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The Kinglor Forest
”Is today the day that you’re finally going to beat us in a race? Ma’So’lek!” Tamtey shouted over the wind to So’lek. Nimun glided so close to Ìley that the tips of their wings brushed against each other.
So’lek chuckled, shaking his head fondly at his new mate. “The only reason you have always won is because Ìley and I go easy on you!” He called back, his ikran swayed to the side, startling Nimun as they almost collided before he pulled away again.
Nimun shrieked, clearly telling Ìley off who rumbled, So’lek chuckled at the amusement the flooded through the bond from his ikran. Since he and Tamtey had mated, their ikrans had grown more fond of each other, more tolerant of the other’s bonded than before. While neither of them had ever been aggressive to the other’s rider, they became less protective of their bonded around each other.
Their ikrans appeared to be uncertain at first, sensing the change between them. When they had made tsaheylu with them, they had let their bonded know how much they approved.
Tamtey gasped dramatically. ''Can you believe that, Nimun? He says we have only ever won because he goes easy on us!'' She huffed, her ikran hissed in reply. ''I know, right? You tell him! He's just a sore loser.'' She smirked over at her mate, laughing as he gaped back at her.
The Upper Plains, The Circle
As for Tamtey and So’lek. They hadn’t separated since. Since their bond as mates was a new one, it was difficult for them to be apart. Tamtey had spent the morning all over the top of So’lek. Even as they were eating breakfast, some part of them was always touching. They had disappeared somewhere private to change back into their hunting clothes, wary of the trip home.
Tamtey enjoyed the way So’lek’s fingers brushed delicately through her hair, removing the feathers he had braided in himself for their mating ritual before he braided in the regular feathers and beads she usually decorated her hair with instead.
Once he had finished, she busied herself with braiding some of her own beads into his hair, wanting to have some part of her present on him. He had let her do as she pleased while quietly laughing about the way Teylan and Nor had been since they returned that morning.
Teylan hadn’t been able to look either of them in the eyes yet. Instead he shot subtle glances their way, watching the way the affectionately nudged each other, their tails intertwined as they ate breakfast together. He was clearly nervous, still unsure of how to handle this new dynamic between them.
Nor had just looked at them as if they had grown a second head. Openly staring whenever So’lek pressed a kiss to Tamtey’s cheek, whispering lovingly in her ear or when Tamtey took So’lek’s hand into her own, rubbing her thumb along his knuckles while So’lek spoke quietly to Ri’nela, letting Tamtey do whatever she wanted with him.
Rasi had eventually scolded him for it, chuckling when his gaze shot to the floor when So’lek narrowed his eyes at him.
Ri’nela, while clearly flustered over knowing where and what they had been doing the previous night. The teachings of TAP still as fresh in her mind as they were in Tamtey’s, had been overjoyed when they returned, singing their praises the entire time. When she quickly began growing used to their new dynamic, she filled the tent with stories of the moments she had realised when they had first started taking a like to each other. Tamtey hid her face in So'lek's shoulder the entire time, cheeks warm while her mate on the other hand had just fondly shook his head, rolling his eyes as Ri'nela recalled the many moments of flustered tension between them that she had witnessed.
Nesim and Minang were quick to embarrass the other Sarentu in return, recalling the night before when they had all been flustered over the thought of where So'lek and Tamtey had disappeared to. It was their turn to get embarrassed as Nesim and So'lek laughed about it while Minang offered Tamtey some tea, noticing the Sarentu woman's sheepish expression.
''It is nothing to be embarrassed about, tsamsiyu.'' She said quietly, pulling Tamtey's away from the racket that was Nesim's boisterous laughter mixed with So'lek's quiet chuckling and Rasi's snickering. The other Sarentu were pleading for them to stop talking about it. ''I do not know how mating is seen in the eyes of the sky people. But as Na'vi, it is something to celebrate. Something to be proud of.'' She gestured to So'lek who now seemed to be trying to calm Nesim's teasing to relieve the other Sarentu of their pain. ''Show him off as he will show you off. Let the people know that you are now mates. From what I have seen, it is a pleasure like no other to show off your mate to others.'' She smirked at her. Tamtey giggled. ''So'lek has been showing you off long before now.'' She added, interuppting Tamtey's laughter.
''He has?'' She blinked.
''Still so blind.'' Minang chuckled. ''It is...tradition that once a young Na'vi has passed their clan's rites of passage, they may choose a mate but their mate must also choose them.''
''I never passed my clan's rites of passage.'' She muttered. ''I don't even know what they are.''
''No, but you I am sure you have passed them all without realising.'' The Ole'eykte hummed. ''You have travelled across the frontier, uniting the clans by sharing your story. Just like your Sarentu kin before you. You completed your iknimaya. You found your clan's totems, scattered across the land and if I remember correctly. You have connected with your ancestors through the Tarsyu, yes?''
Tamtey's mouth opened then closed again. ''...yes.'' She whispered.
''So'lek has passed his own rite of passage, as Trr'ong traditions dictate. You have passed your rite of passage, as Sarentu traditions dictate.'' She sipped her tea. ''So'lek made his intentions clear after you had passed yours. You just did not realise.'' She smiled as Tamtey's cheeks grew warm again. ''The day he arrived here, seeking allies in the war against the sky people. He sang the praises of the Sarentu. He spoke highly of you, of the Sarentu woman who saved him, who saved the Aranahe and convinced them to join the fight.''
Her tail curled around her ankles. ''He said all that?''
''Yes. It impressed my sister so much that she had to come and see for herself.'' Minang grinned at her. ''And you did not disappoint, Sarentu. Now I must return the favour and save your little clan from my sister's wrath.'' She stood up as Tamtey laughed, watching Minang pull Nesim from the tent.
''Are you alright, Ma'muntxatu?'' So'lek shuffled closer closer to her, his chest pressed against her back, his arms hooked around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder as she smiled at the name.
''Yes, Ma'So'lek.'' She hummed, turning her head to look at him when he rested his chin on her shoulder. ''You ready to go?''
''Only if you are.'' He replied, rubbing his cheek on her shoulder, making sure she stayed drenched with his scent. He had been especially clingy since their mating ritual, growing visibly anxious if she so much as took a step too far from him. Tamtey was enjoying every second of it, soaking up his affection like a txumtsä’wll while she made sure he was covered in her own scent.
The Kinglor Forest
''It is like they do not even know we are here!'' Nor called over the wind to the others. So'lek and Tamtey flew ahead of them, still bickering as their ikrans glided so close to each other, the tips of their wings brushing against each other. Behind them, the rest of the Sarentu flew in a messy line. Rasi and Nor stuck to the outside, keeping an eye out for danger.
''It would be good if you all got used to that!'' Rasi chuckled.
Teylan stared at her with wide eyes. ''Why?''
The older Sarentu shook her head. ''It is this way for many newly mated pairs. The bond is still new. Right now, they will mostly just find comfort in each other. Do not be surprised if they are a little more closed off from you all.'' The three of them stared blankly at her. ''You three will be the same way when you find your own mates.'' She chortled at their reactions. Ri'nela had Zoslu fly faster, creating some distance between them while Nor had Reyfya glide off to the side, flying on his own on the outside of the group. Teylan just looked extremely embarrassed, avoiding eye contact with her.
So'lek and Tamtey didn't even seem to notice. Their ikrans began to twirl around each other, their riders laughing as they showed off to one another.
''Is someone going to tell them that they are already mated?'' Nor called to the others, freezing when So'lek's expression turned dark as he shot him a glare before turning his attention back to his mate.
As the small clan flew back into The Boundless Range, So'lek and Tamtey didn't land at the camp yet. The disappeared into the mountains, leaving the rest of the Sarentu to land. Reyfya took the opportunity to hang from Ìley's rock, even though she would most likely be chased from it as soon as the other ikran returned to camp.
''You should really teach her to stop doing that.'' Ri'nela chuckled, climbing off of Zoslu. ''Ìley claimed that spot long before she did.''
Nor glanced back at his ikran then back to his Tsahìk. ''Reyfya can claim whatever spot she wants. Ìley does not seem bothered when Nimun does it.'' He huffed.
Ri'nela stared blankly at him, tutting before heading inside. Rasi followed her inside, chuckling as the two Sarentu men shared a look. Teylan looked away, turning his attention back to Ada as he grabbed a treat for her from the basket.
The Boundless Range, Storyteller's Stone
Ìley and Nimun sped up, twirling and spinning around each other as they soared among the floating mountains. So'lek and Tamtey yipping and laughing along with them as they climbed higher, bursting through the clouds in song of laughter and trilling.
It was colder up here, no mountains to shield them from Pandora's harsh wind.
Tamtey sighed, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the cold slamming into her face. She felt Nimun flinch under her as Ìley swerved to close. She opened her eyes and turned, met with So'lek's playful smirk, his tail swishing back and forth excitedly. Her beads in his hair rattling against each other from the wind brushing through his hair. ''What are you doing?'' She asked, voice filled with amusement.
''I am not doing anything.'' He replied. Ìley turne sharply again, almost colliding with Nimun again befoe backing away. Tamtey hissed playfully, her ikran letting out a hiss of her own.
''Stop that!.'' She snickered.
So'lek shrugged, pretending to pay attention elsewhere as his ikran done it again. Nimun snapped her jaws at Ìley, unimpressed, her frustration flowing clearly through tsaheylu which had her rider snorting. ''Stop what?'' He asked innocently, leaning forward as Ìley tucked his wings in and dived down, disappearing through the clouds.
''Stop playing dirty!'' Tamtey yelled after him as she made chase. Nimun angled herself downwards, Tamtey leaning forward in the same manner that So'lek had, going after her mate.
She was left blind for a moment, both her and her ikran soaked from the clouds before bursting out into the open air beneath them. Below her, she could see Ìley level out again and So'lek glance back up at her before Ìley slowed down and both rider and ikran waited patiently for Tamtey and Nimun to catch up again.
''I was starting to think you had gotten lost up there.'' He let out a deep chuckle. His own skin was damp from the clouds, the wind making quick work of drying him.
Tamtey scoffed, waving her hand at him. ''No! You're just a cheat.''
He gasped dramatically, making a show of clutching his chest. ''I would never cheat. You are just a sore loser.'' He repeated her words back to her, laughing when Nimun swerved to the side, coming just inches from crashing into them.
''You sound like a parrot, copying me.'' She huffed, tail flicking. So'lek paused, his brow raised as he stared at her, visibly confused.
''What is a parrot?'' She giggled at that head tilt he always done when he was confused yet curious about something. She tightened her grip on the queue harness, staring back at him with a smirk.
''Beat me back to camp and I'll tell you.'' She said smugly before Nimun turned sharply, soaring quickly back to camp. The woven platform was just barely visible ahead of them.
So'lek huffed, urging Ìley to chase after them. ''Why must she always cheat, Ìley?''
The Boundless Range, So'lek's Camp
Reyfya was still clinging to Ìley's rock when they returned, pulling a chuckle from Tamtey as Nimun landed on the woven platform to let her bonded dismount. So'lek was close behind, glaring at the crimson ikran as Ìley hissed at her.
So'lek took Tamtey's hand, pulling her away to a safe distance and watching as the ikrans began to fight over the spot. Reyfya didn't seem to bothered by Ìley's size or threatening presence, unbothered by his aggressive hissing and flapping wings as he stepped closer, warning her to get out of his space. It reminded Tamtey of the way So'lek and Nor seemed to be butting heads way more often, even over little things. Such as So'lek telling him to quit his snoring at night, complaining that it kept him awake when really he didn't seem too bothered about it until he heard Tamtey and Teylan complaining about it one day.
Tamtey started to notice this more and more. During his recovery time, So'lek had voiced to her how useless he felt, especially when his arm was still healing and he still walked with a limp. He was unable to go scouting with Tamtey, gathering with Rasi and Ri'nela or hunting with Tamtey and Nor. He had spent days in his camp, restless and agitated. Teylan had attempted to keep him busy, asking him to help him with his aim with the little target practice area So'lek had set up a while ago or with making new arrows. But even then, So'lek still fed useless.
It was then he started paying attention to the little things. He watched the way Ri'nela always enjoyed snacking on dried fruits and nuts after gathering, so he would always leave a bowl filled with fruits and nuts out, ready for her to eat as soon as she returned. He watched the way Teylan struggled with weaving a saddle for Ada and subtle dropped advice during dinner, pretending as if he were talking about making a new saddle and queue harness for Ìley. He noticed the way Nor preferred his meat to be cooked longer, almost to the point of burning, it was then he always offered to take over preparing the meal at night for everyone and made sure to cook any meat meant for Nor longer. He noticed the way Rasi was always up right before the sun and would occasionally join her to keep her company while they both prepared breakfast for everyone and chatted quietly.
Of course, he had already picked up on every little habit of Tamtey's. He always sensed when she was about to wake, always climbing back into the hammock with her to be there when she woke up in the morning. He would help her prepare her gear if she were heading out that day, always making her promise to stay safe. He would make sure the ikran treat basket stayed full, knowing Tamtey liked to given all the ikrans a treat whenever she returned. He would fix up any of her gear if it had been damaged, broken or just worn down over time from use. He took time to braid the feathers into her hair while she ate in the morning and would gently pull them loose at night before they would sleep. He became more openly affectionate with her after their confession, he discovered that she found playing with hair, whether it was her own or someone else's hair, helped her calm herself and relax. Which is why Tamtey was often found perched behind him, braiding his hair or just running her fingers through it while he busied himself with carving something for her or preparing a meal.
So'lek's first gift to her, after his arm healed enough for him to carve again, had been lover's bracers. Tamtey had already known their meaning, she had asked So'lek a while ago when she had wanted to know more about the Trr'ong. So when So'lek presented the bracers to her and explained their meaning again, she had burst into tears. Those tears quickly turned to laughter at his panicked expression, he placed them out of sight, telling her to just forget about it and he hadn't meant to be so bold over their new relationship. It took her moment to try explain her tears were happy tears, crying even more when he his panic visibly melted away and was replaced with a happy one. He picked the bracers back up, offering the one meant for her. Of course, it fit her perfectly and she had yet to take it off. So'lek was the same way, both of them sharing a flustered yet fond look whenever they caught sight of the other's bracer.
They had only taken the bracers off for their mating ritual and Tamtey seemed just as desperate as So'lek to get hers back on.
They left the ikrans to fight, So'lek ignoring the way Nor hissed over Ìley being aggressive to Reyfya. The mated pair headed their their shared hammock. They had weaved together a new, bigger hammock to sleep in. The space in So'lek's hammock had been cramped but both their old hammock's had been put away for safe keeping, acting as spares or if they wanted to sleep seperately at any point.
The lover's bracers had been safely stashed away with their other belongings. Tamtey reached for them both, handing So'lek his bracer while she pulled her own bracer on. She held her arm up to him with a toothy grin, watching as he copied the action with his own, smaller smile.
''You're back!'' Teylan's voice pulled their attention away from each other and to the younger Sarentu. In his hand, he appeared to be clutching a book, an excited grin on his face. ''Look what I found!'' He shoved the book in Tamtey's face, only backing away when So'lek grabbed his arm, tugging him back to give her space.
''What is it?'' So'lek hummed, ears perked forward in interest. Teylan turned the book around so Tamtey could read the front cover.
She gasped, reaching for it. ''Is that...?'' She whispered, Teylan nodded in enthusiastically. So'lek glanced between them, clearly puzzled.
Tamtey glanced at her mate, chuckling at the confused expression. ''Oh sorry, Ma'So'lek. It's Alma old book about Earth's animals. This is what she used to teach us about them when we were kids.'' She explained before her mouth fell open. ''I was looking through the Resistance's old things and I came across Alma's things. I felt really bad about going though her stuff but I do not think she would mind and I found that!''
''What is wrong?'' He asked, immediately alarmed at her expression.
Teylan blinked slowly. ''...Tamtey?''
The Sarentu woman began to quickly flip through the pages, searching. ''I can finally show you what a chicken is.'' She muttered, her eyes scanning each page quickly. Teylan stepped next to her, offering a second set of eyes to look and left So'lek to just watch them, head tilted in curiousity. 'Here!'' She yelled, making both men flinch. She turned the book around, thrusting it into So'lek's hands as she tapped the page. ''This is a chicken.''
So'lek stared so hard at the page, Tamtey feared it would bore holes through the paper. ''This...is a chicken?'' He echoed, ears flicking. The creature that he was looking at looked nothing like him. It appeared small, covered in...feathers? With a pointy mouth and tiny wings tucked into its sides. Its legs were thin, funny looking. Earth just seemed to get stranger and stranger the more he learned about it.
Tamtey and Teylan shared a glance, snickering quietly.
''I do not understand.'' He mumbled, finally looking back at them. ''You called me a chicken. I do not look like this.'' He said blankly, prompting them to burst out into a fit of laughter. ''This...creature is small and funny looking. It appears to have wings, can it fly like an ikran?'' He looked back down at the picture, ignoring the way Tamtey and Teylan's laughter grew louder.
Rasi appeared next to him, clearly as perplexed as he was over what she was looking at. ''What is that?''
''It is a chicken. Tamtey said it looks like me.'' So'lek answered. Rasi stared at the picture then took a step back, looking him up and down.
''You do not look like a...chicken? To me.'' She said after a moment, Tamtey and Teylan were practically howling now, chests heaving as they struggled to breathe from laughing so hard. Ri'nela and Nor shot each other a concerned expression from where they were sharing a small bowl of fruit.
''Np, no I didn't mean you look...like one.'' She struggled to say between laughs, taking a moment to calm herself. ''It's an...expression. The sky people say it as to say you are scared of something or you're a coward.''
He blinked slowly. ''You think I'm a coward?'' He asked after a pause, watching her burst into a fit of giggles again. He and Rasi shared a look.
''I would not say you are a coward.'' The older Sarentu woman hummed, taking the book from So'lek to flip through it.
''No, you aren't a coward, Ma'yawntu.'' She breathed, grasping So'lek's shoulder to balance herself. He took her arm without a word, giving her a moment to breathe. ''You are a chicken when we race. Because you are scared that I win...because I always win.'' She smirked up at him.
He scoffed, shaking his head. ''You always win because I always go easy on you. That is why you win.''
''No, no, no, no.'' Tamtey placed a finger on his lips, shushing him. ''I always win because I'm quicker. Not because you go easy on me.'' He opened his mouth to object and was adruptly interrupted by Tamtey's loud and aggressive. ''SHUSH.''
The hammock swayed as the mated couple climbed into it, shuffling to get comfortable. In the end, they ended up in their usual sleeping position.
So'lek was sprawled on his back, Tamtey resting on top of him. He hooked one arm around her shoulders, holding her close as he gently ran his fingers through her hair, occasionally caressing her kuru. His other hand rested over hers where it lay on his chest, directly over his heart. Its steady thumping against her palm being what lulled her to sleep at night, chasing away nightmares, knowing she was safe in his arms. Her head lay against his shoulder, her breath brushing against his skin as she pressed kisses along his jaw and up the hollow of his cheek. She had thrown her leg over his, their tails intertwined.
''Tamtey?'' He muttered, eyes closed as he enjoyed the feeling of her lips against his skin.
''Hm?'' She hummed, moving her other arm which had been trapped between their bodies and slid it around the back of his neck, her fingers now running through his hair. She smiled as she felt the little tension that still remained in his shoulders finally melt away completely under her touch.
He twirled her kuru braid around his hand. It sent a wave of tingling sensations through her, completely relaxing her body against his.
''...What is a parrot?'' He mumbled sleepily.
She pressed her nose against his cheek, her shoulders shaking with quiet laughter.
''Go to sleep, Oeyä yawnetu.'' Tamtey whispered.