KAEYLA TE KATHAN SAEYLA'ITE.

PART 9.

BACK HOME

Autohor's notes:

In case if anyone has been left confused by the way how I've written/described the characters' speaking lines in my story.
- "The speaking lines in Italic style, spoken by mostly Na'vi, Tulkun and some Avatars, Recombinants and humans, are spoken in Na'vi language translated to English."
- "The normal speaking lines, spoken by mostly humans, Recombinants, Avatars and some Na'vi, are spoken in English."

This chapter was originally going to be named "Years to Come" and was supposed to be longer than this, but I just couldn't keep you guys awaiting for far too long with my intentions to post at least one or two chapters per month (in my opinion a perfect way to kill some time while waiting for Avatar 3), and considered this to be long enough for me to get on with the next chapter which I will post soon.

Little later, after leaving Sullys Marui behind, Ka'ani, Saeyla, Kai'ani and Kaeyla, who was still carried by Ka'ani in his arms, walked with the slow pace through the village to its other side, until they were climbing/walking along the branches that led straight to their own Marui, which too was build onto the branches, though just in different tree.

Ka'ani's Marui wasn't build as high as Sullys' Marui was, but it was build high enough that it stood above of the rest of the village nonetheless.

After all, all those clan members/hunters who were either high-ranked and closely associated with Olo'eyktan (just like late Tsu'tey was associated with late Olo'eyktan, Eytukan), and had the families of their own, had set up their own Maruis at the second highest position of the village, just secondly after Olo'eyktan's.

This was evident as both Ka'ani and Saeyla belonged amongst of the handful of highest ranking hunters - who used to be Tsu'tey's former students (Ka'ani, Saeyla, Takuk and Maru) and whom were still alive after the great war with the Sky People (from which the fifth former student, Atan, didn't survive, having died during the Sky People's attack to the Hometree), and who had pledged their allegiance to Jake Sully after the fomer surrendered his title of Olo'eyktan to him before his death - who had the closest connection to Jake Sully and his family as his closest allies, friends, enforcers and right-hand-men/women, thus giving them right to set their Maruis second highest position in the village.

Another such of young high-ranked hunter who had earned the right to set his own Marui in the second highest position of the village was the one called Tarsem. He was youngest of the high-ranked hunters who was closely associated with Olo'eyktan, but he is said to be wise beyond his years. His wisdom had earned him Jake Sully's trust and respect, as well as his position amongst the high-ranked hunters whom Olo'eyktan could rely on.

Only one exception was the warrior and the fellow Olo'eyktan named Akwey, the Olo'eyktan of Olangi clan (Horse Clans of the Plains) and the veteran of the war with the Sky People. Olangi clan had taken the greater hit during the fight where majority of Akwey's people had perished, leaving the horse clans greatly weakened and largerly consisted of elderly Na'vi and children. As a result, the surviving Olangi clan members were absorbed into the Omatikaya clan, with Akwey becoming one of Jake Sully's most trusted allies, a loyal friend and a trusted lieutenant. But unlike the rest of the high-ranked hunters, Akwey and his clan didn't built their own Maruis to the trees but remained in the ground level due to their nature as the plain Na'vi.

On their way home, Kaeyla didn't say a single word. She just kept her face half-buried in her father's shoulder and arms wrapped around his neck, while looking with her visible eye looking absent-mindedly into the distance over her father's shoulder. Ka'ani didn't ask what was wrong with her (aside of couple of times of course), but assumed that it was just the exhaustion from today, and decided to leave the matter be until... at least they got to their home.

Despite the rough and rather exhausting day, Kai'ani was still rather energetic and running along the branch leading to their Marui far ahead of his family.

Saeyla, however, was running along the same branch right on her son's heels.

Because his and Kaeyla's earlier playful race back home after their secretly made trip to the battlefield (of which they hadn't told to their parents yet and most likely wouldn't even tell to them at all) had been so rudely interrupted by the ambush Punkun and his friends had set, and after seeing that Kaeyla was no more in the mood of racing with him due to her moody attitude right now, Kai'ani had requested - and rather pleaded - his mother at least to race with him back to their home.

And, of course, Saeyla had agreed to race back to their Marui with her son in Kaeyla's stead.

Saeyla had initially let Kai'ani to take a small head start before going after him, but running only at the light speed so that she could both keep up with her son but also keep a short distance between of them as if she was going to deliberately let Kai'ani to win. However, Saeyla still kept up the pace to stay on Kai'ani's heels so that her son wouldn't lose his interest in the game out of thought that he was purposelly allowed to win the race.

But very soon when he reaches to the proper age, then the race would be played for real.

And so, due to the head start Saeyla had given to her son and her efforts to keep his playful competitive spirit up, Kai'ani ended up to win the race by reaching to their home first.

"Ha! Ha ha haa! I won! I won! I won! I won the race to the home! Kai'ani is still the fastest Na'vi around!" Kai'ani cheered happily, jumping on their Marui's hammock floor.

Seeing that Kai'ani had already reached home, Saeyla slowed down and walked the rest of the way, panting slightly, although she had not put much energy into her own running to make her sweat.

"Didn't I win, mom?! Didn't I?! Didn't I?! Didn't I?!" Kai'ani said repeatedly, as if wanting the confirmation of his victory.

Saeyla chuckled amusedly at her son's innocent antics as she climbed onto their Marui, before she knelt in front of Kai'ani, who eagerly - and little impatiently - awaited the answer from his mom. Saeyla affectionally laid her left hand over her little boy's head and looked at him in the eyes.

"Sure you did, honey." Saeyla confirmed with the warm smile, before saying her next words as a heads up warning. "But just you wait until you come to the age when the races are played for real than this."

"That's why I'm practicing for them, mom." Kai'ani said back with the shrug. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be the fastest hunter in Omatikaya clan!"

"Fastest with your feet or fastest with the use of your bow? Or the fastest on your own Ikran? Or the fastest in making your dreams come true, depending on how quickly you learn everything a hunter needs to learn, young man?" Saeyla slightly teased, playfully jabbing Kai'ani in his tiny flat nose.

"MOM!" Kai'ani whined, shooing his mother's hand away. "I'm serious! I will be the fastest hunter in the clan."

"Son." Saeyla started. "In many ways, speed plays a more important role in your life than just competitive spirit. Speed helps you survive as a hunter when you have to stay in constant motion throughout a hunt or fight, and speed can also save your life when you have to flee from danger. Speed is not just about physical and sustained speed, but also how quickly you learn everything you need to know to become a hunter. Some may learn everything in a short time before the final test, while with others it may take longer before they can be considered ready."

"I don't care about that, mom!" Kai'ani said, sounding almost indifferent towards everything Saeyla had just told to him. "I'm going to be the clan's fastest Na'vi in my own way!"

"Oh, you should, son." Saeyla said calmly, sounding not shocked or upset of Kai'ani's words, knowing that her little boy had a long way to learn everything he needed to learn.

"Otherwise, that's like saying you don't care about your own clan, Omatikaya, though I know that you do, don't you? And after all, the clan's survival depends on every member's skills: including mine, your father's, your sister's one day, and eventually even yours."

Kai'ani didn't say anything, but listened keenly.

Even if the Na'vi don't know the phrase, his mind sang a different tune the moment Saeyla mentioned that he was going to be an important part, or at least a dependent part for the survival of the clan once he grows up.

"You mean I'm going to be an important member of the clan?" Kai'ani eventually said with the raised eyebrow.

"Maybe not by the title..." Saeyla informed with the shrug.

In response to his mother's choice of words, Kai'ani shot at her a mildly offended frown, leading to Saeyla to hurriedly clear her throat in order to explain herself.

"... but how your skills serve their importance to the clan's needs. So maybe even your running speed might serve an important part to ensure the clan's survival." Saeyla clarified, before she rubbed her son's braided hair with her hand.

"But to me, you're very important member of this clan, as well as your sister. You're both very important to me and your father." she added lovingly.

Kai'ani was moved by these words enough to make him smile, before the boy ran into his mother's arms. Saeyla smiled at her son as he wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her, to which Saeyka returned by wrapping her own arms around Kai'ani and pulled her son into a long loving hug.

The two of them stayed in this for some time, until they broke from their hug when Ka'ani finally arrived, with Kaeyla in his arms.

"Now son, off you go and get some rest. You have had a rough day today." Saeyla said as she stood up to face her mate.

A bored groan escaped from Kai'ani's mouth. "But mom! I don't want to rest! I don't feel even tired! Not by the long shot!"

"No buts, young man." Saeyla said, turning back to Kai'ani. "You need to gather your strength after everything that has happened today, because I'm expecting a little help from you later tonight with some chores."

"Aw, mom!" Kai'ani whined. "I hate chores! I would rather go out and play some more!"

"Kai'ani." Sayla said, giving her son a long look with her arms folded in front of her. "I'm going to say this just this once. Get some rest."

"Aw, mom!" Kai'ani whined again.

Apparently Saeyla wasn't gonna take Kai'ani's refusal to get some rest as an answer but wordlessly demanded him to get some rest.

Kai'ani tried to protest one more time, but eventually no words came out of his mouth when the boy rather reluctantly decided that it was not worth of it.

Besides, he did indeed feel a bit tired and in the need of the rest after everything that has happened today... even if he didn't want to admit it either to his mother or to himself.

"Ugh! Yes, mom. I'll go to get the rest." Kai'ani groaned quietly, ears folded backwards in submission and his hands up in surrender, before he slowly he turned the tail and headed to where he had put his hammock this morning to unwrap it and get some rest.

"Good, son. I'll call you then when I need you." Saeyla said with the satisfied smile, making Kai'ani to grumble under his breath, without turning to look back at his mother.

Shaking her head from amusement, Saeyla then turned to face her husband as he climbed inside their Marui, carrying Kaeyla. Ka'ani then put Kaeyla gently down to the Marui's hammock floor and rubbed his daughter's head affectionally - even though Kaeyla's face was still facing down - before Ka'ani stood up to face his mate.

"Is Kai'ani resting?" Ka'ani asked as he stood in front of his mate, looking over her shoulder at his son.

"Hmph... on his way there at least." Saeyla said, looking at her son briefly over her shoulder with the smile, as Kai'ani was, with the pursed lips and letting out the seething breaths, unwrapped his own hammock and tied up its ends to the poles of their Marui.

Saeyla then turned back to her husband. "In fact, Kai'ani didn't even want to go to rest, but to go to play outside a little longer. So I needed to convince him a little."

Ka'ani shook his head with an amused smile. "Despite everything he's been through today, that boy still has energy inside of him. That's a good sign of his strength."

Saeyla couldn't agree more with her husband, offering a smile at him and nodding her head in agreement.

"He even claimed that he will be one day the fastest hunter of Omatikaya." Saeyla added.

"Fastest with his feet or fastest with the use of his own bow? Or the fastest on his own Ikran? Or the fastest in making his dreams come true?" Ka'ani asked, making Saeyla to chuckle with the wide smile at the irony of her husband's question, which she herself had asked from Kai'ani just a moment ago.

"Depending on how quickly he'll learn everything a hunter needs to learn." Saeyla finished.

Both parents and mated pair shared a chuckle with each other for this.

However, Saeyla's attention turned quickly from their current subject of conversation about their son into Kaeyla, as she was still sitting there where Ka'ani had left her.

After being put down to the floor by her father, Kaeyla had turned away from them and looked quietly outside of their Marui and into the village down below and the huge trees standing here and there, with her legs crossed and her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if she was cold and hugging herself for the warmth, even though that couldn't possibly be the case here in the jungle where it was warm enough.

Aside of that, Kaeyla hadn't moved a muscle or said a single word for a moment after they got back home. Usually she would happily start the conversations with her parents after returning to home, telling them about every day's events and her and Kai'ani's daily activities and open up about what she and her brother had planned to do the next day. But right now, she just sat there silently without turning to them at all.

Her head also was hanging loosely down from her shoulders, preventing her parents from seeing her thoughtful but obviously at the same time upset and saddened-looking face, while gazing blankly down to the floor of their Marui.

"How is Kaeyla, Ka'ani?" Saeyla asked, turning back to her husband.

Ka'ani let out the sigh as he turned to look at his daughter. "She's been quiet like that since we left Sullys Marui. Today must have been way more rougher to her than to Kai'ani. Punkun's ambush and assault on her, her mistakenly made sudden jump on Olo'eyktan's son and everything else. They've taken their toll on him as you can see." Ka'ani told his mate silently.

"Have you tried to talk to her?" Saeyla asked.

"I have... twice... but she has barely responded." Ka'ani said. "I was thinking of talking to her about it as soon as we get home."

Before Ka'ani could even turn around and walk back to Kaeyla to talk with her about her condition and all that has happened this day, Saeyla was quick to grab her husband by his arm and stop him from going, making Ka'ani to turn back to his mate with slight confusion.

Saeyla looked Ka'ani deep into his eyes, pleadingly. "Husband? Maybe... maybe we shouldn't bother our daughter with everything that has happened today, no more that it already does." Saeyla said calmly.

"What are you suggesting then?" Ka'ani questioned.

Saeyla quickly explained herself. "We should at first let Kaeyla rest now and talk to her about it later when she's fully recovered."

Ka'ani looked at his mate for a moment, thinking over her words, before he looked back at Kaeyla with worry. Then he turned back to Saeyla, thinking over it some more time, and then looking back at Kaeyla, feeling a bit torn between of going through with this right now and leaving it for later.

"When do you think it would be good time to talk with her about it? Later tonight?" Ka'ani asked again.

Glad that her usually stubborn, impulsive and often firmly confrontational husband was listening her, Saeyla let go of his arm but didn't break the eye-contact with him. "Maybe it should be leave for the next morning after she has recovered enough." Saeyla suggested.

"And what if she doesn't want to talk about it." Ka'ani questioned again.

"Then we'll give her all the time she needs until she is ready to talk about it." Saeyla suggested.

Ka'ani gave his mate that "I don't know"-look and he looked once more at Kaeyla. Saeyla could tell from her husband's body language that he didn't like postponing what he thought was important thing to do right now, but she gently raised her hand over his shoulder, making Ka'ani to turn back to her.

"Patience, my love. Patience. She will come around eventually." Saeyla told to her husband reassuringly.

Ka'ani turned to Kaeyla one more time and stared at his daughter, reluctant to let this matter be for now out of worry for her.

As stated earlier, Ka'ani has tendencies to be stubborn enough not to let go of some things he deems too important to ignore, and too stubborn to listen to the other party's conversations (unless said "party" is someone he can trust, which is usually his own kind: Na'vi) and can be quite stubborn when dealing with people he doesn't really like or whose opinions he doesn't like, such as their human allies who do not share their understanding about anything.

And sometimes Ka'ani can be a bit stubborn even with his own wife, when it's about their own opinions over what's best for their family.

However, Ka'ani knew that even Saeyla can be just as stubborn as him at times... especially about the same subject: their children.

And Ka'ani liked it. In fact, their shared stubbornness towards common subjects or the opinions of others was the reason why he fell in love with her and she with him.

Now, however, Ka'ani didn't felt himself to be in the mood to argue with his wife, not after that argument between Tha'non and Jake Sully over the incident with their children today. And so, Ka'ani decided to heed to his mate's words and let this matter with his daughter be for now... even if he didn't like it.

"Fine." Ka'ani said as he turned to look at his mate. "I won't talk with Kaeyla about this until tomorrow as you suggested, Saeyla...but I'm not going to like this as you know."

"Oh, but I'm not expecting you to, Ma Ka'ani." Saeyla said slightly teasingly, before she raised her hands and cupped her husband's cheeks, caressing them gently with his thumbs and she and Ka'ani looked at each other in the eyes with love and affection. "I know you all too well."

The comment made Ka'ani to chuckle, as he raised his hands and took a gentle hold under of Saeyla's arms. "As I know you too."

The rest of the world around of the two of them fell silent as they just stood there, lost in their each others' eyes and the warm and loving embraces of each others arms. After a moment, Ka'ani and Saeyla slowly leaned in until their foreheads and the bridges of their noses touched each other, making them to close their eyes. Holding each other, the two of them remained like this for some time.

###

The time passed.

For the rest of the day, Ka'ani and Saeyla kept themselves busy by doing some chores together while Kai'ani was still resting in his hammock and playing with some toys to kill some time. And while Ka'ani and Saeyla were on the work, they both glanced occasionally at Saeyla, who was still sitting quietly in the same place, wrapped in herself and her eyes still locked in Marui's floor. She hadn't said a single word for the rest of the day, and even when Ka'ani or Saeyla had gently asked her to come help them with some chores, Kaeyla had refused to budge or to lift her head up and turn to the rest of her family to say something. Even when Saeyla had placed next to her the leaf loaded with some food in case she was hungry, it was still there, standing next to Kaeyla, untouched.

And as the day turned into the dusk of night, Ka'ani began to prepare himself to go on a nighttime hunting trip in the forest with a few other hunters and probably wouldn't be back until the next morning. Ka'ani then took his hunting bow and ckecked its condition and strength and the tension of its string, as well as the condition of his arrows and the sharpness of their arrowheads. And while her husband was sharpening his hunting knife and packing as much food he needed for tonight, Saeyla decided that it was Kai'ani's time to come help her in the home crafts in his father's place.

"Kai'ani? I'd like to have your help in the chores now that your father is going to hunt for the night." Saeyla had called to Kai'ai over her shoulder. "I told you that I'd need your help later tonight, remember?"

Even if Kai'ani hated so much to stop playing with his toys because of some of the chores his dad left for him when he went on a hunting trip, he begrudgingly decided not to protest this as he knew that his mother wouldn't leave him alone if he did. Grumbling under his breath, Ka'ani put his toys aside and stood up from his hammock, which he untied from the poles and wrapped up before putting it down to the floor and then went to help his mother in those chores.

But before he did, and before Ka'ani had time to leave their Marui with his hunting equipment and packs, Kai'ani tried to deliberately slip the housework by going to his father and asking him to take him on a hunting trip with him, promising to be of use to him in the forest.

"I am fast enough to keep up with you and the other hunters, dad. And I don't get easily tired even after hours of run." Kai'ani had claimed, or slightly bragged for his running speed and endurance as an excuse to be allowed to come along, even if that meant escaping doing the boring home chores with his mother.

However, much to Kai'ani's dismay, both Ka'ani and Saeyla were immediately against it, because they both considered Kai'ani to be still too young and inexperienced to go into the overnight hunting trips. Not until he had grown and matured, learned what he needs to know to be a good hunter and gained some experience enough to go to the night hunts with his father.

"That's out of the question, son! You're still a child. You cannot come with me on the hunting trip." Ka'ai and firmly told to his son.

And upon Kai'ani's protests and repeated claims, Ka'ani countered them by claiming that he couldn't keep up with the other hunters and hunt properly if he had to look after his son at the same time. Ka'ani also added in the potential risks of them encountering the pack of Nantang being on the hunt at very same night too, not to mention about encountering the feared Palulukan itself, which already made the hunting trips at night, even with the handful of experienced hunters, a very dangerous.

"Besides, son... you still have a lot to learn to become a good hunter yourself one day, before I can even consider of bringing you along." Ka'ani had told him apologetically.

From that point, Saeyla backed up her husband bu reminding Kai'ani that she still needed his help in some chores, and firmly ushering her youngest son back to her so that they could get even something done before they'll all go to sleep for the night.

And so, visibly annoyed for being turned down by his father - in his eyes, treaded like a kid - and unable to change his mind or to escape the chores anymore, Kai'ani was forced to stay at home with his mother and help her in the chores.

"No fair! Dad has to go to hunt with the other hunters and I'm stuck here doing some boring home chores like some kid!" Kai'ani whined under his breath while helping his mother finishing some baskets she was currently weaving.

More time passed.

After Ka'ani had already gone to the hunting trip with the other hunters, until Kai'ani and Saeyla had finally finished the rest of the home chores for today before heading towards the bed. They unwrapped their hammocks and tied them up to their Marui's poles before climbing into them for the night.

Well, everyone except Kaeyla, because she was still sitting in the same spot in her own thoughts, not responding to Saeyla's calls to retire for the night.

However, before she went to sleep herself, Saeyla had picked up Kaeyla's own hammock from the floor, unwrapped it and tied its ends to the poles, readying it for Kaeyla whenever she was ready to go to bed.

"Good night, sweetie. Don't stay up too long." Saeyla wished to Kaeyla as she climbed onto her own hammock and lied down to it, but still looked at her moping daughter with the worry in her eyes.

Kaeyla, however, like so many times earlier today, did not respond to her mother's wishes but continued to sit quietly in her thoughts.

Saeyla let out the deep sigh due to her daughter's lack of interaction with anyone today, even though she herself had suggested to her mate that they should let Kaeyla be for now and talk to her just the morning. With that in mind, she laid her head down to her hammock and closed her eyes. And after a few moment, Saeyla fell into a deep sleep.

To Be Continued...

NEXT PART: THE SIBLING BOND.