Kailua chats with Tsireya and tries to avoid her mother's endless questions. She discovers something shocking in the process, and in an attempt to clear her mind, goes for a midnight swim.She wakes up on an unknown ship

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See you again, Already gone & I can't break it to my heart

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Another few days passed before Lo'ak finally agreed to stop being so petty. "It's so much nicer now you're friendly with each other," Tsireya said as she painted Kailua's toes. She wiggled her finished foot with a hum. "I dunno about friendly. Civil, maybe. Friendly? I don't think that'll happen for a long while." Tsireya hummed. "You never know what the future holds, dear sister. For all you know, you two will be courting again next year," Kailua sighed softly. "I get the distinct impression you want this relationship more than we currently do," She teased. Tsireya shrugged. "Maybe." She sighed wistfully. "I just love love." Kailua shook her head. "There's other guys in the clan, Reya. I'm sure I won't die alone. And someday, somebody will call you Aunty Reya,"

Tsireya grinned. "I hope so. Then my children can play with yours and Nungs," Kailua grinned at her feet, wriggling her toes. "Nice colour. How'd you make it?" She asked. Tsireya put a leaf band over the pot and placed it on her shelf. "Ilu ink mixed with red berry leaves," Kailua nodded. "It's nice. You should offer it to the rest of the clan in exchange for more flowers,"

Kailua waited for a while, daydreaming until her toes were dry. She was supposed to help her mother but she managed to get out of it; she... overexaggerated her ailment this morning. True, her head had been hurting and she felt a little sickly, but that was most probably to do with her lack of food, for she passed on dinner the night before. Stupidly, Kaliua had fallen asleep under the stars and snuck home very early that morning. Her lie unfolded before her very eyes when her mother came back early. "Kailua. I thought you were unwell?" She asked, dropping a basket by her bed. "I feel a little better now I've eaten, mama," She said, refusing to look up and meet her eyes. Mom hummed.

"Aside from the obvious lie told by my eldest daughter," Mama said with a raised brow. Kailua looked away. "Your cousin has started her cycle. I am going with her to sort out her needs. Tsireya, do you wish to come? You and Axing tend to start around similar times," Tsireya nodded. "Sure. I'd rather be prepared than not be," Then Mama turned to Kailua. "I'm assuming you're sorting yourself out, daughter? Seeing as you have the last three months?" Kailua frowned. "I haven't sorted anything out mama... in fact, I haven't had a cycle in nearly four months,"

Mom frowned, humming. "I would not worry about it, daughter. So long as you and that boy did not finish within each other," Both girls gagged and yelled at their mom to stop talking, to which she rolled her eyes with a hiss. "Then you are fine. If you did... that then it might be your body adjusting. Mine did the first time. Do not dwell on it." She placed her hand on Kailua's head. "I will prepare you some stuff anyway, just in case it arrives when you don't expect it,"

Her mind falling into the anxious abyss, Kailua asked her mother to wait. She glanced at Tsireya as she cleared her throat; thankful when her little sister left. It would appear she did not hold the same trait as her brother which was the situational awareness of a dead person. "Mama..." Kailua began slowly. "If the man... pulled away... before he could... finish," She shuddered, "Can a woman still be pregnant?" To her immense relief, Mom shook her head. "Highly unlikely. You would have to be the most fertile woman on Eywa'eveng for that to even be a possibility,"

Kailua sighed. "And besides, you would be showing by now if you were. You two ended the courtship over three months ago. A woman usually begins to show by then, if only slightly." Mom finished. Kailua nodded, relief coursing through her veins. "Relax child. I will be back soon,"

~

Despite her mother putting her worries at rest, something still nagged at her. Perhaps it was guilt? She'd fucked up (a sky person phrase that Lo'ak loved) big time when she did what she did. As Neteyam said; the intentions were good, but the actions were bad. Many times she'd thought about apologising, and she had to Neteyam. He'd accepted it with a thin smile. Lo'ak... quite honestly, could get fucked (another sky person phrase)

He'd used her abilities as a way to hurt her in their last argument. And one thing she never forgives people over is her abilities. If you mention that in an attempt to hurt her, you're done. You'd be lucky to exchange another word with Kailua in your lifetime.

She floated on the surface of the water, breathing in the cool, slightly salty, air. A few Ilu splashed and chirped around nearby while a few fly-fish buzzed around her head, settling on the surface by her body. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the entire sea surface. All was perfect and peaceful as she shut her eyes with a soft sigh.

When she woke, Eywa knows how many hours later, she wasn't in the water. At first, she thought she'd drifted to an island during the night. As she sat up with a frown, she realised no islands were a cold silver colour. "Sleeping beauty's awake! Mornin' princess!"

~

"Where is my daughter!?" Jake couldn't help the small step he took back. Ronal stood in front of his hut, teeth bared, hair wild, eyes furious. "What? What daughter? What's going on?" He asked. Neytiri was by his shoulder in an instant, no doubt meeting the furious Tsahik's glare with her own. "My daughter! Kailua! She is missing!" Jake exchanged a look with Neytiri. "I'm sorry Ronal, but we've not seen her. Not properly since she and Lo'ak broke up." Ronal hissed dangerously. "I want her found. Your son had something to do with it! She was fine earlier in the day, I come back and she is gone!"

Jake bit back the urge to say: If you were my mom, I'd leave too.

"I'm sorry Ronal. We haven't seen her. And I doubt my kids have either. But I'll ask anyway," He added, seeing her eyes dilating in barely contained fury. "Kids! Come here!" When asked, none saw anything. Except for his beautiful eldest boy. "I saw her go out for a swim on an Ilu earlier," Neteyam said. "Around midday," Ronal hissed. "I know that. I want to know where she is now!" Neteyam put his hands up. "I came in for lunch as she left. I have no idea where she went,"

"Maybe she was taken by sky people?" Kiri offered. Jake hissed at her to be quiet. "No, Dad. I'm pretty sure I saw one a few days ago when I was flying around. A ship. It didn't look like it had anything written on it... but they did have a tulkun on it." Jake's heart fell as Ronal turned to the sea.

"The sky people have taken my daughter!" She screamed.