Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

035, New Home.

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

     Awa'atlu shall be their new home. If Tonowari accepts their refuge. A place full of the colour blue, barely anything green. Completely different to what Denahi used to call her home. The travel here was much complicated than expected with the heavy rain and the lack of sleep. Nonetheless, the family had made it to Awa'atlu.

Although, Denahi didn't like the feeling of sand between her toes. Grainy and harsh compared to slick mud. And she didn't appreciate the stares from the different-look Na'vi' surrounding them. "Mom..." Tuk whispered in fright, holding onto her mom's arm for a sense of security in this strange moment. Malhua rushed from Bob and towards Neteyam, him picking his sister up.

Malhua had always had stranger danger. Until it comes to biting one of them. But, she had been a nervous child. Neteyam brought her comfort whenever she was scared.

Jake held his arms out to show the Metkayina that the family meant no harm to them. "Just be cool..." He told their sons after two Metkayina boys circled them.

"Look... What is that? Is that supposed to be a tail?" The much smaller one asked. Denahi turned to look at them, narrowing her eyes. Jake looked towards his mate, holding his hand out to stop her from hissing. "I am calm..." Denahi whispered to Jake. He smiled to himself knowing that she wasn't calm.

"It is too small. How are they supposed to swim?" The taller one asked. Until a young girl slapped their arms, "Do not! Rotxo... Ao'nung!" Denahi didn't know who she was, but she appreciated the gesture already.

The family greeted Tonowari, earning the same gesture in return. Until Ronal revealed from beneath the crowd. It was she you had to be afraid of. Her attitude was famous across Pandora for turning away those who seek Uturu within her home.

"Why do you come to us, JakeSully?" Tonowari questioned Jake. He held his hand out, pulling away from Denahi, "We seek Uturu!" Ronal repeated the word in complete disbelief. Has she never heard of Toruk Makto seeking refuge before? No because it had never happened before, "Yes. A sanctuary for my family."

Ronal and Tonowari exchanged a telling look before she began to circle their bodies. "Mom..." Tuk whispered once again before Denahi took her into her arms, holding her head down onto her chest, "It is okay."

Ronal walked towards the two of them, sight linked onto Denahi's stomach. A somewhat visible bump declaring her pregnancy. However, it wasn't large enough to be noted as an immediate pregnancy. But, Ronal then sighed before holding onto her own stomach.

"We are Sea People. You are Forest People. Your skills will mean nothing here," Tonowari explained to Jake. He knew that. Denahi definitely knew that. But, being in the ocean was a far enough escape from Quaritch. "We will learn your ways. Am I right?" Jake asked Denahi, in which she nodded her head in response.

Ronal that took Tuk's arm into her palm, "Their arms are thin." Her palm pulled at Denahi's tail, "Their tails are weak. You will be slow in the water." That was when Ronal turned and pulled Kiri's hands into hers. A gasp of terror leaving her throat, "These children are not even true Na'vi!"

"Yes we are!" Kiri responded back, pulling her four-fingered hands away from Ronal who then moved towards Lo'ak, Neteyam and Malhua— checking their hands. Denahi placed Tuk onto the sand, ready to protect her children if necessary.

Ronal took Lo'ak and Malhua's wrists into her hand, holding them up to the clan, "They have demon blood!"

Denahi noticed how Lo'ak turned his head as Ronal spread his fingers. Like he was ashamed. Guilty. And that immediately spread anger throughout her entire body.

"Momma!" Malhua cried out. Denahi leapt forwards and took Malhua into her hold, Tuk running to hide behind Jake. "Look, look! I was born to the Sky-people and now I am Na'vi. You can adapt. We will adapt!" Jake said as he showed his fingers, taking the heat off of his four-fingered children.

"We have come a long way. We are seeking a place to raise our children... In safety," All suspicions Ronal had about Denahi's stomach were answered with her sentence. And then Ronal thought how terrified she would be in such a situation, "Uturu has been asked. That is all we want."

"We gonna be okay, Momma?" Malhua asked before rubbing her tired eyes. Denahi nodded her head, rocking her little daughter.

Tuk now rested in Jake's arms, both of their daughters exhausted from the long flight. And both seeking comfort after Ronal had caused such chaos over an extra finger.

When Ronal returned back to Tonowari, their expressions exchanged a conversation. "Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as our brothers and sisters! They do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless." That should have been music to Denahi's ears, but all she could think of was how she had to call Awa'atlu home.

Jake turned around to his family, "What do we say?" Eluding multiple thanks.