Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{76}

Layontsin watched them go into the forest, back to where their metal beast was.

All that she felt at that moment was intense worry for them, especially for Asim. The only thing that her mind was going over and over about was the red glowing irises that Asim showed to her. And that expression...the only thing that it showed was pure anger, which scared Layontsin. If those were the same eyes that meant he would go into battle and be unstoppable, like she had seen in his memories...then that meant he was really going to go for rescuing the children. Even if it meant killing anyone who got in their way. Realizing this, she went over to the clan leaders to inform them about this. However, they were busy going about and tending to the last of the wounded, doing the best they could with the healing herbs and other things. Layontsin went to help them in the meantime, taking care of the rest of na'vi that needed to be healed. Later she tended to herself the minor wounds that were inflicted upon her by the Ash clan na'vi. Those wounds were superficial, due to her having mostly armored skin despite it looking soft at a glance. Once that was tended to, she went over to check on the rest of the clan to see if they needed her assistance.

The whole village was an absolute mess when Layontsin arrived at a standing place. The whole festival was ruined, with some places having caught fire and the instruments with special ornaments having been thrown to the ground during the confusion. The thanator skeleton has been destroyed and collapsed down, some of its bones currently burning on the fireplace that was placed beneath when the skeleton was still in its feet. The instruments and celebration utilities were scattered all over the place, some untouched or having been shattered to bits. Some guys that belonged to families and others were trampled down and even set on fire as the na'vi tried to put them out. Even the hut from the clan leaders was destroyed, and Layontsin went over there to see if anything has survived or not. When she got there, she saw that most of the things that resided in the place were on the floor. A cauldron was shattered into pieces, one of the few that belonged to the family. Thankfully some other items were left intact, mainly those that were part of Layontsin's younghood. Several wooden totems of the forest creatures were laid out on the floor. The anthro thanator reached out and picked one of them up, a distant memory of her childhood rising from her mind. All other items being feather crests, necklaces, bracelets, ornaments of other kinds, and the small weapons she used as a young one were not destroyed. They remained intact despite the whole mess that has been created.

All except the flowers that Asim had gifted her recently.

Those were trampled completely, the base that held them having been shattered and the petals having been ripped off and squashed. Their once beautiful presence was now laid to waste and destroyed on the floor, now looking almost unrecognizable. Layontsin gasped as she noticed the crushed flowers and went to them, kneeling down to reach for them and gingerly pick one of them up. She examined it with sorrow, remembering how Asim had given them to her in an attempt to express his feelings to her. This was just one of the gifts that showed the true side of Asim. Now...it was destroyed, and it made Layontsin feel truly sad. Both because that the gift was gone and so was Asim now that he has gone off to fight against the Ash clan. The outcome was certain, and yet...Layontsin now thought about him and his safety. She feared that he won't be seen again ever if the Ash clan managed to defeat him and make him fail at his attempt of rescuing those that were young. Or worse...that all of this fighting will breed more conflict and hatred against his kind. And that was something she now didn't want to happen. A long time ago she would have been thrilled and overjoyed if the skypeople race faced doom and total disaster like the Anurai clan once did at their hands. At this very moment Layontsin thought otherwise, because she saw the true side of the skypeople that lay deep within them. It was all thanks to Asim that she could now truly see how skypeople were alike to na'vi despite their differences. Without him, Layontsin knew that she wouldn't be the same in a more better way than she would have imagined. Which was the reason that now, thinking more thoroughly, she needed to act due to the gut feeling that was telling her to do anything. The sole reason behind this...was that Layontsin accepted her caring for and loving Asim as a mate would.

Later, after wiping away the tears that have slowly been sliding down her face, and mustering all of her strength left inside her, Layontsin went back to the clan leaders. She took the few petals that remained from the gift given by Asim in one of her hands as she went to them. "My father, my mother. I know you mean well that you want to protect the clan. But we have to rescue the children. We cannot abandon the future of our tribe. And also...we cannot loose Asim. Because...I love him. I want him to live amongst our trike like they have begun to do so. I am not asking that I go with other hunters, rather...I will go alone and help Asim rescue the children without having to fight the entire Ash clan. Please, I am begging you that I am let go so I can help. More importantly, so that no more disgrace falls upon our tribe." Layontsin explained to both clan leaders, bowing her head in the utmost of respect. The two clan leaders were silent where they stood, almost as if they had no response to say to her. "Layontsin...we already have spoken..." Rai'uk said to her, but she shook her head. "Please, father. I am begging you. Just like you have said; so that both sides won't feel regret or remorse after when they have been taken over by the enemy within." Layontsin said, emphasizing her words with the rise of her voice volume and a remaining small tear that she shed.

There was another moment of silence, Layontsin shill having her eyes closed tightly and bowing to the clan leaders, before she felt one of their hands on her head. When she opened her eyes, she saw that both were facing each other, Rai'uk's expression being concerned, while Unil'tingai's being affirmative. Seeing that the tsahik now approved of this that Layontsin has said, and that nothing good will come from not listening from her, the clan leader eventually gave a nod. "Go. Save them. Do what your heart tells you to do. I know you will do great." Rai'uk said to her. "Save the ones that you most care about. Don't let your heart and spirit flatter." Unil'tingai added, smiling and gently caressing Layontsin's snout with a hand. Hearing this made the anthro thanator begin to shed tears once more and hug both clan leaders. "Never will I let both of you down. That is a promise" she said with a shaky voice mixed with relief and joy. The two clan leaders hugged her back tightly, but then let go as they all heard a na'vi come to them in a hurry. "The storyteller! He is awake and alive!" They said, gasping for breath as it seemed they have gone a long way from where they started. The words impacted all of them greatly when they heard the news. Shaka was still alive? How was it possible? They have seen him fatally wounded and dead. And yet this na'vi has come to inform him that Shaka was alive. Layontsin and the two clan leaders chose to follow the na'vi to where they led them.

They came to where they were guided, and, like the na'vi had told them, Shaka was awake and alive, still injured but breathing and conscious. Layontsin and the tsahik gasped in surprise as they saw that the skyperson had survived his injuries. "Shaka? Are you alright? How did you survive?" Layontsin asked, the skyperson hearing her voice and turning towards her as he clutched his wounds with a groan. From where they could see, the wounds have stopped bleeding and were slowly healing. It was impossible, as the wounds were knife stabs and cuts that normally were coated with poison. Yet there they were, healing as if they were nothing. "They missed my heart. We may not be immortal, but we are resilient. Wait...where did everyone go? Did...did they all think I died?" Shaka asked, starting to get up as he looked around now frantically. "They did. They went to save the na'vi children and the youngest of your own." Rai'uk told him. Shaka took in a startled breath before he started to get up. But he groaned as the pain of the wounds still lingered in his body. "Careful. Don't move yet. You have to heal." Unil'tingai said, forcing the struggling Shaka back down. "No! I have to go with them...if they think I am dead, then something bad will happen." Shaka said, still trying to get up. "What do you mean something bad will happen?" Layontsin asked, dread starting to rise inside of her. Shaka stopped and looked back up at the anthro thanator before asking her something. "Did you see...that his eyes turned red?" Shaka asked, to which Layontsin answered with a nod. The skyperson clutched his head and gave a worried exhale, now looking very worried about what Layontsin confirmed. "What does that mean?" Rai'uk asked Shaka in concern, but Layontsin already knew what that meant. Shaka slowly looked up at them and said:

"It means that Asim and the rest will kill every Ash clan na'vi. They won't stop until their thirst for bloodshed has been quenched"