Two weeks later...

We all took a deep breath. "The way of water has no beginning and no end. The sea is around you and in you. The sea is your home before your birth and after your death. Our hearts beat in the womb of the world. Our breath burns in the shadows of the deep. The sea gives and the sea takes." Another deep breath "Water connects all things. Life to death. Darkness to light."

I dove down to get a rock that Tsireya threw. We all had to get a rock to pass on our training. I reached down and grabbed the rock and headed up to the surface. I broke it and gasped for breath.

"I got it!" I say

Tsireya laughs "You did it!"

After we did that I was sitting my Kiri who had her face in the water studying something. "What is she doing?" Someone says I look up and see none other then Ao'nung and his gang.

"Back off." I say

He ignores me. "She's just looking at the sand."

Kiri pulls her head out of the water. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"Are you some kind of... freak?" Ao'nung asks

"He asked if you are a freak." His friend repeated. I get up.

"No." Kiri replies

Ao'nung and his friends laugh "Are you sure? I mean, you're not even real Na'vi. Look at these hands." He grabs Kiri's hands "I mean, look at them..."

I push Ao'nung away "Back off, fishlips!" Then Lo'ak comes up next to me.

"Oh, another four-fingered freak." He says

"Look at his little baby tail!" Rotxo says grabbing onto Lo'ak's tail

"Don't touch us!" I say getting angrier.

I push Ao'nung again. Neteyam came up to the group and pushed Ao'nung "You heard what she said. Leave us alone."

Ao'nung's friend hissed "Back off. Now."

There was tension in the air before Ao'nung scoffs softly "Smart choice. And from now on, I need you to respect my sister."

We started walking away but Ao'nung and his friend started making fun of us. Lo'ak stopped in his tracks. "Lo'ak." I say

"I got this, bro." He walks up to them again. "I know this hand is funny. Look, I'm a freak. An alien." I walk up to them smirking

The boys chuckle. "But we can do something really cool." I say  "Watch."

"First, I ball it up real tight like this. Okay? Then..." I punch Ao'nung three times across the face until he falls back "It's called a punch, bitch! Don't ever touch my siblings again."

Ao'nung gets up and him and his friend start hissing and snarling. They charge at us and we start fighting. I kick one of his friends in the no-no area. We fighting for a while Kiri laughing behide us. "So stupid!" She comments

"Ow, my tail!" Lo'ak exclaims

He hold onto Ao'nung's ear "My ear! Let go! He's got my ear!"

I go over and drag Ao'nung off of Lo'ak and get on top of him and start punching him in the face....a lot. Soon there was shouting and father and Ao'nung's father came running over. I was still on top of Ao'nung punching him. His face was getting all bloody and my knuckles too.

Dad tried to pull me off but I pushed him away. Pretty soon Dad pulled me away getting me in a grip. The Olo'eyktan had Ao'nung in a grip too.

"Don't you ever fuck with my siblings and I ever again!" I hiss. Lo'ak and Kiri were standing behide us. Dad and the Olo'eyktan looking at each other. Dad turned away with me and we walked back to the pod.

We got a scolding from father. I got a hard one, I mean I did beat up the Olo'eyktan's son badly. I was sitting on the beach with a bowl washing the cuts. We have to apologize to Ao'nung later so I was getting cleaned up for that.

We then rode our Ilu to wear Ao'nung and his stupid friends were at. "Ah, what's tree people doing here?" I rode up to Ao'nung

"I'm sorry I hit you." I said then grinned "So many times."

He looked at his friends "Ah. We should be friends. Come hunting with us. Outside the reef. It's where the men hunt."

"No way. We are not allowed." Lo'ak says. Ao'nung scoffs

"I must be asking the wrong siblings." Ao'nung scoffs.

Lo'ak and I look at each other "Let's do it."

We rode outside the reef, Yiping and our Ilu squeaking, We were whooping. "Keep up, Forest kids!" Ao'nung yells. Lo'ak and I grin following them until we find the spot to hunt. We dove down under water, Lo'ak and I go separate ways.

I catches a fish pretty fast and turned around to see Ao'nung and his friends no where to be seen. I look and see Lo'ak swimming away fast and I turn and see a big fish chasing him. I quickly swim towards Lo'ak trying to protect him.

As the chase started, I swam with all my might, my hearts pounding with fear. I knew that our only chance of survival was to outmaneuver the fish and find a safe haven. I took the lead, getting in front of Lo'ak. I guided my younger brother through the labyrinthine coral formations,

We had to constantly change direction, zigzagging through the coral maze, hoping to confuse the fish. We swam deeper into the reef, where the narrow passages and dense vegetation provided some cover, making it harder for the fish to track our movements.

My lungs began to ache for air, but I couldn't afford to surface just yet. I knew that the fish would be waiting for us, ready to strike as soon as we broke the surface. I looked around and realized that I had lost Lo'ak. Before I could get out and look where he was, the large fish came and tried to get me from where I was.

I tried to get somewhere else that I could get air but before I could, the fish grabbed my leg and started dragging me down. I soon started losing a bunch of air. Suddenly another fish came and pulled away the other fish that was being me down. But it was too late, soon my vision went black.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I rolled over and coughed up water. There was distance shouting "Father I found her!" A face came into view. It was no other than that Asshole. Ao'nung.

I looked around to see that I was on a beach. Ao'nung put his hand on my chest. I pushed it away. "Get the fuck off me!" I yelled. Soon some Metkayina Soldiers came into view. "Get...Away." It was barely a whisper. My vision was again blurry. Another figure came just above my head before I blacked out again.

I woke up again and looked around. I was on a leaf, water hitting my skin. I groaned and looked around. It was night. "Let's set up camp on that island." Someone stated it sounded like the Olo'eyktan.

There was splashes around me then a figure appeared. "She's awake! You safe now." A Metkayina warrior said,  and started bring the leaf somewhere. Soon more warriors came by my side bring the leaf up on sand. A warriors knelt beside me and explained what was going on.

I was still laying on a makeshift bed that they created under a shelter. I was in a lot of pain. I had scratches, bruises, and open wounds. They were covered with some treatment stuff and leafs they used until we could get to the village.

The Olo'eyktan and Ao'nung down in front of her, in a circle. I took a deep breath and began recounting the events that had unfolded as they asked.

I told on how Ao'nung and his friends brought them outside the reef. "After I had gotten a fish I turned to see Ao'nung and his friends gone and my brother being attacked by that big fish, which I still don't know the name of."  I laughed a little at the last part.

The Olo'eyktan glared at his son. Mad at his stupidity. I continued my story until I was done. He sighed, his voice filled with understanding. "We must remember that our actions have consequences, not only for ourselves but for the delicate balance of nature. We must respect the boundaries set by Eywa." He glared at his son again.

I nodded. Ao'nung placed a comforting hand on my  shoulder. But I flicked it off. I felt a mix of relief and gratitude. The Olo'eyktan's voice softened, filled with reassurance. "You will be alright."

The Olo'eyktan, Tonowari got up and left so it was just Ao'nung and I. I was slowly getting tired and couldn't keep my eyes open. "Tired?" Ao'nung asked. He lays down.

I nodded a bit. "Try to rest." Ao'nung says "We are going to be leaving at first light." I nodded and blinked a few times. My eyelids started to get heavy and before I knew it I had fallen asleep.

It was the following morning and I was back on the leaf as warriors were bring me back to the clan. Throughout our  journey, the Metkayina warriors often checked up on me or to have small talk. Time seem to be going really slow.

As I looked, In the distance I could see the lit up Metkayina village. I was happy that was until I felt something warm going down my chest. I looked down to see one of her injuries gushing out blood. "Shit."

I was brought up on the sand, Tonowari running to get his mate. Warriors carring me to the tent. My breath was getting shallow. I looked around, seeing the Metkayina villagers expressions.

"Tsa'lu!" A faint voice yelled out. I turned to see my Mother and Father trying to get to me. I reached out my hand until a Metkayina Warrior put it in the leaf.

As my vision got blurry I could see Ronal coming to my side and seeing my wounds. I looked up at her before I pass out.

I slowly open my eyes and looked around, I was in a healing tent. I looked to see Ronal take care of a wound on my leg "You need to come back a few more times so I can put on paste on these wounds."

I winced as Ronal gently examined her arm, which was covered in deep gashes and puncture wounds. "I will cleanse the wounds and apply a healing salve on your wounds." She said looked over my other injuries

Ronal carefully cleansed my wounds with a mixture of medicinal herbs and purified water, soothing the pain and preventing infection. She then applied a healing salve, she said it is known for its regenerative properties, to aid in the regeneration of damaged tissue. "Thank you, Tsahik." I says softly

"Healing is a process that requires patience and rest. Allow your body to recover, and soon you will be back on your feet. No training for a week." I nodded, my eyes filled with gratitude. Ronal continued her healing work. Mom and Dad came in to visit a while later. Upon their arrival, Jake and Neytiri were greeted by Ronal, who updated them on their daughter's condition.

"She is on the path to recovery, she is not allowed to train for a week." Ronal says. Her mother nods "Let me take you to her."

Ronal led them to my resting area, where I lay, my injuries bandaged. "Hey baby girl, how are you feeling?" Dad asked as they sat down.

"Im okay. The Tsahik has been taking good care of me." I replied and smiled weakly.

"Good, you will get better." Dad said

"I know, Sir."Neytiri gently touched Tsa'lu's uninjured hand, her eyes filled with love and concern.

They stayed by my side. Talking about what has been happening. They were talking for a while until someone came into the room to talk to her, followed behind was his Mother and Father. Ao'nung.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I came here to apologize."  Ao'nung replies back

I scoffed and sat up some resting against some extra mats. "You an ass."

"Tsa'lu! You speak to the future Olo'eyktan!" My mother scolded

"So what?" I get up and start walking towards Ao'nung. Protests came after from diffrent people. "Your a selfish asshole who doesn't care about anyone then there selfs!"

"Let's just all ca-" my father tried to say and  I hissed.

"You can't even accept the fact that there are outsider now in your village and you are expected to welcome them!" I say I put a finger in his chest. "Your father told you to be welcoming to us and to teach us your stupid Metkayina ways! You can't even do that!"

"I came here to apologize that's all." Ao'nung says

"You're not here to apologize because once we are back to training you will start back up again! You and your stupid friends!" I hiss at him.

"Tsa'lu, let's calm down." The Olo'eyktan tried to help. I hissed at him. Mother and Father gasped. " I hate this stupid village!"

My frustration boiled over as I continued to confronted Ao'nung about his impulsive decision to leave them stranded in the ocean. "Ao'nung, how could you be so reckless?"

"Tsa'lu, I never meant for any harm to come to you or Lo'ak. I was foolish and thoughtless. Please forgive me." Ao'nung said

My anger flared as I shot back, "Forgive you? You risked our lives! We trusted you, and you betrayed that trust."

Ao'nung, looked down. Hanging his head in shame, pleaded, "Tsa'lu, I understand your anger, and I deserve it. But please, give me a chance to make it right. I will do whatever it takes to earn back your trust."

My voice trembled with a mix of fear and frustration. "You need to understand, Ao'nung, that trust is not easily regained. It will take time for us to rebuild what you have broken."

As the argument continued, I couldn't let go of her fear and disappointment. "You put us in a life-threatening situation, Ao'nung. I thought we were going to die because of your thoughtlessness!"

"I never intended for that to happen, Tsa'lu. I made a mistake, and I'll do whatever it takes to fix it"

"How about you leave my family and I the hell alone?" I say I look towards my parents "How about we go back to the Omatikaya Village?" I then look at the Olo'eyktan and the Tsahik. "We all would we much happier there."

"You know we can't do that Tsa'lu." My mother says quietly. I then exit the home to the protests of Ronal.

I went and laid on the beach curled up. Looking at the village. Behide Tsa'lu, the Olo'eyktan, Tsahik and my parents leave the healing pod looking around and seeing me curled up in a ball, and sighed, Ao'nung trailing behide them. Father goes back to there pod and mother slowly making there way down to me. She comes and sits beside me. She plays with my hair. "Missing the Omatikaya Clan?"

I nodded. "You shouldn't have said those things Tsa'lu."

"I know. Ao'nung is an idiot." She sighs. We start talking for a while. Then another voice says something behide us. "Mind if I talk to her?"

Word count: 2588