Hello, everybody! Glad I got reviews on the last chapter! Thank you so much!

After viewing some mistakes on Chapter Two, I had to make some corrections and thus re-edited it. It happens more than you would know.

Here it is, the third chapter! Enjoy!

Author's Note: The Na'vi language and songs will be done in italic, so you will need to use your imagination.

THE ALLFATHER

Chapter Three

The Branch

The small herd of horse-like creatures called Direhorses walked around, looking for flowers to feed one which was abundant in the open field they were in.

Walking among the little herd was a little human girl named Sun-hee, but everyone called the six-year-old Sunny. It was a nicknamed that suited her perfectly, because it was Korean for sunshine. Sun-hee wore what looked like a yellow beach dress.

The little girl was enjoying her time in the open field of strange flowers while enjoying the company of direhorses who paid her little heed. The animals were more occupied with the flowers. One direhorse found a flower to its liking and sticked its long ant eater-like tongue into it. The animal was slurping up the supply of nectar that the flower contained.

Sun-hee laughed a little, finding how strange and wonderful these horsey animals were.

"Instead of apples and carrots, they eat pancake syrup!" Sun-hee thought to herself.

Curious about the nectar they were consuming, Sun-hee sticked her finger into one of the flowers that had plenty of nectar. Eager to try she put her nectar drenched finger into her mouth only to be spitting it out! Instead of a tasty syrup treat, she got a taste of unwanted nastiness!

Walking up to Sun Hee with a small, amused smile on her face, was Yan Matori. She was Shang Matori's sixteen-year-old sister. Yan wore a crimson red t-shirt and black gym shorts, strapped to her back was a quiver of arrows and a wooden bow. She made the equipment herself. Her weaponry wasn't pretty, but it always got the job done.

"What's the matter, Sun Hee?" asked Yan in Korean.

"I wanted to taste the sticky stuff that the direhorses were slurping! I thought it would taste like maple syrup!" exclaimed Sun Hee.

"What does it taste like?"

"Like earwax! Now I can't get the taste out of my mouth!"

Yan only gave out a small laugh.

"Let's go to the Branch to get that taste out of your mouth," said Yan. "Oh, look. The Winters are back."

Coming out of the forest riding on Golem the Titanothere were The Winters Siblings, lead by David Booth and Gregory Naylor who were both riding direhorses with the Chadwik Twins. Behind them was Jodi Alyward and Abigail riding on Anubis the Thanator.

"Where is Uncle Shang?" asked Sun Hee.

Yan took a closer look, noticing her big brother wasn't with them. That was when she noticed that an unfamiliar person was with them. A blue person.

"She didn't… Is he? What is-? Sun Hee, stay close to me!"

- - - - MWM - - - -

The gatherers got their alien steeds to a halt, the animals made a step or two with their six legs before standing into place.

Taronyu was quiet all the way, not even thinking about saying a word. The ride wasn't bad, at least these tawtute, made an effort to make the traveling lightly as possible. It would have been better if his queue was not tide to his hands and wrists. It was uncomfortable.

"Alright, everyone," announced David. "Here is the plan. Gregory, go on ahead and alert the rest of us about our guest as we get him ready. Jodi, would help him spread the news around?"

"Yes."

"Abigail, go ahead and take the kids inside," instructed David. "Help Jodi informing the others. Kathryn and Red, both of you will help me get this Na'vi man ready. Remove his bindings, but one of you must be on his right side and the other to his left side. Understood?"

"A-a-alright," answered Abigail who was still feeling timid about the situation. "Follow me please, kids."

"Lewis, you go with her and stay inside," instructed Kathryn.

"But I want to help to!" piped Lewis.

"You will be helping us by going inside, sweety," said Abigail.

"Do what big sister and Abigial says, buddy," insisted Red.

Reluctantly, Lewis leaves with Abigail and the Chadwik twins as Kathryn and Red get Taronyu down from Golem the Titanothere.

"You bind his queue, his braid to his hands?" exclaimed Red. "Shame on you, Kathryn."

"I figured that if I did that, he'd be less likely to fight," Kathryn explained.

"You got a lot to learn about these people, Kat," said Red as he got Taronyu off the alien rhino.

David and Kathryn caught Taronyu and got him to his feet.

"That hair braid his part of his neural system," explained Red as he got Taronyu's queue out of the binds. "It's part of his brain. Not just a fashionable hairdo."

"Seriously? My bad."

Taronyu was relieved that his queue was free and was even more relieved when the blindfold was taken off, but as soon as he made a few blinks he beheld a great tree that reached to the sky. It was a colossal tree, its trunk twisty and its mighty roots rooted into boulder shaped purple gemstones.

"You have a Hometree," acknowledged Taronyu. "It's not very big."

"It's big enough for us, and that's all that matters," spoke Kathryn in the Na'vi tongue.

"We call it The Branch," explained Red. "I think you find it impressive when you get inside. Welcome to our humble home."

They led Taronyu inside and when he entered already more Sky People were making an appearance, gathering around him as he was continually led further into the Branch. The young Na'vi man couldn't believe what he was seeing, all around him humans, each one of them different in appearance. This was both amazing and scary to him. Different shades of skins. Different colors of hair from brunette and blonde, red and black. Their eyes, most of their irises were a brown color, but some had green eyes while others were blue. Everyone looked so unique and strange, but obviously they thought the same about Taronyu.

The look of fear and uncertainty was in many of their eyes as they watched Taronyu. None the less, they were all curious about him as he walked by and they followed.

Making her way, catching up to them was Yan, who was concerned about her brother and wanted to know where he was.

"David. Kathryn, what is this about? Where is Shang?"

Before they could answer a young man comes out of the crowd with an angry look. His bushy black hair covered his enraged eyes. It was Zacchaeus Runcorn. He wore a red t-shirt with black gym pants.

"Why did you three bring this man here!?" boomed Zacchaeus. "What happened to keeping to ourselves!? What made you decide to take hostages!?"

"He got too close to the kids," explained Kathryn. "He was too close to the Branch, so we couldn't let him go free."

"What is going on here, huh?!"

Coming out of the crowd were two young people, a teen boy and a teen girl, both of them were seventeen. The boy was tall and straight with dirt blond hair, he was Joseph Winters. He was The Winter Siblings' cousin. He wore a green, long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, and blue jeans.

The girl had fair skin with short brunette hair that reached a little passed her neck. Her name was Tiffany Grayson, and she wore a light pink beach dress. Tiffany was also Joseph's girlfriend.

"Kathryn," answered Red. "That's why."

"Kathryn?" asked Tiffany with a mild shock. "Why am I not surprised."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Kathryn as if it were personal.

"It doesn't matter!" interrupted Zacchaeus. "He should leave! Now!"

"He's our prisoner, and he is not leaving!" Kathryn shot back. "It's too risky!"

"EVERYBODY, QUIET!" hollered David, his voice echoing throughout the tree. Everyone now had his full undivided attention.

"Everyone, gather to the Meeting Circle."

The crowd did as they were told as they went to the center floor of the tree. Taronyu looked he noticed that the Branch was hollower in the inside. Branches from within were like bridges and stairs were leading up and down. He could only guess that these "inner branch roots" led to chambers and other places within the tree.

"Is this what Jakesully felt when he was brought to us?" thought Taronyu in question, remembering the night when Jake Sully came to his people.

The Meeting Circle wasn't all that amusing if you looked at it, just a circle of stones, with sunlight poking through the holes of the tree for light during the day.

Taronyu was led to the middle of the Meeting Cirlce, David and Jodi joined him. Kathryn and Red stayed close to Taronyu.

"Due to Kathryn's actions, it was my decision that this man has become our prisoner," David explains in the Na'vi language. "He had crossed the River and was too close to the Branch. We cannot let his people know where we are yet."

There was silence at first.

"Doesn't anyone think that this is a bad idea?" called out a boy from the crowd.

"Look, I know this isn't favorable, but I couldn't risk the sanctity of our hangout," explained Kathryn. "For our protection, we had to take him."

"It was our hope that official contact would be neutral and negotiable," explained Jodi. "However, this unfortunate event can be the opportunity that we have been waiting for."

"Is he Omaticaya?" asked Joseph. "I can never tell."

"He is, Joseph," answered Jodi. "Remember, everyone that this is their land. Their home and their world. If we are to be good neighbors, then we need to understand them. Learn about them."

"Looks like Kathryn's reckless protective instincts did us a favor this time," said Yan. "For once."

"Hey!"

"Jodi and Kathryn speak true," spoke David. "What we know is little of this world and its creatures. This hunter can teach us and in return we must do the same for him. By doing this, we can have a more peaceful interaction with us and his people."

Taronyu understood what they wanted, they did not want to fight and take whatever they want. What they wanted was help. Like Jake Sully, Taronyu had to learn to walk and talk like these humans do. Understanding their thoughts and language. These were the strangest Sky People he has met. They were really the only Sky People he has ever met.

"Red, you have the floor," David called out.

"Excuse me?"

"Other than Shang, you know more about these people than we do," explained David. "Shang is not back yet, so you must talk to this man."

Red, with his hands behind his back, started walking around Taronyu, as if to study him.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Taronyu, Son of Ky'ot," Taronyu answered.

"So, your name is Taronyu, as in 'hunter'," said Red. "Please accept this apology at this unfortunate event that has happened to all of us, including you. We are indeed sorry for what had happened to you and your people. It is a sad that most Sky People do not value the souls and lives of others, including their own. Your people have the right to be angry."

"What do you mean?" asked Taronyu.

"If you want to know, then here is the deal," answered Red. "You will be our prisoner, but you will be treated as a guest. We will share our food and our space with you. You teach us and we'll teach you. Anything I left out, David?"

"You will be treated fairly, but you must cooperate," added David. "We will not hesitate to give discipline if you give us reason to. At this very moment, you will be guarded and escorted day and night. Do we have and understanding, Taronyu, Son of Ky'ot?"

"I understand," reluctantly said Taronyu. "I will not make any trouble."

"Glad that we came to an understanding, Taronyu," said Kathryn.

"Release him," ordered David.

Kathryn untied Taronyu's hands and wrists, giving the Na'vi sweet relief.

"So, is anybody hungry?" asked Jodi.

H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H

Before Taronyu was a bowl of, what the humans called, stew. He was just staring at it as he sniffed the aroma that it gave. It made him think of mud, because that was the brown color it made him think about. The stew had chopped vegetables floating in the creamy broth with pieces of meat to go with it. It wasn't that Taronyu wanted to eat it, he just didn't know how. He never had stew before.

The humans were sitting on makeshift chairs that surrounding wooden tables. This furniture was so strange to the young Na'vi man, but then everything they have or do was strange to him and he was they thought the same about him.

It was dinner time, and everyone got their share of food, and if they wanted, they could go back for seconds.

Taronyu was sitting with the Winters Family. He never ate at a table before, let alone sitting on a chair. He was so used to eating in a squat and eating on the ground, surrounding the cooking pit with his people.

"Don't just stare at it," said Kathryn. "Eat."

"Don't rush him, Kathryn," Red intruded.

The young Na'vi man picked up the bowl. It was now warm, unlike earlier when it was hot, making him not wanting to touch the bowl. The bowl was hard like rock, much like ceramic pot and vase. The bowl was crudely made, but it was doing its purpose. Taronyu held the bowl to his lips, filling the broth he started an experimental sip then started drinking it, but the chopped vegetables were halting the flow. The broth was flowing to the sides of his mouth, making the broth drip of the bowl to making mess on his lap. He put his bowl on the table to stop making a bigger mess.

"You're suppose to eat it with a spoon," explained Lewis.

"What is a spoon?"

"This," said Lewis showing him a spoon made of bone. "You have one to."

The Na'vi noticed his boney spoon on a leaf with a fork that was also made of bone. Taronyu picked up his spoon and looked at it. It looked like it was made for digging than for eating and the fork looked like a weapon to him. Still, he wanted to show a willingness to learn and to look less like a fool.

Looking at how the Winters were holding their spoons, Taronyu grabbed his and tried to hold like they are. What an unusual tool the spoon was and how to hold it. Finding it difficult to hold the spoon properly, Taronyu held it like a baby would hold and scooped up a spoonful of stew. He wasn't looking, but he could tell that others work watching him.

"It's a start, but who said we have to make big steps?" rhetorically asked Red.

"Right," agreed Joseph.

Taronyu found the stew to be tasty, the vegetables we soft making it easier to enjoy the stew. The meat was the meat of the Yerik, the sixed legged deer of Pandora.

"This good," complimented Taronyu.

"Would you like some bread to go with it?" offered Red.

"Yes, please."

X X X – X X X – Stew! – X X X – X X X

Kathryn tied a rope around Taronyu's waist and tied the other end to a branch, making sure that he wasn't going anywhere. They were outside on top of the Branch. It was nighttime now and most of the Branch occupants were retiring for the night.

"I'm sorry about your queue thing," apologized Kathryn. "I had now idea it was important to you."

"And you do not have one," admitted Taronyu.

"Is anyone going to be looking for you?" asked Kathryn. "Do we need to be worried about a search party?"

"I'm the first to come this way," answered Taronyu. "If I am gone for far too long, they will come for me."

"Alright… we'll have to deal with that when it happens," said Kathryn. "Make yourself comfortable, Taronyu. You could be here for a long time."

Kathryn walked away, not saying another word.

"I am, Kathryn," said Kathryn. "Kathryn Winters."

"Kath… Kathyn… Kathynwinta..," said Taronyu trying to pronounce Kathryn's first and last name.

"Don't strain yourself," said Kathryn, leaving Taronyu with two bodyguards. "Get some sleep."

Finding a sustainable spot, Taronyu laid on the great branch and looked up to the leafy canopy.

U 0 U - - U 0 U

The sleeping area of the Branch was known as The Sleeping Hollows, it was in a strong sector in The Branch. The holes inside the tree were large enough for a small group to sleep in, basically the holes were bedrooms. Families would sleep together while others would share a hollow, but boys with boys and girls with girls. Smaller children were the only acceptation when it came to a mixed group, like small boys sharing a hole with older women.

Kathryn came walking down the natural spiral case of stairs that led to the Sleeping Hollows. Making her way to her family hollow, she noticed Red talking to Shang, David, and a teenage girl with long messy black hair that reached to her waist.

The girl was fifteen-year-old Bella Summers, and she wore a yellow and red stripped sweater with black pants. She had fair skin with a few freckles on her face.

"It doesn't feel right leaving him alone out there," said Bella. "Up in the branches I mean."

"What do you mean?" asked Kathryn.

"It has to feel awkward to him," added Shang. "Na'vi people, if not all of them, are accustomed to sleeping in groups. Having a sleeping chamber that the whole clan shares."

"Well, he is our prisoner," said Kathryn. "Besides, I made sure nothing is losing circulation. But I guess that is not enough for you guys?"

"Sis, I'm surprised at you," said Red. "He's not our prisoner. He's, our guest."

"Red does have the right idea," agreed David. "As he gains more of our trust that is when he will gain some privileges. If we want have peace with these people, then we need to do this right. These circumstances may not have been favorable, but they are more than what we expected."

Walking through were two other faces, another teen boy, and a teen girl duo. Rupert Gatlin and Samantha Gossel, both had raven black hair.

Rupert had a handsome face; he wore a white buttoned long sleep shirt with black dress pants supported by a black belt. Samantha's black hair was long and wavy, all she wore was a white sleeping gown with pink roses dotting it here and there. Samantha was carried a blanket with a makeshift pillow.

"Planning a sleepover?" asked Kathryn.

"He may be our prisoner," said Samantha. "But we don't need to be cruel. Sleeping on a branch with no comfort? How crude."

"Go on ahead," said David.

"C'mon, Kat," said Red. "Let's go to bed. We got another big day ahead of us."

Red was right. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. There was going to be much to do.

! ! ! ? ! ! !

As most of the Branch slept, out in the fields next to great tree was a Na'vi woman walking through the field. As she walked some Fan Lizards jumped up and started rotating away, making the Na'vi woman smile and enjoying the little creatures.

She turned her attention to Branch, looking at the minor Hometree. She knew what happened today and it was a good thing, because today's events were called for and needed to happen.

The Na'vi woman could sense the presence of another.

"So it is tomorrow you will reveal yourself."

Glad to have gotten this finished, but I am sure there will be some re-editing to do. There's always room for improvement.

Author's Note: If it helps you, if you are having difficulty imagining the scenes and all, then get this. I imagined my fanfics in hand drawn animation, especially in anime-like form. Imagine the art of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Imagine it as in the animated art of W.I.T.C.H. or you can choose Big Hero Six: The Animated Series. I get a lot of my character designs from other TV shows and movies. That is how new characters are born after all.

Comments and reviews please, if you have them.