I don't own any characters or anything but the story. Criticism is welcome but please don't be rude. See bottom of chapter for notes.
Har'ii couldn't help but wonder what would be decided for them as the trio followed Tsu'tey up the spiraling middle of the tree. He wished he could talk to Hermi'ee and Ro'an about it, but was reluctant to bring it up with the other boy nearby. He noticed as they climbed how the tree had natural looking alcoves and hollows used by the na'vi for various purposes. The first place they visited was basically the dining area. Tsu'tey, stated "The morning meal is usually eaten with family, midday meal you may eat here or fend for yourself, but the evening meal is always eaten with the entire clan." Ro'an seemed to perk up at the mention of food, though Har'ii doubted it would be anything like they were used to.
They also saw the healing chambers used to help sick or injured members of the clan and the hammocks where everyone slept. They hung on various levels of the tree and Har'ii noticed that some were a lot larger than others. He asked Tsu'tey who explained to him that families slept together in the larger hammocks until the children became adults and then they would sleep in a smaller hammock. When they found a mate they would make a new hammock for their own families. Har'ii couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable with that, since he had never shared a bed with anyone before. Dudley had slept in his parents bed when he was young and had nightmares, but the Dursleys had never allowed Har'ii to do so. Having to sleep right next Ro'an, Hirmi'ee and possibly whoever their guardian was going to be, was disconcerting.
Tsu'tey looked at him with concern "Are you okay?" He nodded trying to shake off discomfort he felt and decided to worry about it later. Tsu'tey stared at him a moment longer before turning to continue the tour. The soon ran into a group of children that looked around the same age as them, though a couple were a bit older. One of the girls called out "Tsu'tey." "Neytiri" he greeted as he walked over to them. She peered at the trio curiously and Tsu'tey explained to her what was going on. She smiled at them "Well, you should come an play a game with us." "What game?" asked Hirmi'ee. "Prey and hunters." one of the older children replied. "How do you play?" Har'ii questioned.
The other children explained the rules. It was basically sounded like hide and seek except you had to try to be very quiet when you searched because if the hider heard you coming than they could try to get away. The hider also had to try and be quiet so the didn't give themselves away to the hunter. If the hunters managed to touch you then you lost and had to help find the rest of the hiders. Har'ii couldn't help but be intrigued. He had never played games with other children when growing up with the Dursleys, because Dudley would scare away anyone who even tried to play with him. This was his second chance however and there was no Dudley to interfere this time so he nodded and saw Hirmi'ee and Ro'an do the same.
Neytiri grinned at this and said "Okay, Tsu'tey you can be the hunter and the rest of us will hide." Tsu'tey scowled at her, but she ignored him "Wait a little while and then and come find us." She then gestured at everyone else who all took off through the tree, the trio doing the same. Har'ii sped through the branches eager to find a good hiding place and happy to just enjoy his new life without worry.
Meanwhile back at the bottom of tree the discussion of the trio was still going on. Aktamu, one of the hunters was very interested in what was being said. He and his mate Ku'el both loved children and even before they had mated, they both wished to have several of their own. To their utter dismay it had never happened. While it wasn't unusual for na'vi to have children over many years, with several years between each child, most had at least one child in their first five years of being mated. Aktamu and Ku'el had been together for eight times that and they had never conceived. They had went to the healers for help and prayed to Eywa, but they had still never been blessed with a child of their own. They both tried accept this, because if it was Eywa will that they never had a child then there had to be reason for it.
Now with the three children needing a family, he couldn't help feeling a little bit of hope. He was debating on speaking up uncertain if he should, since he was still unsure of Ewya plan, when suddenly a loud peal of laughter interrupted his thought. Then the oldest of the three, Har'ii, was seen running down the middle spiral of the tree with a determined looking Tsu'tey chasing him. A few other children, including Har'ii brother and sister was behind him. Har'ii leaped the last few feet down the stairs and racing off, only to slam into someone a couple seconds later. Aktamu realized it was Ku'el and he hurried over to see if she was alright. Har'ii's siblings also ran over as the boy stands up and started apologizing profusely.
Aktamu helps Ku'el up who smiles at him before turning and saying reassuringly "It's alright little one it was an accident." Before anything else could be said Aktamu noticed Atokirina' seeds floating towards them. One landed on each of the three children Har'ii, Ro'an, and Hirmi'ee and one on him and Ku'el. They stayed there for just a second before all simultaneously taking off. "What was that?" Har'ii asked confused. Mo'at stepped forward and stated "I believe that was clear sign from Eywa of who should care for these three." She smiled at the couple and they both grinned with delight at this.
Ku'el then knelt in front of the young children "Welcome little ones, I am so happy to have as part of our family. My name is Ku'el and I believe you met my mate Aktamu earlier." Three nodded and the young girl, Hirmi'ee spoke a little hesitantly "So what happens now?" Before he could answer, her brother Ro'an stomach growled quite loudly and he blushed slightly. Eytukan spoke up then "I believe you should get something to eat and then spend the afternoon together." Aktamu agreed and he along with Ku'el ushered the children back up the tree. Most of the other na'vi followed including the children that the trio had been playing with.
As he was led back to the dining area Har'ii studied his, apparently new parents. Aktamu was a little taller than a lot of the other na'vi but was also rather lean. He was muscular with a few scars that stood out against his skin. His head was shaved except for the main braid that all the na'vi have and a few smaller braids around it. Ku'el was shorter than her mate and a little broader, but still quite thin. Her own hair was done in one of the most elaborate he had seen so far, with dozens of skinny braid twisted around each other in a dizzying fashion. They both currently had rather broad smile and glanced down at the trio several times as they climbed up the stairs.
When they reached the dining area, they were each handed a folded up leaf. Har'ii opened i and found a strange, round, light blue fruit and large brown odd looking bugs. He looked over at Ro'an and Hirmi'ee to see their reaction and they seemed just as perturbed as he felt. "What is this" said Ro'an with a slight look of disgust. Ku'el answered, pointing the fruit and then the bug "Rawp which is a very nutritious fruit and teylu is one of the main meats of the clan."
Har'ii watched Aktamu eat for a second and then with some hesitation he picked up a pieces of fruit and took a careful bite. It was oddly salty but, ultimately not bad and he ate the rest of it easily. He then turned to the insects that were left and gingerly picked one up. He studied it for a second before taking a bite of it. It had a slight sweetness to it but otherwise not much flavor, so he ate them too. The other two also managed to finished their meals as well.
After their meal Ku'el mentioned that they would need to make a new hammock because the couple's current one wasn't nearly big enough for all of them. It was customary for the family to work on gathering the material and creating the hammock together. So they headed out into the forest to look for what they would need. Ku'el warned them as they left the hometree "Stay close to one of us and do not touch anything that you don't recognize without asking." The nodded at her as they walked through the trees.
Aktamu who was still in partial disbelief of the events that had so suddenly given them the family they had always wanted. He couldn't stop looking at the siblings as if in fear they would disappear, which is how he couldn't help but noticed the uncertain look on Har'ii face. "Is something wrong little one?" he asked concerned. Har'ii looked down as if he wasn't sure what to say his tail twitching nervously, before he looked and asked hesitantly "So families always share the same hammock?" Aktamu nodded "It is to help promote bonding between family members. It is okay if one wishes to spend a night or two in a smaller hammock, they must return to the family soon." "Oh." he said quietly. "I'm guessing that is not how it was where you three are from." Har'ii shook his head.
Aktamu wondered again where the three had come from, but he decided wait for any of the trio to bring it up before he asked about it. Instead he knelt down to Har'ii level and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder "Don't worry Har'ii I'm sure that you and your brother and sister will get used to how thing are here." This seemed to be the right thing to do because he got a small smile and he smiled in return. "Now come on and we need to find some tautral trees." He stood up to find his mate watching him with a warm look on her face. Hirmi'ee and Ro'an were watching them which made him realized he had just given his first bit of fatherly reassurance and felt incredibly happy as he ushered his new family to continue their trip.
They spent the rest of the day trying to find the necessary material and explaining to the children what plants and creatures they needed to be wary of. Aktamu and Ku'el had discovered several thing about their new children. Hirmi'ee was overflowing with questions about literally everything, Ro'an had quite the appetite as they had to stop a couple times with him claiming to be hungry, and Har'ii had to be watched closely so he didn't wander into something he shouldn't. Soon the light started to fade so they headed back to the hometree. They had found some of what they needed, but it would take several more days to finish gathering everything and actually make the hammock. Hirmi'ee asked where they would sleep until then and Ku'el told her that there were a couple for temporary use for times like this.
Shortly after they returned to the hometree it was time for evening meal and Har'ii quickly noticed how much more crowded it was now than it was earlier. Remembering what Tsu'tey told him earlier, it did seem like every member of the clan was there with some even on the branches surrounding the area. He carefully followed Ku'el through the crowd trying not to accidentally run into someone or step on anyone tail.
They settled down near Ateyo, Tsu'tey and who he assumed was Tsu'tey mother. They greeted them and Har'ii learned her name Hualni. Food was passed to him and he ended up eating while chatting to Tsu'tey about what they had done that day and Tsu'tey telling him more about life in the clan. All around him conversation was lively and he realized that as confusing and different as today had been, he was currently felt happier then he had in months. While he was still a little nervous about sleeping in the family hammock, mostly now because he was scared he would have a nightmare, he still felt more at peace then he could remember feeling ever.
Eventually the meal ended and everyone headed through the various branches to bed. The trio followed Aktamu and Ku'el to one of the larger hammocks that hung rather low in the tree. They were each helped into it and the adults followed. They all laid on their side next to each other with Aktamu and Ku'el on the outside and Har'ii ended up between Aktamu and Hirmi'ee with Ro'an on the other side next to Ku'el. "Goodnight, little ones." Ku'el whispered softly to them. They all said goodnight back,closed their eyes and tried to fall asleep. Har'ii was still unsure he could fall asleep, but the events of the day had worn more than he thought and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Okay, a few quick notes on the age of the trio and the time line. It states on the wiki that na'vi mature faster than humans but live longer, so in story I'm going to have where a na'vi is considered in about twelve earth years. The trio current physical age is Harry is four, Ron is three and Hermione is two. By the time Jake arrives they will be fully grown. That also means that while Aktamu and Ku'el are in there fifties they are still rather young by na'vi standards. Also so as not to confuse anyone I am using human years just to avoid having to figure out the math. If there any confusion about this feel free to let me know.