Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

045, Idiot.

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

But, happiness never seemed to last long. A curse amongst the family. Even when an ounce of happiness graces one of them, it is soon ripped from their hands without warning. Their children sat within Tonowari and Ronal's pod, disappointed and frustrated expressions across both of their faces.

What had her children done now? Something to create this much anger. "You allowed this! You allowed him to bond with the outcast!" Bond with the outcast? Ronal was furious. A emotion Denahi hadn't seen on her before. Her rage being against their mischievous son.

"Tsireya... You disappoint me, daughter," Tonowari's tongue was sharp as he spoke to his sweet daughter. Her head snapped down to the ground and water filled her eyes, "And, you, son of a great warrior, who has been taught better!" Denahi went to leap forwards, but Jake grabbed her arm. It wasn't for the best to protect their son in this moment.

"Payakan saved my life, sir. You do not know him," Lo'ak explained to Tonowari.
"Payakan saved my life, sir. You don't know him," Lo'ak told Tonowari. Who was Payakan? Denahi knew the Tulkun was the whale-like animals from before. But, she hadn't heard of Payakan before.

"No, Lo'ak..." Tsireya attempted to stop Lo'ak from causing further damage to the situation. Tonowari paced his marui, "Sit. Sit down!" Their knees bend to squat to the ground, from his tone alone Denahi could tell he wasn't happy with what had happened, "Hear my words, boy. In the days of the First Songs, Tulkun fought amongst themselves— for territory and for revenge. But, they came to believe that killing, no matter how justified, only brings more killing. So, all killing was forbidden. That is the Tulkun way."

His words reminded Denahi of Mukata. How he was killed— how killing led to more killing. "Payakan is a killer. So, he is outcast," Tonowari explained to Lo'ak. But her son only shook his head in disbelief, "I'm sorry, sir, but you're wrong."

"That's enough!" Jake told his son. Lo'ak looked down at the ground, contemplating whether to keep his silence or to speak the truth on what he knows. "I know what I know," And that was enough to snap Jake. He stepped towards his son, peering down to his level, "That's enough."

Denahi twisted her head at his tone, deep and rough. "I'll deal with this one," He said before grabbing Lo'ak's arm and pulling him away from the marui. Denahi apologised before running off to join them.

Lo'ak hadn't even looked up. His shameful sight kept on the ground beneath them. Denahi listened to Jake's pointless shouting, his words meaning nothing to their son, "We have taught you better! You wouldn't be this much of an idiot in the forest!" Denahi's tail fell to the floor, and her ears down her face. Lo'ak knew he had to be 'punished' for everything, but it still hurt Denahi when she heard Jake call his cruel names.

Knucklehead, a shame, an idiot. Those words will soon take a toll on Lo'ak. Her hand reached out, holding on Lo'ak's shoulder. He took this as his chance to hide behind her. Something he hadn't done since being a child. "Ma'Jake," Denahi whispered when Lo'ak smothered his face in her back.

He tried to be strong and mighty. But, at heart, Lo'ak was still a child. A fourteen year old boy. A teenager that struggled to show how he felt— he didn't look to show his struggles. Afraid of what his father might think for showing them. "He did not know," You reminded Jake. How could he have known Payakan was an outcast?

"This place... it is new. He knows all animals within the forest. Nothing about here," It was wrong that Denahi had to even remind her husband of this, "If Payakan saved his life. Then, that is what had happened. We cannot change that. He saved our son." Lo'ak nodded against her back, returning to her side. She held onto his arm, soothing him as much as she could.

Jake stepped forward— Denahi not knowing what his next move would be. Then, he reached his hand out to Lo'ak's shoulder.

He remembered what Denahi had told him. Reading them. Understanding his children. He knew Lo'ak was upset, all he wanted are words of compassion. "I'm sorry, son. You gotta understand things are different here. You got that?" Jake asked him.

Lo'ak nodded once before leaving the marui and into the night outside. Denahi turned to Jake with a smile, proud of his comforting towards his son, "No more name calling."