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Chapter 7: Kutawato's Truth

Tuk wasn't quite sure why she was feeling this way, a knot in her stomach, like she was the one that betrayed her people but the knot in her stomach didn't come from that guilt, no it came from the worry, what were these people going to do to Kauri? What had his people done? She couldn't understand it, not for a moment but she knew, all she truly knew was that she would stand by his side no matter what. No matter what.

"Why are you here?! Demon of the shadows?!" Tonowari asked, but in frustration. Lo'ak stood with him, since he was the future Olo'eyktan of the Metkayina. Though he seemed to look sad, sad for his sister. Jake clenched his jaw too, this was history repeating itself. This was him with the Omaticaya people when he first joined. Yet his biggest concern was his daughter.

"It is my doing. He is here because of me." Tuk said simply, she knew she could try and talk them into this.

"So you risk the life of your people?!" he asked. "The shadows have been banned on our plains for many years. Outcast to many of the clans, including the Metkayina and the Omaticaya!" Tonowari said with an angry tone. Tuk swallowed hard, looking around as people hissed and called out to Kauri.

"He is not like them. He is not!" She begged. "Please, he saved my life. He betrayed his people. He is not one of them!" Tuk begged once more.

"And he is not one of us!" Ronal yelled.

"Father please." Tuk begged her dad.

"I can't Tuk…I can't…" He whispered, sadly.

"Lo'ak?!" She turned to her brother. Lo'ak just clenched his jaw and looked down, knowing he couldn't help his sister either. Tuk felt like she was having a panic attack and looked down for a moment.

"Then we are outcast…" She whispered, looking up at them a tear falling down her eyes. Lo'ak's eyes widened at his sister's words. Jake's ears dropped and even Neytriri's expression changed.

"Tonowari…" Jake begged, stepping forward slightly. Tonowari clenched his jaw, looking between Jake and Tuk.

"You, Tuktirey Te Sulli. You are Metkayina but this demon is, this demon is not and he is not welcome here." was all he said simply.

"He did not commit his people's crimes, he is not one of them. Please, his life! It is in danger. We have to help him. Please." She begged.

"Tuk, it is fine." Kauri told her, taking her arm. Lo'ak watched him take his sister's arms and clenched his jaw, he saw it, he saw what Jake saw. A bond. Love.

"No! No it is not!" Tuk yelled at him, but not because she was angry, but because she was passionate and she was scared. "Tonowari, this is not the Metkayina way! This is not the way!" She told him, turning back to him. "You welcomed us to your clan with open arms. You allowed us to learn your ways, adapt, become one of the people. I beg you, please. Show the same mercy, please." Tuk begged, moving closer to him.

"Enough child!" Ronal yelled. Neytiri clenched her jaw, she was so conflicted. This was hard because that was her daughter, but this was the shadows and the clans of the plains could never forget what had happened. They could never forgive. Tonowari was also conflicted, this was hard but the Olo'eyktans had swore by blood that the shadows would never be welcomed into the clans.

"The decision has been made, child." Tonowari said in a softer tone. "He is to be removed from the clan…immediately." He said softly, but firmly.

"Nooo." Tuk called out, gutted.

"It's okay baby…" Jake said to his daughter, taking her in his arms. Looking at Tonowari, he understood the situation, he knew it was not allowed, he knew why Tonowari did what he did. But this was hard seeing his daughter this way. Tuk just cried into her father's chest, Neytiri looked to Lo'ak, she could tell her son was not happy about the decision. Kauri clenched his jaw and hated this. Why must he be judged for something he did not do? For something he did not believe in.

As the people hissed and war cried, holding up their spears and fire sticks, Tuk looked up to her father.

"Daddy please." She begged.

"I'm sorry baby. I cannot do anything. This time it is out of my hands." He whispered. Neytiri walked over to them, taking her daughter's arm.

"We must return to the hut." She said softly.

"No, I'm not leaving him."

"Tuk!" Neytiri said simply. "It has been decided." She added.

"Just…give her a second." Jake said softly. Neytiri just hissed and went to walk away before people started gasping and pointing to Kauri. Tuk wiped her eyes and looked up, seeing the woodsprite covering Kauri. Her eyes widened. Ronal's eyebrow bone arched as she looked at Tonowari. Neytiri swallowed hard, this was so much like Jake. Sharing a look with her husband she swallowed, before Ronal walked to Kauri.

"A sign from Eywa.." She whispered, circling him. Kauri swallowed hard looking at the woodsprite. This changed everything. Lo'ak looked at Tsireya who smiled softly, even she believed in giving people second chances. Neytiri moved her hand to Jake's arm. Tonowari clenched his jaw and looked at his wife before sighing, even he could not ignore this. Eywa was calling. Eywa was making the decision.

"1 month. Tuk will teach you our ways. If you are not demon of the shadows, like you say…prove it. You will have your judgment day. 1 month today." Tonowari said simply, before walking away. This was such a horrible situation to be in. Tuk's eyes widened with excitement before she jumped into Kauri's arms.

"You can stay!" She said with a smile.

Neytiri clenched her jaw and looked at her husband. "I do not like this." She hissed before walking away. Jake just sighed softly before looking at Lo'ak who was smiling, seeing his sister happy. The son and father shared a look to say this was not going to be easy but it was going to be okay.

Kauri had been placed in his own hut as Neytiri refused to have him in her home. Tuk had gone to stay with him, knowing he could not be alone.

"Are you sure this is what is best? It is evident your people do not like this. Your mother does not like this." Kauri told her softly, as they sat in front of the fire.

"My mother hates the sky people and she has accepted my father. She will get over it." She told him.

"This is not just about your mother, Tuk. This is about the entire clan, this is about the clan's of Pandora. The shadow's we are hated. We are demons of the planet. The darkness to their light. We are only seen to be evil, murderers, traitors, satanic." He said softly, looking down.

"I see that in the people." She said softly. "But I do not see that in you." She told him, moving her hand to his arm.

"I guess we'll see if the people see as you, on judgment day." he said simply, looking down.

"Hey, I had to stand trial amongst your people." She teased trying to lighten the mood. He looked up at her and smirked slightly. "Skawng." He muttered, shoving her playfully. She chuckled and shoved him back before Lo'ak, Tisreya and Kiri came in.

"What is it?" Tuk asked, with a confused look.

"You must speak the truth of the Kutawto." Tsireya told him.

"If you are going to stay here, we must know why the shadows are hated so much." Lo'ak said. They had all heard stories but never really knew what was true. The adults hid most from their children since many of them were even born.

"We do not bring judgment here." Kiri said softly as they all sat around the fire. Tuk was so grateful for her siblings. Kauri swallowed hard and looked down.

"We must know." Tuk said to him. "It is okay." She added, moving her hand to his arm once more. Lo'ak and Reya looked at each other as they recognised this bond.

Kauri swallowed hard and looked at them, his eyes beginning to glow slightly as it got darker out. "It was a long time ago, before we were born. Our parents, only children themselves." He said softly, he was nervous but knew he had no choice. "The people wished to convert other clan's to follow Eywa in the ways they did. To serve them, to become one with the shadows. Before they were outcasts they were a part of the outside world. Though we looked alien to most, which meant we were not accepted. The people wanted to educate other clans, show them different ways to lead, different rituals, different ways of life. But many found it barbaric, inhumane, and sadistic." He said softly. Tuk clenched her jaw, listening to him. "The leaders at the time were consumed by offense, hurt by the clans. They believed that they passed judgment too quickly." He paused again. "The thing with the shadows, is that those who are willing to allow it to consume, will become consumed by hatred, darkness, cruelty. It changed you…" He said to Tuk, who swallowed hard knowing she was a lot harsher, when she was there.

"Why did it not consume you?" Kiri asked.

"Because I was never one of them. I never agreed with their ways, but I was not allowed to leave." He said softly.

"The people killed his mother, treason. She defied their ways, and wanted a better life for the people." Tuk added. Lo'ak clenched his jaw and moved his hand to his wife's. Jake listening from the outside.

"Basically, the Kutawato and others from the shadows led armies into the clan's along the plain, in the forests and along the coasts. They burned homes, killed the children, the women, the animals of their homes. They executed their Olo'eyktans in front of their people, before destroying everything around them. One day, they had attacked the wrong clan and they fought back." He said softly. "The Omaticaya?" Tuk whispered. Kauri just nodded. "Your mother would have seen it all." he added. "The forest people fought back and won. From that moment on, what remained of the people of the shadow's, they agreed to become outcast, only loyal to themselves and what they believed. They chose peace but would never be welcoming to other Na'vi…" Tuk swallowed hard, listening to him, standing up and needing a moment.

Going outside she swallowed hard and let out a sigh before seeing her father. "You heard that?" She asked. Jake just looked at her and nodded.

"Your mother told me of her history before Neteyam was born." He said softly. "She was 4 years old." He whispered. "She watched her people die, her grandparents, she watched her home burn. Only to lose it all again when she met me…" He whispered. "Your mother has a lot of forgiveness in her heart, but this…this she cannot forgive. This, none of them can forgive." he told her truthfully.

"He is not them dad…he's not." She told him softly.

"I know, baby." He whispered.

"Then why must he be punished for something he did not do?" She asked sadly.

"Because he was born into the darkness, he was raised to believe what they believe, to be who they are. We cannot put trust in things like this."

"The people put trust in you." She whispered, looking up to him.

"That came with great convincing and great proof." Jake told her, moving his hand to her shoulder.

"Then allow him to prove the same way you did." Tuk told him. "You saw it, you all saw it. Eywa chose him right? Just like she chose you. I saw the look on Mom's face when she saw the woodsprite, the look on Ronal's on Tonowari's…that is something you must trust in." She said softly. "I trust him." Jake just looked at her.

"When do you grow up?" He asked with a small smile. "I remember when you were just a baby, you fit in the palm of my hand." He said softly, holding his hand out. "Now you're all grown up and I am so proud of you." He said softly.

"I love you dad.." She hugged him tightly.

"I love you too, baby." he said with a smile, hugging her back.