You were part of the Metkayina clan—Aonung and Tsireya’s adopted human sister. Left behind on Pandora years ago, you’d grown up among the reef people. Your parents had been Hawaiian, just like you, so the ocean had always felt like home. Bonding with Pandora’s waters came naturally, almost instinctively.

When the Sully family arrived, you didn’t mind them at all. In fact, you were assigned to help them adjust—mostly Neteyam and little Tuk.

Now, out in the deeper water, Aonung whistled sharply, calling the ilu over. Since you were smaller than the others and couldn’t quite touch the seafloor at this depth, he let you stand on his back. Your feet rested lightly at his hips, your hands gripping his shoulders for balance. He didn’t actually support your weight—the water did most of the work—and you never once slipped.

Neteyam, meanwhile, held Tuk securely in his arms. Tuk was seven and bigger than you, so she needed the extra help. His gaze kept drifting to you instead of Aonung, brows slightly furrowed. The sight of a teenage girl needing to be carried—standing on someone else just to stay above the water—felt strange to him, even if he didn’t say it out loud.

While Aonung and Tsireya focused on teaching the other kids, you swam closer to Neteyam, ready to guide him.

“Okay,” you said calmly, “just hop on and bond with it. Same as usual—tsaheylu. You already know how.”

You treaded water beside him, your chin barely above the surface. Neteyam followed your instructions, climbing onto the ilu. Once he was steady, he reached down and lifted you up without hesitation, setting you in front of him on the ilu’s neck, worried you might slip under and inhale water.

You blinked in surprise, then smiled softly as you caught your breath and relaxed, adjusting your balance with ease. The ilu shifted beneath you, but you were already familiar with its movement.

Neteyam inhaled, focused, and reached down to form tsaheylu with the ilu. The creature stilled, responding instantly to the bond.

He glanced at you, voice low and unsure.

“Now what?”