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Ronal had decided against excessively training Atula their ways.
Ronal didn't want to put stress on her baby, and learning everything would indeed be extremely stressful for her. So, during the month that had passed, Ronal took measures into training Atula soft procedures for Awa'atlu such as, weaving baskets and clothing making.
However, today was one of those days of relaxation and checking up on Atula's baby.
She watched in fascination as Ronal smoothed a dark, and cold, paste across her stomach. "It is important that you come to me," Mentioned Ronal, knowing that Atula sometimes became reckless with her usual check-ups.
Atula couldn't help it, the kids always wanted to be by her side.
"What is this?" Atula questioned as she looked down towards the paste, wincing as it was very cold against her warm skin.
"It is a clay that determines the gender of the child," Ronal said before cleaning her hands, "If it is a boy, the clay will stay wet. If not, and it is a girl, the clay will dry."
Atula smiled to herself after hearing the explanation, waiting for the clay to work its magic.
Ronal was quick to warm towards Atula, Jake not so much. She didn't trust him, his name had screamed 'war.' Jake was nothing but trouble to Ronal, but Atula was the sweetest.
Atula was happy to had made a friendship. When she left the forest, she was leaving everyone and everything she knew behind. Her mind was stuck on the idea of never having friends again, being too different for the Metkayina's.
Jake valued Atula's friendship with Ronal.
It gave them more security, and it also made Atula happy.
"Are they okay? Healthy — strong?" Atula questioned, Ronal leaning down to listen to her stomach again. "Mhm. Very strong," She replied before noticing the clay had done its thing.
Atula watched as Ronal's face dropped, making her heart fall into her stomach.
"What is—" Atula stood immediately, scared Ronal's expression was suggesting that something was wrong with her child.
She placed her palm protectively over her stomach before realising the clay was finished. Her fingers soothed over, noticing the paste had dried and declared her baby a girl.
"Oh..." She whispered to herself, feeling happy tears begin to prickle her eyes.
The baby was a girl, and she was strong.
Ronal's head cocked towards the door, urging Atula to run and find Jake — to let him know of the good news.
Atula felt childish again. Her giggles filled the air as she rushed from Ronal's pod, running past Metkayina's with quick apologies before feeling as her body ran into something smaller, and much lighter.
"Hey! What w— Mom?" Kiri asked, standing straight after stumbling and looking directly at Atula, watching as she bounced with happiness and a bright smile fixed her face. "Where is your father? Is he in the pod?" Atula asked Kiri, stroking her arm to apologise for nearly knocking her to the ground.
"Yes, I think so," Kiri said before laughing as Atula ran away from her, entering the pod.
Jake heard her loud footsteps, turning to look at her instantly.
However, Jake's face wasn't full of usual concentration. Instead, it was full of pure anger. "Do you ever knock?" Jake asked, his tone wasn't light, it was heavy and harsh.
He noticed Atula's face dropped before she inched closer towards him, "I'm sorry."
Jake only nodded his head at the apology, going back to shaping his knife. "What do you want?" Jake asked Atula, her mind remembering the time she begged him for this baby.
"The baby, Jakes..." He stopped sharpening his knife and looked at her with worry, "It is a girl."
His eyes closed as he allowed relief to flush across his body, once frightened about the baby. Jake's mouth opened slightly before twising into an eye-crinkling smile.
Atula hadn't seen Jake this happy since the birth of Tuk, since Neytiri was alive.
Jake stood, stepping closer to Atula before placing his palms onto her plump stomach.
"J—Jake..." Atula whispered, watching as he fell to his knees, his forehead resting against the bump of her stomach. Atula's breath lodged within her throat as Jake scattered multiple kisses across the bump.
Kisses.
This was the first time his lips and touched her.
The moment was raw, and it was pure. Jake was sensitive as Atula felt small teardrops fall against her flesh, his lips continuing to kiss her stomach.
Atula placed her hand onto his cheek, pulling him up to greet her face once again. "What had gotten you so angry before?" She questioned before rubbing his tears away.
"Lo'ak and Neteyam — they were fighting with Ao'nung, and his friends," Jake announced with a low hiss afterwards.
Atula's brows furrowed at those words. Fighting? What had they been fighting over?
"Mom, father!" Neteyam yelled before walking into the pod, Ao'nung's ear tight in the pinch of his fingers, "Tell them what you told me."
