Fortress - Avatar: The Way of Water

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The family followed the chief's daughter, single-file, across the walkways stretching between tents, each carrying something for their new home, their new life. 

Water creatures chittered from below, peeking up curiously at the newcomers. Tuk started jumping around, imitating the creatures.

Tsireya came to a stop in front of a tent. "Here is your new home."

"Yeah, this is good, this'll work, right?" Dad said. Mama took one look around, threw down their belongings, and heaved a heavy sigh. There was a lot of that going around.

"Thank you," Dad told Tsireya.

"Of course, I will leave you all to get settled. Welcome to our village." She had been the kindest and most welcoming so far - too bad the whole family was not in a very friendly mood themselves after the stress and journey. 

"Okay, gather round," Dad called to them, calling a family meeting. Everyone crouched in a circle around him. 

Exhaustion and fear settled in - Tuk was crying. "I want to go home."

"Oh, Tuk-" Mama tried to comfort her.

"This is our home now," Dad told them. "Now I need you kids to be on your best behaviour. Listen and learn and pull your weight. We have to show them that we can live their way of life."

"What does your father always say?" Mama prompted.

"Sullys stick together," came some half-hearted murmurs.

"Yes, Sullys stick together. Now with a little feeling this time," Dad urged.

"Sullys stick together," came the collective chant.

"Yes, there. That's more like it. We'll all start our lessons tomorrow, but for now we all can have some much-needed rest."

While the others readied themselves for bed, Eytu pulled their father aside.  "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"I don't understand: you speak like the man who is after us is the same one you fought before all those years ago - but he is dead. How is he back now?"

Dad sighed. "I don't know."

"We should kill them and send them back where they came from."

"It's not that simple. Right now, I just want to keep us all safe, okay. You leave all that to your mother and I. Okay?"

"Okay." 

Not a chance.

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Only a few hours here and they were already causing trouble - or rather, their Ikrans were. 

Some of the villagers were trying to settle the beasts. They seemed as uncertain about this new territory as Eytu felt. 

"We have to let them go," Dad said. "Let them fly back to the forest where they belong."

"But what about our tsaheylu?" cried Mama. She had already lost her first Ikran, Seze, in the Great Battle. 

"Well be able to reconnect, this isn't permanent. It's temporary, not forever."

"Maybe not, but certainly for the foreseeable future. I lost one once, I will not again," Mama said.  "We will care for them, the villagers will not have to worry."

And so, Dad, Kiri, Neteyam and Lo'ak all set their Ikrans free, while Mama and Eytu clung to theirs. 

"This really sucks," Lo'ak grumbled.