— 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆.

Jake couldn't sleep that night, he couldn't tell if he was sleep deprived or if he was genuinely not tired. He tossed and turned as quietly as he could on the floor of their new home.

He glanced up to the ceiling of his new home, it wasn't the same, everything was different and changing, he hated change. Turning his head to the side, he looked at his kids who were sound asleep and wondered if they had nightmares about everything as well.

As he sat up, he moved to leave the entrance of his home needing some fresh air, but he was met with a giant fire in the center of the ground. Some children were sitting around it as the storyteller of the village spoke about a made up story to help the kids asleep and occupied.

Walking down the spiraling pathway, he moved closer to the fire and sat down, a kind smile on his face as some of the children from the village all curiously looked at him. It was like deja vu again when he first arrived to the Omaticaya years ago.

"...when the great dragon flew over the village of Tipani, the villagers all danced and cheered as war was over." The story teller said, moving his body dramatically as the children all laughed. Some falling asleep as what seemed to be teenaged Na'vis taking care of them.

"Happiness is simple."

As parents came to collect their children, thanking the teens for watching them, the crowd began to get smaller and smaller, leaving only Jake to the fire as he bid a goodbye to the storyteller who left for the night.

(Y/N) was up as well, she had trouble sleeping because her brothers were snoring loudly, so she walked over to the fire and sat down as well, completely unaware that across from her and through the flames was Jake.

Jake moved his head to the side to see around the flame better, eyes meeting (Y/N) as she let a warm smile come across her face and move to sit next to the elder. "How are you and your family liking our village?" She asked as she was sititng down.

"It is welcoming, I am surprised though. The rumors and stories of this village were different." Jake admitted, he was told that the village of the skeletor tribe had a deadly vibe to it, it made him wonder if that was true and they were just hiding it.

"Well good. My father and mother like to have people guessing about us, it keeps away any traitors." It was like an effect of her words because in the distance at a very far ways out, but he could hear it well, there was a scream and then silence. "What is the matter by the way." (Y/N) had stuck her hands out to warm them up this time.

Jake could see her wrists were covered in a beautiful purple wrap that complimented her grey skin, the tips of fingers seemed to have been dipped in black ash that only the distal phalanx was stained. "What do you mean?" He said as he looked back at the fire, his eyes burning as he stared intensely.

"Well, usually people who are up this late are either gatheres for our village and I know you are not one. So that means you must not be able to sleep, is there a reason why?" She was good and she knew it, she was good at picking apart someone and not caring how the over perceived it.

Jake learned one thing from his time on earth and being here, never open up too early. "Just tired from the travel, we did travel for 10 days, (Y/N)." There it was, that tone she knew he had.

All (Y/N) could do was stand up before chuckling. "My apologies, Jake. Have a good night." And with that, he was left alone once more.

...

The next morning came by and the children all left their father to sleep in. Tuk was the first one out as she moved down the pathway to find (Y/N) and Ay'u, both of which promised to take them near the water today.

Kiri had stopped (Y/N) privately and asked if there was a way a cloth could be placed over the entrance of their home so Jake could rest better. (Y/N) nodded and sent one of the makers to their home and said it would be done in a matter of time.

Arriving at the dock where a giant border was sent in place around the outskirts of the village, (Y/N) bent down to the water before drawing a small pattern in the water as she leaned back and waited. Lo'ak and Kiri had also taken the opportunity to lean over to see before their eyes widened.

Coming up from the water was a furry creature floating on its back, the creature was round with furry ears, a black nose and little, black eyes. Four little legs, but you could never tell because the creature always stayed in the water.

"Koalaotter." Ay'u said, leaning down to scoop up one of them who allowed it, both nuzzling each other. "They are one of the most pure creatures we have here, we like to think they are our passed family members or friends coming back." (Y/N) said as she laughed seeing many follow Kiri around.

Lo'ak had leaned down farther away from everyone, his eyes having found two koalaotter, a mom and a child. Both of them having been swimming together peacefully, the baby laying on her stomach as her hands were wrapped around its back.

No one could hear and he wouldn't admit it, but he did say hello to his mom and brother right there.

...

Bringing them back to the grounds of their village, Lo'ak finally felt more comfortable enough to talk and joke with the group, occasionally getting silent, but it was improving.

Ay'u and (Y/N) liked to think they had an upperhand in being the chiefs children, they managed to score some of the food that was being made for Fawns celebration in advance and pass them out to everyone, sitting down in the middle of the village near a fire, the five of them started to chat and ease their worries.

"Yes, I'm telling you! Ay'u used to run around the village pretending to be one of the dragon moose growing up. He had this weird idea he was one of them!" (Y/N) said laughing with everyone but Ay'u, who just rolled his eyes.

"What about you all? Can you tell us about your village?" Ay'u said, placing a few extra pieces of his food onto Tuks.

"We lived in a big tree!" Tuk said loudly causing Lo'ak to jump and spill some of the food, the rest of them laughed.

"Here, have mine." (Y/N) said placing the rest of hers in his hands, he happily took it and chowed it down fast.

"So," Lo'ak said after a few moments of them eating. "What is the ceremony for? I am assuming a ceremony is happening since the village is being decorated."

Ay'u who had been rubbing out his tail had perked up, a smile on his face as he loved the ceremonies. "Yes! Our spirit siblings are migrating back home in a few days! Then a month or two after, Fawn will have his ceremony and we hold a feast for him, but we keep the pieces up until it gets closer to his time, then we switch it out." Ay'u said before (Y/N) chimed in.

"I will say though, the ceremony is very.." she trailed off trying to find the right word, it was a rite of passage that whoever was next in line to be the Olo'eyktan would pick someone from their village to sacrifice, sometimes the warriors would find people who committed crimes or act of treasons, that being a forced sacrifice but still a sacrifice nonetheless. "daunting more or else." She said.

Kiri got the idea and Lo'ak tried to understand, but he didn't press it further and went back to finishing up his food.

As a comfortable silence fell over them, the five of them watched the fire dance around them, occasionally Ay'u would gently blow into the flames to make a little pattern for Tuk to keep her attention to it.

...

It was about to hit eclipse and the warriors had arrived back from their hunt, Fawn having led the hunt on their mongoose and at the end of it was surprisingly Jake. As they got closer, (Y/N) and Ay'u greeted Fawn who returned it, the set of siblings behind them did it as well.

Helping Fawn down, Ay'u eagerly asked about their hunt as many of their possessions past by, at least three months worth of food was there. Jake came over to where everyone was at, scooping Tuk in his arms.

"I didn't know you left, dad." Lo' ak said, gifting him a hug as Kiri did as well. Glad he returned safely. "Äoa said I should get practice, I left not too long after you all left." Jake said.

His attention was brought to his left at the eldest daughter of Äoa who was busy checking her brother for bruises and cuts, occasionally smacking the back of his head when he didn't sit still.

He liked to think she was the only one who understood him, even if they talked briefly.