✦˚*𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲* ˚ ✦

❝The girl cloaked in gold❞

☀︎

In the hushed ambiance of the room, Hana sat gracefully on the floor, cradling a collection of herbs in her delicate hands. Ronal, the tribal leader's wife, observed her with unwavering focus from an adjacent spot.

"You're doing it wrong," Ronal's dry voice pierced the silence, her eyes never leaving Hana.

With a sigh, Hana adjusted her hand movements, the gentle jingle of her golden bangles accompanying the subtle shift. "Wrong," she repeated, suppressing another sigh. "Give it here."

Ronal spoke softly as she took the mortar and pestle from Hana's hands, initiating a subtle exchange of knowledge and tradition. "You see, like this, not crazily, like how you do it."

A suppressed laugh escaped Tsireya, a silent observer of the exchange. The two completed Hana's weekly lessons, a ritual that had persisted since her visions began in childhood.

Exiting the Marui, the sunlight hit Hana's eyes with its usual intensity, making the gold that adorned her shimmer like a precious gem. The tribe believed these items enhanced her connection to Eywa.

Hana's schedule was tight. A daily routine involved visiting homes upon request, foreseeing the future. All she had to do was hold their hands, and their family would pray to Eywa, hoping for visions. The myth of gold enhancing the likelihood of her visions had emerged from the times when it hadn't always worked.

"C'mon, Hana, please, come swimming; it'll be fun," Tsireya said, holding Hana's hands and slowly pulling her towards the beach.

"I can't," she said with a sad face.

"Why not?"

"I have to go see your father; he wants me to see Aonung's future," Hana said, shrugging.

"But we already know he's going to be a bad leader! You don't need to see his future, please."

"Maybe next time," Hana said, giving her a tight-lipped smile.

"Fine... but we're going to have all this fun without you!" Tsireya said, teasingly walking off towards the beach.

Hana followed Tonowari's instructions and stepped into the designated room. Her eyes widened at the unexpected crowd that had gathered.

Scanning the room, she spotted Tonowari in the corner, his arms crossed. Aonung's friends filled the Marui, engaged in hushed whispers.

"Hana," Tonowari began, placing his hand between his eyes and waving down to her as a sign of respect. "I must thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to help us."

"Thanks," Aonung added, sending a knowing smile to his friends.

"It's really no problem," Hana replied with a sweet smile. "Shall we start?"

Aonung's friends and father began their prayer to Eywa, their voices blending into a small symphony.

Hana took both of Aonung's hands in her own, smiling to herself when his face turned a pale pink at the foreign touch. Closing her eyes, Hana focused on the voices around her until they unified into one. She attempted to receive a vision from Eywa—whether a near future or a memory—but the canvas of her mind remained blank.

Stepping back, letting go of Aonung's hands, and opening her eyes, the chanting had stopped. Hana looked to Tonowari, shaking her head. "I'm sorry... I don't see anything."

Tonowari nodded in understanding. "It's alright; we know you can't force it. Thank you for trying."

Aonung looked slightly disappointed but still smiled at Hana. The moment was interrupted by the blaring sound of a conch, signaling a gathering.

With a confused look, Hana headed through the village, Aonung right by her side, accompanied by a few of his friends. "What do you think it is?" Hana asked, her curiosity evident.

"I don't know... but if it's danger, I'll protect you," Aonung declared, looking to his friends for approval, who nodded approvingly as if he had just swept her off her feet.

"Uh, thanks?" Hana replied, not quite sure how to respond to the unexpected declaration.

Hana's amazement took hold as she witnessed the majestic sight of Ikrans soaring just beyond the reef, gracefully making their descent to the beach. Their arrival instantly drew a captivated crowd, the onlookers enchanted by the awe-inspiring display of these magnificent creatures.

A family of six gracefully dismounted from the creatures, an unfamiliar sight to Hana. Their skin, a deeper shade of blue, contrasted starkly with the islanders, and their garments were fashioned from materials foreign to the locals.

Breaking through the crowd, Aonung led the way, with Hana and Rotxo following closely behind. Two boys from the arriving family greeted them with a symbol of respect. The older one, with long braids, widened his eyes upon seeing Hana. Her golden attire and jewelry made her stand out amongst the crowd.

He offered her a smile, though it faltered under Aonung's scrutinizing glare. As the seemingly older boy examined them, Rotxo noticed something peculiar.

"Look," Rotxo said, nudging Aonung, "is that supposed to be a tail?" The two boys erupted in laughter.

Rolling her eyes, Hana whispered, "Like yours is any better." The boy from earlier caught her words, laughing quietly to himself.

"It's too small. How are they supposed to swim—?" Rotxo began before Tsireya cut him off with a swift hit on the hand. "Do not, Rotxo, Aonung," she scolded, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey," the younger boy said, his eyes glued to Tsireya, who giggled at his words, looking down towards the ground shyly.

Hana nudged Tsireya, both girls sharing a laugh at the flushed look on Tsireya's face. Tonowari soon made his dramatic entrance on his Skimwing, raising his spear in the air before gliding smoothly into the ocean.

The family exchanged gestures, placing a hand on their foreheads and extending the other down toward the ground—a sign of respect. "I see you," they uttered, extending their respects to the clan leader.

Ronal soon broke through the crowd, her expression weary. "Hana, where are you?" she called out, prompting Hana to quickly walk towards the woman.

"You did not see this in any of your visions?" Ronal asked in a hushed whisper. Hana shook her head, and Ronal continued forward.

"I see you, Ronal," the leader of the family said, performing the same gesture he had given Tonowari. "Tshaki of the Metkayina..."

"Why have you come to us, Jake Sully?" Tonowari asked, and Hana's eyes widened at the name. She remembered a dream from last week—a bright light standing in front of her, whispering only two words: Jake Sully. Hana couldn't fathom what it meant, but at least now she knew to whom the name belonged.

Jake extended his arms. "We seek uturu."

"Uturu?" Ronal said, looking to her husband.

"A sanctuary for my family," Jake spoke with a desperate look on his face, and Hana couldn't help but feel sympathy for the Na'vi in front of her. "We are reef people; you are forest people. Your skills will mean nothing here," Tonowari said, shaking his head as Ronal began to walk around the family.

"We can learn your ways, right?" Jake said, looking to his presumed mate, who spoke softly, "Yes."

Hana watched intently as Ronal inspected the family, pulling at their tails and examining their limbs like they were foreign aliens from another planet. "Their arms are thin," she remarked, grabbing the youngest girl's arm. "Their tails are weak; you will be slow in the water."

Ronal picked up the eldest girl's hands. "These children are not even true Na'vi!" she declared, making the crowd murmur.

"Yes, we are!" the girl exclaimed, pulling her hands away. Ronal then walked up to the boy who had been looking at Tsireya, raising his hand. "They have demon blood!" she yelled, making the clan hiss.

"Look!" Jake said. "Look! I was born with the Sky People, and now I am Na'vi. We can adapt. We will adapt, okay?"

His wife then began to speak. "My husband was Toruk Makto..." she said proudly, but her husband didn't seem to look so happy, wincing slightly. "He led the clans to victory against the Sky People."

"This you call victory? Hiding among strangers?" Ronal's words made his mate look down in sadness. "It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one," she finished, making his mate hiss in anger, but Ronal hissed right back.

Jake came between the women. "I apologize for my mate—"

"Do not apologize for me—"

"She's flown a long way, and she's exhausted."

"Jake," she said, sounding irritated. Once the tension had defused, Tonowari began to speak up again. "Toruk Makto is a great war leader; all Na'vi people know his story. But we Metkayina are not at war." He turned back to Jake, who had now picked up his youngest daughter. "We cannot let you bring your war here..."

"I'm done with war, okay? Just... wanna keep my family safe." Ronal and Tonowari exchanged glances.

"Uturu has been asked..." his mate finished for him. Ronal and Tonowari then looked at one another before their heads swiftly turned to Hana, who knew exactly what they were silently asking her to do.

Hana stepped forward, the gold bangles on her feet jingling slightly with each step. Her footsteps were heavy in the silence as she walked up to Jake Sully, looking him directly in his eyes and gesturing for his hands. Confused slightly on what she was doing, Jake put down his daughter and held his hands out towards Hana.

She grabbed both of his hands in her own, earning a slight glare from Neytiri. She nodded at her clan, and they all began to silently do their prayer to Eywa.

"Your family as well..." Hana said, looking towards the people behind him. After some shared odd glances between the family members, they all began to pray.

Hana closed her eyes, concentrating once again until the voices formed as one, listening for a change in the sound. Hana no longer heard anything; instead, she opened her eyes to see that glowing light before her once again.

The wispy light formed a hand, reaching out towards her, and reluctantly, Hana took it. She saw visions of war and beauty, death and destruction.

Hana let go of his hand, breathing heavily as she did, backing slightly away. "Hana, what did you see?" Ronal asked. Hana turned back to Ronal, unsure of what to say. But when she looked back at the desperate look in Jake's eyes, she knew exactly what to say. "Nothing," she said, shaking her head.

Ronal gave her a suspicious look before turning back to her husband and slowly nodding. "Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us, treat them as our brothers and sisters. They do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless," he said, looking back toward Jake.

"What do we say?" Reluctantly, a chorus of thanks rang out from the family.

☀︎