all things between || Avatar Universe

24 - Flapping Wings

The sea was anything but tranquil; its restless waves rose high, threatening to engulf Sabrina despite her secure position atop the rattan-made, stripped and woven floor. With a lingering gaze at the turbulent waters below, Sabrina pondered whether the chaos in the ocean was an ominous sign of events to come. After all, Neteyam had only just departed with the Metkayina teens in search of Lo'ak, who had vanished after Payakan. As a mere human, Sabrina found herself consumed with worry, her hands and feet offering no solace in the face of such uncertainty.

That was until Jake Sully appeared in despair with his wife Neytiri behind him, coming on the walkway. Both carried the same expression, and, had not Sabrina seen Neteyam and Lo'ak, she imagined she'd look the same — the googly, unfocused eyes, a voice rasping in the throat and the forehead creased.

If not for the sound of the waves, Sabrina would've heard the sound of the parents' hearts pounding with anxiety. They knew they needed to stay focused and rational, but their imaginations ran wild with thoughts of danger and harm that could befall their children.

"Sabrina, have you seen Lo'ak and Neteyam?" Jake asked, his voice trembling.

Two other Na'vi came alongside Jake — Sabrina did not recognise the men. They seemed young — probably warriors. Jake and Neytiri weren't kidding with their faces of fear.

Before Sabrina could reply, a movement caught the five beings' attention. Coming from the sky and almost talking down the reef's mangrove, an ikran flew, flapping its wings in anguish.

Sabrina had never seen anything like it — not even back at the Omaticaya High Camp, in the Hallelujah range, where ikran were more frequent.

She recognised the animal immediately by its colours and size. As soon as Eyktuté landed and fluttered her green leathery wings one last time, Sabrina left Jake and Neytiri behind and rushed to the animal side. Her fear of being unable to control the creature without Neteyam's assistance was unfounded, as the ikran did not resist when Sabrina approached.

Standing at its side, Sabrina gazed into the creature's massive amber eyes, aware that all gazes were upon them, even those of the Metkayina in the water, bidding farewell to their tulkuns. Despite the banshee's rarity in the region, its captivation was still surprising, given that it allowed a human girl to be so close.

As Sabrina held the ikran's gaze, she sensed an unspoken thing staying conveyed from the creature to her. It was as if the banshee was trying to communicate something urgently, a message that Sabrina could not decipher. She felt a sense of unease wash over her, and she turned to face Jake and Neytiri; both were watching her intently. At a metre away, Sabrina felt as if somehow the couple had shortened.

"Jake, something's not right," Sabrina said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Eyktuté is trying to tell us something."

Jake and Neytiri exchanged worried glances before turning back to Sabrina. "What do you mean?" Neytiri asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm not sure, but you can see that she's distressed," Sabrina replied. "It's like she's trying to warn us about something."

Before any could interject, the human girl pivoted back towards the creature. With fearless fortitude, Sabrina extended her hand towards the creature's head and tenderly stroked it. The animal winced but refrained from attacking, which Sabrina interpreted as a favourable sign. She maintained her hand in place and concentrated on the banshee's gaze.

Instantaneously, her countenance transformed — Sabrina blinked forcefully and vigorously, endeavouring to dispel the peril that had materialised in her psyche. In her mind, a solitary vision of a braided armband and a woven choker embellished with turquoise pebbles emerged, and she couldn't erase its significance from her memory.