Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{57}

Like last time, Layontsin became more worried for the skyperson again.

She was on the outskirts of the Anurai clan village, pacing all around the place. Her mind was filled with more worry for Asim as she did not know if he had recovered or not. What if bringing Asim to the Tree of Voices was the biggest mistake she had ever done? Did the Tree of Voices do something to him that he may never wake up? Even in the hands of their healer, will it be enough for him to survive? And so on and so forth over and over again. Layontsin was so focused on these questions in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice someone approaching her from behind. The anthro thanator turned around as her quills and crest plates perked up, and found the tsahik, Unil'tingai to be the one walking up to her. "Is something bothering you?" Unil'tingai asked Layontsin. "You can sense when I am in peace or worried. So yes, I am unwell." Layontsin admitted to her, turning around to face the tsahik fully. "Is it because of AsimAngus?" Unil'tingai asked her. "Yes. It is. I am worried about him." Layontsin said, letting out a sigh. "You do not have to worry about him. He has his family to help him. Especially the healer by the name of Kentaro. I have seen he is an expert in healing wounds and illnesses. If it weren't for him, some of our people wouldn't have gotten well. I am sure that he knows how to help his brother." Unil'tingai said, assuring the anthro thanator about the skyperson. Layontsin nodded a bit, though she still wasn't that comforted. "That's the thing. I don't know how he is. I would have to go to their metal village to confirm. But...I also have my duties as the Anurai clan's guardian to watch over the land for any that may seek harm. Especially after what the Ash clan did to us." Layontsin explained to the tsahik, doing her best to express what she thought as her quills being down showed her mood. At that moment she did not hide what she thought, and for a small portion she felt that it was something unusual that she did.

Unil'tingai looked up at the anthro thanator and gave her a reassuring smile. "If that's how you feel, then go and see how he is." The tsahik said to Layontsin, surprising her as she did not expect the tsahik to say such. "Really? But...I have to watch over the clan." Layontsin insisted, not understanding why the tsahik had told her what she had just spoken. The tsahik shook her head and stepped closer to Layontsin, placing a hand on one of the anthro thanator's hands. "The clan will be fine. It will be one time that you go there to see if he is alright. If you don't, you will become sick with worry." Unil'tingai said to Layontsin, imparting a new sort of wisdom to her. Layontsin was partially against it, but since the tsahik was wise in her decisions and was never wrong she decided to follow it. "Alright then. And...thank you." Layontsin said, nodding and smiling as she held Unil'tingai's arm with two hands of her right side.

Then she felt something, which reminded her of what she was feeling moments ago. "Mother...may I ask something?" Layontsin asked as she stopped from leaving. "Speak, my daughter." Unil'tingai said, letting go of the anthro thanator's arm. Layontsin thought for a moment, choosing the right set of words before speaking. "Is it wrong for me...to not hate the skypeople? All my life I have been told, and I do to myself, that they are nothing but monsters. Yet, here we are, with skypeople in our midsts. I know that they are different from the rest and seen what they have gone through. But...does this mean I am becoming weak?" Layontsin asked the tsahik, expressing herself fully what she truly thought. Unil'tingai heard her say the words and looked down, closing her eyes and thinking carefully. Then she reached again to hold her hand this time with her own before looking back up at the anthro thanator with a small smile. "No. That doesn't make you weak, caring about someone even if they are different. Even if they are enemies to some of our people as they think, that doesn't mean you should too. On the contrary, it will make you strong. Stronger than you will ever imagine." Unil'tingai said, smiling more as she continued to hold Layontsin's hand in her own hands to comfort her as well as affirm her belief. Layontsin looked down at the tsahik...and then hugged her as she was moved greatly again by her wise words. "Do you really think so?" Layontsin asked. The tsahik moved one hand to gently stroke Layontsin's head. "Of course I do, my dear daughter. I am proud to say it is true, because I have faith in it." Unil'tingai said, continuing to calmly stroke the head of the anthro thanator. After a moment the two of them let go from their tender embrace. "Also...I now have a guess that I know what that feeling you experienced not long ago was about. As well as what you are feeling now." Unil'tingai said, not dropping her smile. "Really? What was it then?" Layontsin asked, her quills and crest plates peeking up more.

"That feeling...is the sincere wish to be with someone and be shown affection. And...that you love someone." Unil'tingai said.

The words of the tsahik hit her like a hammerhead ramming her at full force, making her give a yelp and nearly fall over backwards. "L-love someone!!?? M-m-me!!??" Layontsin squeaked, clearly running into a panic attack when she realized what the tsahik meant. Unil'tingai gasped and did her best to try and calm down the anthro thanator that has now become agitated because of what she said. "Calm down, my daughter! I-I didn't mean as in going to the path of becoming mates now. Well...almost there. But it is true; you have shown that you need someone to worry about, and for them to give you attention and affection. And that is what it means to be interested and in love with someone." Unil'tingai explained, quickly holding her hands up before moving them to hold Layontsin's shoulders firmly to calm her down. Layontsin was still stunned by what the tsahik had said. The exact thought hasn't crossed her mind at all not once, especially when it came to that particular subject. Most important of all, the realization that she was showing feelings to Asim. "What will become of this? Me, paired with a skyperson? What will the others say about this? What will the other clans say when they find out?" Layontsin said, her thoughts started to spiral out of control as she covered her snout with all four hands. "It doesn't have to be like that either. You don't have to rush to that end. It takes time for that to happen. During that time, you will find out if he truly has the same feelings for you. If not, then that is alright as well. Because the worst thing about hiding your true feelings is the harm that it will cause to you. And I don't want you to live your life like that." Unil'tingai explained to the anthro thanator. Layontsin paused and then uncovered her face from her hands as she looked at the tsahik once again. "It's for your own good, because I know that you are a good daughter. And you deserve better no matter what happens." Unil'tingai added, moving a hand to caress Layontsin's snout with tenderness.

The anthro thanator now calmed down as she took in those words, and she straightened up once more. "Alright then. I shall keep those words in my head. But...will I do it right? And will he also feel the same?" Layontsin asked the tsahik. "Only he knows. But I've seen him with you, and he is a kind person despite his past. He will be a great man with you, as you a great woman with him." Unil'tingai said, smiling again. Layontsin couldn't help but smile back and hug the tsahik again. "Thank you again, mother" she said, a rumbling noise emanating from her throat as it expresses gratitude. "Anything for you, my Layontsin." the tsahik said, giving the anthro thanator a small kiss on her forehead. Then she let go of her and slowly started to move back, turning around and then heading to the direction where Asim's metal village was. "I'll be back soon." Layontsin promised as she began to walk away from the na'vi village territory.

"Take care, my daughter!" Unil'tingai called out as Layontsin disappeared into the forest.