Worlds Apart: Volume I

The During: Strength

Ney'ite looked around where she was standing. She was in one of the chambers of Home Tree.

"Tysal!" Ney'ite looked around her. "Marali! Aytanin!"

"You will find none of them here right now," an unfamiliar voice said from behind her.

Ney'ite turned around and saw a tall man standing behind her. He looked to be a few years younger than her parents. He wore a neck piece like Neyetam. Ney'ite swore that she had seen it before.

"I have never seen your face before and yet I feel like I have known you forever," Ney'ite said as she walked closer to the man.

"Have your parents never told you stories about me?" the man smiled at her. "Have I been forgotten so easily by our people."

Ney'ite's eyes widened as she realized who was standing in front of her, "Tsu'tey."

"Yes," he nodded. "And you are Ney'ite, eldest daughter of Jake Sully and Neytiri. I have been watching over you and your memories since you were very small."

"Why have you come to me?" Ney'ite asked.

"Because you asked," Tsu'tey said. "You asked for the strength to find your way, and I am here to help you on your path."

"I want your help, but why me?" Ney'ite asked. "Lo'ak needs someone guidance more than ever. Neyetam is the better warrior than me."

"And yet you are the one I have chosen to give my strength to," Tsu'tey said. He touched her forehead. "Our foreheads bare the same mark."

"Why?" Ney'ite looked up at Tsu'tey. "Surely there are others more suited than me for this great gift."

"You have taken it upon yourself to be a protector to your siblings and your people," Tsu'tey said. "Your mother and father love you, but they have not guided you in this regard like they have your brother." He smiled at her. "Use my strength to find your path in your new home. Any time you feel lost, think of me, and I will do my best to guide you."

Then, Ney'ite was ripped out of the world.

Ney'ite looked around to see what just happened. Her eyes widened as she saw Kiri seizing in front of her. Her and Neyetam swam up to Kiri and helped her to the surface. Ney'ite knew that the others were around her, but all she could worry about was getting Kiri to the surface. She had no idea how long Kiri had been in her seizure. Ney'ite knew that there was a high chance that Kiri had inhaled water. Ney'ite was praying that her sister would be okay.

"Kiri!" Ney'ite heard someone call her sister's name as they broke the surface. Neyetam called his ilu.

"What's wrong?" Tsireya said as she swam next to them.

"She had a seizure," Neyetam said.

He got onto his ilu. Ney'ite held onto Kiri as he did. She handed Kiri off to him. She wasn't moving. Neyetam did his best to perform CPR. Her head was reeling with the lessons that Max had taught her so many years ago.

"Is she breathing?" Roxto asked. Neyetam looked at them and nodded. Ney'ite felt her heart lift just a little. Kiri was breathing. She didn't drown.

"Get her home to the village," Tsireya said.

"Get her to Mom and Dad now," Ney'ite said.

"Lets go!" Neyetam didn't even take the time to respond. He was off with his ilu and Kiri. His only focus was on getting their sister to a place where she could get help.

"Yite," Tuk was on Ney'ite's arm. "What is happening?"

"I don't know, Tuk," Ney'ite said as she called her ilu. "Neyetam is going to take her back to the village, and we're going to figure out what is happening." Ney'ite got onto her ilu and pulled Tuk onto the back of it. "Hold on tightly, Tuk."