𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆

𝟯. 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱

"It is shameful."

You sat with your mother around the hearth of the marui you shared with your family, preparing ingredients that she would use in her remedies. You stopped and looked up through the yellowed flames, watching her tighten a string of twine around a large bundle of herbs. "Those demon children parade through our village. They stir trouble with my son."

"Mama, they're still learning." You didn't blame Lo'ak for immediately seeking out Ao'nung as his enemy. Your brother was ignorant. Proud and defensive to a fault, but ignorant nonetheless. He wouldn't trust an outsider unless they gave him a good reason to and none of the Sully children seemed eager to prove their worth to the likes of him.

"Not fast enough," she snarled, punctuating the end of her statement by roughly knotting her bundle shut and setting it aside in a pile with the others. "The forest people cannot escape their wars, not truly. Not without involving our people."

"Please don't say that, mama," you whined. At times, it felt like you and Tsireya were the only ones making a true effort to befriend your guests and your mother's firm opinions regarding Jake and his family absolutely weren't helping the rest of the clanspeople warm up to them.

You stared out across the open flames as your mother paused and placed a hand over her swollen stomach. Your newest sibling would be born within the warm season, and while she nurtured the baby in the weeks following birth, you would become Tsahìk in her absence. The idea frightened you to no end.

Swallowing, you looked down at your freshly wrapped bundle of crushed seaberries, subtly moving it aside and tucking it into your netted satchel for later. "May I ask you something?" you chirped, letting the fire warm your face as you leaned in close to the flames. "Something...about Toruk Makto?"

Despite pretending to return to her task, your mother's ears betrayed her and stood tall in your direction. She was curious, though she didn't want you to know it. "What is it, 'evi?"

'Evi. Child. You had long since earned your place amongst the people of your clan, but you would always be a child to her and your father.

You knew you had to tread carefully with your next words. The home of the Tsahìk was no place for gossip, no matter how desperately you wanted to know more about Jake and the life he led before the forest conflicts brought him to your shores. "When will Toruk Makto's mate be joining us? Why did he leave her behind with the Omaticaya?"

It was a question that weighed heavy on your mind ever since the Sully family first came to you on a pod of ikran. If you grew too fond of watching Jake's lone walks across the beaches right before eclipse, you knew it would just break your spirit to one day see his mate and the mother of his children joining him. Up until now, you always assumed that she had her own duties to attend to in their home village—but after a few days of hearing no mention of a mother from any of the children, you grew weary.

Ronal froze and looked straight up into the hearth. Then, after a long moment, her eyes drifted past the wall of flames and met yours before blinking and shaking her head, returning her gaze to her lap. "Netiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite was a strong woman. She was admired for her bravery across the Omaticaya clan."

Was.

Your eyes grew wide with realization, face falling when she looked up once more. "She has been with Eywa since the birth of her youngest, the one they call Tuktirey."

She said Tuk's name with distaste while you sat back on your knees, pondering. Tuk was only eight cycles old, or so she proudly claimed when you first met. For most of the Sully children, those eight cycles made up the majority of their lives. And for Jake to spend so long without his mate, his bond that was supposed to last a lifetime? So short it all must have seemed.