An Empty Cup | Avatar. Miles Quaritch

2. The Pululukan

When his eyes eventually opened the night had passed. It was early morning and the forest had woken to sing its beautiful song. Waking others in its sound. I had barely slept, the feeling of this demon waking whilst I am not conscious made my skin crawl. But after the day had passed he awoke finally.

The first thing he did was groan loudly and weakly in pain. His eyes turning from lazy slits too wide alert pearls. Yellow shocked and cautious eyes. He sat up straight when he spotted me, only to press one five-fingered hand to his stomach painfully. He stared.

"Did you do this to me?" He demands cautiously, his eyes skimming over the bandages and things around him. Food. He stared at it dubiously then back at me. I only twitched my nose as I straightened to stand. "The sky-persons did." I mutter, using one hand to point to the food beside him. "Eat." His ears have flicked back in pain but are resuming to sit straight. "Why are you helping me?" He growls, suspisiously glaring at the food.

My bow is perched where I crouched against the wall. I pick it up and tighten it around my torso. "Eywa gave us a sign, she has a reason for everything." I reply calmly, patting the string around my chest. "Stay and heal, I will take you back to where your from soon." With that I head towards the door. "Eat, I will be back before you finish."

I step out of the door and swing down the branches landing on the floor. Searching around hastily when Stri'wey isn't in sight. I call out loudly. Theres rustling and a lazy call back in the trees above me. I look up to see a mix of dull purple and yellow with the bark and covered hidden in leaves. My mind relaxes at seeing her resting.

Theres loud rustling as a large black creature approaches. Its large dark eyes find mine as it stands before me. I lean forward, rubbing my hand along her nose and over her head. My hand travelling over her body until it lands on the large scar from the stab she inflicted years ago. I found her in the aftermath of the war against humans. She had been stabbed deeply and on the brink of death. I sympathised and used what Eywa provided for me to heal and help her. I got myself hurt in the process but it was worth it.

Payiway her name is. I didn't name her myself. She had the name when we bonded, meaning she Tshahaylued with another before me. Her other must've either died or formed a bond with another. Whichether, I sympathise. She was on her own dieing when I found her.

With a soft smile I rub the scar carefully, Payiway yowls pleasantly as I start scratching her stomach. "Where are your children? Are they around?" I ask in mothers tongue, squinting my eyes. She purrs in response. I smile at her. Before my ears twitch back at the sound from my home above. I sigh heavily as my hand soothes over Payiway's head, calming her protective growling.

The Avatar manages his way down the tree and hits the floor with a thud and a groan. He obviously didn't see me below him, maybe thinking of an escape. But I have no intentions to hurt him.

His head raises at the loud growling from Payiway. I press my hand too her large colar. "Calm, Payiway, calm." I reasure, she yowls at the Avatar. His ears pinned against his head and his eyes wide. "I told you stay." I snap harshly. He hisses at me challengingly. Making Payiway move up on her hind legs, rising to his challenge in defense of me. Which he didn't think would happening. Hes like a child.

Hastily I connect Tshahaylu, calming the pululuka down swiftly. "I said calm, he is no threat, he is naive." I reasure, rubbing her cheek carefully. She calms fully eventually when the Avatar puts his hands infront of him defensively. "Jesus, what is that thing?" He demands, moving to stand stiffly, one hand on his lower side stomach.

"She is Payiway, do not anger her." I mutter, disconnecting the Tshahaylu slowly. "Go to your children, they will worry." I exhale in mother tongue, pushing her head away softly indicating for her leave, she yowls before trodding off to her young.

"I told you to stay." I snap at him, ears back threateningly. "I just want to leave." He replies stiffly. "I told you! I take you back tomorrow, you need rest before journey." I say harshly, ears flicked back. "No, now, I can't wait too long, Ardmore will have my scalp." He replies hastily, his breathing picked up. I blink. "I do not understand." I state. He rolls his giant yellow eyes. "Fine, with your impatience, we leave soon, rest for now."

Reluctantly agreeing with my demand he turns and sits against the tree trunk. I point one of my large fingers up towards my home. "No, no fucking way." He replies breathlessly. "Up, now, I will not leave you vulnerable. Home is safe." I reply, walking towards the lowest branch beside him. He growls softly. "Up." I repeat, lifting myself onto a high branch. "Now."

After a second he stands and starts slowly lifting himself. "Careful." I state before making it too the wooden platform and entering my home. The Avatar man soon joins. Sitting once again where he was propped up earlier. "Rest." I demand, moving too the bowl of water in the corner. Carefully, I wash the paint off of my skin. My face, legs, arms, and torso smudges with purple and yellows. The same colour as Stri'wey.

"Who are you?" He asks behind me. I turn my head slowly. "You need not to know my name demon." I reply, tipping water over my flicked back ears. Eventually cleaning my body of the dye and standing again. Picking up the bowl and tipping the water out of the window, directly on the plants below.

With a long strech I turn and crouch down comfortably, crouching on the balls of my feet. The avatar looks me up and down. "Why do you look like that?" He asks cautiously. I blink. "Like what, demon?" I tilt my head softly. "Stop it with the demon. My name is Miles." He states, making me shrug. "Like what." I repeat.

"First, your skin." His eyes dart to my stripes before back at my face. Oh, my white stripes. "Why are you like that?" He asks, sitting up fully to examine me. "I am what Eywa made me." I reply shortly, slipping my bow off my back and setting it down. "What about your eyes?" I wrinkle my nose. I have blue eyes instead of yellow like other forest Na'vi. "I am what Eywa made me." I repeat stiffly.

Blood had seeped through the bandages around his shoulder. I squint my eyes at them. His eyes move down to them, I stand straight and walk to the wall, picking up a bandage I scavenged from train wreckages, and walk towards him. Crouching down. Just as I reach a hand out he flinches away. "Do not." I state, putting my hand on his arm firmly and dragging him forward. "You are hurt." I mutter, placing the bandage down to remove the cloth around his wounded shoulder.

Eventually his collarbones are free and hes practically bare ontop, apart from the bandage around his stomach. I peer at his shirtless torso. He was a pretty good build for an intruder, Eywa had to give him an attractive body.

After a few minutes I finish the new bandage and place the bloodied one elsewhere. Then go back to my spot near my bow. "Rest, we leave soon." With that he just shrugs, guessing I'm not a threat to his life, and turns away. Leaning on one side to relax and eventually fall asleep.

I tsk softly and stand, walking towards the shelf and picking up my blade, holding my bow in the other hand. Carefully I etch a small tally into it. Indicating a loss of a stripe. I sigh softly.

Great Mother Eywa, I trust your sign.

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HEY GUYSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ty for following the story so far, its too kind. Especially after posting after sooooo long, I have motivation now!

I've always been obbsessed with Avatar >:)

(btw the characters name is Ray'ala)