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𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬
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༺ Sa'kayia ༻
Peaceful silence spread through the atmosphere enveloping my surroundings as I paced soundlessly through the intricate labyrinth of tents which populated the vast cave of Mons Veritatis, slowly making my way towards one of the openings breaking through the cavern walls.
Weak streaks of light fought their way through the open crack, having yet to overcome the heavy darkness laying upon the unconscious souls residing within their own canopies, as their awareness remained asleep during the early wake of the forest.
My mind had awoken from its unconscious trance soon before the rest of the clan, allowing me to absorb the tranquil comfort of the silence which filled the environment around me.
Having risen from my sleep remarkably early, I had decided on taking the opportunity to go hunting into the forest, as I climbed my way through the opening situated before me and up towards the sparse vegetation which laid atop the floating mountain.
Letting out a high pitched squeal I called for my Ikran, knowing he would be waiting for my arrival at our usual meeting spot for our morning rides through the forest, which had been affirmed as his presence approached the land I stood upon before realising one of his own harmonising shrieks.
'Good to see you, my boy' I voiced, placing my hold upon his steering vane in attempt to calm his movements, before caressing my hand affectionately across the nape of his neck as he buried his head into my chest.
Removing my hand from Khìyan's figure I reached for my braid, grasping it within my hold before pulling it closer towards him to connect our tsaheylu, being enveloped by the instant force of our souls merging into one another.
'Are you ready for our morning ride?' I questioned, receiving an exhilarating squeal in response which caused an amused chuckle to escape my lips, directed at his impatient excitement.
Moving closer towards the creature I leaped over his back, adjusting my position before directing him into the sky, feeling the fresh breeze flow through my being as we glided through the soft wind.
During our journey towards the forest I focused my vision upon our surroundings, admiring the invigorating vegetation which crowded the forest grounds and the warm hues of amber interlaced with the mellow azure which painted the sunrise sky.
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After our arrival into the forest I dismissed Khìyan, allowing him to go venture freely into Pandora's wonders as I remained navigating my way through the endless wilderness, seeking to find a suitable location for hunting.
Along my trail through the forest I had picked some Rawp and Yovo fruits, along with a Silronzem Rosea, the plant renowned for its healing properties, before placing them into the large weaved pouch which sat upon my shoulder.
Shortly after I had decided on an appropriate hunting spot, making sure to keep my movements silent in order to avoid revealing my hidden presence amongst my prey.
Gliding my figure through the vast leaves I set my eyes upon a small pack of Nantangs pacing aimlessly through the forest, choosing them as my prey. Reaching for my tsko, I placed an arrow against its wooden body as I raised it towards the creatures, targeting the largest one.
After securing my target I released the arrow, watching it embed itself into the animal's figure before reaching for another arrow in hopes of bringing down a second target.
Pulling back the arrow I aimed towards the running Nantangs unable to find a secure target due to the rapid movement, yet deciding on releasing my arrow nevertheless in hopes of striking another one of the animals.
Disappointment rushed through my system at the sight of the arrow burying into the ground, having failed to mark another target.
'Ah, shit!' the distressed words escaped my mouth as frustration flowed through me.
My archery skills came close to perfection as expected from the vast amount of training I had gone through, however although my aim remained perfect, I lacked agility. It had been my greatest weakness when hunting, although it did not affect my skill as much during battle.
Conceding defeat, I advanced towards the creature pierced by one of my arrows laying helplessly on the ground as it released aching cries, crouching down in front of it as I reached for my knife before embedding the blade into its heart, ending its wretched misery.
'I see you, ma'tsmukan. May your spirit run with the great mother, as your body will remain behind and become part of the people' I spoke the prayer expressing my respect, gratitude and humility towards the fallen creature.
Retrieving my blade from within its body I placed it back into the sheath strapped around my chest, before reaching for the weaved pouch and resting it upon the ground as I gently placed the animal inside of it.
Standing up to my feet I decided it was time to return back to Camp, insinuating the clan has awoke. With a swift motion I swung the pouch over my shoulder as I wandered through the forest, searching for a small opening into the sky to call for my Ikran.
Shortly after, I climbed onto a large tree branch as I released my calling cry, which had been quickly attended to as Khìyan's vast figure landed upon the wooden limb. Walking closer to the creature I reached to tie my hunting pouch around his neck, before gently tapping my palm agains his chest.
'It is time for us to return, Khìyan. Let's go, boy' I said as I connected our tsaheylu, climbing onto his back and directing him back towards Mons Veritatis.
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Khìyan's immense physique broke through the lower entrance into Mons Veritatis gracefully, before carefully landing upon its rough grounds as he released a joyful squeal alerting the clan of our arrival.
Gently sliding off the creature's back I landed to my feet, before making my way towards where the hunting pouch laid as I reached my hand to untie its strings from around his nape.
'Where have you been, ma'ite?! I have looked everywhere for you' father's distressed voice broke through the atmosphere.
'I only went for a morning hunt, father. What is wrong?' I questioned, whilst informing him of my previous whereabouts.
'You know how dangerous it is to venture into the woods after an ambush, Sa'kayia' he reminded harshly.
'I know, father. I can handle myself' I protested, assuring him I knew better than to throw myself into treacherous situations if I doubted my ability of protecting myself from any potential harm.
'You have to be more careful, ma'ite' he stated sternly, shooting me a warning glare.
'Forgive me, father. I will be more cautious next time' I replied in hopes of easing his distress, receiving an appreciative nod in response.
'The clan is in preparation for tonight's celebration, they could use your help' father mentioned, asking of me to assist preparations.
'I promised to stop by the Sully's tent in the morning, but I will make sure to prioritise this right after' I confessed, assuring I would focus on the given task after fulfilling my promise to Tuk.
'That is fine, ma'ite. Make sure to give them my greetings' he ensured, before advancing towards the opposite direction.
Shifting my figure back towards my Ikran, I softly caressed my hand across his thick skin before grabbing a hold of the weaved pouch and placing it back over my shoulder.
'Thank you, my boy. You are free to go now' I dismissed, watching his figure rise into the air as he released a cheerful shriek, before diving through the vast crevasse of the mountain.
Turning my feet towards the opposite direction, I began my journey towards the Sully's tent as the warm feeling of excitement ignited inside me, bringing me the comfort of knowing the people I held so dearly in my heart have returned back home.
A short while after, I found myself stood before my destination as I hurriedly accelerated my pace, eager to be told of the adventures my friends have experienced since their disappearance.
'Good morning, Sullies' I greeted as I stepped through the entrance, immediately attracting the attention of the figures sitting inside the tent.
Gliding my vision across my surroundings, I noticed Tuk sitting atop Neytiri's lap as she braided her hair, whilst Kiri and Spider sat at the opposite side of the tent exchanging what seemed to be teasing comments.
'Kayia, you came!' Tuk exclaimed excitedly, shifting her figure towards me.
'Stay still, Tuk' demanded Neytiri, as she continued braiding the girl's hair.
'Good morning, child. Have you rested well?' Neytiri asked, turning to face me.
'I have, yes. Thank you' I replied, making sure to express my gratitude towards her caring interest.
'Hey, Kayia!' Kiri and Spider greeted in unison, before turning to chuckle towards one another at their identical response, elicting an amused smile of my own.
'Kayia, come! I have so much to tell you' Tuk uttered suddenly, shifting her position impatiently as she directed me to sit next to her.
'Tuk, stop moving!' Neytiri blurted in frustration, as the young girl's turbulent movements prohibited the performance of her task.
'I can take it from here, Neytiri' I offered to help finish off the girl's braids, watching as a relieved expression painted upon the woman's face.
'Oh, thank you Sa'kayia' she sighed, expressing her gratitude towards me.
Settling down upon the ground, I motioned for the little girl to lay onto my lap which she quickly followed through. Letting my gaze fall upon her luscious hair I immediately noticed the growth of its length, bringing me the realisation of the vast amount of time we had spent apart.
'So Tuk, I am aching to be told of your thrilling adventures' I confessed, giving the girl the opportunity to say what she had been waiting so impatiently for.
'Finally! We went to the sea people and lived with them on the water, even though they didn't want us to stay at first, but the chief of the clan was nice and allowed us to' she blurted out.
'I was confused when I first saw them. They looked so different from us, they had flat tails and arms with fins' Tuk explained, making me intrigued by their distinctive appearance.
'When I first saw the ocean I was so amazed by how beautiful it was. There were so many different fish and pretty shells' her voice laced with joy.
'That sounds beautiful, Tuk' I said, as my fingers intertwined with her hair.
'It really is, Kayia! The people taught us how hold our breath for really long, and I even rode my own Ilu!' she exclaimed, ecstasy radiating from her words.
'What is an Ilu?' I questioned in confusion, interested in finding more about the unfamiliar creature which resided upon the foreign land.
'An Ilu is like a big fish that helps you swim faster in the water. They are so cute and friendly, I will teach you how to ride them one day!' an amused chuckle escaped my lips at her excitement.
'I would love for you to teach me, Tuk' I confessed, placing a soft kiss upon the child's cheek.
Time went by as I sat peacefully amongst my friends, listening intently to their adventurous experiences within the sea as I watched their faces fill with joy, feeling happiness engulf my heart at the thought of my loved ones finding peace within the chaos hunting them.
'Lo'ak and Neteyam even got into a fight with the chief's son and his friends because they were picking on Kiri!' the little girl exclaimed in amusement, as sudden rage filled my veins at the statement.
'And who won?' I questioned, hoping for the answer I had desired to hear.
'Dad and the chief had to pull Lo'ak and Neteyam off of the boys, they were definitely winning' Kiri stated, as amused giggles broke through her words.
'That's good' I confessed, internally wishing I was there to attack them myself knowing how much Kiri had struggled in the past with finding her place amongst other Na'vi.
'I am glad Lo'ak lived up to his rebellious reputation' I spoke, allowing a slight chuckle to escape my lips as I avoided commenting on Neteyam's unexpected actions.
'He got into so much trouble, Kayia. He bonded with an outcast killer Tulkun, and he even fell in love with the chief's daughter!' Tuk declared, finding myself overwhelmed by the insane information.
'Lo'ak?! In love?!' was all I could voice, my attention captivated by the singular word as I ignored the other spoken statement.
'Yes, her name is Tsireya! She was incredibly nice to us from the beginning, and she is just as beautiful as you are' the young girl stated, causing a smile to appear upon my face.
'Well Tuk, she must be out of this world if she managed to make Lo'ak fall in love' I claimed, pure happiness rushing through my being knowing he had found someone so special.
Amused chuckles echoed through the tent as our conversations went on, allowing myself to absorb the warmth which radiated through the atmosphere. Gazing around my surroundings, my eyes came into contact with the tawtute which laid by Kiri's side, causing a wave of intrigued ambiguity flowing through me.
'But how did you find Spider?' the question broke out, unable to ignore the confused thoughts which flooded my mind.
'Neteyam and Lo'ak found him when the sk–' Tuk began to explain, before having her words interrupted.
'–I am afraid that is a story for another time. We must prepare for tonight's celebration' Neytiri's voice interfered, slight agitation lacing through her tone.
Letting my sight glide around the tent, I noticed the distressed expressions painted upon everyone's faces causing a wave of confusion flowing through my system. My wonder suddenly diffused into worry as realisation shot through me, noticing the vast amount of time which had gone by as I forgot about the task given by my father.
'Yes, of course. I must leave, I said I would assist with preparations' I explained, standing up to my feet.
'Kayia, wait!' Kiri's voice called out, stopping my movements.
'Is everything alright, Kiri?' I asked in concern.
'Me and Tuk made you something' She said, stimulating my interest.
Paying close attention, I watched as she reached her hand into a small pouch before revealing a small string laced by iridescent pearls, which surrounded four distinct seashells, each baring their own unique characteristics.
'We all picked our own shell for you' Kiri voiced as she handed me the embellished piece.
'I picked this one, it was the prettiest one!' Tuk exclaimed as she laid her finger on the most vibrant shell, laced by different shades of emerald.
'It's beautiful' the only words I could voice rolled off my tongue, as pure happiness flowed through my being.
'Do you like it?' Tuk innocently questioned as she looked up into my eyes.
'I love it, thank you!' I confessed, expressing my gratitude towards their thoughtful gift before engulfing them within a loving embrace.
'Let me help you put it on' Kiri offered, before reaching to gently tie the string around my wrist.
'Thank you' I said, brushing my touch upon the alluring pieces.
'Are we going to see you tonight?' the little girl questioned, hope filling her eyes.
'Of course , Tuk. But I should get going before my father finds me' I reassured, softly brushing my hand over her head.
'Okay we'll see you later, Kayia' my friends dismissed, as I made my way through the exit of their tent.
Allowing my sight to lay upon the decorative piece once more, I focused closely on the shells trying to decipher who had picked each one, before my gaze was drawn to a particular one.
This seashell was painted by fascinating hues of mauve pierced by dark stripes which traced around it, reflecting the resemblance of my Ikran. A bright smile appeared upon my lips at the sight as I gently glided my touch across, feeling each aspect of its peculiar structure.
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