A Bad End to the Day

Lo'ak and the baby creature played around the cave, tagging each other. The baby creature waggled its tail like a happy puppy.

"Pretty baby," Lo'ak stroked him and he licked his face. "Wanna play hide and seek?"

The baby cocked its head in confusion. "You hide. I seek. Come on. Let's try it," Lo'ak covered his eyes and started counting. "One. Two. Three…."

The baby wondered where to hide.

"Ten! Ready or not!" Lo'ak searched the cave for the baby. But he saw no sign of him. Unknowst to him, a pair of yellow eyes stared at him from a secret hiding spot.

The mother creature snuck elegantly into the forest, avoiding Thantors. It then climbed up the trees like a reptilic squirrel before walking along the bridge-like branches. It sniffed the air, for any predators, but most importantly food. It found what it was looking for. Berries in the tree. First with her long-forked tongue, she devoured some for herself. Just then her ears flicked upwards to the sound of a name.

"Lo'ak!" It was a Navi. "Lo'ak!"

The mother stopped eating and stared downwards, crouching carefully on her back feet. Her eyes saw a blue Navi with dreadlocks, stalking through the forest. "Lo'ak!"

The mother's nostrils sniffled. Was the boy she rescued the one he was looking for? Suddenly her feet snapped a branch.

Jake spun around in a flash and looked up, wielding his bow and arrow. He didn't see anything. He thought he sensed some movement. But he couldn't see anything. He thought he could see a bit of movement. Still, there seemed like there was nothing. He continued on his way. "Lo'ak!"

For over fifteen minutes, the kid searched for the baby in that huge cave but found no sign of him. "Where are you?"

He heard a loud purr behind him. It was coming from the cave ceiling. He looked up but saw nothing on the ceiling. Just then he saw a flash of colours and he saw the baby creature again, hanging upside from the ceiling. "Wha…"

The baby let go of the ceiling wall and landed elegantly on its four feet. "How did you do that?"

The baby purred.

"That was so cool. You're so cool," He stroked it again. The baby licked and licked his face making him laugh. "You're so slobbery,"

The baby walked around to his queue and gently pulled him. "Why are you pulling me?". He noticed the baby's head was cocking towards another section of the cave. "You wanna show me something?". His friend pounced around like a pixie horse. He followed him a bit further to the back of the cave past some stalagmites and to Lo'ak's astoundment, he saw a multi-coloured crystal. And there were flowers blooming around it. "Wow. It's beautiful,"

His friend purred and tapped it with one of his baby claws. It chimed. It then raised its little queue braid which was similar to Lo'ak's and it touched the shiny surface. Its eyes closed and it hummed. To Lo'ak, it was like connecting to the Spirit Tree of Eywa. The baby purred, inviting him to do the same. The kid took his queue. He was about to connect it to the crystal when they heard loud neighing echoing from outside and they saw that the mother had returned with loads of berries. She escorted them back to the nest and she placed the branch of berries that were in the mouth down in the nest. Lo'ak watched as the baby nibbled piggishly on the delicious berries. The mother snorted at him to stop, to eat more nicely and leave some for Lo'ak. She picked one with her teeth and dropped it down into his hands. He took a bite.

"Thank you," he said. He ate the rest of the berry and then another one. The mother crouched down again, cocking her head to her back. "You're gonna take me home?" he asked.

The mother brawled meaning 'yes'. The baby abruptly stood in front of Lo'ak, wrapping his tail around him. The kid could clearly see that he didn't want him to go. He warbled despondently, eying his mother with big teary eyes. The mother warbled back. She was sadly telling him that they had to take Lo'ak back to his family. The baby's ears dropped. Lo'ak stroked him and hugged him. "We'll see each other again. I promise,"

The baby purred again and reluctantly he and Lo'ak climbed onto the mother's back. The mother carried them out of the cave and into the forest and to the boy's surprise into the trees. He was afraid of falling off but the mother kept them nice and steady. She then made her way back down again and they hid in some bushes. Peering through, Lo'ak saw his dad, searching for him desperately down the slope.

The mother gently nudged him forward. "Don't you wanna come and say hello?" he offered quietly. She shook her head. She gently nudged him forward again. She hated separating the boy and the baby like this but with the cries of the Navi father echoing loudly in their eyes, they realised that it was time to say goodbye. Lo'ak was confused why the mother didn't want to introduce herself to his dad but it seemed as if they were scared of his kind. Yet she had risked his life to save her the other night.

Hearing his dad cry for him again, Lo'ak stroked the mother goodbye and said 'thank you' earning an affectionate lick. He then stroked the baby whom he hugged back tightly. "Bye. Bye,". He then stepped out of the bushes and walked down the hill a bit. The baby tried to follow him but the mother gently pulled him back, shaking her head remorsefully.

Jake was about to call his name again when he saw the kid wandering nearby. "Lo'ak!" he rushed forward, fell to his knees, and embraced. "There you are. You scared me. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine Dad," the boy promised. "I was rescued,"

"Let me look at you," Jake looked carefully at him. He saw the scratch on his leg. "How'd you get that all cleaned up?"

"She cleaned it,"

"Who did?"

"The creature who rescued me,"

"Lo'ak, you've probably bumped your head. Come on. Let's get you home so your granny can get a look at you,"

"But I'm telling the truth," he said.

"Whomever it was that rescued you, I'm grateful. But now…you don't go off by yourself again," his dad said firmly but gently. "It's dangerous to be alone. Come on," He lifted him into his arms so he could carry him. "Let's go back to the village. I'm just really glad you're safe and your twin and Spider are safe too,". As his dad gently carried him away Lo'ak looked out longingly for the creature who had saved his life, whose son had become his friend overnight…but he saw nothing. He became tired and he closed his eyes.

Oblivious to him, the mother and son focused their yellow eyes on the kid; the baby watched intently as he disappeared into the forest with his dad. For the first time in forever, he and his mother had finally found a Navi who did not judge them for his looks, who had found kindness and true compassion. He wondered if he could ever approach Lo'ak's village to see him again.

'Will we ever see him again, mum?' he warbled sadly.

'I don't doubt it' said the mother. 'Something tells me he may be the one who will teach others what our kind truly are. Come on. We must g-o'. She knelt and her baby climbed onto her back. As she carried him through trees, he looked back in the direction where his friend had been taken, hoping that one day they would see each other again.

Lo'ak finished his story and Atuiko went "Wow! Whatever that creature was, she sounds like she was kind and caring,"

"I wish I knew what kind of creature it was. I don't remember much about what it looked like but those yellow eyes…they were like the eyes of a motherly Navi,"

"Did you ever see the mother and her baby again?" asked Atuiko.

"No. I searched every inch of that forest but I never saw them again. Over time I began to think it was all just a dream when I never saw them again. And when you showed me that crystal…it made me think of them again. For a while, I've been thinking that the crystal you showed me and Sylwa is the same one that I saw in the forest. Only the one I saw was glowing and flowers were glowing around it,"

"Incredible," said the kid with wonder.

"Well, that's enough about me. How would you like to go on another flight?"

"Count me," Atuiko raised his hand and they high-fived. "Let's just be careful not to get spotted by either of our dads,"

They walked off into the jungles of the island to go to their cliff spot from their previous visit. Roxto secretly followed them.

Sylwa was in a wrap whilst Tsireya was sewing up her clothes again, making the stitches extra stronger. Sylwa was very quiet; she didn't say a word.

"You okay?" Reya asked.

"I'm okay," her voice wouldn't hide her pain.

"Look those girls were just being horrible," She said. "They're just jerks. I'm so sorry they treated you like that," she finished the final stitch. "There. Your clothes are all fixed," She held up her vest and her sarong-themed skirt. "All done,"

"Thank you," she wiped her nose. She took them and went behind a large rock to get changed. She came back out into the open, looking better on the outside.

"There. You look gorgeous," said Tsireya.

"I'm really sorry,"

"What on earth for?"

"For causing your fallout with your friends,"

"No. That was not your fault. If they were my friends, they wouldn't have taken out their jealousy of you like that. No point in hanging out with friends if they're gonna treat you like that,"

"I'm worried that your parents will be very mad at you when they learn of this,"

"I can handle them," Reya clasped her shoulder. "You shouldn't let what people say get to you. And I know you might not believe this but…you're very pretty, without or without the scars,"

Sylwa was touched. "I am?"

"Yeah, you are," she said generously.

"Thanks for saving my bow," she bent down and picked up her weapon, and showed Tsireya the details of it. "My mother made it for me. She taught me how to use it. How to hunt with it. Defend myself with it. She said it was made from the remains of the Hometree that was destroyed before my dad became Toruk Makto. Any nice spot to practice?"

Tsireya led her over to a section of palm trees. Seeing some berries, she crashed the fruit and used the juice to trace some circles onto the bark.

"Thank you. Here's how you do it," she picked up an arrow. "You pull back on the string as you hold up the bow," she demonstrated her instructions with Tsireya watching. "Align your eye with the arrowhead. Use it to find your target," She used her eyes to find the centre. "And release,". She released the arrow and…

"Amazing," Reya clapped as the arrow hit the target.

"You wanna try?" she offered.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna damage your bow,"

"It'll be fine. Try it," she offered the bow. Tsireya gently took it and held it upright. Sylwa slipped an arrow into her fingers and she helped her position it on the strip. "Okay. That's it. Position it carefully in line with your eyes. Keep your arm outstretched," she gently touched her arms to help Reya align with the arrow. "And release,"

Tsireya shot the arrow and it struck the target, right next to Sylwa's. "I did it," she cheered.

Sylwa clapped. "That was amazing. Try again,"

Tsireya took another arrow and pulled back on the string.

"Bullseye!" cheered Sylwa. "You learnt as fast as I did,"

"I really like this. Us sharing each other's ways of life. We may be different but sharing our different customs seems to bring us together,"

"It sure does. Have you ever wondered what other Navi races are out there?" Sylwa stared across the sea, imaging other biomes filled with other Navi people.

"As a kid, I used to have dreams of exploring the world," said Tsireya. "Me and my…". She drifted off.

"Your what?"

"Nothing," Tsireya wiped a tear again.

"If there's something wrong, you can always talk to me about it,"

"This isn't something you can help with," she said.

"Why don't we go and do something else?"

"There's another thing I'd love to show you," Tsireya said. "And it's underwater. Another custom we have here. One I do regularly,"

"What is it?" asked Sylwa.

"You'll see. Follow me," Tsireya placed the bow down and dived off a rock platform into the sea, Sylwa following her.

They dived underwater to a nice spot where some different kinds of fish were swimming around. Then to Sylwa's joy, loads of otters joined in as well. And they glowed underwater.

Tsireya stopped diving and spun around; they faced each other. I'm going to teach you how to do underwater dancing.

Cool.

Watch and learn. Tsireya served her arms around like graceful underwater dancing. Sylwa copied her as best as she could. Then she watched as her tutor formed flips and spirals and she did her best to mimic them. They swam back upwards. "Amazing," she complimented.

"It's just like synchronised swimming," said Sylwa. "I've watched videos of sky people doing that. This is so cool,"

"We perform dances for ritual ceremonies. And I can't wait to perform again when the Tulkuns return,"

"I can't wait to watch you,"

"Ready for some more moves?"

"Count me," she splashed her face and she splashed back. They laughed a lot and then dived back underwater.

The sun was setting and the sky beginning to get darker, Lo'ak and Atuiko were able to fly over the top of the island and see more of the beauty from high above.

"It really is a wonder," said Atu, sitting in front of Lo'ak like before.

"It sure is," said his new best friend, ruffling his hair. "Wanna land on that sea stack?" he pointed downwards towards a sea stack near the border of the reef.

"Absolutely,"

Betze landed and whilst he scratched his skin, the boys sat together and stared into the sunset, the elder's arm slung around the younger's. "It's so beautiful," Lo'ak said. "This is just the kind of day we need,"

"No strict dads. No perfect brothers. And most importantly just time to have fun," said the kid.

"Hope Sylwa's have fun with her lady friend,"

"You really think they…" Atuiko puckered his lips.

Lo'ak did a goofy nod. "For as long as I can remember, she's never been good around guys…but this girl…"

On the shore, Jake had finished another run on the Skimwing. It seemed as if all that hard effort had paid off. He sighed, looking at the beauty of the island. As much as he missed the forest deeply, he was becoming to feel at home in this place. He wondered if his family were feeling the same way too.

"Jake Sully!" boomed a voice.

He turned around and saw General Soxato approaching. "General. Can I help you?"

"I want to know more about you came to be Navi. And why you would betray your own kind?"

"It was all Neytiri," Jake said. "She changed my life forever,". He tried to walk away but the general blocked him. "You mind moving?"

"I want to know the real reason you came here,"

"I came here to keep my family safe. You would do the same thing too. Even if meant leaving everything behind," He tried to move again but the general blocked him again. "You really wanna do this hard way?"

Before Soxato could even do anything, Roxto came emerging onto the scene. "Dad, you are not gonna believe what Atuiko's been doing with Lo'ak?"

Lo'ak and Atuiko lay down, staring up at the stars starting to appear in the sky.

"Who would have thought there would be so many planets and stars and galaxies in this universe?" said Atuiko. "Including our own,"

"There's Earth," Lo'ak pointed at the star where his dad came from. "I've always wondered about the people my siblings and I are descended from. We may be born as Navi but Sky People is part of who we are,"

"Was it hard for your dad to leave the planet he came from?"

"Not really. Nothing there but polluted skies, overcrowded countries, and disgusting piles of filth. There's no green there. I can't bear to imagine what the sky people would do to this planet if they did the same thing here,"

"Eywa would never let that happen," said Atuiko positively.

"There's something I've been wondering,"

"What's that?"

"Why she didn't help my birth clan fight against the sky people as she helped me, Dad, before,"

"The Great Mother is very mysterious in many ways," said the kid. "But we must stay true to her faith and her values,"

They enjoyed their nice and quiet when suddenly…the sounds of their names rang the air. It was their dad's.

"Uh oh," they said together. They looked over the edge of the sea stack and they saw their dads on skimwings looking upwards. Quickly they shuffled backwards out of sight.

"That's our cue to leave," said Lo'ak. Quickly they mounted Betze and he took off, carrying the two riders who peered down anxiously to see their red-faced dads riding on Skimwings on the sea.

"Go faster," urged Lo'ak. Quickly Betze flapped his wings and he went behind a cliff and clung to the wall with his claws. Lo'ak held onto Atuiko tightly. They peered down and watched their dads sailing in the sun past them, not noticing them. They waited till they were further towards the village.

"Phew. That was close," panted Lo'ak.

"Yeah. But we better land before our dads catch us or we're sunk,"

Lo'ak steered Betze towards their viewpoint cliff. However, near that clifftop, Roxto was standing by. He had a coconut ready. He threw it.

Bong.

Lo'ak was knocked unconscious. He fell off, his queue bulling on Betze's making him scream in pain.

"Lo'ak!" Atuiko tried to reach for his hand but his weight made Betze plunge downwards. They plunged towards a group of fishermen and their large baskets and piles of fish and …. CRASH!

Tsireya and Sylwa were who were walking back along the beach after their fun time doing underwater dancing heading the crash. "Oh my gosh," Tsireya gasped. Quickly she and Sylwa ran across the beach until they arrived at the sight of poor Betze with bruised wings and baskets and fish scattered everywhere and outraged fishermen.

"Lo'ak!" Sylwa quickly rushed forward and saw his bruised head. "Are you okay?"

"Atuiko," Tsireya came over and helped him sit up. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," cringed the kid.

Sylwa helped her twin. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, rubbing his head. "Ahh…something hid my head in mid-flight. Betze?"

Betze stretched his wings. They weren't broken but he was not in any good condition to fly again.

"Who in the world would knock us unconscious like that and make us crash?" said Atuiko.

"Lo'ak!" shouted a frustrated voice.

"Uh oh," breathed the kids.

Lo'ak was suddenly hit in the face with a fish by an angry fisherman.

Look what you've done. He shouted.

Tsireya hissed silencing him. Enough. It was an accident. Her retort did not calm the angry fishermen who all glared coldly at Lo'ak whose hand Atuiko clasped tightly.

Jake and Soxato arrived at the scene. Already the boys could see their dad's angry faces. Then Roxto appeared.

"That does it," Soxato snarled. "You are forbidden from seeing each other,"

"You can't do that," Sylwa defended, marching on him. "Just because my brother's different doesn't mean…."

SLAP!

The children gasped after Soxato's hand sliced through the air slapping Sylwa.

Jake grabbed his wrist and twisted him around to face him. "Don't ever touch my daughter again," he warned.

"It wasn't his fault," Atuiko stood up, standing in front of Lo'ak, defending him with Tsireya from the angry men. "Someone knocked him unconscious in mid-flight,"

"He shouldn't have taken you on a flight in the first place!" he roared.

Calm general. Seethed Tsireya in the Navi language.

"What is going on here?" demanded a voice. Tonowari marched onto the scene. "How did this happen?"

This freak here damaged our work. Pointed a fisherman at Lo'ak.

"Father, there was an accident," Tsireya tried to explain.

"Come on," Soxato grabbed his son's hand and pulled him away, Lo'ak tried to reach out to him but Atuiko was pulled out of reach. Sylwa helped him upwards onto his bruised feet and she and Tsireya escorted him away. As they did, Roxto looked out to them with a guilt-ridden expression. He hadn't meant to get anyone hurt. He was just so…jealous.

"I apologise chief," Jake said to Tonowari. He hated how angry the fishermen were and he hated the impact this would have on his family.

Lo'ak was quite bruised all over. The girls did their best to guide him back to Sully's hut gently. Neytiri saw them and asked what had happened and after they took him back, they tended to his bruises. The other sisters arrived and they were shocked to see his condition. Neteyam however rolled his eyes. "Dad says not to get into any trouble and what happens if you do," Neytiri glared at him. "Sorry Mum,"

"I'll go now," said Tsireya. "I'll try to talk things out,"

"Thank you," said Lo'ak.

"Thank you very much for today Reya," Sylwa smiled at her. "It was very wonderful,"

"See ya," Tsireya waved goodbye and Sylwa still smiled out to her. When she turned around she saw her brother's goofy grin. "Oh, don't you start,"

"What happened to your cheek?" asked Neytiri seeing her cheek. She tried to touch it but her daughter hid it.

"It's nothing,"

"It's not nothing," Kiri walked over and pulled her hand away. "Who did that to you?"

Before Sylwa could answer, Jake came into the room. He glanced sternly at Lo'ak. Neteyam escorted Kiri and Tuk out so they wouldn't have to hear it. "You do understand you got yourself and Atuiko seriously hurt?"

"Dad it wasn't his fault," Sylwa defended.

"He knows just like you do that he's not allowed to fly,"

"I was just having fun with Atuiko," Lo'ak tried to explain. "And I wouldn't have crashed if.."

"We supposed to be in these people's good graces. And your reckless flying has already disappointed that fishermen enough as it is,"

"Don't talk to him like that," Sylwa spoke up, seeing how hurting his criticising was.

Jake completely ignored her. "You're to help these fishermen with their fishing tomorrow. If we're to stay here, you need to get back on their good side,".

Lo'ak sighed and stormed out of the hut. Sylwa huffed. "Nice going," she snapped.

"He knows as well as you do, we're supposed to live like these people. And we need to be on their good side if we're to stay here,"

"You act as if he intended to get Atuiko hurt or anger the fisherman on purpose,"

"That is not what I said,". One of the things Jake was afraid of was giving a terrible impression on his children.

"Well, that's how he feels. I don't know why you have to be so hard on him but it doesn't mean you have a right to make him feel that way," she marched out of the hut making his sight. He leaned against the wall.

"Jake…" Neytiri soothed his shoulders. "You knew Lo'ak would never intend to cause harm to Atuiko or any trouble,"

He sighed. "Do you think…I was too hard on him?". Her face meant 'yes'. "I just…I see too much of myself in him. I want him to be better,"

"Sometimes you have to let him be his own person,"

"I can't bear for him to be on the general's bad side. He really hates that we're here. And he hates him hanging out with Atuiko. And you should have seen how he…"

"What?" Neytiri asked. "What? Tell me," she begged.

Jake was afraid to tell her. If he did, she would go on a murderous rampage.

That's another chapter done. What did you all think? Thank you all, everyone for your suggestions I look forward to using them. Thank you all for your reviews and please continue giving your opinions. Also Bailey Radcliff, glad to hear you're looking forward to the Taquamare. Please let me know what you about think of it once it is introduced. See in the next chapter everyone