➤ Encounter
Tahani is a young Metkayina who is highly appreciated for her calmness and patience. This is why the parents of the younger children often called on her to babysit.
On that day, she had taken the children to the pools so they could play in the water and splash around happily. Tahani was sitting quietly on a rock in the shade of the trees, watching the children who were having fun in the water. She observed them with a smile on her face, happy to see their joy and carefree attitude. But suddenly, a horn sound echoed in the surroundings, interrupting the tranquility of the moment.
Tahani looked up and scanned the horizon. She then saw Ikran, dangerous flying creatures, approaching their position dangerously. The children did not seem to notice, too busy having fun in the water. Tahani quickly got up and told the children to get out of the water. She quickly gathered them on the bank and put them behind a large rock for shelter. She explained the situation to them and asked them to remain calm and quiet so as not to attract the attention of the Ikran.
Tahani herself remained alert, ready to act if the creatures approached too close. Fortunately, the Ikran eventually landed. Some of the children were intrigued, while others thanked Tahani for protecting them.
Some of the children asked Tahani to go see what was happening, bouncing around happily and intrigued by the unknown. Tahani was also curious, but she knew she had to make sure the children were safe first. However, their mothers quickly appeared to take their children away in case of danger.
After all the children were retrieved by their mothers, Tahani decided to go to the mainland to see what was happening. She was also intrigued by what was going on. Upon arriving at the site, Tahani was surprised to see Omatikaya, especially one of them, the oldest male who looked like the one she had already seen in her dreams. She blinked several times and approached her brother Tonowari and his sister-in-law Ronal.
The family patriarch, Jake Sully, respectfully greeted her.
"I see you, Tahani, daughter of Eywa, sister of the Olo'eyktan," he said, making the courtesy gesture.
Tahani smiled with respect and curiosity at the man standing in front of her. The Omatikaya who stood before her turned his gaze to his elder brother, who was their clan leader, their Olo'eyktan.
"What brings you here?" Jake Sully asked Tonowari.
Tahani watched the scene with some apprehension. She knew that the Metkayina were accustomed to living in harmony with nature and that they were often wary of outsiders. She wondered how the Omatikaya would react to Jake Sully's possible response.
"We ask for Uturu," Jake Sully announced, opening his arms in a sign of peace.
Uturu is a Na'vi tradition stating that any refugee seeking refuge must be granted shelter.
"Uturu?!" exclaimed Ronal, causing Tahani to step back and rub her temples. Ronal had just taken away her hearing.
"Asylum for my family," Jake said, as Ronal began to advance towards the family with a slightly threatening air, which made Tahani roll her eyes, feeling desperate. She was always doing too much, especially when she was pregnant.
Tahani felt a gaze on her and saw the youngest girl staring at her, intrigued. Tahani gave her a reassuring smile, and the child made a small gesture while hiding behind her father. One of the other older children looked at his hand, which was composed of five fingers exactly like his own. Tahani smiled at him and refocused on the main subject.
"We are the people of the reef, you are the people of the forest, your habits mean nothing here," Tonowari said calmly.
"We will adopt your customs, won't we?" Jake asked, turning to his children, but none of them answered as Ronal took the arm of the youngest.
"Their arms are thin."
The little girl ran straight to the other side of her father.
"Their tails are fragile, you will never swim fast enough."
The second, older girl complained in turn. At that moment, Tahani was ready to stop Ronal even though she knew how it would end with the pregnant woman and her moods.
"These children are not even real Na'vi," she said, going towards one of the younger boys, the one who had previously looked at Tahani's hands.
"They have demon blood," Ronal exclaimed.
It was too much for Tahani, who took Ronal's arm to remove her grip on the youngest.
"Stop that," Tahani said coldly. Ronal frowned at her, then Jake intervened.
"Look, look, I'm one of those who came from the sky, and now I'm a Na'vi. We can adapt, we will know how to adapt, okay?" Jake said awkwardly.
While the two women still exchanged glances, Tahani was also different and she understood them.
"Toruk Makto is a great war leader. The Na'vi people know his story well, but we, the Metkayina, are not at war."
Tuk, the youngest child, demanded her father's arms and he took her in his arms. The little one was scared and tired.
"No way we're going to let you import your war here."
"I'm not at war anymore, okay? I just want to put my family in safety."
"We're going to leave," the youngest asked sadly in her father's arms.
"Shh, it's all going to be okay."
Tahani was saddened for the youngest. Tonowari, on the other hand, seemed to be seriously considering Jake's request. He looked kindly at the children. Tahani knew that her brother was a wise and respected man, and that he would make the right decision.
"Toruk Makto and his family will settle with us. Treat them like your brothers and sisters. They don't know the ocean, so they will be like children taking their first breath. Transmit our customs to them, so that they don't suffer from the dreadful feeling of being useless," Tonowari said as the clan leader.
Tahani rolled her eyes at the drama her brother had just made. All of this was clearly unnecessary.
Jake nodded, visibly relieved.
"What do we say?" Jake asked his children.
"Thank you," the youngest said, followed closely by the older ones.
"My son Ao'nung and our daughter Tsireya will be your children's guides."
"Father, why should I?" the oldest began.
"It's decided, and my young sister will also help with the development in our clan."
"I'll show you around our village," Tsireya announced happily, approaching the new family.
As Tahani turned to her brother:
"You're so dramatic, tsmuk. You didn't have to belittle them," she said, looking at them as he was taking their things.
"Just keep an eye on them. They'll be next to your Marui," he said, leaving with Ronal.
Tahani took a deep breath and felt someone clinging to her. She looked down and saw the youngest of the Sully family. Tahani got down and knelt at her level.
"Hey, you called me. I'm Tahani."
"I'm Tuktirey. I love your hair. Can you do mine like that?" the little girl asked her when the other girl joined them.
"Tuk, we're not supposed to talk to strangers," the older one told her.
"She's not a stranger, she's Tahani. And besides, she's even going to style my hair like hers," Tuk said, sticking her tongue out at her, which made Tahani chuckle.
She stood up and went to see Tsireya, who was carrying two large boxes. Tahani took one of them.
"You're going to hurt yourself trying to impress me."
Tsireya turned to her aunt, her face red.
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about, the little glances and the two others who keep pulling shells at her every glance. I'm not blind," Tsireya clears her throat, embarrassed, and moves ahead as if nothing happened. Another clearing of throat comes from behind her. Tahani turns around and sees Jake Sully.
"Thank you," he tells her.
"Why?" Tahani asks, walking beside him.
"You defended Lo'ak and you made us accepted here."
"Oh, that's nothing. I know what your son can feel, and your children need to have a place to go."
"It's this way," Tsireya announces.
As Tuk stops in front of an ilu, wondering what this creature was.
"It's an ilu," Tahani teaches the youngest who laughs at the creature that wanted to pick from her bowl.
"Hurry up, Tuk," Kiri complains as she continues to move forward.
"We're not far now," the Metkayina girl says as she continues to move forward.
Tuk jumps happily in front of them, facing the new environment that surrounds her.
"I think the youngest one already likes it here. I would even say the two youngest," Tahani tells Jake.
"I hope so..."
"We've arrived. This is your new home," Tsireya announces.
"Ah, it'll do. It's perfect. Not bad, huh?" Jake says as he enters, followed by Kiri who drops the mat she was holding on the floor.
Tahani signals Tsireya to leave and turns to the Sullys.
"Every night, the meal takes place at the center, near the reef. If you want to participate, you can come. And if you need anything, I'm right next door."
"Okay, thank you, Tahani," Jake replies as Tuk waves goodbye to her.
Tahani then goes to her marui to try to rest, but of course, she couldn't. Tonowari, her brother, had just come into her habitat.
"You had a fight, I suppose."
"Yes."
"You'll still sleep here, and tomorrow everything will be better, as usual," Tahani says, giving him a blanket.
The evening passed quietly. Neither the Sullys nor Tahani had attended the meal, mentally preparing for the days to come.
"I apologize for my English and my mistakes. English is not my native language, I am French."