Avatar: The Return of The Songbirds

Chapter Twenty-Three - Selfish Longing

As the three of them got closer and closer to the house they heard Tatal's voice echoing around them. "Tsovey!" Tatal shouted in a state of sheer panic.

"Vialo!" Chris exclaimed, running straight for the terrified family.

"Chris!" Vialo whispered, letting a shaky breath. She took a few steps towards him with her hands slowly raising up. Vialo watched as Chris ran straight into her grasp. "Where's Tsovey? Have you seen her?" Vialo begged in a monotone cry, her body visibly shaking.

"Yes, I know where she is!" Chris replied, gently squeezing Vialo's arms. "I'll go get her!" And just like that Chris took off towards the hill.

"Wait! Chris, where are you going?" Nick shouted.

"I will be right back!" Chris hissed, still running full speed into the forest. He ran in silence for a few minutes until he found the familiar fallen tree trunk laid in front of him. "Tsovey!" Chris shouted, as he approached where he had left the young girl. "Tsovey." Chris exclaimed in a softer voice as he got closer, trying not to scare her.

"Chris?" Tsovey cried.

"Yes, it's me." Chris reassured her. "You can come out now." He stated, as he reached his hands out to her.

Tsovey let out a scared sigh before slowly making her way out. Once her eyes locked onto Chris she began crying hysterically. "I want to go home." She sobbed, and she jumped into Chris's arms.

"I know, I know." He replied warmly, giving Tsovey a tight hug. "Let's get you home." He whispered, as he picked her up and began the descent back down the mountain.

Meanwhile, back at the house Tatal frantically paced back and forth waiting for Chris to come back. She felt like she was on the verge of passing out from the overwhelming anxiety that had a vice grip in her chest. Just as she was about to lose it she heard the sound of branches snapping in the distance. "Tsovey?" Tatal exclaimed nervously, followed by a sigh of pure relief once Chris and Tsovey emerged from the trees. Chris gently placed Tsovey on the ground, and the young child wasted no time running straight for her sister. "Oh, Tsovey!" Tatal cried, as Tsovey lunged into Tatal's arms. Tatal had never experienced that level of fear before. For the first time in ten years she thought that the worst case scenario had happened...that she would never see Tsovey again. In that moment Tatal hugged Tsovey as tight as she could, and all Tsovey could do was bury her face into Tatal's neck and sobbed uncontrollably. "Are you okay?" Tatal questioned in between her own cries, but Tsovey couldn't speak.

"I'm sorry...this is all my fault." Chris hissed, throwing his bag on the floor. "I should have never suggested that stupid game. I should have never." Chris paused talking in a sharp breath, before punching the tree beside him as hard as he could.

"Chris." Nick exclaimed, before placing his hand over his mouth, trying not to cry as he watched blood start to flow down Chris's knuckles. Meanwhile, Matt just stood behind Nick as his head fell towards the ground he couldn't find any words to say that would make this situation better. He just struggled to keep what little composure he could muster.

The faint echo of sobs filled the air, and for only a brief moment the world around the group fell silent. Vialo lifted her head to look at Chris, but he seemed to be elsewhere. Mentally checked out from the situation. Anger being the only emotion cloaking his face. And truthfully that look was a little frightening to Vialo.. that wasn't the happy and cheerful Chris she had grown to know. Vialo let a shaky breath escape her lips, almost as if to give her the boost she needed to move. And with that she walked over to Chris, wrapping her arms around his neck without hesitation. "Thank you." She exclaimed, tightening her grip around him. "Thank you for bringing my little sister back." Vialo cried, although this side of Chris made her feel a bit uneasy, it didn't stop her from wanting to be next to him.

Vialo's action brought Chris out of his frazzled headspace immediately. He stayed frozen for a moment, unsure of how to react. But eventually he caved in and hugged Vialo back. "I'm so sorry." Chris stated, his voice sounds restricted and tight. "Us being here has put all of you in danger. We should have never come." Chris growled, hugging Vialo tighter.

Vialo tensed at Chris's words, and slowly pulled away from him. "Don't say that." Vialo hissed, catching Chris by surprise.

Tatal looked up at the pair and her heart began to ache. "Henilo." Tatal whispered, as she stood to her feet, motioning for him to grab Tsovey and Henilo wasted no time in doing so, as he swiftly took Tsovey into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Are you okay?" Henilo asked in a relieved tone, but Tsovey could only nod her head in response before laying her head against Henilo's shoulder out of pure exhaustion. He let a shaky sigh before redirecting his gaze back to Nick, Matt and Chris.

"You three." Tatal began with a meek smile. "Come." Tatal exclaimed, holding her hands out to them. Chris looked at Vialo once more, before walking over to Tatal alongside Nick and Matt, accepting her gesture. "Thank you." She cried. "You did not have to do what you did." She paused, taking in a sharp breath. "But my family and I are safe and alive because of you." Tatal stated with a smile filled with gratitude. "You three are family. You are always welcome here." Tatal proclaimed, bringing Chris into a hug. "Thank you for protecting us." She cried.

"We always will." Chris promised, hugging Tatal tightly. Tatal let out a content chuckle, before releasing Chris from her firm embrace and migrated to Nick, followed by Matt.

"Thank you." Henilo exclaimed softly, holding a hand out to Chris, who returned the gesture. "Thank you." He repeated with a gentle smile, before turning back towards their house and taking Tsovey inside.

"Thank you." Solko stated with a smile, holding Sakire's hand tightly.

"Yes, we are very grateful to you three. You have saved our lives twice now." Sakire chuckled weakly. "Thank you." The young teen added, and with that the two girls followed Henilo into the house.

"Vialo will send you off, but in light of what happened tonight." Tatal paused, looking up at the boys.

"I know, we need to limit how often we come here." Chris stated.

"Why?" Vialo questioned, visibly upset by Chris's proclamation.

"Not for long, Vialo." Tatal reassured her sister. "Just for a few days." She added.

"Tatal is right. We need to stay back at the base and play the game. We were being careless and look what happened." Chris exclaimed, taking hold of Vialo's hand. "I can't put you all in danger again because of my selfish longing to be here." Chris paused. "Because I want nothing more in this world than to stay here with you all forever, but I can't." Chris confessed, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I will see you again, I promise." Chris vowed, looking into Vialo's eyes that were almost impossible to read. Vialo didn't say a word. She just squeezed Chris's hand gently before walking back to her home, leaving Chris with this feeling of emptiness.

Tatal let out a sorrowful sigh as she watched her sister disappear into the house. "I guess she won't be sending you off after all." Tatal stated softly, bringing her gaze back to Chris. "I stand by my words." Tatal repeated. "You three are family. You are always welcome here." She added with a smile. "Please be safe." Tatal requested.

"We will." Nick replied, gently placing his hand on Tatal's shoulder. Tatal reciprocated his gesture, before waving them off.

Tatal stood there for a few moments, still trying to regain herself before facing her family again. Eventually she slowly made her way back into the front room, where her family was waiting. She let out a somber breath. "Everything will be okay." She exclaimed, before she melted to the ground. Almost as if her legs couldn't hold her weight anymore. "Mom and dad will be home next week, and everything will work itself out." She added.

Tsovey, who was still locked in her brother's arms looked over to her older sister, exhaustion filled her eyes. "But what about Nick, Matt and Chris?" Tsovey asked meekly, as she struggled to keep her eyelids for closing. "What will happen to them when mom and dad get home?" She added.

"We will tell mom and dad about them...we will figure this out together." Tatal exclaimed. "As a family." She finished. That night the six siblings slept together in their front room. None of them had the energy to move. They didn't know what the future had in store, but at that moment none of them cared.