Listen to her 🪼 Avatar: The Way Of Water

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    "Tahlani, we need to talk."

    It's quiet, my mother silently urging him to talk, but he looks back at me and clears his throat.

    Mother sighs, "Kaelani, would you please. . ." I frown, but before I can refuse, she insists with a commanding tone, "Now." I roll my eyes and leave, but I don't go after my brother and his new best friend. Instead, I sneak into the nearby tree just outside my house, watching them while they speak while hiding on my stomach.

    "I want you and your children to come back with us. It is not safe for the three of you to be here alone. It is too risky with the sky people still out there, ready to destroy anything or anyone in their way. We can keep you safe."

    I scoff along with mother, watching as she continues with her fish and leaves.

    "I think we are way past me going back, Tonowari. You banished me for protecting my son for killing one of your own. Even if it was the will of Eywa for my reasoning, I still can not and will not go back."

    Tonowari looks down to his large four fingered hands, "So he is the human child you saved. . ."

    Mother stands up, her jaw clenching. My tail involuntarily swishes side to side with my anxiety. When mother is mad, which isn't often, it's best to stay at least 10 feet away.

    "How is he na'vi? Is he an avatar?"

    She turns around to face them, "It doesn't matter how he became na'vi. He is my son, and he and my daughter are the only things I care about in this world."

    Tonowari stands, ushering my mother a bit. "What about the kids? Aonung, Tsireya, and Rotxo? Did you not once care for them as your own?"

    Mother growls at him, her fuel filling her ire, "Yeah, I did once a long time ago. But the children probably don't even remember me! The cursed freak that was outcast from the moment she stepped onto your shores!"

    "They do remember you! Aonung and Rotxo almost got themselves killed because they were trying to find you! Tsireya cried for weeks, begging us to bring you back!" Guilt tripping? Are you kidding me?!

    Mom just lets him keep going, "Every year, they wait by the barrier walls to catch a glimpse of you. Praying to Eywa that the search parties would find you before the sky people or any other clans had."

    "What search parties? Why would you look for someone that you BANISHED?!"

    "Because we were wrong!"

    I watch, ready to pounce out and start taking off heads, as his breath fans her face, both exasperated by what he had yelled back.

    "Ronal and I found out the truth. . .how you were defending that woman and yourself. How you defended your son from that man. What you did was justice and honorable. We were wrong. . .I was wrong."

    He touches her face with his equally three fingered hand, wiping away her tears. Mom hates crying. My chest tightens knowing how embarrassed she must be.

    To my absolute surprise, instead of pushing him away, she actually lets him and encourages him by leaning into his hand. My chest hurts for another reason. A. . .different reason.

    He pleads with a voice much softer than someone as large as him usually has, "Come home, please."

    Her eyes change to their lighter purple. I can't believe she's really buying this! After what they did?! A simple apology? 

    My irritation and worry only grow when Jake and Quaritch stand up to comfort her, too. Why are they even here? Why are they trying to help? They've never met her before in their entire lives, nor were they were to influence the decision of Tonowari and his Tsahik.

    When mom calms down and looks back at Tonowari, she nods, "We will go with you. But, you must promise me that no matter what happens to me or what is to come, you will protect Kaelen and Kaelani. Promise me. . ." With an agreement forming around the men, Quaritch speaks up, "We promise, darling. We will protect all of you." Jake smiles, "When we leave tomorrow, I will have to call Neytiri and Ronal to let them know what is happening."

    "Sounds good. Make sure they get the mauri ready for the three of them, close to us if possible." Tonowari nods and moves his hand from mom's face, now holding her hand.

    Mom shakes her heads, "No, please, it's fine. We will make our home ourselves. There is no need to do anything for us."

    Quaritch laughs  and oversteps personal boundaries by hugging her from the side with his arms around her shoulders, "Baby girl, you deserve anything you want. But I agree about the mauri. They can just stay in mine. I'm sure Spider won't mind having friends like Kaelen and Kaelani around. And I wouldn't mind having a cuddle buddy." As I scrunch my face in disgust, Kaelen finally comes back and also notices the very close proximity between the intruders and our mother, "What the fuck did you just say?!"

    Neteyam and Kaelen stand there, drinking jugs in their hands. Kaelen looks as angry as I feel.

    Mother moves away from the men and makes her way towards Kaelen. She takes the jugs and walks towards the fire, "We should eat before it gets cold. Where is your sister?"

    Neteyam asks, "What do you mean?" Mom explains, "She was supposed to follow after you two." She sighs, "I guess she went on her own." 

    I guess you could call it that while I stew in my anger in the tree overlooking them with the darkness to hide me and the bioluminescence the help me blend in.

    Kaelen takes her hand, "What did he mean 'cuddle buddy'? And what did he mean by a mauri?" Mother looks towards the men for help, but like you'd assume, they're of no help at all.

    She takes Kaelen upstairs, closer to my line of vision and being level with my branch now, "Kaelen, I think we should go with them. Back to Awa'atlu."

    We watch for a few moments as Kaelen looks lost in his own thoughts. Just as I thought he'd speak up to voice refusal, sensibly, he instead says while rubbing his head into the crook of her neck, "If this is what you want, then we will go. You are our mother, and I will always stay by your side. I love you, mom."

    She hugs him back, squeezing and crying, "I love you, too, my little miracle."

    I can't believe the two of them! I know that it's lonely here, but to take up such a ridiculous offer just because they told you what they thought you wanted to hear after everything that they did?! 

    Well, if they want me to come, they'll have to find me. 

    I turn and jump through the forest, finding a deep part to hide in that not even Kaelen has an easy time of finding and mom has not visited since my early journey of finding hiding spots along the island. 

    I make myself as comfortable as I can in this cramped area and curl around myself while I look up at the stars. My eyes start to sting and stomach starts to churn so I take a few steps and let out a breath before forcing myself to be. 

    I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow. . .

Hello, readers! I hope that you're liking it so far:) I wanted to ask if you guys could take just a moment to vote on this chapter and possibly leave a comment to let me know what you're thinking about this! It definitely helps:) And I'll see you guys in the next chapter✨💖