Fortress - Avatar: The Way of Water

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It was decided: they were leaving.

Leaving the Clan, their Home. Leaving this part of Pandora altogether. 

Mama and Dad were giving up their roles as Clan Leaders so that the family could move away. 

How long were they going for? Everyone wondered. No one knew. 

"Home doesn't have to mean where you live. It also means your family," Dad reminded them as they readied their Ikrans for the flight - the long flight ahead. 

Stay strong. Strong heart. Strong heart. 

But strong heart or not, that didn't make leaving home any easier or any less painful. 

They traveled for days, with little rest time - Dad wanted to get the invaders off their scent as quickly as possible and put as much distance between the family and their beloved forest as possible. It was painful, but it was necessary.  

"Are we there yet?" Tuk asked, and more than once. The other kids didn't ask it, but they were wondering as well. 

Finally, they reached their place of sought sanctuary: the reefs of the Metkayina Clan. The Clan was spread out across many villages throughout thousands of islands - they would be safe here, could disappear. Or at least that was what Dad intended. First, they had to appeal to the Clan Leaders with their plight. 

Their arrival to the village on the backs of their Ikrans was a sight to behold, and many villagers rushed to see the newcomers, a mix of curious, confused, and apprehensive. 

The Metkayina people were blue-skinned as well, though a lighter blue, more turquoise in colour. They had wider arms and tails good for the water. Their eyes were blue as well, unlike the striking Omaticaya yellow.

"Leave it," Dad told Mama as they dismounted, as she reached for her bow.

Eytu was bringing theirs. It was looped over their shoulder, ready and close at hand if necessary. Mama huffed but left the weapon behind. 

Dad led their procession, Eytu standing protectively behind the rest. 

"I see you, Tonowari, Olo'eyktan of the Metkayina clan. I see you." Dad gave the greeting and gesture to the tall, tattooed man before them, and everyone followed his lead. 

"Oel ngati kameie."

"Oel ngati kameie."

"Jake Sully, what are you doing here? Why do you come to us?"

"Our family is being hunted by the Sky People. Our home is not longer safe. We seek sanctuary, we seek uturu."

Tonowari blinked back in surprise.  "But we are reef people, you are forest people, your skills will be useless here."

"We can learn, we can adapt."

Distracted from the conversation, the kids watched a young Metkayina woman emerge from the water, flipping her long hair over her shoulder, all of her movements swift and graceful. 

"Hey," Lo'ak greeted her. 

She giggled. Neteyam gave him a look. Eytu snorted. 

"Haha, look at their skinny little tails," one boy said.  "How are they supposed to swim with that?"

"Ao'nung, Rotxo, stop," the girl chided, slapping their hands away.

The Tsahik pushed her way through the crowd and Dad interrupted his pleading their case to greet her. 

 "I see you, Ronal, Tsahìk of the Metkayina clan. I see you." Again, the others followed suit.

"Oel ngati kameie."

"Oel ngati kameie."

"Oel ngati kameie."

Their echoed greetings overlapped. 

"My husband was Toruk Makto. He led the clans to war against the Sky People. He led us to victory," Mama told them proudly. 

"And now where has that victory brought you? You call this victory,  running to us. It would seem Eywa has turned her back on you, great one," Ronal responded. 

Mama hissed, Ronal not missing a beat and hissing back.

After a few more hisses, Dad intervened.  "I apologize for my mate-" He took Mama's arm.

Wong move, Dad, wrong move.

"Do not apologize for me," she snapped, smacking his hand away. 

"-We've all had a very long journey, and are exhausted."

"At least if they will not accept us, perhaps we can spend the night and rest up before continuing on," Eytu suggested. It really did not seem like the Clan was going to accept them. 

"Toruk Makto is a great warrior," Tonowari announced to the surrounding people.  "But we are not at war, nor can we risk you bringing your war here to us."

"All we want is to disappear. We will cause no trouble, you have my word."

Ronal began her own scrutiny of the newcomers. "Their arms are thin, as are their tails," she said, inspecting said limbs on various family members as she went. "They are not suited for the water. They will be slow simmers." Then she gasped and grabbed Kiri's hand, raising it up for all to see.  "Demon hands! Half-breed!" Everyone gasped in horror.

"Hey, stop! I'm not." Kiri yanked her hand away.  Eytu's own hand of four fingers and a thumb, like that of the Sky People, clenched into a tight fist at this. They stepped forward. "Oel ngati kameie, but leave my sister alone."

"Hey, hey, I have four fingers too." Dad held up his own hand. "Look, look! I was born of the Sky People, but then I became Na'vi. Please, I'm just trying to keep my family safe."

Everyone was silent for some time. Then, finally, Tonowari spoke.  "It is decided: you will be accepted amongst our people. Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. My son, Ao'nung, and my daughter, Tsireya, will teach your children the ways of our village."

The boy who had been teasing them earlier objected.  "Father, why-"

But Tonowari cut him off with a firm, "It is decided." Then he addressed the rest of the people once more. "They will be like babies, taking their first breath.  But they will learn. Do not let them suffer the shame of being left behind."

"What do we say?" Dad urged/ 

"Thank you."

"Thank you, sir." 

"Irayo." All was murmured from everyone.

The daughter, Tsireya, came forward. "Welcome Sully Family. Come, I will show you our village." She gestured for them to follow, a bounce in her step. 

(In case you're interested, I've started another Avatar series that focuses on the Quaritch/Socorro 'family' side of things!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))