Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{75}

This was the first time that Layontsin and the other na'vi have seen skypeople grieve the loss of someone dear. The pain that they expressed was so much that she and the rest expressed the same thing.

Those that knew Shaka, the one that was the most kind to the na'vi of all ages, began to mourn the loss of such great person like they would a loved one. Even the kids that weren't taken away by the Ash clan hunters began to cry for the loss of Shaka along with their parents. Layontsin too was saddened and in such grief of Shaka's death, not just because of others that have died in the battle. The anthro thanator knelt down beside the one that grieved the most from the skyperson group, Asim being that one as she had realized both were close, and placed a hand on his shoulder and back to ease the intense guilt he was going through. At first Asim didn't feel the clawed hand that was on his shoulder, holding Shaka's hand with his own and gripping them, but then he tensed as he finally felt it. He let go a hand from Shaka and moved it to grip Latontsin's hand while he continued grieving intensely. After a long moment of lamenting and feeling sorrow, Layontsin noticed Asim and the others look up and out towards the forest. "Lily.....they must have taken Lily with the other na'vi children!" Asim said, Layontsin tensing up with equal realization as Asim started to get up. The others with him also got up and started to seem worried for their small sister. They went and turned to the clan leaders, who were tending to the their na'vi that have suffered injuries.

Layontsin also accompanied them and went to speak with the clan leaders first, knowing what the skypeople would ask. "My father, my mother. We need to go and save the children that the Ash clan has taken from our clan. Lily is among one of the ones taken." Layontsin said to them, failing to tone down the desperation in her voice. Rai'uk looked up at her while tending the wounds with the tsahik and shook his head, surprising Layontsin. "We can't. Not on this state. If we go and retrieve the children now, we don't know if we can succeed. Furthermore.....we are not sure if the children will make it." Rai'uk said, sighing and standing up. "The children...won't make it?...What do you mean by that?" Layontsin asked, confused before dread started to slowly creep up her back. Unil'tingai, the tsahik, stood up after she finished tending the wounds of another na'vi. "The Ash clan na'vi...will never let go of the children no matter what we do to change their minds. They have grown to believe that the volcano that they live near and call home is the very will of Eywa herself. They listen to its every sound, carefully to interpret what it says in order to "help" them. They have gone such lengths as to prove their beliefs, even to do gruesome sacrifices of animals...and even their own. Their clan leader, and especially the tsahik, has driven them astray from the true path of the forest. That is the reason why they remain as outcasts, as an exiled tribe from the rest of the na'vi clans. Whatever they have planned for the children...they won't let them go." Unil'tingai explained to Layontsin, also showing that she too was worried.

The explanation that the tsahik gave Layontsin made her even more worried than before, even when she had known firsthand what the Ash clan was rumored to do. "Are we going to let them take away the children and do such horrors to them? No! We have to get to the hunters before they reach their territory!" Layontsin countered, not believing that the clan leaders would just be alright with abandoning the na'vi children easily. "If we do that, we won't survive against them with what few hunters we have with us! This clan has already suffered enough conflict with so many enemies! I will not risk loosing any more of our tribe!" Rai'uk said firmly, looking at Layontsin straight in the eyes and expressing a fraction of helplessness that he was trying to hide. Layontsin still couldn't believe that the clan leader, her father, would take such decision even when he had a point about the injured na'vi that still needed to be tended. For the anthro thanator, it would have been enough to bring the remaining hunters with her and carry an attack to the Ash clan warriors that were slowly advancing out from their reach. Even outnumbered, their thanator mounts, and Layontsin herself, would give the Anurai clan an advantage in the strength of their attacks to prevail. The Anurai clan was known for their ferocity, each and every one of the clan members knew that clearly. What didn't make sense was why Rai'uk thought that the few weren't going to be enough for battle. Sure, he wanted to protect everyone, but this wasn't a mere conflict that an enemy tribe has made.

This act was war, and it was absolutely intolerable.

"We will think of something else. Until then, we shouldn't rush things. Remember, Layontsin. Do not think like the same way that you did with Asim." Unil'tingai said, also in warning to the anthro thanator. Layontsin was about to tell something in response to that when a na'vi spoke. "I know what we should do...we should kill the ones responsible of this disaster! These skypeople have brought nothing but trouble! If it weren't for them, the Ash clan wouldn't have attacked us! They are the reason we are suffering again!" The na'vi shouted, pointing at the group of skypeople with them. Some of the ones that were with him gave sounds of agreement, while others started to argue against them. Asim's friends did their best to tell them that it wasn't their fault, as right they were. The sight of the na'vi telling such falsehoods made Layontsin's fury grow again, lashing her tail as she glared at the na'vi that spoke about killing Asim's group.

It came to a point where, when the na'vi pointed their bow at the skypeople, seeming as if they were about to do harm, the anthro thanator grabbed said na'vi by the arm and pulled them away, snarling and showing her teeth as she brought the na'vi up to her level. "You dare speak such false accusations to them? You have no idea what you are talking about! They have done no wrong! It is the Ash clan to blame! They are the ones that cannot let go of the hatred against the skypeople! Can't you see that not all of the skypeople are evil? They protected us from those na'vi that have gone blind to the ways of our great mother Eywa! They have shown us more kindness than the greedy ones that drove our clan to near death and destroyed our home! If you think otherwise, then you yourself are not worthy to be called a na'vi!" She snarled, making the na'vi she held become silent with fear. The others also stood silent as the anthro thanator reprimanded the na'vi with such harshness, surprising the clan leaders as well. Then Layontsin let go of the na'vi she reprimanded and watched as how they backed away from her in fright. Later she turned to Asim, who had his head hung down and still expressing more guilt than the rest of the others from his group. Before she could move closer to him in order to not pay any mind to what the other na'vi said, Asim unexpectedly backed away from her. "They are right. All we have done is nothing but cause trouble. I don't know if the deaths we have caused can be amended." Asim said, speaking softly to cover the guilt in his voice. "No, it's not your fault. We will find a way to save the children, and Lily as well." Layontsin said to him in assurance, but he shook his head. "We will go out and save them ourselves. And we won't involve any more na'vi into this." Asim said, announcing the last part aloud so the na'vi could hear them before he turned towards his friends. He spoke to them, and they began to head towards the forest. Layontsin realized that they were serious about going to help save the children, without any sort of help. "Wait, please. We can figure this out." Layontsin pleaded, following Asim as she reached towards him with a hand to stop him. Then he turned his head around to stare at her, and the face that Layontsin saw was enough to make her gasp and freeze.

Asim's eyes were red and wide with anger. They reflected the light of the fires, just like she had seen in his memories.

Then he turned around and disappeared into the forest with his family.