Tsahìk looked at Anat-Tiye with such an anger that she did not think her stomach could handle the ferocity, but she knew that when she locked eyes with her Talibah, that the Tsahìk would sense the spirit of Eywa within and they would not be turned away.
Panya was not as fearful now that women had also surrounded them, but she still clutched to her sisters' legs. The people of the Metkayina were Warriors, strong and dangerous looking and to a child who spent most of her life with just her mother and her sisters, it was rather overwhelming.
The Warriors were nothing like Talibah had ever seen and she held her breath at their mightinesss and watched her sister anxiously. Anat-Tiye knew that Talibah could sense her distress as her dark eyes surveyed the weapons in the hands of mighty men and women.
Trust me Talibah's eyes told.
It is not you that I do not trust answered her angry frown.
"Foolish Azmera's. Weaklings…. You mother would die once more if she could know that her children thought they could survive such a journey as the one you have taken." Her eyes narrowed with distrust.
"You speak as if you know her." Answered Talibah politely, interrupting her sister's response for her temper was not to be trusted in times of exhaustion.
"I do not know her, but I know of her story." She stared at the three sisters for a long while and picked at their clothing, their hair, their arms and then their smaller tails. It was something that felt familiar, yet somehow, terrifyingly different for these children were a long-lost sister clan.
"You would have been dead if Eywa's Forest boy did not save you." She stated, burning holes into Anat-Tiyes eyes and chest and touching the corner of her spirit.
She looked over at the Warrior she spoke of who was bleeding terribly from his shoulder while a woman tried to clean him.
"Please, Tsahìk" spoke Jake Scully's eldest daughter, bravely interrupting where her place was not to interrupt. "You must see the signs from Eywa herself! I have not seen such wonderful things since high camp."
Atokirina were floating all around them, particularly Talibah, and Anat-Tiye knew that the Tsahìk would not allow them to be sent back out to sea for Eywa did not wish it.
She nodded at her mate with effort, and they almost laughed in hysteria.
"Why do you seek Uturu? How can you live with us when you are not tame. You are like beast who do not know the ways of a Clan. You are like children who have not lived amongst others. Dangerous. Strange. Weak." she asked, this time, demanding that Anat-Tiye answer her as she stood close to watch her eyes for disloyalty. Tsahìk was a proud woman. Bold. Powerful. Anat-Tiye knew that she must answer in a way that shows she is worthy of being the eldest daughter of Masika Til Ketema Assi Azmera.
She looked over at the Atokirina and smiled. This was Talibah's specialty, but she knew what she must say.
"Fire. It spreads. It is unforgiving. It is cruel. We do not matter to fire, yet fire matters to us here on Eywa'eveng. We need the fire to spread in some lands so that certain seeds gifted to us by Eywa can germinate and spread as fire travels through land that must burn for it to survive once again. Most of us do not like fire. It burns. It hurts. It is not like water. It is not calm. It is angry. But it provides warmth. It provides light. We have not lived with Clan before. But we can learn. Just like fire learns to spread when the land dies and needs to be born again. Just like you when you realize fire is warm, not just burn. We are the children of Masika whose people save the Metkayina many many moons ago. We are the children of Masika, who wondered Eywa'eveng to find peace but instead she found death. I know you fight the humans and I know you hate the humans. And it is the humans that killed her, and it is why we seek Uturu. They killed her with fire. And with smoke. And with anger. But not with purpose to spread more of Eywa's love. But with purpose to take her love for their own gain. For themselves. It is here I seek Uturu for my sisters, who are young, and without Clan, without people. It is here I seek Uturu, so we can put out the fire that was not started by us and find how to be calm in water, just like Eywa has willed us to do so."
Talibah was impressed and raised an eyebrow at her sister, and Anat-Tiye tried not to grin for she had once heard Talibah go on about fire long ago, and she remembered it somehow in this desperate time of need. Panya tried to hide her smile and she grabbed her sisters' hands as if offering her certainty and protection. If all else failed, Anat-Tiye had her sisters.
"Please. At least let us eat some fish before you toss us away. I am absolutely starving." Requested Panya with her big toothless grin. Some laughter was heard, and many Warriors had walked away muttered to themselves or rolling their eyes.
"Tsireya, my daughter, and Kira, you take them to a spare pod where they shall eat and rest. We do not know if we can let you stay. We must discuss this further. Toruk Makto, Neytiri, come." Demanded Tonowari and he blew air out from his hands to finalize his command.
It was done and their fate rested on the will of Eywa. Tsireya looked at them hesitantly but smiled kindly and gestured for them to follow. The two daughters of Toruk Makto followed them but the sons of JakeScully and Tonowari disappeared.
"Skxawng's. They are going to eavesdrop, aren't they?" said Kira as she looked at them with exasperation.
"Come" answered Tsireya as she noticed blood seeping from the feet of the strangers whose skin was stake compared to hers and who's smell was unfamiliar and reminded her of the cold.
Panya's tail began to sway with anticipation as they entered where they shall sleep for the night and despite all her efforts to stay awake and marvel at her knew environment, was snoring within a few seconds of entering the room.
"I thank you, Tsireya and Kira, but I think my sisters and I must sleep now. It has been a long and difficult journey."
"But Eywa is around you!" exclaimed Kira, grabbing Talibah's hand. "We must talk and get to know one another!"
"My sisters must sleep" Anat-Tiye demanded a little more impatiently and they were left alone at long last.
Talibah wanted to talk but Anat-Tiye silenced her instantly.
"Talibah, listen carefully. We must not make a nuisance of ourselves. We do not yet know the rules of the Clan but what we do know is that they live different to how we have lived. We are not Warriors, nor will we be great in the water like them, but we must not make ourselves useless or they shall not allow us here. It will be temporary. We must rest and heal and then we can start to plan our path to the Caves of Ewyati. "
"They are full of anger, but they will not turn their back on us for Eywa has sent them a sign that we belong." She replied with her freckled face, smiling up at her older sister with assurance.
"Sleep my sister and I shall pray that it is true."
It took a while for her to sleep but when she did, she dreamed that they were back on the broken raft that her mother had been working on for all those years floating in the deep ocean at the mercy of Eywa.
She woke in a sweat as she remembered how the Forest boy had jumped into the water and slit the throat of the sea beast without hesitation and how its blood pored all over her body and spread throughout the water, the water that had wanted them so badly to join Eywa in her eternal rest.
Anat-Tiye woke early and was taken to Olo'eyktan's pod by the Warrior Neteyam who had saved her and her sisters lives. He sat outside their pod with his hands hanging over his legs.
"Thank you. Son of JakeScully."
"You are welcome. But I do think you should know that you are foolish for crossing the great sea on such a thing." He told her as they walked. They watched each other with speculation.
"What is a thing?" she asked but before he answered she interrupted him quickly as the sight of his wound had distracted her. "Son of JakeScully. I shall make you a paste to heal your wounds."
"You don't…. my mother and sister are skilled in healing in the way of Eywa."
Anat-Tiye nodded, uncertain on what the correct reply could be.
"But I do think you should know that you are foolish for jumping into the water to save the lives of people you do not know."
She could have sworn she saw his eye twitch in irritation, but she could not be certain. She was not sure.
He shook his head and began laughing.
"That is good advice, but I shall give you some. " he turned serious "The clan is troubled. We are at a war with the sky people and preparing many things for such a battle that it would make what we faced in the ocean yesterday look easy. If you want to stay here for Uturu, make sure that you can stay out of the way of us Warriors for many things are coming."
"Thank you for the advice. Son of JakeScully." She said, who's turn it was for their eye to twitch.
"It is Neteyam."
She knew this already. His brother had yelled it very loud, many times, as he feared he had hurt himself greatly during the battle underwater. She walked into the pod and was stared down by many mighty Warrior men and women. Neteyam was allowed in and sat next to his brother. They were Warriors, strangely, in this Clan b the water, with bodies built for the Forest. She followed uncomfortably and sat down in front of the mighty men and women before her.
It was in this moment she was reminded of what it felt like when her mother scolded her for running off and taking naps in the valley.
"If you are daughter of Masika. Tell me, child, what do you know of her ways?"
She stared deep into the eyes of Toruk Makto as this question was asked. His eyes did not seem greedy, but she was not certain. She could not be certain of anything anymore and it would not be strange for the Metekayina to remember the stories of the old.
"We know how to hunt, but not as good as Omatikaya clan can. We know the way of the water, but not like the Metkayina do. We can look after ourselves and we can help Tsahìk. We have knowledge passed down from our mother, and the ways of the ones before us. We can help weave and gather and hunt for the clan….we can.. "
"And what about fight?" asked JakeScully impatiently.
It was expected. But it was not completely unsurprising either.
"Masika never fought, and she did not teach us too either. The ways of the Azmera are long dead. It has gone as the last Warrior of the great battle sunk into the water and had her blood scattered to offer the sea her nutrients."
She watched the disappointment enter his face for a moment, but it was gone so quickly that she was not certain it was there.
She must be very careful. They must not know, and Talibah must be warned to be on her best behaviour.
Tsahìk's eyes narrowed.
"You are almost woman. I can see from your body. Did your mother think her daughters were to be alone forever running wild like senseless beast who play with flowers all day, made cloth, and danced without Clan or without purpose? It is so strange. Unknown to all Navi way." asked the mate of the leader of Metkayina. Everyone got uncomfortable but she did not care. "Your mother was rumoured to be in the Ashland Clans long ago. Perhaps it was to find place for her daughters for there is no other reason for such a strange choice of life. Your people did not live this way." Anat-Tiye felt like throwing up, but she did not show it.
"We grew up just us in the valley close to Kelutral, a beautiful place now filled with wildflower and with rivers even though the spirits are no longer contactable. But Sky people came with their fires, and we had to flee. We were at Ashland for some time. But no longer. Sky people came shortly after we arrived and took away much of Eywa's beauty. Many Warriors died. My mother included."
If it was knowledge that the Sky people had overtaken the Ashland's but there was something strange about the surprise in their faces.
Her felt ached and the exposed flesh was hurting. Tsahìk looked irate but she could not turn her back on them.
"Your ancestors have strong ties with us. We will allow Uturu. But you must adapt, make useful, as you say you will be." She answered.
"Thank you, Tsahìk. The spirit of our ancestors are smiling upon us as we speak." And she did mean it despite spending a lot of her time questioning if they existed.
"You hide something from us still child!" She hissed back.
"Tsahìk, I do not hide anything from you."
"Go. Out. My daughter is training to be Tsahìk. You and your sisters have wisdoms long lost to us. She is to learn your wisdom and you, and your sisters are to learn ours. You are young child, but I will allow you to live alone. But no trouble."
She nodded to Tsahìk and quickly left to find her sisters.
They hugged her and cried happy tears. And then shortly after the joy she sat with Panya for many hours of unexpected hysterical tears that would not stop flowing. Talibah knew what she must do under her sisters burdened gaze and went to go socialize with the Metkayina people and show how skilled she was at weaving, at creating and telling stories, as her eldest sister tended to the pain of her youngest.