Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

001, Parenting 101.

♯┆calm before the storm  .ᐟ
━━━━━━━━━━

"Learn to keep him under control!" Her peace was soon broken when she heard Tsu'tey shout. The shouting soon followed by his finger pinching onto Mukata's ear as he dragged him onto Denahi's hammock. Denahi cursed to herself quietly, "What has this skxawng done now?"

She attempted to hide her laughter as Mukata hissed at Tsu'tey when he finally let go of his sensitive ear. "Broken many arrows. He is worse than a Nantang!" Tsu'tey explained. Denahi closed her eyes at the explanation. Does her brother have to cause mischief every place he walks into?

Truth was. Parenting is not simple. It is not an easy task. Especially when parenting was given to you with no warning, experience or preparation beforehand. Denahi figured that out the more she couldn't control her brother and his terrible, mischievous habits.

"I will cover more. It will not happen again. I am sorry for my brother, Tsu'tey..." Another reason. Another reason for Denahi not being able to live her life how she wanted to, picking up the slack of her brother.

Tsu'tey nodded his head towards the woman in appreciation. He didn't mean to be abrupt about the situation, he was just infuriated.

When Tsu'tey left her hammock, Denahi hissed and smacked her brother on the back of his head. "I am sorry! I thought I had it under control but I do not," Mukata attempted to reason with his sister. Denahi sighed before sitting besides her brother, soothing his ear with her fingertips. Punishment did not help Mukata. No amount of threat a parent could do, and no amount of threat a sibling can do worked either.

Denahi had learned that the hard way.

"Come to me to learn about hunting, Kata. I am much better than those kurkungs..." Denahi told her brother before he laughed.

"I will carve the arrows, sister..." Mukata tried to ease the situation because he knew Denahi had too much on her hands. She shook her head and denied, "I will carve them. It is a tricky task for large hands."

Mukata dropped his jaw at her words, holding his hands out in front of him to check if her sentence was true. Which it was. And it brought great amusement for Denahi for making fun of her little brother.

"You know what is good for large hands?" Denahi rhetorically asked before slamming a basket full of fresh fruit on Mukata's lap, "Peeling some fruit."

He knew she was lying at that one, but didn't want to detest and frustrate her further. Mukata dramatically sighed before beginning to peel the fruits he had been handed, "Have you done much today, sister?"

Denahi shook her head. What is there for her to do? Carve all those arrows? Pick up Mukata's behaviour? "Nothing much. Some daily tasks," She didn't tell him about her visit to the school because it would remind his young memory of their parents.

Denahi would never forget the expression on his face as he watched their parents die. Although she tried to hide him from the view.

"Listen, Kata. I need you to go slow. I cannot keep losing time to— carve arrows and whatever else you have broke lately," Denahi explained to her brother. She needed to be serious now. He needed to understand. She didn't have all eternity to look after him because she had her own life to live as well.

Their parents devoted themselves to being parents. But, Denahi, she simply couldn't.

Mukata nodded his head in agreement. He himself was tired of causing havoc. Especially when he was at the age where he should be hunting alone, help scavenge the forest for food to bring back to the feasts. Instead, everything he touched seemed to break.

"I promise, sister," He gave her a weak smile. One that wasn't reassuring to himself. Denahi smiled back at him before giving his shoulder and comforting squeeze.

But their smiles soon ripped from their features when shouts and yelps could be heard coming from the base of Hometree. Demahi peered over the edge of the hammock before spotting something strange. "What is it?" Mukata asked. Denahi shook her head before holding her hand out to keep him back, "Stay here."