Three years.
It had been three years since their fight with the sky people.
It had been three years since they were taken in by the Metkayina clan, taught their ways and how to survive, and accepted as one of their own
It had been three years since Lo'ak, Kiri, and Tuk had to watch their older brother, their dear Neteyam, be laid to rest with the ancestors and rejoin Eywa.
It had been three years since Jake Sully finally saw his sons for who they were.
And nothing had ever been the same since.
Lo'ak, Kiri, and Tuk all continued their free-diving training, continuing to learn further about how to ride the Ilu.
Neteyiri and Ronal surprisingly grew to become close friends, bonding in a way sisters would.
And Jake Sully and Tonowari unsurprisingly grew to be good friends, Jake learning the ways of hunting and other things of the Metkayina clan.
But none of them had been the same since they lost Neteyam.
Kiri, secluded as she always had been, had become the oldest sibling, she was always underwater, connecting with the life under the sea and with the spirit tree when she wasn't under the watchful eye of her parents or siblings, and while she never snapped at her siblings, it was clear her patience with them about doing reckless things, was far less than Lo'ak especially could muster to stay at.
Tuk did not accept it quickly, for months she'd wake up each morning searching for the comfort of her older brother. Sleepily trying to find him or the small nest he used to build for her in their Marui, only to cry when she found no sign of him, and Neytiri would awaken and soothe her daughter, cooing to her as she cried with her over the loss. And even as the years had passed, and the little girl grew, there were still nights when she would attempt to find Neteyam in a sleepy haze, only to whimper at the remembrance and slowly make her way over to Lo'ak, curling into her second oldest brother's side for comfort.
That was another thing that kept the wound so fresh, whenever they would cry for him, even as the years passed and on the quiet nights when the laughter of all of the siblings had once filled their hearts came into their memories, it was as though it reopened the wound and poured salt water into it. But it only made the family miss him more.
Spider had been welcomed to the clan as one of the Sullys, though that never meant the guilt he felt ever left. The guilt he felt for his dear friend's death. But despite his guilt, he did his best to help out as much as possible, pulling more than his weight. Even when he would have to return to the Omatikaya stronghold with the other humans, his oxygen supply ran low every now and then. But he'd return every now and then to visit and let the family know how the people were doing.
Jake Sully no longer could hold someone else responsible for the guidance of his children just as he entrusted Neteyam with such a position as the oldest son. Instead, he came more protective, almost too protective. Which no one blamed him for, but for goodness sake at times Neytiri even had to get onto him for it.
But that wasn't to say Neytiri hadn't faced something similar. Instead, she hid her protectiveness by constantly being sure that her children were uninjured after their training or anything else that they would do in their daily lives without their parents, checking if they had eaten, and listening closely to any sound that they would make when they were around her. Constantly on edge and prepared to defend her children.
And Lo'ak, well he had taken it the hardest. He never once stopped blaming himself for his brother's fate. At night, he'd toss and turn, his eyes always searching for Neteyam's sleeping form, only to find his spot in the Marui empty, untouched.
And it felt so wrong.
Even as the years passed and Neteyam's things were either hidden in plain sight or even distributed to the siblings to allow them to remember him.
There were many nights when that feeling would settle, and refuse him sleep, so he'd leave. He'd go to the border of the island where the village ended, and he climb the tallest tree he could find and just sit at the top. Staring up at the stars as his bioluminescent freckles lit up in the darkness of the night.
There he would think, he'd think of all the times when he and Neteyam would do this back in the forest. When instead of letting the rambunctious teenager run off at night by himself, Neteyam would join him, scolding him all the while, but the fun they had would forever haunt the younger brother's memories.
His dear older brother's smile and joyous laugh that he had so rarely heard ever since this spirit-forsaken war had started and now indefinitely after it had ended, would forever haunt his dreams, reminding him of what he had lost.
Those nights came all too often in the past years, and while they happened less frequently as time passed, there were the few times it had been one of his siblings that found him, though Tsireya was the one to find him the most, and while she had never once questioned why he was there or even asked him to come down, she'd sit at the shoreline and wait. And a part of Lo'ak knew she knew what he thought of out here, though it was never discussed, just a silent trust between the two.
When Lo'ak would always join her, and she'd accompany him in his silence, never asking for an explanation, merely offering her presence as comfort. Which was something Lo'ak would be forever grateful for.
And when the night came that the Omaticaya clan son would tell her why he came out here, she merely placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, because she already knew. Though the trust placed in the confession only strengthened the bond that they had grown to share.
But now three years had passed.
And the wound had still not healed.
And no one could understand why.
But no one dared question Eywa's ways.
So once again, as the sun rose with Lo'ak's few hours of sleep fueling him, he and Tsireya left their spot on the shoreline and headed back to the village to blend in with the other early risers as normal.
"Where were you all night?" Came the sudden question from behind, making Lo'ak and Tsireya jump slightly as they turned to face Kiri, who held her arms crossed in front of her chest while a questioning expression painted her face in only the way an older sister could.
Which wasn't all that fair because she was only a few months older.
"We were at the beach, we wanted to look at the stars." Tsireya chimed in quickly, trying her best to cover for her boyfriend.
"Right, well dad wants to talk with all of us, come on," Kiri stated as she motioned for her brother to follow her. Lo'ak grunted in response before waving goodbye to Tsireya, following Kiri to their Marui.
Once they entered, they found Neytiri cooking breakfast with Tuk tucked closely to her side and Jake on her other side. Taking a seat in the circle, that held a gap within it. Jake turned his focus to his children.
"I need you three all on your best behavior these next three days," Jake began sternly.
"What is going on these days, dad?" Kiri questioned as she picked up the food she was given.
"This celebration is for the honoring of the spirits, of Eywa. They say it is when the spirits and Eywa are closest to us. So, we must respect their traditions." Jake explained as he looked between his children.
"We will dad." Lo'ak chimed in while Tuk and Kiri nodded to the statement.
"Good, though throughout the days, celebrations are held, so you three will be able to have fun, and the Tsahik and Olo'eyktan have said that Tsireya and Aonung will teach you about the traditions and celebrations throughout the days, apparently this celebration happens only every five years, so it is very special," Neytiri added while Tuk cheered from where she was seated next to her mother, Kiri merely nodded, not against having the Metkayina siblings help them throughout the week, though Lo'ak only groaned, not against hanging out with Tsireya, though Ao'nung and his relationship was still rocky at best.
"This celebration is very important; you all need to pull your weight and be on your best behavior. That means no fighting." Jake specified as he pointedly looked over to Lo'ak, the teenager scoffing before nodding.
"Yes, sir." Lo'ak agreed reluctantly, which only earned him a nod.
"I believe you will all have fun, try to enjoy this time," Neytiri added while Kiri and Tuk hummed in agreement, and while Lo'ak wanted to agree, he'd prefer it if he didn't have to hang out with Ao'nung so much. Their relationship wasn't terrible, definitely better than what it had been, especially since he was dating Tsireya.
After eating their meal, Lo'ak followed after the girls as they all headed to the docks where they normally met up with Tsireya and Ao'nung for free diving and Ilu training.
"Good, you all are here. These three days are the days of Eywa, though we all just call it Spirit festival." Tsireya explained as she pulled herself out of the water to sit on the dock next to the siblings, Rotxo following after her though Ao'nung merely stayed in the water.
"Spirit festival?" Kiri questioned while the other girl nodded.
"Yes, they say that this time of year we are the closest to Eywa as possible, which means we are even closer to the spirits," Tsireya explained passionately.
"So, what do we have to do these three days?" Lo'ak asked.
"Every night we hold celebrations for the spirits, honoring them and Eywa. And on the final night, we all go to the cove of the ancestors." Ao'nung chimed in while Tsireya nodded to her brother's explanation.
"This sounds like fun!" Tuk giggled while Tsireya nodded happily as she clapped her hands.
"Each night has a different meaning. The first night, tonight is about life. The second is about death. And the final night is about rebirth. Each night stories and songs are told and sung throughout the night to honor the cycle of life." Tsireya continued to explain, gesturing with her hands as she talked.
"Is there anything we can do?" Lo'ak asked, only to hear Ao'nung scoff as he pulled himself out of the water and sat next to his sister on the dock.
"All you can do is not mess things up, this festival only comes every five years, so this is the first for a lot of little ones, including Notevi," Ao'nung stated, referencing his baby sister while Lo'ak glared at him. Only for Tsireya to push herself further between her brother and boyfriend.
"Yeah! There's not much you have to do except show up! So, don't worry about anything." Rotxo smiled, while Tsireya shot her brother a scolding glare before turning back to the Sully siblings and smiling.
"It starts each night near sundown, and it goes until later into the night, though most little ones end up going to bed a little earlier before it ends," Tsireya added, chuckling when she heard Tuk groan.
"Well, I'm not going to bed early! I'm not little anymore." The girl stated, though Kiri and Lo'ak only chuckled amongst themselves, knowing full well that it'd be one of them to bring her back to their home after she inevitably falls asleep at the festival from staying up late.
"Right, well when you pass out on the beach and get sand in your mouth, don't expect me to help you." Lo'ak teased while Tuk glared at her older brother, kicking his ankle while the teen only laughed.
"Since it doesn't start for a while, we can all go swim near the reefs, maybe find some shells to make into necklaces to wear to the festival!" Tsireya offered while Tuk immediately diverted her attention and nodded vigorously, Lo'ak laughing at the enthusiasm, nodding in agreement as well.
"I'll join you guys in a little while; I have something to do," Kiri stated as she stood from the dock, the boys and Tsireya only waved her goodbye, though Aonung watched her skeptically as she left.
"Are you going to join us, brother? Or are you going to be a grump?" Tsireya questioned teasingly, shoving her older brother's shoulder slightly, though Ao'nung didn't pay her much mind as he stood.
"I have more important duties to do, I'll see you later," Ao'nung stated as he headed off, ignoring the boo of protest he got from Tsireya and Rotxo.
Quickly Ao'nung found Kiri walking through the village, heading toward the Ilus resting area. Watching from a distance, he inspected skeptically as she whistled for an Ilu, petting the creature's snout gently before mounting the animal and taking off.
Ao'nung called his skimwing and followed after the girl. Only to realize where she was heading. The Cove of the Ancestors, or the Spirit Tree. Following slowly behind her, he pulled closer to her as they entered the cove of the ancestors. "Oi! I thought you weren't supposed to come here alone?" Ao'nung called while Kiri jumped as she turned to face the Metkayina.
"Did you follow me?" Kiri shouted, her ears twitching in annoyance while the man shrugged.
"You've been sneaking off here recently, I wanted to figure out why." Ao'nung reasoned while Kiri groaned and rolled her eyes.
"I don't need you acting like my father or my brother," Kiri stated while Ao'nung huffed.
"I'm not trying to, just curious. What's got you so drawn to this place recently?" Ao'nung questioned while Kiri stayed silent for a moment, clearly thinking over her response.
"I've been hearing things, at night. Like something is calling me here. So I want to figure out what." Kiri explained while the Metkayina only shrugged.
"So, you think coming here will fix that problem?" Aonung questioned sarcastically while Kiri rolled her eyes and groaned loudly.
"No, I wanted to connect with the tree, maybe see if something is really calling me here," Kiri explained exasperatedly while Ao'nung hummed in a bored fashion.
"Last I checked, isn't it dangerous for you to do that?" The man asked while Kiri grumbled, her ears twitching in annoyance.
"That was three years ago, it hasn't happened since, and I've come here a lot since then. I want to see if my mother knows what is happening." The girl explained while Ao'nung grunted in response.
"Fine, I'll stay here then. Your father and mine would skin me if I let something happen to you." Ao'nung stated while Kiri glared at him.
"I don't need protection from you, Skxwang." Kiri hissed, though Ao'nung didn't react to the insult, merely crossing his arms where he was still seated on the skimwing.
"Either I stay, or we both leave." The man bargained unwaveringly, to which Kiri only sighed and nodded, hesitating as she allowed herself to drop off of her Ilu.
"You've been strange too. But for years now. I never got the chance to ask, but why?" Kiri questioned as she held onto the Ilu's side, wading in the water, though Ao'nung only grunted and leaned forward on his Ilu.
"It's not something I need to explain to you. I'm just keeping my word. Now hurry up before I change my mind and drag you back anyways." Ao'nung threatened while Kiri rolled her eyes before diving into the water, her previous sour mood vanishing as she gently grabbed onto the tree, she brought her queue to the roots of the tree.
And in a flash of light and the crashing feeling of sudden warmth against the cool water, she was standing in the dimly lit lab where she had first seen her mother. "Mother," Kiri called, smiling as she looked around, though as she spun around, she was suddenly in the forests again, and a gentle hand grabbed her shoulder.
"My darling daughter," Grace spoke gently as Kiri turned around, smiling wider as she hugged her mother, the woman in her avatar form, taking notice of how Kiri was much closer to the woman's height now. Though it made sense, her hair had grown, now reaching her shoulder blades why a few braids that Neytiri had insisted on rested over her shoulders.
"Mother, I need your help," Kiri stated as she held the woman's forearms. Grace merely smiled as she nodded to her daughter to continue.
"I've been hearing a calling, I believe it is Eywa, how can I speak to her, how can I know what it is that she needs from me?" Kiri asked urgently while Grace's expression turned to that of shock, letting go of her daughter as she looked over her shoulder as if she heard a silent voice speaking to her.
Kiri stared curiously, trying to hear what her mother heard. Though she could only watch as Grace's expression changed from shocked to a strange relief, smiling as she turned back to Kiri. "Not yet my love. Soon, in two days. You will hear her. She will explain everything. I promise this will be worth it." Grace reassured while Kiri tried to read her mother's expression to get a clearer understanding.
"But I've heard someone calling to me! Mother, what does it mean?" Kiri questioned once again, and once more she heard the soft calling that has haunted her for the past few nights.
But now she could hear it clearly. It was a softer voice, airy almost, yet deeper in a way that reminded her of the forest, the melody held a strange familiarity. As if she had heard it before, but she couldn't recognize it completely, it caressed her memories like an old friend, like a warm hug from someone she's missed.
"Mother..."
"Patience, that is all she asks of you now my dear. I promise it will all be worth it soon. Come back each night, and in two days. She will explain it all." Grace reassured her daughter with a final hug, though before Kiri could continue her questioning she was pulled back to her body.
Gasping underwater, she quickly closed her mouth and startled when she felt her queue disconnect from the tree as she was roughly yanked up to the surface. Once she and the one that had grabbed her breached the surface, she gasped in the air her body had been asking her for, only to look to her side and find Ao'nung dragging her back to the Ilu.
"What were you doing under there?! You were underwater for nearly 20 minutes!" The man shouted though Kiri couldn't tell if he was enraged or worried. Either way, it was a strange reaction in her opinion.
"I figured something out," Kiri stated as she ripped her arm away from the man, climbing onto her Ilu while Ao'nung grumbled something under his breath as he mounted his own Ilu.
"Whatever, let's head back," Ao'nung ordered, though Kiri didn't order her Ilu to move.
"I have to come back tonight, tomorrow, and the day after," Kiri stated while Ao'nung halted suddenly, snapping his head to look at the girl.
"The festival might I remind you?" Ao'nung huffed, his ear twitching in annoyance.
"I know! But I think that's why it's happening now! My mother told me Eywa would explain everything in two days, but we have to be ready! Something is going to happen. And I think it will be good." Kiri stated while Ao'nung groaned loudly, muttering something under his breath that Kiri swore she recognized, perhaps it was the name he muttered, but she couldn't properly hear it.
"And how do you suggest your going to sneak out each night to come back here? I doubt your parents are going to willingly let you do that." Ao'nung questioned condescendingly, though Kiri only looked down at the water where the Spirit Tree made the entire cove glow.
"I'll figure it out. But I need your help." Kiri stated while the man shouted in exasperation at her statement.
"And tell me why I should help you?!" Ao'nung shouted, his eye twitching, revealing how close he truly was to losing his cool with the younger.
"Because, if you don't I tell Tsireya that you let me come out here, connect to the tree of souls, and nearly let me drown." Kiri threatened, a shit-eating grin spreading across her face as she watched the hunter's face fall.
"You little... Fine. But we have to leave in the middle of the festivities if we leave at all. It's when no one will notice, but we would have to make each trip quick." Ao'nung huffed while Kiri smiled at the explanation.
"That'll work perfectly. But come on, don't lie. I know you're curious about all of this too." Kiri teased while the Metkayina rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"I don't care. Let's head back before our siblings come looking for us. Tsireya is probably already on her way to the hunting grounds to check if I'm there." Ao'nung ordered as he clicked his tongue and his Ilu began to head back to the village, Kiri following close behind him.
Though as the two approached the reefs, Kiri couldn't help but notice the man's gaze. It was far away, so distant that she was surprised that he could control his Ilu with such percussion. But in all honesty, that's how it has been for the past three years.
Everyone changed since that day.
Lo'ak, while he never lost his adventurous spark, dulled down, and became more hesitant. And Kiri knew it was because he knew that there was no longer an older brother to stand by his side and encourage him or yank him back when needed.
Tuk, while still happy and as cheerful as ever, became quieter, no longer cheering and singing from the rooftops as loud as she used to. And maybe it was because the one that used to cheer quietly behind her to encourage her, or the one who used to sing with her was gone.
And Kiri, well not much changed with her, at least nothing too visible. But inside, something was missing, she knew why. There was no question. The one who had helped her learn to wield her blade and encouraged her no matter how strange her ideas were, was gone. The one who was only a bit older than her and yet still acted so protectively over her and everyone he came to care for, was gone. And with him, so was a part of her.
But what Kiri had noticed over the years with the Metkayina, it had changed others as well. Ronal was kinder towards the family, Neytiri especially, they had been excepted into the clan. Tonowari helped Jake find purpose in the village, becoming a skilled hunter and diver. Tsireya obviously saw what Lo'ak was going through and stepped in at every moment to help him. And then there was Ao'nung.
Honestly, Kiri didn't truly start paying any attention to how others outside of her family had changed until the signs were so blatantly obvious that it was impossible to ignore. Which is why only now did she truly realize how different Ao'nung was since they all had first met.
He and Lo'ak still didn't get along perfectly, but he was kinder to everyone, especially the Sully family for some reason. But he was quieter, observing more so than speaking. He was always doing one of his duties, as he called them. He rarely hung out with anyone anymore, just tending to his responsibilities as future Olo'eyktan. He wasn't the same mischievous teenager that had tricked Lo'ak and picked on Kiri.
He was an adult now. He had his tattoos, he was a skilled hunter, and he had tamed his own skimwing. But even with the natural changes of his age, Kiri could see that something else had changed him, something that was strangely familiar, and yet so deeply different.
"Thank you, by the way," Kiri mumbled as she dismounted her Ilu while Ao'nung tended to his skimwing.
"For what?" The man questioned, not even turning around to face the girl.
"For helping me, and not ratting me out. And you don't have to help me, I won't say any of those things." Kiri offered, though Ao'nung only sighed as he shook his head, unlatching the saddle off of the skimwing's back.
"No, I'll still help you. Eywa knows that he'd have my skin if I let you do something like that alone..." Ao'nung chuckled quietly, his voice hardly carrying loud enough for Kiri to hear.
"Who?" The girl questioned while the small, barely there grin that had once spread the Metkayina's lips vanished instantly.
"Your father and brother obviously," Ao'nung answered quickly, though Kiri couldn't help but hum at the twinge of disbelief that swelled in her gut.
"Let's go to Tsireya and the others before they come after us both for being gone so long," Ao'nung ordered as he stepped through the water and traveled quickly on the walkways, leaving Kiri to follow after him as she wondered silently to herself.
If there truly was a reason Ao'nung was helping her.