Soul Tied [Neteyam x Aonung]

Sign Language

Lessons in the water were canceled, due to Tsireya's accident.

The girls parents forbid her from getting in the water until her wounds healed.

Her mother is the Tsahik, so she is very knowledgeable on the ways of healing.

Disinfect, dress and dry.

Ronal stood by these.

So for the meantime, the group was forced to do lessons on dry land.

The Sullys had picked up a little bit of the Metkayima sign language. But only small broken sentences.

Neteyam of course knew the sign language very well, from somehow understanding Aonung when he used it. He knew how to read the sign language but not how to use it.

Since she wasn't aloud to swim for the next two or so weeks, Tsireya along with Aonung and Rotxo all agreed it was the best time to teach the Sullys their sign language.

In hopes of them becoming fluent a soon as they could.

They had been in Awa'atlu for five months now, and the group never had enough time together for the Metkayina trio to teach them their sign language.

It was hindering them during hunting. Not being able to communicate with each other.

So the timing was right.

The group are all sat in a circle on the beach.

Aonung and Neteyam sat side by side, loak next to Neteyam, Tsireya next to him, kiri next to her, and Rotxo in between her and Aonung.

Just how they sat when they were learning to breathe.

"We'll start with how to introduce yourself" Tsireya said, moving her hands to show them how to say it.
'My name is T s i r e y a' she signed, while saying it out loud.

Aonung and Rotxo also signed their names to them.

Neteyams eyes tried to focus on either Rotxo or Tsireya, because if he watched Aonung he would understand it and not learn how to do it.

Aonung noticed this too. So he turned slightly to face Loak.

"You finger spell your name as N e t e y a m" Tsireya signed while speaking, watching him repeate her movement.

"Did I do it?" He asked questioningly

"That was perfect" Tsireya excitedly said.

"Kiri you sign yours like this. K i r i" Rotxo signed to the girl, who copied his movements, signing her own name perfectly.

"Very good. Loak yours is signed L o a k" Tsireya signed to him.

He struggled a little bit to copy her, but when she moved to sit directly next to him, she signed it again so he could see better.

He quickly got it.

"Very good, you know how to say your names now" Tsireya signed while talking, so they could still somewhat understand her.

The group spent the day, learning basic sentences.

By the end of the very long day, the Sully teens could make simple greetings, such as 'how's your day been?' 'what's your name?' 'I'm doing well" etc.

They could ask and answer simple questions.

The Metkayina trio was very impressed with their progress after only one day.

That night they all signed goodbye to head home.

Aonung snuck in a quick message to Neteyam before he left.

Signing ' See you tomorrow beautiful' while smiling

Neteyam giggled quietly, turning around to follow his siblings back home.

When they got there they were greeted with Neytiri.

"Hey kids, how was your day?" She asked them

'It was good mother, we learnt to speak sign language' Neteyam signed, smiling.

A look of realization spread across Neytiri face.

"You all learnt sign language. Very good" She said, smiling while pulling her three children into a hug.

They all cuddled for a moment, pulling away smiling.

"It was really fun mom. We know how to ask and answer simple questions now. We can also understand some things too" Kiri said, she wanted to try sign it, but she didn't know how yet.

"That's exiting" Neytiri said.

"Neteyam can you cook dinner please" Jake said from the corner.

"Yes sir" he said and signed at the same time.

Neteyam cooked dinner, making small talk with his siblings in sign language.

Before eating and heading off to bed.

The three teens went to bed happy that night. Exited for the next few weeks of learning.

And they did just that.

Every day for the next two weeks, the group met down at the beach. The Metkayina trio teaching them to sign.

By the end of the two weeks, they were all strong and confident enough to hold long conversations with each other.

Aonung, Tsireya and Rotxo were all very proud and happy for the others.

They still had a long way to go.

But now that Tsireya was aloud back in the water, they won't be able to do as much sign language lessons.

But that was ok, because they each had each other in their own times to learn more.

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