~~~Superstes~~~UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING

Pleasing a storm.

The night of this night was the blackest of them all. Above the tall, sturdy trees, the stars and two moons were hardly visible from the forest floor, where our only light was the blue and luminant radiance of the plants, shrubs, roots, logs and shining rivers that flowed between the woodland.

The dizziness and lethargy had disappeared for a couple hours, enough to where I could saunter down the woods without fainting.  

Fe'ya and I walked through the jungle quietly, in a comfortable silence. Ronal had just delivered her third child, a baby girl with bright green eyes. I saw her once, through the mauri, and then Fe'ya dragged me into the dense forest. We'd been walking for a while, maybe about thirty minutes when she turned around and stopped me, her eyes shining. 

It had been awkward enough following her through the brush, remembering what I'd done. All I could think about was the kiss, the small one that probably would be unimportant in a couple years. One that wouldn't matter--but I felt like it did. It felt like the most important thing to me in the world. 

"What is it?" I asked, my words failing to make a sound. Fe'ya's ears moved around, and she grinned bashfully as if she had something on her mind. She seemed distracted--but not in a bad way. Nervous, maybe? Happy? I couldn't place it. 

Without a sign or a warning, nor a confession, she stepped forward and cupped my face swiftly, kissing me on the lips. 

The sudden action was alarming at first--I blinked and held my arms out awkwardly, standing ridged. It was like electric shock--coursing through me rapidly, freezing my system and nerves. Then, slowly, I eased into the abrupt wave of affection, letting my hand slide around her cheek. 

Just as the warmth bled into me, like ink spreading on paper, she pulled away hastily, her ears pinned to her head. Her eyes flickered about the trees, and she lifted her hands to speak, this time using the Metkiyana sign language. "It had to finish it," she signed. 

"Was the last one incomplete?" I asked, feeling like I was about to tip over. My stomach was flipping, rolling, jumping like a lemur through the trees. 

"Yes," she responded, the corners of her mouth lifting in a grin. "I just had to take this chance."

I felt so cheesy right now my cheeks flushed with embarrassment, despite how much I was enjoying this moment. To be honest, I felt like an idiot. Not to mention this was so random, so out-of-the-blue, I could hardly believe it was real. "What about friends?" I pried, smiling back. 

She stepped up once more and held my hand sin hers, mumbling something I could lip-read. I understood it as it came out of her mouth, "I see you, Neteyam."

It wasn't actually dark out. It was the brightest, most illuminated night of my life.

                                                                                       ~~~

"Where are those dang kids?" I paced about the mauri, rubbing my chin. "I'm never having more kids. They don't listen--where in the world could they have run off to now? And Neteyam, of all people? He's gonna trip over a log and split his head open, with all that's happened--he can't even see straight!" 

Neytiri sat on the ground, against the wall, watching me funnily. "Calm down, Jake. He's with the girl--I'm sure he's having a wonderful time." 

I scoffed. "Yeah, I bet. They're getting a good talking to when they come home."