Music Inspiration: Really Slow Motion- "Forged for Greatness"


Our Precious World


The gentle rush of the waves stirred the new couple from slumber while they lay intertwined over their makeshift bed of leaves. The sunlight peered through the thin cloud cover of night to usher in a new day, becoming the welcoming beacon while the Tree of Voices lost its bioluminescence. Ikran calls filled the air to begin their day of hunting at sea for sustenance and the familiar call finally woke the two.

"Did Swizav return for revenge?" Tsu'tey grumbled groggily after promising the fish to his reptilian friend. He would uphold his promise but he would rise at a normal time to return to his daily routine. The rock formation surrounding the Tree of Voices was not large enough to allow ikran flight space but they could perch around it to drop off their riders.

"I doubt Xeki would let him out this early" Joanna mumbled with a soft chuckle since the two had parenting duties for their hatchlings. She had the luxury to not have little ones reaching for her yet with excitement and snuggled against her new mate. Sleeping in the outdoors had been a new experience for her but she felt safe beside him and the willow tree. Her fingers swept over his chest as she pressed a kiss to his chin, whispering sweetly, "Good morning, my dear one."

"I've slept on dirt and wood but never stone" he remarked flatly to his first night of sleeping in the open at the Atykwe. Instead of hearing the chitters of wildlife of the forests, he was soothed by the ocean waves. The soft dirt of the forest would conform to his body while sleeping over thick branches would leave him with a small shoulder ache. Sleeping on rocky terrain was a new one and he wiped the sleep from his eyes to sigh, "Not particularly enticing."

Joanna smiled with amusement at his early morning grumpiness, brushing her fingers through his loose hair. He returned the smile before sitting up to stretch his arms, massaging his sore neck with a small frown. A shiver ran down his spine when her fingers ran down the straight curve of his back and she chuckled to the sudden perk in his ears. He shifted to gaze down at her, noticing her expectant eyes, and he quickly uttered, "Good morning, my mate."

"That's better" she grinned cheekily to earning a more appropriate greeting and batted his side affectionately. Wiping her eyes, she cleared away the last remnants of sleep and curled closer to her partner for warmth. The mornings had become chilly with the new season but she was glad that it hadn't poured down on them during the night.

Tsu'tey returned to his mate's side with a happy smile, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her lips. She stifled a giggle to the ticklish sensation of his nose brushing against her cheek and he asked, "What did you See?"

Their tsaheylu bond had ushered a collage of memories that gently flooded each of their minds during the night. She had glimpsed into his past to piece together his life into the final puzzle of who her mate was. Her old reluctance to speak of the past had shattered and every memory of her life had laid open for him. They held no secrets anymore and their lives were finally united.

"I saw a mix of our pasts, you liked playing 'hunter' a lot as a child" she smiled gently at the image of a young Tsu'tey frolicking through the base of the old Kelutral. There was so much shared within a span of hours that would have sent the fastest computer on the fritz. Being with him intimately was a mind-blowing euphoria but it was nothing compared to tsaheylu. Avi had told her that once the union was consummated, the couple went to sleep to be blessed by a vision from Eywa.

Joanna, however, had spent most of the night in a heat of enjoyable passion and thought with amorous glee, I definitely counted more than one mating during the night. Not that I minded but I'll keep that to myself.

He intertwined his fingers with hers to clutch her close, pressing a kiss to her neck to fill her with peace. She smiled affectionately to his gesture and leaned into him to whisper softly, "Your parents really cared for you."

"Yours were skxawngs" he stated coldly and a faint smile crossed her lips to his blunt response. That was the tightly knit intricacies of tsaheylu- it was the ultimate connection in mind, body, and soul to another being. They shared everything from their likes, fears, secrets, and all of it dwelled within them alone. He witnessed her lonely childhood and understood how a little child that was given no love, only approval upon success, had turned out the way she had. Unlike his childhood that was filled with love, her first experiences with the emotion came from his world and he murmured, "They did not know how to treasure you, but I do. You are my life."

"I'm sure you'll treasure our own children too" she complimented with delight at the idea because he no longer ran from most children. Eywa had shown her an image quite the opposite to popular belief and a glimpse to their future. His cheek nuzzled her neck affectionately and her fingertips outlined his right ear. Hovering over his childhood nick on that ear, she admitted softly, "I saw a little girl, she had barely learned how to walk and kept stumbling in her hasty steps. She had that same tight-lipped look you get when you're concentrating and her eyes were exactly like yours, same angle and everything. She had this lopsided little ponytail on the left side of her head that stuck up in the air in a funny way and she tried to loosen the hair band with a pudgy little hand to get rid of it."

A soft laugh erupted from her lips at the little girl's sour pout but quickly went on, "You snatched her up seconds later to scold her about not listening and walking off alone but she was pretty defiant, wiggling in your arms like a fish before bawling her little eyes out. You caved in seconds later and let her go, watching her waddle happily towards the shoreline. She went shell collecting and you sat there with the grumpiest look imaginable except for when she brought a little token to show you every few minutes."

The little girl had been a ray of beautiful sunlight with her bright face and Joanna reminisced, "She's the first to wake us in the morning and tells us what she wants to eat by pointing at the food. You tell her 'no' on anything and she starts bawling like someone died but you always give in. Daughters tend to wrap their dear fathers around their little finger, you know?"

She reached over to tap his nose with her finger before kissing his lips as she turned around in his arms to finish, "She likes to squeal out 'my sempu' with this toothy smile every time she sees you before clinging onto your leg for a hug. Adds a cute little pout on her bottom lip too if you don't greet her quickly."

Joanna chuckled amusingly to her sweet dream and almost wished that cute little child was running around. Leti drew his fatherly tendencies already but their daughter would lure it in hurricane form. Imagining Tsu'tey nurturing children was almost an impossible idea after seeing him hide like a Prolemuris in the trees every time one passed by back at the Omaticaya. Time, however, had changed him and they were both open to beginning a family of their own. She was snapped out of her amusing ponderings when he told her with an enticing tone, "I saw something entirely different."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously to having him See something else and she cupped his chin before asking worriedly, "Was it something bad?"

"No, Eywa never shows such unless she disapproves of the union and she didn't" he assured with a kiss to her forehead to settle his worries. She cuddled up against his form for warmth (more for intimacy than physical need), resting her cheek in the crook of his neck as if this were storytime and nudged his side to get him started. He gave a light chuckle to her innocent prodding and she smiled when he revealed his side of the tale, "Mine had a boy. No more than three years old. He doesn't like it when you feed him and always crawls into my lap to grab food from my leaf plate because apparently, you tend to coddle him a bit. Not that I'm surprised- Joanna, stop glaring."

With her little disagreement over being too nurturing (he was right on target but she wasn't going to give in) put to rest, she pecked a little kiss on his neck to let him know it was in jest. He glanced down to flash her a cocky smile that soon faded into sincerity as he continued, "He likes to curl up against you in our hammock at night for bedtime stories but he's hard to put to sleep because you end up asleep first. You take him for walks on the beach and he always tries to swim but can't so he cries when his older cousins splash in the water. You fix his hair in my style but tighten it with extra knots and ties because roughhousing always has him coming back with disheveled hair that takes hours to untangle."

It figured their children would carry their feisty spirits and he added in, "Also, he loves getting dirty in the mud while playing with his ikran toy but he cleans it to perfection. You and I painted it blue and white, a combination of our own, and he keeps it in a wooden box for safekeeping when he's not playing."

A proud grin touched his lips and he told her gleefully, "He sneaks out when I fish but I know each of his steps before he makes them so I catch him before he's a step out of Hometree. He fishes very well for a child of that age but of course, I always keep a hold on him. Still, I don't mind boasting about him. He likes to show off his catches to you before climbing onto my back so he can see me prepare them. He's like you, eager and stubborn to learn. He even has your glare when I tell him 'no' on anything- see, that one right there."

She batted his chest for his little joke but smiled nonetheless to the thought of a son. He sounded absolutely dear but it was interesting how Eywa provided them contrasting views of the future. She would love and adore any child of theirs, tracing her fingertips over his chest in affectionate circles to muse quietly, "You sound like he already exists."

He flashed her a roguish grin that dumbfounded her and she questioned, "What is it?"

"We could have a child" he proposed suavely to make their dreams a reality and she sputtered to the idea. Was he crazy? Did mating for one night switch out his personality of being a hunting machine to raising babies? She figured last night went a little too much to his head.

She poked his chest to thwart off any wooing efforts and pointed out, "First of all, we've barely been mated a day. Secondly, I want to spend my time with you as your mate- not like that, you mating maniac. A baby is a serious commitment and you still have to find your footing in our clan."

He frowned with distaste to the latter part because he was trying to forget that he was starting from scratch. At least, in hunting on different terrain. Everyone from the Atykwe had been kind to him during the celebration and curious about his old life, which he'd been happy to share. Her left arm swept over his side to hug him tight and she laughed impishly, "That and you're not giving me all the parenting workload. It takes two to make a child-"

His lips cut her words off with a passionate kiss, pressing her back onto their makeshift bedding, and he interjected eagerly, "Why not start early?"

He's too good at this but no, she thought with amusement to his boyish charm and chuckled to his inviting kisses. Women swooned for this man but she had to hold strong against his smooth talking and sweet smiles. This would be her morning routine for the rest of her life, minus the outdoor sleep in the open. Her heart and ovaries might agree with him but her head knew better after knowing him for more than a year.

He hissed lightly when she nipped his ear playfully to beckon his attention and tried to suppress both their romantic inclinations, "Tsu'tey, stop being a mating machine and besides, what if our child asks one day where they came from?"

The question threw him aback long enough for her to fire back sarcastically, "Do you want me to say 'oh, I let your father have at me for five minutes after waking up without freshening up'? Doesn't sound very special or romantic. I want my child conceived in the privacy of our hut or a very distant and solitary place from here."

With great reluctance, he admitted that she had a valid point and cursed his heart for trying to woo his mate again. Why did she hit him with logic? Releasing her with a disappointed sigh, she uttered a whine for being released like a fly in a spider's web and he muttered, "When you mention it like that. . .but if they ask, there's nothing wrong with lying."

She shot him an unimpressed glare for the jab and he tickled her funny bone when he claimed confidently, "I will be the one telling our son about a mating union and our daughter. . .well, she won't be mating- end of story. None will be worthy unless they bring me a thanator. Jakesully has proven that a toruk can be tamed so that's out of the question."

Joanna chuckled softly to his silly overprotection for their nonexistent children. Instead of scolding him on his view regarding teenage children, she cupped his cheek to dote sweetly, "You can't control matters of the heart but I love you for trying . . . my Tsu'tey."

Her lips sought his for a small kiss and she sighed happily at the upcoming life that awaited them. She was Tsu'tey's mate and basked in experiencing the newlywed bliss she had heard through the female crowds. Every promise she had voiced in their ceremony would be upheld and she would always shield and love him.

"Always yours" he promised with a fond smile to return the sentiment, sitting up to begin their day. Setting aside the idea of another mating, he stood up to greet the sun with a bright smile before holding out his hand to his new bride. Joanna chuckled softly to his newfound enthusiasm and gripped his calloused fingers with a matching smile. Laughter left her lips when he raised her with ease like a small fish and she wrapped an arm around his waist, leaving behind their previous lives and beginning their new road.


Joanna and Tsu'tey managed to return in time to remove their old attire, wash up to renew their energy, slap on new clothes, and join the clan for first meal. The couple had been ecstatic to see their shared bedding in their emerald hut and couldn't wait to snuggle up together at the end of the day. For now, however, their day was simply beginning and the two rarely let each other out of sight. Well wishes rang out from the clan as they interacted with everyone on their way to grab their morning meal.

They found a seat with their blended group of friends and just as the couple sat down to chat with them, Tsu'tey was bombarded by little hands on his back. His little gang of cousins had returned in full force and they wedged themselves around the couple to join them. Tsu'tey had to raise his leaf plate to avoid having them swipe his food away as they piled onto his lap. He was quick to hiss in mild warning and kept the smallest ones by his side, which were the lucky Leti and Keron. The other two boys sat beside W?tu to help begin picking away at his food, annoying the young hunter. The boys, however, had brought leaf plates to share and placed them between them all.

"They are ridiculously adorable" Neytiri chuckled softly to their infectious personalities and the children smiled shyly. In their haste to find his cousin, they had forgotten the higher ranked clan leaders of the Omaticaya. Quickly, they greeted the foreign leaders politely in unison and Jake returned the peppy greeting with a friendly smile.

"You may have them" W?tu joked gently to pass them off, grinning when the quartet complained to being transplanted. Their mothers would chase him off into the wilderness if he dared! Leti clung to Keron's arm instantly, looking to her older brother for protection. Tsu'tey patted both of their heads to reassure them nothing would swipe them away.

"No, they're ours" Tsu'tey replied with a warm smile because the young ones had captured his heart. They had become part of his life from his first trip and failed to budge. If anything, they were already moving into his new hut. The children smiled happily for having him vouch for them and began to eat from their leaf plates with relief for not being taken away.

"I cannot believe you're partial to children now" Norm stated with disbelief to the fear-inducing hunter that frightened him before they had even met. Even after they met, he was still wary of the tall man that could kill him with his bare hands. He had seen children scuttle off with awe but they respected his boundaries, never daring to treat too close. The current group of children, however, could tease and prod at him and he barely budged.

Tsu'tey agreed because he was more liable to scare children than gain smiles. Neytiri and Sylwanin had tried and failed but only Joanna pulled him into that world long enough to open his heart. His little cousins had finished off that old mindset by trailing after him with admiration. Tilting his head to the side, he admitted with surprise to the gradual change, "Me too."

"What did you do to him?" Peyral questioned with restrained admiration since the man listened to only his leaders. Even as a hunter, he was confident in his skills and stubborn to yield from his knowledge. He had been the type to order and only conceded to his superiors, nobody else. To see him listen effectively and consider alternate options was a change for the gruff hunter.

Joanna slunk back in her seat to the woman's piercing stare and she yelped helplessly, "Nothing, I'm an innocent party here!"

"That's not what the love bite on your neck says" Jake intercepted with amusement, causing her eyes to widen to their fullest. Her hands flew up to her neck to hide whatever evidence pointed to last night's passionate events while Tsu'tey barely flinched to the remark.

His nonchalance about the embarrassing mark prompted her to smack his left shoulder. How could he be completely calm about that? He hissed in rebuttal to the strike, mainly because he lost a bite of his morning bread, and she shot back with her own hiss, "Prolemuris!"

Tsu'tey decided to appease his mate by quickly moving to cover the mark with her loose hair. Na'vi could be hurt all the time and nobody really cared if a shallow mark appeared on skin. On closer inspection, he winced to his luck at seeing two obvious teeth marks on the affectionate nip. Quietly, he apologized to her burning embarrassment while she avoided everyone's gazes, "I didn't mean it."

His protectiveness over her flared instantly and he chastised the entire group with a heated snap, "Why are you all looking at us? Aren't we allowed our privacy?"

"It's hard not to stare" Anaya answered sheepishly, being the only one willing to reply. Everyone else decided to either eat, cough, or snicker under their breath. The children were lost to what the adults were laughing at and quietly nibbled on their food. Another stern glare from Tsu'tey silenced everyone from daring to tease them again.

"Can we ignore my union night activities, please?" Joanna sighed softly to avoid having her image plummet for her private bedroom habits. She and Tsu'tey were still new to everything but she didn't want to accidentally cause a scandal through the clan. Her lips frowned when her biscuit broke in half after dipping it too much in its creamy dip. Even the biscuit had escaped into a creamy abyss.

"Only because of the children" Norm agreed to spare her mortification and tried not to grin at her blushing face. They didn't want to speak mature topics in front of them and anger all of Tsu'tey's family. Mo'at would be none too pleased and he expected the same from the Atykwe matriarch.

W?tu patted the top of Sìlpey's head, earning a hiss from the small boy for being given away minutes earlier, and he claimed with feigned woe, "Eywa protect the precious children."

"Does anyone remember what happened last night?" Jake asked with confusion, remembering Neytiri glancing down at him with mirth. He remembered trying to walk up the spiral stairs but his inebriation led him to crawl on all fours while helplessly calling for Neytiri. He had underestimated the strength of the drinks and his legs gave up halfway through his walk. Eventually, he found their guest alcove on the first level due to her pregnancy and remembered her fingers flicking his forehead.

Her golden eyes were firm against his because trying to figure out whether he was alive in the morning had not been fun. It had taken a slap to the forehead to wake him out of his deep slumber and he had complained of a headache. She had not been sympathetic to his indulgence in drinking but their clan hadn't expected the drinks to be so strong. Apparently, the Atykwe coast and the cold season was perfect for storing fermenting drinks in caves for special occasions.

"How much did you all drink?" Cheryl asked with confusion because she and Noren left before the party got out of hand. They were not drinkers by nature, unlike the hunting caste, and she bid Max farewell to leave her sober friend to oversee their group. Apparently, more than a few were nursing hangovers as they avoided the sunlight filtering through the circle.

"You were all sober when we left" Tsu'tey pointed out to the last time he saw them because Joanna wanted to avoid being drunk. Their friends had not stopped drinking one cup after another, even after the Atykwe hunters warned them of the strength. His Omaticayan friends had failed to heed the warning and had paid the price with hangovers and memory lapses. He pointed towards Peyral, who had swiped her mate's drinks, and remarked dryly, "Though you were pushing it."

"I refuse to say no to a drink!" she stated matter-of-factly and emphasized her point by drinking water from her cup. Max sighed under his breath to her stubborn personality but was relieved that she was staying hydrated. He had given her a set of orders to follow to lighten her hangover and water was number one. His mate had fussed to being told what to do but reluctantly listened to avoid accidentally crashing her ikran on their return trip.

Joanna shook her head to the shenanigans of her friends, amused that they went that far with their drinks, and smiled gently, "I hope you all slept somewhere safe."

Half-hearted agreements echoed through the Omaticayan group and Tsu'tey lowered his head in embarrassment. He hoped to Eywa that neither of the two matriarchs saw their antics across the beach. Max had managed to convince his mate not to swim in the sea after she claimed to be the ocean queen, trying her best to swim with her minions of fish. She gave up walking halfway to Kelutral and the two ended up sleeping together in the soft sand. Neytiri had simply kept an eye on her mate to make sure Jake didn't accidentally roll down the stairs and embarrass their clan. Norm decided to play it safe after drinking too much and slept at the base against a cozy root. Only Cheryl and Noren slept comfortably in their assigned alcove to wake up renewed of energy.

Jake looked to the bright side of their partying and piped up positively with a smile, "We didn't accidentally drown or wake up intoxicated so that's a win."

"Only you would say that" Neytiri scoffed sarcastically to his adventurous spark but the chide failed to dent his smile. Jake took life one day at a time and as long as he woke up breathing in a safe place, his day would be good. His mate, however, viewed life as a larger picture where a small ripple created a tidal wave. She looked to her clan, who looked more tired than awake, and asked them bluntly, "Do you really not remember yesterday?"

Her mate recollected nothing from the night before and he grinned cheekily to purr, "Refresh our memories, dearest."

Neytiri did not hesitate to jump into the highlights of the celebration:

Jake nudged Norm forward towards the dancing and feasting crowd but the other hunter pushed back against his strength. His leader was leading him towards Tarazi as the huntress mingled with the other guests. His voice echoed over the other jubilant voices when encouraged his friend, "Go ask her to dance."

"No, she'll kill me" he refused nervously because her friendliness had shifted into neutral politeness. There were no more sheepish smiles or bright eyes aimed at him but instead, the same indifferent eyes and tight-lipped smile from their early days returned. He had never been great with emotional talks and neither was she which placed them in a conundrum.

A cup filled with a strong cocktail obscured his vision, not to mention his nose, and Peyral instructed confidently, "Another drink should give your heart confidence."

"Or embarrass me" he sighed softly but accepted the cup to take a small sip, letting the strong drink burn his throat. Peyral was not pleased with the pitiful amount, shooting him a glare, and Norm quickly took another long swallow. This appeased the huntress and before Max could pull her drink away, she drank a similar one in one chug.

"You'll be fine" Max assured his friend while simultaneously pulling the empty cup out of his mate's hand. Before she could hiss in defiance, he handed her a cup of water to counteract the alcohol but she simply handed it to Noren. Not wanting to waste what Eywa provided, the singer happily sipped it.

Norm intervened into the stroll down memory lane to frown with dreadful disappointment, "I was not fine!"

"That could be from the love triangle though" Cheryl pointed out gently to maintain logic in her friend's decision-making. He had veered off in keeping Tarazi happy by interacting with Iza, who was not shy in making her favoritism known. The huntress was clearly internalizing her feelings but Norm had not been proactive in smoothing things over.

"I still can't believe he's in a love triangle" Noren whispered quietly to his mate because the dreamwalker was the most friendly and laidback. Max had also been his pick but the healer had warded off any interested women until Peyral literally kissed the man to make her claim. If Norm was hoping for something similar, he doubted it would happen.

Joanna couldn't help but agree with him, pointing to herself and Tsu'tey as she stated bluntly, "We're still baffled he's in a love triangle-"

"Could we stop saying love triangle?" Norm interrupted the innocent heckling from his friends and waved his hands at them to bring silence. He didn't need for gossip to spread further past his groups of friends into the clan or worse, diffuse to the Atykwe. Joanna's friends were trying their best to appear nonchalant but it was failing.

Keron blinked with uncertainty to the new words and looked up to his respected cousin to ask innocently, "What's a love triangle?"

Tsu'tey chuckled softly to their innocence, wrapping his arms around the youngest two, and explained warmly, "Something nobody wishes to experience. We will talk about it when you're older."

"Thank you for the great food and drinks" Peyral said with appreciation to the delicious banquet but it was expected with Tsu'tey's rank. The surprise was to the extent that the Atykwe carried it out, given that he recently joined them. It was apparent that the new couple was respected and she was happy to see her mentor in his new home. At the same time, they provided some of the best beverages and she sighed with lament, "So many drinks. . ."

"I can't wait for the next bonding ceremony!" Jake exclaimed with excitement to continue the jovial mood back home. The end of the tawtute had brought a surge of new unions and babies, alongside the rites of passage. Food always brought people together and it was apparent that night with two clans mingling like old family.

Neytiri was quick to pull her mate's head out of the clouds and pointed out flatly, "You're thinking of the feast."

"Mainly" Jake agreed cheekily, bringing a small smile to her face, and he turned to their nervous friend to say, "Norm, time to prepare."

"I'm still trying to figure out my love life" he disagreed immediately to partaking in a similar milestone anytime soon. His life had been heading in a good direction before it came to a grinding halt. Now, he was trying to regain his close-knit friendship with Tarazi.

Max attempted to play a life coach while keeping an eye on his mate and suggested, "Have you thought about simply asking Tarazi?"

"Not unless I wish to die" Norm answered with an insistent shake of his head to avoid being beaten or yelled at. He did not want to think the worst of Tarazi but the woman could likely break his bone into several pieces. So far, he hadn't thought of a decent way to approach the subject without letting nerves get the better of him.

"Sometimes, you have to risk it" Peyral stated bluntly to get the young hunter moving or he would risk the chance of losing a potential mate. Tarazi focused her energy into hunting, like herself, but she was not bold when it came to anything else outside of that realm. She was not overly expressive either, reminding her of the old Tsu'tey, so Norm had his work cut out for him. She circled an index finger over his face and admitted cheekily, "You and I have elusive choices in partners so we must be proactive in our efforts to claim them."

"I was not elusive" Max pointed out quickly because he had been entirely focused on blending into the clan and learning his new craft. Peyral had not helped by coming in every week to be patched up and flinging charming jokes at him. Still, she pulled him away long enough for him to realize that she was offering her world to him through her affection.

Peyral snorted with skepticism before revealing a new cup full of the mind-altering ambrosia. Max threw up his hands at realizing his mate would succeed in any goal and decided to play the designated driver for his mate. Good thing na'vi only had animals for transport or he was certain she would drive a motorcycle for the adrenaline rush.

Jake offered another drearier alternative to standing around and doing nothing, "Or you could continue being miserable. Misery loves company."

"Not helping" Neytiri chastised her mate and smiled warmly at Norm to let him decide his own path. Both she and her mate treated him like a little brother but males tended to roughhouse more. Today was a happy day to celebrate and no gloominess should sprout from that. Her top huntress was apparently taking that point to heart by consuming more drinks than all of them combined.

Summoning a sliver of courage, Norm took a swig of his drink before making a beeline for the woman in question. The group of friends stared in curious wonder as he approached her, aiming a friendly smile at Tarazi. They grinned with growing excitement when she accepted a small conch shell he had saved for her but that joy was short-lived. The Omaticayan group released a dismayed groan when Tarazi left Norm alone to disappear within the crowd, declining his company.

"That was brutal" Jake sighed with disappointment to his friend's bad luck and the trio reluctantly agreed. Their pep talk had failed in earning the woman's heart.

In a short time, the group forgot the whole mess entirely from their drinks and brought Norm back into the fold to lick his wounds. Jake kept his hands full of drinks to soothe his defeat while Max played the dad of the group by reminding them of hangovers. His mate, however, was of no help by trying to arm wrestle the Atykwe hunters. Anaya pretended she was out of food for energy and left hastily to bide time. Arat and Xuret were not so lucky, especially when the latter hunter pushed the younger one at the huntress. Despite his declination to the arm wrestling match, Peyral refused to obey and grabbed the unlucky hunter into her grasp.

It wasn't long before a winner was declared between the two and Arat clutched his right arm against his chest. The huntress had clinched a win within minutes and Max began to wonder if the alcohol fueled her strength as well. The poor hunter sat down on a nearby log bench and frowned to the throbbing pain shooting up his shoulder, "My hand."

"That's a shame" Xuret stated dryly while trying to hide a smile and patted his friend on the opposite shoulder. Peyral celebrated her win by devouring fried teylu before hitting another drink to continue the jovial mood. Max glared at Jake when his clan leader clapped with pride to his best huntress scoring a win. This would only encourage her to drink and arm wrestle more.

Anaya came back in time to witness the demise of her hunter and pushed Xuret towards the huntress. He dug his feet into the ground to avoid being pulled into Peyral's orbit of obliteration and she declared perkily with an evil grin, "The matriarch's nephew should put up a decent fight."

Xuret cursed being pulled into an arm-wrestling match while enjoying his drink. He wanted to face off against another hunter fairly, not while both were inebriated. That, and it was quite obvious that the huntress drew power from their drinks. Anaya, however, was on a humorous path for revenge and he growled, "You-"

Several minutes later, Xuret shared the log space with his friend that was now failing to hide his smirk. Peyral rejoiced in her second win and raised her arms, pulling her mate into a one-armed hug. Neytiri and Jake chuckled to her enthusiasm since the other couple was a mixture of night and day in personality. Max was clutched against her chest, a feat which many would envy, and he sighed under his breath, "Great, I'm not sleeping tonight."

"Isn't that every man's wish?" Jake pointed out smartly to the beauty of the na'vi willowy forms and incredibly flexibility. His mate could literally kick his ass and he would enjoy the power in her tenacity. He winced when Neytiri nudged him in the ribs to silence his boyish immaturity. After all, he would be a father soon.

Max batted his clan leader away with a hiss to remind him of her ranking, "Not when she can break bones!"

The Atykwe hunters would remember that one for the future while Neytiri hoped this wouldn't sour clan relations. The three were closest to Joanna and she had reassured her they were a friendly bunch rather than critical. Anaya glanced down at the two hunters sporting sore hands and she commented with amusement, "I have a big hunch you won't be fishing tomorrow."

"I hope you've all learned a valuable lesson" Max lectured everyone within hearing range and received half-hearted grumbles. His mate was dangerous enough without alcohol and its help only increased her strength. However, she would be dead weight in the morning so he would visit Tsu'tey's aunt for a headache draught. Despite her flickers of immaturity, he loved her and stated protectively, "Don't arm wrestle my drunken mate. You will lose."

"I was unwillingly offered as a sacrifice" Arat reminded helplessly because he never meant to involve himself in the game. He knew when he was setting himself up for failure and facing the Omaticaya's best huntress was exactly that. His path as the future advisor of the Atykwe meant that hunting would eventually become his second rank. With that in mind, hunting was not meant to be his best skill.

Xuret wallowed in his swift loss and stood up to find soul-soothing pain relief, informing his friends, "I need a drink."

Anaya and Arat tried not to laugh at their crestfallen friend and followed closely behind to make sure he didn't drink himself into depressed vomiting. When he approached the log tables to reach for the wooden bowls, he groaned miserably to his newest injury. He had the worst time trying to pour himself a drink with one good hand and Arat muttered dryly from behind, "You didn't think this one through, did you?"

"Not at all" Xuret replied earnestly and reluctantly gave up filling the empty cup. Why were cups shaped into small bowls? It did not help him at all! Backing away from the table, he bumped into someone on his injured arm and hissed irritably.

The sound died halfway when he stared back at one of W?tu's little sisters, unsure to which one it was. Her large eyes were wide with surprise, backing away to hide behind her older brother, who didn't hesitate to protect his sister. Despite their innocent bickering, he would always oversee their safety. The young hunter wondered what trampled his older clansmen and asked with curiosity, "What happened to you?"

"He decided to tangle with the strongest Omaticayan woman" Anaya answered helpfully to remind her friends not to let pride get the better of them. They had underestimated the strength of the other woman and paid a price in hand pain. W?tu tried not to laugh at that unless he wanted to experience the same pain and she finished unabashedly, "It was a fantastic failure."

"You poor soul" Leena spoke up with sympathy and darted forward before Rila could yank her back. She had accidentally bumped into the hunter and skittered away nervously but now, she was going back. Leena removed the thin coral shawl over her shoulders to create a makeshift sling for the man's arm. Making a knot at the top of his shoulder from both ends, she slipped his arm through it and smiled gently, "You can use my shawl to balance your arm for less pain. My aunt Zika's taught all of us a few tricks."

"Thank you" he replied for her kindness after scaring her away and dipped his head respectfully. The fabric sling did help and he glanced over his shoulder to smile at his friends to his sudden luck. Being the matriarch's nephew, he was accustomed to being recognized while W?tu's artisan family was meek and humble (apart from the hunter). The rite teacher made an error the next second by asking uncertainly, "Wait, are you Rila or Leena?"

The young woman's smile flattened in one second flat and she turned around to leave with her twin, who couldn't stop laughing. W?tu tried not to let Rila's laughter affect him and called out for them to stay within his sight. His parents had already retired for the night so they were his responsibility. Xuret's ears flattened with embarrassment for the mistake and W?tu gave him a tip by explaining, "Easiest way to tell is the hair. Leena's is shorter while Rila keeps it long to show off her work."

Xuret turned to his closest friend and whispered with burning mortification, "I didn't earn any points on that one, did I?"

"No, you're on a terrible losing streak" Arat answered dryly with an amused smile to their interesting night. Union celebrations usually brought a more playful and chattier Xuret but this time, it had only given embarrassing memories. He had given away Joanna to her mate, shouldn't he have earned approval from Eywa?

"Are you staring at my sister?" W?tu's sharp voice interrupted Xuret's lapse in concentration.

Xuret quickly averted his gaze to peer into the dancing crowds and cleared his throat to reply, "No, my pain momentarily blinded me."

Anaya held out a newly filled cup to her sore friend and smiled cheerfully, "Drink?"

"Thank Eywa" he agreed with gratitude for the drink and began to chug it down.

Joanna's brow furrowed to the silliness between both clans but glanced at her kin to emphasize, "When did my clan turn into the Love Boat/Gladiators?"

"What's a love boat and gla-dee-ators?" Tsu'tey questioned in broken English, the alien language feeling strange on his tongue. He and Joanna spoke fluently in the language of the People now, purging the tawtute culture entirely. There was pride in seeing that change in his mate compared to their first days but he couldn't help but blurt, "I believed we were done with English gibberish."

"You're gibberish" she grinned with a mischievous laugh to his grumpy expression, bumping her shoulder against his. He was her cranky and silly mate but she loved him dearly.

"All right, let's finish up and go explore the reefs" Anaya piped up eagerly to starting out the day and an impending swim. She would be their guide along the beach to show their Omaticayan guests their best spots without the use of ikran. Clapping with a peppy smile, she returned to eating the rest of her meal to leave on a full stomach.


The group of Omaticayan and Atykwe had set off together with Anaya leading the way to begin their morning of exploration. They would not do any heavy impact hiking due to Neytiri's condition but with half the group bearing hangovers, they were happy with a simple walk around the coast. The sounds of the ocean and the calming water led most of the Omaticaya to walk through the shallow end of the sea rather than the sand like the Atykwe. Being used to their home, they let their new friends enjoy the natural beauty of the coast.

The children had joined the adults for their day and Neytiri couldn't help but be amused to how closely they stuck to her childhood friend. Even though their other cousins were nearby, they huddled around him in a circle to happily converse with him. The Eastern Sea brought her a sense of calm that was infectious, especially now that her child kicked her one too many times throughout the day. There was no doubt she would visit one day but her child would have to at least walk sturdily before that happened.

Anaya had led the medium-sized group to view the caves that stored goods or were simply there to shelter curious na'vi for the day. The children and the Omaticayan were eager to touch the natural crystals that the rear caves produced. Their glittering light in the dim lighting was attractive and she wished they could visit at sunset when the angle of their sun lit up the cave in all its glory. For now, she let them enjoy the perks before leading the group down to their safest 'family friendly' reef system. She would not risk endangering the children or the pregnant Omaticayan since only hunters dared to traverse the more open coral reefs.

"Thank you for joining us, Tarazi" Joanna spoke up with a friendly smile, causing Tsu'tey to subdue a grin to her innocent meddling. She had convinced Tarazi to join them for the outing, even with Norm in the group. After all, they were still friends and everyone had little bouts of arguing every once in a while. Either way, the chat worked and it didn't slide by the couple that the two wanted to speak to each other but failed to make decent conversation.

"My first trip was unforgettable" she admitted modestly because being able to travel was a privilege for a young huntress. It had been the first trip after the departure of the tawtute and proved their world was now safe to travel through. Regardless of the current confusion in her heart, she would not turn down the chance to explore more. Norm had been cordial to her and she returned the same words but returning home would egg her to dwell on her personal problem. Dipping her feet in the incoming tide while they walked, she stated with respect, "The open sea can be frightening but liberating."

"It takes some adjusting" Tsu'tey agreed politely because the open space could be overwhelming to a forest born na'vi. Their people were accustomed to being concealed in dense spaces and using their environment to hide while the Atykwe were directly in the open. The bright side of that was that danger was rare, dwelling in the water rather than the land.

"This is quickly becoming a place for escape" Jake smiled widely with approval to the sea clan, wondering how quickly they could return. His baby would need constant attention and being a parent to a na'vi child would bring new learning opportunities. Human children were one thing but na'vi children were literally an alien concept. All he knew was that they cried, soiled their cloth diaper, and breastfed. Inhaling the salty air deeply, he nodded to his friends with confidence, "We did great by sending Tsu'tey here to visit."

Max stifled a laugh to his friend's delight because it had been Jake's mission to reunite their grumpy friend with Joanna. It had been a group effort to finally get him moving and he pointed out, "I have a hunch it was for more than just a visit."

He waved a hand in dismissal to that painstakingly obvious fact and insisted, "Joanna was an irrelevant variable."

The woman in question flushed sheepishly, skittering forward to move to the front of the group. Tsu'tey threw up his hands to losing his mate, watching her whisper to Anaya, and returned to keeping an eye on the children. They were more than happy to walk through the water with Keron fishing out seashells to keep. Norm shook his head to his friend's matchmaking skills and muttered flatly, "Sure, she was."

"Anyway, our walks along the coast can last for hours" Anaya interrupted their joking to beckon attention back to their environment rather than her friend's relationship. Joanna smiled with thanks for the help but she would always help her friend. She wouldn't want the same befalling her one day. Clearing her throat, she beckoned their attention as they approached the coral reefs of their clan. They were not as large as the ones that belonged to the Metkayina clan but were still beloved by the clan. Motioning to the azure skyline to their right, she continued peppily, "The Atykwe sits along the large coast of the continent and we have other clans along the Eastern Sea."

"Have you visited the others?" Jake asked his friend curiously since his trip to the coast to rally support had sent him to the Atykwe first. Although Nitari agreed to support him in his fight, she had suggested the Tayrangi due to their ferocity. Unlike the Atykwe that focused solely on the sea and air for their combat, the Tayrangi used the forest for their needs since the deeper terrain of the sea brought larger predators to dwell in its deep. It was why their forms appeared willowier to match the Omaticaya's warriors rather than the Metkayina and Atykwe that bore more broader shoulders.

Tsu'tey shook his head since he was still trying to find his new path among the Atykwe and replied earnestly, "No, but the matriarch informed me I would travel with Arat soon."

"You'll enjoy the Tayrangi based on your skill" Arat explained about their upcoming trips once Tsu'tey settled in. He did not want to uproot their newest resident completely and overwhelm him with the new clan. The other hunter, however, was highly adaptable from what he had witnessed but he would be kind and have Joanna help him with the transition. He had a particular clan in mind for the closest trip and added in, "Tsentey is a master in flight with his ikran, I will introduce you to him. Their clan is a lot more progressive than ours, giving the role of tsahìk to neither of the clan leaders."

He was briefly familiar with the outlying coastal clans since Mo'at had sent him to trade with nearby clans only. Unlike Joanna that turned modest at meeting strangers, he thrived on it. Jake clasped his friend's shoulder to grin widely with enthusiasm, "Already making new friends."

"And now, new food" Joanna piped up excitedly as they arrived at their final stop of the day, clapping with joy towards the children. They mimicked her clapping to show their enthusiasm to swim but Tsu'tey grabbed the youngest two before they ran forward. W?tu simply smacked the older two over the head to remind them to listen but hissed when his twin sisters returned the same smack to the back of his head.

The water had shifted from its calming blue to a turquoise shade from the underwater forest hidden from eyesight. They stood on the rocky terrain that stretched outwards into several natural pools of water that were a hit for the children. They would often splash and fish out shells or find small sea life that was pushed forward from the incoming waves during high tide. The lip of the natural pools was used as sitting spots or diving sites for the adults into the coral reef below. Pointing to the open water before them, she laughed softly to inform her Omaticayan friends, "We wanted to find some teylu for you to take home."

"I've never seen sea teylu" Tarazi remarked with delight to see their ocean counterpart, surprised they dwelled in the sea. They were always a hit on skewers or stews back home and the Atykwe used them similarly after tasting a few last night. No meal was complete without teylu in her book.

Hints of orange and pink peeked through the glittering blue-green water, hiding the secret forest of the sea. Joanna walked over the small pools of water chiseled in the rocks to slip into the sea feet first, careful to dive into a blue area void of the reef. The water was refreshingly cool against her skin under the warm sun and she explained, "Instead of foraging in the forest, they forage on the seabed. They also need to wiggle around more with the currents so they're fatter with a fanned tail."

The Atykwe residents dove into the water with ease while Tsu'tey corralled the children into the rock pools to keep them safe from deep water. They were reluctant to have him go but he promised to stay near, sliding into the water over the edge of the pool to reassure them that nobody would be abandoned. The twins swam over to him to reassure the children that they would be there if he could not.

"But he's a hunter, he can protect us" Sìlpey pointed out to the number one factor that made him shine against the rest of his cousins. The other children nodded eagerly after seeing the respect from the matriarch for him in comparison to other hunters.

Rila frowned at being discarded since her trade was not in the hunt and told her twin, "Well, they have us there."

Arat motioned with his right hand for the Omaticaya to join them in the water and reassured, "Come, this area of the reef lacks predators. The reef is so densely packed that nothing larger than a child can enter from the ocean."

Norm and Tarazi were the first to wade into the water, splashing droplets as they fell into the unknown depth. The strange taste of salty water had eluded them and they wiped their mouths to the odd taste. Norm held his hand out to Neytiri to help her and his friend gladly accepted the help. She would not risk any sport that jeopardized her baby and clung to the porous rock to slowly wade into the water. Tsu'tey couldn't help but laugh at Jake watching her every move until she began treading water safely.

Everyone else piled in one by one to splash in the cool water to discover the world beneath the sand. Their feet brushed against the rough corral and the flutter of tiny fish swimming by their legs caused Cheryl and Max to laugh at their speed. In the rivers, they didn't feel so many fish zooming from the fast current so it was an alien feeling. Jake, Norm, Peyral, and Tarazi decided to dive underwater to explore the colorful seabed that greeted them. A myriad of pink, orange, red, blue- heck, an entire rainbow- lay hidden with colorful fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, plants, and anemones that called this place home.

Unfortunately, they couldn't hold their breath for long and returned topside to breathe. Neytiri laughed softly when her mate pointed underwater eagerly while inhaling a lungful of air to return. Xuret fished through his satchel on top of the rock edge to fish out wooden snorkels to hold them out to the eager quartet. He understood their excitement after bearing the same with his first dive as a child and explained amicably, "You dove under before I could hand them out. Make sure the end is always exposed to air."

"Understood" Jake replied excitedly to place his mouth over the curved open end before diving back down. Droplets of water splashed as the four returned to the blue sea once more.

Cheryl shook her head to their innocent giddiness and although she enjoyed the calming water, her heart was snatched by the crystal caves. Leaning her head back to soak her hair in the sea, she met Anaya's gaze and remarked, "The walk to the caverns was lengthy but worth the time. I've never seen such a number of caves."

"You could host performances there" her mate agreed to the rare beauty of the caves, wondering if the Atykwe singers did so. He cupped his hands underwater, close to the surface to see little fish of orange and yellow swim by. Their little tails flicked in his hands but he never trapped them, simply using his hands in contrast to see them.

"We have them everywhere, they're great for storing food and watching the tide roll in" Anaya explained proudly to one of the top spots on the beach since she tried her best to show newcomers the best areas. With their ikran resting for the return trip, she couldn't lead them to the white cliffs or the deep ocean but the caverns and coral reefs would do. She loved the beauty surrounding her and hoped to inspire the same sentiment from others. Chuckling softly, she grinned sneakily at Cheryl to inform, "Although, I'm sure a few children have been conceived in the ones yielding crystals."

Xuret's brow furrowed to that random remark, causing Arat to intentionally sink underwater to escape, and he asked bluntly, "How do you know that?"

"Gossip" she replied simply with a nonchalant shrug to the babble that sprouted from the washing circles. Although she had learned to keep her mouth shut and not babble nonstop, her ears were always hot for news. She hissed softly when her tail was yanked from below the water and she kicked furiously at the offender. Seconds later, Arat returned to an amused Xuret with a defeated frown but hissed when a sea sponge was hurled at his head.

"Don't throw innocent sponges at me!" he protested swiftly and caught the soft sponge in his hands to return it to the closest nook in the rock beside him. He wouldn't let the poor sponge be carried away far from its home. His intent had been to stop her from spilling any more embarrassing gossip in front of the Omaticayan tsahìk. He wanted her to shine in her knowledge and lore of their clan, not its residential rumors.

Joanna tried not to laugh at her friends' fretting, heeding Xuret's tap on his nose to stay out of it. Turning to Neytiri, she offered her right hand to guide her to a better position than simply treading water. Exercise in the water was popular for the pregnant women of the clan but the rocks walls around the reef held formations smooth enough to sit on for hours. Swimming along the dark rock, her left hand swept over the familiar grooves until a flat surface met her fingers. Guiding her friend to sit on the makeshift seat, Neytiri's eyes brightened with joy to the large rock and she smiled widely, "Oh my, you're temping me to stay here longer."

"Women have chosen to give birth in the water" she stated earnestly to the low-impact exercises for their childbearing ladies. Although many chose the alcoves or their huts to bring their babies into the world alongside the healers, other women chose a secluded area to bear their child. The Atykwe thrived in the sea and it was a show of fortitude to bring a child into the world in its water to pay homage to the clan. One day, she would undoubtedly have to choose her own place to birth her child but that would be for another time.

Jake interrupted the two women by waving his snorkel in the air and declared with enthusiasm, "You tell me yes and I will build a hut away from home."

Neytiri laughed softly, wondering when her mate had returned from foraging underwater. How long had he been listening in? Her world excited him like a child sometimes but as long as he didn't manage to get into trouble, it would be fine. She was not going to be moving anywhere but home anytime soon and declined with a smile, "No, I will simply enjoy the water."

Anaya splashed the water to call attention to their friends and beckoned, "Who will pick these little critters with me?"

"We're out, given our injuries" Xuret declined casually and pointed to himself and Arat, who appeared perfectly fine. The younger hunter decided to break away from the world by sinking back into the water to forage the seabed for teylu. At seeing his only ally in the argument leave, he threw up his hands in annoyance.

"Are you still complaining about that?" W?tu questioned skeptically to their milking of that incident and crossed his arms. For a hunter that outranked them all, he expected better healing and swam away with a smirk when Xuret began giving chase. Eywa would strike him down for feigning such a thing because he appeared perfectly fine. Tsu'tey sighed under his breath and hoped he didn't have to explain to his aunt Avi that her son pissed off the matriarch's nephew.

"That's saying something coming from the biggest whiner" Leena joked impishly with a sneaky smile to her twin, who snickered behind her hands. They had grown up with their laidback brother, seeing his dramatic fits, but they brought more enthusiasm than annoyance. His playful personality also stirred them to return the same behavior within their circle of trust. Outside of it, they maintained the curtain of modesty their mother instilled in them.

"Fnu!" Watu called back in rebuttal at overhearing their jesting and dodged Xuret's hand when the older hunter tried dunking him underwater.

"You two are more children than hunters" Anaya playfully chastised the two and the children erupted into laughter. Not wanting to be compared to prepubescent toddlers, the two hunters gave up their friendly frolicking to return to diving intermittently to find the teylu down below. They would either burrow around the sand, swim helplessly against the current until snagging on a new coral, or wandering around their chosen coral.

Peyral breached the water beside her mate after recognizing his physique among the rest and playfully punched his shoulder. The healer had not joined the other hunters in exploring underwater and she would not have him stand by, especially at seeing Cheryl and Noren trying to find teylu themselves. He was more happy relaxing in the sea and she chided him, "Come, let's provide for our clan."

Max grabbed one of the leftover snorkels laying on the rocky shore and teased her, "You're not going to become the ocean queen, right?"

"Tsahey" she hissed with dismay to her drunken rambles, glad to have her more grounded mate keep vigilant of her. It had been embarrassing enough to wake upon the sand but when their ikran managed to find them and nudge them awake, she knew she had gone a tad overboard. Thankfully, it was still too early to be noticed by the sleepy clans and a quick dip in the ocean woke her mind with the new hangover.

The couple returned to the water with matching smiles to wander the natural paths between the coral ecosystem. With half of the team underwater, Tsu'tey wanted to join the others and informed the quartet as they splashed within their pool, "Stay in this shallow pool and do not move unless one of the adults are near."

Leti held out her arms to be carried into the water, pouting with a small whine, and Joanna relented to her cuteness. She grabbed her with a fond smile, unable to say no to the little girl, and Leti latched on happily with a giggle. Shrugging to her mate, she decided to play babysitter for the time being while their friends searched for the teylu. There would be a time to enjoy their childfree life and explore the sea but the children were depending on them today. Tsu'tey agreed to play surrogate parent when the boys reached out for him for a ride and he grabbed Sifu into his arms. Keron was more than happy to stay in the safe spot and splash inside the rock pool. W?tu yelped indignantly when Sìlpey practically threw himself at him without warning and he caught the young boy.

"You are more trouble than you're worth" the hunter chastised the rambunctious boy, dunking him in the water like a rag doll. Sìlpey hissed like a wild ikran to being dunked against his will but laughter soon left his lips. W?tu raised him onto his right shoulder to play as his seat and keep him safe in the water. Although the eldest children knew how to swim, he wouldn't let them go unsupervised. They could snag their clothes on a reef and he would not let any of them come to harm under his watch, even when he complained.

"I could say the same to you, sea horse" Sìlpey retorted smartly, flicking his cousin's ear in rebuttal.

He tickled his sides to stop his pesky flicking, causing the smaller boy to wrap his arms around his head, and W?tu managed to muffle through the hug, "I am a mighty ilu and don't you forget it!"

Jake laughed softly to the interesting personalities of Tsu'tey's family, amused to how different they were from his friend, and teased him, "You will have your hands full here."

"I wouldn't change a thing" he replied earnestly because they kept life interesting and never felt alone. If he ever felt a flicker of it, their huts were within a few steps and his cousins were more than happy to share time with him. Despite his intermittent trips, he had become part of the family instantly and he saw the trust they placed in him. Thankfully, he also had Joanna at his side now to help when he ran out of hands for the children.

A hand clutching a greenish-teal teylu sprouted from the water and it was soon followed by Cheryl's joyful echo, "I got one! I got one!"

She was giddy to claim the first grub and Anaya quickly held out a wooden bucket to deposit the catch. Their seaside group clapped to her lucky find and she blushed modestly, not expecting to find anything below. The Atykwe huntress filled the bucket with seawater to keep the shrimp alive to avoid spoiling and complimented her, "A fat one too, you've earned it."

Tsu'tey kept a strict eye on the boys when they grew curious by diving within an arm's reach while Leti simply lapped at the water. Joanna had found a seat next to Neytiri to keep close to the children, keeping a sturdy hold on the eager toddler. Keron stuck to the edge of the rock pool, smiling sheepishly at Neytiri when she held up a small shell for him. She found his search for shells endearing and would help him with a few for his new collection.

Tsu'tey had a bigger problem than the giddy children, looking to their adult versions as they roughhoused in the water. Jake was clearly winning in his wrestling match with Norm as the two aborted their teylu hunt. Tsu'tey was not surprised to see Norm losing horribly and he chastised the younger men like a father, "Your splashing is scaring the teylu."

"He started it" Jake accused cheekily but proceeded to dunk their friend once more in the water. Norm's arms waved in the air comically but he surfaced seconds later with an offended hiss. Jabbing his leader in the face with his snorkel, Norm retreated to the underwater forest for another search for teylu.

"You're worse than the children" Neytiri sighed to her mate's endless energy and hoped their child would keep him rooted. Judging by the movements of her child, they might be taking more after their father.

Jake swam over to her with an innocent pout for sympathy points and stated earnestly, "I have to relate to them! Our baby will need a fun sempu."

She couldn't chide him for that because he was trying his best to prepare for the baby. While she was focused on relaxing, he kept asking questions to clan members who had children. Flicking droplets of water onto his face, she shot him a grin and joked, "Remind me not to let them wander with you to the rivers."

Anaya spotted her quiet and mildly troublesome friends returning from their underwater trip. Arat held up a cloth sack dripping with water but there was solid weight inside that swelled the sack. She assumed it was filled with caught teylu and asked with curiosity to their secret stash, "Where did you get all those?"

"They burrow at the base of the reefs in the late morning" Xuret explained easily since he would head out when relieved of early morning duties to fetch some. His aunt enjoyed teylu and he would not hesitate to bring a smile to her face with her favorite side dish. Being the last of their family, she was all he had and he would feel disappointed in himself if he didn't grab a few for her. Anaya shot him a questionable look after his earlier excuses and he murmured offhandedly, "I still have one good arm."

"You're going to land in my aunt Zika's hut" Leena stated simply to his nonchalance on aggravating a sore shoulder and her twin laughed. Xuret was ready to fire back a rebuttal until he checked his own logic and realized that could easily happen. Zika was the preferred healer of the clan due to her gentle nature and he did not want to upset her either. If he landed in the healer alcove of the meanest one, he would only have himself to blame.

"I got one!" Norm exclaimed with success, holding up the fat grub by the end of its fanned tail to gently wiggle it. The little plump critter curled in on itself to being pulled out of its environment but he was happy to claim one at least. He glanced at Tarazi, who had given up on finding the odd-looking teylu for seashell trinkets to bring home. The huntress acknowledged his catch with a faint smile before depositing her shells on the rocks, returning below once more to snorkel.

A small hand clamped down against his wrist and large determined eyes met his as Sifu objected, "No, that was mine!"

Norm's eyes darted between the wiggling teylu and the pouting boy before sighing aloud. On one hand, he scored a catch but on the other, he would disappoint a young boy who had also happened to reach for it down below. He wasn't the type to crush childhood dreams, deciding to play it safe and make the little hunter-to-be happy. Relinquishing the sea grub, he handed it over to the boy with a reluctant, "Fine."

Sifu cheered happily to claim his catch and dumped it in the bucket for safekeeping. His siblings giggled in admiration to their eldest brother while Sìlpey groaned miserably to being denied of swimming deeper by a simple pull of the tail by W?tu. Tsu'tey admitted that was an ingenious way to keeping a child from wandering away and let the two be. Joanna tried not to laugh at her new family's antics and smiled with sympathy at Norm, "Can't say no, can you?"

"This is such a beautiful place!" Peyral announced as she returned to the surface with three teylu in hand. Max frowned at his pitiful catch of one but his mate swiped it to bundle the group into the bucket. It appeared that sea hunting was not their forte but they had more fun exploring the colorful corals and swimming with the small school of fishes. She felt safer underwater with the tighter spaces and narrow passageways, pointing to the blue horizon to admit, "Too open for my liking but simply marvelous."

Dipping his little cousin in the water once more, Tsu'tey smiled widely with pride to his new life, "It's home."


Tsu'tey returned to his family's section of huts with his mate and cousins in tow. His aunts were gathered outside Avi's hut while his uncle Akhil whistled and whittled happily beside them. He was amused by the little wooden scraps littering the sand but they would most likely mix into the sand than cause splinters. His aunts were shaping the large sturdy leaves used for plates into their classic triangle shape, raising the borders with their fingers to pinch them into place. Done with their tasks for the day, the women had signed on to help Rafil and the other cooks with constructing more leaf plates. Akhil didn't mind passing the time by whittling new utensils for their cooks to add more to their arsenal. His son carried a wooden pail that sloshed water droplets with his movements and W?tu set it down before imitating a wiggling teylu with his left hand.

"You and the children had some fun" Zika chuckled with welcome, glad to have her children entertained for a few hours. The twins or W?tu usually looked after them when she and her mate were unavailable. Now, they tagged beside Tsu'tey loyally to partake in his adventures. Even at night, the children regaled her with stories about their day before settling into sleep.

Leti released her guardian to scamper over to her mother with a cheerful, "Sa'nu!"

Zika laughed when her three little ones clung to her with damp arms with an incomprehensible rabble of excitement. Their doting mother pretended to understand completely while scanning their small forms for any scuffles. Sifu usually sported at least one from his roughhousing with Sìlpey while Leti and Keron sometimes scraped a knee. She was surprised to find none on the children and approved of her nephew's caretaking skills.

Sìlpey ran to his mother, kneeling on the thin cloth over the sand to tickle Hiri's stomach while she lay in her basket. His little sister babbled happily with a smile to his familiar face and Nara fondly flicked her son's right ear. He always looked to his little sister first before anyone else and he smiled broadly to exclaim, "We went to the reefs with their friends!"

"Look, I found these pearly shells!" Keron declared jovially to his prized finds and opened a green cloth to reveal five shells. The white and light pink shells were of varying sizes from little clams to a medium conch. On the inside of the shells, a pearlescent sheen shifted into a rainbow of colors under the sunlight at different angles. He would decorate his little shelf with his new finds and place them beside the gemstones Tsu'tey had given him.

"Exploring passed the time for everyone involved" Watu informed his elders because having Tsu'tey take over babysitting duties worked great. He loved his little cousins but handling four could be a handful. His sisters, on the other hand, coddled the children easily and often lost control of them. His cousin, however, was keeping them all stuck to him like tree sap and heeding his every rule.

Tsu'tey was pleased that his family enjoyed their time at the beach and he asked his aunts, "Can we drop them off before we see to the departing Omaticaya?"

"And drop off the teylu we caught" Joanna smiled proudly to the decent amount they collected to avoid disturbing the balance of the sea. The teylu enjoyed gathering by the reefs and the peaceful lagoons around the beach to forage around the seabed. During colder weather, they swam closer to shore to be in warmer waters. Their clan deserved to partake in their deliciousness and the bountiful catch would offer another side dish for last meal.

Avi smiled gently at his request since he had helped buy them time for their daily tasks. The children were adorable and energetic but they could drain one of energy quickly. She appreciated his help, grateful to have him in her family. Her golden eyes twinkled as she patted the sand to beckon vaguely, "Of course but before you do, take a seat."

Joanna chuckled softly when the three sisters patted the sand eagerly and Akhil joked gently, "I'd do so before they burst from excitement."

His mate fussed with a small hiss but the young couple obeyed their elders. Kneeling on the warm sand, they gazed at their aunts with curious eyes. Even the children were bitten by the infectious wonder bug and mimicked their family, sitting beside their mothers.

"You two have been everywhere today" Nara commented with approval to the adventurous couple, reminding her of the first season beside her new mate. Her headstrong personality had clearly passed onto her nephew, especially when conversing with the Omaticaya last night to hear anecdotes. They clearly admired him and she was happy to have another hunter in the family. Akhil stopped his whittling endeavor to reach inside the hut to retrieve a pristine hammock that had been neatly folded into a square. He set it down between both groups and she explained with an understanding smile, "We wanted to give this to you earlier but the heart can long for one's old friends."

"This is your family hammock" Zika revealed proudly to their gift for the new couple and they sputtered bashfully to the new heirloom. She reached over to grasp each of their hands with a supportive smile. This was something they wanted to do for them to welcome them home. Joanna blushed sheepishly to the precious gift and could only wonder how many hours it took for its completion. The healer picked up the folded hammock to hand it over to the couple and chuckled, "We are aware that you started on one but. . ."

"I don't have the best sewing hands" Joanna finished with embarrassment to her worst skill as a na'vi. Her hands were not fit to wield sewing materials or it would be a waste. She still used her ridiculously large hammock for the ample space it provided but it was shamefully big enough for a family of four. Tsu'tey offered an amused but sympathetic smile in remembrance to her interesting creations. He still had the silly 'socks' she had sewn for him to keep him warm during the cold season.

Akhil watched the couple run their fingers over the intricate weaving of the white hammock. He could see why Joanna would find it so interesting but even his nephew was captivated by it. A new generation was growing amongst the children and he smiled warmly, "We wanted to provide one for you as a family. This one will protect you from the elements and keep you safe for long seasons. We all spent time working on it."

"Though I had to smack my mate away before he bled over it" Nara laughed mischievously to the antics shared between the mated couples during its construction. Rafil and Kovi were not accustomed to sewing but Zika's mate handled fabric far better than her mate with needles. If anything, Zika had to give Kovi healing aid more than sewing tips. Stifling her laughter, she sighed with sympathy to his weak spot, "The poor man cannot sew to save his life."

"Thank you, it's beautiful" Tsu'tey told them with gratitude for their hard work and he would cherish the hammock until it was no longer usable. Even then, he would find a way to use it in his hut or alcove on commemoration. His fingers ran over the tight but elegant stitches, reminding him briefly of the Omaticaya. His aunt could probably rival one of the master weavers of his old clan and he smiled to compliment, "I can see Aunt Avi's work in it."

"You learn a thing or two in my craft" she spoke confidently before waving a hand to dismiss her quip. She would always be humble about her work, never arrogant. Otherwise, her mother would disapprove of her behavior. Avi beamed proudly to the newest family branching from theirs and advised kindly, "We are most happy to welcome you both to our family. Never hesitate to find us for help or a visit."

The young couple guaranteed continuous visits to the family, fortunate to have them in their lives. After living alone and expecting to stay that way, they were thankful for the chance to have aunts, uncles, and cousins. Tsu'tey reached over to tap Leti's nose while she played with her mother's shell necklace and promised, "I'm sure I'll be visiting to return this little one."

"Tsu-Tsu!" she laughed gleefully for the affection, batting his hand playfully to keep him at bay.

"By chance, are there any spots left open by your hammock branches?" Joanna asked carefully because they had yet to pick out a spot to place for their hammock. Nitari had informed them that they could choose any floor, given their hunting rank and being a mated couple, while she would find an empty alcove for them. They had agreed to stick close to their family for shelter and to protect them as well.

Avi clapped her hands with excitement and answered with the best spot in mind, "Certainly, you can have W?tu's old spot!"

"Mother!" her son exclaimed with protest to being shoved aside for the new couple. He didn't mind at all to hand it over to his cousin but he expected a little thought from his mother. Akhil laughed to his son's face as he squared off against his mate but Avi was unyielding against the glare.

"You are a hunter but can return when you've chosen a mate" she stated evenly to his current position since she had been waiting for him to unveil at least one female of his liking. Instead, she was stuck watching him play games and praying to Eywa that She would knock sense into her child. Maybe Tsu'tey was the All-Mother's answer because her child had been straightening up after his arrival.

W?tu was not going to bend to his mother's will for a spot on the family floor. He would find his mate when Eywa decided it was time, not from heckling, like his cousin. Crossing his arms, he couldn't help but playfully chide his mother, "I can't believe I've been discarded so easily."

"You're the favorite so hush" Rila scoffed matter-of-factly since he was clamped to their mother's bosom until his rite training started. She and her sister were closer to their father after watching their brother seek too much attention. Unfortunately, only she inherited her beloved father's ability with woodwork and incorporated it into her jewelry. Leena, however, turned out to match their mother but she and her sister were joined at the hip as best friends.

"I am not!" he shot back indignantly to the claim, causing all the children to either scoff or laugh. Did they really think he and his mother were the best of friends? Tsu'tey shook his head to deter him from poking the figurative ikran that was his mother. Despite his immature nature, he listened to his cousin and sighed with dismay to being deemed the favorite.

"Are you finished whining?" his mother questioned simply and before he could answer her, she continued sharply, "Good. I want you to show them where our hammocks are and help them with its setup."

"When did I agree to volunteer for everything?" he blurted dramatically to being thrown into every chore around the beach. Didn't he have a voice in the decisions of the family? Akhil tried his best not to laugh and motioned to the other children to ignore him with a finger to his lips. If they fed more fuel to his claims, it would only lengthen the battle.

At seeing that nobody was hopping into his corner, W?tu threw up his arms within a minute to admit defeat. Not verbally, of course. He decided to obey his mother to avoid another lecture and to help his new family members, whom he liked. Puffing his chest, he took charge by informing the couple with a cheeky grin, "I will show you where everyone's located and we can play a game of Eight Waves after."

"We have to give the fat teylu to uncle Rafil for cooking" Rila reminded dryly because they were not done for the day. Otherwise, the pail would stink up the area by morning when it spoiled. Not to mention, disappoint the Omaticaya with the promised treat.

Leena leaned over the pail that was almost full of water to keep the teylu fresh, watching their curled forms wiggle in the water, and smiled with delight, "They really are fat."

The boys took turns poking the shrimp-like grub to feel their slippery skin, laughing when they wiggled away from their touch, and Nara instructed, "Drop them off before you all reek of fish."

"We will keep your hammock here for safekeeping" Avi promised the couple to make sure nothing tarnished the new hammock before the couple used it. Despite their union had only occurred last night, they were on the move constantly to help run the clan and knew the matriarch awaited them. She was proud to see that they were held highly by Nitari and would do her best to care for the duo.

"Thank you" Tsu'tey agreed to the plan to drop off the teylu to his uncle to cross it off his mind. He would make sure he didn't smell of any fish before meeting the Omaticaya, who were now preparing to leave. If his clan showed up and he was late, it would be embarrassing. Turning to his mate, who was already on her feet after hearing haste in his voice, he smiled, "Let's go."

"Take these leaf plates as well" Zika piped up sweetly to hand over a tall pile of finished leaf plates. The twins quickly divided the numerous plates into two to carry them safely to avoid dropping them. Akhil handed over a collection of small spoons used for measuring to his son so Rafil could store them in the cooking area outside of Kelutral's cave. The clan knew when each meal arrived by the growing aroma emanating from the left side of the cave. Once the ground oven and fire pits were doused with water and white smoke billowed into the air, it was time to eat. Zika smiled with thanks for the helping hand to her mate and spoke warmly, "It will save us the trip, we'll bring the rest along soon."

With the leaf plates, new utensils, and a pail full of teylu in hand, the group of five headed to the chiseled outdoor alcoves that inhabited the cooks. The children pouted to being left behind since they would be with their mothers in attendance to see the Omaticaya off. They weren't adults yet and the boys wondered on how to speed up the process. Zika grabbed her three children into an embrace, clutching them close to kiss each of their foreheads with love. She knew they adored their new cousin but they were still too small to venture everywhere with them. That, and they would likely beg their father for free snacks. Looking to her family, she spoke quietly with observation, "They all rally behind him so easily."

"He's a natural born leader" Avi remarked proudly at seeing the curious little boy become a confident hunter that earned everyone's respect. He had barely arrived on their shore for a short time but he caused a sensation across their clan. His time among the Omaticaya had pushed him to the highest-ranking tier as an advisor and leader of the hunting ranks, not to mention his brief stint as a clan leader. He was a young man that any mother would be proud of and she smiled affectionately to chuckle, "Who knew we would have such a nephew?"


Nitari allowed the new couple to take the lead in their farewell instead of taking the reins herself. It would contribute to their alliance with the Omaticaya and she would assess the two in their communication skills. She could not have impolite or improper leaders in her stead but doubted that scenario. Despite their youthful flickers of stubbornness, they were impeccably polite to everyone they encountered.

The Omaticaya would follow their ruling family back home and most ikran had taken to the air. Only Jake and Neytiri stood on the beach with the couple while the Atykwe clan stayed behind them. Their two-day reunion had come to an end but both sides were grateful for the opportunity. The Atykwe couple was able to show their friends their new home and assure them that their lives would continue safely, just like theirs would in the forest.

"Thank you for being here for my final transition" Tsu'tey told them with appreciation for their presence on his new milestone. Their support meant the world to him and he would miss their presence in his daily life. This was not the end of their friendship but a new beginning for both sides and he would undoubtedly see them again.

Neytiri had not hesitated on accepting when Mo'at had informed her and smiled widely, "It was never a question."

"Thank you for having us" Jake spoke earnestly to leave their friends since they both had tasks to finish for the day. They had to finish setting up their home before last meal while he and Neytiri had to check in on the rest of the clan to reunite everyone. Responsibility called both sides but they would meet again as old friends. With that in mind, the two had packed away several bundles of fresh fish, fried teylu, boiled clams, and other goodies for the clan to enjoy back home to avoid falling behind on chores.

Joanna dipped her head respectfully to the ruling couple and her soft voice wavered, "Enjoy the food and you're welcome to visit us anytime."

"Farewell, my friends" Tsu'tey smiled faintly to allow his sentiments to filter into his voice. Both he and his mate were happy to reunite but goodbyes were not easy now that they lived far away. There was melancholy in parting but that was the true meaning of a strong friendship. Work would be put in to maintain it through continuous contact and he bowed his head respectfully to his friends. After all, he was now a hunter from another clan- not their advisor.

"Visit us once you're settled" Jake reminded hastily with a finger shake to emphasize his order. He didn't want his grumpy friends to feel alone without their outrageous posse for too long. Besides, there was an incentive for a future visit. Pointing to Neytiri's swollen belly, he grinned with pride to boast, "We'll have a cute baby waiting for cuddles."

Neytiri slapped his finger away with a modest chuckle before wishing the couple her best, "Live well, my friends."

The Omaticayan leaders turned away to approach their awaiting ikran, to which Neytiri's was more than happy for tsaheylu. Mo'at waited for her children in the air on her old but trusty sepia ikran, raising a hand in farewell to Nitari. Her old friend returned the motion with a warm smile, happy to share her home again with others. With a happy screech, the two ikran took to the air with ease with Wela's teal form happily returning to the large group. Jake's azure ikran was lazier about it and glided in circles to capture one last look at the ocean. It was a beautiful place to live and Jake knew his friends would protect it.

The Atykwe couple watched the Omaticaya clan depart into the sunset of the forest beyond the rock wall. The colorful range of azure, green, brown, and teal ikran mimicked a moving forest in the air as they kept a tight formation. Together, they would make a toruk think twice about attacking and the ruling couple could keep an eye on everyone. The Atykwe ikran screeched in farewell to their forest brethren and Tsu'tey smiled forlornly when he noticed Swizav's lone form hover from Kelutral to witness their leave. Like himself, he would no longer dwell in the forest.

Time would tell when they would reunite again and he wrapped an arm around Joanna's shoulders to lead her away. The crowd was dispersing to return to their duties for last meal and Nitari offered a sympathetic smile to the couple. Joanna brightened immediately to her matriarch and she reminded the two to sit beside her later that night. They watched their leader return to her own duties in Kelutral to run the clan and he whispered softly to his mate, "Let's finish setting up our hammock and prepare for last meal."

Joanna closed her eyes to clear her blurry eyes, telling herself not to feel sad so quickly, and smiled back, "Sounds good."

The two began walking towards the seashore to return to their hut to the bittersweet end to their day. The Omaticaya had been their first home but the Atykwe would be their forever home. W?tu's voice interrupted their sad ruminations as he called over the sand with a happy wave of his arms, "Follow me, dear cousins!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this but he might be the new Jake" Tsu'tey muttered to his cousin's endless pep and energy, reminding him of his old enemy turned brother. Time had changed him into a better man, one he never would have conceived of being. His mate, friends, and family had shaped him into a man that his children could be proud of one day.

"No, he's a miniature you with a funny bone" Joanna chuckled sweetly to the obvious admiration from W?tu towards her mate. The young hunter was glad to have another family member closer in age range to bond with like a brother. He was a good friend to have since W?tu was only a few seasons ahead of her in hunting and had been kind in giving her tips. She looped her arm through his to lean against him, squeezing his hand, and smiled happily, "We're all family now."

"I do enjoy hearing it" Tsu'tey admitted fondly with a small smile to finding his path in the world. There had been many lonely nights for him plagued with worry for the future and the safety of his people. Now, he had a new clan to protect and a mate that cherished him dearly. The rest of his family awaited them as they beckoned them with laughter and he remarked, "We're a family and together, we belong to one another."


END OF VOLUME II


A/N: I can't believe Volume II is finally finished, especially after that extremely long hiatus but the main couple is finally mated off. Only one more volume left so we're more than halfway to the end. I have had a lot of fun chiseling the characters of the Atykwe in the second volume and the third will bring the creation of the neighboring clans around the Atykwe and Omaticaya as they tackle the resurgence of the RDA. I'm not the greatest when it comes to writing out villainous action scenes or villains in general (I am working on it though) so I left the minuscule evil-doers till the end to focus on the relationships built between the na'vi and the human dreamwalkers. Now that everyone is in their rightful place, the next volume will skip time more frequently than the other two volumes.

Thank you as always to my readers and my last chapter reviewers, this story wouldn't be here without your support!

gossamermouse101: The wedding took its time to develop but man, I am happy to see their end goal completed!

MaraVukovic: Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Guest1st: Thank you, I think everyone finally sighed and rejoiced in relief at reading they were officially tied. Jake and Neytiri's baby will arrive in the next volume in its first chapter so I can't wait to write about the childbirth and Jake's reaction. I'm stuck between him freaking out or being too supportive that Neytiri gives him chores- or even both, haha. The next pregnancy won't be far off since the chapters will have time skips but the couple will freak out more than Neytiri and Jake. I am very glad my story brings some cheer, especially during these times. Stay safe as well!

theoakleafbearer: I'm glad you enjoyed it the wuv!


Thank you for reading and happy holidays around the world! May you all have a safe and happy New Year as well!