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tsamsiyu ta'em- healing and closure part two

Masterlist - part fourteen

Summary: Ronal and Tonowari notice a certain dynamic between Kayla and the human boy she's keeping separated from Neytiri.

Pairing: Ronal/Tonowari/Original Female Character

Tag: #tsamsiyu ta'em fic

posted on ao3

Word Count: 10k+

Warnings: canon-compliant, mature language, slow burn, polyamory, found family, cool aunt agenda, rushed, time skips, fluff, angst, major character death, child endangerment, etc.

Taglist (bold indicates "could not tag"): @motheroffae @undeniableadrenaline @mooniequeen @shit-i-say-shit-i-think @heart-an0n @amiets2 @slutforsmut4ever @yeosxxx @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @sucker4angstt @inolaphoenix @ilovechickenwings @tojisleftarm @andyfromku @ivysully @lightandshadow31

A/N: So this turned out to be a very long chapter anyway 😅 but I'm glad I split it into two parts!

Without much sleep from the night before, Makayla found herself sitting outside the marui the following morning, waiting for her brother to return. Jake had woken up and noticed she was already awake but didn't comment. Instead, he shared that he was going to speak to Tonowari and Ronal as soon as it was light enough outside. He wanted to express his deepest regret and sincerest apology to the reef clan leaders for endangering their children and their people, along with the promise to move his family elsewhere so they wouldn't draw any more attention to the Metkayina. As sunlight began to sparkle and reflect off the ocean's surface, Jake kept his word and left. Kayla had been sitting outside ever since.

Sounds of life could be heard inside the Sully marui, shuffling and quiet voices indicating that the others were slowly waking up, but Kayla didn't go back in and investigate. She remained outside, basking in whatever silence was left before the whole village awakened. Kayla listened to the quiet sounds of birds off in the distance, pinpointing small chirps from the ilu pens, and the gentle waves crashing into the sand along the beach. It was so peaceful, and for just a brief moment, Kayla allowed herself to relax.

Other Na'vi were starting to leave their homes and begin their morning chores by the time Jake came trekking down the walkways. Kayla had spotted him from a distance and quickly stood, waiting to meet him when he drew closer.

"So what happened? What did the olo'eyktan and tsahik say?"

Jake shared a small solemn gaze with her, speaking quietly so no one inside his home could hear him, "They both agree that we are Metkayina now and are allowing us to stay."

Kayla's shoulders relaxed, surprising even herself when she felt relief. Sure, she would have kept a stiff lip if she had no choice but to help her brother move his family out, but she was glad that they would get to stay. And-- a small part of her was relieved to know that Tonowari and Ronal didn't hold any ill will toward her family.

She allowed herself to take a deep breath, "So what now?"

"It's customary for a grieving family to stay secluded from the rest of the village while they mourn," Jake explained with an unnaturally soft voice, like saying it would make it real and he didn't want that, "We'll stay at home for the rest of the week and then we'll go from there. See what happens."

~~~~~~~~~

Despite being given the much-needed time to rest and be there for her family, Makayla was beginning to get a little stir-crazy.

She understood why the Na'vi believes in allowing yourself a window of grieving before returning to your normal life... but she honestly didn't feel as though she could deal with isolating oneself in their home for a whole week. Kayla was a woman of action, always on the move, never stopping. It was easy to prove herself among the Omatikaya because there was always something to do, something to keep her busy until it was time to finally force herself to rest at the end of the day. But here and now, it was nearly impossible. The Metkayina expect her and the rest of the Sullys to stay home and mourn. Maybe it was the way she was brought up in the military, but Kayla couldn't bring herself to not do... well, nothing. She needed to process death in her own way at her own time, but not like this.

A part of her envied Jake for being able to do what the Na'vi expect of him, especially when he used to be just like his sister-- always on the move. Of course, after such a long adjustment period living among the Omatikaya, he had managed to get rid of a lot of old habits, good and bad. Jake appeared relieved to be given this time to mourn, and Kayla couldn't exactly blame him. His son was taken from him, and that was a pain she knew that she could never understand. So yes, while she envied the fact Jake could stay isolated in a marui all day, she also understood her brother and how he needed time away from prying eyes so he could grieve. Neytiri and the children were no different. They did move around the home and kept themselves busy, but they never left beyond the threshold the entire week. The way they moved around each other made Kayla feel like an outsider looking in. The family moved in sync with one another, talking fluidly and like a team. She didn't have that sort of bond with them. At least, she didn't believe she did. Looking over at Spider who kept himself separate from the Sullys and sulking in the corner, Kayla could tell he more or less felt the same way.

Ao'nung, Tsireya, and Rotxo would stop by occasionally to provide the family with some food, water, and other provisions the Sullys might need during their grieving period but otherwise left them alone until they were ready to rejoin society. Apart from the reef children, Kayla and the rest of the Sullys have not seen another living face outside of each other's.

By the third day, Kayla was starting to get antsy and desperate. She needed to do something to keep her mind busy. When she finally stood up and announced she needed to visit the clan leaders, Jake was more than happy to let her go since she was driving him just as equally crazy. Off she went without any of the Sullys doing much to protest, practically running out of that marui without ever looking back. A part of her felt guilty, but at the very least, Kayla felt comfortable leaving Spider there as long as Kiri or Lo'ak would always be with him and not just Neytiri.

Once she made it to her destination, she was astonished to see both Tonowari and Ronal were home inside their marui, thinking that she might only find one or neither of them in the middle of the day. Both clan leaders were teaming up to stretch a fishing net out to try and detect any mistakes, standing far across the kelku from one another with the net stretched out between them. Making sure to make plenty of noise as she approached the home, Kayla purposely stayed right outside the entryway until both sets of eyes landed on her.

Tonowari looked pleasantly surprised to see her standing there and lifted his fingers to his forehead before lowering them toward her as a greeting, "Makayla te Suli."

Kayla does a double-take and quickly repeats the gesture, "May I come in?"

"Please," Tonowari extends his arm to direct her further into the marui, gesturing to the hearth as he and Ronal set the fishing net aside, "Sit."

"You are walking," Ronal stated the obvious as Kayla stepped inside her home, glancing down at the small limp the other woman was sporting. The tsahik held her rounded stomach in one hand and carefully sat down in the small circle her mate and Kayla had created when they also knelt down. She eyed the avatar carefully, "You should wait to do so until your foot regains full mobility."

Kayla glances down at her wrapped ankle, ears lowering in shame, "I just... wanted to thank you for allowing my family to stay here. You didn't have to, even after everything that happened, but you did."

Tonowari shakes his head and raises his hand to stop her, "Your family are Metkayina now. There's not much else they can learn, so they are free to live among us. As are you."

The avatar tilted her head, eyes widening in bafflement, "Me?"

"Yes," Ronal adds to her husband's statement, "You have learned much in your time here. You will always have a place in our village. The Way of Water gives and takes, life and death. In exchange for your loss, it has given you a home here."

Kayla's eyes fall to stare down at her lap at the reminder, staring down at her hands, "My loss..."

"Toruk Makto is your brother. His son was your nephew, was he not? You lost a nephew."

"We are very sorry for your loss."

She glances between them, a little thrown off by their sentiment. Her eyes quickly go back to staring down at her lap, "... Thank you."

Ronal must have seen something in her expression to believe that this wasn't the first time Makayla had lost someone. Despite feeling indifferent to the avatar woman, the tsahik's heart clenched painfully at the idea of someone who goes through loss just as often as one might breathe, "Is grief a friend of yours?"

She shrugged, "I'm not a stranger to it if that's what you mean."

The answer wasn't a comfort for Ronal, wincing at the thought of her own loss. She lost Ro'a at the worst time imaginable in both of their lives, ready to raise babies together. Although, there's never really a good time to lose someone you love, no matter where you are in life. Kayla didn't exactly strike Ronal as someone who had to deal with death only once before. At the mention of her nephew, Kayla only appeared to want to sink into a hole and nothing more, and it aged her face far beyond her years. "You are not with your family. Families grieve together. It usually helps."

Kayla shook her head, "I wanted to give them space. I felt like I was intruding."

"Are you not a part of their family?"

"I am." She nods, although she doesn't sound convinced herself, and the clan leaders both notice this.

Tonowari sees his mate glance over in his direction out of the corner of his eye. When he turns his head toward Ronal, she's visibly asking him a question through her eyes and he immediately understands the message she was trying to get across to him. The chieftain simply nods to her and then turns to address the Sully woman in front of him, "You are more than welcome to stay with us if you wish to grieve and live separately from Toruk Makto's family."

She pushes down the warmth that threatened to rise in her cheeks. She wasn't a teenager anymore, she could handle an adult conversation without automatically assuming any wrong intentions. Instead of assuming anything, Kayla simply shook her head, "I can't ask that of you. I'll just be keeping up space."

"Arrangements can be made for a marui of your own," Ronal quickly added as a way of further reassuring Kayla instead of scaring her off by their boldness, "You and the demon boy."

Kayla bit her tongue and chose to ignore the labeling, clearing her throat to regain her voice a little, "Thank you, but that's not necessary. I wouldn't want to burden anybody."

"You are not a burden. You are one of us now."

Yellow eyes peer up to meet the blue and green pairs already staring at her. Neither man nor woman appeared as if trying to help her was a burden, their eyes silently pleading for her to agree. She wasn't sure if they were desperate or just pitying her, and she wasn't sure which she would prefer they feel. Kayla had to admit that their offers were tempting, and the common sense in her was begging her head to see reason. The avatar briefly thought of Spider, alone among the Sullys back at the marui right now, and she thought about what could be best for him.

She swallowed as she shamefully admitted to herself that being away from Neytiri would be best for him right now, "I... I mean-- if there are any pods to spare..."

"There is. We will make the arrangements," Ronal leans over and promptly grabs Kayla's hand, stunning the avatar but unable to move underneath the stare the tsahik provided her, "For now, return to your brother and his family. Rest your foot... or I will not be pleased if I have to treat it again."

Ronal's harshness was uplifting for Kayla, a small sense of normalcy after such a daring move as to grab her hand. A part of the avatar wanted the other woman to continue acting as herself, cold and distant from strangers like Kayla... but there was a small, shameful sliver of herself that wanted the tsahik to continue holding her hand, especially after her fingers had suddenly let go.

~~~~~~~~~

Spider is quiet after Kayla informs him that the two of them will be moving into a separate marui. He doesn't appear angry or even shocked, as his eyes continuously flick over to Neytiri's direction during the whole discussion, but even Kayla felt guilty when Spider went around hugging the Sully children, softly telling them that they'll see him once their week of mourning was over. The only one who didn't comment during the whole time Kayla had packed her things was Neytiri, but while she didn't say anything, Kayla could see that she was secretly relieved to be rid of the boy. With no items or essentials to call his own, the teenager followed Kayla outside where Jake was waiting for them. Kayla's brother didn't look confident about this new living situation, but the worry could easily be chalked up to someone who didn't want his family to be too far away from him after everything they had just been through. Before parting, Jake placed a large, comforting hand on Spider's shoulder and offered him a weak smile.

"Keep her out of trouble for me, will ya?"

"Yes, sir."

The avatar and teenager make their way down the long stretches of walking paths, avoiding eye contact with any Metkayina. At least, Spider was, and he thought Kayla was doing the same since she seemed so desperate to avoid everyone when she brought him to the village the other day. However, due to Kayla walking in front of Spider, he failed to notice that anyone who was caught staring as they walked by would receive Kayla blankly staring right back long enough to the point where it would unnerve the Na'vi and force them to look away.

Spider followed Kayla toward the center of the village where there was a bigger marui waiting for them. The boy's back immediately straightens up when he sees the clan leaders of the Metkayina waiting for them just outside of the pod. Kayla approached the two with ease, not as intimated by their height and regality as Spider was.

The tsahik spoke firmly to her, lips pursed in disapproval, "You are on your foot again."

"I promise to rest once Spider and I are settled," She dipped her head to them, pressing her fingers to her forehead before lowering it in their direction and turning back around to beckon Spider over to her side, "I don't think you three have been properly introduced. Spider, this is the olo'eyktan and the tsahik of the Metkayina. Tonowari, Ronal, this is Spider."

Spider was quick to remember his manners and greeted them with a familiar hand gesture to the rim of his mask and bowing his head, "Oel ngati kameie, Ronal. Oel ngati kameie, Tonowari."

The olo'eyktan stepped up and greeted the boy the same way. Kayla felt a small bit of tension in her shoulders begin to relax when Tonowari spoke to Spider with a benign voice, "Oel ngati kameie, Spider. Welcome to our village."

The chieftain kept his expression open and calm, being friendly but professional. He spoke to Spider as he would for other teenagers, gently but with a tone of voice that didn't talk down or belittle him. Tonowari smiles warmly, eyes darting between Spider and Kayla, "Makayla te Suli speaks highly of you, as does her nieces and nephew."

Spider's posture begins to relax at the words meant to reassure him. Kayla shares the sentiment until her eyes flick over to the woman standing behind Tonowari. Yellow eyes meet green ones and suddenly Kayla is back to being on her guard. Ronal's expression was stone, impassive, and purposely closed off from any interpretation. It wasn't a very comforting sight, especially when those green eyes moved to Spider. Being the ever-observant kid that he is, Spider's relaxing posture also stiffens under Ronal's gaze.

The tsahik must have seen how uncomfortable she was making the human boy as she turned away and expected the others to follow, "Come. We will take you to your new home."

Much like how she had to keep up with Ronal when first following her around the village, Kayla noticed how Spider was struggling to do the same. While she and Tonowari followed the tsahik in perfect stride, sprained ankle be damned, Spider was beginning to fall behind. It couldn't have been a coincidence. Kayla was beginning to wonder if this was a small test Ronal bestowed on every newcomer; to see if they were capable of keeping up with someone as busy as her. Perhaps only then would she consider them worthy of staying in her village. After noticing this, Kayla slowed her walk just enough so that Spider was always a tail length behind her, confident that even with smaller legs, he would at least keep pace with her.

On and on they walk until it feels as though they have gone through the entire village. Once Ronal began to slow down, so did Tonowari, and their destination became clear. To Kayla's surprise and approval, they chose a hut for her and Spider on the edge of the village, close to the line of trees leading into the jungle of the island, coincidentally the same route Kayla often took whenever she returned to her lonesome campsite. The hut was small and quaint, meant for a single Na'vi or a family of two. Stepping inside, it was clear that the marui hadn't been lived in for a while, but not like she was going to complain. She's lived in far worse conditions. This was a luxurious hotel compared to what she was used to back home.

"What do you think?" She asks Spider once he steps inside, "Not bad for your first official marui, right?"

He shrugs, "I tried making a kelku when I was a kid once."

"Oh? Was it better than this?"

"It was until the rain came through," he huffed out in a small laugh, "Lo'ak wouldn't let me live that down for a week. I was ten."

"Well, at least you know a bit of rain isn't taking this thing anywhere," Kayla sets down her things and pats the inside wall of the pod made of woven materials, smiling in encouragement, "And until we figure out what to do about... well, everything, think of this place as a way to get away from everyone and everything, alright?"

"Sure... but why?" Spider eyed her skeptically.

"Why not? Everyone needs their space. Especially you. This is a strange place full of strange people who haven't gotten the chance to get to know you yet. I had a campsite in the jungle for a while after coming here because I didn't like the stares," and with that, her eyes began to darken and she fixed him a look of warning, a clear hidden meaning behind her words, "I just want you to have a safe place to run to for anything while you're here, okay?"

He eyed her questionably, trying to grasp her meaning and feeling cold when he easily recognized the distrust in the woman's eyes... but it wasn't directed at him. He wasn't sure if he should feel comforted or concerned by the fact that Kayla didn't trust other Na'vi around him, "Alright... Thanks." He adds quickly as an afterthought.

Turning around, she steps back out into the world where she had left behind the Metkayina clan leaders. Ronal and Tonowari were facing away from the marui, looking out over their village and only turning back around when they heard Kayla approaching, pointedly pretending as though they hadn't overheard anything.

"What do you think? Is it to your liking?"

"It's wonderful. Thank you," Kayla, fortunately, doesn't appear suspicious, "I think we'll take a page out of my brother's book and stay low for the rest of the week, to get settled in and so on."

Ronal nodded and gave off the impression that she found this acceptable. In a way, gaining the tsahik's approval was rare for Kayla and it made her feel a little lighter, despite the circumstances.

Tonowari smiles in understanding, "I will have Tsireya bring you and the boy some food that should last you until then."

"You don't have--"

And just like that, Ronal's approval is suddenly replaced with the normal, stern expression Kayla was used to seeing on her. Within a moment, Kayla caved in and cleared her throat, "Thank you. That's very kind."

Tonowari's amusement was evident, even letting out a small exhale of a laugh while glancing between the two women after witnessing their silent exchange, "Trust me, Makayla te Suli. Just do what she says from now on and you'll forever be in her good graces."

Ronal's hand moved to rest on her husband's arm and Kayla watched as the tsahik's fingers squeezed ever so slightly, just enough for the olo'eyktan's ear to flick in his mate's direction but nothing more. Clearly, it was meant to act as a warning. Kayla recalled a phrase from back on Earth, tempted to comment "Happy wife, happy life," but she didn't think that'd be very appropriate. Instead, she remains silent and allows the clan leaders to walk away. She doesn't return to her new home until after they have disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~

She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, and upon opening her eyes, she wasn't able to tell the time because it was still dark outside the marui. Kayla carefully moved around in her nivi until she was comfortable again, closing her eyes and hoping sleep would return to her, allowing herself to drift at the feeling of the hammock slowly rocking her. For a moment, she was met with blissful silence until a small injured sound filled the air. The sound that must have woken Kayla up in the first place. Her nose scrunched up before she opened her eyes again and lifted her head to look around, her ears twitching in all directions to locate the sound again.

Having night vision after a lifetime of having difficulty seeing in the dark was still an adjustment no matter how long she lived in this body. Once she wiped the sleep from her eyes, her sight cleared and everything became visible in the dark marui. She finds Spider's nivi immediately, on the other side of the pod, and to no one's surprise, it was where the small whimpers were coming from. Swiftly, Kayla got out of her hammock and purposely made her footsteps over to him louder than normal.

Spider easily woke up before she got to him, his heart hammering in his ears and breathing irregularly. He tried inhaling large gulps of air and once he got a good look at his surroundings, he curled in on himself and eyes Kayla in his peripheral vision.

Kayla steps up to the boy's nivi, whispering, "I'm sorry. You were having a nightmare. Figured you wouldn't want someone shaking you awake."

She was met with silence as the teen continued to focus on taking deep, calming breaths, his mask hissing in response. Kayla wished there was a way to calm him herself, and reached a hand out to do so, "Can I--"

Spider immediately retracts, skittish and determined to avoid her touch, avoiding eye contact. It would seem her instinct not to shake him awake was right and Kayla instantly pulled back her hand, ashamed, "Okay. I'm sorry, kiddo. Listen... whatever it is... or whatever it was, I promise I won't ask until you're ready to talk about it. But you're safe now. It won't happen again."

The same doubt from before returned to his face, and Kayla could only wish there was a way to get him to believe her.

~~~~~~~~~

Spider was less quiet than he had been as of late, but still more reserved than the boy she met when Jake first brought her to High Camp. That, and along with his nightmares, the female avatar was trying to pay closer attention to Spider to see if she could detect and hopefully help with whatever demons he had. From what she could tell so far, Spider bore the same symptoms as any old soldier in the military back home so it wasn't hard for Kayla to figure out what he'd need, but it was going to be a long, slow process. First, she needed the kid to trust her. Jake wasn't far off when he commented that Spider was like a stray cat once upon a time. In an attempt to earn his trust, Kayla was patient and made sure she included him in everything. If he accepted whatever she offered, she'd internally consider that a win.

The idea came from watching Tsireya interact with Spider. An unlikely duo, but Kayla could already see a blooming friendship between the two kind souls. The reef girl came to visit and bring Kayla and Spider some food as her parents promised, and even though she could've easily handed Kayla the basket and gone home, she didn't. Instead, she personally handed Spider the basket, gifting him a small, shy smile and a wave as if she was trying to be friendly but waiting to see if the human boy would respond positively to it. At first, Spider looked surprised that another Na'vi outside of the Sullys was even talking to him, then he looked skeptical, watching her closely and wondering if the reef girl had a motive behind her kind behavior. Then, as if remembering the trauma the two of them had been through together during the battle with the Sky People, Spider began to gently smile back and nodded in gratitude. Tsireya beamed as though she had won the lottery, at least, that's what Kayla would describe it. She highly doubts anyone on this island outside of Jake would know what a lottery was.

After Tsireya had gone home, Kayla formed a strategy in her head, a method as a means of getting Spider to trust her. Watching the chief's daughter cautiously approach Spider reminded Kayla of Jake's stray cat comment, and then she recalled what to do to gain a stray cat's trust. She gave Spider his space, she let him talk whenever he felt like and didn't force him otherwise. If he wanted to be alone, she happily gave him space and never tried to pry any time he woke from his nightmares. Even now, when she had asked him to help her properly weave an armband, she sat back and let Spider go through the familiar motions of creating such an intricate piece, sitting in silence and hoping she was creating a peaceful, comfortable space for him.

After the week of mourning was up, the Sullys began to move back out among the Metkayina again, now officially as part of the clan. One of the first things Jake and his kids decided to do once they felt well enough to leave their home was to walk through the village and visit Kayla's new hut to see how she and Spider were settling into their new surroundings. Tsireya had given Lo'ak directions on how to find the hut, and not before long, they had arrived.

Kayla was sitting just outside her marui and was intently watching the object in Spider's hands as he instructed her on how to properly weave an armband. Her ears twitched at the sound of footsteps approaching and when she looked up, her smile widened into pure glee at the sight of her nieces and nephew running over to them.

Standing up to meet the children, she held her arms out wide, "Welcome to our humble abode!"

The Sully kids quickly tackle Kayla and Spider, excited to see what their aunt's new kelku looks like. Even Spider smiled at their antics. Although it was faint, his fondness was still evident. Immediately, Lo'ak and Tuk drag Spider inside while Kiri calmly follows.

Jake steps up to the pod and lowly whistles, "Nice digs."

"Thanks," Kayla snorts while looking up at the kelku behind her, "I wasn't expecting much but this was... very generous."

"Hey. Don't sell yourself short. They know a hard worker when they see one," he pats his sister's arm until she swatted at him. It didn't bear any heat behind it, just playful sibling antics and it earned her a small chuckle out of him, "Listen-- I was wondering if you and Spider could do me a favor."

"Uh oh."

"Don't give me that. I'm thinking about taking Neytiri flying one of these nights. Once I figure it out, could I leave the kids here?"

"Of course. Just--" she fixes him a concerned look, "You guys aren't going over open water, right?"

"No, nothing like that," he waves her off while looking at the vast line of trees that welcomed him not far off from Kayla's marui, "Just around. Maybe see what that jungle has in store."

She nods with approval, "I found a waterfall while I was exploring in there once. There's a cave behind it with glowing algae."

"Really?"

"I��would tell you where to find it..." Her smile slowly spread into a smirk, "But I don't exactly want you and Neytiri sullying such a pretty spot."

"You're no fun."

~~~~~~~~~

For nearly all week, Ronal and Tonowari have been debating with one another on what to do.

They had closely watched the way Kayla protected Spider and kept him close to either the Sully children or herself whenever they were out in public. The human child had never been seen wandering the village alone and perhaps that was for the better, for his safety and the Metkayina's peace of mind. The Sully children, especially Kiri and Lo'ak, clung to him like a baby would to its mother, terrified of being parted. After Tsireya came back home the day she brought Kayla and Spider food, she talked softly and sweetly about Spider, and how he seemed shy but kind. Both of her parents silently agreed with her. Their first real interaction with Spider was much of the same, with the boy showing his respective manners and keeping to himself. He hardly looked threatening, wearing that loincloth and songcord that not even Kayla was proud enough to wear. Her words continued to ring in Ronal's ears and the tsahik had no choice but to agree with her previous statement.

Spider clearly looked as though he belonged among Na'vi. He appeared more accustomed than even Jake and Kayla combined. He was more Na'vi than the dreamwalkers that live among the Omatikaya, despite being small and pink.

He even bore painted blue stripes, making Spider more Na'vi than any Sky Person who claims to love and respect the People, and that thought only troubled Ronal more. She could see the same conflicted emotions on Tonowari's face as well, a strong olo'eyktan who had a difficult decision to make. Both clan leaders had discussed it in great detail. Over the months, they realized why teaching Kayla their ways didn't feel like a hardship, and why they often sought her out even when they didn't need help. They had talked adamantly to one another, as leaders and as mates, what this meant for them and their families. At first, neither of them wanted to say anything, let alone to each other, in case this feeling wasn't mutual. When they finally came to the conclusion that they both felt the same, Ronal and Tonowari agreed that they couldn't ignore this conflicting emotion. They needed to act on it... but as a team.

Even they had to admit that accepting the Sullys as part of the clan wasn't without a hidden motive. Yes, Toruk Makto's son lies with their ancestors now and after everything the Sully family has been through, they deserved a home and a place among the Metkayina. But neither Ronal nor Tonowari could ignore that the real, hidden reason behind allowing the Sullys to stay stemmed from the desire of wishing for Makayla te Suli to stay.

It was late into the afternoon one day when Tsireya and Ao'nung informed their parents that they were going to go see the Sully children. The clan leaders were more than happy to see them off if only to talk among themselves. They had much to discuss.

Both clan leaders talked well into the evening, sharing their thoughts and feelings on the matter. They didn't feel the need to share tsaheylu when they were already so open and honest with one another. They both have come to the agreement that if they truly wanted Kayla to become Metkayina... and get to know her more than just someone who intends to live among their people, then they would have to accept Spider as well.

The tsahik and olo'eyktan had talked for a considerable amount of hours, and when it was time for their children to return, they decided to drop the subject in exchange for searching for their offspring. Their first instinct was to go to the Sully marui only to find that no one was home. Neither Ronal nor Tonowari thought anything of it, chalking the missing children up to mean that they had gone into the jungle to explore. It wouldn't be the first time Tsireya or Rotxo wanted to show the Sully children something from their island, and Ao'nung is usually along for the ride.

Tonowari and Ronal return home and wait. When their children finally returned, Ronal was quick to interrogate them,

"Tsireya, Ao'nung. Where were you this evening?"

The girl tilted her head at her parents, confused but answering the question nonetheless, "With the Sullys, sa'nok."

Ao'nung scoffed, "Like we said."

Tonowari cleared his throat and eyed his son down for the back-talk, further explaining what his wife was trying to relay to their children, "You were not at their marui."

Realization dawned on Tsireya as she finally understood why her parents were worried and immediately explained, "We were at Makayla te Suli's. She was watching the children while their parents were away."

"Away?" Ronal echoed the word, "Where did they go?"

"Something called a 'date night?'"

~~~~~~~~~

"What is a date night?"

Kayla peered up from sharpening her knife, eyes wide like she was a deer caught in headlights, "Huh?"

Not her most intellectual response, but no one could blame her when the tsahik of the Metkayina was asking her a question that threw her for a loop. Ronal raises an eyebrow at her reply, stagnant and waiting almost impatiently for an answer. When Kayla was still too stunned to reply, Ronal huffs slightly and specifies,

"My daughter spoke of Jakesully and his mate going on a date night while you watched their children."

"Oh. That," Kayla shrugged while returning back to her work, "It's basically just time with each other without any of the kids bothering them."

"Do they not think their children are old enough to look after themselves?"

A subtle cloud shifts in Kayla's gaze, darkening her features as her mind begins to drift away, "Past events point to no. Those kids are trouble magnets, and to be honest, after everything they've been through, I wouldn't want them to have the responsibility of looking after each other. I want them to be kids just a little bit longer. They've earned it."

Ronal nodded although Kayla wasn't looking. The avatar was busying herself with testing the sharpness of her knife before digging it into a hunk of driftwood she had fetched from the pocket of her shorts. The tsahik watched her oddly for a time, only speaking up again when Kayla was starting to get frustrated with the item in her hands, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to carve this stupid--" Kayla quickly paused and cleared her throat, "This ridiculous little thing for my songcord."

"Do you have a waytelem?"

Kayla detected the genuine surprise in her voice and chose to indulge her, "A small one."

She digs a hand into one of the pockets of her shorts and pulls her interpretation of a songcord out, letting it go so it dangled from the belt loop she had tied the unfinished end through.

Ronal stared oddly at the item, "It is the size of a child's."

The avatar woman's ears lower to express her embarrassment, "Technically, I haven't finished my Rite of Passage with the Omatikaya so I'm still considered a child. The tsahik of the Omatikaya helped me get it started, but I don't really know what could be considered significant enough to add onto it."

"What is that?" One turquoise finger points to the object woven into the very end of Kayla's songcord.

"A compass. The Sky People use it to navigate. I use it to signify my past life as a marine--" she further explained when Ronal glanced back up at her with the question in her eyes, "Uh, a warrior."

"And this?" The reef woman steps closer and Kayla's skin begins to prickle in the close vicinity she and Ronal now shared. The tsahik had boldly stood directly in front of the vrrtep she once felt indifference to, or maybe she wasn't being bold but lacked personal space. Either way, Kayla was now very much aware of the heat radiating off the other woman's body, brushing the hairs on the avatar's skin. When she finally managed to register Ronal's question, she glanced down to see what else the tsahik was pointing at on her songcord.

Kayla swallowed the dryness in her throat as she answered, "A piece of gear from my brother Tommy's wristwatch. It's a... it's a device we use to tell the time of day and night."

Ronal doesn't miss the way Kayla's voice appeared to tighten when she echoed a strange name that only the Sky People would name a child and decided not to acknowledge it. Instead, she focuses on the piece of driftwood in Kayla's hand that she was trying to whittle for the waytelem.

"And what is that meant to represent?"

Kayla's eyes don't meet Ronal's as her fingers protectively wrap around the small item, muttering under her breath, "Neteyam."

Water lapping along the beach and children's laughter in the distance fills whatever silence settles between the two women. Ronal pointedly keeps her head bowed out of respect at the very mention of the young life lost to the sea, while also doing her best to respect Kayla's privacy. Internally, the alien woman was thankful for this, thankful that out of all of the things Ronal tended to pry on, this wasn't one of them. Kayla takes a moment to compose herself, inhaling a deep breath of air through her stomach, all the while staring down at the driftwood she now gently grazed with her thumb. She doesn't linger for long after that, exhaling quickly and rolling her shoulders to indicate her small moment of sadness had passed, faintly smiling up at the tsahik beside her,

"I'm trying to make a bead out of it. But cutting and smoothing it down is tougher than it looks."

Ronal straightened her own posture and quickly moved onto the topic Kayla was using as a distraction without any other thoughts, "I will help with your songcord."

"You don't have--" Quickly, she corrects herself when Ronal raises one eyebrow in defiance. Kayla simply nods, "Thank you."

Without another word of acknowledgment, Ronal bends down and fiddles with her skirt. Kayla watches curiously as the reef woman swiftly clips off a shell from her clothing without ripping the delicate, beautiful handiwork. The shell looked so tiny in the palm of Ronal's hand as she held it out to Makayla as an offering, her face impassive when Kayla glanced up for permission or reassurance. Ronal only nods once, "To resemble your acceptance into our clan."

Shock dawns over Kayla's reaction until it melts into something gentle; something sweet. Ronal forces the muscles in her face to remain expressionless as gratitude radiates off Kayla's growing smile. The avatar silently takes the shell from her, and together they kneel to the ground and get to work on perfecting Kayla's songcord, Ronal keeping an eye on the way Kayla shifted her weight around on her foot, but otherwise remaining silent. Kayla no longer had a bandage around her ankle, and she appeared not to notice any pain, so the tsahik internally deduced that the avatar was on the mend and left it at that.

For the most part, they worked in silence until Ronal would voice her opinion or instruction on how Kayla should weave the pieces together. Using the tsahik and the advice Spider had given her earlier, the Sully woman managed to perfect the wooden bead and incorporate it into the waytelem before moving on to the shell.

As she worked, she stubbornly ignored Ronal's eyes practically branding onto her skin, making themselves at home there and never once diverting their attention elsewhere. Kayla's skin prickled under the other woman's gaze, and her stomach flipped whenever her eyes glanced up and met hers. It was hard to describe how she felt about the unwavering stare Ronal must have mastered over the years, and even harder to describe how she felt with those eyes on her. Kayla knows how it feels when she's uncomfortable or intimidated... but this wasn't it. She didn't feel either of those things around Ronal, at least not anymore, so whatever she was feeling, it wasn't bad. It only bothered her that she couldn't properly explain it, not even to herself.

Once Kayla was tightening the last bit of thread around the shell and securing it into her songcord, Ronal hummed in approval, straightening her aching back when it was getting too irritated from hovering over the alien woman as she worked. Kayla looked up, beaming under the tsahik's approval before handing the waytelem over to her.

The only evidence to prove Ronal was shocked by this behavior was the small rise of her brow ridge and quick twitch in her ears. The tsahik eyed Kayla carefully with the new item in hand, looking to see if there was any distrust or plan behind this exchange. Kayla only kept still and stared back, her eyes glancing down at the songcord she had given Ronal before flicking back up to meet hers, motioning for the tsahik to inspect the item more closely. Ronal hesitantly looked away as her thumb grazed over the songcord, feeling each bead, each thread, and even the odd, alien-made objects Kayla insisted on adding. The grooves on the object Kayla had called a gear were strange but interesting. Ronal found herself continuously running her thumb over it, just to feel the divets and smoothness of the small piece of metal.

"Have you created a song to go with it?" She asked without looking up from the songcord.

"It's a work in progress. I can easily list off each bead and milestone like a story... but turning it into lyrics is difficult for me. I don't sing let alone make my own songs."

Ronal nodded and finally handed the songcord back to its owner, her stomach warm from having the honor to hold and touch the other woman's life story quite literally in her own hands. Perhaps the gesture was what pushed her boldness forward once more, opening her mouth before she could think, "Tonowari and I have been discussing and we want to offer you some peace of mind."

Kayla's eyebrows furrow, "Oh?"

"Yes. Tonight. At eclipse. We will take you to Ranteng Utralti ourselves."

"The Spirit Tree?" Kayla repeated with a small burst of suspicion, tilting her head, "... Why?"

Ronal thinks back to that tragic day when she watched the Sully family bury their child, brother, and nephew. She recalled the concern she felt when she watched Jakesully and his mate dive into the water to connect to the Spirit Tree, but Kayla hadn't followed. She remained behind with Spider and Kiri, and while Ronal didn't have the means to help the human boy and Sully girl connect with Eywa to see their departed brother and friend, Ronal hoped she could still provide Makayla some form of closure,

"You deserve the same respect as any member of your nephew's family does. You have the right to see him one last time."

~~~~~~~~~

After accepting Ronal's invitation, Kayla first went looking for Kiri, Lo'ak, and Spider. She easily spotted the three teenagers kneeling just on the edge of a rock edge, the water of the lagoon gently rising and falling beneath them as the tide came in, brushing over the rock now padded with soft, comfortable algae. As Kayla approached, she could faintly hear Lo'ak's voice over the wind, and while she couldn't make out any full sentences, she was able to understand enough to know that he was likely teaching Spider a few simple lessons about some of the aquatic life around the reef. As long as Spider was safe behind his breathing mask, he didn't need to learn how to hold his breath underwater, so Kiri and Lo'ak felt more determined to teach their friend everything else they had learned while living among the Metkayina. Already, Spider was showing signs of adapting to this new life, and it wasn't much of a surprise. Spider was clearly a good listener, intent on grasping on to any new information that fascinated him. It was an even sweeter lesson to have his best friends be his teachers so they could make up for lost time.

As Kayla drew closer, she raised her voice enough to call out to the three children, "Kiri."

All three heads perked up at her voice but only Kiri responded when Kayla had motioned her to come closer. Kiri broke away from Lo'ak and Spider, the boys' attention falling back to the water while the teenage girl approached her aunt, "Yes, Auntie?"

Kayla shyly smiled down at her, "Could you and Lo'ak do me a favor and stay with Spider in my pod tonight?"

Excitement beamed from Kiri's smile, "It sounds like fun. But where will you be?" The excitement suddenly dropped and sadness took its place, her ears lowering into her nest of wild hair, "You're not leaving yet, are you?"

Kayla paused to choose her next words carefully. She didn't want to lie to the girl, but she also didn't want Kiri to know she was going to the Spirit Tree, knowing that it would make her sad or possibly jealous-- if the teenager even felt such an emotion. She shook her head, "No, not yet. The tsahik and olo'eyktan wish to show me something."

Even Kayla could admit that it wasn't the smartest or most eloquent choice of words, and her embarrassment only grew when a small, mischievous smile dawned on Kiri's face, "Are you having a date night, too?"

"That is NOT what I said."

~~~~~~~~~

Nervous flutters began to turn in her stomach when Kayla walked down the beach that night to find Tonowari and Ronal already there, waiting for her. The beach was quiet apart from the glowing waves gently crashing into the sand, kissing the legs of the clan leaders as they stood knee-deep in the water. Kayla took a deep breath and stepped into the ocean, letting the water rise up to her as she sunk in deeper. The anticipation and dread of going to the Spirit Tree drove Kayla to pick at her nails until she had an ilu beneath her, and then she was able to distract herself by hanging on.

The tsahik and olo'eyktan lead the way upon their separate ilu, and Kayla makes sure not to fall behind. The journey was quicker than she remembered on the day they said goodbye to Neteyam, but she chalked it up to being a horrible day overall. By the time she wrapped her head around the fact that she would actually get to see Neteyam again, the three adults had already arrived at the Cove of the Ancestors, and then a small bit of fear began to fester and squeeze Kayla's heart.

Ronal and Tonowari slip off their ilu, so Kayla follows suit, slowly swimming just at the surface of the ocean, her head above water, and treading over to the Metkayina pair. Looking down, she can see her slow, kicking feet, morphed from the water and keeping her upright. Beneath her feet, however, was the beautiful, swaying, bioluminescent Spirit Tree. Ranteng Utralti.

Ronal swims up to Kayla as the avatar woman marvels at the sight below her, "Remember. Once you are connected, you will not have to worry about holding your breath. The Spirit Tree provides air as you connect with our ancestors."

"The connection can sometimes feel intense or shocking once you break away, causing you to forget the need to hold your breath," Tonowari nodded with encouragement, gently urging her forward with just his eyes, "We will watch over you if that happens."

Kayla looks between the two and nods, taking a moment to collect herself and suck in a large gulp of air before vanishing beneath the water. As she dives down to the Spirit Tree, she begins to get nervous, her heart wanting to leap up into her throat. A small bit of comfort washed over her, knowing that Ronal and Tonowari kept a vigil watch from above while she connected to a tendril of the tree. Taking her kuru braid and connecting the tswin to the nearest branch held out to her, Kayla relaxed and closed her eyes.

The moment she opened them again, she found herself sitting on the floor of High Camp, miles away from the Cove and from the Metkayina village. Confusion wrapped around her brain as she looked around, wondering what she was doing there. She was alone, watching everyone, both human and Na'vi, go about their day as normal, the cold floor of the cave bleeding into her legs. She heard shuffling just beyond her vision, and when she turned her head to look directly in front of her, the breath in her stomach clenched and burned upon the sight she found.

It was Neteyam, young and as strong as ever. The beads in his hair softly clinked together when his head moved, his cummerbund snug around his torso, and above all else... not a speck of blood on him. He sat cross-legged as she did, across from her, smiling with encouragement. He was in the middle of talking when Kayla had finally begun to focus on his voice,

"--Now, let's try a K word. Kewong."

For a moment, words had escaped her, Kayla's brain still having trouble trying to comprehend her dead nephew sitting right in front of her. When she replayed his words in her head, she realized why they sounded familiar. This was a memory, one of the first ones she shared with Neteyam when she arrived in Pandora. She remembered that he took time out of his day to mentor her one-on-one, teaching her how to speak Na'vi.

Without another thought, she responded the same way she did back then, "Ketwong."

"Mm, try again. Ketuwong." He repeats.

"Ketuwong."

"No. Listen closely. Ke-"

"Ke-"

"Wong-"

"Wong-!" Kayla stammered as she noticed something, "Wait, no, you definitely said ketuwong before."

"I did no such thing, Auntie. I said kewong."

"Kewong."

"No. Ketuwong."

She snarls, with little to no heat, "Kid, I am five seconds away from pulling your tail out of its joint socket--"

He laughed, loud and genuine, one of his hands clutching his side while using the other to wave off her frustration. Eventually, he calmed down enough to speak, "Alright, alright. You are right. I was saying both to tease you. But they both mean the same thing."

"Oh." She paused, then tilted her head, "Why do you have two words that mean the same thing?"

"I could say the same thing about your language," Neteyam smirked. Kayla stopped and took a moment to find a rebuttal, but couldn't, then made a touché motion with her shoulders. Neteyam continued to explain, "I believe Norm calls them adjectives and nouns."

"Oh."

"Yes. Ketuwong is the noun and kewong is the adjective."

"What do they mean?"

"'Alien.'"

Kayla stiffened, "Oh."

Something shifts in Neteyam's features, something Kayla hadn't noticed the first time she lived through this moment. He watched her closely, carefully, before moving on with the lesson as if trying to distract her. Perhaps she first mistook the expression for pity, but now, after getting to know her oldest nephew, Kayla could see that Neteyam felt compassion and sympathy, understanding that his aunt struggled with feeling indifferent to him and the people around him.

"Let's move on. I'll say a phrase you'll likely hear in passing. 'Ma sempul tsmuke.'"

"I recognize sempul. That's 'father', right?" She mimicked the tone of voice she made back then, fully immersed in the memory now.

"Yes. What I said can be translated to 'my father's sister.' We don't have a word for 'aunt' so that's how we would properly address or introduce you."

She shrugged while her eyes focused down at her fingers, much different from Neteyam's hand, "You could technically say 'ma sempul kewong tsmuke.'"

"'My father's alien sister?'" He translated, testing the words on his tongue before shaking his head, allowing his braids to spill over his shoulders, "That is a lot to say, and it wouldn't be truthful."

"Wouldn't it?"

"No, because you are a Suli," he firmly states with an encouraging smile, "You look different, but we share the same blood. You're no less of an alien than the rest of us. Besides, at the rate you are learning, you will be Omatikaya sooner than later, and then you will truly be one of us. You'll be less of an alien by then. The point is, how can you be alien when you are family?"

Warmth blooms in Kayla's chest, remembering this moment as the moment she first began to See her nephew and grow fond of her brother's children, whom she had once felt so estranged to. It was odd looking back and thinking how she ever felt alien to them in the first place. There were times when she had forgotten that she hadn't known these children their whole lives, but sometimes it felt like she had.

"You're wiser than you let on, did you know that?" She smiled.

"And what is the Na'vi word for 'wise', Auntie?"

"Hafyonga'."

"Good." He nods in approval, smiling back, "You are wise, too."

She hesitates, not wanting to break the script, but also wishing to say the things she wished she had said when Neteyam was still alive. This was the moment she dreaded when she realized Ronal and Tonowari wanted to bring her here, knowing she needed to do this to say goodbye.

When she opened her mouth again, the words that came out were not the ones she originally said in the memory, "... I wish there was a word for 'nephew.'"

"Why?" He tilts his head with curiosity, unaware of the change in memory and script.

"So I can say 'I love you, nephew' in Na'vi."

"Do not worry," he comforts gently, "We'll find a way. We have a lot of time to figure it out."

Even if he didn't know it, his words were such a dreadful reminder of all the time they had lost. Kayla's heart was beginning to break, tears welling up in her eyes and cutting through her cheeks, the walls she had built to keep her grief out finally caving in. Her voice remained strong, however, forcing herself to speak clear sentences to make sure her nephew heard them,

"I wish we did, 'Teyam. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"Auntie?"

"Nga yawne lu oer."

She pulls away from the memory, away from Neteyam, afraid that if she reached out to hug him, it wouldn't be the same as if he were actually alive. She couldn't put herself through that pain, knowing her brother and Neytiri would have to feel it every day for the rest of their lives. Neteyam's face vanishes, as does High Camp and the people around them. Everything shrinks until it becomes one tunnel of light, and then Kayla is back to reality, struggling for air as her tswin disconnects from the Spirit Tree.

Immediately, she panics, disoriented and trying to figure out where she is and why she can't breathe. Two arms, both ranging in different lengths and sizes, appear in her blurry vision, reaching to grab both of her own and drag her up through the water. Faintly, Kayla realized she was being led back up to the surface, and the thought of air being just out of reach made her lungs burn. Looking up, she faintly made out the shapes that were Tonowari and Ronal, and just as her head broke through the surface, she remembered where she was and who she was with, but it hardly mattered.

When she broke the surface, Kayla found herself uncontrollably sobbing, quickly reminding herself to kick and move her arms and legs to swim by herself, but otherwise kept sobbing.

Her two companions immediately swam close to inspect her, but she couldn't find it within herself to care. Both of the clan leaders were in shock by the state of the avatar woman. She was crying, tears running down her already wet cheeks, the ocean rising to gently caress her chin in comfort as she kept herself afloat just above the surface. Ronal and Tonowari watch her with concern, letting her weep as the grief finally bled out. The three stayed that way for a while, keeping themselves afloat above water, close in a circle with no sounds other than the ocean and Kayla's cries. As her sobs slowed to a stop, Kayla finally blinked and began looking around, occasionally sniffling as her bright pink-rimmed eyes scanned her surroundings. Her eyebrow hairs furrowed together, wrinkling her forehead, bottom lip trembling from the waves of emotion that just washed through her.

Tonowari noted in the back of his mind how young and innocent she looked like this... and yet she still looked as hard-ridden and stonewalled as ever. Simply put, Kayla looked miserable. She looked like someone who had seen war, death, and disease and her heart had been hardened by it. She looked like someone who kept her emotions close and private until it had suddenly become unbearable, the volcano erupting and bearing down everything she had kept bottled up inside. Tonowari spared a moment to glance over at Ronal, to which she did the same and he could clearly see through her eyes that his mate was thinking the same thing.

Once Kayla managed to catch her breath, she croaked to the clan leaders swimming in front of her, "Thank you."

Tonowari felt one of his hands twitch when the idea to reach out to Kayla struck him, but immediately stamped down the thought in exchange for equally comforting words, "Did it help?"

"I-- I think so." She stammered, reaching her hands up to wipe away the grief from her closed eyes, exhaling loudly when the cool water brought a bit of relief to her hot, puffy face.

They swim to the nearest surface to allow Kayla to rest and get a hold of herself, finding a small hill of rock and grass that had not yet evolved into one of the floating mountains hovering above their heads. Kayla looked younger once more with the way she curled her knees up to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs as her eyes watched the water beneath her, distracted and far away in her head.

"They don't have that back home," she finally said, drawing her companions to look up and patiently wait for her to continue, "On Earth... there's no way for the Sky People to reach out to our loved ones after they're gone. They're just... gone. Forever. I wanted to treat Neteyam the same way. It's just what I'm used to. I thought if I treated Neteyam as though I was never going to see him again as someone would back on Earth, it would hurt less."

Ronal's nose scrunched up, confused and affronted by the idea of life in another world, "How do you learn your history if you can not speak with your ancestors?"

"You guys record history through songcords, all the good and bad. You say nothing but the truth without leaving anything out so that the Na'vi can learn from past mistakes."

Something shifts in her eyes then, the way Kayla's glare practically burns through a spot in the water as if she was trying to evaporate it to teach the ocean a lesson. Her words are full of distaste, "The Sky People write down their history, but... sometimes, they don't write it down truthfully. The Sky People lie and sometimes purposefully erase our history, so they can just continue to form our world the way they want it and just repeat our mistakes all over again. Eventually, children stopped learning about our history in school.... and now we learn nothing except how to become one mind and machine. The Sky People don't want us to think for ourselves anymore. It makes us more compliant."

"That is horrible," Ronal hisses in horror and revulsion, "A horrible way to live."

Kayla simply scoffs, resigned to it all, "Sky People don't know how to live. They just know how to manage."

Tonowari's frown went unnoticed by the two women during their conversation, so he didn't feel the need to hide it, especially when he was in agreeance with his mate. He also felt pity for Kayla, thinking about the world she grew up in without any means of contacting your loved ones from beyond the grave. It made him wonder just how many people Kayla and Jakesully lost that they will never be able to speak to again, "Do you have anyone from your home world you wish you could talk to beyond the grave?"

Kayla didn't even appear to think about it, her hand traveling down to her songcord and gently fondling the gear she had woven into it, "Tommy. My other brother. Jake's twin."

"I wasn't aware Jakesully had a twin brother." Tonowari comments.

"He died long before Jake ever came here with the Sky People. I wish... if Tommy had to die, I wish he had gone to Eywa so that I could talk to him."

Ronal leans forward and places a hand on the other woman's shoulder, "We believe that we are all born twice."

"Yeah, I know. It just wouldn't be the same."

The comment hangs heavy with the clan leaders, struck by Kayla's words as if she had slapped them, but they didn't appear offended. They looked at her as if they were seeing something new and astonishing for the first time like someone had just told them a new story. Looking at one another, both Ronal and Tonowari realize they are both thinking the same thing. The way Kayla thinks and looks at their way of life is a way they hadn't thought of before.

Kayla didn't appear to notice the crisis going through her clan leaders' minds as she suddenly registered Ronal's hand on her shoulder. Gently brushing the tsahik off, Kayla gets up and looks to the ocean, clearly indicating the end of one conversation and the start of departure, "Thank you for this. Truly. You didn't have to, but you did."

Tonowari breaks from Ronal's gaze and nods, "We wanted to."

"We want you to feel at home here." Ronal quickly adds to her husband's sentiment.

Kayla tilts her head and squints her eyes back down at the other woman, suspicious again, "Even though I--"

"You are not of the Sky People anymore. Even if you looked like them, you think differently."

"I do look like them. I'm a dreamwalker," the avatar reminds them, "When I go to sleep and cut off my connection, I'm taken back to the body I was born in. My 'demon' body."

"And when you are back in that body, do you suddenly think differently?" Ronal asked.

"Well-- no." Kayla backtracked a little, humming when a thought crossed her mind, "Although, I do think about how hungry I am as a human compared to a Na'vi."

She smiles to herself, proud when she gets Tonowari to laugh and Ronal to pull a small smile. The tsahik continues once more, "Then you are still not of the Sky People. You may have different bodies. But you have the same heart and mind."

Kayla wanted to scoff and ask the tsahik and olo'eyktan if they wanted to tell Neytiri that in defense of Spider, but she thought wisely against it and bit her tongue, only smiling and nodding at the pair in gratitude.

Tonowari stood up next, extending an arm out to the ocean, "Let us accompany you home."

Kayla accepts and assists Tonowari with helping Ronal stand up, and then the three return to the ocean. Once on her ilu and swimming away, Kayla only spared one glance back at the Cove, refraining from waving as she parted from the Spirit Tree and from Neteyam. Looking ahead once more, she felt lighter for the first time in what felt like weeks, less worried about what the future holds, and more willing to just go where the current takes her.

A/N: Okay, so here's the deal. I preordered Frontiers of Pandora and I have it, but I haven't been able to play it in between holiday gatherings, events, and two jobs. So I thought I'd quickly update this fic and use it as an announcement. I plan on taking a short hiatus so I can play to my heart's content along with Baldur's Gate 3 since that is a game I use to connect and hang out with my friends and I'd like to hang out with them for the holidays. I hope to have more free time after the new year starts.

In the meantime, feel free to continue asking non-spoiler questions about the fic and I will be more than happy to answer!

Please keep checking my pinned post for updates/announcements and dm/inbox me for taglist or requests!

#YAAAAAAAASSSS #thank you author #tsamsiyu ta'em fic #tonowari x reader x ronal

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jeepersbxch2 · 6 months

Text

the way, 𝐨𝐧𝐞

pairing. Original Female Character (Navi)/Recom Colonel Miles Quaritch

summary. The sky people are back and Navi imposters begin to invade the lands of Pandora.

warnings. violence, cussing, idk. i’ll be more thorough if this doesn’t flop. if this doesn’t flop, beware this is quaritch redemption fic.

A silence hung in the air as two figures crouched beneath the dense shrubs, concealed in the shadows of the forest. Out in the open, a fully grown yerik stood, its skin a dark blue, patterned with white and yellow stripes. Around its sloped scalp were its retractable fan structures, with their own patterns that resembled another pair of eyes to ward off predators. With its neck gracefully arched towards the forest floor, the yerik indulged in the flora it found to snack on, unaware of the danger lurking towards it. Suddenly, the sharp crack of a branch being broken jolted its attention back to its senses.

In an instant, its head jerked upwards, its fans retracting and bursting open in full bloom, while the rest of its body froze in alertness and possible fear. Diligently, its eyes scanned the area, searching for the source behind the noise, but were only met with shrubs, unaware of the figures hidden within them. With cautious steps, the yerik regains the confidence to continue eating.

Meanwhile, still concealed amidst the foliage, those two figures had their eyes fixated on the yerik with unwavering intensity. One was armed with a bow and a quiver that was brimming with arrows, while the other stood as silent encouragement, cautiously guiding the others' every move.

In a moment of uncertainty, a pair of brown eyes met a pair of green ones, their gazes locking in an unspoken connection. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, a soft gleam emanated from the green eyes, instilling a newfound confidence within the owner of the brown eyes. With this surge of assurance, they prepared their bow.

A heavy silence settled between them. The air seemed to hold its breath, as if the world itself recognized the weight of the moment. In this intense stillness, the pair of green eyes watches their companion with a tender fondness, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of their lips. Pride blossomed within their chest as the other took a deep breath, their body aligning with precision and purpose. The brown-eyed archer exuded a quiet determination, ensuring that their posture and aim were flawless. And then, in a moment that seemed endless, the arrow was released, soaring through the air with a graceful purpose.

With a dull thump, the yerik falls to the ground, thrashing violently as it lands on its side. With only a few minutes until the adrenaline wears off until the creature can feel the pain of being pierced by the arrow, the two figures quickly make their way towards it.

In a swift motion, a young human boy with large brown eyes gently places his bow aside, reaching for a dagger that rested by his side. Kneeling beside the squirming beast, the boy speaks in a low voice, his tone gentle and genuine.

"Oel ngati kameie, ma tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi irayo."

I see you, Brother, and I thank you.

"Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea,"

Your spirit will run with Eywa.

"Tokx 'ì'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì."

While your body will remain and become part of the People.

With those words spoken, the boy takes his dagger to the creatures hidden heart and with focused determination, sinks his blade deeps into its chest. His eyes close, the words "thank you" and prayers of Eywa playing over and over again in his head as the creature finally succumbs to the darkness, it's spirit landing back into Eywa's welcoming arms.

As the creature draws it's last breath, the green-eyed observer's heart swelled with admiration, knowing that the young man had embraced his true potential in that single, decisive act.

A hand, tinted in a serene shade of blue and adorned with four fingers, gently extends itself over the boy's shoulder. He instinctively turns his head, his eyes meeting the gaze of the woman he cherished.

"You've accomplished a clean and respectful kill, my little warrior." The na'vi woman praised with a beaming smile adorning her lips, "Well done." She added, making sure her words pierced deeply into his heart, leaving no doubt about how proud she truly was.

"I see you, sa'nok." The boy expresses, his words carrying a deep sense of recognition and appreciation.

"And I see you, my son."

"Whoo!"

"Go, Monkey Boy!"

"Guys, wait up!"

The day is bright and warm, creating a comforting atmosphere for the four hyperactive children that ran along the heavy tree lines, jumping and flying through the air, effortlessly moving from one branch to the next. Making their way deeper into the forest, they remained close as they ran together and navigated the terrain. Their apparent bond showed through their adventure as they all smiled and laughed with one another. As the four of them continued on, one decided to stay behind for a bit to play with a wiggling plant.

"Tuk! Keep up!" Called Lo'ak.

"Okay, okay." Tuktirey, or Tuk, responded in an exaggerated breath.

Catching up with others, Tuk's steps fall right behind theirs again and they all traveled once more together as a group.

"Bro, why'd you bring her anyway?" Spider questions as he descended from a branch, landing skillfully on his feet.

The group naturally slows to a halt as Lo'ak goes to explain the presence of his youngest sister.

"She's such a crybaby," he complains. "She's all, 'I'm telling.' 'You're not supposed to go to the battlefield.' 'I'll tell mom if you don't let me come'" He adds, mimicking his baby sisters high-pitched voice.

"Don't pick on her," Kiri is quick to defend.

However, it seems that Tuk doesn't take Lo'ak's words to heart or is just too childish to care about her brother's teasing because all she does to retaliate is stick her tongue out at him.

With a roll of his eyes, Lo'ak begins running again, waving his arm for the others to follow, along with a "come on!"

A couple of minutes later, they come across something tangled within the branches and vines of the gathering trees.

"Oh, sick!" Spider exclaims with excitement as he gets closer to the battered aircraft.

"Are there any dead bodies up there?" Tuk's voice echoes as the two boys climb higher to investigate further.

As the three of them continue their playful exploration and examination of the human aircraft, Kiri ventures out on her own, heading deeper into the forest. She extends her arms out, relishing the feel of the different flowers and leaves caressing her skin, a smile of awe and amazement framing her lips.

Enchanted by the beautiful creations of Eywa, the presence of the others fades into the background as Kiri lies upon a patch of grass that appears to be breathing in harmony with her own. Comfortable in the embrace the grass offers, she is lulled into a trance-like state before falling into a peaceful sleep.

"Dude, your dad is gonna freak if he finds out about this," Spider playfully chides as he attempts to peek through the shattered window of the spaceship.

"What dad doesn't know won't kill him. Besides, lets not pretend your mom is any better." Lo'ak taunts back, his lips pulled up into a mischievous smirk.

Spider snorts at that remark, "At least she's cooler than your dad." He playfully jabs.

"My father is the Toruk Makto! No one is cooler than him." Lo'ak exclaims with pride, thumping a fist against his chest.

Amongst the conversation, Spider laughs, "Toruk Makto or not, my mother can still kick his ass any day of the week. And you know it too!"

Though it was very true that Spider's adoptive mother could take Jake down in a matter of seconds during combat, Lo'ak went on in his denial, whining about how it wasn't true, despite witnessing his father get his ass handed to his by his mother's cousin a numerous amount of times. Before Spider could get pulled further in by Lo'ak's antics, he veers off after noticing one of his friends missing.

Passing through the cascading plants, he stumbles upon a secluded patch of grass and nestled in the center of it lies Kiri, sleeping soundly as atokirina's from the Tree of Souls dances around her body. He quickly walks over to her, dropping to his knees at her side to shake her awake.

"Kiri, Kiri," he said her name persistently until her eyelids finally fluttered open, awakening her from sleep.

With a heavy body, she sluggishly rises and shifts her posture to meet Spider's gaze, weariness displayed across her face.

"I was doing that thing again, wasn't I?" Kiri asks solemnly, toned with self-awareness.

"Yeah, you were," Spider replies, his voice accompanied by a gentle swatting motion to push the seed that swayed around his face.

The gentle smile of Spider's face brightens the na'vi girl's spirit and for a moment, the two share a comforting silence, smiling at each other before Kiri's name is being called upon by her brother and sister.

The soft grin on Spider's face brightens the spirit of the na'vi girl. In that short moment, a comforting silence envelops them both, as they exchange smiles filled with solace. However, their tranquil few seconds are abruptly interrupted when Kiri's name is being called upon by her siblings.

"Kiri! Come on, we have to go!" Tuk exclaims urgently.

With Spider's gentle assistance, Kiri gracefully rises from the lush green grass and four of them begin their trek back home. With Lo'ak in the lead, they proceed along a sturdy tree trunk, their footsteps blending with the symphony of the forest. The rustling leaves and distant calls of wildlife surround them, creating a harmonious backdrop for their journey home. Until, Lo'ak noticed something imprinted in the mud.

Ignoring the question from his sister, he is followed by Spider to get a closer look tracks. The print resembles a foot of some kind, a two legged creature, but it was not from na'vi, as it seemed whoever left the footprints behind was wearing shoes. Humans?

"It's way to big for a human." Lo'ak informs before looking further along the path to see more footprints.

"Avatar?" Spider questions, his brown eyes swimming with concern, earning a distraught look from Lo'ak.

"Maybe, but they're for sure not ours."

With a piercing screech, the majestic ikran soared through the skies, its wings slicing through the air. The predominant hue of its skin was mostly a dark shade of green, with delicate traces of magenta and purple adorning certain areas, creating a captivating color scheme. Its eyes, on the other hand, gleamed with a mesmerizing golden hue, adding charm to its appearance.

It's rider, perched atop the creature's back, smiled contentedly while surveying her surroundings with tranquility. But her attention was pulled away from the peaceful views of her home when her name was called upon.

"Ayteya!"

The green eyes of the rider followed the sound of the voice, leading her gaze to another Na'vi woman gracefully perched atop her own ikran. A wide smile spread across the newcomer's face, mirroring the rider's joy. The connection between the two were evident as they skillfully maneuvered their ikrans around each other in a synchronized dance. Amidst the graceful movements, Ayteya called out to her cousin, her voice carrying a sense of familiarity and warmth.

"Your mate seems rather slow today, my dear cousin!" Ayteya's voice carried across the wind, laced with playful banter and affectionate teasing.

Neytiri glanced over her shoulder, ensuring the well-being of her mate, before turning her gaze back to Ayteya, a genuine smile gracing her features.

"He worries endlessly for our youngest children," Neytiri confided, her voice tinged with a mix of fondness and concern. "Despite my reassurances, he still mopes," she added, a hint of playfulness in her tone. The bond between them allowed for open conversation about their shared responsibilities and the quirks of Jake Sully.

Speaking of the mighty Toruk Makto, Jake finally catches up with his mate and cousin-in-law, wearing a slight pout on his face. "I don't mope!" he exclaimed, his voice carrying a hint of defensiveness.

Ayteya couldn't help but burst into laughter at his response. "Of course, brother!" she retorted, playfully teasing him in return.

Just as Jake was about to respond, a resounding "whoop" pierced the air, capturing everyone's attention. Suddenly, like a streak of lightning, the eldest of the Sully children soared through the sky astride his ikran. A radiant smile adorned his face, mirroring the striking resemblance of both his parents.

"So, what is this I hear about Dad moping?" Neteyam inquires with an amused expression.

Ayteya and Neytiri burst into giggles, sharing a playful moment as Jake shoots his oldest son a deadpanned look, laced with a hint of mischief.

"Better watch yourself, kid," Jake jests, joining in on the playful banter.

Undeterred by the floating mountains that encircled them, the four continued their flight, their ikrans gracefully weaving around each other in perfect harmony. With nimble maneuvers, they skillfully swerved left and right, effortlessly avoiding the colossal obstacles that loomed in their path.

As Ayteya rode on her ikran, her thoughts drifted towards her only child, who was undoubtedly with the rest of the Sully children, causing trouble. Spider was a good and respectable boy. She had no worries that he would be on his best behavior. But with Lo'ak, who knew what those two could get themselves into. Memories of when Spider and Lo'ak were young swam through Ayteya's mind, causing a heartwarming smile to appear on her lips.

Though the two of them could get into some serious trouble, Ayteya was grateful that her son had such a strong friendship, not only with Lo'ak but also with the rest of the Sully children. Just then, the thought of Jake and Neytiri entered her thoughts and a small frown catered her lips. Jake was a loyal and kind Olo'eyktan, and it was no surprise that he welcomed Spider when hearing of the boys birth that occurred before the war amongst the sky people even began. After all, Jake Sully was born human. His sympathies towards Spider helped calm Ayteya's worries if something were to happen to her.

She knew that the great Toruk Makto would watch over her son if the need arose. It was his mate, and her dear cousin, that caused her stress.

Spider was a mere newborn after the war ended, a child created by the sky peoples deity, only to be born in the arms of Eywa. Raised among the Na'vi, he embraced their ways and cherished the village as if he shared the same blood as them. Ayteya knew of Neytiri's apprehension towards their adopted son and understood her guarded nature to a certain degree. However, it left her perplexed and uncertain in certain aspects.

In the depths of her heart, Ayteya held onto a glimmer of hope that, despite her perpetual confusion, Neytiri would safeguard Spider as if he were her own flesh and blood in case something were to happen to her.

Lost in her thoughts, Ayteya failed to notice as Jake's youngest son spoke through the comms that all the Sully's were provided with.

"Devil Dog, this is Eagle Eye, over." echoed Lo'ak's voice through the small speaker.

Jake's finger instinctively pressed against the button on the collar encircling his neck, and he swiftly replied, "Eagle Eye, send your traffic."

In that moment, Neytiri clicked her tongue to grab her cousin's attention. Ayteya's gaze shifted towards Neytiri, who subtly nodded her head towards her mate. Ayteya's eyes then turned to Jake, her expression tinged with uncertainty.

"I got eyes on some guys." Ayteya could hear Lo'ak's voice crackling through the speaker. "They look like avatars, but they're in full camo and carrying ARs."

Ayteya glanced back and forth between Neytiri and Jake, the three of them exchanging indecipherable glances.

"There's six of them, over." Lo'ak finishes.

Ayteya could hear Jake asking where Lo'ak was located, but an unsettling silence hung in the air before the young boy finally responded to his father. His delay filled Ayteya with a sense of worry.

"We're at the old shack," Lo'ak informed nervously, causing Neytiri's and Ayteya's eyes to widen.

"Who's 'we'?" Jake asks sternly.

Lo'ak's voice faltered for a moment, his words hanging in the air, "Me, Spider-" The mere mention of her son sent a jolt through Ayteya's heart, causing it to momentarily freeze. "Kiri... And Tuk," he finally added, his voice filled with a mix of worry and shame.

As the name of their youngest is uttered, a flicker of uneasiness crossed Neytiri's eyes as she gasps quietly. Jakes eyes hardened as his he lowers his voice.

"Son," Jake's voice resonated with authority, "you listen to me very carefully." His words carried a sense of urgency. "You pull back right now. Do not make a sound."

The sound of Jake's instructions caused Ayteya's heart to quicken its pace. Her mind became consumed with thoughts of her beloved Spider, her precious son. Was he alright? Would he he be alright?

"You get the hell out of there." Jake's voice demanded, "Move, you copy?"

"Yes sir, moving out." Is all Lo'ak reply before cutting out.

A deafening silence hung in the air, broken only by the sudden appearance of Neteyam, who swiftly flew to the front of the group.

"Dad, I know a a quick way!" he exclaimed, his voice filled determination.

Ayteya wasted no time in following closely behind Neytiri and Jake as they soared through the air, trailing behind Neteyam. It was in this moment, as they flew in close proximity, that Ayteya became acutely aware of the approaching eclipse. The darkness loomed ominously, casting an eerie shadow over their path.

The time slipped away from Ayteya as worry consumed her and before she knew it, they reached their destination, guided by Neteyam's lead. The trio followed him to a halt, their ikrans gracefully landing on the side of a towering tree.

Ayteya swiftly patted her ikran on the side of its head, expressing her gratitude before disconnecting her tswin. Positioned at the side of her loyal companion, she reached for her bow and arrows, ensuring they were ready for use. She also made sure her daggers were securely fastened at her side, ready to be drawn if needed.

As Jake and Neytiri prepared themselves for the next move, Jake suddenly halted Neteyam from moving forward with them.

"No, no," Jake instructed firmly, his voice filled with concern. "You stay with the ikran." He emphasized, his fatherly instincts kicking in.

"But dad... I'm a warrior like you. I'm supposed to fight!" Neteyam argued, his voice filled with determination and a desire to prove himself.

"Neteyam..." Neytiri warns.

As the three continued their discussion, Ayteya stood a few feet ahead, her mind consumed by thoughts of Spider. Her heart ached with worry for her son, and her thoughts swirled with a mix of fear and determination. Despite understanding Jake's reasons for needing to have a conversation with his eldest, she couldn't help but feel that they were wasting precious time. However, just as irritation began to creep into her thoughts, Jake and Neytiri swiftly approached her.

Covering a mere half-mile on foot, they arrived at the children's location, only to find the sun had already disappeared and rain had started falling. Navigating through the dense undergrowth in the darkness, Ayteya and Neytiri inhaled the surrounding air. The unmistakable aroma of Spider's scent filled Ayteya's senses, momentarily calming her racing heart before her anxiety resurfaced. The presence of other unfamiliar scents were mixed into the air as well.

With simple hand gestures from Jake, the three all moved in different directions. While Neytiri went left and Jake went right, Ayteya moved straight ahead. Clutching her bow tightly, an arrow ready for release, she cautiously advanced, seeking refuge behind one of the many trees. Peering ahead, her gaze descended into the thick undergrowth, where she could see movement. In her line of sight and through the thicket of the rain, she spotted Tuk, her wrists bound tightly, held captive by someone that looked similar to the avatars that were allowed to to stay on Pandora.

Ayteya's heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell upon a sight that froze her in her tracks. Not far from Tuk was Kiri and Spider. Their wrists were tightly restrained and they too were being held by someone. Witnessing the Na'vi imposter's rough treatment of her son ignited a fiery rage within her.

Glancing to her left, Ayteya locked eyes with Neytiri, who offered a brief nod of acknowledgement, silently conveying their shared determination.

As Ayteya refocused her gaze on the scene below, Neytiri parted her lips, emitting a subtle yet powerful bird-like sound that resonated through the air.

Observing the flicker of recognition on the children's faces, Ayteya received a confirming nod from Neytiri. Emboldened, she parted her own lips, releasing a resonant bird-like call that echoed through the forest, blending in with the symphony of raindrops cascading around her.

In response to her call, Ayteya observed a glimmer of light in Spider's eyes. Within in him sparked hope, encouraging her to repeat her call again. She watched as Spider and Lo'ak shared a look before nodding towards each other. This was it.

Turning her gaze towards Neytiri, Ayteya found her cousin already poised with her bow, ready for action. Following her lead, Ayteya swiftly raised her own bow, her skilled eyes fixated on the imposter who held her son captive. With unwavering determination, she aimed her arrow, ready to strike with precision. She waited and waited until Neytiri finally made the first move.

Reacting swiftly, Ayteya released her arrow, watching as it soared through the air with deadly accuracy. The arrow found its mark, piercing the skull of who held Spider and Kiri against their will. As the imposter holding Tuk crumpled to the ground as well from Neytiri's arrow, the sudden turn of events unleashed chaos.

"Contact rear!" a voice growled, followed by another echoing the warning. In a swift response, the captives, armed with guns, unleashed a barrage of shots towards their assailants. The crackling sound of gunfire filled the air as Ayteya crouched down, shielding herself from the stray bullets that whizzed through the air.

"Lo'ak!" Neytiri's voice rang out, and in an instant, a dense fog-like smoke enveloped the surrounding area. The smoke billowed and swirled, obscuring the vision of their enemies and providing a shield of concealment.

With his sharp teeth, Lo'ak sank his fangs into the arms of his captor, freeing himself from their grasp. Ensuring Tuk was with him, they swiftly scampered away, seeking cover amidst the chaos. Spider and Kiri were already running away by then, and Ayteya's gaze followed them. Her heart clenched with a mix of fear and helplessness, but she steeled herself, readying her bow once more.

With a steady hand and unwavering focus, Ayteya released another arrow, watching as it found its mark, piercing the chest of another imposter. With another threat extinguished, Ayteya catches sight of Spider again, who helps guide Kiri away from the fight, ensuring her safety above all else.

'Great mother, please watch over the children.' she thinks before looking back at the fight.

In a fleeting instant, the relentless downpour of bullets comes to a halt, casting an eerie stillness upon the warring factions.

With her arrow poised, Ayteya casts a wary glance towards Neytiri, who returns her gaze with a hint of uncertainty. It's then, a voice, unfamiliar to Ayteya, speaks out.

"That you, Mrs. Sully?" The unknown male asks.

As confusion etches itself onto Ayteya's face, Neytiri's expression morphs into one of subtle horror, her features contorted by a chilling realization. The reaction of her cousin has Ayteya on edge as the male down below speaks again.

"I recognize your calling card." He says before pausing.

The next few moments are silent again, time seeming to stand still, prompting Ayteya to cautiously peer around the tree that shields her. But just as she does, the voice from before speaks again, causing her to quickly duck behind the tree.

"Why don't you come on out, Mrs. Sully." The voice taunts as he refers to Neytiri, "You and I... We've got some unfinished buisness."

Listening intently, Ayteya catches a glimpse of Spider and Kiri running farther from the fight, allowing her to lean back against the tree momentarily, carefully thanking Eywa.

Gazing back at her cousin once more, she observes the transformation of Neytiri's expression, as her face twists into a restrained fury.

"Demon!" Neytiri growls, "I will kill you as many times as I have to!" She adds, her voice dripping with venom.

The threat seems to go unnoticed, as the fake Na'vi taunts, "It seems you and the Corporal have been pretty busy, haven't you? Dropped yourself a whole litter of half-breeds."

Ayteya's attention is abruptly drawn to the sound of a branch snapping. As she turns her head, her eyes widen in horror as the barrel of a gun is aimed directly at her face. The imposter behind the weapon smirks with malicious intent, relishing in the power he holds. However, before his finger can tighten around the trigger, an arrow pierces through his chest. He crumples to the ground lifeless, but Ayteya's focus remains fixed on Neteyam, who still stands in a shooter's stance.

"Na'vi!" A voice, different from the one that was speaking, shouts. Just as Neteyam attempts to prepare another arrow, a hail of bullets comes hurtling towards them.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Jake comes charging in, swiftly pushing his son out of harm's way. He then grabs Ayteya by the arm, forcefully pulling her away from the imminent danger and the three begin to run.

"Move!" Jake yells, "Go, go, go!"

He pushes Neteyam ahead and then Ayteya as bullets spray around them. As Ayteya moves to find cover behind another tree, the other two do the same.

"You okay, boy?!" Jake asks, receiving a swift "yeah" in response from Neteyam.

Ayteya can sense Jake silently asking her the same question with his eyes, to which she nods in affirmation. He gives her a nod back before speaking to both of them.

"Okay, with me! Ready?" Jake instructs, earning a nod from the two of them.

As the barrage of bullets finally ceases, Jake swiftly emerges from his hiding spot behind the tree and retaliates with his own shots. Simultaneously, Ayteya, positioned behind her own tree, releases an arrow with precision. Another round of bullets erupted and in the midst of the chaos, Jake urgently shouts at them to move, urging them to move to safety.

They all resume running, but as Ayteya leaps over a fallen tree, a searing sensation pierces her side. The impact of a bullet jolts her body, causing her to collapse to the ground.

"Ayteya!" she hears Neteyam's desperate shout.

"Run, boy!" she manages to shout back, but Jake leaves no room for hesitation and forcefully pushes Neteyam further away. As Ayteya attempts to rise, she slips in the muddy terrain and stumbles down a steep hill. Despite the pain coursing through her side, she fights to regain her balance, eventually clutching onto a sturdy vine.

"Ayteya!" she hears her name being called once more, this time by Jake.

"Focus on the children! Keep them safe!" she yells through a strained voice, her hand firmly pressed against the spot where the bullet struck her.

With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Ayteya takes a deep, painful breath and summons every ounce of strength within her. Gripping tightly onto the vine in her hand, she musters the determination to pull herself upright, despite the searing pain that radiates through her body. Letting out a pained growl, Ayteya shakes her head vigorously from side to side, attempting to alleviate the pounding sensation in her head and regain control of her blurred vision.

Despite her swaying eyesight, Ayteya begins to move her feet, placing one carefully in front of the other. The rain pouring down adds to her challenge, but with each step, she focuses on finding her balance and establishing a steady pace, determined to keep moving forward despite the pain and disorientation.

"Ahh!" A pained shout reaches her hears and the vocal tone she is familiar with makes her breath hitch.

Frantically, Ayteya scans her surroundings, desperately calling out the name of her son, "Spider!" Her voice carries a sense of helplessness, but as black spots start to cloud her vision and the rain intensifies, her ability to see clearly diminishes.

The weight of the situation bears down on her, making her feel increasingly vulnerable and disoriented. Tears well up in Ayteya's eyes, but as she takes a step towards the direction of her son's cry, something collides with the side of her head, causing her to collapse to the ground once again.

Her vision blurs even further, but determined to keep going, she quickly sits up, despite her limbs moving sluggishly. Through the haze, she catches sight of a figure moving in front of her. It stands tall on two feet, and she senses immediately that it is not friendly. With the last bit of strength in her, she produces a menacing hiss and prepares herself for whatever danger may come her way.

"Well, ain't you a tough cookie?"

That voice.

'Mother, please watch over my son.' Is all Ayteya can think as the blurry figure comes closer. Once more, a hiss escapes her lips, yet even the sound itself wanes in strength.

"Rank up. We're taking her and the boy," the voice echoed once more, but Ayteya struggled to comprehend its words.

Numbness consumed her, rendering her unable to feel anything. Yet, amidst the void, her thoughts raced, fixating on her son's innocent smile that brought her immeasurable joy.

"My son." She whispers before falling unconscious.

A pulsating ache enveloped Spider's skull, muddling his senses. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he caught glimpses of towering trees and the ethereal night sky of Pandora swirling above him. He sensed his body being lifted, but the identity of his carrier eluded him and the exhaustion drained him of any will to care. His head limps to the side, unable to keep the strength to hold it up any longer. It's then he spots a familiar body being carried by someone, just like him

As his eyes widened, Spider's vision blurred, the world around him becoming hazy and indistinct. He could sense his eyelids growing heavy, threatening to seal shut. Yet, before succumbing to the depths of his own darkness, he summoned the last remnants of his strength to whisper a single word to the one he cherished above all else.

"Sa'nok."

I’m gonna be honest, I have no idea what I’m doing. I wrote this awhile ago cuz I wanted to write a story, but now I’m not sure. But I’m so proud of this ‘chapter’ that I didn’t want to not post it, y’know? Idk, I might continue on with this story, but I’m not sure. Your feedback and reblogs are so greatly appreciated though.

#avatar the way of water #avatar 2 #recom quaritch #recom miles quaritch #recom miles quaritch x original female character #the way #the way fic #recom quaritch x reader #miles quaritch x reader #colonel miles quaritch #colonel quaritch

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