Tsireya, Lo'ak and Anat begin small talk whilst she heals him. They discover many backward things about the fire tribe.

~

"So..." Lo'ak began. Anat glanced up briefly from his side. "You speak American?" She frowned. "No. Sky people language." She gave a small sigh and pressed more... something, onto his side. He hissed. "Oh stop, it's not painful," She scolded. "And anyway, they've been on this island for a while," Lo'ak narrowed his eyes. "They?" Anat hummed. "Yes. Long before I was born, before my grandparents were even born. They do not cause problems, as most of them cannot survive the harsh climate of our land." She grabbed a needle. "Oh hell no. You're not stitching me with that!" He exclaimed, pushing back. Anat huffed. "Fine, die. No skin off my back,"

"He's sorry," Tsireya piped quietly. "I-I'm sorry I don't understand you, but I think you understand me," Anat glanced in her direction. "I do," She looked him in the eye. "You will translate for me. I don't speak this "new na'vi" language you two seem to do. We speak the na'vi we've always done, and sky people language." Lo'ak nodded to Tsireya. "She's also sorry she don't speak our language,"

He yelped when Anat poked his leg with the needle. "I did not say that," He rubbed the sore spot as she began to treat his side. "So... what's up with the sky people? Tell me about that," He began. Anat pulled a face. "They've been around since I was a baby and a good while before that. I think it was called the Avatar project. Or at least that's what my parents called it. But, it's too hot here for them. Many do not live long in their human form, two years at most. The avatars live up to five, I believe." She threaded the needle through his side. "To try and help them live longer, they decided to create hybrids, they called them. Half human, half na'vi. Very rare. Many died before childhood."

Lo'ak cringed. "That must've been hard," He winced when Anat pulled the string taut. "It was. But, then two lived. Just two, from very different families. One from the deep south, another three weeks swim away. And one on our island. The sky people knew what they had to do to make the hybrids live." She bit the needle in her mouth, allowing Lo'ak to glance at her fangs. He exchanged a worried look with Tsireya. "Basically, the sky people have been here for ages. They made hybrids: half na'vi, half human," He clarified. "What did the Olo'eyktan think?" Anat scoffed softly and began threading his side again. "So long as the hybrids didn't intervene with their line, it was all ignored. So many people died because of him," Lo'ak glanced down at her head. "Didn't work. My grandfather was the child of a hybrid. When he mated with my grandmother, he passed the gene on,"

She sat back and displayed her hand. "That's why I have five fingers and toes instead of four," He relayed their conversation to Tsireya, wincing occasionally as Anat continued his side. "There. Drink this," She said, handing him something. "Smells like Yarnibar," He commented. "It is. It is the original fruit," Anat stood and began clearing away the supplies. "I would leave as soon as you can. Ilat will tell the Tsahik, and then you're in trouble,"

"Ilat's the girl that tried to kill me, isn't she? The one you yelled at earlier?" Tsireya asked. Anat nodded. "Yes. She's the biggest nuisance," Lo'ak held a finger up, grabbing his side when he pulled it. "Hang on, we don't even know how we got here, never mind how we get back," Anat shrugged. "I cannot help you more, not until I am sure Ilat keeps her mouth shut. You could try sneaking into the sky-people camp on the next island over. They'll probably have a boat or something for you to take." Lo'ak frowned at Tsireya, who stared wide-eyed. "Why so simple? There's gotta be a catch somewhere," He argued. "There is. If you can get the boat without being noticed, they all have trackers on. Many people have tried to escape from them, but they always get found,"

"So... if we're good enough to steal the damn thing, we get caught anyway?" He huffed. Anat shrugged. "You can try in a few days. It's m-a celebration. They'll no doubt be in attendance. At least, most of them. There will be a skeleton crew, but by the time they rally and gather the others, you could be a good few hours away. You could either continue on or ditch the boat and swim the rest," Anat pulled a headpiece similar to Ronal's over her forehead. "My mom has something similar," Tsireya commented quietly. Anat smiled. "Is my ma's. I borrow," Lo'ak chose not to comment on the sudden sadness in her black and red eyes. "What celebration is it?" He asked. Anat seemed to think her words over. "A new Tsahik and Olo'eyktan mating," Lo'ak smiled at Tsireya's hand on his arm. "I will be the Tsahik of my clan when I am older. Are you Tsahik?" Anat shook her head. "Tell her. Tsahik is the male here. Olo'eyktan is the firstborn girl. And Eywa must choose the Tsahik. It is not given or passed on. He is chosen,"

She pulled on a strange beaded shawl. "And they must mate under the witness of the clan. Most Tsahiks and Olo'eyktans never meet until that moment." Tsireya gave a quiet gasp: "You're Olo'eyktan!" Lo'ak frowned dubiously. "No. Soon. Three nights," Anat took a step forwards. "Do not leave this hut. Under no instruction do you leave: not unless I say. If you do, the guards will hurt you." Lo'ak was taken aback, every single damn time, at how different her eyes were to that of other na'vi he'd met. "How are we supposed to leave then?" He snapped. "Watch your tone. I could've let Ilat take her. You would've followed quickly after," Anat snapped back. Lo'ak jumped to his feet, tail thrashing. "I will not warn you again. Continue: and I will treat you as a prisoner," She turned to Tsireya with a low growl. "Control him,"

He shook off her hand initially. "Lo'ak, stop. Just leave it," She whispered in his ear. "If you'd listened earlier: I said the best time to leave would be on the celebration. You'll just have to wait three days and hope the current Tsahik and Olo'eyktan don't take exception to it." Anat shrugged. "I can only do so much,"