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Chapter 8: Demons and Aliens

The last few weeks hadn't been easy, not in the slightest. The Metkayina hadn't been very welcoming to Kauri which put a divide between the Suli siblings and Tsireya's family and the rest of the people. Kauri being their but a divide between her and Tuk, which they both hated but Neytiri could not look past this. She could not. Instead she focused on her grandchildren and only them.

Kauri had picked things up pretty quickly, though his eyes still did not adapt to the light so he struggled in the daytime. Tuk didn't know any of this way but she felt herself feeling ways like never before, things she had never truly wanted but things she could not help but feel. He was different, yes he was. He looked different and he seemed alien but she truly saw him and she felt like she was falling completely in love with him.

"Alright, let's take a break." Tuk said with a chuckle as they walked over the water. Kauri laughed softly, the longer that he had been there for and the more he proved himself, the more he was getting accepted but it was a very slow process. At least people would stop hissing at him now and actually nodded to him rather than look like they were about to beat him to death.

"Harder than it looks." He laughed, wiping his hair, moving his leaf protection down slightly for his eyes.

"No you're just useless." She teased, kicking water at him.

"Ouch." He teased kicking it back before her nieces and nephews ran into the water with them.

"Aunt Tuk! Kauri!" They said with excitement.

"Hi my sweet babies." She said with a smile, lifting them up. Kauri smiled watching her with the children.

"Come and play in the sand with us." They said, taking their hands and dragging them to the beach.

"Okay okay." Tuk chuckled. Kauri was being watched carefully by the leaders, he was used to that but what he was not prepared for, was the way he felt for Tuk.

"Look what we made." her nephew said, showing them the castle they had built out of rocks, shells and coral.

"Wow, that is so amazing." Tuk said over the top.

"Kauri, do you like it?!" Her niece asked him, taking his hand.

"The best castle I have ever seen." He smiled, bending down to their level.

"Children!" They heard Neytiri yell. "Away." she hissed, the children running back to their grandmother. "You must stay away from him." She told them, dragging them away gently. Tuk just sighed softly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be. I get it."

"She's just been through a lot."

"It's okay." He said softly.

"Your judgment is next week." she reminded him.

"Do you think I have proved this to them? Do you think I have done enough?" He asked softly.

"Only time will tell." She said softly, looking over at Tonowari who was watching them.

That evening Tuk and Kauri walked along the beach together, it was quiet and it was nice to just be alone. "What do you think Eywa wants from us?" He asked.

"I don't know, but I trust in her." Tuk said softly looking up at him, his eyes glowing once more. "You have such beautiful eyes.." She whispered. He smiled at her.

"I'd go blind without them." he chuckled.

"Oh shut up." She teased, slapping his stomach. He chuckled before moving his hand to her cheek.

"You are just beautiful." He whispered. Tuk swallowed hard looking up at him. Her heart was pounding.

"I see you, Kauri." She whispered. "I see who you truly are. I see your heart, where it truly belongs. There are now shadows in there." she whispered. He looked at her and smiled softly before leaning down and just kissing her. Tuk was taken back by it and pulled back looking at him, before leaning in to kiss him once more. Pulling back they smiled at each other, before they were interrupted by Tonowari clearing his throat.

"With me, boy." He said simply, before walking away. Kauri and Tuk shared a look before he followed.

"Yes? Sir?" He asked, catching up to him.

"How heavy is the debt on your shoulders? The debt of your people?" He asked him. Kauri clenched his jaw and looked at him as they walked.

"The burden is too great to handle, sir," he said truthfully. " I only wish the people of the shadows had remained in peace, and had not caused such damage. If I could take back their actions I would…but I was not born, not even a thought in the mind of my parents who were only children at the time." He said softly. "As were you." He added once more. Tonowari looked at him before continuing to walk.

"I had a brother, who had killed another. I took the fall for him, to protect him but when the truth came out he was exiled and his burden will forever remain on my shoulders." He said softly. "I understand you, Kauri. I do not believe you are one of these demons from the darkness." He said softly. "But you must understand the troubles I am having. A blood pack with other leaders, a blood pact that can never be broken."

"I understand, sir. I do." He said softly. "But I have fallen in love with your way of life, the waters, the people - though they may not take a liking to me. This is all I have ever wanted." He said softly. "I only wish I could do more to prove that to you." He said softly.

"It is not I you must prove to any longer." He said softly. "It is the people."

"I will do whatever it takes." He said softly. Kauri was serious, he wanted this life. He wanted Tuk and the only way he could have any of it was if he was accepted into this clan. Tonowari looked at him and nodded his head.

"Rest." He said softly, before they parted ways. Kauri just sighed softly and went back to his hut, seeing Jake along the way.

"Mr Sully!" He called out. Jake arched his brows and looked over to see him.

"Hey." Jake said softly, he was a little more welcoming than Neytiri. "Everything okay?" He asked again.

"Yeah, I just." He paused trying to gather his words. "I just want you to know that if I could go back and take back every single thing they did, everything they took away I would. If I could take away the pain of your wife, I would. I hate that I look like them, every single day. Demon, that's all anyone sees." He said softly. "I'm more than that."

Jake looked at him, and held his five fingered hand up. "Alien." He said softly. "That's all anyone saw in me. Born of the sky people, not a true Na'vi." He said softly. "But my heart was and is Na'vi. True Na'vi and I see that yours is too. Where you come from, who you belong too, your past…none of that will change your true heart. If you are true Na'vi, then your heart is true Na'vi. No one can deny that." He said softly. Kauri looked at him and nodded.

"Thank you, sir." He said softly. "Goodnight." He said going to walk away.

"My daughter really likes you, you know." He said with a smile. Kauri couldn't help but smile.

"You know she tried to kill me when we first met." He chuckled.

"She's her mothers daughter." Jake teased. "Get some rest." he smiled before watching him walk away.

Neytiri walked up to him softly, "Why do you speak to him, like he is your friend?" She asked softly, but slightly bitter. Jake looked at his wife.

"Because our daughter is in love with him." he told her, causing her to cringe and hiss slightly. "And because I was him." He said truthfully. "Do you remember? An alien, and outsider. Hated by your people. I had to prove myself too." Jake reminded her.

"What he did is unforgivable." Neytiri said simply.

"What he did? Neytiri, he wasn't even born. His parents were kids damn it. Just like you." He said simply. "Should he really pay for his people's crimes when he wasn't even around to stop it?!" he asked. Neytiri clenched her jaw, she knew he was right but she could not forgive.

"They took from so many, Jake." She whispered.

"But he did not…" He said softly. "He's not one of them Neytiri and you know it. I see it. Eywa see's it. Our kids see it. Heck, Tonowari can even see it. Tuk sees it. Our daughter! When will you see it?!" He asked his wife, who remained silent. "You saw it in me, there's no difference here. He's just a kid…and it's not his fault." He said simply, before walking away. Neytiri just hissed in frustration knowing he was right.

That night whilst everyone slept, Kauri took a solo walk along the beach, he just needed a moment to himself. He had to do everything in his power to prove to them that he did belong here, that he was different. That he was one of them. Before his thoughts could deepen, he heard a terrifying bang. Turning around to see the wooded areas behind the village, light up in flames. Lighting up the night sky. His heart dropped and his eyes widened. This could not be.