Worlds Apart: Volume I

The Before: Protectors

Ney'ite sat in her grandmother's hut and focused on the necklace in front of her. She watched as Kiri helped their grandmother with the medicine. Ney'ite was listening to her grandmother explain the uses of the plants in front of her.

"This one dulls the pain," Mo'at lectured Kiri as she handed her sister a root. She moved on to the next plant, some leaves this time. "And these will help bring sleep and peace to those who drink tea made from its leaves"

"And these help to bring down a fever," Kiri said as she held up some brightly colored berries.

"Correct," Mo'at smiled at Kiri. "You are learning quickly." She turned her attention to Ney'ite. "And you are becoming very skilled in your craft." Mo'at took the unfinished necklace from her hands. "This is beautiful."

"It is not finished," Ney'ite said as she took the necklace back from her grandmother and continued to weave. "We will see how it looks when I have placed the last bead."

"You are critical of yourself," Mo'at said as she stood up. "It is a useful skill when we must look inward at our faults, but when it consumes us, it runs the risk of destroying us. You are young still. Leave your harsh critiques of yourself for another day."

"Yes, Grandmother," Ney'ite nodded as she looked back at her necklace.

"Maybe you should have some of the tea Grandmother talked about," Kiri teased.

Ney'ite offered a playful hiss instead. She did not want to fuel her sister's teasing any more than necessary. Lo'ak came rushing into Mo'at's hut.

"Do not come rushing in here like a raging Thanator," Mo'at lectured.

"Sorry, Grandmother," Lo'ak said. "Mother said she would take us to the stream. Come on!"

Kiri and Ney'ite both looked at their grandmother for permission to leave. They both wanted to go out and play, but they would not go if their grandmother still had lessons for them. Mo'at just nodded at them. Ney'ite and Kiri shot up and raced out of the hut with Lo'ak. The sisters followed Lo'ak as he led them to their mother. Neytiri was standing with Tuk and Neyetam at the entrance of Home Tree. Spider lingered close, but grew excited at the sight of Lo'ak. The siblings and Spider raced ahead of their mother. Ney'ite smiled. She had always loved the stream. It was something different from what they were use to. There was very little danger in the stream as it was so close to Home Tree. The animals of Pandora and the Na'vi always seemed to have some sort of understanding. Ney'ite was thankful that the order of the forest, while harsh, was easy to understand.

They reached the stream and the siblings started to splash. Neytiri sat down and let Tuk get her feet wet. Ney'ite let out a squeal as Lo'ak pushed her into the stream. She laughed as she pulled his tail and brought him down with her. The others splashed around and jumped in the water. Ney'ite picked herself up and joined in the fun. Her and Neyetam each grabbed an arm and a leg of Lo'ak's, swung him twice, and let him go into the stream. Kiri and Spider jumped on top of him. Ney'ite laughed as she stepped back but tripped over a rock. She tried to push herself back up, but it was too late, her siblings were already on top of her. They continued to laugh and play. Then, there was a quick lull in their laughter. Something struck Ney'ite as odd. The forest was quiet except for the sound of the stream. She looked at her mother and saw that her mother had stood up with Tuk in her arms.

"Mom," Ney'ite walked over to her mother. "What is wrong?"

All of her other siblings noticed the unease of their mother. Neyetam gathered Lo'ak, Kiri, and Spider closer to him.

"Take Tuk," Neytiri said as she handed Tuk to Ney'ite. Neytiri drew her knife from its sheath.

"Mom," Netyetam looked to his mother.