Aha'ri heaves herself up to the final vine bridge. She took a recovery breath and continued after Kiri. The vine bridge lead right into the cave where their village now was.
There were people out and about all throughout the village. Some were weaving large ornate baskets, some were on their way down to the forest to gather materials, others were headed to the cook's tent for the food.
That's where Aha'ri and Kiri were headed. But first, Aha'ri had a stop to make.
She made her way over to the sleeping tents, to hers. Inside and curled into a ball facing away from her lay her little sister, Lurei. The tip of her tail was swishing idly over the edge of her hammock as she slept. Probably dreaming about playing tag on the forest floor—a game she always asked Aha'ri to play.
Aha'ri felt bad that she was cooped up in this rock village most days while she went out into the forest. In that aspect, Aha'ri was just like her parents. Her cheeks heated at that thought. Lurei was just so young, and the forest was dangerous even for her.
Someday she would teach Lurei to hunt and fly. But that day was not today. When, Aha'rj didn't know.
She knelt down next to her and shook Lurei's shoulder gently, "Rise and shine, little bird."
Lurei moaned, turning over to face Aha'ri. Her eyes squinted from the sunlight that bounced around the caves. "Morning," was all she said.
"A big hunt came in. You coming?" she asked standing up.
Lurei took a big breath and stretched her arms as she sat up. "Yeah." Then she hopped out of her hammock.
Aha'ri giggled at her, ruffling her braids as she walked by earning a swat and a glare, which only made her giggle more.
In front of the cook's tent were families sitting together, eating the hunt for the celebration.
A couple of flute players played joyous music quietly in the corner, dancing to themselves as they played.
Next to the cook's tent was a large basket of raw meat chunks brought up from the kill. Easier to transport. But the large fire cooking it all smelled delicious.
She hadn't had sturmbeast meat in months—large animals were rarely hunted now because of the difficulty of transportation. The last thing you want to do when you kill a sturmbeast is spend hours cutting it up just so you can bring it back to the village.
Aha'ri guided Lurei to grab a leaf-full and she did the same.
When they turned around to find somewhere to eat, Kiri waved them down. She was sitting with her family, which included Neteyam.
Lurei looked up to Aha'ri for confirmation and she nodded. "Go ahead, I'm right behind you." She smiled before skipping over to Tuk.
Aha'ri gestured I see you to Jake and Neytiri before squatting down next to Kiri. Jake gestured back and went back to his conversation with Neytiri. She felt Neteyam's eyes on her from the moment she walked over but she refused to meet his gaze.
They all sat in a circle. Jake, then Neteyam, then Lo'ak, Spider, Kiri, Aha'ri, Lurei, Tuk, and Neytiri. All together. Aha'ri just so happened to sit right across of Neteyam, making it even harder to avoid his piercing stare. He eventually went back to eating. Thankfully.
Kiri's eyes darted between her and Neteyam as they talked idly and ate. If she noticed him staring, she didn't let on.
It felt foreign to Aha'ri to sit with a family, even though she was close with the Sullys.
"Aha'ri can we please go flying later? Please," Lurei drew out. She pinned her ears down and blinked her golden eyes at her. Even frowned a little.
"Where did you learn that look?" Aha'ri chuckled.
Lurei relaxed but still held her gaze. "Nowhere."
"Is that right?" she said biting off a piece of meat.
"Is that a no?"
Aha'ri sighed. "We can go flying later." Her voice was monotonous. She would've preferred to go out alone but it was the least she could do to keep her happy.
"You should go south, toward the river. The forest is pretty there," Neteyam said from across the circle.
Aha'ri glares at him. "I don't remember asking, but thanks for your input anyway," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
He bared his teeth, "I don't need your permission to speak."
And at that remark, everyone stopped their side conversations to listen.
She chuckled to herself and shook her head. Of course he would say that. He's the Olo'eyktan's son, and the first born at that. He's next in line to lead and he thinks he better than everyone because of it. Aha'ri was just an orphan who didn't have any survival skills. "You know what you're right. And who knows maybe we will go south." Her tail swished back and forth against the rock behind her.
His ears pinned slightly. "Good."
"Come on, Lurei," she hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. "Let's go."
"Aha'ri, wait," Kiri called out. But she didn't look back as she led Lurei back to their tent.
Aha'ri could've sworn she heard Neytiri hiss under her breath behind her, but she didn't care. It was clear they were not welcome there so she left. Simple.
~
Later, Lurei dragged Aha'ri all the way to Kilvan. She pet Kilvan's face and neck while Aha'ri made sure the riding gear was secure.
Lurei whined, "Come on, Aha'ri. How long does it take you to check the gear?"
Aha'ri glared at her, pausing with her arms mid tug of the gear. "If you cant be patient then we won't go out." Her tail swished back and forth.
Lurei deflates. "I can be patient," she says barely above a whisper.
"Good." She tugged one more time, double checking everything was right. "Alright, I'll get on first."
Lurei backs away with a faint smile.
Aha'ri made the bond with Kilvan and hopped onto her back as she screeched and flapped her wings. Kilvan was excited too.
Lurei's eyes widened as she watched her big sister mount the ikran. It never ceased to amaze her.
Kilvan then bowed down closer to the ground so Lurei could get on easier.
Aha'ri held out her hand to her. Lurei took it and let her pull her up and onto Kilvan, sitting in front of her.
"Ready?" Aha'ri asked with a smirk.
Lurei braced herself on Kilvan and nodded over her shoulder.
Aha'ri smiled, wrapping one arm around Lurei and the other holding onto the grip between Kilvan's kuru. She yipped as Kilvan dove off of the ledge of the cave, down into the clear skies below.
They headed south. Not because of what Neteyan said, but the views were prettier. At least, that's what Aha'ri told herself.
Lurei giggled the whole time. A rare sound since their parents died almost two years ago.
They were originally from an outer Ometicaya village.
When the sky people first invaded, they terrorized countless villages, causing their parents to flee to Hometree—which was also destroyed by the sky people before Aha'ri was even born.
While Aha'ri and Lurei were young, their parents were always afraid. Traumatized by the sky people enough that they would rarely leave the village, let alone their children.
When the sky people returned, their ships and machines landed right on their village, burning the forest and everything surrounding it as they did.
Most were able to flee the fires. Most.
They got Aha'ri and Lurei to safety. But went back to help others.
Aha'ri was selfish, she didn't want to be left alone with her sister. She wasn't thinking about her parents.
Her last words to them were, Don't leave me.
Me. Don't leave me. Not goodbye. Not I love you. Not even don't go. Don't leave me.
She was helpless to save her parents. Once she realized they weren't coming back, she wanted to run into the raging forest fire to find them. To bring their body with her. To have something left from them.
But everything burned in the fire. She had nothing to remember her parents. Only Lurei.
She made a promise that day to Eywa. She promised she would protect her sister with her life so that they would always be together.
Lurei's voice brought Aha'ri back down from the clouds. "Aha'ri, can we go down into the forest please?" She drew out the please for emphasis. "I haven't touched grass in ages."
Aha'ri couldn't argue with that. She sighed, "Fine. But we stay close to Kilvan, okay? I'll land next to the river."
"Okay," Lurei smiled giddily.
Aha'ri took them to a clearing next to the river and landed right next to the water. As they landed, the sun disappeared behind the planet in the sky. It was eclipse.
The bioluminescence glowed in the darkness all around them. In the water flowing beside them, in the grass beneath their feet, in the plants lining the forest wall.
She helped Lurei off the ikran, who immediately took off running, into the forest.
"Lurei, no! Stay near Kilvan!" Aha'ri yelled out. But Lurei disregarded her, taking the taste of freedom and literally running with it. Aha'ri nearly tumbled off of Kilvan trying to go after her. "Lurei!"
She disappeared behind the greenery without even a look back. Aha'ri's heart pounded as she quickly grabbed her bow from Kilvan and ran in the direction Lurei went. Her feet pounded as she ran as fast as she could in an effort to catch up to her.
It took her a second to notice what kind of trees made up the forest they were blindly running into. She knew these trees, this forest. Viperwolf territory.
Aha'ri's heart dropped. No, no, no. "Lurei!" She had never run this fast in her life. Feet pounding the ground, arms pumping at her sides. Her head was on a swivel, her ears listening all around her for anything.
The trees and leaves and vines flew past her until she came to a clearing.
There Lurei was, standing facing away from her, still as a tree. A second later Aha'ri noticed the pack of three viperwolves flanking them on all sides, growling as they inched closer.
Their black, leathery skin contrasting the bioluminescent grass all around them. She could barely make out their figures in the darkness which only made her heart pound more.
Aha'ri realized there was only one thing she could do.
She stepped to be beside her sister. "Lurei, when I say run, you run as fast as you can back to Kilvan, okay? Get on her back and hold on, she will get you back to the village safely."
Lurei didn't look up. She was petrified.
"Lurei, do you understand."
She nodded, breathing heavily and not taking her eyes off of their impending doom in from of them.
Aha'ri nocked an arrow. She didn't have much of any fighting skills, and only had a vague understanding of how to shoot a bow. It wasn't likely they were both getting out unharmed. So Aha'ri wanted to make sure at least one of them got away.
She made a promise. Even if it meant they wouldn't always be together.
The viperwolves' growls became more intense as they inched closer. Aha'ri counted down in her head with each step they took.
Three more steps. Two more steps. One mo-
There was a roar from their left. They all stopped and turned to see what had joined the standoff, even the viperwolves.
A hammerhead titanothere huffed, dragging its hoof on the ground repeatedly getting ready to charge. But not at Aha'ri, at the viperwolves.
One of the wolves snarled and whipped around to face the large beast. That only pissed it off more. It roared once more and started to charge at the wolves.
Aha'ri grabbed Lurei by the wrist and backed away while watched the titanothere scare away with viperwolves.
As the pack ran away, the titanothere looked over to Aha'ri and paused. They stared at each other for a moment before the titanothere huffed and ran off. It was only then did she realize how fast her heart was now pounding beneath her chest.
Aha'ri and Lurei looked at each other with both awe and fear of what just happened.
Tears began to well in Lurei's eyes and Aha'ri dropped her bow and kneelt down, pulling her into her arms.
"Thank you, Great Mother." Aha'ri whispered as tears began to well in her eyes too, "Thank you."