A/N: Hi to everybody, I'm SO happy you're reading this! This is my first fanfiction and I'm very excited. I really appreciate all reviews, positive ones expecially, and I'd really love constructive criticism (keyword constructive...) to help me improve. Since the really good stuff comes a little later, I'm going to try to update a few times a week for now.
This is a story from the perspective of Ninat, a character mentioned by Neytiri as a potential mate for Jake. She's a singer, as am I, so I wanted to tell her story. My terms and phrases in Na'vi should be correct as I'm checking all the official websites, let me know if you're not sure what something means. Enjoy!
I was but a child when the sky people came.
The moons were rising in the twilight sky, and the keening of the Omaticaya rent the air as we released my father to Eywa. His life had been taken by the mighty palulukan, the dry mouth bringer of fear, as he and his hunting band had been intently tracking the yerik, that we might eat of it this night. It had cornered them and my father had sacrificed his life that the other hunters may live. Mo'at released the atokirina' into the grave, and as the woodsprite gently came to rest, she led us in song as the hunting band covered the former carrier of my father's soul.
"Eywa ngahu," goodbye, Eywa is with you, the tribe sang together as Eytukan related tales of my father and his bravery.
"He is with Eywa," Mo'at told us all. I trembled suddenly and ran into the trees.
Silently I stood in solitude, remembering my duty to release my father's soul to Eywa and Pandora. Only my mother could mourn this way, and she was deep in the hometree Kelutral alone. I heard rustling behind me, and through the leaves came Peyral, followed closely by Neytiri. They both took my hands and stood with me as we let go of the memories.
"Come sing for him, Ninat," Peyral whispered to me. Now was the celebration of the life that had been. I smiled at Peyral, for she knew what would heal my throbbing heart.
"Your mother will need you now more than ever," Neytiri added, and I nodded solemnly. Txilte, my mother, would want me to be with her.
"Neytiri, Peyral, will you stay with me?" I asked, my voice steady. They both agreed, my sisters in all but blood. We walked together to the base of hometree where the fire was rising. I released their hands and found Txilte. She smiled bravely at me and with our fingers, we swirled patterns of decorative paint on one another, both proclaiming release. We emerged from the hometree and the celebration began.
Mo'at called to the people, called to Eywa, into the night as we began to dance around the fire. My body gracefully slipped through the motions as I told the story of my fathers life as I had known it, from my birth to his death. The people kept dancing as I took my place beside Mo'at and sang the song of the firstborn child.
"He who brought me to the world, is now released. I stand with acceptance and able to care for my mother as long as Eywa will allow me this life," my voice caressed the notes as the pamtseowll, music plant, sang behind me. My eyes were tightly closed as I sang the prayer to Eywa, mother of the world.
Many songs and stories went after mine, and I danced through the night until the flames died low. Neytiri caught my eye from across the coals, and her face shone with pride. She made her way across to me without disturbing anyone.
"Ninat, my singing sister, you were beautiful," she told me, "And your father is looking on you with pride at who you are." I hoped so, and I embraced her gratefully at her words.
"Where has Peyral gone?" I asked Neytiri, when a hand fell on my shoulder. I turned, and saw Mo'at. My eyes were wide with surprise.
"Daughter, a moment please," Mo'at solemnly addressed Neytiri. Neytiri nodded and slipped away, no doubt to find Peyral.
"Oel ngati kameie, Mo'at," I see you, I told her with respect, but unsure what she wished of me.
"I see you, Ninat. And I hear you. Your voice speaks to the people when you sing. Eywa has given you a gift and you must not take lightly of it," she told me seriously, and before I could answer, she was gone. I had to tell Neytiri-but Txilte should know first. This would lighten her spirit. I found her across the glowing fire and grasped her hand.
"Txilte, mother, I must tell you!" I rapidly related my story to her and she smiled.
"Daughter, your father looks at you proudly," I glowed with pride for the second time at these words, "we have always known you were gifted, and tonight you have showed others. Praise Eywa for you, Ninat." Her eyes shone with emotion, and suddenly her mood changed and she clapped her hands.
"To bed!" She called. I groaned with a smile, she was the caretaker but sometimes it was embarrassing to have my mother forcing all my friends to sleep or eat. She ushered us away from the dying fire andwe began to leap through the branches of the hometree towards our sleeping place, laughing and listening as the syaksyuk chattered and swung with us, clearly visible in the full moon.
Peyral and Neytiri were racing to the branch above our beds, and I just did my best to keep up with the two of them, but by the time they reached the high branches, I was a ways below. Tsu'tey and his gang were showing off, somersaulting in the air as they fell into their hammocks and leapt from one to the other, and Txilte was about to reprimand them when a scream of terror rent the night.
"Toruk!"
The entire forest froze, all eyes wide and turned to the sky. A massive shadow obscured the moons, clearly outlined in silver light, and I knew what all the people knew-that was no toruk. It was massive and bulbulous, how such a bird possibly stay aflight, I didn't know. Light reflected off parts of it and created shining patterns in the air that we stood frozen to avoid.
"What… is it?" An uncertain voice whispered hoarsely, and the eerie silence ended as it drew closer. I heard the terrifying noise it made, an indescribable whirring, and a great wind swept across the hometree as it turned abruptly. Screams rent the night as the wind pushed several small ones over the edge of the branch, despite their footing, such was the power of the wind. I watched in horror, paralyzed as they fell.
Many of the older escorts leapt to follow them, trying to save them, but I knew there was nothing to catch them-they were falling to death on the forest floor.
"Sylwanin, no!" I heard Neytiri's cry as she hauled her older sister from the edge, where she stood poised to dive after the falling children. "You can do nothing!"
I saw Peyral's face and caught her as her legs collapsed.
"Ninat, the wind, Akwey! He's fallen! Ninat, someone save him!" she screamed raggedly, tears streaming down her face, but I knew it was too late to save her brother. He was only four summers of age. All I could do was hold on to her.
I heard someone calling my name.
"Ninat, Ninat!" I turned my head.
"Txilte, I am here!" I called to her, reaching one hand out.
"All of you, to the ground before it returns!" my mother cried, and I released Peyral and began to run towards the ground.
The sights I saw changed me forever, the broken bodies of the children and elders of the Omaticaya on the ground. My mother held me, and I began to cry, my voice joining the terrified wails of the rest of my people, crying to Eywa and begging her to show what we had done.
The people stayed under the roots of hometree that night, only the children slept, for as the bird vanished into the night, screams and wails remained, piercing the stars.
I was but eight summers when the sky people shattered my world.
A/N: Read and if you have time, Review. :)