I should probably be working on my other story but am currently obsessed with the world of Avatar, so here we are. I hope you enjoy! Please give comments, or any other form of creative criticism. Let me know how you like the characters ( original and canon; I am particularly interested if I am capturing Quaritch in a believable way.)
Italics is speaking in Na'vi if there are quotation marks. Thoughts are also italicized if there are no quotation marks.
Warning - there is some uncomfortable touching in the first chapter. Nothing extreme, but you are warned.
Chapter One
Today was the day she would be free.
Tlalli te Tswesya Tsahra'ite looked upon herself in the waters on her chamber. Her eyes flickered up as shadows played across the walls.
Deep within the mountain, chambers such as this had been carved from the rock and hollowed out. They glistened with the precious metals of the earth, shining as fire bounced from the surfaces of the veins that protruded from the stone walls.
Returning her gaze to the waters, she stared at her eyes that had once been bright and happy but now were lifeless. The shade of her skin was powdery blue, her stripes like ripples of water. She came from the River People, the Tswesya. Like her, their skin was lighter, and their eyes were larger to better see under the water, similar to their oceanic cousins from the reefs.
Blinking, her eyes roamed over her reflection to see the crimson silk adorning her body. The ceremonial dress she was forced to wear for the fertility ceremony taking place this night. It was a single cloth that wrapped around her breasts, crossing behind her to reveal her naval where a precious pearl piercing adorned her body. The silk wrapped back around her waist and flowed down her legs. The silk matched her hair, which was a curse to her. It was the very reason she had been taken.
A sign from the Great Mother.
His words echoed in her mind, and she shuddered at the memory of his fingers running through her fiery curls the night he took her from her home.
She had been born with the rare red crown of hair of the Tswesya people. When she first arrived, she had sheered it with a knife out of spite. He had not been happy to find her hair lying on the stone floor of her chamber. She had been forbidden from sharp objects ever since.
Pushing a curl behind her pointed ear, her finger brushed against the piercings that adorned the shell of her ear. Made from the pearls and smooth stones of the rivers she called home; they served as a reminder that she would see her family again.
She ran a finger against the curve of her lower lip and brushed against the small pearl that pushed out from her skin just under her lip. Her tsang'awve; the first piercing. When she came of age, she received it, like all other young females of the Tsweysa, to show she was a woman grown.
"Ma'tsyeym,"
Hearing his voice caused her spine to stiffen. My treasure. That was what he called her. That was what he called all of them. They were his treasures; one from a different region of Eywa'eveng. There was Mireya of the Mountain who was the first wife and was devoted to Tulukan. Then came Zeva of the Plain. She was already in the mountain when she arrived. Soon after Liriyi of the Forest came and the newest addition to Tulukan's harem was a shock to them all. Tayal of the Reef was only twelve years old, a child.
She felt his hands on her shoulders and his hot breath as it brushed against her neck. His lips soon followed, searing into her flesh like fire.
Holding the scream inside her throat, she turned to face him. Tulukan, the Olo'eyktan of the Reypayram clan.
He was an impressive male, tall and broad shouldered. His nose had a sharp green stone piercing through the septum, matching the two green stones extending his ear lobes. They were small, not too large. His eyes were sharp, a shade of crimson like other Reypayram. His blue skin was darker than her own and his markings were like knives, viciously pointed. His hair was black and long, braided down his back, adorned with the precious metals from the mountain.
Tulukan pressed his nose against the side of her face and inhaled her scent, "You smell so sweet, Ma'tsyeym."
She offered him a shy smile, knowing he preferred her submissive.
He tilted his head as he observed her and lifted her chin, "You are worried about tonight."
Silent, Tlalli looked away from his eyes only to find herself staring up at him when he took her face in his hand harshly. A low whimper escaped her lips, and she hated herself for showing such weakness. But she could not lie and say he did not frighten her. He ran his thumb over the softness of her lips and sighed, "I will not hurt you."
She pulled away, gently taking his hand from her face, holding it between her own. She felt him wrap his other arm around her waist as he brushed the curve of her back, just above her tail. She hated how he always touched her. His touch made her feel unclean and disgusted.
Hesitantly, she looked up at him, "I do not wish to displease you."
Smiling widely, he brushed his nose against her cheek and spoke to her gently, "You will not displease me. It brings me joy to see you have accepted our bond."
Pulling back, he glanced down at her behind hooded red eyes, "I see you, Tlalli. My greatest treasure."
Gasping as her feet left the ground, Tlalli rested her hands against his broad shoulders and looked down at Tulukan as he lifted her up and wrapped his arms around her waist. He swayed slightly as he brought one of his hands up to her face and ran a finger along the pearl that rested against her lower lip, "Do you see me?"
She quickly nodded and he gave her a look of satisfaction before setting her back down on her feet, "You are so small, Ma'tsyeym."
Indeed, she was small. The people of the river were smaller than other Na'vi. But where they lacked in size, they made up for in speed.
Lifting a hand, she caressed his arm as she asked, "May I see her now?"
Tulukan gave her a smile and nodded, "I gave you my word. I must go; the ceremony will begin soon. I will send for you when it is time."
Tlalli bowed her head and said, "Thank you great Olo'eyktan."
The leader of the clan took her face between his hands and pulled her close, "After tonight, you will truly be my mate. I have been patient with you, Tlalli. But I cannot deny myself any longer."
Biting her lip, Tlalli nodded but remained silent. It was true that Tulukan had not taken her as a mate before Eywa. He had promised he would wait until she was ready to accept him, but he had come to her a month ago to say he was done waiting. It had been over a year since she arrived here, and now she could not stop what was happening tonight.
He pushed his lips against hers in a possessive kiss before pulling away and with a breathless voice, said, "I will make sure to put a prrnen in your belly tonight."
She shivered and watched as he left her chamber. A moment later, she saw the face of her little sister; Tlila.
She was only fifteen years old and had been dragged here along with Tlalli. She was only a child. But Tulukan used her to keep Tlalli in line, to not defy him. Tlila raced into her sister's arms and let out a cry, "Tsmuke!"
Tlalli wrapped her arms around her as tears burned her eyes. Her little sister had the same shade of hair as her own but did not have the same curl. It had grown so long since their time in the mountain. Her eyes were a soft hue of blue, like the waters of the Great River. Her powdery skin was even paler than her own due to being kept from the sun inside the caverns of the mountain. "Let me see you,"
Tlalli begged, pushing her sister back. Examining her, Tlalli could not see any signs of mistreatment. Cupping her sister's face, Tlalli asked, "Are you hurt?"
Tlila shook her head as tears fell down her face. She gripped Tlalli's forearms and said shakily, "He's going to…"
She could not finish the words, and Tlalli shook her head fiercely, "No! I will not let him. I will die before that happens!"
Looking hopeless, Tlila asked, "How are you going to stop him? He's already hurt Zeva and Mireya is already with child. Tayal is too young, but Liriyi will be next. No one here would defy him!"
Tlalli had known this night would come and she would not let Tulukan take her in such a way. Laying her hands on Tlila's shoulders, Tlalli said, "Not everyone."
The sound of running feet caused Tlalli to look up and push Tlila behind her. She let out a sign of relief at the sight of Va'ri. She was an older woman who had placed in charge of their daily care. She had agreed to help Tlalli, feeling sympathy for her and the other females trapped within the mountain. "You must come now!"
Va'ri cried, looking behind her to watch for warriors. "What's going on?"
Tlila asked, fear in her voice. Taking her sister's hand, Tlalli said firmly, "We are getting out of here."
"But-" Tlila began but was cut off by her sister, who tip-toed to the entryway, "We have to have strong hearts now, Tlila."
Strong hearts.
The words echoed in Tlila's mind as she followed her sister. As they peered out the chamber, Tlila gasped at the sight of the two warriors posted outside the doorway slumped down. She watched as her sister and Va'ri dragged the warriors further inside. "Are they dead?" she asked, watching as Tlalli pulled a blade from one of the warriors belts.
Tlalli gave her a reassuring smile, "No. Only asleep."
"Not for long," Va'ri said as she thrust clothing into Tlila's chest.
Peering down, she recognized her beaded skirt, and a true smile crossed her lips. Holding it up, she admired the woven skirt. Made from the fibers of the eanean plant that grew along the banks of her home rivers. It was green in color with purple beads woven into the cloth along the edges.
Looking over, she saw that Tlalli had already changed into her own skirt and top. Her skirt was like her own, long with two slits on either side of her legs. The skirt jingled softly from the blue and purple river stones that dangled from the green fabric. Her top was decorated with tiny blue and purple stones with tiny white pearls around the neck that dangled down. Her arms moved freely between the fabric as it flowed down her shoulders and over her breasts. "Where are the others?"
Tlalli asked Va'ri, taking hold of the old woman's hand. "They are waiting for you. Tulukan believes they are on their way to the ceremony," Va'ri breathed out, clutching a hand to her chest, "You must go now!"
Tlalli pulled her into a hug and begged, "Come with us."
Va'ri pulled away and patted her face gently, "I cannot. This is my home child."
In farewell, Tlalli pressed her forehead to Va'ri's and whispered, "May Eywa protect you."
Tlalli grabbed Tlila's hand and pulled her from the chamber. Peering out slowly, they waited until there was no sign of movement in the cavern before quietly making their way through the stone cavern. Most of the clan were already at the ceremony so they would not have to worry about running into anyone. The large opening of the cavern system was up ahead, and Tlalli ran with all her strength towards it, clutching her sister's hand. When her feet hit the grass outside she stopped suddenly as the energy from the ground raced up her legs and through her being.
Her eyes closed and she let out a gasp of air at the feeling of warmth filled her. She could feel the great mother more vividly, more closely than she had in the past year now that stone did not separate her from Eywa. Opening her eyes, she saw as the sun began to fall behind the mountains. Darkness would soon fill the jungle around them, giving them cover in their escape.
Taking a shaky breath, Tlalli continued running through the thick brush of the jungle that surrounded the mountain. Tlila raced after her, pushing the waxy leaves of the trees out of the way as she chased Tlalli. A sudden chirp echoed through the trees and Tlalli stopped, holding out an arm to stop Tlila. Her ears twitched in the direction of a second chirp, and she moved to face the direction from which the sound came from. Movement emerged from the brush and Tlalli let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Liriyi.
A na'vi of the forest, Liriyi had midnight blue skin that lit up with the bioluminescent specks that followed her nervous system. Her eyes were soft amber and hair was black, loosely falling down her back. Tlalli pulled her into a hug and soothed the younger female as she let out a cry, "It's alright now. We are free."
"Not yet," came Zeva's voice.
Pulling away, Tlalli saw Zeva, a Na'vi of the plains emerge from the brush, holding little Tayal close. Tayal had the features of the reef people. With cyan skin with large blue eyes, Tayal had the expanded fin like hands and paddled tail of the reef people. As Zeva grew closer, Tlalli saw the resemblance she had to the forest people. Her skin was a similar shade to Liriyi and had yellow eyes that held resentment and determination.
"We will be," Tlalli reassured, resting a hand on Zeva's arm.
Together, they ran further into the jungle, heading towards the Great River. They would follow the river down to the delta where her people lived. From there, she could help return the others to their own people. They ran for hours until they could hear the rushing waters of the river. Letting out a sigh of relief, Tlalli gave her sister a smile, "We are almost there."
A gasp caused her to turn and see Zeva hunched over, clutching her belly. Tlalli reached her and laid a hand on her back, "What is wrong?"
Zeva shook her head, "It is nothing."
Rising, the plains Na'vi gave her a small smile, "I am out of shape after being stuck in that cave for so long."
Tlalli returned the smile, "Should we rest?"
Zeva looked over at the younger girls and saw them leaning against trees, breathing heavily. Nodding, Zeva turned to Tlalli, "We must find shelter first."
Tlalli agreed. The younger females needed to rest and by the way Zeva held her belly, Tlalli believed she did as well. They continued towards the river, the roar of the water growing louder as they grew closer. Soon they came to the edge of the jungle where the river flowed through it. They stood high above the water; a waterfall below them churned water down river. Tlalli watched as Tayal and Tlila race to the edge of the cliff to look down at the river.
"It's so big!" Tayal laughed.
Zeva and Liriyi joined them and Tlalli brought up the rear. "How are we going to get down?" Tlila asked, peering at the females around her.
Tlalli ruffled her sister's hair as she joined her, "We climb."
"Ftang!"
Gasping, Tlalli turned on her heels to see the Palulukan Tsamsiyu emerging from the tree line. Tulukan's elite warriors, trained to protect him and his treasures. They wore the hide of the great palulukan across their bodies to show their position within Tulukan's ranks. It was a great honor in the Reypayram clan. They wore red paint across their eyes and down their necks to resemble the blood of their enemies.
Tayal screamed and clung to Liriyi, who wrapped her arms around the young girl. Tlalli stepped in front of Tlila, reaching back to guard her with her arms as she faced the warriors. Zeva did the same as she stepped in front of Tayal and Liriyi. Tlalli hissed, "We will not go back!"
Zeva crouched low and hissed, revealing her teeth as she snarled towards the males. The warriors pulled their bows and aimed their arrows towards them. Reyku, the leader of the palulukan warriors held out his hands, "You have no choice. Come back and our Olo'eyktan will forgive you."
"Never!" Zeva screamed, lunging forward.
"Kehe!" Tlalli cried, reaching out to stop her, but it was too late.
The sound of the arrow hissing across the bowstring filled her with cold dread. She could only watch as the arrow hit Zeva and she stumbled back. Liriyi let out a scream and rushed forward to Zeva's aide, trying to steady her. But she was far smaller than Zeva and was not strong enough as the older Na'vi woman fell back, causing Liriyi to slip from the edge and fall into the river below with Zeva.
"Liri!" Tayal cried, falling to her knees to watch as the two females be taken by the power of the river.
Tlalli looked back towards the warriors to see Reyku holding a knife against the neck of the warrior who had fired the arrow, berating him for harming one of Tulukan's treasures. She moved without thinking. Grabbing hold of the girls, she pushed them over the edge into the water without warning and followed. The wind ripped through her hair momentarily before the shock of the cold water hit her like blades.
She pushed herself up to gasp for air as her body was pulled by the current of the river. Water blinded her eyes as she tried to find the girls in the rapids.
"Tlalli!"
She made out a hand reaching up from the water and moved her body forward, kicking her legs to close the distance between her and her sister. When she was close enough, Tlalli linked her arm with her sister's. "Keep your head above the water!" she cried over the roar.
Ahead of them, Tlalli could make out Liriyi and Tayal. Tayal was able to move through the water with ease thanks to her native upbringing in the ocean. She held on to Liriyi, guiding her through the raging waters. Tlalli and Tlila reached them and saw Zeva unconscious between them. The arrow protruded from her chest. The darkness of night hid them from the warriors and the speed of the water put distance between them. Tlalli could feel the water growing more violent and it was pulling them faster. The sound of roaring water filled her ears, and she looked ahead to see they were coming up to another waterfall.
"When we go over, keep your legs straight!" she hollered, taking Zeva from Tayal and Liriyi.
She pushed Tlila ahead of her and looked into her sister's frightened eyes, "You know what to do. This is the first of many runs."
Tlila's eyes flickered before steeling. Surviving a waterfall was one of the tests, or runs; the Kilvantul the Tsweysa people had to pass before they were considered adults, to show they could survive. She turned to face the approaching fall and took three deep breaths, preparing her lungs.
Tlalli wrapped her arms around Zeva and waited for the drop. She saw the others go over first, could hear Liriyi scream loudly as she disappeared over the fall. As she grew close, she took a series of deep breaths. Tlalli could feel the water disappear beneath her as she reached the crest of the waterfall and felt her body free fall as it dropped down. She closed her eyes, anticipating the impact. She filled her lungs with air just before she felt her feet enter the water below.
Opening her eyes, she could not see anything in the blackened water, but knew she still held Zeva in her arms. Pushing off the rocks beneath the water, Tlalli kicked her legs as hard as she could to reach the surface. The sounds of roaring water filled her eyes, along with crying as she broke the surface. Shaking her head to push her hair from her face, Tlalli called for help to pull Zeva from the water. She felt the weight of Zeva's body being removed from her arms and she fell to the ground, coughing.
Tlila rushed to her sister's side and patted her back to help expel the water from her lungs. Shaking her head, Tlalli cleared her mind as she looked up. The sky was clear, Naranawm glowing. Stars sprinkled across the vast night. There was enough light to see her surroundings as she rose to her feet.
She stumbled to where Zeva lay, surrounded by the other females. She fell to her knees and pushed Tayal back, "Go, go little one. You do not need to see."
Tlila pulled Tayal away, watching from a distance. Looking at Liriyi, Tlalli saw the despair in her eyes. Reaching out, she cupped her cheek, "Liriyi, we must be strong for Zeva."
The younger Na'vi nodded, "Yes. Strong. What can I do?"
Looking down at the injury, Tlalli's mind scrambled for the answer. Her mother's teachings came first. Peering down, she saw that Zeva was breathing. Good. She brushed the hair around Zeva's face away, and leaned close, "Zeva, can you hear me?"
Zeva moaned and tilted her head towards Tlalli's voice. Good, she was conscious. Looking down at the wound, she saw the arrow protruding through her chest. Tlalli looked at Liriyi and said, "Help me roll her. I need to see if the arrow went through."
Liriyi did as she asked, gently rolling Zeva to her side. As Zeva let out a painful moan, Liriyi whispered words of comfort as Tlalli looked to see the shaft of the arrow broke but a portion still stick out. Blood was not pouring from the wound, which was good. That meant she wasn't bleeding out at the moment.
As gently as they could, Tlalli and Liriyi set her back down. Tlalli looked over at the other girls and saw Tayal staring at Zeva. "Tayal,"
The young girl's head snapped up at the sound of her name. Giving a gentle smile, Tlalli said, "Can you bring water for Zeva?"
Nodding, the young girl turned to the river and Tlila followed.
"Will she be alright?" Liriyi asked, looking from Zeva to Tlalli.
Tlalli saw how pale Zeva was and how her breathing was growing shallow. Raising her gaze to Liriyi, she shrugged her shoulders in half defeat, "If I can remove the arrow and close the wound, she may."
Liriyi closed her eyes and began softly calling to Eywa. Tlalli felt her hand being touched and she looked down to see Zeva smiling at her weakly. Returning the smile, Tlalli bend over her, "We will get you some water and then we can remove this arrow so you may heal."
Zeva placed Tlalli's hand over her heart, "I go to be with Eywa now."
Tlalli shook her head sharply, "No! You cannot escape that place only to die here."
Zeva smiled reassuringly, "I am happy. I will see my family."
"Tlalli!"
Tayal and Tlila ran on soft feet towards them, eyes filled with panic. Tlila pointed behind them towards the jungle across the river, "We heard footsteps. There are others in the trees."
Pulling her sister close, she placed her hands on Zeva and said, "You three get Zeva to the trees."
Tlila watched as her sister walk towards the river and called out, "What about you?"
Tlalli turned sharply and pointed to the trees, "Hide!"
Liriyi and Tlila pulled Zeva towards the trees, further away from the river. Tayal followed with a leaf full of water. They settled down beneath a cluster of tihawnuwll. Once they were out of sight, Tlalli turned back towards the river and slipped into the water. She swam quietly to a bundle of paysyul and swam underneath to hide as she lifted the top of her head from the water, her nose brushing the top of the water, ears pressed against her head.
She could hear voices and the sound of feet trampling through the vegetation of the jungle. Light pierced through the trees and soon she saw a group of Na'vi emerge.
Well, they seemed to be Na'vi.
They wore clothing that were not of any clan she had ever seen, and they carried the weapons of the Sky People. Guns they were called.
"It came from over here, Colonel," one of them said, a male with a shaved head.
He spoke English, the language of the Sky People. She continued to study him. What appeared to be strange ionar sat atop his head and he had an unusual marking on his arm, a tattoo?
Another male emerged from the trees. Taller than the shaved head male, his black hair was cut close to his scalp, his queue running down his back. He too had a strange ikran-like tattoo on his left arm. He wore some kind of top with little pockets and leggings that covered all his lower half and coverings on his feet. Her mother called them shoes. He held a large gun between his hands, aiming down.
There was another male who carried a much larger gun. He was completely covered in vegetation like clothing. Camo! That's what it is called, she suddenly recalled. He also had the strange ionar resting on top of his head, his hair cut in a similar manner to Colonel. He had covering on his hands and by the look of them, he had four fingers and a thumb. Her eyes glanced at the others, and they too had the same hands. Were these the uniltìranyu from all those year ago?
Her eyes widened at the sight of a male sky person, a human, who emerged from behind this male. His skin had a pinkish hue and was painted with blue markings, similar to the stripes of a Na'vi. He had long brown hair in dreadlocks. A mask covered his face that allowed him to breathe, and a loin cloth covered his lower half. What was a human boy doing here?
A female was with them, covered in colorful tattoos. She had brown hair that was shaved except down the middle. She wore similar clothing to the one called Colonel. She shifted her hip and placed a hand on the opposite as she called over to the one who spoke, "You sure you heard something, Wainfleet?"
The one called Wainfleet turned towards her and pointed towards the falls, "I know I heard something!"
"Alright, alright," the one called Colonel said, stepping between them, "Let's take a look, see if we find anything. I doubt Sully's all the way out here but what the hell."
The human boy glared towards Colonel, "You're wasting your time. Jake would never come here."
Colonel turned to the human boy, "Why's that?"
The boy looked at him as though he were stupid and pointed out into the jungle, "The Reypayram are nearby."
"Who?" Wainfleet asked, turning towards them.
The boy looked at them in disbelief, "You seriously haven't heard about the Reypayram?"
Tlalli could see the one known as Colonel growing impatient with the boy, "You gonna share with the class then, son?"
The little human looked up at Colonel, "The Reypayram are a mountain clan. They're violent and don't like outsiders."
"Well, we got something for 'em if they want to try anything!" Wainfleet boasted, lifting his gun.
The boy shook his head and turned away, crossing his arms across his chest as he stared into the jungle. She watched as they spread out, searching. They must have heard their cries as they fell from the waterfall. Her eyes scanned between the strangers, watching them silently.
The one called Colonel approached the river and bent down to rest on his haunches. He reached down and cupped water between his hands before splashing it across his face. Tlalli tilted her head slightly in the water as she studied him. She could tell he was well muscled by how his pants stretched over his thighs and his arms held strength from the way the muscles rippled under his skin. He was a warrior. He had a strong jaw, and his bioluminescent speckles illuminated in the night. His eyes were an amber yellow and focused. His stripes were like branches of trees and his skin was the shade of midnight blue like the Na'vi of the forest.
"What the hell?" she heard Wainfleet mutter.
Tlalli turned her head, followed the bald male's line of sight and watched as he aimed the light on his gun towards the ground. Her eyes widened at the sight of blood pooled on the ground. Cursing, she realized that Zeva must have bleed while being moved.
"Got blood over here, sir!" Wainfleet called, causing Colonel to stand and turn away from the river.
No!
Tlalli watched as Colonel bent down and pressed his fingers against the blood, "Still warm. Must be close."
Rising, Colonel motioned towards the trees, "Let's circle 'round, see if we can't find who this blood belongs to."
Panic set in and Tlalli did not think as she rose from the water, causing it to splash and ripple. The sudden motion caused the strangers to turn, and she was blinded by the lights at the end of their guns.
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please leave a review!
Vocabulary:
Ma'tsyeym - my treasure
Eywa'eveng - name of Pandora
Olo'eyktan - leader of a particular Na'vi clan
prrnen - baby
Tsmuke - sister
Ftang - stop
Kehe - no
Naranawm - name of the gas giant, Polyphemus
tihawnuwll - the Spartan plant
paysyul-resembles an earth water lily pad
ionar - the eye shields that Na'vi wear when flying ikran, protects their eyes. They are made differently in individual clans.
uniltìranyu - Na'vi word for the avatars
Original World Building:
Great River - the largest river in the Eastern Delta, located near the the Eastern Sea.
Eastern Delta - a massive system of rivers in with the Tswesya clan live.
Tswesya Clan - from the word meaning "current", a nomadic Na'vi clan who live off of the rivers in the Eastern Delta. They have powdery blue skin and are small in size than other Na'vi. However they have extremely fast reflexes and speed. Their eyes are usually shades of blue and green and are large, similar to the Metkayina of the reef clans and have the same nictitating membrane ( third eyelid) that allows them to see underwater more clearly. They have a rare genetic mutation of red hair. A cultural trait of theirs is piercings to either show coming of age or merely decorative.
Reypayram Clan -from the word, "reypay" meaning blood and "ram" meaning mountain, led by Tulukan. It is a fierce mountain clan known as violent and war-loving.
Palulukan Tsamsiyu - the elite warriors trained to guard and serve Tulukan.
Kilvantul - "River run" tests young Tsweysa Na'vi undergo to come of age.
tsang'awve - "first piercing" - young female Na'vi of the Tswesya clan receive this piercing just below their lower lip to show they are of age.
Original characters -
Tlalli te Tswesya Tsahra'ite - A Na'vi female from the Tsweysa clan. She was abducted by Tulukan a year prior to the story's beginning. Stubborn but has great compassion.
Tlila te Tswesya Tsahra'ite - A fifteen year old Na'vi from the Tsweysa clan. Little sister to Tlalli. She was taken as well for being with Tlalli when she was abducted.
Zeva - A Na'vi female from the Plains. Strong-willed and tough.
Liriyi - A Na'vi female from one of the forest clans. She has a gentle spirit.
Tayal - A Na'vi female child of twelve years old. She comes from the reef clans.
Mireya - A Na'vi female from the Reypayram clan. She is the first wife of Tulukan and is fiercely loyal. She is currently pregnant.
Tulukan te Reylu Tulan'itan - Olo'eyktan of the Reypayram clan.
Reyku - leader of the Palulukan Tsamsiyu