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Atula fingertips began to burn, weaving baskets was an easy task but an painful and boring one.
The heat of her pod was becoming too much so she had to step out to enjoy the soft breeze washing over her warm flesh.
Looking across the beach, she watched as Lo'ak inched closer towards her with an angered expression, "Ma'Itan, are you okay?"
Lo'ak nodded his head before taking Atula's hand without muttering another word. She allowed him to drag her to the place, calling for his Ilu before riding beyond the reef.
"Lo'ak, what are you doing? Your dad will knot our tails together!" Atula exclaimed as she watched Awa'atlu get smaller the more they drifted into the deep. "You believe me, right? Mom, you always believe me," Lo'ak explained before kneeling on the Ilu.
Atula furrowed her brows, "What have you lied about now, Lo?"
"Payakan, Payakan!" Lo'ak repeated, his Ilu splashing its fin in the water to attract whatever Lo'ak was calling for. "Who's Payakan?" Atula questioned, holding tightly onto his Ilu.
"He is a lone Tulkun. Mom... they say he is a killer," Lo'ak said before Atula widened her eyes and gripped her hand onto her stomach, "A killer? Lo'ak, we have to go back," Atula said before trying to swim back but Lo'ak detested, he knew Atula would understand what he was trying to tell the other children, if she sees it for herself.
Suddenly, a large animal revealed from the surface, his eye hanging out of the water.
"It's good to see you. I bought someone, she is my mom," Lo'ak told Payakan, pointing towards Atula as she smiled gently, "Why are you outcast? What happened?"
Atula watched as Lo'ak climbed onto Payakan's fin, like they were friends.
She didn't understand. If Payakan was a killer, why was he so friendly?
"I trust you. You can trust me," Lo'ak told Payakan, using his hands to say the words. Atula watched as Lo'ak held his hand out, wanting to take her beneath the water with him.
She willingly allowed herself, anything to make her son happy. Atula took in a large breath, diving deep beneath the water.
A smile filled her face at the blue distance from the ocean, admiring how beautiful the water looked as she and Lo'ak swam with Payakan.
Soon after, they walked across his back. "Mom, you understand me, right?" Lo'ak asked before Atula frantically nodded her head, Payakan seemed sweet in her eyes, "Yes, Lo'ak."
Her hand run across his hair before water splashed across their bodies, "Bro, that's disgusting!"
They both laughed, watching as the sky was getting darker and it was their time to return home. "Come, Lo'ak, you will see Payakan tomorrow..." Atula told him, like he was saying goodbye to his friends after playing all day.
They returned back, but nothing seemed normal.
People looked distorted and seemed to be crowded around their families pod.
"Jake, Jake, what has happened?" Atula pushed through the crowd, finding Jake talking with Norm. Her heart began to beat faster as her body filled with worry.
He only needed to call Norm if something terrible has happened, something the Na'vi cannot heal or help. "Where were you?" Jake exclaimed as he stood and rushed towards Atula.
She stepped back once, ears falling down and her tail curling protectively around her stomach. Jake sighed, he didn't mean to take his frustration out on Atula.
"I was with Lo'ak, Jake. Will you tell me what's going on?" Atula asked.
Suddenly, her ears spiked as she heard Kiri's sobbing, calling out "Mom" through her tears.
Atula gasped before running into the pod, immediately curling besides Kiri and holding onto her hand.
Jake watched from afar, only for a couple of seconds, as Atula comforted Kiri with Tuk helping her. She didn't even know what happened and still rushed to Kiri's side once her name was called. "It's okay," Atula kissed Kiri's hand, holding it close to her beating heart.
