playιng: [You Say] - [Lauren Daigle]
1:35 ──────ㅇ───────── 3:47
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╰┈➤ ❝ [POV Narrator] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
NETEYAM QUICKLY RAN into the hut again, grabbing the book, hiding it behind his back as he heard his fathers footsteps. "So, now back to the actual topic." Jake reached out his hand. "Give the thing you are hiding!" Neytiri looked at her son and her husband in a curiouse way while holding Tuks hand. "Neteyam!" Slowly Neteyam fetched the book behind his back again, laying it into his fathers hand. He lowered his head as he saw how his fathers eyes whidened.
"Where did you get that from? I burried this thing in a grave! How did you find it?!" Jake scolded Neteyam, slowly opening the book as his son answered. "I- I found it... In- In a cave..." Neteyam nervously lied, watching his father reading through the book.
Jakes fingers stroked over one of the Pages where the Toril poem was written. Quickly he shut the book, holding it away from Neteyam, who tried to get it back. He put his ears back, looking beggingly at his father. "Go to Lyk! He will train with you now!"
Neteyams ears twitched insecurely as he made his way out of the hut. Jake lowered his hand, which was holding the book, opening it again reading the poem silently. Getting lost in old memories.
╰┈➤ ❝ [POV Jake] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
There I sat, completely out of place in the middle of the sky. It was hard. The whole Clan hates me now, Neytiri hates me. I shighted thinking about how stupid I was. The leaves next to me started to rustle, raising my head in curiousity I watched how Lyk came up to me.
"You won't kill me... right?" I asked unsure following him with my eyes as he sat down in front of me. He shook his head. Slightly he opened his mouth and inhaled, I hoped he would start speaking, instead he made handsigns again. I was able to understand something. 'I'm not mad at you' he signed. 'still trust you.' i had to make my own puzzles in my head because of some signs I couldn't identify.
'something for you.' ...I have something for you - I figured out. He loosened the book from his Loincloth, handing it to me. "What is this?" I slowly took it and opened it.
"made it myself, special... special object? Object?" I transleted his signs out loud. He nodded. "A friend layed it- no, made it. Out of his hails- No wait this sign means scales, sorry." I read again, correncting my own translation errors. "Want you to... keep it? I know- No? Not 'I know'? What then? Oh... Y-You are... no bad... A-Alien?" He nodded again, having a kind smile on his lips.
"You?" He shook his head at my miss translation. "Not you? Okay.. Not you. Oh I?" He nodded quickly. "I... see... me- No you! I see you!" With a happy smile he nodded one more time before signing 'I See you' again. "Thank you. I see you too. In a homie way." He rolled his eyes at my childishness. 'brat' He signed whereupon I chuckled.
"The book is something dear... Maybe it helps you finding a reso-resolution..? Does this sign mean resolution? Yes? Okay..." I started smiling at him."Thank you Buddy."
'Wanna fly with me?' I whatched him doing the pretty bird handsign again and silently nodded. "Maybe later, I want to read the book first."
I blinked a few times, getting myself out of my thoughts and closing the book again. Back then I was able to understand his sign language to a certain level. But now where he speaks with me, I'm not so good in it anymore. He told me he speaks signlanguage with people he can't quite decide if they are good or bad. Plus he just wanted to fuck me up with it.
The book... it was a special present he gave me when everyone turned against me. I never read through it, only the poems. When Syulang died, I decides to wirte down my own story, giving the book back to Eywa and one of her dearest children. On earth we would have said, this pink and giant ikran was an angle. How did Neteyam find it if he doesn't even know about her?
I looked through the pages of the book, stopping at a drawing of an animal. I have never seen that kind of animal. It looked like a giant dragon, much different from the other creatures on Pandora.
╰┈➤ ❝ [POV Neteyam] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
Jumping off my Ikran I watched Lyk walking along the thick branch. "Unlike the Tsahìk, a Olo'eyktan does not have such a special bond with Eywa. But still..." he reached his arm out, watching how one of the Syaksyuks, which were swinging through the trees, climbed onto his shoulder. (A monkey-like animal on Pandora)
"...as an Olo'eyktan you have to know how to act and behave when it comes to individual characteristics of Navis among your people or different tribes and several animal species. You have to be able to handle all kind of Eywas creations." he explained to me, tickeling the Syaksyuk on his shoulder.
The way he was able to act and communicate with the animals and plants of pandora shows you his rank of Toril Makto. I could never be like him or my father, even if I would be a Toril Makto.
"Let's start with a simple task." Reaching out his arms, he turned arround. I quietly nodded, looking him in the eyes. He was always a nice person to me but his eyes... sometimes they burned like fire on your skin, just like Yu'kiyas and Ateyos eyes do when they are concentrated or ready to fight.
"You know the Syaksyuks." "Yes, Sir." I lowered my head while answering. "They are really wild. You will train with them how to calm a person with a wild and unbreakable character in the best and fastes way. You get your challange?" "Yes." I lowered my head again. "Then, go on." After making clicking sounds with his tounge, the Syaksyuk on his shoulder climbed off of him.
Calming a small animal? Won't be that hard right? ....right?
Taking a step closer to the massive tree trunk I looked up to the active monkeys, thinking about how I should start my task the best. I reached my hand out and tried to catch one of them, failing several times. My Hand landed on one of the smaller branches and I started climbing, following the Syaksyuks step by step.
Lyk also took a step closer to the tree as he watched me climb. With every step I got closer to them, reaching out one more time as a Syaksyuk sat on a branch right next to me. "Come on, a bit closer little one..." My foot and my other hand slipped off the tree, causing me to fall down as the animal ran away again.
Stepping back, Lyk looked down to me as I landed hard on the big branch right infront of his feet. Cocking his head, he slighty flattened his ears, raising an eyebrow. "Looked hurtful." "It was..." I whined, groaning in pain as I moved slightly. "Should I bring you to Mo'at?" Slowly I started shaking my head, giving him a small thumbs up. "I'm fine... totally fine..." "Okay, if you say so." Shrugging his shoulders he took another step back, calmly watching how I picked myself up. "Try to lure one of them to you. You can't work with them if they run away from you. Just like every living beeing, you have to gain their trust first before they decide to follow your orders or talk to you."
"How am I supposed to get the trust of a damn monkey." I groaned, rubbing my back in pain. "That's not my problem. As the leader of a tribe you have to be able to gain the trust of every individual beeing in your clan. With some people it is easy just like with your Ikran. The moment you made a bond with your Ikran during your Iknimaya he'll trust you. So the only thing you have to do is wait until an Ikran chooses you and try to survive and bond with him. While, in the other hand, other folks are more like Syaksyuks. They ran way, annoy you from time to time and don't trust you from the start. You have to gain their trust." He started explaining again.
"In another way. Let's say you are mated or in a realtionship. The trust you gained towards your mate was a long process which took much effort from you until she finally trusted you to a point where she was ready to make Tsaheylu with you. But when it comes to your family then the trust your family has towards you is there from the start. Since the day you were born your siblings and parents had trust in you. Otherwise Jake wouldn't have decided to make you the next Olo'eyktan. It's the same with the rest of your tribe and with monkeys." I nodded at his explaination.
"Okay. I understand now." "Then try again."
╰┈➤ ❝ [POV Yu'kiya] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
I watched Eyktan walking down the little stair like path which connected our room to the main hut of our family. "Have you seen Neteyam?" I saked him, following him with my eyes as he went past me. "No." He coldly answered, letting some of the stuff he was holding fall to the ground. "Training I guess. With your father. Why."
"Hm- nothing..." Quickly I turned my head away from him. The actual reason was because I missed Neteyams attention he gave me. No matter how he shows me attention, be it just little kisses and cuddles or when he decides to move his hand between my legs a bit just because of boredom. A part of me doesn't want to admit it but... getting attention from him like this feels really relaxing and I kinda like it somehow. Even if I don't like hugs and touches that much.
I squeaked as Eyktan roughly pulled my tail. "OW!" Quickly I snatched my tail out of his grasp. "Didn't look like nothing. The way your tail moved it looked like you thought about something exciting." he said clodly, standing up again. "That's not true! Okay... maybe I was thinking about something like that...." "Gross."
"Don't be so cold! What is wrong with you? Why do you hate this topic so much?!" He didn't answer and only turned around, back to his actual task, which he wanted to start. "Nothing of your interest.-"
"Uncle Eyktan, aunty Yu!" Eyktan and I cocked our ears at the cute and childish voice of Tiv'yamurs daughter, Eya. Since my sister passed her mate An'su was visiting us regularly with their daughter. She is 3 now, two years younger than Ayra and 4 years younger than Nava'ro, Ateyos children.
"Hey little Sunshine!" Eyktan greeted her spreading out his arms letting her run into them. She giggled at his hugs and small kisses on her cheek. "You are early today. Dad ist not back yet." I said to An'su as he entered mine and Eyktans room.
"I know. She wanted to play with Nava'ro." "Tsu'tey said they are not allowed to play anymore, he is to rough when he plays with her." Eyktan looked up from Eyas giggling figure. "He acts like he never was rough while playing with his little brother." He said.
"Can you just watch her for a while? I really need a break, I wasn't able to sleep properly because of her since 3 days. During the day she wants to play all the time and in the night she whines because of Yamur." I nodded in response. "Ofcourse, Ila'na will come back with Ayra in an hour, she is at Mo'at's. She'll have her to play then." "Thank you!"
Right after he left I was watched by Eya with big eyes. Oh Eywa please no. I love my nieces and my nephew but I hate loud and whorled children. You will never see me with a damn baby in my arms-. At least I hope so.
"Aunty Yuuuuuuuuu" she screamed, excaping Eyktans arms clinging onto my arm. Please, distance kid.
Slightly, I roled my eyes. "Uh-." I sighed pissy, not able to escape the kids hugs. Oh Eywa, much as I like to but children are not my passion.
Can someone pick this brat away from my hips? As much as I love Eya but I hate it when children are like this. Why can't she just be like Nava'ro. He is such a clam and silent kid. Why does she have to have Aylaras characteristics. Tiv'yamur, tell me, what the fuck did you do wrong while banging that you gave her Aylaras genes?
"Eyktan." "Hm?" "Pick the Kid away from me." I grunted. "You are her aunt. You shouldn't be so mean." "I'm not mean! I just don't like hugs!" He rolled his eyes, sighing pissy. "Eya, come to me."
She ran into his arms again, giggling as he sat her on his lap. "I can't believe you are not interested in getting a mate and children. You have a knack for children." He shrugged his shoulders. "Not the right girl in the clan recently." tickeling her little stomach he hummed this in response.
"Nikti is not the right girl?" "What do you all have with Nikti?! My Eywa I only teach her arching!" Eya looked up to him. "Eyktan in love with Nikti?" Looking down to her he shook his head. "That's not a topic that is interesting for you."
It was not a 'No'.
╰┈➤ ❝ [POV Neteyam] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
"Yeahhh... maybe, we should call it a day." Lyk said as he looked down at me again. I was able to gain an Syaksyuks trust but right at the moment where I wanted to calm it, I fell again. "I don't wanna do this anymore." I mumbled under my breath, already feeling done with my life.
As much as I hate disobeying Dads orders but the time I'm training I could use by doing a different training in the cave. One that brings me joy and doesn't destroy my back. My poor spine.
"Yeah. You look like you aren't doing this any longer. You probably could have used this time in meeting up with some animal. Right?" I whidened my eyes at his comment. What did he say? "What-?"
"Wanna tell me about your little revolting secret?" I slowly shook my head. "No, rather not..." I squeaked, sounding like a shy girl. "Oh my, since when is Jakes first born a little girl. Where did your voice mutation went? I thought you already got it." He teased grinning, clearly having fun beeing mean. Now I know what Dad meant when he said Lyk liked to fuck him up in the past.
I cleared my throat, sitting up slowly, rubbing my back in pain. "How about you eat at my place today. I'm sure Eyktan would be happy." Something inside me told me he wasn't really inviting me because of Eyktan. But at the same time I thought maybe he is saying the truth.
"Will it be soon or do I have to wait a decate till you follow me?" "Oh- Sorry Sir."
╭┈───────────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
We sat in a circle, eating the food Ninat cooked. I listened to their chatering carefully. Somehow it was interesting hearing them interact. Yu'kiya was feeding her niece, treating Eya carefully while doing it. She looked so gorgeous acting like a mother. Sometimes I can't believe Eyktan when he says she doesn't like children.
"Make ahhhh" "Ahhh" "Good Job!" Kiya complimented her niece on beeing so obedient. A sweet childish laugh came from the little girl. "Neteyam, eat this." I turned my attention towards Ila'na who handed me a small plate with flesh on it.
"What is this?" I asked her. "Skypeople flesh. It has many Vitamins." I whidened my eyes. I never ate that and I never thought I would. Not just because it would feel like as if I would eat Spider but also because my father was once a Skypeople. "No, thank you." "Why not?" She put her ears back as Yu'kiya raised her head. "Ila'na it is fine. He is half Skypeople, did you forget? Where did you got that from? Txon'ong ate the woman und we stopped eating them too." she told her sister-in-law.
"He brought me a piece of it." Ila'na said, stitting straight. "Give it him back. We don't know what kind of toxic substances she had inside of her." Lyk began. "Not just because of the substances skypeople inhale through cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs but also because she was killed by a Toril Plasma-blast. Torils can generate a special poisen what they mix with their saliva before shooting a blast on speacial targets. It helps them killing their target in case if they didn't really hit it." he said.
"Only Palulukans, Ikrans, Turuks and the Torils themselve are able to tolerate that kind of poisen. We Navis would die after some time. It causes heartattack." Lyk explained, causing Ila'na to throw the flesh out of the hut towards the Ikrans.
"So they create it everytime?" "No. They prefere shooting and killing without poisen because it changes the taste of their prey animal. Plus, it may be helpfull by killing enemies but the poisen won't work if they don't hit your head. Their toxic saliva has to get inside of you to harm you. Another major point is that the flame won't get really hot. So they rarely use their poisen. Also not all Torils can create it. Water Torils for example are not able to produce the poisen due to the water. They are the only kind which can shoot fire underwater, so if they could do it, they would poisen the water and kill the other creatures that live in it." I listened carefully.
Why shouldn't I? He knows everything about them, it could be helpful in some cases. "Every region has it's own Toril-kind. Forest ones are black or darkbluish. The reef Torils are white or have a little bluish shimmer. They are much smaller and petiter than the forest ones and have fins instead of spikes. Then there are the Ash Torils. They are in constant war with the Navi of their region and due to that they are not allowed to bond with one of them. They are bloodthirsty and aggressive. In comperisson to the forest Torils they have a grey color and are much more spiky, they are also more muscular than the reef Torils." He told me.
"Remeber, now we have reef, forest and ash. There are two other kinds. In the snow rigion there live the ice Torils. They are the only kind which is able to control the temperatur of their Plasma. It can also be cold. And they are also the only species which has furry parts on it's body. And the fifth one is from the desert. They have a sandy color and are the smalles kind of all of them. But they are the only kind which has spiky teeth and venomous canine teeth. They often wear golden jewlery and steal shiny things. Every rigion and every kind has their own leader but only one Toril can be Pandoras ruler and their 'Olo'eyktan'." Lyk explained.
"And how do they know who's Olo'eyktan?" I asked curiously. "It runs in the bloodline. The tallest, strongest and mightiest one is the leader. His children will be next in Line. After him and his family the other leaders of the different regions follow in the rank-list. Torils live in packs but not in tribes like we do. One rigion is one pack with one leader. But all packs gathered together are one 'family' with only one archon. And every living beeing on pandora is part of it."
"Torils are the only animals on pandora who are able to speak and lead like we do. It is said, the day where the guardians child and the son of an Olo'eyktan will be born, Pandora will celebrate Toril Maktos glory again." Yu'kiya said which I didn't quite understand. It sounded like a really difficult poem or quote. "To make it easy, if the son of an Olo'eyktan is born at the same time as the next ruling Toril, it means a new Toril Makto has seen the light of the world." Ateyo explained it in an easier way.
"And how do you know if the born Navi is next Toril Makto?" "You don't. Only Eywa knows, who creates the future bond of the two of them. At least that's what Eylan told me." Lyk said, eating his food. Eyktan looked away from his uncle into my eyes.
"My uncle was born on the same day and time as Eylan and was bonded to Eywa in the exact same moment as him. Torils get really old so you can't quite say when they decide to reproduce. It can take centuries till the next Toril Makto will be born but it can also only take a few decades." Eyktan told me, before looking at Yu'kiya.
"Let's stop talking about them. Some secrets have to stay a secret." She said.