Author's Note: Sorry about the wait! I know that you've been dying to update me on your thoughts! XD

Tsu'tey smiles at Tsyeyk's squeal of joy as a herd of children chase him around the main level of Hometree. His chest is heaving as he runs from one side to the other, dipping and dodging around the clan as the children struggle to keep up with his long legs and boundless energy, all of which are bright eyed with grins on their faces. These last few days, Tsyeyk had been doing so much sleeping as his body was desperately trying to conserve energy because he hadn't been eating all that much that now that he's been getting plenty of food in his system and plenty of sleep, now he's faster than a hexepede, bounding about from one corner of Hometree to the next.

As Tsyeyk and his horde of small children race past again, pure joy written all over Tsyeyk's face despite being sweaty and his chest still heaving with exhaustion, one of the hunters that Tsu'tey was in a circle with repairing their bows, making new arrows and even seeing to the maintenance of their ikran sattles, says to Tsu'tey, "At least you'll always know where he is."

Tsu'tey smiles more, watching as Tsyeyk vanishes once more. "They have to tire out eventually. I have no idea where he gets all this energy from."

"He's excited," Neytiri says, settling next to him. "You're speaking like an old man, Tsu'tey. He has to be around our age. Mom thinks that despite how he acts, he's got to be around our age. Probably between you and me."

Tsu'tey rolls his eyes but says, "Yeah, she told me. Anywhere between fifteen and seventeen but because of his unique body type and who knows how long he's been malnourished it's hard to tell for certain."

"Well," another hunter says, catching a glimpse of Tsyeyk caught in a pile with a bunch of kids, laughing as they jump on top of him and roll around with him, "I don't know how he looked before but it appears to me like he's at least not at a loss for energy. I agree with Tsu'tey, I don't know how he can run back and forth like that with all those kids chasing him."

"I guess Father is all he's had to play with for a long time," Tsu'tey admits. "He's enjoying himself, though, which is all I care about."

"Is it true that Father is a palulukan?" Another asks, setting down her bow to reach for a new string.

"Yes," Tsu'tey says. "Massive in size. His skin is all white and capable of camouflaging with the space around him. It's incredible to see."

"And he doesn't hurt him? Tsyeyk, I mean."

"Not at all," Tsu'tey says. "He plays with him, hunts for him, cares for him, everything that you should expect from a father."

"So, it's true..." another hunter whispers. "The true son of Eywa was raised by a massive palulukan..."

Tsu'tey nods, pushing his long braids over his shoulder. He looks over to see Tsyeyk already rushing over to him, his eyes bright with joy as he practically falls into Tsu'tey's lap, wrapping around him tight. He's sweaty and panting, limbs shaking with exhaustion but grinning broadly. He presses his chest to Tsu'tey's, resting his cheek onto the other teen's shoulder. The kids gather close but don't infringe on the hunters' space, but they look like they want to bad enough to get to Tsyeyk but thankfully one of the hunters waves his hand in a shooing motion.

"Let Tsyeyk rest, little ones," he says. "He'll come play again when he's ready."

Tsu'tey smiles, hugging him tightly, not seeming to mind that he was all sweaty. After taking a few moments to catch his breath, he leans back a bit in Tsu'tey's lap, to excitedly say, "Tu'tey, play? Play?"

"You can barely catch your breath and you want to keep playing?" Tsu'tey asks, amused, as he runs a hand up and down Tsyeyk's side. Tsyeyk nods, gasping loudly still trying to calm his racing heart down and get a few good gulping breaths down. Tsu'tey laughs, squeezing his side. "I would love to play, but I have to finish what I'm doing. I've been neglecting a lot of my duties so that I could come play with you every day."

Tsyeyk tilts his head a bit not understanding. He presses his forehead to Tsu'tey's smiling when Tsu'tey does. "Play? Tu'tey, play?"

Tsu'tey laughs, pressing his forehead tighter against Tsyeyk's. "You are a horrible influence, Tsyeyk."

"Be careful, Tsu'tey," Neytiri warns, sending him a stern look from over Tsyeyk's shoulder. "Tsyeyk doesn't understand if you push yourself too hard. You have to be your own advocate because he's not going to understand that for some time. All of his obligations are strictly to himself. Give yourself time alone and time to relax."

"I thought that you were going to say for my own obligations to the clan," Tsu'tey says softly, with a touch of mirth despite her being serious.

"There are those too," Neytiri admits, "but everyone understands well enough how very strange this situation is and are willing to help out however we can, but you will be Olo'eyktan one day, if Tsyeyk is going to be part of this clan, he's going to need you to be at your best too. But that will all come with time. Make sure you don't burn yourself out or be stretched too thin."

"I'm okay," Tsu'tey says easily, nuzzling Tsyeyk's cheek, which makes him giggle happily. "He brings me too much joy to find any moment together taxing." He flushes a bit, but then admits, quieter, "And you'll find that he is more compassionate than you think. I'm sure I'll be okay. But don't worry. I will take of myself."

Neytiri sighs, shaking her head and mumbling something under her breath which makes the male hunter next to her smile and look away to continue repairing his ikran saddle while she tends to her bow.

Tsu'tey carefully goes back his own bow with Tsyeyk resting in his arms, having moves so that his back was pressed to Tsu'tey's chest, watching Tsu'tey work on his bow while it rests across Tsyeyk's lap. If Tsu'tey couldn't hear the other boy whispering softly as he counted and lightly touching freckles along Tsu'tey's arms and legs, he might have thought the other boy fell asleep.

"You know," Tsu'tey says softly, resting his chin against Tsyeyk's temple after a while of them relaxing, "this is a lot harder with you sitting here."

Tsyeyk slouches a bit, resting the back of his head on Tsu'tey's shoulder. He doesn't respond, lost to his thoughts, but he keeps glancing over at the female hunter - the one that came with Tsu'tey when he first met Mo'at - to see her working on something else. She's got her blade out carefully carving into the bones that she has laying around her. She keeps catching his gaze and smiling when he looks away, smiling timidly to himself. But he keeps looking back over at her and she keeps catching him.

"He keeps looking at you, Eeki," one of the other hunters says, grinning a bit. "What do you have that he wants?"

"I don't know," Eeki says, smiling again at Tsyeyk as he looks away. "Will you tell me, Tsyeyk? What can I do for you?"

Tsu'tey pauses, glancing down at Tsyeyk as best he can. Tsyeyk peaks over at her again, tail twirling a bit under Tsu'tey's thigh. He puts a hand on Tsyeyk's stomach, giving it a little squeeze which make's Tsyeyk's tail curl up over Tsu'tey's thigh, wrapping around it loosely. The wild boy hesitates, looking over at Eeki again, smiling lightly before pointing at her and rasping out, "It's pretty."

She perks at that, tail twirling behind her curiously. "What is?"

Tsyeyk points at her again, hesitating, before leaning forward, toward her for a second, which she mimics until Tsyeyk touches her ear, running a gentle finger down sown the length of the earring there. It's long and dangles, like threads that gently brush against the top of her shoulders. She touches them, smiles, before looking back at Tsyeyk.

"Do you like them?"

Tsyeyk nods, reaching up to touch his own ears but only feels the smooth skin of the lobe. "Pretty!" He coughs a bit, and Tsu'tey grabs the waterskin by his side, realizing that Tsyeyk must have been thirsty from running around earlier, and holds it out to him.

Tsyeyk spares it a half glance before taking it and drinking long and deep, gasping for breath when he's done before passing it back to Tsu'tey.

"If you want, we can pierce your ears," Eeki says, gesturing to her ear, then to Tsyeyk's. He follows the motion before looking back over at her, tilting his head slightly. "But it'll hurt so we'll wait a bit, until you can better understand, okay?" She smiles when Tsyeyk smiles back at her, not understanding.

"Tsyeyk?"

The boy perks, leaning away from Tsu'tey slightly to see the sweet baby cub from earlier, shifting nervously from one foot to the other, her eyes flicker over the hunters, landing on one male, smiling slightly before looking back over at Tsyeyk. She had been in the pile of kids that chased him around, but he had lost her in the crowd at some point. He jerks away from Tsu'tey, tail twirling happily as he scooted off of Tsu'tey's lap and holds out his arms for her.

Her fingers that were playing with a long cord of beads hanging around her neck splay out wide as she rushes into his welcoming arms. He cuddles her close to his chest and twist around so that he was cradling her on his lap as he had with the adolescent nantang from a few days ago. She laughs, smiling sweetly up at him from the crook of his arm.

Tsyeyk nuzzles her lovingly, purring softly. She wraps her arms around him tightly, smiling brighter still.

He rocks her a bit despite how big she is, he thinks that she's adorable. The little girl looks away from Tsyeyk to the male she looked at earlier and smiles slightly at him. The male looks back, smiling adoringly back at her. Tsyeyk glances between them curiously when Tsu'tey placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Uvay," Tsu'tey says, looking down at the little girl, who smiles shyly at him.

"U...vaaayyyy..." Tsyeyk draws out.

Tsu'tey smiles before looking over at the male. "Uvay's father, Umrr." The male tips his head respectfully. Tsyeyk's tail whirls happily, eyes bright.

"Umrr, father, Uvay!" He giggles, rocking the little girl more, which makes her laugh. He leans down to nuzzle her again, which she happily returns, wrapping her arms around him tightly in a hug, her long legs tapping against the floor on the wild boy's other side. Tsyeyk hugs her back, purring happily.

He straightens again, adjusting the little girl in his lap a bit, smiling as some of her long braids rest against Tsu'tey's knee which is pressed against Tsyeyk's.

"Tsyeyk?" the little girl calls softly, pulling the other boy's eyes back down to her. He tilts his head slightly. "My mommy is gone."

The gathered hunters quiet, the gentle smiles on their faces turns more somber. Her father's face flashes in pain, hands stilling on the arrows he was fletching. Tsu'tey glances over at Tsyeyk's expression to see a strange look on his face and Tsu'tey has to wonder if he understood or not.

"Nantang," she says softly, reaching up to touch the scars on her face. Tsyeyk watches the movement, eyes flashing in realization. His lips move, mimicking her word, but doesn't speak as she continues, "Mommy saved me. But she's gone now."

Tsyeyk blinks slowly, staring down at her, the long strands of his wild black hair filling the space between them. She pushes the strands over his shoulder a bit.

"Is mommy with the Great Mother?" She asks, searching his face.

Tsu'tey opens his mouth to say - what? He's not sure. Maybe try to explain that Tsyeyk might not fully understand her enough to answer her, when Tsyeyk nods and says, softly, "Yes. Mommy and Mother."

Tsu'tey jolts in surprise, staring at as much of Tsyeyk's expression as he can see, wondering if the wild boy understood as much as he seemed to.

Uvay's little face scrunches up in pain. "Why did she have to go, Tsyeyk? Why did the Great Mother take mommy?"

Tsyeyk's ears press back as he pulls his lower lip between his teeth. He looks away for a moment before looking back at her and shaking his head. He says something, softly, that makes Tsu'tey's skin crawl and he feels the lingering sense of... sadness. But it's so fleeting, it's hard for him to grasp.

The little girl shivers, tucking close to Tsyeyk. "Mommy saved me, Tsyeyk," she whispers, eyes watering a bit. "Why did she do that?"

Tsyeyk tilts his head, like he doesn't understand. Umrr's face is stricken with grief at the loss of his mate, the hunter beside him puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

The little girl frowns, when it seems like Tsyeyk wasn't going to answer her. Softly, she asks, "Is she happy? Mommy? Is she happy with the Great Mother? Even though daddy and I are here? Even though she's gone?"

Tsyeyk tilts his head again before placing his hand over her chest, feeling the steady pounding of her heart beneath his palm. "Mommy," he says. "Mommy and baby."

"Mommy?" Uvay asks softly, placing her hand over the one Tsyeyk has over her heart. "Mommy is with me? But I thought she was with the Great Mother."

Tsyeyk points to his head. "Mother," he says, then to his heart, "Baby."

Uvay chews on her own lower lip, face scrunched up, trying to understand as Tsu'tey softly says, "Uvay, Tsyeyk doesn't know enough words to explain it all. Some things we need to wait for. Give him time, he might be able to tell you more. Give him time."

Uvay pouts, nodding a bit in understanding before looking back over at Tsyeyk, noting his flustered sigh. "Tsyeyk?"

"Baby?" Tsyeyk says, blinking down at her again.

"Am I really pretty? Even with the scars?" She asks, reaching up to touch her face. There is still a touch of shame and sadness in her eyes.

Tsyeyk's frustrated expression morphs into something gentle and adoring. He nods. "Beautiful."

By the time the clan settled around the massive fire pit for dinner, Tsyeyk had managed to greatly ingratiate himself to the clan- adults and children alike - but also exhausted himself beyond words. He collapsed into Tsu'tey's arms, chest heaving once more as they danced to the music that enthralled Tsyeyk once dinner had been served. He spent a long time watching the musicians, before dancing in joy in front of them, eyes bright and full of wonder. Others, including Tsu'tey, joined him for a while as other watched and ate their meals.

Sweating, panting and exhausted, Tsu'tey led Tsyeyk over to Sylwanin, Neytiri and a young man that looked suspiciously like Tsu'tey, introducing him as Arvok, his younger brother. Tsyeyk spent the rest of dinner, quietly munching on his food and looking between both Arvok, who nervously smiled back, and Tsu'tey, who was blatantly amused, as if he simply couldn't tell the difference between them. Maybe people stopped by to speak with them, asking to touch Tsyeyk and for the most part he just held out his hand to them whenever they reached for it, but other times he would offer them his food not sure what else they could want from him to which Tsu'tey chased them off quickly after in annoyance.

The forest was lit up with its own bioluminescence and Tsyeyk was dozing on Tsu'tey's thigh close to the fire, curled up into a tiny ball when a mighty roar could be heard from outside of Hometree. Aside from the crackling of the fire, it's like the whole forest went silent. Tsu'tey had to rouse Tsyeyk enough to stand before leading him to the entrance that they came through earlier, scanning the darkness for Father. The pa'li scattered to the other side of Hometree in terror but Tsyeyk didn't seem to notice. He just trudged toward the forest, yawning and rubbing his eyes, sleepily.

The clan gathered outside of Hometree, hoping to see Father, but he remained within the boundaries of the tree line, blue eyes glowing unnaturally bright in the darkness. He lowered so that Tsyeyk could climb onto his back, glance at Tsu'tey in acknowledgement, before racing off into the forest once Tsyeyk grabbed hold of his neurowhips. The cold air biting his skin kept Tsyeyk awake long enough to get back to their cave, but curling up with Father and Tsu'tey's blanket knocked him right out.

For the next few days, Tsyeyk split his time between Hometree and Father. No particular timing, but Tsyeyk would sometimes spend all day with Father, romping and playing, or spend all day at Hometree with Tsu'tey and the Omatikaya, trying to understand how they do all the strange things that they do, and sometimes a mixture of both in one day.

Father seems unsure of Hometree. He never goes inside, and mostly watches from a distance when Tsyeyk is there, which makes him sad. He wished that Father would like Hometree as much as he was growing to.

Tsu'tey made him something. A beautiful red and purple threaded shawl that ties in the front so that he doesn't have to hold it closed. It was so soft and so pretty - but most importantly, it was warm. Long enough up top to go to the tips of his fingers and down to the middle of his thighs. It can tie underneath both of his arms if he wants to make it have sleeves. Tsyeyk has only taken it off for Tsu'tey to show him how to clean it. Tsyeyk sat in his lap when he first got it and just held him for a long time, nuzzling his neck and cheek and nose, purring so happily and so hard that he thought he was going to lose feeling in his chest.

Tsu'tey was so happy he flashed that beautiful, crooked smile that Tsyeyk just loves. At some point, Tsyeyk realized that he could bring Tsu'tey's blanket back with him and at first Tsu'tey kept denying taking it back.

"Tsyeyk's," he would say, trying to push it into the wild boy's hands.

Yes, he tried to convey, of course it was Tsyeyk's now, he just wanted it to smell like Tsu'tey. Tsu'tey didn't seem to realize that until after Tsyeyk kept making it a big deal when Tsu'tey would put the blanket down or the few times he pulled it away to smell it. When Tsu'tey did finally understand, his pupils expanded until only a ring of gold could be seen and took of his necklace, rubbing the blanket into his scent glands on his neck, keeping it there while he worked, much to Tsyeyk joy.

When he left again that night to return home with Father, the blanket smelled just like Tsu'tey again.

Tsyeyk soon learned there was somewhere in the forest that he wasn't allowed to go. He's not sure what's there but both the Omatikaya and Father didn't want him to go there and whenever he got too close, Father would usher him away or Tsu'tey would take his arm and change direction. Tsyeyk wasn't sure why this was but didn't mind it all that much because if neither of them wanted to go there, then he didn't either.

After many nights and days with the Omatikaya, Tsyeyk finally felt so much better. He wasn't exhausted as quickly and whenever Tsu'tey touched his body, there wasn't any more sadness in his eyes. They fed him and gave him many pretty things that he brought back to his cave with Father.

When Tsyeyk wasn't with Father or Tsu'tey, he was with Mo'at and Eytukan. There were times when Sylwanin, Neytiri, and Tsu'tey would be gone, somewhere they were learning, like Tsyeyk was, but he didn't understand why he wasn't allowed to go too. The first few times he came without Tsu'tey at Hometree, he would cry in Mo'at's arms as she held him and rocked him, but after a few hours, after she found something to distract him, Tsu'tey would come back, and everything would be okay. Eventually, he got used to sometimes Tsu'tey being away and would simply spend his time around Hometree doing all sorts of things. Mostly playing with the kids, but sometimes he would go to Mo'at's hut and sleep or talk her ear off.

It didn't take long for Tsyeyk to learn that the Omatikaya don't talk about him to outsiders. When traveling Na'vi from a different clan had come to trade with the Omatikaya, Tsyeyk was sequestered away, left to play with the children somewhere he couldn't be seen. And when the children leave with Tsu'tey, Neytiri and Sylwanin, they aren't allowed to talk about him.

"Tsyeyk is special," Mo'at would say, but Tsyeyk didn't fully understand why that meant anyone would want to know about him, and why, even if they did, no one was allowed to talk about him.

But there is a woman called Grace, that the kids tell him about. That she's sweet and kind, and that they love her. That she is a teacher from somewhere far away and whenever Tsyeyk tries to go with them to see her, Eytukan intervenes and pulls him away. They say it isn't safe, yet the kids and Tsu'tey get to go, so how unsafe is it really? Tsyeyk doesn't understand and he doesn't know the words to help him.

He knows more. More and more each day, he learns. It starts with simple things. He leans how to weave bracelets and necklaces - which was really hard because he always had too much energy to stay still for so long - but after many days of working on a bracelet, once it was done, Tsyeyk was so proud of himself that he showed it off to the entire clan. Everyone smiled at him and was so proud. Even Mother was happy for him, singing like the buzzing of insects and the chirping of flying beasts. He wanted to give it to Tsu'tey but realized that he made it so small that it wouldn't fit on either of their wrists. So, he gave it to Uvay.

Tsyeyk was filled with so much pride every time he saw her wearing it. And she was just as happy to show it off.

Tsyeyk learned more words and while forming them in his own mouth was hard, hearing and understanding the Omatikaya grew easier as time went on. They still tried to speak slow and use simple words to help him, which he appreciated, but it was getting easier and easier as the days passed.

Tsyeyk learned how to prepare some simple foods. It started with learning how to make and care for a fire. After burning himself a few times, Tsyeyk finally understood why Father and Tsu'tey tried to stop him from touching it before. When he's not with Father and Tsu'tey, or bothering Mo'at, he's following Eytukan around like a lost baby nantang, mimicking everything that he does. This seems to have further ingratiated himself with the hunters, who took to helping him learn how to tie knots and Eytukan even got him his first hunting claw - knife, Eytukan told him.

He made sure to show that off when Tsu'tey came home. Tsu'tey was so proud of him and Tsyeyk basked in the praise.

"Good, Tsyeyk," Eytukan says, as they are surrounded by some hunters, all working to fletch new arrows, another thing that they wanted to teach him - the Omatikaya weapon of choice is typically the bow so they were starting with the knife, making arrows, then making the bow, then learning how to shoot it.

Tsyeyk's tail twirls happily, grinning at the normally frowning man with a cheesy grin that makes the corners of his lips curve up just slightly. It has been many full moons since he first came to the Omatikaya and he's finally feeling at home with them. Everyone was so patient and kind to him, teaching him whenever he came close to whatever they were doing.

He feels the presence against his back before arms wrap around him, one around his shoulders and the other around his stomach. Tsu'tey's warmth and scent waft around him as the other teen hugs him tightly from behind, pressing a kiss to his cheek and nuzzling the junction between his neck and shoulder. He wasn't wearing the shawl that Tsu'tey made for him, as they were gathered out on some of the large stones outside of Hometree and he was enjoying the heat from the stone and sun in the sky. He pushes away the arrows and twists around in Tsu'tey's arms, hugging the other teen.

Tsu'tey presses another kiss to his cheek. "Hello, beautiful."

Tsyeyk nuzzles his neck and cheek, purring happily before pulling back and softly saying, "Hello, Tsu'tey."

Tsu'tey smiles sweetly at him before blinking in surprise, lowering to a sit. "Wait, did you say 'Tsu'tey'? Not 'Tu'tey'?"

Tsyeyk grins up at him, tail twirling in joy. "Yes," he says slowly, making sure to pronounce carefully. "Tsyeyk try to speak Tsu'tey words with right, okay?"

Tsu'tey's face nearly splits in two with his grin, the knot in his throat bobbing with his laughter as he squeezes Tsyeyk's waist with large, warm hands. "Yes, Tsyeyk. I understand. You're getting so good. Have you been spending a lot of time with Mo'at? Is she helping you?"

Tsyeyk nods, then very carefully says, "And Ey... Ey... Ey...tu... kan. Help. Yes?"

Tsu'tey is more excited than Tsyeyk, shifting closer. He reaches one hand up to push wild strands of black hair over his shoulder. "Yes, Tsyeyk. You're getting so much better every time I come back to Hometree. Soon you'll be speaking better than me."

The wild boy giggles, eyes cresting with his joy. He twists around to grab one of the arrows from his small stack to show off. "Yes?"

Tsu'tey admires it, nodding pleased at it. "You're getting very good at this, my love. A natural, even."

Tsyeyk pushes up onto his knees and places his hands onto Tsu'tey's thighs, leaning close to his face and says, slowly, exaggeratedly, "tha-ank yo-ou!"

Tsu'tey lets out a little laugh, blowing at Tsyeyk's face, to push some long strands of black hair out of the way. He puts the arrow off to the side and reaches out for Tsyeyk's waist - somewhere that Tsyeyk has noticed that Tsu'tey likes to hold on him - and pulls him back into a sit. "Are you sure you don't want me to braid your hair, Tsyeyk? At least to keep it out of your face?"

"You didn't learn your lesson last time?" Eeki asks, mirthfully, the male hunter next to her chuckling. Tsyeyk's face sours at Tsu'tey's question.

"Him running from you the first three times wasn't enough for you?" Another hunter asks. Tsu'tey rolls his eyes.

"At least let me get that hair out of your eyes," Tsu'tey says sweetly, pushing the long strands behind the other teen's ears. "I know you hate sitting around for that long, but you've got to if you want me to do your hair."

Tsyeyk pulls the thing that should not be touched - kuru, they call it - over his shoulder and shows it to him. "This? Kuru this, Tsu'tey?"

Tsu'tey shakes his head. "Not yet, you probably have another week or two before we need to do it again. Your hair just grows too fast." They've rebraided his kuru again since the last time, and while he was still scared, Tsu'tey let him hold his kuru right at the beginning which made him feel a lot better. He knew, rationally, he knew, that Tsu'tey would never do anything like that to him, but it was still scary to him, so he was happy to be able to make sure that it couldn't so long as he was holding Tsu'tey's kuru.

It wasn't that he didn't already know that they were going to be together. He loved Tsu'tey so much, but now wasn't the right time. They needed more time to exist beside one another as opposed to linked together forever, even though Tsyeyk knew that Mother made Tsu'tey for him, they needed more time. And the fact that Tsu'tey was also willing to wait was perfect to Tsyeyk. His Tsu'tey is too wonderful.

"Hair, this? Too many?"

Tsu'tey laughs as Eytukan says, "You have so much hair, Tsyeyk. It's like a long black mane, I don't know how you go about your days without pulling it all back out of her face. At least off your neck."

Tsyeyk runs his fingers through the long black strands, pursing his lips before shrugging.

"If it doesn't bother you, tell them to leave you alone," Eeki says playfully. "Besides, while I'm thinking about it, Tsyeyk, have you thought more about your ears? Do you want to get them pierced, like mine?"

Tsyeyk's eyes travel to her ears, to the black band that expands the hole in her ears, then the dangling piece, the earring. Still so pretty, colorful threads that sway with every movement of her head. It looked so pretty, and it was pretty unique to her. Not many other Omatikaya even had the gages in their ears, Neytiri being the only other one that Tsyeyk could think of off the top of his head, but he knew there were others. But not many had the actual earrings like Eeki did.

Tsyeyk likes it. He thinks it's pretty.

"Yes," he says, nodding. "Owie, this. But Tsyeyk like."

She nods. "It will hurt but only a little bit, but I'll show you how to take care of it, okay?"

Tsyeyk bounces, giddily, looking over at Tsu'tey to see his gentle smile. "This, yes, Tsu'tey? Yes?"

"If you are asking me if you can get your ears pierced, then you don't have to, Tsyeyk," Tsu'tey says, leaning forward to nuzzle his nose, which makes Tsyeyk giggle in joy. "You have full autonomy with your body, my love. Whatever it is that you desire is for you to decide. But thank you for asking. But if you want to know what I think, I think you will be beautiful no matter what you decide."

Tsyeyk smiles at him, nuzzling him back before pulling away to turn and keep working on his arrows, tail lightly tapping the thigh of the teen behind him. "Tsu'tey is pretty," he says. Tsu'tey laughs, scooting up next to him.

"May I help you?" He asks, reaching for an arrow once he gets a nod, and the hunters start talking to Tsu'tey about his day as they get back to work.

He had gone to learn with mysterious Grace, then met up with his younger brother, Arvok, and a hunting party and they had just returned. Tsyeyk likes Arvok, but the relationship between the brothers is nothing like between Neytiri and Sylwanin. There was this distance that Tsyeyk didn't understand, when he tried to ask Tsu'tey about it, the other teen didn't seem to know what he was talking about, just simply said that they were brothers, but they weren't close.

"Arvok is the favorite, I think," Tsu'tey had said with a shrug. "Our parents were always ushering him away from me. I assume because of my responsibilities to the clan, they didn't want me to get distracted. We were just never close. We're not like Sylwanin and Neytiri. But it's fine, we're both okay with this."

Tsyeyk nodded at the time, not sure what else to say, but Tsu'tey would surely know better than Tsyeyk does. Even if whenever he was near, Tsyeyk always has this profound feeling of sadness that seems to flow out of Arvok in waves. But neither ever say anything and Tsyeyk isn't exactly wise to those sorts of things so how would he really know anyway? If it's what Tsu'tey says, then surely it must be true.

Besides, Tsyeyk doesn't really remember his brother, so maybe that's how things are between brothers. When he sees Tommy again, he'll ask, until then, he'll just have to wonder.