Reunited
A trio of Ilu swam in the ocean, carrying Lo'ak, Tsireya and Kiri, with Tuk riding on Kiri's Ilu. Payakan swam a short distance behind them, mostly staying underwater, only coming up for air. This far out the Sky People weren't the only danger. There were also a number of sea creatures that might have considered a trio of Ilu and Na'vi on them and excellent snack. So while the others had their eyes on air and the horizon, he kept watch on the deep waters, making sure his friends were safe.
Many hours passed this way, their group starting to get tired of their long journey. Not that they had not expected it to be a long trip. The village they were headed to was on the outskirts of the island group. Now and then they passed by landmarks described to them, using them to adjust their direction. At other times they travelled across stretches of open water, hoping they did not get lost or end up going in circles. Payakan did intervene a few times when they were about to set off in a completely wrong direction, helping them along. He was a real boon to them truth to be told, having senses and experience far better suited to navigating deep waters.
Eventually they were approaching a sizeable island. Lo'ak perked up when he saw a settlement, built at the edge of the water.
"There. I think that is the village we were told about." He pointed out to the others.
Tsireya looked up as well. "They're alright! They haven't been attacked!" She said with delight. Though thanks to their connection she was as tired as her Ilu, she raced towards the shore, the others struggling to keep up.
As so often before, Payakan stayed behind as his friends departed for the shore. Even if he could have followed them so shallower waters, he chose not to. There were still many villages out there that would know him as outcast. Unlike most Tulkun he might not be welcome. And he would rather not force his friends to deal with the complication. So he would stay out here and wait. He knew he would see them again.
As Tsireya got closer a conch was blown to announce their arrival. Close to the shore she detached her connection from her Ilu and swam the rest of the way. Just as she reached waters shallow enough to stand in she spotted a familiar face amongst the small crowd starting to gather at the shore.
"Aonung! Aonung! Brother!" She shouted in joy, wading through the water as fast as she could, running to embrace him.
"Tsireya! Oh, Great Mother… we had feared the worst." Aonung said, crying tears of relief.
"I told you we'd see each other again. I keep my promises." She replied.
Then an expression of concern appeared on her face. "Where is mother? Is she…?"
"She's fine, don't worry. She's just resting." He said.
"Resting?" Tsireya repeated.
Aonung smiled. "You have good timing. She gave birth. Just last night. A girl."
Tsireya's joy returned, her smile even brighter than before. "I have a sister now!? Oh, Eywa bless! Some happy news at last."
"Oh I must go see her! Lo'ak, come! My mother has given birth! I have a sister! Come, everybody! Let's go see them!" She said, motioning excitedly at the others just arriving ashore.
Aonung led them to a hut near the center of the village. Inside they found Ronal laid down on a bed, a sleeping baby in her arms. As they entered Ronal raised her head, and as she saw Tsireya she gave a tired but happy smile:
"Tsireya! You're here. You're alive."
"Yes. I'm here, mom. I'm here." Tsireya said, kneeling down near Ronal's left side. "And here she is. I see you, little sister." She said, smiling down at the baby.
"Oh, she's so cute!" Tuk cooed, sitting down to the opposite side, Aonung choosing to settle down at his mother's feet. Lo'ak and Kiri meanwhile stayed by the doorway, smiling at the scene.
"Does she have a name yet?" Tsireya asked.
Ronal shook her head. "No, not yet. Not formally. But I intend to hold the naming ceremony soon."
"I think I will call her Ro'a, after my spirit sister. I can think of no better way to honor her memory." She added.
"…She would approve I think. So would father." Tsireya mused.
"I know he would. If only he could be here." Ronal said. She sighed heavily. "Ro'a, my daughter… if only you had been born at a less troubled time."
"…Father, has he been…?" Tsireya asked.
"He was laid to rest properly at the first village we fled to. He's with our ancestors now." Aonung explained.
Tsireya nodded, relieved. "Good."
"Are there others from our village here?" She asked.
"A few. We hope others can be found elsewhere on the islands." Aonung explained.
"What of your parents Lo'ak? Where are they?" Ronal asked.
Lo'ak bowed his head. "They were captured, by the Sky People. We saw it happen. There was nothing we could do. After that we don't know."
"And the human boy that you were friends with?" She asked.
"Gone as well." Lo'ak replied glumly.
Ronal nodded, her expression grim. "Your parents lost to us… I was concerned something like that might have happened when we heard no rumors about them. It will make matters harder still. Even this far from the forest their names were known. They were heroes, even before the Battle at Three Brothers Rocks. Their loss will be keenly felt."
Then her expression softened. "But do not concern yourself with such troubles, children. These are matters for me to worry over. Me and other leaders. For now you have done enough."
"This should be a happy day. We are reunited and have a new addition to the family. That is something to celebrate." She concluded.
Tsireya smiled. "Yes. You're right. We should be happy for what we have right now."
As the others continued to talk, switching to lighter topics. Kiri allowed herself a smile as she stepped just outside the hut. Despite everything she could feel a sense of hopefulness again, for the first time in weeks. Ronal's baby especially gave her joy. Despite all the death and destruction there was also renewed life. New growth. Hope for the future…
But then, as if to taunt the happiness they had gained, there was a familiar rumble in the air, her smile dying instantly.
The others looked up with frightened expressions. "Here? Now? No, no, no…!" Lo'ak breathed in desperation.
"Get down, get down!" He shouted in warning as the rumble drew closer.
"Oh no, not again!" Kiri screamed, she and the others rushing to find cover, Ronal moving to shield her baby with her body.
Something crashed through the weaved canopies above the village, hitting the ground a short distance away from their hut. But there was no explosion. No pain or death. Instead a long black spike had embedded itself in the sand, some kind of pod at the top of it. As people began to cautiously gather around the device there was a further surprise as there was a loud click and a hiss of static, a red light blinking on the pod. Then the sound of Quaritch, speaking in Na'vi, his words too fluent to be anything other than a prepared statement read from paper.
"People of these islands, hear this message. By orders of our leader, General Ardmore, our forces are preparing to leave these shores. Allow us to depart in peace, and no more blood need be spilled. Understand this: this destruction happened because you chose to shield Toruk Makto from us. Because you chose to attack our vessel. Because you chose to oppose us. This was the wrath you invited. This was what you chose. Now we choose to be merciful and spare the rest of you. But remember this lesson well. Attack our people again or interfere with us, and we will return. And if we have cause to come here a second time, then we will hunt down every last one of you. None of you shall remain. Choose wisely. Choose your lives."
There was a pause of several seconds, then the recording started again. Lo'ak, Kiri, Aonung and Tsireya exchanged looks, then rushed to the device. Working together they yanked it out of the ground, Tuk joining them as they carried it away, past the throng of frightened, worried villagers. Together the four of them brought it to the water and tossed it in. There was a shower of sparks and smoke as the device sunk beneath the waves.
"That damned asshole!" Kiri spat.
Returning to the hut they found Ronal trying to calm her crying baby. Once she had managed to, she turned contemplative. "So the Sky People claim they are leaving? Could they have finally had their fill of war?"
"We shouldn't trust this. This could all be just a trick." Kiri argued.
"That could be young one. But to what end? For weeks now we have heard stories of the Sky People marching from victory to victory, sweeping all before them. I'm uncertain what advantage treachery would give them now. It seems to me that if they wished to come here to destroy us they simply would." Said a Na'vi man entering the tent.
"Children, this is Thanwaru, the Tsahik here." Ronal said, nodding towards the male Na'vi.
"And this is Irini, the Olo'eykte." Ronal continued, nodding at the other one, a woman entering right after Thanwaru. The children immediately gave the two leaders a formal greeting.
"The child is right in that we should search for dishonesty in their words. If they offer peace now it is not out of the goodness of their hearts. They've done it because it serves them." Irini commented. "Perhaps they believe they have won. That no more need be done, so they walk away."
"If that is what the Sky People believe, then we shall prove them sorely mistaken." Ronal said darkly.
Thanwaru and Irini exchanged looks.
"I believe we should wait for a few days. Before we rush to act we should find out what is truly happening. Armed with knowledge we can make better decisions." Thanwaru said.
"We are far from the fighting, so it is hard for us to discover the truth directly. I suggest we send envoys to the villages still standing, to ask what their scouts can tell us. I suspect they have received this message as well, so they might already be looking into this. If the Sky People are playing tricks on us we will discover it in short order." Irini said.
"And should they discover the Sky People have truly gone and we have time again… then we should call for a Council of the Elders to convene. This concerns all Metkayina. The Ta'unui as well. We must decide together what shall be done."
Ronal paused to consider, then nodded. It was a reasonable course of action.
"I'll send my fastest riders. We should start hearing news in a few days." Irini continued.
"I'll go set things motion right away." She said, nodding them farewell and departing.
"In the meantime you and your family are welcome to continue to stay with us." Thanwaru said.
"As are you children, of course. The village extends its welcome." He added to the Sully kids.
"Thank you, sir. I think we can stay for now, if the Sky People have truly left." Lo'ak said.
With no apparent need to run further, they ended up staying up late into the night, spending time together, comparing stories of the weeks they had spent apart. That evening they took note of a pair of blue-white streaks illuminating the sky. A sight they had seen on occasion during the past year or so. A starship leaving orbit, beginning its long acceleration out of system. They tried to put the sight out of their minds as best they could. But as the night whiled on their eyes were occasionally drawn up, the mark of the oppressor persisting. From past experience they knew there would be a false star in the night for many days yet.
After the first envoys left there were several days of anxious waiting. Ronal and the kids sought to busy themselves with mundane tasks, establishing familiar routines, maybe rebuilding at least some semblance of their normal lives as they waited to figure out what to do next. A nice change of pace from the frantic running from village to village. But always in the background there was a worry, a doubt. The kids kept bags of supplies stashed away in case the nightmare started again and they had to flee once more.
But then little by little news began to drift in. News that the Sky People had indeed departed, that the fighting had stopped. But that nearly half of the villages in the region were in ruins. That Awa'atlu, where the humans had made their war camp, now stood abandoned, though many scars remained in the surrounding area.
And so the call went out for a Council of Elders to convene, the meeting to be held here, in the village they now resided in. And little by little the new reality began to set in. This was real. They had a respite, they enemy departing willingly. And now they were left to wonder what would happen next. The choice before them was clear enough. Would they accept the peace tossed their way? Or would they pursue war on their own terms? The Sully children supposed it would be in the hands of the council. So they settled in to wait for it to gather.