𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 | neteyam

004 | TEACHER

Lan splashed the water and swam happily around Ay'yeiva in circles. She was working on a few adjustments for Lan's saddle that would help make it more comfortable for the both of them. This wasn't Ay'yeiva's plan for the day but she needed something to distract her from the constant talk of the newcomers. Everywhere she went she could hear people talking about them. Once a little kid came up to her and asked her what she thought of them, and she didn't know how to respond.

Lan's splashes calmed down, but Ay'yeiva could still hear splashing in the distance; lots of it. She surveyed the water until she saw a large group of swimmers emerge from the unsettled waves. Their skin was a darker blue and she could only assume it was the Sully's with her siblings.

She finished up what adjustments she was making to the saddle before placing it back on Lan's back and secured it properly, connecting their cues before quietly swimming closer to the group. Ay'yeiva hadn't really talked with the Sully's yet, besides meeting Tuktirey briefly when her mother was conversing with Neytiri and the little girl happened to be there.

She didn't know how to feel about the family just showing up unannounced and taking everyone's attention. It wasn't their fault everyone was so focused on them, but she couldn't help but feel a little angry with them for making the clans first priority to know everything going on with the family instead of their own future leader.

Lan swam her closer and closer to the group, Ay'yeiva having an overwhelming feeling that she should just get the initial interaction over with and try to get over the silly grudge she was holding.

But she couldn't bring herself to. She stopped Lan from swimming.

Her mind went back and forth from thoughts of wanting to go over to the group to ones telling her that that was the worst thing she could do. She didn;t know who to believe, and didn't know what to do.

Luckily, she wouldn't have to mkae that decision today. She heard the voice of her father call out for her from behind her, turning to see a few other warriors near him and who looked to be Jake Sully. Lan brought her over to her father who informed her that she would be teaching Jake Sully how to bond with and ride a Skimwing since she had mastered it at such a young age.

Jake grimaced slightly, not sure how he felt about a teenager helping him learn how to ride an animal as highly thought of as a Skimwing. With Ay'yeiva and Neteyam being close in age, it felt as if he was being taught something by his own child.

Ay'yeiva got off of Lan, deciding the best way to help was to go through all the steps together. She told him to follow what she does, wasting no time in guiding Jake's attention to how she held the handle of her Skimwing, "Why do you have that in your hand?"

She motioned her head to the rope that was wrapped around both his hand and the handle of the Skimwing, raising her eyebrows.

"It's to help me not let go, I—"

"To not let go you must learn to hold yourself on. There is no warrior in this entire village who has _ever_ gotten to use assistances like these and you will certainly not be an exception to that" Ay'yeiva had let go of Lan and started to take the rope off of his hands, tossing it to one of the other men who was helping, "If you are going to live like Metkayina, you must learn like Metkayina."

Jake wanted to have his rope back, but no part of him was going to let a girl less than half his age embarrass him in front of Tonowari. He regripped his hand on the handle, looking over to how Ay'yeiva had been holding onto hers when she had remounted Lan.

"Whenever you are ready"

Jake took a deep breath before he told the Skimwing to start swimming forward. Ay'yeiva watched as he got the Skimwing to balance on its tail above the water, eventually attempting to dive under the water.

Upon entering the water Jake had been thrown off the animal, his cue detaching from it as it swam away.

Ay'yeiva laughed, openly letting the older man know that she was amused. As Jake swam back to where she was she yelled out to him, "Not too bad for a newcomer, but I will say I've seen better by a 10  year old!"

She laughed again as she spoke and Jake swam back to the girl, the Skimwing he had fallen off of finding its way back to Ay'yeiva too.

Jake reconnected his cue to the Skimwing with the help of Tonowari, thanking him with a nod.

Tonowari had stepped back, giving his daughter the place to step in and help once again.

"When you dive into the water you must allow yourself to let the Skimwing take you through the surface. You had made the Skimwing come along with you through the water, when in reality it is the other way around."

Ay'yeiva regripped her hand on the handle of Lan, "Allow me to demonstrate"

She told Lan to go forward before telling her to turn around to be facing back towards Jake and the other men. She called out to let Jake know she was going to be diving in the water.

Jake watched closely as she made the final jump before diving in the water, letting her skimwing take control of the dive.

She regained the control after they dove, turning around under the water and surfacing beside Jake, "You must share the control with the Skimwing as much as you share the water with them"

Jake nodded slowly, starting to understand her words a bit more, "I've got this".

He started ahead, remembering everything he had been told by the girl before diving through the water, allowing the Skimwing to take control of the dive.

He lasted longer than he did on the previous run, regaining control of the Skimwing after stabilizing, turning around to swim back to where Tonowari, Ay'yeiva, and the other men were waiting.

Tonowari began clapping as Jake returned, "You have done it my friend. You have learned to share the control with you Skimwing"

Jake smiled at them, proud of himself for learning one of the ways of the Metkayina.

AUTHORS NOTE
I actually think the automatic post thing on here hates me....