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Family love, angst.
For Clarkeemad2020. I had to do this in English as I don't speak Portuguese, but I hope you still like it.
~*~
"Father, look! I helped Mother with healing more wounded today, and she gave me a stone, it's smaller than the one she has on her forehead- but soon I'll be just like her!" Tsireya pointed to the gem on her forehead, eyes beaming in pride.
"That's amazing! I'm so proud of you, daughter." Tonowari hugged his youngest child. "That reminds me: Aonung, today is a very important day; you shall be taught to ride a Skimwing. You are of age. It's time to become a man." Tonowari patted Aonung's back.
"You shall make the Metkayina proud, son." Ronal nodded.
Aonung's heart raced. He had been waiting for this forever, today he would finally prove himself to the clan. To his family.
To himself.
"It's ready for you now." Tonowari guided Aonung onto the animal. "Now, hold on tight, when you're in the water, have a good position when it dives in. You got it?"
"Yes father." Aonung's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, "go." The Skimwing rode off; Aonung held on tightly as it was flying, as it was getting ready to dive, his hands were slipping, but he held his breath as the ice cold water hit his face. But it was no use; Aonung let go and swam back to the surface.
"Well, don't worry, we can keep trying. Again!" Tonowari tried to keep helping with Aonung's training.
They had been trying all day, but still, Aonung couldn't keep control of the Skimwing. It was now night. Still no progress.
"Aonung, we need to call it a day. Perhaps you're not quite ready yet." Aonung's heart broke. Tsireya could see the pain in his eyes. "We'll try again when you're fully mature."
"But father, I am, I swear. I'm mature, I can do this."
"No, you're not, now you need sleep." Tonowari walked off to his hut.
Aonung kicked a rock furiously into the water. "Agh!" Tsireya felt bad and came over to him. Aonung was sitting down, frustrated as ever.
"Hey, do you want to talk about it?" Tsireya asked.
"Oh come on, father clearly thinks I'm not ready. Unlike you, you got it with mother first try." He buried his face in his knees. "It's because you're perfect and they love you more."
"Aonung, that's not true."
"It is. I can't even train a Skimwing." Aonung was on the verge of tears.
Tsireya looked at the animal. "Have you taken time to feel it's emotions, it's breath?"
Aonung sniffed. "No. It just waves around frantically."
"Maybe try to calm it down before diving, it might help." Tsireya smiled.
"Ok. I'll try." Aonung called for the creature. It came over, a bit excited. The chief's son stroked its head slowly before bonding with it. He felt its fear, excitement, confusion. "Shhhh, its okay, I won't hurt you. Let's try it again, eh?" He hopped on the Skimwing. Everything felt easier now, he wasn't struggling onto it. The creature was still.
Aonung positioned himself. "Go." And the creature flew off with ease and precision, he was doing it, he was training it.
"Mother! Father! Aonung's training the Skimwing." Tsireya called as the parents came out. "He's doing it!"
Aonung held his breath as he dove into the water, gripping became easier. And he arose from the water in a victorious smirk. His mother cheered in delight. "He will become a mighty warrior."
"I'm so proud of you. I was wrong, you are now mature, come let's celebrate." Tonowari hugged Aonung and smiled. "My son is now a man." Aonung looked at his sister, who was only smiling at him and said to her...
