A New Mission: Ash to Fire

Fire, Prelude

There were just three days until Miles' official ascension ceremony. To his surprise, Ka'uwe had not asked him what he wanted his Olo'eyktan garb to look like. She had not even mentioned it, but he assumed she was preparing something with the village craftspeople. He didn't really care either way, as Miles was not particularly concerned with style, but the silence was intriguing. He assumed it would at least match the gemmed accessories he had, his armband, belt, and ruby necklace.

The village was also starting to really fill up with visiting members of the outlying Ash clans. The warriors who gathered for war were but a fraction of the Txepìvayo's total people. All Ash People together, non-warriors, families and children, and the elderly, given how many people's clans were currently gathered, he inferred that there would be around two thousand when all arrived. Certainly not a small group of people to manage as their leader.

Miles awoke in the early morning in his and Zu's bed. A lightness about him. Content. Happy. He quietly shifted to brace up on his hand, his elbow bent, and he looked at Zu sleeping in front of him. She was exposed and on her back, her head turned to the side, one arm raised above, the other resting over her waist. She was drooling and in a deep sleep. He gave an amused, affectionate little grin in watching her for a moment.

He then gently leaned in to kiss her forehead, careful not to wake her. She stirred a bit, moving her hand from above her head to join the one lying over her waist. Miles then very quietly got out of bed, put on his sarong, and headed outside their home—but not before grabbing two packets of powdered coffee, two metal mugs, and a kettle from the main room of their wall-carved home.

The canyon was still shaded, cool air flowing through it. It was a perfect morning. Miles walked a few yards to the village spring to fill his kettle, then went back to the hearth in front of their home, lighting a small fire to heat the water. Miles rested on the bench, yawned, and rubbed his hand through his hair which was really starting to grow in. Hmmm, gotta do something about this, he thought to himself.

Miles was never going to be one to embrace the long-haired lifestyle that most male Na'vi do. No way. He'd be happy with longer than a buzzed fade, sure, but he figured some type of fade with length at the top could be a good look for him. Zu liked his hair a bit longer, he knew that.

When the water was done boiling, he poured some into the two mugs, followed by the packets of powdered coffee. Miles realized he had forgotten a stirrer. Ugh. But he was headed back inside anyway. He kicked dirt into the fire, left the kettle, and carried the two mugs back to his and Zu's room after finding a little wooden spoon to stir the coffee. He placed one mug on a small table beside Zu's bed, then sat on a floor cushion and started sipping. He was smiling as he did, his tail curling contently, watching his beautiful sleeping wife.

Zu, awakened by the smell of the coffee, opened her orange eyes and rolled over, catching Miles viewing her from the floor. They both smiled sweetly at one another. Miles then reached for her coffee and handed it to her, Zu giving him a look of thanks as she leaned up and grabbed the mug.

"You will run out of this bitter drink soon, My-ulls. Do you not want to preserve it?" Zu asked while taking a sip.

Miles pulled his lips and sighed. "All the better reason to enjoy it."

Zu grinned.

"So you gonna put on some clothes, princess?"

Zu just cheekily teased, "Mayyybe."

She then took a deep breath and Miles noticed her shoulders were high. Tense. He didn't know why. She then turned her head and stared out into the room, seemingly not looking at anything.