Hello everyone. Sorry, it's been a while. I've been recovering from a long trip to Australia. Here is the chapter. Before you read it, I want to let you know that there is a song from The Hunger Games which doesn't belong to me. I've edited the words a bit to match the culture/themes of the book, just to let you all know. The credit of the song goes to the Hunger Games and I hope the creditors don't mind how I've used it in this chapter. Enjoy

The True Nature of the Taquamares

"Wahoo!" Lo'ak cheered as Tsu'tey galloped across the water. Atuiko was laughing as he clung on tight to him. "This is fun right?!"

"This is amazing!" screamed the kid.

They crossed leagues of the ocean when they came to an island dominated by mangrove trees, just like at the Metikyena village. But these ones were taller. There was fruit everywhere. Little Pandora seabirds flew everywhere too. The boy was quite surprised to see no Navi living here. It was quite a mystery.

Tsu'tey marched onto the sand and then bent down allowing the boys to dismount him. "That was…awesome!" Atuiko cheered. "You're amazing, Tsu'tey!"

Thank you. Snorted the Taquamare earning a stroke from Lo'ak.

"Why did you name him Tsu'tey?" asked Atuiko.

"He was my father's predecessor as Olo'ektan of the Omaticaya, my mother's former betrothed and my late aunt's betrothed," explained Lo'ak. "He was a mighty warrior, well-remembered by the Navi. I thought it suited him well,"

I love it. brayed Tsu'tey.

"What else can you do?" asked Lo'ak to him. "You brought us here to show your abilities. Please show what else you can do,"

The boys watched Tsu'tey intently. He had brought them here, particularly Lo'ak to show them what kind of creature he was. He walked to some trees. Then to their surprise, he scaled up the trees like a lizard.

"Cool," clapped the boys together.

Tsu'tey lay on the soft sand of the beach. Then to Lo'ak surprise, his scales and even his mane and tail turned the exact same shade of gold and he blended into his surroundings like a chameleon or a cuttlefish. The boys were stunned. His colours turned back to normal and he was visible again.

"Amazing," breathed Atuiko. He noticed Lo'ak looked a little speechless. "What is it?"

"I know I've seen that ability before. But I can't quite place it,"

"What else can you do?"

Tsu'tey positioned himself in front of a tree. Then of all sudden, he shot a knife-lengthened harpoon out of his snout mouth and it pierced the centre of the bark. "Woah," both were surprised. Tsu'tey aimed his mouth up at some fruit. Then with two sharp aims, he shot two large berries out of the tree and he caught them with his tail before offering them to the boys who munched on them with deep delight.

"I guess there are some elements of those rumours that are true," said Atuiko. "But that doesn't make you a daemon or anything,"

Tsu'tey bawled again, asking Lo'ak to climb on his back again. He did. He offered to Atuiko again but realising the Taquamare was going to climb up into the tree, the kid declined. "I think I'd rather watch from above. Besides it's better if he only carries one person for this trick,"

Lo'ak clung on tightly as Tsu'tey scaled up the tall trees, Atuiko running underneath. Lo'ak cheered for joy as his steed leapt from tree to tree like a giant tree frog, his claws digging into the bark to keep them from falling. The Taquamare was touched by how much trust this boy had placed in him. He knew deep down he had seen him before but he just couldn't figure out where.

They came to a large gap between two giant roots. A branch was between them. Atuiko watched intently down below, he had a feeling Tsu'tey was going to do something. So did Lo'ak. Tsu'tey leapt across the air. Lo'ak braced himself. Then, all of a sudden, Tsu'sey grappled the root with his long tail like a monkey and swung himself and Lo'ak across to the other. Lo'ak felt his stomach coming right up into his throat. They flipped through the air, and the Taquamare landed gracefully on all fours on the other root. Lo'ak took a moment to swallow his lunch back down. He looked back at the branch they had leapt across.

"That was amazing," he patted the side of his neck. "You are one incredible creature,"

Thank you. Purred Tsu'tey.

"That was totally wicked!" cried out Atuiko, clapping loudly. To Lo'ak's surprise, Tsu'tey positioned him right at the edge of the root that towered over the water by two hundred feet. He pounced down gently and then leapt.

"Lo'ak!" cried out Atuiko.

Suddenly, the long appendages tracing the side of Tsu'tey's body fanned out into glider wings and they were gliding across the air like draco-lizards or Skimwings. Lo'ak was shocked. They were descending gently towards the water but he felt like he was flying. He held out his hands again, crying out "Woah!"

Atuiko cheered for joy. "You're amazing!"

Tsu'tey neighed to his heart's content and he did a steep turn down towards Atuiko. Then he folded his glider wings back into his body and they went into a falcon dive. Lo'ak freaked out and wrapped his hands tighter around his neck. And then Splash!

Tsu'tey landed with a mighty splash into the water and Atuiko got splattered by gallons of seawater. They busted out laughing and so did Lo'ak.

"You've gotta try this," said Lo'ak.

"You are one incredible creature," Atu stroked the Taquamare of unique abilities again as Lo'ak dismounted him. "It's like you're a mixture of so many different creatures,"

"And Navi," Lo'ak glanced into Tsu'tey's yellow eyes which were just like his. And then at the queue that was like his but dark green to match the mane and tail tendrils. Tsu'tey walked out of the water and the boys watched their new friend roll around in the sand like a giant playful puppy dog. He then shook himself splattering sand all over them.

"That is not funny!" Atu complained. Only to laugh instead.

As he did, Tsu'tey copied him and fell to his back, trying to laugh like him but only emitting braying chuckles. Lo'ak laughed as well. Soon all the boys were joining in.

"Let's play a game!" Atu suggested. Lo'ak spotted a coconut and got an idea. Soon the two best friends and the Taquamare were running along the sand playing" 'Kick' or 'Throw the Coconut'. They laughed and sometimes Tsu'tey cheated but they just laughed and kept on enjoying the game. They ate more fruit together and then they decided they'd head back to the girls but Tsu'tey wanted to make their ride back to them more thrilling. They came to one of the sea stacks and with Atuiko sitting in the front this time and Lo'ak clinging on tight to him, he charged towards the towering pillar of stone and he ran up with his lizard feet. Lo'ak had to hold on tighter but in thirty seconds, Tsu'tey had reached the top and they were now over three feet across the sea.

"You sure this is safe?" asked Atuiko. He was a bit scared.

"Trust him," said Lo'ak; patting Tsu'tey's neck.

Tsu'tey twisted his head to him and saw the deep belief he had in him. And then he jumped. He spread out his glider wings again and the boys felt their hearts soaring as they were now gliding across the sea. Some powerful wind currents kept them high above the water. Though Tsu'tey couldn't actually fly, he could use his glider wings to give them an aerial route back to the Three Brother's Rocks.

Lo'ak held his arms out and then Atuiko copied him.

"Wahoo!" cheered the kid. "This is amazing!"

"This is freedom Atu," smiled Lo'ak, behind him. "This is what Taquamares are. Creatures who can go and be whatever they want,"

"I'm really glad you and your family came here," Atuiko said happily. Lo'ak saw admiration in him. "I feel like you've changed my life,"

"I'm really glad we came too, kid. You're the first Navi friend I've ever had other than my sisters,"

The two shared a heartfelt hug and Tsu'tey brayed seeing such happiness between them. Atuiko hugged his neck and he purred. They glided the next ten yards until he was back on the water again, galloping at a tremendous speed.

Sylwa lay on Payaka's back, her arms under her head. Payaka's beautiful humming echoed around them, putting her in a state of peace. "This is the life," she breathed.

I'm so glad you love my singing.

She sat up. "You have to sing to Lo'ak and Atuiko. They will love your singing,"

Can you sing?

Sylwa sat on her fin again, looking into her curious eyes. "I can. I've just nothing sung in front of anyone before,"

Not even your brother and friend? She shook her head. I would love to hear you sing.

"Really?"

Payaka didn't need to say 'yes'. The answer was clear in her eyes. Sylwa cleared her throat, closed her eyes, and began to sing a song her grandmother used to sing to her when she was a child.

Deep in the forest, under the soul tree
A bed of grass, bend down on one knee
Bond to dear Eywa and close your eyes
And when they open, the sun will rise.

Here you're safe, here you're warm
Here the mother guards you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

A tear left her eye as she remembered her beloved grandmother.

Payaka squeaked. That was beautiful.

"Thank you," she wiped her nose. "My grandmother used to sing it to me when I was a kid. When I used to feel lonely,"

Payaka felt deep sympathy for her. They heard loud voices and they turned their heads to see the boys coming back to them at full speed. They climbed back onto Payaka's back and the riders sat down again with Sylwa on Payaka's fin.

"You boys enjoyed your time?" asked Sylwa.

"Sure did," breathed Atuiko. "And Tsu'tey's abilities are so amazing. He can glide with wings that come out of his body,"

"Really?"

"Show her buddy," said Lo'ak.

Tsu'tey stood up and his appendages opened out from his body to Sylwa's astoundment.

"Isn't that cool?" said the kid breathlessly, as Tsu'tey folded them back in.

"What did you girls get up to?" asked Lo'ak.

"We did some swimming and she is such an incredible diver. And her singing is the most beautiful thing you could ever hear," she answered with deep admiration.

"You guys have to go to the bottom of the sea," said Lo'ak.

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Atuiko.

"We'll be fine. Tsu'tey can make bubbles to protect us,"

I can't dive very deep. Said Payaka. Not when I need to come up for air a lot.

Don't worry. Bawled Tsu'tey to her. I can make a bubble big enough for you too.

"What are they saying?" asked the kid.

"He's saying that he can make a bubble big enough for Payaka to dive down with us. No Tulkun has ever dived down so deep as that," translated Sylwa.

"Are you sure?" Lo'ak asked Tsu'tey.

Just watch. Tsu'tey dived in.

The three teens dived down after him. They went down as far as they could. And then Tsu'tey inhaled and then blew out three giant bubbles that covered them like suits. Sylwa and Atuiko were astounded they could breathe normally and they felt their bodies protected from the ear pressure and cold temperatures.

"This is so cool!" cheered Atuiko. "Wait, we can talk?! This is awesome!"

"You are really full of surprises," praised Sylwa to the Taquamare.

Payaka dived down and then Tsu'tey did the biggest inhale Lo'ak had ever seen him do. And then he blew out an enormous bubble which Payaka swam into before swimming over the rest of her to cover her entire body up from head-crest to tail. The children were amazed.

Thank you. Said Payaka.

I wouldn't let you miss out on all the fun. He said. Follow my glow.

Sylwa and Atuiko swam to hold Payaka's fin whilst Lo'ak sat on Tsu'tey's back again. Don't let go of Payaka. He said to the two holding onto her fin with Sylwa also wrapping an arm around Atuiko's waist for extra precaution. And down they dived.

After diving two hundred feet, Payaka became a bit scared of the dark but Tsu'tey glowed a spectrum of many colours like a rainbow firefly and she followed him. Atuiko was a little scared so Sylwa held onto him tighter. Lo'ak looked back up at his twin and their best friend and gently patted Tsu'tey. They dived deeper and deeper and deeper and then…

The deep lit up. Payaka, Sylwa and Atuiko marvelled at the underwater forest that Tsu'tey had shown Lo'ak at another section of the sea. They were astounded. Payaka swam up right so they could sit on her fin as she gently swam at a slow pace. Tsu'tey swam slowly too so Lo'ak could sit. He guided them through the corals and the kelp forests and over and under rocky archways. Colourful creatures surrounded them. And they saw little gloating creatures that glowed like little stars. The coral glowed too and the kelp leaves were burning bright with energy, Eywa's energy.

"You know Payaka…I think you might be the first Tulkun to ever dive this deep," complimented Sylwa to her saviour.

I think I am. And I quite like it too. She squeaked back.

"This is the most incredible thing I have ever seen," said Atuiko, gazing at the bioluminescent world around them. It felt like they were sailing through an endless underwater scenery of forests and floating stars.

Tsu'tey slowed down so Lo'ak could speak to them. "Just wait till you guys see what's next," the boy twin said excitedly. They swam further on and then finally they came to what Tsu'tey had showed him the day they had met.

Sylwa and Atuiko gazed at the giant crystals that glowed like Tsu'tey and the giant pearls. "Amazing," they breathed.

"It's just like the one you showed us," said Lo'ak to the youngest member of their party.

"Let's take a closer look,"

Tsu'tey led them closer to the crystals. But they shone so bright that it seemed like they would blind their eyes. Payaka squeaked in pain. Then to their alarm, the gems' glows died down and they could come closer. The kids slipped off their mounts and swam closer. They could see their reflections and to their surprise saw many sea flowers blooming around them. And energy roamed under the seabed. In lines like the veins of a living entity.

"Is that Eywa?" wondered Sylwa.

"It could be," said Lo'ak. "It's just like back at the soul-tree at night,"

Payaka swam around in circles whilst the teens looked around. Then she saw some underwater krill and after letting them know swam off to grab a snack. Tsu'tey continued to glow like the crystals. The children were alarmed.

"He's glowing just like them," said Sylwa. "Is he connected to them?". Tsu'tey kept quiet slightly, as if holding back. They respected his wishes and chose to explore more of the grove of ancient sea treasures. They swam off to different pearls and crystals and Lo'ak touched one. It chimed and glowed, making music.

"Wasn't expecting that," he said.

Sylwa got an idea. She touched another one. It chimed a different note. Then Atuiko pressed again. Soon the underwater atmosphere became a cacophony of chimes and dinging and rings. It was beautiful. The kids laughed and Tsu'tey was amused. Payaka was drawn back to them by the music and she hummed to it. The boys were amused. They clapped and she squeaked so happy to have entertained her audience.

Lo'ak's attention was drawn away when she saw something floating towards them. Whilst no one was looking, he swam just a little over just past the crystals and to his surprise saw a little rainbow bubble. And inside it was a little crystal flower. "Hey guys..!" he called. "You've gotta see this!". He turned his back but something appeared behind him.

"Lo'ak, look out!" shouted Sylwa.

Lo'ak turned around and saw a ginormous fish with a dangling antennae and five rows of giant teeth. It looked like an anglerfish but had giant fins and spots and four ugly eyes. It opened its mouth to devour him.

"Lo'ak!" cried out Atuiko.

Payaka was about to swim and help him when Tsu'tey shot forward and before the ugly anglerfish creature could eat Lo'ak, he pulled him out of the way. Hugging Lo'ak against his chest and using his tail to keep him floating upright, he faced the creature. The boy, whose arms were wrapped around his neck, saw his eyes glowing yellow. The deep-sea predator paused.

The others watched intently as the anglerfish predator backed away. It looked like it was under some sort of enchantment, under the trance of Tsu'tey's eyes, under the power of hypnosis like a hypnotising snake or cuttlefish. He then roared and in an instant, the predator swam away.

And don't you touch him again.

He released Lo'ak from his protective grip and the teen stared at him as his eyes returned to normal. "Thank you," the Taquamare had saved him a second time.

"Lo'ak!" Sylwa and Atuiko swam forward together and embraced him, relieved he was safe.

"I'm so glad you're alright," the girl twin had suffered from another near-heart-attack. "When are you going to stop giving me heart attacks?"

Atuiko gazed at Tsu'tey. "You use hypnosis to defend yourself. Not to harm anyone,". The rumours he and his people had heard for years were half-truthful but they lacked the element that defined the ways of the Taquamares.

"Thank you," Sylwa stroked his snout.

I think we should head back up. Said Payaka. Before another bad predator comes.

"I agree," said Sylwa. "It was so beautiful down here but I'm up for a bit more chilling,"

Follow me. Tsu'tey instructed. Carrying Lo'ak again, he shot upwards like a rocket with Payaka pursuing him with Atuiko and Sylwa holding tighter to her fin. In fifty seconds….SPLASH!. The children cheered as they shot out of the water. They were amazed by how Tsu'tey leapt much higher than Payaka. She landed with a splash with the duo who did flips in the air and so did the Taquamare and his rider.

They gathered together, chilling out for a bit. They lay under the midday sun on Payaka's back, overjoyed by the fun they had together. But as they were sitting, Lo'ak noticed something was still off about Tsu'tey. He knew he had seen him somewhere but he just couldn't remember. "You okay buddy?"

Tsu'tey neighed. "'I want to talk to you alone Lo'ak'" translated Sylwa.

"But I can't understand you," said Lo'ak.

"'You can. I've known you could since I met you'"

Lo'ak stroked him. "If that's what you want, then I'll do it,"

Thank you.

"We'll see you guys later," he waved.

Sylwa and Atuiko waved at Payaka as they galloped off again.

"Wanna hear Payaka sing again?" she asked.

"I would love that," said Atuiko.

The pair sat down on her fin and Payaka hummed the same tune that Sylwa had heard in her mouth; Atuiko was brought to tears. Payaka was no killer. She was a graceful singer. If only she could attend the gathering of Tulkun the following week. And then Sylwa once again sang her grandmother's lullaby to him. He was brought to tears. And so was she as she expressed how much she missed her grandmother. He shuffled over and embraced her.

Tsu'tey took Lo'ak to some lonely rock pools at an isolated beach on another island, a much smaller one, with little vegetation. They sat on the sand, the Taquamare lay on all fours like a dog.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" asked Lo'ak, crossing his legs.

But Tsu'tey just simply lay down looking into his reflection in the sea; he looked ashamed. Lo'ak noticed. He wondered. The Taquamare didn't say anything for a moment. His ears flicked up when he heard the sound of sand. He turned and saw Lo'ak drawing into it with a stone, with his fist pressed against his face. He was thinking about things. He finished it. He saw Tsu'tey peering over to take a look. "That's you," he tapped at the picture. Tsu'tey smelt it. The image of him looked lovely.

"You like it?" he asked.

I love it. He brayed joyfully.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," he smiled. Tsu'tey loved his drawing of him in the sand. He observed his saviour flicking his face back and forth between the image and his reflection in the water. "Why have you been alone?" he asked.

Tsu'tey simply pointed at his reflection in the water. Lo'ak peered over. He saw Tsu'tey looking miserable seeing himself in the water. But compared to seeing himself depicted in the picture Lo'ak drew of him, he seemed happier. "I know how you feel," he comforted, making the Taquamare raise his head to look at him. "I know what it feels like to be judged by how you look and…what you are. People call me a four-fingered freak," he led up his hand, showing his four fingers in plain view. "Daemon blood. That's all they see,"

Tsu'tey sniffed his. That doesn't make you a daemon.

"Sorry. I wish I could understand you. The sharman at the village called us 'daemon blood' the moment we arrived. Even back in the forest, I've felt alone…for being like this. No one saw past this," he held his hand up again.

Tsu'tey sniffed it again. He then raised his left front webbed paw. Though it had five toes and not a thumb, he pressed it to Lo'ak's. They aligned. Lo'ak could see how similar they looked. "We're the same," he smiled. The Taquamare was comforted; he didn't feel alone anymore.

Hidden from their sight behind large rocks a good but audible distance away, four boys raised their heads above the water. They had been trying to track the twins and Atuiko for ages and they had finally found at least one of them. And not only that but very clearly the reason why Lo'ak had survived that storm. Aonung gasped. "Impossible,". He knew at first glance that this creature was a Taquamare. And what surprised him more was that Lo'ak was being friendly towards it and was now holding his hand against his.

"It can't be," breathed Roxto.

Lo'ak stared into the water, reflecting again on what they were talking about. And then all of a sudden Tsu'tey pushed him into the water with his snout. He neighed out mockingly.

"You are so on!" Lo'ak splashed the Taquamare and his friend tried to bounce on him but he moved out of the way. Aonung and the bullies watched intently as they played together, watching as Lo'ak chased Tsu'tey in circles around the pools once they were back on the rocky surfaces. Lo'ak grabbed his tail and the Tsu'tey snatched it free and playfully brushed at him. They faced each other; a powerful bond of friendship and brotherhood sparking between them. "You see? You're not a freak or a monster,". The boy said kindly to the misunderstood creature. This wasn't a vicious beast. But an intelligent gentle creature…whose soul reflected his own. Both knew what it felt like to be judged for their differences; it seemed as if they had found themselves in each other. He held out his hand again, held up his queue and stepped forward a metre. Touched deeply by his words, Tsu'sey approached more closely and saw the increased amount of trust the young blue Navi had in him. The boy had seen a kindred spirit in him; unlike any other being before.

Aonung and his friends watched in fascination. They had never before in their lives seen anything so passionate and endearing. They were impressed. A forest Navi forming a bond with a Taquamare? Who would have thought? It seemed as if there was more to this boy than they thought. He was different from them. But being different allowed him to have the capacity to hold empathy for other beings who were different, who felt like outcasts who deserved to be shunned by others for what made them distinct.

Tsu'tey pressed his snout into Lo'ak's hand again and he saw his offered queue. With a distinctive muscle in his queue, he raised it up and the golden hairs at the end flickered, showing that Lo'ak's kindness towards him had won him his deep trust and bond with it.

Lo'ak connected his queue to Tsu'sey's tendril queue. As the link was formed, he felt a sudden surge of energy flowing through his body to his eyes.

A baby played around with a blue Navi kid in the caves.

The baby was looking at him upside from the ceiling.

The Navi kid was saying a tearful goodbye to him.

"Pretty baby,"

Lo'ak gasped, feeling he had just recovered from a heart attack. Their queues disconnected.

Easy. Soothed Tsu'tey. Easy.

The teen took a moment to breathe. He looked into Tsu'tey's yellow-mimicking eyes. "It's you," he realised. "You're the baby I played with. Your mother saved my life,". After all these years, he'd finally found the creature whose mother had saved his life as a child. "Pretty baby,"

I can't believe it's you. Tsu'tey licked his face and he playfully pinned him to the ground making him laugh again.

"I thought I'd never see you again," the teen stood up. "Wait," he paused. "How can I understand you?"

Our bond allows you to understand me.

"But our queues aren't linked,"

All it took was one simple link. When a Taquamare bonds for the first time with a Navi, that Navi becomes its one and only spirit sibling. And with that comes their ability to understand us. You are my spirit brother now.

As paralysed as he was by these words, Lo'ak was more shocked by the fact that his saviour all along had been the son of the one who had saved him from Viperwolves as a child. "I can't believe I didn't recognise you," Lo'ak glimpsed at Tsu'tey's size. He was shorter than a normal direhorse but over ten feet. "You've grown so much,". He was so different than when they first met as younglings.

So have you. Tsu'tey warbled, sniffing his hair. His snout was ticklish. Lo'ak giggled.

Aonung and his friends couldn't hear much but by the ecstasy they were sharing they could tell they knew each other which confused the sea prince even more.

Lo'ak smiled and stroked his snout. "All these years, I thought it might have been just a dream. I never saw you or your mother again," The word 'mother' made his friend purr in sadness. "What happened?" he asked. "How did you end up out there?"

'My mother sensed a danger coming to the forest. She said we had to leave to draw it away. She took me to the open sea in the hopes we would find the rest of our pack. We had been separated from them when I was a newborn'. Tsu'tey didn't continue his story. He was too devasted. Lo'ak sensed his grief. I can't say anymore but I can show you'. He offered his queue again. Lo'ak braced himself. Connecting again, he felt his eyes staring up with energy again. His eyelids shut.

There was smoke everywhere. Giant fiery creatures everywhere. The wails of cruel beings echoed everywhere. The mother Taquamare fought hard to protect her baby even using hypnosis but it was no use. 'Run' cried the mother to her baby. She licked her cub's face and affectionately nuzzled him. 'I love you. Find the boy again.'

The baby Taquamare was forced to run as the devils overcome his mother. He fled into the sea.

Lo'ak breathed heavily, trying to keep calm. But what he had just seen made his eyes water. He saw Tsu'tey's wet eyes and his heart broke. "I'm sorry," he embraced his saviour's son, his long-lost friend, his new spirit brother who purred feeling his warm hands around his neck. He pressed his snout against his back, hugging him tightly. "It's okay," he stroked him. "It's okay. You're not alone anymore," he promised.

Thank you. After years of loneliness, Tsu'tey's fracture heart felt as if the gift of a friend and new spirit brother and love had already started to heal it.

So Tsu'tey was the baby Lo'ak had befriended as a kid. Who would have thought? What did you guys think of all those abilities? In my story, Taquamares are some of the most mysterious creatures on Pandora. And their connection to these crystals will play a key role in what's to come later in this story and the next one. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought of this chapter. See you all soon