Starting Lessons

The sun was shining brightly over the island on the next day. The sea glistened in the bright beams and already members of Metikyena were out and about, fishing, swimming, diving, riding. In their hut, the Sullys were still fast asleep. They had needed a long rest after the tiring journey they had taken to get here. One sleeping spot was empty.

Sylwa cheered as she and Skeera were soaring through the air, spiralling to and fro through the towering mangrove trees on the island. They ascended above the tall trees. The Ikran flipped backwards in the air. "We're going vertical Skeera!" her rider cheered. Sylwa felt like she was back in the trees of their old home. They dived bombed and elegantly flew up and over giant roots. The free-spirited teen stood on the saddle and then seeing a root up ahead leapt off Skeera right over the bark and she landed back on her again. "Let's go again!" she motivated.

They lay on the beach. She sighed and lay against her Ikran. "Nothing like an early morning flight to start the day," Skeera purred. They watched the blazing sun rising across the sea. It was unlike anything they had seen back soon. Still, they missed their home greatly and prayed one day they would return. "I know, we should do it more often," she knelt and held her Ikran's head, scratching her chin affectionately. "I promise you every morning we'll go for a flight. I know that this move has been so hard for us. But we're going to get through this. Just as long as we're together," She hugged her head affectionately and she purred.

They stood up and the Na'vi girl stretched her arms and the Ikran stretched her wings. As they prepared for another quick flight, they heard the voices of children. They turned and Sylwa could see the reef kids that Tsireya had introduced her to. They walked over, eager to meet her pink, gold and blue Ikran. "Morning kids,"

"Who's this?" asked the tallest kid.

"This is my Ikran, Skeera. She's quite friendly," she gave her another scratch on the chin. She purred. The kids reached up their hands and stroked Skeera making her hum with affection.

"What are you kids doing up this early?" Sylwa asked curiously.

"We woke up early and we ran to the beach to play. Our parents don't know where we go to play," answered the eldest kid.

"We saw you flying around," said the tallest girl.

"Well, Skeera and I were just taking a morning flight. Flying is one of the best things,"

"Just wait till you try riding a Skimwing," encouraged another one.

"Would they have to look like giant flying fish with large orange wings?" Sylwa asked, making them chuckle.

"Can you take us for a flight?" asked one of the kids eagerly.

The kids bounced around Sylwa, wanting to join in.

"You can't all fly on Skeera," she said. "But I'll make sure each of you gets a ride,"

She lifted two siblings onto a ride. "Right. Let's fly,"

"Not so fast!" a loud voice spooked them. They turned around to see a dissatisfied Jake approaching them.

"Dad…" Sylwa realised she was in trouble. "I was just…"

"What is going on here?" Ronal came marching onto the beach with some of the parents. "What is this?" she demanded.

"We saw Sylwa flying around the island," said a girl.

"And she was offering to let us ride her Ikran," said a boy, ignoring Sylwa and shaking her head leading to her mentally smacking herself.

"Absolutely not," the Tsahik disapproved. "Back to your families, children,"

The children sadly left and were escorted away by their parents, who each sent cold glares at Sylwa. She was disheartened but angry too. She didn't get why they were so distrustful when she was just having fun with them. The Metkayina Tsahik took one last glare at her before leaving, leaving Sylwa along with her disapproving father and best friend.

"I tell you simple rules and I expect those rules to be obeyed,"

"Dad, I was just flying out with Skeera. And I was only making friends with those kids,"

"You left the tent without telling us where you were going,"

"Why do you always worry so much? Nothing's going to happen to me," She was tired of his controlling nature. "I can take care of myself,"

"Like you did the last three times you were nearly killed," he spoke up again.

"What do want me to do? Be constantly supervised?"

"Yes,"

"I'm not a baby anymore!"

Jake huffed, pinking the bridge of his nose. "As long as we're here, you are not allowed to fly on Skeera,"

"What?! That is so unfair,"

"If we're to live among these people, we have to live like them,"

"But I love flying on Skeera,"

"It's for your own good,"

"You're so unfair," she marched off, Skeera behind her. The Ikran flicked her tail, making some sand fly in Jake's face. She hated him being so strict with her rider.

"Really? You're on her side?" he asked, disturbed by her change in behaviour.

Skeera just roared back at him and flicked more sand into his face, making him cough out much to his irritation.

Tsireya sat up slowly and stretched her arms, yawning. She stood up from her sleeping quarters and stared out into the distance from the family's main straw pod. What a gorgeous day. A perfect day to teach the Sullys. She was looking forward to teaching Sylwa in particular. It felt so great to make friends with this lovely girl.

She turned her head and saw Aonung lying in his quarters, back turned to the wall, fuming silently. He was awake but he didn't want to do anything. "Come on Aonung," she said standing up. "We both have to teach our guests,"

"Why do I need to do it?!" he whined. "Why can't you do it?"

"You're the future Olo'eyktan. It's your responsibility,"

"Haven't I already got enough on my shoulders already?" he complained.

Tsireya just smacked the back of his head. "Just get up. Before you make Dad, mad," she stood up. "Look…I know this past year has been hard for you. It's been hard for me too. Like it or not we have to treat our guests as our own. That girl Sylwa is so kind,"

"I don't trust them. They're freaks,"

Tsireya snarled, making him turn her head to her. "You had better not make fun of them. It's been so hard for them leaving the only place they've ever known so don't make it any harder for them than it needs to be,"

Atuiko rose from his quarters. Soxato was already awake sharpening a spear. Roxto was fuming in a corner, just like his best friend. Tonowari had insisted that he'd participate in helping the Sully children adapt to their ways of life. But he wasn't comfortable with it. And neither was his father.

Atuiko was excited. He wanted to see Lo'ak and Kiri again and meet the other siblings, especially Sylwa. He stood up and was about to leave when Soxato grabbed his arm. "Not so fast," he said.

"But dad, I wanna see the Sullys again,"

"No. I forbid you to hang around newcomers who don't belong here,"

"But they're nice. Especially Lo'ak,"

"They are dangerous. They have daemon blood,"

"Just because they have four fingers doesn't mean they're daemons. Mum always used to say…"

"Don't you bring your mother into this," the general snapped. "Now inside,"

Atuiko growled and just ran off much to his irritation. "Roxto," he ordered.

Roxto groaned. "Do I have to?"

"He's your brother. He's your responsibility. Just get him back here and then you can go off with your friends,"

Roxto just huffed and stormed off, rushing off to get his brother so that he could join his friends as soon as possible.

At her hut, Sylwa was given yet another over-protective lecture from her mother. She sat outside, her feet dangling in the water. Lo'ak came to sit beside her. After they had all woken up, Dad sternly asked him where Sylwa was. Although Lo'ak kept answering back saying he didn't, this only got him into more trouble.

"I'm sorry I put you on that spot. Again," Sylwa sighed. Lo'ak hugged her close. "Wanna talk about it?"

"These people don't like us. You should have seen the way that reef Na'vi glared at me when I was having fun with those kids I spoke to the other day," She pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders. "I miss granny,"

"Me too. I don't like this any more than you do. I just hope your new lady friend can keep those bullies at bay,"

"They will. And Sylwa is not my lady friend. She's just a simple friend. I would really love to meet your nice friend. What's his name again?"

"Atuiko,"

"Time for lessons!" spoke up Jake. The children stood up and across the stretchers leading from their home they saw Tsireya, Aonung, and Roxto, but no Atuiko much to Lo'ak's confusion. "Remember to be good," he reminded. "Neteyam, I want you to keep an eye on your siblings at all times. Especially Sylwa,"

"Dad…" Sylwa complained.

"Be nice," Neytiri reminded everyone. She and Jake walked off to spend time with the chief and spiritualist of the clan.

"You don't need that wrap," said Neteyam talking to Sylwa. "You're gonna get it wet,"

"I want it on," said Sylwa, determined to keep it on. She kept her back firmly covered, not wanting anyone to see her marks.

"No one cares about your marks,"

"Well, I do," Sylwa remembered how close Aonung and Roxto were to pulling it off and possibly laughing at her burn marks.

"Would you just take it off?"

Sylwa huffed at Neteyam's bossy nature and pulled it off before throwing it back into their shelter. She pulled back her hair and made sure all the strands were flowing down her back so no one would see them. They made their way over to the platform to join their teachers.

"Today we're gonna start easy," said Tsireya. "But don't worry with the right guidance, you'll feel right at home,"

"If you can hold your breath long enough," teased Aonung.

Tsireya elbowed him painfully.

"Is Atuiko joining us?" Lo'ak asked, hoping he'd get a chance to talk to that kid again.

"No," said Roxto. "Not allowed," he said simply.

The three reef teens leapt off the platform and dived gracefully into the sea.

"Wanna see who splashes the most?" Lo'ak goaded his twin.

"You're so on," she accepted the challenge.

"Hold on you two," Neteyam tried to stop them but already the twins were dashing off.

"Cannonball!" they leapt and they splashed into the sea. The moment they were underwater, they were surrounded by all sorts of sea life. Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk joined them. As the children stared around, they saw fish of all sorts. They were mesmerized. These fish were not like any of the creatures that swam in the lake or the rivers back in the forest.

Neteyam clung to Tuk's hand. Lo'ak took Sylwa's. Meanwhile, Kiri, mesmerized by so much wildlife underwater swam off, entangled by the beauty of the reef. Out of breath, they swam up the surface. "We'd better catch up with them," Neteyam said. They took deep breaths and ducked their heads underwater.

To Sylwa's surprise, she saw Tsireya looking at them, further below the sea. She was smiling up at them. She awkwardly waved her hand, as a means of 'hello'.

As if she was responding, Tsireya communicated in sign language. Come and join us.

Sylwa frowned. She shrugged.

Realising she didn't know what she meant, Tsireya with a smile kindly waved her hand towards her, trying to ask Sylwa and her siblings to swim down and join them. Still, they didn't get it.

Sylwa gasped for air with her brothers and Tuk. "You guys saw that right?"

"Yep. Your lady friend was smiling up at you," said Neteyam, trying to sound fun.

"She's not my lady friend. Just a friend," Sylwa said, irritated already.

Down below, the two boys started talking about Sully's inexperience with deep diving.

They're terrible divers. Mocked Aonung to Roxto. They laughed.

Stop it. Tsireya signed, glaring at them. They're learning. Would you just be nice to them?

Aonung simply shrugged. He enjoyed taunting them.

Fed up with him, Tsireya gracefully swam up to the surface, her irritated brother, and his friend behind them. They emerged from the surface. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"You're too fast! Wait for us!" complained Tuk.

"How can you hold your breath for that long?" Sylwa was surprised by how they were able to dive so far underwater and hold their breath for a long time.

"You just have to breathe,"

"That doesn't make sense," said Lo'ak.

"You are not good divers," Aonung mocked. "You may be good at climbing through trees but…"

Sylwa splashed in his face, making Tsireya chuckle. "Just shut your lips,"

"Come on bro," complained Lo'ak, disliking Aonung for being such a bully.

"We don't understand that thing that you're doing," Neteyam said, holding up his fingers.

"Is it sign language?" asked Sylwa. She knew that Sky people had sign language for deaf people but she wasn't sure their sign language and the Na'vi's were the same.

"I will teach you," offered Tsireya.

"Hey, where's Kiri?" asked Roxto.

"What?" the twins breathed out. They turned around and they realised Kiri hadn't surfaced with them. She wasn't close by.

"Where is she?" asked Neteyam. They ducked their heads understand and they saw she was swimming a distance away from them amongst the coral. She saw them and she swam up to the surface and joined them.

"It's beautiful, isn't it," said Sylwa.

"It sure is," the way that Kiri spoke, they could tell she was already amazed by their new temporary home. It was a whole new world they had never, ever experienced before.

Tsireya decided they should take them to the shallower shores along the beaches. As they did, they were joined by a few more of Aonung's mean friends. As they walked further on, Sylwa felt creeped feeling their sights glimpsing towards her back. Sensing her discomfort, Lo'ak moved right behind her to block the view of her marks from the mean boys.

They walked into the shallow waters where they could see the bright white sand at the bottom of the water. Neteyam held Tuk in his arms. Aonung walked forward on Tsireya's insistence and begrudgingly he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. As he did, the same sea mounts that the newcomers saw the sea people riding earlier appeared from the water. "They are ilu. If you want to live here, you have to ride,"

"No," refused Sylwa. "I'm not replacing Skeera in my life. I won't have a life-long bond with another creature,"

"Then I guess you're not needed here," mocked a teen behind her.

Tsireya cleared her throat, silencing him. "Don't worry. You don't make a life-long bond with an Ilu. Once you're an experienced rider, you can ride any of them,"

"Let's just try it," said Neteyam.

"I'd like to go for another swim," before anyone could stop her, Kiri walked off without an explanation and just swam off. They decided she needed her space. Sylwa felt a little jealous. She never got much time to herself like that.

Tsireya summoned an ilu. "Try it,". She was speaking to Sylwa.

"M…m…me?" she asked. She felt embarrassed.

"Come on," Lo'ak jokingly nudged her forward.

"It'll be fine,"

"Okay," Sylwa gently sat on the ilu.

"Make the bond gently," Tsireya held up its queue. Sylwa pulled her queue and as her braid attached to the Ilu's tendril, she felt the creature's energy surge through into her as its iris enlarged. "Hold here," she pointed Sylwa to the handle between the creature's tendrils. "Feel his breath. Feel his strength,"

"You got this sis," encouraged Lo'ak.

"Hold on tight," reminded Neteyam, making her roll her eyes. She knew that.

"Okay," she said. The Ilu started to swim, taking her underwater with it. But as it swam, the currents pushed against her and she slipped off, their queues disconnecting.

Aonung and his friends rose their faces from underwater and they laughed. "You all right forest girl?" he mocked.

The boys' laughter was interrupted by a pair of coughing throats. They turned their heads to see Neteyam and Lo'ak glaring at them; they were very protective of Sylwa and did not approve of anyone making fun of her.

Sylwa walked back up to the shallow beaches, hanging her head to avoid the reef teens' mean faces.

"Try again," encouraged Tsireya. "It takes practice,"

"You go next Lo'ak," Sylwa didn't want another go. Not for a while.

Lo'ak tried riding an ilu but just like his twin slipped off instantly, earning even more mockery from the mean boys like his twin. Neteyam lasted a bit longer on him, much to his envy. Tuk had a bit of better luck too.

Sylwa tried two more times but still, she slipped off. On the fourth attempt, she lasted a bit longer but still, she received the mocks of all those bullies. As she marched out of the water fuming, two boys walked right behind her too close to her back.

"What you got there, forest girl?" mocked a teen, pointing to her back.

Sylwa realised that much of her hair had been brushed over her shoulder by the water leaving her back and marks exposed.

"Would you look at that? It looks horrifying," another said, laughing. "Look Aonung,"

Lo'ak stood in front of her. "Leave her be,"

"Where'd you get that?" asked the chief's son to Sylwa.

"Stop it," warned his sister.

But the boys had seen enough. Ashamed of her marks and for failing to master riding an ilu, Sylwa stopped off along the beach.

"Sylwa…" Neteyam reached out but she marched off before anyone of them could stop her.

Aonung and his friends continued sniggering like mad. "Just shut your mouth," Tsireya berated her brother again. He glimpsed at her angry face. "Do you have to make things harder for them?"

"You've no idea what she's been through because of that," Lo'ak snarled. "Don't you ever laugh at her," he threatened.

"Easy," Neteyam hissed into his ear, calming him down. Lo'ak fumed, annoyed by his overbearingness.

Aonung smirked arrogantly. Tsireya stepped forward and made her stand.

Sylwa walked past the village to some large palm trees. She sat on one of the curvy trunks staring out to sea with a longing expression. Fitting in was going to so march harder than she thought. And to make matters worse the mean bullies had seen her burn marks and they were probably never gotta make fun of her for them. She heard footsteps but didn't turn.

"This is why I wanted to wear that wrap Neteyam. I can't believe you didn't think of how much those boys seeing it would make things worse,"

"Your brother does care for you," it wasn't him. It was her mother. She turned her head and saw her mother's concerned face. She felt guilty for speaking like that. "What is wrong?"

She sighed. "I screwed up today. I can't do anything right. And now those guys have another reason to make fun of me,"

"Sylwa…" Neytiri gently touched her hand. "You can't expect to be good on the first day. When your father learnt the ways of the forest, he struggled every day. I ever had to smack his forehead when he couldn't pronounce Navi right too many times," Her comment made her daughter chortle and she chortled back. But her efforts were limited. Sylwa begin sobbing a bit. She shuffled closer and held her close. "I know how difficult it was to leave. It was so difficult for me too,"

"I wish granny could have come with us,"

"You know that the people need her," she hugged her close. "We'll see her again. One day,"

"Mum, I know you might not want me to ask this…but what was Aunt Sylwa like?"

Neytiri tensed a little thinking of her beloved older sister. "She was kind and gentle. She was a lot like you. She saw the good in the Sky people," she had come to acknowledge Sylwa's deep relationship with Spider and how she loved human things. "She used to tease me a lot the same way your brothers do," her daughter giggled. "She would have loved you all very much. Grace loved her a lot. We were both her best students at the Augustine school. She was Tsu'tey's betrothed,"

"So, she was betrothed to him before you?"

"She was. Her death made him hate humans so much. It was no coincidence that he really didn't like your father when I first brought him to the Hometree,"

"Was he like Aonung and Ronal? Being hostile to newcomers?"

"He was. But over time when your father learnt the ways of the People, Tsu'tey eventually came to respect him. Those reef kids and their Tsahik will eventually. Just don't let their oppression get the better of you,"

Sylwa wiped her nose. "I hate having these marks," she didn't need to say anything else.

Her mother held her close and rubbed her shoulders. "I know you hate being watched over all the time. Don't ever let those marks make you feel any less strong than I know you are,"

They heard footsteps and turned their heads to see Tsireya. Quickly Sylwa wiped her eyes. "I've been looking for you," she said. "I'm taking your siblings to do some breathing practice if you're interested," Sylwa wasn't sure. She didn't want to be another victim of his brother's bullying. "And don't worry I've told my brother to let me do all the teaching until he learns to be nicer. Give you guys a break from his rude nature," Still she wasn't convinced. "I'm sorry today hasn't been easy so far. But it will get better. Will you join us?"

Neytiri gave Sylwa an encouraging smile.

Sylwa sighed and she nodded. "Okay," she followed Tsireya along the beach away from her mother.

And that's another one done. I apologise Hikhefimm that Atuiko didn't appear at the breathing exercises but there is a reason for that other than the general being so distrustful of the Sullys, especially Lo'ak. But don't worry we'll see him again soon. Also thanking THeBurningRose for the reminder on how Na'vi is perfectly spelt. Also Ooprufh632, likely your review. Spoiler if you'd like to know one: (the creature will be a creature that's feared by the Sea Na'vi for reasons which will be revealed later on in the book when in reality it is a harmless creature whom Lo'ak seems himself within). See you all soon