Tsawke|Tsu'tey/Oc

22-Tìfnu tsawl

The thumping of her own pulse in her reddened ears, the pounding of her heart in her chest. The crooked, awkward grin on her face. She hates being poked at by kids.

Not that she hates kids, but many children of the Omatikaya have been displaced and she decided to watch the ones who haven't been taken into a family. So she has a gaggle of Na'vi girls and boys following her around.

The boys tease her with questions about or for Tsu'tey, and the girls ask about what love is, and it's been a bit much for her. When she finally decides to get up from the root she was sitting on, the kids had already sprung upon her about more questions about the palulukan she bonded with or what it was like to battle the Skypeople.

"Alright, little people. How about a story? I can tell you skypeople stories, stories from the Syu'tsani, I can make one up." She offered. The children's eyes lit up like the forest at night, they chattered ceaselessly about what story they wanted.
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While I'm telling them stories, Tsu'tey is trying to find a home for the clan. There are not enough resources here to sustain the clan. Not only that but, sleeping on the ground is something the elders shouldn't be doing. It's not good for their back.

So, I'm telling them stories, keeping them occupied, while the adults handle this. It feels reminiscent of when I had to babysit the neighbors kid. Parents where arguing, kid couldn't cope.

Oh I hope divorce isn't a thing here on Pandora, I don't want a messy break up.
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Later in the evening, Mo'at calls for Kohane. The Elders had made the decision for Kohane to train as the future conduit for all spiritualism for this clan. While this is unprecedented new for Kohane, Mo'at has seen this path for her.

"Your training, child, will be very difficult. Every Tsahik of the Omatikaya goes through Aynariwotx. This path will begin here." She said while gesturing to the root which both of them stood over.

"What do you mean, matriarch?" Kohane questioned. The root looked like any ordinary root, it wasn't connected to a sacred tree in a visible sense, she knew now that all trees are connected, but it was an ordinary root. It was elevated from the ground due to the way it grew.

"Meditation, no one is born with the ability to hear Eywa. With meditation, you will clear your mind-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, matriarch... there's a problem when I clear my mind. I go back into my alien body." Kohane warned.

"I thought this may be a problem. That's why, you will meditate with your eyes open. It's as easy as it is when they are closed. And after I believe you can hear Eywa, we will make a pilgrimage to the tree of souls. Your ceremony is overdue." She instructed. As exciting as that is, Kohane struggled not to fall asleep the first time.

The heavy feeling of sleep came up one her, and the temptation only furthered as night came to the Omatikaya. Her legs and bottom ached from the rough bark, the darkness shrouded her eyes, and the sounds of the night where not loud enough to keep her awake.

Jake, who had become an advisor to Tsu'tey, had found her, nearly asleep.

"Hey! Sleepyhead, get up. Dinner is ready." He called to her like her grandfather would when she'd come home late from school and the photography club.

"Jake, I just wanna sleep now." She confessed.

"What happened to becoming the next spiritual leader? I thought you'd be stoked." He helped her up from the root.

"I'm not sure what it is I'm doing. I sat out there all day to hear Eywa and I heard nothing." She groaned and followed her enthusiastic friend to the clan.

"I asked Neytiri what the odds where that you'd succeed. Since she heard nothing today, she knew you'd be out here all day."

"So no one came to get me?"

"Not exactly, Neytiri said that patience is part of the training. We all know you need it."

"Ex-fucking-scuse you?"

Tsu'tey found them before Kohane decided Jake didn't need a tail and rip him a new hole. She was seething but also seemed frustrated, so he tried not to speak much on her training and instead tell her how many of the displaced children had missed her stories.

"Many children asked for you today, they seemed to want stories from you." He said genially. His smile was at its brightest. He loved seeing her with the clans people, especially with children. He never says it, but he would love a simple life with her, away from the burden of leadership. Maybe one day, he'll put his title down and let someone else lead to take care of his family.

"Well, maybe I'll have to tell them another one at last meal." She smiled.

When they had all arrived to eat, Mo'at was missing from the gathering. It's not unusual, but what was unusual, was the missing elders. They usually sit together and sometimes lead in song.

Kohane decided to ignore it and eat. Whatever the food was, she couldn't remember. It was savory and juicy, tender.

She ended up racing off to her spot to rest and fell asleep immediately.
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The next day she was sent out to meditate again, to no avail. Again and again, she's become exhausted from the lack of sleep and has been fasting besides one meal a day.

Out of concern for her new pupil, Mo'at devised a plan. They would journey to the fallen Hometree to witness the silence.
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Mo'at would be taking a pa'li while I take Txo'nari. The ashes where spread widely over the land I used to call home. I know Mo'at must be feeling a great deal of pain, her mate died here.

I landed when I saw her stop, when we were deep in the ashes which floated around from the low gravity.

"Meditate here." She referred to the piece of Hometree. I sat down on the rough wood and tried to hear something. Anything. There was nothing. It was silent. And I was drowning in the silence and eerie calm.

The photo is unrelated, but it's a new sneak peek at avatar 2 so I thought I'd share it.