#ongwi

Her mind was desperate, filling with where she had to go: home. Back to the Resistance. Sanctity of the metal place… defensible.

Safe.

Her eye closed against the wind, yet Katir’s eyes were clearer, her hands trying to claw into her face to keep her eye shielded, but she could feel how hot and sticky her hands were…how slippery as well with the force of the air against her flesh. Her head thumped with pain… her head felt light, but she focused on seeing through her Ikran’s eyes to keep her grounded. It lessened the pain but… she still felt woozy.

Katir screeched out… shaking her from as a haze drifting over her mind to realise how quickly they were almost there. Tsyuta distinctly realised how Katir was reacting to her pain and desperation to pound her wings through the air to get to the HQ.

Landing almost knocked the wind from her, Katir letting out another horrendous shriek before she pulled her kuru free and staggered to the airlock. Her breaths echoed in her ears louder than the changeover, but the sight of Ri’nela on the other side, no doubt coming to investigate the sound of her distressed Ikran, was a blessing.

“Oh…” she couldn’t help the relief in her voice.

“Tsyuta!” Ri’nela gasped, horrified as she realised what she was seeing before she threw herself forward, capturing her into her sweet embrace in her alarm. “So’lek! Alma!” Her voice cut through the air.

Tsyuta gladly sank into Ri’nela’s arms, her legs wavering.

“Sarentu?!” So’lek got there first before Alma also gasped. “What happened?” His voice was deep, written in concern as he touched her chin, but Tsyuta groaned at the attention there. It made her head throb worse.

Alma’s arms looped around her other side, pulling her weight from Ri’nela without tearing her away, but guided them through the base at a very brisk pace. To medbay. Her feet barely caught up.

“K-Ka’nat…he got angry…” She got out with slurred words, finally closing her eyes to shut away the worst of it. “…he ordered…this. One of their… their warriors…” She couldn’t turn to see So’lek’s expression, but didn’t have the energy to either. She felt sick.

“So’lek, start securing all the airlocks and call everyone in. We’ll lock down the HQ.” Alma commanded.

There were no arguments. She felt him leave before she smelt the familiar medical disinfectant reach and the voices around before she felt the coarse texture with a mild cushion to it. A gurney. She sat, though her shaking hand clutched at Ri’nela.

“Hajir should be well enough to help,” Alma said, adjusting the gurney’s head to a high angle. “Ri’nela, stay with her and do what the medics ask of you. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Tsyuta accepted the help to lie back, allowing Ri’nela to lower the bed further down for when Hajir would examine it. She knew her eye was gone… trying to look about hurt too much to signify anything less than that what was left needed to be removed. Her first week out in the open… and they stab her in the head.

Her heart ached, unable to stop herself from the sobs that bubbled up in her throat as much as she wanted to.

“<Cry, Tsya.>” Ri’nela whispered soothingly, her nickname soft. “<Let it out. We don’t need to hide that.>”

There were loud clicks that made her flinch. The Airlocks. Oddly, it was relieving. The Aranahe couldn’t get in. She was safe in here. Her hand gripped her tighter. Then, she heard the laboured breaths of Hajir, his voice echoing to Nalin and others for supplies. Ri’nela shifted a little, but didn’t let go.

“Tsyuta,” Hajir’s voice was close now, “I need to take a look, can you please drop your hand?”

“Hurt…” She sniffled.

“I know. I’ll give you some pain medication in a moment, but I need to see what damage has occurred. Can you tell me what struck you?”

Tsyuta swallowed thickly. “Spear.”

“S-spear?” Hajir sounded shocked. “Shit… You removed it.”

“She could hardly keep it in,” Ri’nela said, a tad snide.

“I know,” Hajir said, swiftly. “We can put you under for this exam, or do you want to stay awake?”

“Under… but Ri’nela stays.” She whispered.

“Okay..”

-

Ri’nela never felt her heart beat so much as she held her friend's hand. Staying out of the way as the doctors set up, sedated Tsyuta and got to work. It pained her a little that she had to help change her out of her clothes and into a gown, a mask of Pandoran air strapped onto her face. Something clean and sterile, but it would mean she wouldn’t get an infection. Alma hovered outside the medical bay, preventing anyone from coming in as they operated, like Teylan and Nor, who protested but both backed off for Tsyuta’s sake, for the procedure to go smoothly.

Ri’nela had to wash and wear a gown over her attire, masked up but that also meant she had the full view of their work. Scans of her head were taken first to assess how deep the wounds went; limited to just the eyeball, it seemed; her optical nerve was intact, which was noted down. Probably for the possibility of a functional prosthetic in her future. Her eyelids had some damage done and the socket itself wasn’t damaged. By the angle, Hajir had commented that she had tried to react by going backwards, which was they the damage wasn’t worse. It was a huge relief to know that there was no damage to her brain.

Alex appeared, changed into sterile clothes, masked up and with a covered tray, which was set down.

“What’s that?” Ri’nela asked.

“A modified orbital implant,” Alex said, his tone cool and serious, which given the situation, was a relief. “<Right now, it’ll hold the eye muscles and protect the remaining optical nerve. Until there’s a decision on if she wants it removed or sewn shut or for me to develop a prosthesis for her to use, this is the best solution.”

Ri’nela nodded. A prostheses may restore her vision, but it meant she’d have to live with a sky person device in her skull… for good. She couldn’t blame Alex for wanting to give that choice. Tsyuta deserved that choice. Teylan would opt for the device without a doubt. Nor would reject the choice and let her go without the eye as any of The People would in the same situation but… Ri’nela couldn’t make that choice. Not yet. Not until Tsyuta was well enough to decide for herself. The Resistance could give her that time where the Na’vi couldn’t.

Her mind still stalled on the reality. Why would the Aranahe do this? Why would Ka’nat wish to harm them? She was helping them. Etuwa had asked for the aid, and they gave it. This was supposed to be a mission to rekindle a connection between the Resistance and the clan, but now…

Ri’nela couldn’t see how this could be repaired.

At worst, they had tried to kill her. At best, they half-blinded her.

“Where’s So’lek?” Ri’nela asked, calling to Alma.

“Outside, keeping any Aranahe visitors away in the lockdown.” Alma said, “He’s got a radio on him to call us when that happens.”

Ri’nela let out a sigh of relief. Good. That was good. So’lek… he knew how to handle the other Na’vi.

It took a full hour for the procedure to be done, and Tsyuta was set to rest with a plastic shell bandaged over the eye and wheeled to a more private area, which was screened off. The removed eye, Ri’nela had requested to be put in a jar rather than burned. Maybe they could do something petty with it. But that was for later.

Nor and Teylan didn’t hesitate to crowd the bedside while she slept. Each took her hand and murmured to her. Ri’nela lingered, but she found herself drifting to Alm, who was examining the map of the Kinglor forest very intently on her tablet.

“What do we do now?” Her voice was not as strong as she wanted. She felt exhausted. Mentally and emotionally.

Alma’s head turned, ears twitching down. “I don’t know yet. There’s no current gesture sent by any of the warriors, nor did the Aranahe send a healer. I’m concerned, given Etuwa hasn’t shown up, but… given this was done on Ka’nat’s orders, she may not have been able to get here.”

“She was helping her take down an RDA base. Maybe she got hurt?” Ri’nela suggested.

“I think so too. She’d never want this.” Alma straightened up, her tail swishing high uneasily. “That now leaves us with a problem.”

“Oh?”

“Where do we go from here?” Alma inhaled deeply. “None of you are going back to the Aranahe… not until they’ve sent something to acknowledge the incident. If they’re turning hostile… we have to consider moving bases.” Given the expression beneath the worry on Alma’s face, it wasn’t something she wanted to do. Mayhap in an emergency. Today felt like that.

“We can do that?”

“I can’t put people at risk staying in Aranahe Territory,” Alma said swiftly. “I’ll need either you or Nor to take over the watch at the door while I talk to So’lek about options of where to go.”

“There are options?” Ri’nela asked carefully, probing for more information.

“Two… but one means asking permission from the Zeswa to move onto their land. We’ve had to take down and rebuild this HQ somewhere in the Upper Plains, which is hard to do on a good day, not surrounded by RDA patrols. Now, with the right permission and structure, we could do it. Possibly an in-depth cave system for us, since without the jungle, we can’t hide it in plain daylight. ”

“And the second?”

“The Clouded Forest.” Alma looked more reluctant to admit that one. “We have a storage facility in a mountainside. It’s defendable but…. It’s a long way away. The clan isn’t one to be trusted either. Reclusive and doesn’t do well with humans.”

“The Clouded Forest is a risk for humans. Here is a risk for us Sarentu.” Ri’nela summarised. So the first option would be the Zeswa. “If Anqa drops me off at the Zeswa Upper plains, I can see about trying to talk to the Olo’eyktan and Tsahìk, whoever they are, for permission and a place.”

“Nesim and Minang, sisters.” Alma answered, “That’s not a bad idea. They dislike avatars and humans, but your voices will be heard. Given the situation, they may be sympathetic, given Nesim lost her eye a few months back when the RDA first came to this region.”

“You know them?”

“Not personally. So’lek visited the land but never met the two, but met with some of their traders at a close outpost to get an idea of what to expect.”

Ri’nela nodded softly. “What about the alliance with the Aranahe? If the action against Tsyuta was singular and not as a clan action against the Sarentu or Resistance as a whole?”

Alma sucked on her teeth for the longest of moments. “I’ll need to talk with So’lek on that matter. Their numbers would benefit the resistance and to fight against the RDA and their outposts in the Kinglor forest. If—I wish this didn’t happen. I’d never have pushed for any of you to the Aranahe if I thought they’d harm you.”

Ri’nela reached out, patting her arm. “I know, Alma.”

Alma didn’t look satisfied, turning around and looking more towards Tsyuta’s gurney with a dent between her eyebrows. “Why hurt her? What was too accomplished in harm? I knew he didn’t like the resistance…. But you’re Sarentu. Respected. I don’t understand why…”

There was no answer it seemed, but it was all in their head. Why. Why do something to drastic without a concept of the fall-out? What if Tsyuta had been killed? The thought ached her heart the more she thought about it. Tsyuta could have been killed. Two more inches and she would have died.

They wouldn’t have known either, not until they delivered her body to their doorstep. Ri’nela’s throat thickened. For a second, she felt like she was eleven… the smell of gunpowder in the air, the sickening thud of a small body hit the floor…. And the blood. So much blood…. Dead in an instant. Aha’ri lost forever, and they watched. Now, they could have lost Tsyuta and not be there for her.

Alma’s radio crackled, and Ri’nela’s head turned, well aware that Nor and Teylan’s attention turned as well.

“Alma, I’m permitting Etuwa to enter the HQ, if that’s okay with the Sarentu.”

Nor’s eyes narrowed, Teylan gripped Tsyuta’s arm more intently, eyes going wide. Alma’s head turned her way. Ri’nela met her gaze before she turned her gaze towards her friend, weighing the options on what this could mean. “Only her.” For how long, that’d be the question, but ultimately, they needed to speak to someone from the clan. Someone who wasn’t Ka’nat.

Since the Kinglor Forest was contaminated by the Yavä created in the RDA's cover up at the Aranahe Hometree, TAP was moved into the Upper Plains since it was open space without a clan in the region (as the Zeswa hadn't moved into the area).

They lived in similar conditions to that of the Canon Sarentu kids, trained in weapons, human languages and stripped of their Aranahe identy. They have only a few relics from their past:

Etuwa has her father's Olo'eyktan headband adornment, as an infant, she pulled it from his headband after he died shielding her from bullets. Alma later cleaned off the blood and put it on a string which Etuwa hid under her shirt.

Neyan pulled his mother song cord from her body when he was pulled away from her so was able to keep it as a comfort item which he reluctantly shares with Lurei, who only was able to keep a few hair beads but nothing of their family, even if Kitangi isn't her mother, but step-mother. Mercer eventually stole it after Tsu'kiri was killed trying to lead them out.

Koranu has a beaded anklet, with a Kinglor-shaped charms and silk threads, given to her by her father hours before the attack. She keeps it tucked away in the hem of her pants until she grew out of them and convinced Alma to give her string to wear it under her shirt.

Out of the 12 children taken, nine would have survived TAP to be put into Cryo by Alma when the RDA Evacuated from Pandora in 2154.

Etuwa was raised without remembering anything of her family given her young age, and forged a stronger relationship with Alma due to Alma being the only person with an avatar and had to help physically to look after the baby, that would not have survived without the 'necessary physical and emotional requirements' a baby needed from a 'passing' adult.

As soon as Etuwa was more independent and not so reliant on a 'mother', Mercer forced both Etuwa and Alma to a 'respectable' distance which Etuwa found very difficult emotionally, but Etuwa endured by then relying on the older Aranahe students which helped her immensely, seeing strength in Lurei and Ley'taw

Due to the connections Etuwa had with their teacher, the other Aranahe found it difficult to trust Etuwa which often made her focus on her studies, and more headstrong. It wasn't until Tsu'kiri's death, that changed Etuwa's perspective of the school they were in, that they were prisoners. In her later years, she became more rebellious.

Neytu died 2 months after their capture, due to poor food and barely weaned from her mother's milk. the Formula the RDA out together was poor quality and with humans around, her immune system was weakened and she eventually died of a stomach bug. Alma kept her ashes in her desk draw.

Lurei was very headstrong, but cautious in her approach to authority. She grew to like knowing the rules to know how to bend them without breaking them and getting punished. She found herself enjoying human music out of all of them.

Aleymun and Neyan grew up with a bitter rivalry between them for attention and Harding played into their competitiveness, the winner gets dinner while the other looses out. While Neyan hates the use of metal, he grew to tolerate them in favour of eating and avoiding beatings. He did to restrain his competitiveness when he realised what Harding had been doing and he slowly reconciled with Aleymun about their treatment by splitting his meals and loosing to her a few times.

Koranu became an anxious girl, worried about her appearance and trying to 'perfect' herself to be wanted and would try and gift Alma pictures to prove her worth. She hates guns but preferred hand-to-hand combat which she excelled at. She longs for a quiet life. But she las little trust in her group as she is easy to press for answers, accidently snitching about Tsu'kiri's escape attempt in fear of how they'd be punished for it. She was 'rewarded' with treats and goodies for telling, but punished by social isolation by her fellow Clanmates for a few years until she was able to gain forgiveness from them. She still blames herself for their death.

Taheywu was conceded TAPs worst student, as he was excessively clumsy, poorly skills and prone to mistakes which makes him poor in combat so, he was trained towards human technology, which he became good at, but bored of. He was removed from human technology and beaten badly when he was caught attempting to hack into the system to try and get their clan out. Both his hands and wrists were purposely broken and Vefilu was made to care for him while his hands were casted. She was proud of his attempt, even if it failed. He was still in casts by the time the RDA were evacuated.

Leytaw and Vu'an became more rebellious, but protective of the younger ones and do their best to shield and lie, even with the consequences. They helped Etuwa see and grow, made sure to keep track of food and snacks, sometimes able to convince a TAP member for a few pieces of bread for midnight snacks. This helped keep Taheywu or Aleymun healthier and keep some elements of hope as a group.

Itu was a wildcard for TAP, while growing up he was caught on quickly of human weapons and became more arrogant, he liked Mercer's faith and trust in him, finding Alma weak in her teaching and sees her flaws but sometimes swings in favour of his clanmates in their talks, so they don't often know if they can trust him or not. Secretly Itu hates TAP but wants to be on top to 'win' and get out, so appeasing Mercer, Harding and Alma is the only conclusion he's drawn up to help him achive how to escape. He secretly draws Kinglor pattens with his finger on his skin as a reminder of what his mother used to do, to ground him when the bad dreams start; for a while, he didn't know what the drawing was until he drew it on paper and Vu-an told him of their clan's art with Kinglor.

When the RDA Defected, and the kill order was given to kill off the remaining students, Alma helped kill the three Soldiers and led the students to Medbay, where the crypods where as she couldn't sneak the nine Na'vi out with so many soldiers packing up to go.

Vu'an died in her cryovault after Mercer had the TAP Facility bombed. Damaged spread to her vault after 2 years once water seeped into the machinery and the microwave radiation used to shift water molecules to prevent ice crystals forming were disrupted and she froze to death in her 'sleep'.

Eventually 15 years after they were put to sleep, they are woken up by Alma, the Resistance, So'lek and a handful of Sarentu warriors who took up living in the Kinglor Forest in efforts to discover what happened to the Aranahe once word spread of the loss of the clan, but could not enter the fog to see.

While the Sarentu weren't directly blamed for the loss of the Aranahe directly, it was believed that they had traded goods that had caused this catastrophe. So the Sarentu clan wanted answers to clear their clan of any doubt. A majority of the clan remained at The Circle of songs, when the Kame'tire and Zeswa became unwelcoming. Tamtey became a lead warrior in this investigation, along with Aha'ri, Ri'nela and Nor who wished to help the Aranahe adapt to live outside human walls. Teylan focused more into trying to establish a Sarentu-Zeswa connection, as the Sarentu birth-rate had dropped significantly without traveling.

The Sarentu were able to help the kids adjust to the plains and it's wide open space, with Teylan also establishing a peace between the Resistance and the Zeswa who pulled out of the fight after Nesim lost her eye and Kin died in a RDA ambush.

Etuwa became driven and inspired by Tamtey and saught to learn and wanted to know what happened to her clan.

Eventually, after the Resistance HQ in the Plains was bombed, they moved into the Kinglor Forest and rekindled connection with the Kame'tire who helped the Sarentu and Aranahe find means to breath and step into the Yavä and find out the truth; to step inside the Aranahe Hometree's half-dead tree, the silk relics, and dye vats, the arrows, spears and songcords that decorate the floor where people one were. Nefika's cloak that was left behind after getting caught by a root.

Alma is then questioned, but Neyan kills the avatar body for her part in tap, and runs off, but doesn't leave. Feeling some justice in taking away Alma's tool body and Etuwa struggles immensely with this loss on top of the revelation, having seen the avatar as 'mother' for years, even after learning she wasn't her actual mother.

They eventually take Mercer down after he brings down the Zeswa's Celebration arches.

Nefika is later found by Sarentu in a deep forest cave-like system in the Ravines, looking after a Kinglor nest, keeping to her role as a weaver, but created many tapestries to handle her grief and the story of the loss of the clan. It takes a while for her to be convinced that the Aranahe kids are real, alive and her daughter still alive. Nefika had shed the yellow cloak, as the yellow Yavä that surrounded her Hometree ruined her favourite colour; settling to wearing various shades of green and blues.

Eventually, with the help of Anufi's guidance as a Tsahìk and friend, Nefika starts to show Koranu how to weave, Neyan how Ka'nat led the clan, Etuwa on what she learned with watching Asahe, The others Aranahe their clans stories and histories, helped by the Sarentu who were alive and interacted with the clan at the time.