezed my arms around his waist and hid my face behind his back. He held onto my thigh to support me. I blush but shook it off thinking he was just being nice.

We head underwater as I feel a tap on my leg. I look up to see many big see creatures, what I'm guessing is tulkun, reuniting with Navi. There is many smiling faces all around me. I then see Loak with tsireya and Kiri and Tuk is with rotxo.

I smile as I look at the happy faces all around me. I can sense Aonung is smiling too as we see Neteyam and race him around. I eventually tap Aonung telling him I need air.

He nods and signs to Neteyam that we're going up so Neteyam follows. I finally take a breath after holding my breath for so long, maybe 8 minutes.

I breath in and out slowly as Neteyam also emerges.

"This is incredible! How often do they come?" Neteyam asks Aonung.

"Once a year, they come for a few days and then leave to migrate far south."Aonung explains.

"So these are tulkun?" I ask

"Oh yeah they're very wonderful creatures and very intelligent. My soul brother is very flirtatious with other tulkun and he loves to play around. He's very competitive but also will have sympathy for u and let u win in some things if he feels like it." Aonung explains

"So like you?" Neteyam says

"Except you don't like people to win" he adds

Aonung only glares at Neteyam because of the comment. I laugh, thinking it's probably true even though I only met him a few days ago.

Aonung looks at me as if he admired me laughing. He quickly looked away when I made eye contact with him.

"Very funny forest boy." Aonung says

"Well I must head back to the pod to prepare dinner with mom. See you soon Ralu" Neteyam says and leaves.

"Finally" Aonung says under his breath. I slightly heard him and hit him in the arm. He gave me and pouty lip as he looked at me rubbing his arm where I left a red mark. I realized, quickly apologizing to him.

"I probably deserved it anyway. Let's go." He says and I held onto him once more. We dove under to see only a few metkayina around with their spirit brothers and sisters.

I noticed ronal and tapped on Aonung so he could see his mother. He had a genuine smile to see her so happy. Eventually we came up to see his spirit brother as he got off the ilu, holding a hand out to me to help me off.

The ilu quickly swam away, pushing me into Aonung. I couldn't control where I was going and ended up running into him. Our faces were inches apart as my hands were on his chest. He held me around the waist to catch me.

I look up at him to see his eyes were fixed on mine. Both with  surprised look on on our faces we pulled away. We heard a clicking noise which smacked us back to reality.

I look to the side to see a tulkun very close to us, looking like he wanted to communicate.

I see you brother. Aonung signed. So this was his spirit brother. I was very eagerly to meet him but I wanted them to have their moment together so I stayed back.

I see you have a girl with you the tulkun had said.

Aonung waved me over to him so I swam towards him, nervous about what's to come.

This is Ralu.

Very nice to meet you. I say

I'm Olo, very nice to meet you too. You are a very pretty girl. Forest?

Oh yes I have only been here a few days. Aonung has been very helpful.

Has he now? That's surprising.

Aonung only glared at his soul brother as I chuckled.

I'm not that bad Aomung signed

Is that so? Olo replied. I signed that I needed air so I let the boys talk, from afar I still watched.

I had admired how they laughed and smiled with eachother like they were actual brothers. It amazes me how a Navi can connect with an animal just like that.

I swam in circles enjoying the water hugging my body and smoothly passing through my hair. I continued this until I saw Aonung watching me in awe.

I looked at him in embarrassment and went back up to the surface. He gestured his soul brother goodbye for now and came up to the surface with me.

"Are you alright?" He asked. He genuinely looked concerned.

"Why didn't you join us again? He loved talking to you" he added.

"I wanted yall to have some alone time. And yes I'm alright. I was enjoying the water. We don't have deep waters in the forest and it feels free." I say.

Aonung clicked for an ilu as I hopped on as well.

"We must get back. Eclipse is soon." He said and we headed our way. I signed I see you as a thank you and we split our ways. Heading to our own pods.

I walk into the sully pod and sit on my mat not saying a word because I am so tired.

"Had fun?" Kiri said.

"Oh yes. I love tulkun" I replied

"Who did u hang out with?" Tuk asked curiously.

"Aonung and his tulkun, Olo." I say.

"So hanging out with Aonung was fun?" Neytiri asked.

"I thought I would never hear that" Loak joked but quickly getting hit by Neytiri.

"I think Aonung is a good kid when he wants to be." Jake joined in on the conversation.

"He was very nice and helpful today." I say.

"Well that's good" Jake replied.

"We must get some sleep, more training tomorrow." Neteyam said. Laying down on his mat. All of us quickly followed him as we laid on our mats as well. Slowly drifting off to sleep.