Jake and Neytiri are arguing since they returned, catching their kids' attention. The five of them are listening behind the tent.
Tuk peeks underneath the cloth that hugs their home, trying to understand what they're fighting about. She just knows they are shouting at each other, and this is enough for her to feel the tension between them.
She stands up and runs to Tirol, hugging her leg to find some comfort.
The oldest gently hugs the youngest back, caressing her head.
"I can not. You can not ask me this." Neytiri moves nervously towards a red bag. "I will not leave my people. I will not." She declares angrily, standing up.
"He's hunting us! He is targeting our family!" Jake replies, shouting.
"You can not ask this." She repeats. "The children, everything they've ever known, the forest! This is our home!" Neytiri cries.
"He had our children; he had them right under his knife." Jake clenches his jaw. Neytiri inhales, moving to her bow. "My father gave me this bow as he lays dying. He said, protect the people. You're Toruk Makto!", she shouts, her voice cracking at the end, as she is waving the bow in front of her mate.
"This will protect the people. Quaritch has Spider and that kid knows everything. He knows our whole operation, he can lead them right in here. If the People harbor us, they will die! Do you understand?"
Neytiri sighs, putting her hand on her head in defeat. Her husband is right.
"I got nothing; I got no plan", Jake's shoulders drop slightly. "but I can protect my family, that, I can do." He steps closer to his wife, seeing her eyes moisten.
"I know one thing: wherever we go, this family is our fortress."
Tirol covers her mouth with her left hand, the other holding onto Tuk. The youngest's tears are falling on her thigh, as Kiri is in a complete shock. The brothers stay silent.
They are going to leave their home.
The place where they grown up, made memories.
The are going to leave the place they've always known, the rest of the clan, their friends, and Mo'at.
This thought hurts Tirol even more.
Kiri is going to leave her mother.
She already lost Spider. She can not lost Grace.
The siblings disperse, needing time alone to assimilate the horrible new information.
[...]
It was late at night. After Jake and Neytiri announced to their kids they will leave tomorrow when the sun will go down, and after some time of crying, Tirol can not sleep. She is just thinking about the fact that tomorrow, they will be gone of the forest. She mostly thinks about her Grandmother. She will not see her again, only after a long time. She needs to talk to her.
The teen Na'vi is walking towards the Tsahìk's tent.
"Grandma?" She calls, entering the tent to see Mo'at preparing a potion.
"Tirol, why don't you sleep?" She replies, stopping what she was doing.
"I can not."
"Sit, my child." Mo'at points to the space in front of her.
The Tsahìk caresses Tirol's cheek with her hands, noticing her puffy eyes: she cried.
The youngest leans on her slim hands as she closes her eyes, before opening them.
"I don't want to go, Grandma." Tirol says, looking straight into Mo'at's yellow eyes. "I don't wanna leave the forest. I don't wanna leave you."
Tirol could feel her eyes moisten.
"Oh, my sweet child... I know." She murmurs in a sad tone, as her eyes show anger. "I did not wanted it to happen. I actually hate that." She closes her eyes from those two feelings, before opening them. They're teary.
"But you have to go. You have to stay strong. You have to be with your siblings. Your parents. Your family needs you."
"And what about you, Grandma? You're family, too. You're important." Tirol states, holding Mo'at's hand.
"Don't worry about me. I am Tsahìk, remember?" She says rising her brows in a ironic way even is her eyes still showing sadness.
"I know, Grandma, but—"
"You're courageous, Tirol." Mo'at cuts her off. "Bold. Kindhearted. You will be okay." She speaks slowly, looking into her granddaughter's eyes, pronouncing every words distinctly, meaning everything she is saying.
"This is your fate. You have to live it."
Tirol sighs but nods. Her grandmother is right: she can't change what is going to happen. They will leave tomorrow. It's decided.
Mo'at stands up, seeking something in a bag, before finding it: it is a beautiful necklace made of flowers roots and a green stone at the end.
"It was your mother's. She said, when she was still in this world: 'When I'll die, I want you to give it to my daughter, only when she will really need it.'" Mo'at puts the necklace around Tirol's neck.
"I think you need it now, Tirol. This is a part of your parents, me, and the forest."
"I'll keep it forever." She replies, smiling widely, gently touching the necklace as her tears are rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you, Grandma."
Mo'at kisses her forehead in response.
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too, my child. I will miss all of the Sullys. But I know, we'll meet again."
And after those heartbreaking goodbyes, the Sully's are now on their Ikran, toward a new home.
The kids are glancing so often behind them.
They are leaving their home.
Tirol feels angry. She hates the Sky People so much. She lost her biological parents and Spider because of them. Now, her family leave their home and Mo'at.
Tears of anger are falling on her cheeks but she quickly brush them off, not wanting her family to see.
She gently touches her mother's necklace, promising to herself that she will never take it off.
The family now is getting far from the forest as the sun is going down.
[...]
Tirol is flying between her brothers. The sky is blue and the weather is warm. She can feel that Ufwe is tired. She sighs before caressing her head, looking with her tired eyes the different colors on her. Tirol grins, remembering how Ufwe tried to kill her when she tried Iknimaya. She was only 10 years old, and she stills have the scars on her right arm: three marks of teeth, when Ufwe tried to take off her arm but didn't succeeded.
It's funny to Tirol now, knowing how much they're close and how much they care for each other currently.
"Ti", Loa'k calls by her nickname, catching her attention.
"Oh, Eywa." She breaths, a new landscape now in front of the family's eyes.
The water is a clear blue shade. It is delimited by the reef, made of rocks.
"We are arrived, Ufwe." Tirol kisses the ikran's head softly as she purrs.
The Sullys arrival is signaled by a male Na'vi blowing into a large seashell.
The seven of them gracefully land on the sand, as they get off of their Ikran.
Neytiri grabs her bow.
"Leave it", Jake orders to his wife, as she rolls her eyes in response, but
obeys.
"On me", he orders once again, to his whole family this time, as Neytiri calls Tuk and holds her hand protectively. "Be nice." He whispers standing his arms up, showing he is not here for bad intentions.
All the new people are staring at them, which make Tirol uncomfortable. She is walking behind with Kiri.
"Hey", Jake says, but the Na'vi People don't respond, they're just staring at the Forest People.
Two male teens suddenly come, glaring at Neteyam and Lo'ak.
The first is tall, has a bun with curly hair falling down on his neck, and a menacing gaze. The second one is shorter, have big lips, and don't have a peculiar hairstyle.
Tirol stares at them noticing the water na'vi features. Bigger arms and calves, clearer skin and bigger tail as well. She can't help but find them ugly.
Her brothers are doing the "I see you" gesture politely, even if she knows they don't mean it.
The two teens don't even respond, instead, they are glaring at them.
The family is now encircled.
"Look, what is that?" The shorter one mocks, pointing at Neteyam and Lo'ak, "Is that supposed to be a tail?". His friend next to him laughed as Tirol frowns, almost hissing at them.
A teen na'vi female suddenly gets out of the water catching Lo'ak's eyes as they do an eyes contact. He quickly looks at the ground, embarrassed, as Neteyam grins at him.
"It's too small, how are they supposed to swim?" The shorter boy continues, as the girl lower his arm roughly.
"Do not, Rotxo, Aonung." She warns.
Rotxo just looks at her up and down, obviously trying to glare at her but he is not scary at all. Aonung just sighs at the girl's behavior.
Tirol is deadly glaring at the boys, her tail moving side to side because of anger.
Rotxo seems to notice, and looks back at her as his eyebrows suddenly stand up before he quickly looks away from her burning gaze, intimidated.
He steps closer to Aonung, flustered about the forest n'avi girl in front of him.
"Hey", Lo'ak greets the girl, as she smiles in response and looks at the sand.
A charismatic male Na'vi with tattoos on his face and body arrives.
"Tonowari", Jake greets doing the "I see you" gesture, his family doing the same.
"Jake Sully", he signs back, grinning, which make Tirol less tense.
The kids understand that he is the leader of his clan.
Then, a female Na'vi steps next to him. She has tattoos as well, and she's pregnant.
"I see you, Ronal", Jake signs, his wife doing the same and the boys copying.
Kiri and Tirol just look at her judging expression. She is the Tsahìk, apparently.
"Why do you come to us, Jake Sully?" Tonowari asks.
The father looks at his family before stating: "We seek uturu."
"Uturu?!" Ronal repeats, sharing a look with her husband.
"Yes. A sanctuary for my family." Jake confirms.
Tonowari shakes his head as his wife is walking towards the family. "We are Reef People. You are Forest People. Your skills will mean nothing here."
Ronal is slaloming between the family, openly glaring at them.
"Well, we will learn your ways. Am I right?"
Tirol desperately wants to shout no and saying she wants to leave, going back to the forest. Only Neytiri replies. "Yes."
Ronal touches Neytiri's tail, before moving to Tuk. " Their arms are thin." The little girl gets scared and run to her father's side, holding his hand, slightly hiding behind his leg.
She steps close to Kiri and Tirol and grabs brutally both of their tail. Neteyam protective mode is on, not liking how she touches his sisters. "Their tail..." "Ow!" Kiri complains, taking her tail back and holding it as Tirol pushes Ronal's hand with a frown. "...are thin. You'll be slow in the water."
The Tsahìk grabs Kiri's hand. "These children are not even true Na'vi!". The People gaps as Tirol pulls Kiri close to her making Ronal loses her grip on Kiri's wrist. "Yes we are!" The straight haired girl replies.
The Tsahìk moves to Lo'ak, grabbing his hand as well as the boy lower his head, looking at the ground shamefully. "They have demon blood!" She states as the People hiss.
Tirol closes her eyes from anger, her fists clenched. This subject is sensitive to Lo'ak. He has always hated his fifth finger; and now he is really uncomfortable.
If Ronal wasn't the Tsahìk, she genuinely would have hiss at her.
"Look. Look!" Jake calls, catching Ronal's attention as he shows his five fingered hand. "Look, I was born of the Sky People," the Tsahìk lets go of Lo'ak's hand as he shakes it, clearly pissed of. "and now I am a Na'vi. All right? We can adapt. Okay?"
Tirol feels Rotxo's stare on her, so she looks at him back. Their eyes contact last only 2 seconds before Rotxo looks away.
"My husband was Toruk Makto," Neytiri states proudly as Jake cringes. "He led the clans to victory against the Sky People." She makes eyes contact with Tonowari, but he looks away.
"This is what you call victory?" Ronal replies. "Hiding among strangers?". Neytiri's ears flatten. "It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one."
Neytiri can not take it anymore. She hisses at Ronal. The Tsahìk does the same.
"I apologize for my mate...", Jake interferes, "Do not apologize for me!" Neytiri whispers, "...she has flown a long way, and she's exhausted." "Jake!" Neytiri warns, but her husband gives her a look.
"Toruk Makto is a great war leader." Tonowari shouts to his People, placing his hand on Jake's shoulder.
"All Na'vi People know his story."
Tirol and Rotxo made eyes contact once again, but every time he looks away first.
"But we, Metkayina, are not at war."
Jake puts Tuk on his hip. The little girl is hugging her dad.
"We can not let you bring your war here." Tonowari continues.
"I'm done with war, okay?" Jake replies. "I just want to keep my family safe."
Ronal and Tonowari share a look.
"Uturu has been asked." Neytiri says, holding Kiri's hand that was on her shoulder.
Ronal nods at her husband.
"Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as your brothers and sisters."
Rotxo is glancing at Tirol again. Neteyam notices.
"Now, they do not know the sea. So they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless."
Jake nods gratefully.
"Okay, what do we say?"
"Thank you" Tuk says cutely. "Thank you", Kiri whispers, rolling her eyes.
"My son, Aonung, and our daughter, Tsireya, will show your children what to do."
Tsireya is widely smiling at the family, as Aonung complains.
"Father, why do—"
"It's decided." Tonowari cuts him off.
"Come! I will show you our village." Tsireya says happily, already going.
The seven of them pack their stuff and follow her. They pass between Rotxo and Aonung, but the later was already going to the sea, not bothering to help them with the luggage. Rotxo was still here though, watching.
When Tirol passes next to him, they glance at each other again before Aonung's voice echoes: "Rotxo! What are you doing?"
The boy slightly flinch, Aonung getting him out of his contemplation. He blinks quickly before stuttering something, making Tirol scoffs.
"Huh, I— yeah... Yeah, coming."
He jumps in the water, feeling a bit shameful as Tirol shook her head with a smile, amused.
The truth is, she got him mesmerized. Her deep gaze is menacing, yet beautiful, and her long curly hair remind him of the Metkayina's.
He feels a bit shameful to look away every time they did an eyes contact, plus the fact that he stuttered in front of her, making her laugh. Still, he can't help but being flustered over these simple things. He thinks he fucked up his chance to get close to her though, according to how he made fun of the brothers and how she glared at him with hate.
He swims, feeling now guilty and stupid.
"This way!" Tsireya indicates, as the Sullys follow. "This is for you. Your new home."
Tirol finds it actually really pretty, but not as much as the forest. She feels her heart sinking at this thought.
"Yeah, this will work", Jake breaths, looking at the tent. "This is great. It's nice, right?"
In response, Neytiri drops the carpet she has in her hands.
"Okay, Sullys. Fall in" Jake calls as they all enter the tent after some time of setting up.
"Remember? Family meeting." Neteyam grabs Lo'ak's arm to make him kneel. Tirol kneels between her older brother and Kiri.
"I need you kids, on your best behavior." Jake states seriously looking at their eyes. "I mean it. Learn fast. Pull your weight." He looks at Tirol and Kiri before his eyes move to Loa'k's. "Don't cause trouble. You got it?"
"Yes sir." Lo'ak replies, nodding, as Neteyam grins and puts a hand on his brother's shoulder, making Lo'ak hiss at him as Neteyam takes off his hand.
"I want to go home", Tuk cries, rubbing her eye.
"Oh, Tuk..." Neytiri's and Tirol's facial expressions sadden.
The teen girl holds tightly the necklace that was her mother's.
Jake holds his youngest daughter's hand.
"Tuk, this is our home now." He pauses as he let go of her hand.
"Now we're gonna get through this if we have each other's backs. All right?"
"What does your father always say?" Neytiri asks, her eyes previously on the ground now look at her children.
"Sullys stick together", Lo'ak and Tirol say at the same time with the same bored expression as Neteyam repeats.
Neytiri puts her left hand on Kiri's calves comfortingly and and her right on Tirol's thigh. She smiles lovingly at the two before her eyes lean on Tirol's necklace. "It suits so well", she whispers, as Tirol whispers a thank you back with a smile.
"Now with some feelings" Jake asks.
"Sullys stick together" all of the children repeat with conviction, even Kiri.
[...]
Tirol and Neteyam can't sleep. They are both on the beach, talking. They're trying to not be to loud, not wanting to wake up the clan.
"No but seriously, have you seen how they look at each other?!" Neteyam exclaims excitedly.
"Shh, Netty! C'mon, be quiet, we'll wake them up!" Tirol whispers while giggling.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry, but you know I'm right." He shrugs.
"I never said you weren't. Actually, I strongly agree. I think I've never seen Lo'ak falling that hard for someone."
Neteyam nods in response.
"Talking about looks," Neteyam says in a deep voice because of whispering, "I saw the eyes contact between you and Rotxo."
Tirol shakes her head no.
"He was literally staring at you." He bumps joyfully his shoulder against her.
"I thought you didn't notice." Tirol replies. "But I don't like him. He made fun of you and Lo'ak." Her expression darken at the memory.
Neteyam grins.
"Don't worry about us, sis."
"It is not really the feeling of worrying in that situation, it is just that it pisses me off the fact that he laughed at you and Lo'". Tirol frowns. "I don't like it at all."
"At least, he did not say anything to you or Kiri."
"What if he did?"
"I would have get mad."
He clenched his jaw at the thought.
Tirol smiles. Neteyam is really protective. She is grateful to have him in her life.
They look at the water coming on the sand and going.
They could have been in the forest right now. With Spider, and Mo'at.
Tirol touches her necklace.
She misses the two terribly.
Neteyam puts his head on her shoulder.
"I miss home already." he whispers.
Neteyam would rarely express how he feels, their father always taught them to stay strong and stoic, even in dangerous or hard situations.
Actually, Tirol is the only person with who Neteyam allows himself to express his emotions. He just knows that if something stress him, which is often because of the parent's pressure, he can go to Tirol to find some comfort.
"Me, too", she leans her head on his. "I miss Grandma so much, and Spider."
Neteyam closes his eyes from sadness at the nickname of Mo'at being pronounced.
"It must be really hard for Kiri." He says.
"Yes. She has to leave her mother, and Spider was kidnapped by those demons. She lost two important persons in her life within only some hours. This is awful."
Neteyam hums in response and after some time of silence, sighs while standing up.
"Let's go, Ti. We have to sleep." He pats his head before already heading to the tent.
Tirol stands up as well; her head hurts: she's tired. She follows Neteyam, her head filled with thoughts of Spider and Mo'at.
~
3332 words! That's a lot to me.
I love Neteyam's and Tirol's complicity already
First Rotxo's and Tirol's meeting, people! (Finallyyyy)
It makes me laugh the fact that Tirol find them ugly-
Please comment and let me know your thoughts!