CHAPTER 2

AN INTENSE MEETING

Talion stood waiting for Zeaw. It was not long before the clan leader arrived. The warrior chief nodded as his commander walked over to him giving the proper hand gesture, "Oel kameie ngaru olo'eyktan Zeaw."

"Oel kameie ngaru Talion." Zeaw replied. Looking around he asked, "Where is Mewtxä?"

Then with a slight growl in his voice, "Or that mate of his, Aleena?" Talion shook his head no. The leader sighed, and not long after the sound of irkan wings filled the air.

He looked up and saw the creatures slowly lowering down to the ground. They landed and a tall male Na`vi climbed down from its back; he was twenty one-years-old and wore a brown leather strap around his wrists with a long blue staff holstered on his black in the brown strap across his chest.

Then a young Na`vi woman climbed off her irkan; she was nineteen-years-old and wore a beaded necklace to cover well-endowed breasts and two holstered hunting knives strapped to each leg with a black woven strap. She also had colorful beads and leaves woven into micro-braided hair. Unlike most Na`vi women, she was a hybrid and had five fingers instead of four.

Zeaw walked over to Mewtxä and gives the proper greeting gesture "I see you ma tsmukan."

"I see you ma tsmukan," Mewtxä replied giving the same greeting gesture.

"How are things in your clan?" Zeaw asked.

"They are well, and yours?" Mewtxä asked.

The clan leader sighed before responding. "Not so good. As you know, a disease has been spreading throughout my clan."

"Understood," Aleena stated seeing the worried expression on Zeaw face. "First, I need to examine the ones who are showing minor signs of inflection, then I need to examine all the children in the village."

Zeaw glared at her. "My children are not ill, they are fine," he growled as Aleena sighed.

"Still, whether or not they are fine, I must examine them," she insisted

Zeaw's glare intensified as he hissed at her, "Very well…but I assure you, they are just fine."

Aleena expression became irritated hearing the way he talked to her. She walked up to him and got very close to his face and with a low-toned threatening voice she stated, "Listen carefully because I am only going to say this once. You require our help to find a cure for this virus, so if that is what you want to do then get out of my way and let me do my fucking job before more of the people die from this disease."

Sighing, Zeaw turned to Talion and ordered him to go get his children. The warrior nodded and ran off, returning a short while later with Lerì, Tarya, and Txonrinà. They jump down from his back and carefully approach Aleena. She knelt down in front of them, smiling. "Kaltxì little ones, my name is Aleena, what are your names?"

"Lerì" the five-year-old responded.

"Tarya." The four-year-old answered adding, "Where are you from?"

"Not far away," The doctor replied as Tarya smiled and Aleena looked at the young boy. "What is your name young man?"

"Txonrinà." He replied and Aleena smiled and stood up. "Now, I need to look you children over, to make sure you are good and healthy." Lerì and Txonrinà nodded but Tarya hid behind her sister, a little scared and hesitant. "I promise, it won't hurt." The doctor said, trying to assure the child. "I'm a doctor also known as healer from my clan." The little one peeked out from behind her sister and watched Aleena examine her sister. "Ok very good. You are just as well behaved as my son, Ean." The five-year-old smiled as the healer continued. "Last thing I need is a little blood and then you will get a treat." The girl nodded and held out her arm. "Good girl." Aleena said, smiling as she took some blood from the child then removed the object. She did the same with Txonrinà and then turned to Tarya.

The child slowly approached and said in a soft voice, "I don't like sharp objects…"

"It won't hurt too much." Aleena said in a sweet voice.

"Ok." Tarya said as she held out her arm, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Aleena drew the blood and removed the object from the little girl's arm.

"There, all done," she said and turned around reaching into a bag, pulling out two pa`li dolls.

"Ìrayo!" the girls said in unison and Aleena smiled at them.

"You're welcome." She said as the young girls ran back to their father to show him their new toys. After quickly followed behind the girls, "Now Zeaw, I need a blood sample from you and your mate. This also includes you Talion." Zeaw muttered something the others, but she could not hear as he walked over and held his arm out. "Don't be a crybaby." She said as he winced in pain, feeling the needle in his arm. "If my son can do this, so can you."

Lerì walked over and tapped on her. "Aleena?"

The woman looked down at the child. "Yes?"

"Who is Ean?"

"My son."

"Is he here with you?" she asked and Aleena chuckled.

"No, but he might come with us next time."

"I would like to meet him."

"Ok, then I will." Aleena replied and Lerì smiled, walking back to her siblings. Zeaw looked at Mewtxä, "You have a son?" The clan leader smiled and nodded.

"Yes, and a daughter as well."

"I see…" Zeaw replied as the woman finished drawing his blood and removed the needle. He turned to Talion, pointed to Aleena and ordered him to take her to the most ill. The chief nodded and motioned for her to follow him. She nodded and the two headed off. As soon as they left, Mewtxä approached Zeaw.

"So Zeaw, we must decide on your current situation." He explained and Zeaw nodded, turning to his children, glaring at Lerì.

"We will talk later my little one, take your sister and brother and go home." He ordered and she nodded, motioning for Tarya to get on her back and then the two headed back home. As soon as they were gone, he turned back to Mewtxä.

"So tsmukan, where did this virus come from?" he asked.

"It came from a foreign source." Zeaw replied and the other leader gave him a confused look. "A group of my hunters went into the na`ring and when they came back, they had fallen terribly ill. One had a rash all over his body and another had already died. He too had the rash, but also a very high fever and his body was covered in bumps."

"Hm, sounds like they came in contact with a new virus." Mewtxä stated, asking "what could it be?"

Zeaw sighed and shrugged. "I asked my healers if they knew what it could be, but they did not." He looked at his guest, glaring. "What could Aleena do?"

"Find a cure and stop it from spreading." Mewtxä responded.

"Good. I don't want anyone else to catch it. Enough clan members have already died." Zeaw stated. Soon after, Talion and Aleena return and approach the two.

"I have good news, the infection isn't spreading to anyone who comes in close contact with them." Aleena explained as Zeaw nodded.

"Good, anything else?"

"The bad news is, I have to ask that no one goes into the na`ring till I have a chance to analyze the disease." She explained and the clan leader clenched his fist.

"My children were there earlier today." He growled.

"Damn it. I will return with your blood test results tomorrow, but if they start feeling feverous, give them this." She hands him a vile of red liquid and continued, "It will help till I can find a cure." Zeaw took the vile and gave her a death glare.

"If my children have that virus…" he growled in a threatening tone.

"You'll what? Go on say it, I dare you." She growled back

Zeaw retained his composure, but kept his glare. "No. it's not worth my breath."

"I thought so." She said.

"However, if they are sick, you will help heal them and then get the fuck out of my sight…" he explained, glaring at her.

Aleena did the same, but scarier. "Fine, I'll cure everyone but cross my path in the wrong way again and you'll see why I fear no male." She stated, as he sneered at her and looked at her and Mewtxä.

"We are finished here." He said and the two mounted their ikrans and took off into the sky. Zeaw dashed off back home to his family.

VOCAB

Oel kameie ngaru olo'eyktan – I see you clan leader

Oel kameie ngaru – I see you