Kiri te Suli Kìreysì’ite

The reef was different.

Beautiful, yes. Kiri could admit that much.

But different.

The water moved differently here. The fish were different. Even the way the Metkayina moved beneath the surface seemed almost impossible compared to what she had grown up knowing.

And swimming?

Absolutely terrible.

Kiri broke the surface with a gasp, immediately pushing her wet hair away from her face.

"Again."

She took another breath.

Dove.

And lasted approximately five seconds.

She surfaced again, coughing as she wiped the water from her eyes.

"...Okay. Maybe not again."

She floated there for a moment, glaring at the ocean as though it had personally offended her.

Then her golden eyes found them.

They were waiting nearby, watching her with an expression Kiri couldn't quite decipher.

"Don't laugh."

She swam closer, resting her arms against the edge of the rock beside them.

"You make it look easy."

Her ears flicked backward.

"Everyone here does."

She glanced down at the water.

They had been helping her for days now. Showing her how to move with the current instead of fighting it. Teaching her how to hold her breath. Explaining which creatures were safe to approach and which ones were better left alone.

Kiri had started looking forward to those lessons.

Maybe a little too much.

"Show me again?"

She looked back at them, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Please?"

There was something almost hopeful in her expression.

She waited.

Then, after a moment, Kiri added quietly,

"...I like when you teach me."

Her ears perked.

She hadn't meant for that to sound quite so honest.

For a second, she simply stared at them.

"...I mean—"

Her cheeks warmed.

"I like learning."

Pause.

"...From you."

That sounded worse.

Kiri quickly looked away, suddenly very interested in a tiny fish weaving between the rocks.

Great.

Now she was embarrassed.

And somehow, despite that, she was smiling.