The unlikely lovers, Hia'ino and Tsu'tey went through the hardship of falling in love, facing war, healing from it and creating, nurturing new life. They brought in three children into the world. Yoräyu, Eyte'lan, and Naraya.
In part, Tsu'tey would train Spider, helping him by painting stripes on him. And despite him being old enough to be his dad, their was a bond that seemed almost brotherly between them. Probably from Spider's lack of father or motherly figure.
Hia would often speculate if she made the right choice to involve themselves with his life. But alongside their kids, technically his nephew and nieces, spider fit in well. The kids would never call Spider their uncle. The twins were especially adamant of this. They weren't much younger, only by a year.
Tsu'tey began training with them. The twins were starkly different. Yoräyu was confident and competitive. Eyte'lan was sensitive and easygoing. With spider thrown into the mix, they were a wild trio. Though, spider really belonged more to the "sulli" family. His had no idea why they didn't call themselves the Tskaha family. It was a superior name.
He especially took to Kiri. She was a clever girl who took after Grace, sometimes even sounded like her. They were a large and busy family. Three biological children, one adopted, one coming in and out.
That wasn't unlike the Rongloa-Kan'ina family. Their children had many of their flaws. Yoräyu was stubborn, so stubborn, the same could be said for Eyte'lan to an extent. Eyte'lan would jump to conclusions too fast. Yoräyu would play too rough for her siblings liking. Eyte'lan was too quiet for Yoräyu.
There was a certain dynamic in the family, Tsu'tey was the obvious provider, but he was busy. Whatever time he had, he spent with his family, most often with Hia or Yoräyu. His conversations with his oldest would often be about great hunts, heroic feats. Eyte'lan didn't like these discussions. Instead, he'd look up at his mother with smiling curious eyes and ask about love or Eywa, stories about how his parents fell in love. And she'd tell him the same thing;
"I met your father after I met Neytiri. I travelled with Uncle Jake to the Omatikaya. Your father had the most angry look on his face. But he taught me the way after some convincing. Grandmother took me in, after a time of sorrow, your father and I became one." She would say softly, being careful about her words.
"Your mother was a creature of terror and red mist." Tsu'tey would say to his daughter, "I had never seen someone fight the way she does. When you're old enough, maybe she may teach you."
Late night discussions would come on date night. They'd go to their spot in the mountains, spend their time how they saw fit, whether it was consummating their love and bond, or talking.
"Neytiri doesn't like Spider." Hia would say in a dejected, almost angry tone.
"Why not? He is na'vi as much as you are. It is spirit that counts, she said so about Jake." Tsu'tey responded with surprise.
"She says he has to be with his own kind." Hia seethed at that. Aria or not, Hia saw Spider as her brother, her kin. Blue or not.
"He is. Her prejudice is justified though. She has lost much."
"Who hasn't?" Hia would rest her hand on his stomach as she laid on him, taking in these happy moments. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The time moved too fast. Like a dream.
Changes in them were evident. Tsu'tey was visibly the same. Too stubborn to change. He wore a bun in his hair now that it had grown longer, he wore more intricate clothes to reflect his status as, more or less, a co-Olo'eyktan. He had scars from the bullets. He suffered pain from the trauma and occasionally had coughing fits related to the chest wounds. But he healed well so his ability as a warrior hadn't diminished. In fact, it improved with experience.
Hia let Neytiri braid her hair, it was upper back length, just under her shoulder blades. She tanned a little from the sun, she was tinged purple blue and if she stayed in a cave for a season, she would be her natural deep midnight blue. She wore clothes indicative of a warrior despite her innate spiritual abilities. She had become something of a shaman and a huntress. She pursued both as she had a talent for both. But she spent most of her time with her growing family and caring for her youngest who was three.
It was on one of those nights when the kids rested early that, in the distance, Hia saw it. Something burned across the sky. Too bright. It could only mean one thing. They were here.
All of them landed in sync with one another, creating a ring where they landed. A ring of scorched earth. The flames spread wide, burning away all life, searing a mark into the planet. Massive trees like hometree were incinerated, turned to dust in seconds and when that was over, the dozers came and the AMP suits. The fire and smoke stretched on as far as the eye could see. It rendered Hia frozen in place. Only for a while before Tsu'tey had to pull her away. She felt so sick.
All they could do was prepare.
