The Way of the Forest

The Two Hunters

There is a moment of stunned silence as the Metkayina take the next few seconds to absorb what the young girl just said. Tonowari sucks in a few deep breaths, wondering if Eywa really has reached down and offered this boon so unceremoniously. No one will catch him complaining one bit, though. It felt like gift from Eywa to get someone who was part of Toruk Makto's clan in the first place, but his own daughter?

Tonowari tries hard to summon the faint memory from all those years ago. Jake Sully, of his memories, was similar to most forest Na'vi he had ever seen. The dark shade of blue, the lighter markings, tall with a trim waist. His shoulders were a touch broader than average and his features softer. He had hair over his eyes that were extremely expressive and when he talked with his hands, he had five fingers on both hands. But aside from small changes, if Tonowari hadn't already known from the man himself what he was, he wouldn't have automatically guessed.

Jake had been commanding, passionate, assured. He had been strong and charismatic, convincing Tonowari and his people to stand guard in case of water forces from bases that he knew of that might send some reinforcements to stave off the attack from the forest Na'vi. His people saw some action, alongside the other clans that agreed to follow Toruk Makto, but nothing like what the forest clans of Na'vi saw.

When the war was over, Toruk Makto circled through the allied clans one final time to thank them all for their support and left them with that seldom hand of mercy. Should any of the clans be in need of his assistance, they need only ask. Tonowari thought that the Sky People were gone, he wasn't sure if he was ever going to need the help of Toruk Makto, and even though it wasn't side-by-side, his clan will always remember that they fought alongside one such mighty warrior.

How foolish he had been. Jake Sully must have known. That was why he offered his assistance. He knew one day, maybe not with certainty of when, but he knew that one day the Sky People would return, and people would need his help.

Their brief interactions were pleasant, and he was only a few short years younger than Tonowari himself, and yet the older of the two admired him. He was strong and fearless, compassionate and kind. And without a shadow of a doubt, Tonowari knew that he would be an amazing Olo'eykton. And from what he had heard from meetings with clan leaders that had some connections to the forest Na'vi, as far as anyone knew, Toruk Makto's clan was thriving under his care.

Tonowari's eyes lower to the little girl's hand, noting the typical Na'vi four fingers. She must have gotten that from her mother. Toruk Makto must have mated with a Na'vi, because from where he's knelt down, she looks like any other Na'vi from the forest that he's ever seen. If she got any Sky People traits from her father, then they aren't obvious to Tonowari.

But if what she's saying is true, then Eywa is looking out for them. His family desperately needed this.

"You are the daughter of Toruk Makto?" Tsireya asks surprised while her father was working his way through his thoughts.

"Yes," the little girl says, her eyes cresting with her smile. "My name is Tuk." She reaches up to a brightly colored bead that is hanging right in front of her right eye, distinctly different from the other ones that hang from her other braids. But it's getting too dark to be able to tell what color it is aside from being lighter than the rest. "The one bead means I'm the baby."

With a little wave, she gestures for them to follow her deeper into the thicket, already seemingly knowing the way that they needed to go. The relief of the other present Na'vi is palpable. At least someone knew where they were going. The Metkayina gather themselves quickly and follow after.

After brief introductions from the Metkayina, to which she keeps looking back to put a name to a face before focusing on where she's going, Tsireya comes closer to ask, "Is it the bead color or something? Is there a hierarchy in the Omatikaya amongst the Olo'eykton's children?"