𝖲𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄

      TU'AHU, NETEYAM AND LO'AK WALKED IN THE FAMILY'S TENT WITH THEIR FATHER BEHIND THEM. The boys were sporting busted lips, marks on their faces and arms, while Tu’ahu was injury free. “What was the one thing I asked? The one thing!” Jake questioned them. Tu’ahu was in the middle of the boys.

      “Stay out of trouble.” Lo’ak said quietly.

      “Stay out of trouble. Right” Jake repeated.

      Neteyam stepped out of the line the three kids had formed. “It was my fault.”

      “I don’t think so. You gotta stop takin’ the heat for this knucklehead.” Jake said to Neteyam, referring to Lo’ak.

      Lo’ak stepped forward. “Look, Dad. Anoung was picking on Kiri. He called her a freak. Tu’ahu tried to calm everyone down, and he shoved her.” Lo’ak explained. Tu’ahu frowned. She wouldn’t call what she did calming everyone down.

      Jake sighed. “Go apologize to Anoung.” he said.

      “What?” Lo’ak asked.

      “He is the chief’s son. Do you understand? I don’t care how you do it. Just go make peace. Just go.” Jake said, and Lo’ak walked out of the tent, shaking his head.

      Neteyam began to leave when Jake stopped him. “Hey. So what’d the other guys look like?” he asked. Tu’ahu rolled her eyes.

      “Worse.” Neteyam answered.

      “That’s good.”

      “A lot worse.” Neteyam smiled. 

      “Get outta here.”

      Neteyam left, and Jake turned back to Tu’ahu, finding her with her head down in the same place she had been in. “What’s up with you?” he asked his eldest child.

      “Nothing.” she said quietly, eyes looking at the ground. 

      Jake sighed. “You defended your brothers and sister?” he already knew the answer.

      Tu’ahu nodded. “Aonung was being a jerk.”

      “Tu’ahu, you have to realize that violence is not the way to solve problems. Your brothers and sisters can’t realize that until you do. You’re their role model.” Jake explained softly. He knew he was hard on Tu’ahu, but he knew she wouldn’t be the great Tsahik she was meant to be unless she was pushed.

      Tu’ahu nodded. “Sorry, Dad.” she whispered.

      “That’s okay, little one.” Jake wrapped his arms around Tu’ahu, and she sunk into his embrace, hugging him tightly.

      Tu’ahu walked away, past her mother and out of the tent, sitting on the dock with her feet in the water. She sat there for the rest of the day, watching the fish come to her feet, feeling Eywa in them. She didn’t eat dinner, and sat there until it was after dark. Kiri came to sit with her as the glow fish came out.

      They talked of Eywa. The energy surged through them. They talked of how Kiri was feeling at being called a freak day in and day out. They talked of the pressures Tu’ahu felt as Tsahik and as the oldest. They left a space between them, and as the stars glowed brightly with the bioluminescence of the ocean, Jake sat down.