Avatar: The Return of The Songbirds

Chapter Seven - The Final Trip

Pxäkngam slowly walked through the massive flora of Pandora, thinking about how to approach his daughter. He couldn't deny that there was a part of him that felt almost nervous to tell Tatal this information; because he knew once he did it was set in stone. His search would finally come to an end. He continued aimlessly wondering through the dense forest until his ear twitched to the left, crying. He took a few more steps, finding Tatal who was sitting against a fallen tree's stump, tightly gripping her knee's to her chest and sobbing. "Tatal." He exclaims softly.

Tatal stiffened at the sound of her father's voice. "Father please, just leave me alone." Tatal cried.

Pxäkngam sighed and walked over to her, stopping once he was standing by her side. "Now how could I do that when my baby girl is crying because of me?" Pxäkngam questioned, sitting next to her.

Tatal rolled her eyes in response to her father's cheesy reasoning. "What do you want dad?" Tatal exclaimed, looking at him, frustration and pain written on her face.

Pxäkngam took in a deep breath. "I was thinking." He began. "Thinking about what you said, and you are right." Pxäkngam confessed. "Since the fall ten years ago I have been everything but a good father to the six of you." He added, laying his arm around Tatal's neck.

Tatal's breath hitch as she began to cry hard. "You are not a bad father...I didn't mean that." Tatal sobbed, allowing herself to fall into Pxäkngam's embrace.

"I have not been the father you and your siblings remember me to be, and for that I am truly sorry." Pxäkngam exclaimed, trying to soothe Tatal's pain away. "Your mother came to me after our fight and we had a well needed and long overdue conversation." Pxäkngam began, watching his daughter look up at him, cheeks stained with tears. "Your mother and I have come to an agreement that this trip." Pxäkngam paused to pull Tatal all the way back, so that he was now eye to eye with her. "This trip will be our last." Pxäkngam stated softly with a wide smile.

"What!" Tatal shouted in disbelief.

"We will be adding an extra week, just to give this last trip a good and fair final try." Pxäkngam continues. "Is that okay with you?" Pxäkngam asked.

"So a month?" Tatal asked. "You and mom will be gone for a month?" She repeated nervously.

"Yes, but we will be back quickly." Reassured her. "Tatal, I have a good feeling about this last trip." Pxäkngam exclaimed, eyes filled with an excitement Tatal hadn't seen in years.

"What do you mean?" Tatal questioned.

Pxäkngam gave his daughter a soothing smile as he gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "While we were away, we caught word that a new clan was rebuilding their village after asking the Tawkami clan if they could live within the forest right at their border. From what we were able to gather the Tawkami clan surprisingly agreed, but only because that part of the forest had been uninhabited for years." Pxäkngam paused, seeing the same excitement beginning to mirror in Tatal's eyes. "From this information...I think our clan has begun to rebuild. In the treetops." He emphasized. "But I personally want to make sure that this information is true before I force you all to move." Pxäkngam exclaimed.

Tatal wiped her eyes once more and took her father's hand. "Okay." Tatal agreed. "One month, but if what you heard is false then you stay home...for good." Tatal continued.

"You have my word. If we find nothing, we will come home and never leave again." Pxäkngam promised.

Tatal nodded. "But if...if what you heard is true!" Tatal paused, thinking about the potential that they may be able to go home. "If it is true then you'll come back and take us home." Tatal exclaimed, searching for more reassurance in her father's eyes.

"Yes, whichever outcome presents itself we will be back and we will stay together." Pxäkngam vows.

Tatal let out a sigh of pure relief and hugged her father tightly. "Thank you father." Tatal cried into his chest.

"Of course my love. I will do better for the six of you I promise." Pxäkngam swore. From that moment on he would focus on his family. Not on his need for answers.