LOVE & CONQUEST-Colonel Quaritch-

N I N E T E E N

<3




         Soft tugs pulled at Kirey'a's dark roots, her fingers dancing with few front strands into intricate braids. Bland and void of color as she had no beads to intertwine. Neytiri's hands combed through her hair, brushing away the pesky curls. The two women giggling with one another as Jake sat across from them, sharpening a spear he would later use for fishing in the pools.

        She could feel the final tug of Neytiri's grip, pinning part of her hair back with ribbon and feather. "I remember the celebration after my Uniltaron. Neytiri, you were pregnant with Tuk and glowing." The young Na'vi begins, leaning back to smile lovingly up at the woman before looking back to Toruk Makto. His ears flared out and eyes widened as he too began to recall the far away memory.

       Kirey'a releases her braid, shaking a finger at the man, "Too many ales and you and a few warriors were trying to ride the Sturmbeest!" She exclaims with laughter. The couple too erupted into a fit of chuckles, smiling widely at one another as they had been swapping stories all morning. Kirey'a only participating to hopefully distract the two from asking about her journey alongside the RDA.

        It felt nice to be laughing with them again after all this time apart. Not just since they'd been within the reef and Kirey'a in Miles's grasp, but even before that. Kirey'a had avoided the Sully family for a long time, as she had with most others unless it involved her medicinal duties. This, she had forgotten, she had neglected her family for too long.

        Suddenly, Tonowari is seen, peeking through the archway, his expression bland and solemn as his gaze moved over each of the three adults. Kirey'a glanced up to Neytiri, seeing her great smile, stunted and falling.

      Jake quickly turns toward the Olo'eyktan, his expression mirroring the mans, ears falling identically. "What's wrong?" He asks, his tone drowned with worry as he rose to his feet, stepping closer with the beads of rain bouncing from his skin.

       Though he does not speak immediately, only glancing to the two women from across, still seated. He spares them a soft nod before gesturing for Jake to step outside with him. Neytiri and Kirey'a immediately sharing worried looks before quickly scrambling to their feet. Kirey'a's hands still twisting at her last braid as she leans into Neytiri who carefully peeks around the corner.

       "Sky people." Tonowari speaks, his gaze locked onto the outer edge of the reef, rain showers cascading over the men's bodies, who stood unfazed by its presence. "They're looking for you-."

     Finally finished with the strand, Kirey'a finally drops her hands to rest against Neytiri's shoulders, the two women continuing to eavesdrop into the conversation that for some reason, did not involve them.

     "-South. They have a human boy who speaks Na'vi."

      Almost in sync, the women's breaths hitch in their throats. However, for two completely different reasons. With Neytiri's being from an honest disgust, annoyed that the boy was willingly helping them. Kirey'a felt differently, that Spider was only trying to stay alive, and knowing that he was still breathing was music to her ears, despite the circumstance.

      Jakes face falls into one of dense worry, mind drifting in the same direction as Neytiri's, only with more compassion for the boy. As he would not blame him, he was only a child with nothing to do with the past, nor the present.

       "Did they kill anybody?" Jake asks him, only not looking to the man as his vision hung low with his shoulders, slouched with a pit of failure lodged in his chest.

     "Not yet."

       By the time Neytiri had turned her head to ask Kirey'a a few questions of her own regarding the demons and the sky boy, she was no longer standing behind her. The older woman then rose from her crouched position, ears perked wide as her eyes scanned all around the hut, and yet there would be no sign of the Omatikayan.