Three days. Lia had, reluctantly, agreed with Jake to rest for three days, as he wouldn't agree to a week of rest (even though Lia thought it was best that he had a weeks worth of rest and they argued about it, but she gave in, knowing how stubborn Jake could be) especially since they were so close to becoming one of the People with the Omaticaya. During those three days, Lia and Norm helped Jake learn more of the Language while regaining his strength.
"So, this whole time I've had a Na'vi Name and you didn't tell me!?!"Jake exclaimed and Lia laughed, nodding as she grabbed her sketch book and opened it to the unfinished page of Tsu'tey's Ikran."Did you know about this?"He asked Norm, who shook his head no."Grace!?!"He added, looking over his shoulder at the redhead.
"Of course I knew."Grace, looking up from her work, said while rolling his eyes."Your Brother asked me to translate yours, Lia's and his name into Na'vi, and I did."
Jake looked back at Lia."What is my name in Na'vi."He demanded.
"Tsyeyk Suli, it roughly translates to Jacob or Jake Sully."Lia answered calmly as she wrote the name down."Mine is Marali Suli."She said, adding her name under his.
"Taikey?"
"Tssyeyk."Lia drawled out his Na'vi name."Tss-Ee-A."
"You gotta draw out the last bit of the name, like when you sing; 'heyyy', Jake."Norm tried to explain and Jake nodded in understanding or at least they hope he understood.
Jake chuckled."Ok, ok. Ts..Tsyeyk?"
Jake chuckled."Ok, ok. Ts..Tsyeyk?"
"Good! Now mine."
"Marley?"
"Maaralee."
"Mareli."
"That was close."Norm stated as Lia tsked at Jake.
"Maaralee. Maa-Ra-Lee!"
"Marale."
"It's an i, not an e, you skxawng!"Lia exclaimed, hitting him on the side of his head.
"Ow! Not you too!"Jake whined, pouting like an overgrown child while Grace, Trudy, and Norm merely laughed at his pain, showing no sympathy at all for the man.
~~~~~~
After those three days were up and Lia cleared them both to go back into their Avatars. As soon as Lia made herself known, or rather, after Jake had run off to find Neytiri, which told everyone that the Sully Siblings were back, Tsu'tey met Lia halfway at the last spiral step, looking eager.
"You look pleased about something, Tsu'tey."Lia stated, almost warily, wondering if he was going to push her beyond her limit for missing three days of training.
"Today, you will learn to sing the songs of our People."Tsu'tey told Lia, gesturing to where some Na'vi woman and children were sitting around in a circle, singing gentle melodies.
"Oh no."Lia whimpered, suddenly looking ready to run away.
"What?"Tsu'tey asked, looking at her in confusion.
"I cannot sing. I am terrible!"Lia exclaimed and backed away from Tsu'tey, who stepped closer to her."Please, uh, take me hunting instead!"Lia suddenly whirled around on the back of her heels and took off with Tsu'tey chasing after her."I would rather try to hunt then sing!"Lia cried as she ran, drawing everyone's attention to her and Tsu'tey.
"Marali, I know you can sing! Neytiri heard you singing by the river a few days ago!"Tsu'tey yelled after her as a few of the children had started giggling and laughing while the adults shook their heads, surprised to see their future Olo'eyktan running around like a child."She says you sing beautifully."
"No, she lies!"Lia yelled back over her shoulder before jumping up, grabbing a tree branch, and swung her body upwards to land on a higher branch and hissed down at Tsu'tey, who had paused as he came to stand in front of the tree and stood there, looking up at her."I won't sing!"Lia crossed her arms and sat down with her back to the bark of the tree.
"Fine then, I will go get your Sa'nok!"The on lookers who had been listening, started mumbling to each other, wondering who had adopted the Dreamwalker as their Daughter."She will make you learn."Lia's eyes widened and she moved back into a crouching position to look back down at Tsu'tey in disbelief.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Yes, I would and I will."
Lia, watched, stunned, as Tsu'tey left to go and get Mo'at, who would no doubt force her to go and learn how to sing the Na'vi songs. A few minutes later, a smug Tsu'tey came back with a stern looking Mo'at.
With her ears pinned back, Lia climbed down to stand in front of Mo'at."Sa'nok,"The on looking Na'vi's gasped at hearing the Dreamwalker call their Tsahik; Mother."please don't make me sing. I am terrible."Lia pleaded with Mo'at.
"If you are bad at singing, the others will help you become better. Go!"Mo'at said sternly, gesturing for her to join the group of women and children.
Lia went to protest, but one sharp look from Mo'at made her back down, but not without groaning in annoyance and hissing angrily at Tsu'tey, who smirked at her, as she walked past him and over to the group.
"H-hello."Lia greeted the group in a meek voice.
Lia suddenly realised that she had never actually spoken to anyone else outside of Neytiri, her parents, and Tsu'tey. Tsu'tey's other students didn't count because she had only spoken with them briefly and didn't get to know them since they had been ahead in their training to become Taronyu.
One of the Na'vi women stood up with a gentle smile."I am Ninat."The Na'vi woman introduced herself and Lia recognised her name instantly."I see you, Marali."She added, making the proper hand greeting.
Lia smiled back at her."I see you, Ninat."Lia replied, also making the hand greeting.
"Come, sit by me. I will teach you to sing our songs."Ninat said, grabbing Lia's hand in hers, dragging her over to where she had been originally sitting in the circle, causing others to move to make more room."And before evening Clan Meal begins, you will be able to sing beautifully."
Lia laughed softly."I do not believe I will be able to sing as beautifully as you do, Ninat."
~~~~~~
The next few days, Lia learned to sing ancient songs with the Na'vi women and children. Ninat told her that Neytiri was correct, she did sing wonderfully, although she had to correct some of the vows that Lia sung, but otherwise, the Ninat said that she should be proud of her voice, causing Lia to duck her head and look away bashfully at the praises Ninat was practically singing at her.
When they would take a break from practicing, Lia would sit and tell stories of her home to the children, who had seemed to attach themselves to her, and in return, they'd tell her stories that they learned from their parents of their Ancestors.
"How lucky, you all are."Lia said to the group of children, who sat around her in a circle, though one child was brave enough to sit in Lia's lap."You know so much about your Ancestors, I am jealous."Lia admitted, causing them to giggle and look at her happily, yet some also looked like they wanted to ask why she was jealous, so she answered the silent question."I know very little of my own Ancestors, yet you all have brave and strong Ancestors. You will make them proud as you grow, yes?"The children all nodded excitedly."Good."
Some of the older children, who had been standing around, suddenly gasped in shock and excitement, as they caught sight of something behind her, and started saying;"Sa'nok." over and over again happily.
Confused by why the older children were excited to see their Mothers when they knew that said Mothers weren't far from them, Lia glanced over her shoulder, only for her eyes to widen at seeing two familiar Avatars walking into Home Tree Neytiri and Jake.
"Up you get, Little One."Lia said as she helped the Na'vi girl get out of her lap."I need to speak with my Brother."She added when she saw the pout on the girl's face."I will come back though."Lia patted the girl on the head before she quickly walked over to the group."Grace, Norm?"She called out in English to the two Avatars, causing them to look at her.
"Lia!?!"They exclaimed, eyes wide at seeing Lia dressed in the Na'vi clothing.
"Look at you."Grace exclaimed as Lia came to a stop in front of them."You look stunning."Grace said as she grabbed Lia by the arms, looking her over before gasping as she caught sight of one of the necklaces around Lia's neck."You did not tell me that Mo'at personally taught you to be a Healer!"Grace playfully slapped Lia's arm and the younger Avatar giggled.
"I forgot?"
"Are you always so forgetful!?!"Lia just chuckled.
"Why are you here? How are you even here? I thought you were banned from coming back?"Lia suddenly questioned Grace
"You can thank your Brother."Grace said, jabbing her thumb at Jake.
"He was able to talk to the Tsahik about letting us into the Village."Norm said, looking around in amazement before looking back at Lia, who was smiling widely at his childlike wonder.
"That's so thoughtful, Jake."Lia said to Jake, who merely shrugged.
"We'll go and get Mo'at."Jake told them before he and Neytiri walked off to find the Tsahik.
~~~~~~
~~~Preview~~~
~~~Misunderstandings~~~
~~~~~~
"He should not be here."Tsu'tey hissed and Lia frowned."Go away."He echoed the same words he had said to Jake, in English to Norm, who backed away from him, putting his hands up in the air as if to say; I surrender.
"Tsu'tey, Norm is a friend of mine and he is with Grace, not the other Sky People."Lia said, frowning at Tsu'tey.