Hello my dear readers. Another chapter that includes no warnings! Please enjoy reading.
Chapter 21
Tanu'ley urged Somi to fly at their fastest pace, and her loyal friend wasted no time. The directions and descriptions she had received were detailed enough for her to easily navigate the many islands below. She flew at a higher altitude than usual, aiming to avoid any potential recognition from a specific ship. The fact that she hadn't spotted a trace of the ship brought both relief and anger. All she wanted was to storm onto that vessel and free her love, but she knew that both her and Somi's lives would be forfeit the moment they landed. These demons and their fire-spitting machines of death only knew how to take from her and her people.
However, there were rare exceptions that had to be made. Even these exceptions brought her pain, albeit in a different way. They were dangerous because you could come to love them. And everything you loved could be taken away from you.
Ever since she had allowed him to leave, she had questioned her decision. Letting him go then felt as close to an execution as leaving him bound in the forest for the palulukan to devour.
She cursed her love again for the anguish he caused her heart, yet she also blessed him for enabling her to feel so intensely after many years. But why did he have to leave? It was only days before his dreamhunt as well. Her plan to lead him away from the upcoming festivities and make him eternally hers fell apart with just one bloody note from their enemy. For that alone, this Quaritch deserved to suffer a hundred deaths.
After a little under an hour, the burned village came into view. She descended with her tightly bound nerves, trying to maintain a slow pace, although it was probably still too fast. Alarmed calls reached her ears, and she was met by several reef Na'vi warriors holding their spears out. She raised her hands, with Tonowari's token clearly visible in her left hand.
"What is your purpose for coming here?" one of the warriors grumbled.
"The Metkayina Olo'eyktan and Toruk Makto have sent me to bring you a message and retrieve the human child named Spider," she announced loudly, ensuring all the Na'vi could hear. Soon after, the Tau'nui Olo'eyktan stepped forward, and she offered him the token with a formal greeting. He took it from her hand and grimaced.
"What have you come to say?" he asked her.
"Tonowari instructed me to inform you that they will send materials for your rebuilding by the end of the day. He is sorry to hear of your hardship and promises to take action against the Skypeople as soon as he is able," she reported, her impatience evident in her demeanour. He stared at her in surprise for a moment but quickly brushed it off.
"The help is appreciated. We had planned to go to him tomorrow morning, but now that this matter is resolved, tell me more about your other purpose," he demanded, and though she despised being ordered around, she complied.
"Our scout informed us that a human boy escaped from the enemy ship within your waters. It was assumed that you had found him. He is precious to Toruk Makto, and I am here to retrieve him," she explained, and the man nodded.
"Follow me. My mate did indeed find him in our waters. He was mostly unharmed but fell asleep shortly after. We were unable to wake him," the Olo'eyktan guided her through the maze of partially burned marui pods until he stopped at one that was still mostly intact. He motioned for her to wait outside and went in alone. She overheard low voices before being called in by a woman. Tanu'ley entered the pod and saw the Tsahik tending to Spider.
While Tanu'ley hadn't spent as much time as other Omatikaya in the clan, she was aware of the human child who often accompanied the leaders' progeny. In Tom's eyes, the boy was probably just as much his nephew as Lo'ak. Of course, the foolish former human would attempt to rescue the child before fleeing himself.
"I see you," she greeted the seated Tsahik, who returned the greeting.
"You said you also came for this boy?" the Tsahik asked, and Tanu'ley nodded, though she was growing weary of repeating herself.
"Do you know how to help him then? He doesn't wake up, and this device keeps making noise," the Tsahik said, expressing her concern. Tanu'ley grew worried. All Omatikaya received basic training in human gadgets due to the presence of scientists and other humans who had chosen to live within the clan. Their masks allowed them to breathe the air that was typically toxic to them. If the device was malfunctioning, Spider could die at any given moment.
She hurried to his side and examined the oxygen tank. The light was red, and the display showed "low battery." Tanu'ley felt a moment of panic. Where was she supposed to find a new battery?
"Did he have anything with him? A bag or anything?" she asked the Tsahik, who promptly got up to retrieve a small pouch.
"This was all he had with him. Besides the knife and some strange jewellery, there was only alien technology," she handed the pouch to Tanu'ley, who breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of half a dozen new batteries. She randomly selected one and turned back to Spider and his tank.
Tanu'ley had observed some of the humans holding their breath while exchanging the battery, so she decided to hum a little tune that would hopefully lower the boy's breathing rate. She waited a few seconds before her song took effect, then flipped open the battery hatch to remove the old one and replace it with the new. Seconds later, she heard a hissing noise coming from the mask, which had slightly fogged up but quickly cleared. She stopped humming, and Spider began to take deep breaths before his eyes flew open.
"The hell? Where am I?" he cursed in English, a language that Tanu'ley understood better than she could speak. Knowing he spoke Na'vi fluently, she tried to communicate with him.
"We are with the Tau'nui Clan, Spider." His head turned toward her, and for a brief moment, she feared he might attack her due to the panic in his eyes.
"You're awake, Spider. How do you feel?" the Tsahik asked in a gentle voice, and Spider seemed to recognise her.
"Amer'yl? What's going on?" He attempted to sit up, but the older woman held him in place.
"You need to rest a little more, child. You've been asleep for the past few hours. She—" she pointed to Tanu'ley, who had forgotten to introduce herself entirely, "—helped you breathe again." The Tsahik reassured the boy, who appeared much calmer now.
"Are you Omatikaya?" the boy asked, and Tanu'ley nodded.
"I am Tanu'ley. Jake sent me to get you. He's worried about you," she replied, and confusion washed over his face.
"How does Jake know where I am? Only Tom should..." His face suddenly paled unnaturally.
"We need to get Tom and Maya! They're still on the ship!" he exclaimed in a panic, but four hands kept him from doing anything more than lying back down.
"Calm yourself, child! The ship is already far away," Amer'yl said, while Tanu'ley attempted something she had seen both Jake and Tom do. She cautiously placed her hand on the back of his neck, aware of his delicate frame.
"We will bring them back soon," she emphasised, conveying the sincerity of her words. Spider stared at her with wide eyes, silently questioning whether she truly meant what she had said.
"We will," she repeated, and he seemed to calm down a little.
She gave him a quick smile before adopting a more serious expression.
"Did Tom say anything before he pushed you off the ship? Any instructions?" she asked, but the teen shook his head.
"Well, except that I should find my way back here and that I should tell him that Jake is my father," he said timidly.
Tanu'ley couldn't help but smirk a little. "Well, Jake said pretty much the same. After all, I was sent to retrieve his son," she said, causing the human to blush in embarrassment. Perhaps it was acceptable to find this particular human cute. If she followed Tom's definition, then Spider was just as much her nephew.
"When do we leave then? No offence, Amer'yl, but I'd love to see my friends again." At the mention of his friends, Spider turned to the Tau'nui Tsahik, who smiled softly in response.
"I understand, Spider. It was our plan from the beginning to help you reunite with your family. Now that it has been easier than expected, you can count on us for help in the future. We still owe you one life," the Tsahik explained, and her husband nodded in agreement, sitting silently beside her.
Tanu'ley was relieved that their goodbyes didn't take too long. Spider was still a bit unsteady on his legs, but he insisted on walking and refused to be carried by her. When he met Somi, her Ikran emitted a fierce hiss, but Somi understood what Tanu'ley intended and showed no further hostility towards the teen. Somi allowed Spider to sit in front of Tanu'ley, who wrapped an arm around him before they took off into the air. Spider seemed impressed by the speed at which they ascended and how skilfully Somi glided with the changing air currents.
Tanu'ley decided to fly a bit slower now that she held her precious cargo. With the wind against their faces, they didn't talk much, but Spider's curiosity led him to ask how she had known where he was. One question followed another, and she recounted nearly everything that had happened in the clan since the day he had been gone.
In return, Spider shared his own experiences, and Tanu'ley couldn't help but hug him tighter in compassion when he told her about the death of Norm, Tom and Jake's friend. She felt sorrow for the girl who had witnessed her father's demise, understanding part of that feeling from her own firsthand experience.
He had barely finished speaking when the Metkayina reef appeared on the horizon. "Are you ready to see them again?" she asked.
Spider chuckled nervously but nodded. "Honestly, I didn't think I would ever be able to see them again. I'm more concerned about the clan. They're not as accustomed to humans as the Omatikaya are," he confessed, grasping her arm as she held him securely against her chest.
"Don't be afraid, I'll protect you," she assured him, and he gave her a grateful smile.
"Then what are we waiting for?" He challenged her with a smile. Very much inclined to accept his challenge, she told Somi to dive down in a spin that elicited several whoops of joy or fear from Spider. He was at least loud enough to announce their arrival.
Somi spread her wings again, soaring just meters above the ground, swooping past several darker-skinned Na'vi with a near backflip. Spider's laughter echoed through the air as they finally landed in a secluded spot deep within the woods. Somi preferred the trees to the sandy ground.
"Spider!" a familiar voice called out, and Spider practically leaped off Somi's back and onto the ground.
Jake had been in a constant state of tension, despite his efforts to conceal it. For the two hours that Tanu'ley had been gone, his hand instinctively reached up to his throat every few minutes, even though he was supposed to be sharpening the blackish fish bones into spear tips.
The thought of having Spider back brought Jake joy, but it also weighed heavily on his mind. According to Eyatan's report, Tom had been injured and mistreated, just as Jake had feared. Quaritch was far from a kind man, but Jake had hoped that Spider's special connection to him would keep him safe. However, Tom, Norm, and Maya's situation was far more troubling. Norm hadn't even been seen, and Maya was described as being in a comatose state. When Eyatan was pressed for more information, he grew visibly upset and uncertain. To him, Maya appeared almost lifeless, but carrying around her lifeless body didn't make sense, so she might have been medicated in some way.
Maya's condition could also explain why Tom hadn't escaped with Spider. Together, Jake doubted they would have gotten far. If his brother was still the same person he remembered, Tom would struggle to harm another individual genuinely. He had always valued peace too much. However, if Tom was sufficiently motivated and pushed to his limits, Jake Jake knew him to be deadly. Life on Earth had left them both disillusioned, but in different ways.
Jake had embraced the concept of "survival of the fittest" and trained tirelessly to become strong. He faced every challenge head-on and trained until he succeeded. If attacked, he would fight back fiercely, driven by the need to survive and protect others. His military training had caused him to let go of what some might call honour, fighting with any means available. However, on Pandora, he had gradually rediscovered the sense of honour a warrior should possess.
On the other hand, Tom grew increasingly disheartened by the moral abyss of humanity. The greed and cruelty he witnessed on a daily basis weighed heavily on his spirits, until he found solace and purpose in the field of medicine. Tom once expressed his belief that a single cell would never betray the greater organism it was part of. If it became sick or mutated, it would choose to self-destruct rather than harm the collective well-being. Jake couldn't fully grasp the implications of Tom's musings, but he admired his brother's dedication and passion for learning. Tom rushed through college at an astonishing pace and then delved straight into the Avatar Program. Jake found his brother's fascination with another world amusing, although the steps Tom took to leave Earth behind left him feeling a sense of loneliness. While he never wanted to hold Tom back, the thought of being left behind pained him deeply.
Tom often spoke about the process of creating his own Avatar, and although Jake tried to pay attention, he struggled to fully understand. Tom would occasionally vent about the corrupt leaders of the RDA, the very organization he remained with because they offered him a means to escape to the stars.
Jake stopped paying close attention to Tom's rants after that, as a week later he suffered a devastating spinal injury and was forced back into civilian life. However, he never lost his determined spirit and stubbornly persevered in any way he could. Tom helped him adapt and even found them an apartment that would be more accessible for Jake's mobility.
During that time, Jake discovered Tom's resilience, which surpassed even Tom's own belief in himself. Despite Jake's occasional cruel behaviour and words, Tom endured it all for his sake. It also reminded him of the way his brother had died. According to the medical staff he had spoken to, his brother had survived for much longer than they expected just to see Jake one last time. Jake hoped that this situation would be no different. Tom had done his part in protecting the family, and now it was Jake's turn to take over. Tom just needed to hold on until the right moment to bring him back.
To achieve that, Jake spent hours meticulously planning and strategising. Teyal and her two hunters maintained a rotation to keep the ship under surveillance. Eyatan's sudden return prompted the other two hunters to search for the ship again. They described it as accurately as they could, allowing Jake to identify potential weak points for Tonowari and his warriors. He devised strategies that would protect their warriors and minimise casualties if they were to engage with the ship.
Based on his own experience, Jake knew that the glass on human vehicles could still be shattered with a well-aimed arrow or spear, providing them with an advantage.
Jake vividly recalled a time when he, still a soldier, had explained the concept of guerrilla tactics to his brother. Naturally, Tom had delved deep into these tactics, as they fascinated him. It was something Jake could have predicted. Within a week, Tom had devoured numerous ancient books on warfare.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." This was one of the few quotes Jake bothered to remember from his brother's countless strategies. In the past, he had grown accustomed to Tom's ability to immerse himself in any subject at will. Now, he longed to have Tom by his side for that very reason, among others.
They were diligently gathering intelligence on Quaritch and his ship, ensuring they knew their enemy inside out. The challenge lay in understanding themselves. Perhaps Jake should seek Tonowari's guidance to define their clan, emphasising their strengths and finding a way to fight in a manner that suited them best.
Suddenly, a joyous whoop echoed above him, and he spotted Tanu'ley on her Ikran descending from the sky, accompanied by the small figure he recognised as Spider. If Jake still possessed the daredevil spirit of his youth, he would have admired how Tanu'ley effortlessly won the affection of his children. She remained willing to take risks with them, exuding boundless energy to excite and chase after them. He and Neytiri had too many responsibilities to the clan and their children to consider teaching them acrobatics on their Ikran like these.
Although Tanu'ley had caused him considerable worry in the past, he still held affection for the now 23-year-old woman. She possessed her brother's stubbornness and mischievous nature, coupled with a profound sense of adventure. However, she was unpredictable in her actions due to childhood trauma, authority issues, and an independent spirit. One trait she shared with Tsu'tey was her aversion to betrayal, but once her decision was made and trust earned, her loyalty was unwavering.
For Tom's sake alone, she had left her clan once again and relocated here to protect a family with whom she had conflicting feelings, ready to fight to the death to safeguard and provide for those he held dear. Jake couldn't bring himself to be too annoyed by it, even though he was certain she would turn his hair grey with worry (not that he physically could, as Na'vi rarely greyed with age). If she could bring as much joy to his children as she had to Lo'ak in the past two days, she was more than welcome to stay.
Jake rose from his spot on the beach and followed his children to where Tanu'ley had landed with Somi. Spider, in his familiar form, had barely reached the beach before Lo'ak, tackled him to the ground. To make matters worse, Tuk jumped on top of her brother. Kiri and Neteyam stayed back a little, but not for long. Laughter erupted from all five of them in pure joy, and when they regained their feet, Spider received heartfelt hugs from each of Jake's children.
Jake approached slowly, not wanting to interrupt the reunion of the childhood friends. He stood nearby as Tanu'ley joined him.
"Thank you, Tanu'ley, for bringing him here," he expressed his gratitude, but she waved it off dismissively.
"Don't thank me for something I would have done for myself. That boy is feisty and brave, so it was easy to like him," she replied, offering a soft smile to the group of kids.
"If things continue like this, you and Tom will become their favourite aunt and uncle in no time," Jake teased, although thoughts of Tom made the conversation difficult.
"Do you believe we will see him again?" she asked, her voice suddenly softer. He looked at her, but she avoided his gaze.
"We both know that we won't accept any outcome other than having him back with us, alive. He's out there fighting to return to us, so we must do the same, but as a united front." Jake assured her, speaking the words he himself would want to hear. It took her a few moments, but then a fierce grin spread across her face.
"You're absolutely right, brother. We won't accept any other outcome," she declared, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer to his children.
"Congratulations on your fifth child," Tanu'ley announced loudly, giving him an extra push forward and playfully kicking his lower back. Jake was about to protest the indignity, but he found himself face to face with Spider, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"Um, hello, sir," Spider greeted him, causing everyone nearby to raise their eyebrows in shock. Somewhere behind him, he heard Tanu'ley exclaim, "Ouch," seemingly amused by the situation.
"Well, that needs to change," Jake decided. "I mean, you don't have to call me anything specific, but I'd prefer Jake. And considering that I've pretty much claimed you as my son in front of this clan, you're welcome to call me Dad, if you're comfortable with it. Of course, only if you want to. I never had the chance to ask you if you'd like that." Jake realised he had rambled more than intended and became aware of his nervousness. Mentally scolding himself, he noticed that Spider's eyes were even wider than before.
In an attempt to distract himself from the slightly embarrassing situation, Jake scrutinised Spider from head to toe, even turning him around to search for any injuries. Outwardly, Spider appeared unharmed, but the mental scars he bore would reveal themselves in due time.
"Are you alright, Spider?" Jake asked, unintentionally startling the boy out of his thoughts.
"You did what, sir? I mean, Jake..." Spider stuttered, while Lo'ak, who had initially been surprised, now sported a wide grin.
"You're part of the family now, bro!" Lo'ak insisted.
"You always were to me," Kiri chimed in, and Tuk hugged Spider around the chest, squealing, "Yay, another big brother!"
Neteyam, in his own way, welcomed the human by placing his arm around his shoulders.
"Dad, don't you think it's the right time to give it to him?" Neteyam asked, his expression expectant. At first, Jake had no idea what he was referring to, and judging by the confused stares and Lo'ak's "What do you mean?" response, it seemed the others were just as clueless. Neteyam rolled his eyes and pointedly gestured to his fathers hips. Jake followed his gaze and finally understood.
With little ceremony, he knelt in front of Spider.
"I have a question for you," he said, and the teen regarded him with an assessing look. Spider was intelligent, so he probably had an inkling of what this question would entail.
"I want to know if you would like to be part of our lives in a different way than you already are. If you, Spider Miles Socorro, would like to be added to our family and our songs." The mention of songs held symbolic meaning, as Jake had added an ornament to his song chord for the birth of each of his children. However, due to the circumstances of Spider's life thus far, an ornament had not been added for him.
"I offer you my human family name and my protection, as is customary for a guardian who is not a biological parent. I offer to be your father in spirit, if you allow me to," Jake concluded, his words met with smiling and expectant gazes from his children. He untied the second chord that hung from his belt with a sense of purpose and offered it to Spider, who had been unnervingly still. The teen sucked in a sharp breath as he recognised the song chord—the chord that belonged to him.
Jake anxiously waited to see how Spider would react, fully understanding if he chose to refuse. After all, they were currently hundreds of miles away from their home because Jake was a wanted man in the eyes of the humans. Accepting Jake's offer could potentially complicate Spider's life. On the other hand, it would provide him with additional protection among the Na'vi, where he would be adopted into a family. However, finding another family willing to take him in seemed unlikely, despite Spider's wonderful qualities in Jake's eyes. And now, as Spider firmly held onto the chord, it seemed clear that he had no intention of giving it back.
"I accept your offer, and I will add all of you to my song," Spider declared, his voice slightly hoarse with hidden emotions.
With joy in his heart, Jake proclaimed, "Then I hereby pronounce you Spider Miles Sully! Welcome home, son." In an instant, he was hugged by his newest and, technically, oldest son, whose arms were wrapped around his neck. Jake smiled, realising that he no longer needed to ask for a hug as he had originally planned. Returning the embrace, he soon found his other children joining in, creating a tight-knit family bond.
Later on, Jake would discover that Tanu'ley had rushed into the village to fetch Grace and her pad. Grace had enthusiastically captured the spontaneous adoption ceremony, taking countless pictures and recording a video.
Tuk's personal favourite photo was one where Grace instructed Tanu'ley to create a heart-shaped frame with her hands. Kiri, on the other hand, cherished a picture of both Grace and Tanu'ley, as they took a selfie with the group hug in the background.
Grace later told Jake that they had been locked in the embrace for at least half an hour, though he dismissed her exaggeration without much concern. He couldn't deny that Grace and a camera were a formidable combination. Even years ago, Jake recalled sifting through mountains of printed photos while living in the mountain shack. If things continued like this, he realised it might be time to start creating dedicated boxes for their ever-growing photo collection.
They made their way back to the village, where Spider was introduced to Tonowari, Ronal, and their children. At first, their reactions were formal, but Tsireya and her father, being kind-hearted and curious, made an effort to include Spider and make him feel welcome. That evening, Tonowari's family invited them for dinner to celebrate Spider's safe return and to get to know him better. At some point, Neytiri joined them, offering Spider a small smile and a reassuring pat on the back. The boy appeared nervous but seemed to understand that Neytiri was not his adopted mother, at least not yet, or perhaps not ever.
Jake and Neytiri had frequently discussed Spider's situation. Before the war, the clan had anticipated that every Sky Person would leave when given the opportunity. Technically, Spider would have had to leave Pandora on his 18th birthday, taking the next shuttle to Earth. However, even at the age of eight, it was evident to everyone that Spider would rather die than leave Pandora. Besides, life on Earth would be a death sentence in itself. The forest was the only home the teenager had ever known, aside from the walls of Hell's Gate and their secondary base closer to the mountains.
While Earth might have changed significantly during Spider's absence, it was unlikely that he would find happiness there. Jake understood this and tried to convey it to Neytiri, but the pain of their losses during the war was still too fresh for her.
There was one instance when they had commemorated the day of Hometree's fall, and Spider, in his innocent and childlike excitement for the lit lanterns, had prepared a small bouquet of fragrant herbs for the "prettiest woman" in the clan, hoping to make Neytiri smile. Jake had to swiftly whisk his furious and shouting wife away from the festivities. The tearful boy was left standing amidst his friends, watching his gift burn in one of the pyres, while the echoes of "demon's child" hung heavy in the air.
Neytiri never screamed at the human child again, though she never offered an apology either, unlike Spider, who had mustered the courage to step back into the village almost two months later and apologise. From that point on, he never prepared any more gifts for Neytiri or even for Jake.
Years later, Jake still witnessed Spider apologising to Neytiri whenever Lo'ak or Kiri were late for their classes because of him. Jake suspected that Spider was likely the reason his two mischievous children attended classes at all, but unfortunately, his wife never entertained that possibility.
They would occasionally speak, and Neytiri would at least be civil. Jake couldn't keep track of how often the boy concealed his hurt feelings behind a smile or a joke. In that sense, he was truly human. Humans lied, and Spider had learned to lie about his feelings to avoid being a burden. Jake's children, being more Na'vi, didn't grasp the concept of lying as well as he and Spider did.
Out of consideration for Neytiri, he never offered Spider a permanent place in the clan, even though he absolved as many trials as he could without a tswin (queue). For Spider's sake, Jake taught him survival skills and combat, crafting him a bow and sewing makeshift armour. When the boy turned nine, Jake began working on his song chord and made sure to have extra supplies on hand in case of emergencies.
Today, Jake became a single parent for Spider, which he tried to explain to Tonowari, who appeared utterly shocked at the news.
"Jake, the child needs at least two guardians. What is he supposed to do if you're away or, Eywa forbid, if something happens to you?" his friend exclaimed. Initially suspicious, even Ronal nodded in agreement.
"Children are a gift from Eywa, whether they are Na'vi, animals, or Skypeople. If your mate cannot fulfil this duty, then someone else must step in to take responsibility," Ronal insisted, her anger evident at the thought that Jake believed he could handle it alone. They continued to discuss the matter, with Tonowari and Ronal offering to take up the guardianship themselves (Ronal didn't disagree, though her expression revealed her pain) if no other suitable option presented itself. After all, they were parents to the clan, so why not extend their care to the human boy?
Jake managed to calm them down and promised to consult with Grace before dinner. She was now somewhat co-parenting Kiri alongside Neytiri and him, so she might be open to caring for her daughter's best friend as well. With her experience as a teacher, she seemed like a reasonable choice.
Before he could locate Grace, Tanu'ley suddenly appeared, her face displaying seriousness.
"I overheard what Tsahik told you," she revealed abruptly, a characteristic that suited her well.
"You should let the child decide who should be his second guardian, even if it's only temporary," she continued without allowing him to respond. "From what he told me, Tom has cared for him as if he were his own. The Ta'unui Tsahik even referred to him as his father." Jake's eyebrows shot up upon hearing this information.
"What are you trying to say, Tanu'ley?" he asked, eager for her to get to the point. The news of his brother readily accepting Spider into the family filled him with affectionate sighs.
"I'll be his guardian if he agrees. I'll stand in for Tom since I'm his aunt anyway. He'll be safe with me." Tanu'ley declared. Jake heard her words and watched her speak, but he struggled to wrap his head around the situation.
He had believed Tanu'ley to be the person most affected by the actions of the Skypeople, even more so than his wife. Yet here she stood, offering to take guardianship of a human boy she had only met a few hours ago.
His stunned silence didn't satisfy her. "Don't think I'm unqualified. I'm respected in many clans. My cousin is now Olo'eyktan, and I've acquired valuable skills. I'll teach him whatever he wishes to learn," she argued her case, although Jake was already convinced.
From the Na'vi perspective, it was true that Tanu'ley was the closest thing the Omatikaya had to a princess right now. When Neytiri had given up her future as Tsahik to be with Jake, the responsibility would have fallen on Tanu'ley's shoulders until Tsu'tey found a mate. But days later, Tsu'tey died in the war, leaving Tanu'ley as the last of their lineage. Tarsem, her first cousin or something, was her next of kin.
Indeed, Tanu'ley had traveled extensively, earning the respect of several clans who later requested to be included in the exchange program through Jake. While she wasn't the most charismatic person, she left a lasting impression.
Jake raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll ask Spider what he prefers," he conceded, but Tanu'ley followed him all the way to Spider. When his new father called for him, the boy turned around and smiled a little upon seeing the two adults approaching.
"What is it, Jake?" he asked. The day Spider would call him Dad seemed distant, but Jake had already decided to be patient with his child. Spider had experienced considerable hardship in his childhood, and it would take time to heal.
"I spoke to the chiefs, and they believe it's safer for you to have at least two guardians. Besides me, there are a few people I'd like to ask, but I think it's only fair that you get to choose who takes on that role," Jake explained, noticing the grim expression on Spider's face. They didn't need to mention that Neytiri was not among these candidates.
"Well, who did you plan to ask?" Spider responded, and Jake saw his eyes briefly flicker towards Tanu'ley.
"My first choice was Grace. She's my trusted friend, a great teacher, and a parent to Kiri. She would treat you well, offer guidance, and she understands your human traits." Jake explained, observing the shock on Spider's face.
"Would that make me Kirk's brother?" he tentatively asked, avoiding eye contact and looking down at his feet.
"Technically, you already are her brother," Jake replied in a deadpan voice, to which the boy simply nodded.
"True... Who else did you have in mind?" Spider inquired, prompting Tanu'ley to step forward.
"I offered to take on the role. Considering your connection to Tom, it's quite evident that you are my family as well. If I became your guardian, I could enhance your standing within the Na'vi community, not just among the Omatikaya but in other clans too. I could also educate you further about our world, and officially, I would be responsible for your protection," Tanu'ley explained, although unofficially she was already caring for four other children.
Spider appeared slightly stunned by Tanu'ley's words and sought confirmation from Jake with a quick glance and a nod. "I see... um, I'll give it some more thought. I'd also like to talk to Grace, but I'll let you know when I've made a decision," Spider responded. Jake was satisfied with that. They could give him a few days to consider his options.
The Quote is from Sunzu's "The Art of war"
As Always I'd be thrilled to hear your thoughts on the story. There is also one mention to Tom's past on earth. I updated an extra chapter in my side story "Extended Scenes" that elaborates on that. Check it out, personally I think it turned out pretty well.
See you next week! :D