Avatar: The Return of The Songbirds

Chapter Three - We Will Make This Work

The two arrived back home and found their family gathered in a circle in front of the entryway. "Wow look at this spread!" Pxäkngam stated with a smile.

"Thank you, where did you two run off to?" Lìyìnuk questioned.

"Dad was teaching me how to hunt better." Henilo replied sitting next to Vialo.

"Hey, I am not a chair! Move over!" Vialo hissed.

"Well it is not my fault! You are taking up half the floor! So why don't you move!" Henilo shouted in retaliation.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Vialo growled and punched Henilo's arm.

"Ouch, what was that for!" Henilo whined.

"Hey, you two stop it! Just eat and behave." Lìyìnuk ordered.

"Yes ma'am." The two replied in unison, giving each other one more dirty look before getting back to eating their dinner.

"Why are you two always arguing?" Lìyìnuk sighed, shaking her head as she sat down next to her eldest daughter.

"They have sweet moments too mom I promise." Tatal laughed.

"Well I'd love to see one!" Lìyìnuk chuckled. "My love, come sit. You must be hungry." Exclaimed, patting the floor beside her.

Pxäkngam simply nodded and sat next to his wife. The family spent that time laughing and told funny stories that the parents had missed while they were away. And with each story Pxäkngam could see his wife's point become more apparent. So many things had happened in the weeks they were away. Though to Pxäkngam those weeks merely felt like days, they had missed so much.

"Father, are you alright?" Tatal's voice brought her father out of his thoughts.

"Yes, I am alright. I was just thinking" Pxäkngam replied with a smile. His daughter didn't pry and went back to eating.

Pxäkngam watched Tatal for a moment and realized how maternal she was to her siblings. She had to be. For the past 10 years she has had to fill both parental roles due to their absence. It broke Pxäkngam's heart to see his daughter in that light. It wasn't her responsibility to mother them. But even in his sadness, he was grateful to his eldest daughter for raising them to be such amazing people.

"Alright everyone it's getting late. Let's call it a night" Lìyìnuk exclaimed with a smile. Her children all smiled in response, and helped clean up before retiring to bed for some well needed rest. Meanwhile, Lìyìnuk and Pxäkngam laid in silence, with a slight tension still hovering over them.

"I am sorry Lìyìnuk. What I said to you earlier was out of line. I had no right saying those things to you." Pxäkngam apologizes softly, turning his head to look at his wife.

"I know, we were both frustrated. I shouldn't have raised my voice. I am sorry too." She exclaimed with a gentle smile.

Pxäkngam let out a sigh of relief and pulled Lìyìnuk into a firm embrace. "I know you don't want to leave. I saw with my own eyes how much we have missed. It saddens me to see how mature and grown they all are. I didn't realize how quickly 10 years could fly by." Pxäkngam stated in a sorrowful tone. "But I am grateful."

"Grateful for what?" Lìyìnuk questioned.

"Grateful for you believing in me, believing that our home is still out there somewhere." Pxäkngam started. "And for Tatal. She raised them more than beautifully. She lost a lot, and even in that grief she was able to put that aside and love her siblings for us in our absence." He continued. "Grateful for Henilo for trying his absolute best to be the protector, and for Solko being the calm, attentive one. She makes all of them feel safe and at ease, taking some of the pressure off of Tatal's shoulders. I'm grateful to Vialo and Sakire for keeping up with Tsovey's energy. They have kept that childlike wonder that Tsovey radiates." Pxäkngam took in a sharp breath, feeling a heavy weight pressing on his chest.

"Pxäkngam?" Lìyìnuk exclaimed looking up at her husband with concern filling her eyes.

"And I am grateful for Tsovey. She keeps everyone's hope alive. She reminds me that there is still hope that they are out there somewhere, waiting for us to come home." Pxäkngam let the tears that brimmed his eyes escape. "I have to keep hope Lìyìnuk...if I let go of it I don't know if I'll be able to keep myself together." Pxäkngam confessed, sitting up and wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Pxäkngam." Lìyìnuk whispered, joining her husband's motion. She placed her hand on Pxäkngam's cheek and gently pulled his face in her direction. "We can go. I will never try to stop you, I want to find them too. And I will always be right beside you, because I will never let you go alone. We will do this together, always." Lìyìnuk exclaimed with the same calming smile as Solko.

"There it is." Pxäkngam whimpered.

"What?" Lìyìnuk chuckled.

"Solko got her smile for you." Pxäkngam replied in almost a whisper. "You have the ability of always make everything...okay." He added.

Lìyìnuk let out a hushed laugh, before bringing their foreheads together. "We will tell the kids tomorrow of our plan. We will make this work." She reassured her husband. They stayed that way for a time before lying down, and drifting off in each other's arms.