Camaraderie
A little girl of six years of age watched the other girls sitting in their sewing circle as they talked about pretty stones of small sizes that could be used for decorating clothing. Most were used in jewelry due to their easier manageability with leather and twine but cloth could also be used, if one's hand had mastered the fundamentals. Her bright doe-shaped eyes watched them with interest as she sat within their circle and her ears perked with excitement to being a part of it. Most girls in the clan tended to find their cliques easily but she'd yet to discover hers, always trying to be a part of a conversation but usually left alone by the end of one. The young girls were on a small recess from learning to sew with the young seamstresses but she wasn't very fond of it; she pricked her fingers too much. She was a lover of history and the beautiful music that intertwined with it to bring a story alive. Of course, she couldn't exactly say no to her mother's request that she learn and tolerated the lessons to make her mother proud.
"So mother found me a pretty pearl and you know how rare they are" one of the girls squealed happily since shiny stones of all kinds were the fancy for girls of that stage in life while colorful cloths would be next. Mothers gave daughters simple bracelets, necklaces, or little earrings to develop their self-identity and build their confidence.
"She's having it made into a necklace" the lucky girl told her pals as the shy girl at the end of the circle smiled coyly to her fortune, glancing down to her own tiny silver twine bracelet. It held a small black stone in the center to contrast against the neutral color but it was all her mother could gather to bring to the jewelry makers and they'd done their best to add a girlish flair. Her parents were musicians so finding items for crafting in their spare time were rare and with a majority of boys in her family, she didn't receive many feminine gifts. She counted herself lucky either way for receiving her mother's gift, appreciating the love behind it.
Anaya ripped her eyes away from her small bracelet, bashful about its worn condition since she roughhoused with her brothers a lot, and piped up enthusiastically, "It must be so shiny like a pretty atokirina. Old clan leaders wore them in necklaces but the prettiest were made with shiny fabric from the mori worms, you could even wear them in your hair! The tsahìk is known to own a necklace full of white pearls, given by olo'eyktan Akon that started with one single pearl but he adds another for every season that they've been bonded. She wears it during celebrations only since it's special to her."
Her round face dimpled with pride as she gushed joyfully with a beaming smile, "Pearls are like the atokirina of the sea, elusive but, oh, so pretty."
The girls stared silently at Anaya with awkwardness, surprised that she'd been there all along but she had the tendency to slip in unnoticed. Anaya enjoyed the company of others but her little clan sisters thought otherwise, especially when one stated with a small sigh, "Anaya, are you ever quiet?"
"Talk much?" another giggled as the rabble of five girls laughed at the talkative girl, sinking Anaya's hope of belonging. Her interactions with those her age usually resulted in that manner but she always held the optimism that somebody would stay and talk with her to the end.
Anaya gathered her things quickly in mortification and left the circle without a care that her teacher would reprimand her later on. Everyone kept turning away from her when she tried to bestow the knowledge she'd gathered by listening to the clan lorekeepers and elders but children her age tended to laugh and run around playing. Or, they simply told her not to talk during group tasks. Huddling against a large rock that hid her petite form from sight, she wept into her arms since her parents were away performing duties for the clan and nobody seemed to stay long in her presence so there was no instant comfort to her sorrowful heart. She liked talking, she couldn't help that and with having two brothers and another one on the way, she was accustomed to it. Anaya loved sitting around the hearth with the elderly, listening to their sagely advice and tales in her spare time before running off to her parents to seek further knowledge.
Anaya dried her wet eyes as she tried to calm herself, wiping her damp nose with the back of her hand to clear away the dripping mucus because being laughed at for that would break her heart. She had already heard opinions about her large eyes and her inability to stay silent by the other children so enough damage had been dealt to the small girl. Still, Anaya would aim to prove them all wrong despite the pain it caused every time she was rebuffed. Her cloth satchel containing her food lay in her lap and she pulled the carefully wrapped plate into her hands with a faint sniffle, still trying to clear her nose from the congestion. Opening the leaf plate her mother had neatly packed for her day with the seamstresses, she ate the prepared teylu in small nibbles as she longed for her mother. When she ate, others seemed to take a liking to her and Anaya often tried keeping their company that way but she couldn't eat forever. If so, she'd be like that fat ikran that one of the healers overfed and had to be placed on a strict diet in order to fly correctly. . .she did find its plump belly adorable though.
"And what do we have here?" a woman's gentle voice asked and Anaya's eyes widened at being caught away from the teaching circles, hoping she wasn't in trouble. She didn't mean to run away but what else could she do when they hurt her feelings? The person standing before her was known by everyone in the clan and despite Anaya had never been in her presence personally, she'd seen her wandering throughout their lands and heard enough descriptions to recognize her.
The Atykwe matriarch. Oh, she was in deep trouble now, wasn't she?
Her tsahìk was a beautiful lady, youthful with her smooth features but she was kind in her manner of speaking and ever graceful. Her limbs were decorated with lovely jewelry made of brown twine and each held different motifs as she incorporated all of her people's ranks into her jewelry. It was a new custom created by Nitari when she'd obtained the revered title and the people cherished her thoughtfulness, especially her mate. She represented them all as a matriarch, carrying each member of the Atykwe proudly with each step. Her lean ankles were adorned with cowry seashell bracelets of an orange- brown tone with speckles (similar to the lynx cowrie on Earth) because without strong legs, the hunters would not be able to hunt flawlessly in the sea or run in the forest. Her wrists held leather bracelets with gold and clear stones with tawny sundial seashells (spiral shells, the children called them) in between, representing the artisan ranks where her own family originated as their hands worked hard each day. There was nobody Nitari trusted better than her own humble mother for jewelry. The necklace adorning her neck held clear round stones with pressed herbal leaves within each as black thorns sheathed in white cloth were sewn in between to show her rank as matriarch along with the devoted healers who kept their clan strong. For the lorekeepers and musicians of the art field, a sky blue handprint on each shoulder was painted each day by one of the residents to show that were no gaps between them as a people. To Anaya, Nitari was a magnificent role model of a woman who kept their clan in perfect harmony.
Small cone-shaped shells dangled from two braids hanging from the left side of her head as her long wavy hair was swept into a smooth bun while her queue was held by a small comb that easily separated it. Anaya liked the pretty shells that chimed together against the wind but her face flushed when Nitari met her gaze, gently asking with concern, "Why is a pretty child sad and alone out here on such a beautiful day? Is something wrong, little one?"
The matriarch leaned down to kneel on the sand, her lean legs sinking into the soft terrain, and stroked the top of Anaya's braided head. She'd heard of the little girl named Anaya that snuck into the lorekeepers circle to learn and was pleased to see such a young soul partake in such lessons. The little girl shook her head to prevent appearing feeble in front of her but the subdued sniffles told Nitari that the child was indeed upset about something. Her heartstrings were easily plucked when she witnessed a child in distress and Nitari wouldn't dare to leave the meek girl in her spot until she figured out the problem. A Tsahìk protected all clan members, no matter how small or large- even a different species. Noticing the food plate in her shaking hands, Nitari touched the plate to alleviate her trembling and asked tenderly, "Did one of the children try to take your food plate?"
"No, they made fun because I talk a lot" Anaya whimpered sadly as she rubbed a leaky left eye with her hand and hiccupped to her misfortune. Her small hands offered the spiritual leader a bladder polyp but Nitari declined politely, telling her to eat it for strength. Anaya listened with a watery smile, her teeth slowly gnawing on the salty snack as she admitted sheepishly with a downcast gaze, "I like telling stories but not many children like them, only the elders do. Sempu says our history must be spread so we can understand the kindness received from Eywa and follow her virtues to be united. . .I only want to be kind, not a bother."
"Your sempu is correct, history teaches us" the matriarch soothed with an encouraging smile to the sullen girl, impressed to see such a small child eager to learn of the clan's history. Nitari couldn't help but adore the little one as her hair was neatly braided over her left shoulder and her large eyes sparkled as beads of tears had caught onto her lashes. She made a note to hold a meeting with all of the clan children to teach them about virtues, especially kindness and friendship. It wasn't acceptable to make fun of another for one's benefit, she'd tried to erase such distasteful behavior from the Atykwe.
"Other children don't like it so maybe, Eywa didn't mean for me to have friends" Anaya mumbled weakly but her little heart broke to the idea of being friendless for life. How could one withstand the loneliness for seasons? Her large eyes filled with fresh tears, tugging at Nitari's heart when she breathed shakily and a crestfallen voice whimpered disappointedly, "Oh, but I . . . I want a friend of my own."
Nitari couldn't bear seeing such a young soul cry, carefully removing the leaf plate from Anaya's lap and beckoned the youngster with a delicate voice, "Come here, little one."
She picked up Anaya into her arms as any mother would do to comfort their weeping child, rubbing her back gently as she held her close to offer her sanctuary. The small girl lessened her crying since older children were rarely held by matriarchs or it had been until Nitari became tsahìk, warming Anaya's heart as she deemed herself extremely lucky. Nitari soothed her low sniffles with her consoling embrace to hearten the girl's spirit on her search for friends, gently stroking the top of Anaya's head as she assured confidently, "Of course Eywa will grant you friends, you just haven't found the right ones yet. Sometimes, all you need is one or two and they will suffice. You are a pretty little girl, who wouldn't want to be your friend?"
"But you're a powerful tsahìk, you have many friends. . .I'm small" she pouted modestly since she was tiny compared to the majestic spiritual leader of the clan, rubbing her cheeks dry of wet tears. If she could be strong like a tsahìk, nobody would make fun of her. Nitari chuckled softly to her perception since she wasn't the tallest woman in the clan but children did utter the most innocently adorable remarks. Anaya gaped in awe when the matriarch stood up with her still wrapped in her arms without pause, admiring her strength since she couldn't even pick up her youngest brother!
"I am respected, there is a difference" Nitari smiled pleasantly since her road to becoming the clan matriarch had not been an easy one, walking leisurely towards the shore with a plan in mind for the glum child. During her youth, she didn't have problems making friends with her reserved nature but rarely spent time with many as her time was happily devoted to helping her parents. Little Anaya desired a true friend and Nitari was certain she could make it happen as another child wandered the shore with his own private fear. The matriarch wasn't hesitant to speak on her life experiences to establish trust with her people, more than happy to converse with children, and advised with a sagely smile, "And you will grow up just as I did with the same respect. Did you know that I too had very little friends when I was young and it took years until I found my dearest friend of all, our olo'eyktan? A friend will respect and encourage you, never laugh or hinder you."
"But what if they run away when I talk?" she asked meekly, clasping her hands nervously over her chest since clans were to be united as one without anyone being left an outsider. If she could practice keeping quiet, she would succeed. . .but her brothers tended to prevent it with their endless chatter at home and she couldn't help but join in. Her family was her heart. The gentle waves falling onto the white shore calmed her somewhat and she leaned against the matriarch to whisper privately, "Most children do that already, I wish they'd stay."
"Then they are not your friends as new knowledge enlightens true friends" Nitari advised gently since a child her age needed acceptance and encouragement by their peers, not to be chastised or ridiculed for their uniqueness. Anaya's ears flattened against her head as her efforts were in vain, wondering how long it would be before her first true friend came along. They approached an area on the shore filled with beautiful huts of rich colors while weaved landscapes on cloths and wooden ornaments decorated the huts of blue, red, and yellow. Anaya's eyes brightened to feathers of canary yellow tied to the front of a hut as wooden beads held them tightly together and a nearby portrait of white atokirina floating within a pink carnation toned background seized her attention. The color blend of the hut was beautiful as the friendly pink faded into tranquil lavender before transforming into a powder blue that covered the entire hut. Anaya simply knew this had to be the home of her clan leaders, it was simply stunning to her young mind.
Nitari smiled to herself, allowing the girl a simple joy by walking to her home and watching her little fingers graze the atokirina tapestry. Anaya smiled radiantly to her sudden fortune, her fingers tracing over silky white stitching in the center of the floating atokirina bodies while crystalline beads decorated the edges of their delicate tendrils. If atokirina could appear so ethereal in embroidery, they must've been twice the elegant sight in real life. The matriarch smiled fondly, chuckling with amusement when Anaya retracted her hand shyly for lingering too long but Nitari pleasantly remarked, "My parents surprised me with this when I became Tsahìk, I am glad you like it."
They carried on their path to the east, passing by the Atykwe leaders' home until they reached the shoreline which wasn't very far as Nitari liked the smell of the sea near her. With her mate being a hunter before becoming olo'eyktan, he was more than happy to oblige her wishes each warm season when the huts were set up. A few children were running about, racing with the waves to prevent being struck but laughed when they were out of the game- falling into the water jovially to their loss. Others simply frolicked happily while a few toddlers slapped the water with giddy giggles as their mothers held them with a tender smile. Despite the merry laughs at the shore, there was one young boy sitting on a small log who observed the sea before him with a shy gaze. His tail flicked at the air with an anxious swing despite his calm demeanor and the matriarch approached to greet kindly, "I See you, Arat."
The young boy was startled as he met the matriarch, his eyes blinking with surprise and he quickly brushed back his loose hair behind his ears to appear decent. Nitari chuckled warmly since the boy always untied his hair by midmorning despite his mother's intricate braiding, choosing to appear more carefree. He dipped his head politely, taking notice of the small girl in her arms afterwards as he tried to keep his hair from flowing in the wind with the sea breeze and smiled timidly, "Tsahìk Nitari."
"Did you step into the water today, Arat?" Nitari asked kindly with a soft voice as she'd been trying her best to coax him into the water. All Atykwe held no fear of the sea but respected the immense power it held and although Arat had tasted the latter, she was determined to help him overcome his fear.
He gazed at the ground with a shameful expression, his loose hair framing his round face in a black curtain and he sighed softly, "No."
Nitari sat down next to him in one graceful move while Anaya watched them curiously with a modest gaze and the matriarch introduced them with an amicable smile, "Arat, this is Anaya. She is looking for a friend and I could only think of you, she likes to talk so I know she will keep you entertained with all of her stories. Anaya, Arat is currently afraid of the sea after almost drowning and we need to encourage him to be one with the water as all Atykwe."
Anaya's brow furrowed with empathy, smiling broadly at Arat to lift his spirit and he returned a shy smile since admitting his fear had brought a wave of disappointment when facing his parents. He was a young contender by birthright for the role as future advisor but how could he advise his leaders one day when he couldn't touch the water without cringing? Nitari quietly watched the silent interaction between the two as they understood each other's fears and she aimed to seal a friendship by requesting softly, "Now, I would like to take a walk around the shore and collect seashells for the Omaticayan Tsahìk, can you two help me? Tomorrow, we can collect seawater to send to the Tipani since they like to brine food for the winter."
They smiled excitedly as Anaya was proud to help her matriarch with anything while Arat wanted friendly company to keep away his loneliness. Nitari allowed Anaya to stand on her feet again as the melancholy in her eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by eagerness to participate in a group activity. Arat eyed the shore warily since a drop of water reminded him of the frightening incident, thankful that his olo'eyktan had been there to rescue him, but Anaya piped up that she'd protect him. He managed a shaky smile to her friendliness and Nitari patted both children on the cheek as she instructed gently, "I want you to be very good friends. One will talk, the other will listen; one fights and the other defends. The sea and the sky."
Anaya smiled joyfully to the prospect of her first true friend, her large eyes sparkling with delight as she gazed at Arat and the boy returned it shyly. Nitari grasped each of their hands to lead them to the shore where they would spend the day collecting seashells.
Her words proved true throughout the years as the two would work flawlessly as teammates, sticking together through their basic schooling and Uteho'awkx training. Anaya would control her ramblings as Arat reined her in but he had no problem hearing what she had to say in its entirety when they were in each other's company. She would help him conquer his fears with her daring streak by exploring the shallow coral reefs to the south with baby steps until he could swim without dread in the sea. Of course, she had to warn him about predators before he decided to brazenly swim past the safe zone but apart from that, Arat regained the will to brave the sea.
Together, they would reach adulthood together. . .
"Stand down!" a soon-to-be adult Arat growled harshly as he tried to force his ikran onto the ground, tying its snout with the bola as he clutched onto the back of its strong neck. The banshee screeched fiercely under his hold, wings of a granite hue flapping wildly at the air and Anaya felt the heavy gust of air strike her face despite the distance. Ikran were not meant to be taken lightly and her eyes widened when the ikran's strength ripped through the leather bonds of the bola, its sharp jaws bellowing a sharp cry of fury and tossing him aside like a child's cloth doll.
"Arat!" Anaya shouted fearfully, her heart pounding insanely in her chest to his well-being and broke from the group to force him onto his feet without interfering. Unfortunately, her chosen ikran of a sky blue hue saw this as his time to move in for the challenge and dove down to the ground from its perch above on the wall to screech in opposition.
Anaya gulped nervously at the enraged blue ikran facing her down and the other glaring at her dearest friend on the floor. Grabbing a rock, she struck her ikran in the center of its head to have him give chase and ran towards Arat with the angry ikran hot on her heels. This wasn't how she intended to begin the last stage of her rite but she didn't have the luxury of time to complain. The gray banshee moved aside since Anaya wasn't the target nor would she attack one of her brethren, tolerating their passage with an irritated hiss but the precious seconds allowed Arat to get back on his feet. In his hand, another bola was ready to be used while Anaya moved towards the back of the nest to have her own sufficient space to tackle her furious ikran.
"Is there a rule that says two challenges can't be done simultaneously?" she shouted quickly for clarification, efficiently dodging an angry bite from her ikran that would've severed her shoulder. Tradition was strict at Uteho'awkx and she couldn't fail at the exact moment she was facing her ikran to gain her rank as a full-fledged huntress.
The instructor on the ground was struck speechless to what was occurring in front of his very eyes but regained his focus quickly to call out, "There never has been in our history so. . .no!"
He would have to inform the matriarch on the new development since such accounts dated back many generations, usually occurring with twins, and added in hastily, "But make sure you don't touch him or his ikran, aiding him is completely unacceptable!"
"I think we're busy enough taming our own to help each other" Arat shouted back with a grunt as he rolled to the side to avoid being trampled by his smart ikran, her growls furious for avoiding to maul him. He was going to engage in a very dangerous dance with his ikran of granite and powder blue, a beautifully neutral female with a deadly bite. Anaya's unexpected interference saved his life but also put hers in jeopardy as she was pulled into her challenge prematurely. Without taking his eyes off his ikran, he yelled loudly to bolster Anaya's courage and to intimidate his ikran, "Good luck, Anaya!"
"As our fifth clan leader, Tsa'rek, once said: to glory!" she shouted with the same determination, her historical peculiarity shining through, and both rushed at their respective ikran to either claim them or perish.
A/N: And we have the early beginnings of Arat and Anaya since I wanted to give insight to the new players in the story, along with Nitari, before the next chapter is posted later this week. I just love Nitari's motherly flair, she's been caring over people and animals since her youth. As for the duo, they balance each other similarly to Joanna and Tsu'tey; for Anaya, it's her rambling nature while for Joanna, it's her stubbornness. Arat is a very calm and easygoing man, happy with the simple things in life while Anaya sucks up knowledge like a sponge to be a storyteller and fancies musical instruments.
Claycarole: Yay, I'm glad I carved out Nitari this easily in writing for you. I admire people who do pottery because it looks like such a focused hobby and you're practically using your entire body to mold the perfect piece. Unfortunately, the closest I've come to is buying pottery. As for me, I love sewing due to my maternal side and since I'm petite, I always have to fix the hem at the end of my pants to fit my short frame. I grew up watching my grandmother sew clothing on her old electricity free machine (she still uses it despite the years) and my mother's the same with just a thread and needle. Seeing that the Omaticaya were popular for their weaving, I just had to incorporate that in there since Tsu'tey's nagging to Joanna about her stitching reminds me of how I used to attempt creating the same pretty pillowcases my mother made but ultimately failed. I'd love to get pm's about pottery because that web site you mentioned was stunning with the colors- the fact that you can use them to remodel a home is even better.
Laithano: Thank you!
Moonlight Calls: Ah, the matriarchs, without them, there would be no Atykwe or Omaticaya. I found it interesting in reading the wiki that tsahìk's aren't all equal in deciphering Eywa's will after reading about the Tipani clan and her future successor, Unipey, who will not be a great one due to her preference to being a warrior. Sänume still rocks for having dual roles, an element I used for Nitari. I didn't want to use too many viewpoints with the main story to prevent confusing the readers which is why I placed the relevant stories here where it won't lengthen the main chapters but also give you more to the story at the same time. I'm very glad you like them.