— 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐍.

(Y/N) ended up staying awake to wait for her mother and father to return from one of their many dates they go on together, they said it helps keep their love alive.

She had yet to figure out any answers about the Sullys, barely having any opportunity to ask her mother or father.

As the two adults came into their home, both laughing amongst themselves as Äoa said a cheesy line to Sänume, they were surprised to see their eldest sitting and waiting.

"𝘖𝘦𝘭 𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪 𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘦" (Y/N) said as a sign of respect for her mother and father, doing the familiar hand gesture. They returned it, both stealing a glance at one another.

"My dear, (Y/N) is there a reason for this unexpected visit? Surely you must have a good one as you know your father and I—" (Y/N) cut her off, usually others would get a scolding from doing so, but they had a mutual understanding.

"What happened to Sullys mother." She said glancing at both of her parents who which shared a questionable glance. "Why do you seek this information out?" Äoa said.

"The boy touches this necklace all the time and Toruk Makto is without a mate. His youngest daughter is ten years of age, surely she couldn't have went without a mother that long ago." She was pacing, it was something she did when she got overwhelmed with asking an important question that she wanted to know.

Sänume moved over to her, placing a hand on her wrists where the coverings were still there, moving her over to their parents sleeping area the three of them sat down. "I hadn't know about what happened, you know we keep out of the war." Sänume spoke softly.

Äoa placed a hand on his daughters cheek, softly rubbing his thumb on a small scar she got when she was a child. "We went to our neighboring village to ask. Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite passed one moon ago. Why, they do not know. They know wherever the Sullys go, a war comes." Äoa was always gentle with (Y/N) being as she was his first born and a strong leader, but he knew her well and that is why he is always honest.

"Jake asked about us bringing them back from the dead." Sänume said. "He came to us yesterday before going out hunting with the party."

(Y/N)s eyes snapped up to her mother, shoulders dropping a bit. She wasn't attached or liking the latter in that way—she just knew how dangerous it could be and how different it was.

(Y/N) nodded her head, her white hair having been thrown up and tightly wrapped in a bun as she stood to make her exit, bidding a farewell to her parents, but before she did her mother stopped her with a final word. "I told Toruk Makto you would be helping him with getting his stillsuit and taking him to the neighboring vilage for the day tomorrow. I assure you know the way."

She had left, she knew she did this so (Y/N) could ask.

...

Jake once again couldn't stay asleep, he was having another nightmare.

"Neteyam?" He said rushing over to his son who was on the ground, Lo'ak who had been close by was pressing down on the wound. "Dad! Dad help, quick!" but he couldn't move, he was just stuck in one place watching his eldest slip away.

He heard another voice, this time it was Kiri and the two people in front of him had switched to the two females, "Dad, I-I think mom is hurt, she isn't waking up." Kiri didn't see the hole in Ney'tiris back from a gun wound, she only thought she was knocked out.

"Dad?, you have to help me wake her up, we have to go. Come on—" He was stuck. Looking down at his hands, they were stained with blood and on the ground was a gun. He blamed himself so much that his mind made him believe he did it.

"Dad? Hey, dad, wake up." A voice was starting to come through, it sounded like Neteyam, but when he opened his eyes it was his boy Lo'ak.

He sat up and immediately placed his hands on his shoulders with a worry look, "Are you okay? What's going?" He asked quickly.

"No Dad, you were crying again."

"... but the thing about happiness is it can vanish in a second."

"Lo'ak, I'm sorry." He said sighing, embarrassed his son caught him crying. Wiping away at his tears, he glanced outside to see it was still dark out. "What time is it?"

"Uh, the village life is about to start soon. Pretty early though." Lo'ak said as he moved to sit down next to his father, head resting on his shoulder. "I miss them too, every day." He said quietly.

The two just sat there, their comfort and warmth being not a lot, but just enough for the two.

....

A hour later and one stillsuit on Jake, (Y/N) bid the Sullys a goodbye and started to make her way over to the pathway that led to their neighboring village with Jake.

"Why do I have to wear this?" He asked as he adjusted the little piece that rested just barely outside of his nose.

"It will keep you moisturized on our travels, it's a distance away and there isn't any moisture when we walk. Besides, I want to take you somewhere after." (Y/N) said, having called out to one of her creatures that she was known for riding.

A thanator.

"Holy fuck—" Jake said, immediately stepping back as the creature got closer and closer to (Y/N), he reached out to pull her back, but was startled when he saw the creature roll onto its back for a rub.

"Fuck?" She questioned as she patted the thanators belly in a comforting gesture, she heard many bad words, but this was a new one.

"Yes, bad word, don't say it." Jake said as he got closer, he was thankful (Y/N) didn't push it even further.

As the two started walking, Jake next to her and (Y/N) now upright on the thanator, she would occasionally glance at the other before looking back. His curious gaze constantly making the two stop, one minute he was next to her and the other he was off looking at some of the trees that were burning different colors.

"It doesn't seen like the trees will die or fall down." He said. (Y/N) moved closed to the other as she stuck her hand on the trunk of the tree. "That is because our trees are very sacred here, they burn for centuries. My mother knows when they are ready to be taken down."

Jake nodded and continued to walk, "So, this neighboring village. You wanted to go, why?" (Y/N) asked, pushing down a branch so they could pass through a quicker way, almost reaching the destination.

"Your mother said there was a Shaman there that could help me see.. someone." He stopped, he didn't want to make the other uncomfortable with knowing the specifics.

"Your mate and son." The words came out like a punch to Jakes gut, he stopped moving for a second. He hadn't heard someone call Ney'tiri his mate in such a long time, always by her first name or the typical was your mate, so all he could do was nod.

"How—" (Y/N) lifted a hand before placing a hand on her neck, "Your son wears a necklace and you are raising the kids alone, I had assumed you lost someone." She said, choosing her words carefully.

Jake nodded and continued walking.

...

The two arrived and were immediately greeted with hospitality from the villagers. They looked the same to the ash tribe, but many of the villagers had cloths tighten around their queues and others had their whole queue completely covered.

"I will show you where the shaman is, then, I will leave you two alone. I won't be far, so don't fret if you don't see me." (Y/N) said, her tone that sweet honey he remembered from their first meeting.

Jake nodded and the two set out to find the Shaman.

It took less than a few moments, in fact, Jake assumed he could've found it himself seeing as she lived in the giant hut that stood on the edge of a small cliff, overlooking their village.

"Their name." Jake said as the two stopped at an entrance, (Y/N) tilted her head in confusion. "Her name is Toruka. Shaman of the eyes. Speaker of good and evil. Or, I know her as my sister." They entered the hut, both greeting the other and Jake was left alone again.

The women in front of him had to have been no more than ten cycles younger than him, on the tips of her fingers were very long nails that were a red color, sharp and super pointy. Her skin had coverings that were painted to look like dripping gold off her body, eyes the color of the sun.

She wore a traditional outfit that was imbedded with what seemed like dried up Lava, beads scattered across the lower half and as it closer to her front, it inter crossed into a covering for her chest to look like vines dropping from her body.

On top of her head was a decorative headpiece to look like the roots of a tree, but on the floor was dried up lava and leaves, she looked like a statue.

"Jake Sully, the great mother told me you would be here, I was not expecting you to be here so soon. You have a troubled heart." She said, "I assume my little sister has told you who I am."

Jake nodded, he could see that her queue wasn't covered. He hadn't meaned to be quite for as long as he was, but he assumed it became uncomfortable for the other as his eyes were strained on the queue.

"Some villagers here are cut off from Eywa, some having done bad things and others not wanting to believe in the great mother, but we aren't here to talk about them. You want to ask about Ney'tiri and Neteyam, correct?" Jakes ears flattened, he nodded his head and sat down where the other directed him to.

Inside the hut was small vines that glowed each time someone passed by them, different colors for different age groups of people who passed. If some were bright than others, that meant more of that age group had passed.

"Each color represents how young or old someone was, the white are babies. They see a bright, white light when they enter the world and that's the only thing some usually see. White represents pure spirits. Yellow for children who barely made it to their ninth year of living, yellow represents happiness. Children are always so happy." Jake bit his lip, he felt his heart break.

"Then we have purple, power. This has little color because the power here is the chiefs, they like to keep their burials sacred. Green is for spirits who have came back, new beginnings and growth. They are the ones who agreed to come back and cheat death. Blue is for sensitivity, for the older Na'vis who have passed away at an old age." Toruka looked over at Jake, having been showing him all the colors, she didn't realize his eyes were to the floor.

Moving over to the other, she dragged a grey vine over to him. "Jake, you never lost them. They accompany us , they never disappear from our lives. We are merely in another room." Toruka said.

Jake lifted his head, tears threatening to spill before he held onto the vine. Wiping both of his eyes before taking a deep breath, "What does grey represent?" He said, his voice a whisper.

"Balance. Neutral. This is where spirits go before they pass over. Connect your queue to one of the open spots, when you go. I will be behind you, but you need to understand they might not recognize you at first." Toruka said, Jake nodded and connected his queue. Pupils dilating as he took a deep breath.

"Neteyam?"

...

AN;; Ah! Next chapter will strictly be in the spirit realm for Jake and Toruka. If you have seen 'The Shack' then you will know next chapter will be heavily inspired by that! Also,, the slow burn will start to happen. I like when things take awhile to get to know one another. You know ?? Not immediately jumping into it, that's just me though!! Anyway, I will see you in the next chapter!