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Disclaimer: Blah, Blah, Blah. I don't own Avatar; James Cameron does. All the Avatar stuff belongs to him. However, my Na'vi character, I, the Dragon Weyr and its technologies, and the Pandoran animals of my menagerie are all mine. The Protoss - apart from my characters - all belong to Blizzard Entertainment.

Pandora's Templar

A Work-In-Progress Story by Coranth Dehanae

Chapter 44

(Continued from Chapter 43...)

"... and this" I stated proudly as Ieesha and I led the Omatikayans into the room, "is the swotu eo ayzeyko, also called the 'Clinic' in Ìnglìsì. Here, Txra'kon We'er will check each of your bodies for txum from the terrible weapon the tawtute left behind at Old Kelutral." When I finished speaking, I gazed at the gathered Omatikaya Clan in order to determine how they were dealing with everything so far. To my relief, many of the children, teenage, and young adults seemed pleased, and were looking about the Clinic with expressions of fascination and wonder. I was, however, dismayed to find that - except for Mo'at, who'd had the most exposure to Tawtute technology - many of the Clan's Elders appeared to be quite nervous and skittish; it was all the Dragon Weyr could do to keep them calm.

Finally, one of those said nervous Clan Elders - a man named Waru son of Khet spoke up. "If... if Txra'kon We'er does find txum from the Tawtute weapon within us, Olo'eyktan Txa'vit, what will happen?" As the question was asked, curious noises from the other Clan Members followed, prompting Ieesha to step forward. ~There is no need to fear, ma 'eylan~ she said to him soothingly using telepathy. ~Should there be txum from the weapon found inside you, then we will purge it from your body and heal any damage it may have done to you. There is no need for worry; everything will be fine.~ At her answer, the nervous Elder who'd asked the question calmed considerably, and with his calming so too did the rest of the Omatikaya quiet.

'Well...' I thought to Ieesha privately, 'that's one disaster averted at least. Now to convince them to head into the Autodoc for inspection...' After the harrowing time we'd gone through with the disposal of the nuclear bomb at Old Kelutral, inspecting the Omatikaya Clan for radiation sickness and then treating said affliction, proved to be the least problematic of tasks. Once again, Jake Sully was the first to enter the Autodoc and the last to leave; staying with his Clan as one by one, all were thoroughly scanned and then treated with a combination of Hyronalyn and Lectrazine and - in some cases - careful doses of Arithrazine. as I treated a Na'vi child with yet another dose of medication, privately I thought to Ieesha, 'As much as I hate to think about it, Neytiri was right.

The worst damage from this happened long ago, when the bomb was first dropped by the RDA. All we're doing now is cleaning up the remainder of what's left. Makes it all seem like a... pyrrhic, or bittersweet victory, really...' As she inoculated and then repaired the physical damage found within a Na'vi woman whom was pregnant with child, Ieesha sighed through her nose as she gave a slight nod of her head. ~Hmm... true~ she murmured, ~but, at least it is the end of all this madness. With the nuclear bomb disposed of, what's left of the fallout should degrade and disappear in time; that, and the meds we're using will last long enough that the Omatikayans won't need to fear more of their people dying before the remaining nuclear fallout dissipates.~

All in all, for the majority of the Omatikayans we treated the damage from the nuclear bomb's radioactive fallout was minor, except for that suffered by Mo'at. "I... I don't understand, ma Tsa'hik" I murmured to her in astonishment as both Ieesha and I worked to repair the horrific degradation her body had suffered. "How did you manage to live this long, let alone live at all?" In answer to my question, Tsa'hik Mo'at of the Omatikaya merely gave me a gentle smile, before she softly replied, "Eywa. She helped me and eased my suffering. She said that one would come who would help me, and I believed. And my belief in her was right; so you have come." And not a moment too soon, dear readers, for she'd been cutting it close.

We hadn't needed to replace any parts of her body with cybernetic replacements, thankfully, but still... things had been touch and go for a while. But so it was that the Omatikayans were healed; we were triumphant. At the end of all things, as the Clan of the Blue Flute rested upon Biobeds within the Autodoc and allowed medication along with colonies of Nanocytes to do their work, Mo'at gently rested a hand upon my shoulder as she gazed up at my beloved and I. "I am proud of you, Txa'vit - proud of both of you, in fact. You have offered us the greatest help you could even though we were hostile to you." At her words, Ieesha and I bowed to her deeply, before I straightened and softly intoned, "T'was my duty, ma'am."

My response made Mo'at chuckle for a moment as she rested upon her assigned Biobed; a moment later, however, she gazed solemnly at me as she replied, "To help another person is often its own reward, Txa'vit, but I think you have earned this one. In case you might have forgotten: you have my permission to take your Olo' 'Ite Txe'lan to Vitrautral to see whether Eywa might help her recover from her ngim hahaw." Nodding to the elderly Tsa'hik in gratitude, I softly replied, "Irayo, ma Tsa'hik." You might think, dear readers, that 'that was that', as they say - that thanks to the Dragon Weyr the Omatikayans were instantly cured of their radiation sickness and were able to leave the next day.

Unfortunately, whilst physical injuries were trivial things for the Dragon Weyr to heal, an affliction such as the radiation poisoning suffered by the Omatikaya Clan would take months - or possibly even years - to heal. Thus it was that - for the immediate future - the Clans Omatikaya and Tawkami joined together as one. Perhaps it was the kindness with which my Clan treated their brethren - or perhaps it was the 'magic' of the Dragon Weyr's calming influence - but the Omatikayans integration into life at the Weyr went relatively smoothly. All of the people of the Blue Flute Clan were able to aid the Homestead in some form or another, whether by assisting their fellow Na'vi with fitting into Weyr life, assisting in the Clinic, hunting and gathering food, maintaining the Dragon Weyr or caring for the many animals living at the Homestead.

This turned out to be a blessing, dear readers, for it was because of the extra Na'vi hands about the place that Ieesha and I were able to finally escort Txe'lan to Vitraya Ramunong, the Tree of Souls. On the day that we made our way there - as Oo'ano and Lompor walked beside me whilst we escorted the Life-Support Capsule housing Txe'lan, the mighty Na'vi warrior released a quiet sigh of relief. "I am glad, ma Olo'eyktan," he said, "to be involved with the saving of one of our own so precious to you, even if it just to help guard her path. This I hope will help repay what you did for my Maena; you saved her and repaired her womb that we might one day have a family together... Eywa and Txra'kon We'er willing, of course!"

Happiness filled my thoughts courtesy of Ieesha then as I chuckled before responding, "I am fairly certain Eywa will allow it, ma Tsmukan; and if any troubles arise when it happens, Txra'kon We'er will do all he can to help ensure your child's safety when he or she is born. Everything will be fine." The Dragon Weyr's agreement filled my thoughts strongly, then, and at that I couldn't help but smile. When, at last, we reached the Tree of Souls - as much as I believed in a good outcome - I was nervous. Ieesha - feeling said nervousness through our bond - had become restless as a result. 'According to the Dragon Weyr's Archives' I thought to her, 'a woman named Grace Augustine was brought here in the hope that Eywa might heal her wounds... but that failed spectacularly, because her wounds were too severe, and in a sense she 'died' and became one with Eywa. What if that happens here?'

Taking a few breaths, I listened to the world around me. At first, I could hear only the sounds of the forest; the flutter of wings, the sound of rustling bushes and the wind through the trees. But it was soon drowned out by the chanting song of the people around me. Not just people... Na'vi! "What the--?" I uttered, my eyes snapping open in surprise. And what a surprise it was, dear readers, for the entirety of the Omatikaya Clan was there, gathered about the Tree of Souls--nay, gathered about and connected to it! A beatific smile spreading across my face, in awe, I gazed at the enormous tree - this great bastion of Eywa's power - and then, for a moment, I probed the living construct with my psionic senses, feeling that truly ancient, benevolent power wash through me, leaving me stunned and breathless for a moment.

Then, after regaining my senses, I sat with Ieesha and waited as the Dragon Weyr cracked open the Life-Support Capsule, allowing Oo'ano and Lompor to reach within. Ever-so-carefully - as the myriad of Omatikaya voices joining together became the background - my Clan's Master Warrior and Hunter extracted our Olo' Ite Txe'lan from the capsule. Then, they placed her upon the ground, in one of the many hollows between the roots at the base of the great tree. As Ieesha and I looked on, thin, white tendrils extended from the roots. They softly brushed against Txe'lan's limp and lifeless right hand; then, as though coming to some sort of consensus, they wove together into a delicate, web-like cocoon. Ever so gently, Eywa - Pandora - embraced her.

'Well' I thought to Ieesha, unwilling to disturb the sanctity of what we were seeing, 'that's it, then....' All we could do now was wait... as Txe'lan - whom hadn't been able to feel for the longest time since her ordeal at the vile hands of 'They Who Could Not See' - started to feel again; a pressure on the back of her neck. It wasn't painful or intrusive, but gentle and warm, like... like Txra'kon We'er! As frail and broken as she was - as the feeling enveloped her entire body it made her feel whole once more. Then... with feeling there came hearing ; she heard the People's prayer song as it became quieter and more distant, turning into an exaggerated echo that rebounded throughout her brain. She tried to move, then - tried to reach out to someone - but she possessed no control over her body.

Her soul was leaving -- to where, she couldn't be certain. All she was feeling and hearing soon became nothing but a memory. Darkness engulfed her, then, and she couldn't see, hear, or touch anything. It was like she was back in the tunnels beneath Nawm Sa'nok Eywa, surrounded by them again. The relentless, chilling dark made her fall into fear; she frantically reached out for something, anything, to prove to herself that she wasn't lost in vertigo. She tried to retreat within her mind, away from the darkness, but nothing changed. When you have a body, your soul and mind can leave that body, if only for a short while. But when there is no longer a vessel, there is nowhere to go. Txe'lan realized that, and, for the first time in her life, she was truly alone. As soon as she grasped that, however, she was bombarded with a thousand different sensations!

She sensed other entities around her, those of the plants, the earth and even the deceased. She relished in the feeling of being one with everything around her. Each individual essence was represented by a spark of light. They came in different colors, pulsing in the darkness around her. She heard whispers in languages she couldn't decipher, but soon their exact meaning became clear to her as they coalesced into a single, all-powerful, young-but-ancient voice. "[I see you, Lost Sister. You will be healed soon...]" It was then that Txe'lan realized she was no longer a soul living in the world, but through it. She was a part of everything that lived, a part of Eywa. But this experience was ephemeral as well. She noticed that the lights were fading away from her.

She was grudgingly pulled along by an unseen force, away from the oneness and clarity of the realm of souls. Txe'lan's mind slowly drifted back into focus, and was greeted once more by the chanted prayer of the Omatikaya. She became aware of her body, lying on the soft ground, cocooned beneath the dangling branches of the Tree of Souls. For a brief moment, she still felt connected to the void she had just left behind. But it was fading away, directly beyond her grasp. She reached out with her mind, but it was in vain. She had no choice but to stay by himself in this body was forced into. At last - as the cocoon within which Eywa had wrapped her fell away - she opened her eyes as she felt... she felt...

"Txra'kon We'er..." she uttered, a smile gracing her features. Speaking the name of the Nawm Fngapa Sempul caused the sheer joy filling her thoughts to become almost overwhelming, but even more welcome was the sight of Txa'vit - her savior and friend - standing before her, a hand extended to grasp her own. Suddenly, however, a softened gasp escaped her lips as she noticed the Nawm Ikran - no the Nawm Txra'kon - at his side, an animal whom she knew so well from the stories that her Txa'vit had told her. "I-Iee'zha..." she murmured, in awe. At the sound of her name, the great beast nodded, its muzzle drawing up into a smile. Inhaling a deep breath, Txe'lan gently grasped the hand of Txa'vit with her own...

And I gently helped her to her feet. "Damn, girl; you're a sight for sore eyes" I murmured, Ieesha's amusement filling my thoughts. "Where've you been, eh?" Her eyes beginning to moisten with tears, my apprentice embraced me, then, as she answered. "In a Coma. Then with Eywa. But now... now I am back, Txa'vit. Eywa healed me and now I am returned." Txe'lan continued to hold me for a moment longer and then - pulling gently away from me - she looked about, her expression set in distaste before she said, "I... I do not mean to be disrespectful or rude to everyone here, but... Could we go home? I have been away from Txra'kon We'er far too long; I am sure that he has missed me, and that there is much work needing to be done within him. That, and... I would speak with your yawne, Txa'vit, in private."

As the People of the Omatikatya Clan began to whoop, holler and cheer in celebration at her return, I couldn't help but laugh aloud for a moment before I replied to Txe'lan, "I don't think we can go home yet; there'll be a celebration to be had tonight, trust me!" A sigh escaping her, Txe'lan lowered her head - downcast for a moment - before she returned her attention to me with a smile as the Dragon Weyr's longing, patience and understanding filled her thoughts, making her chuckle softly. "Txra'kon We'er understands that I miss him, Txa'vit," she said, "and he longs for me to return to him, but he tells me to have patience; thus, I shall! Tonight, we shall celebrate with the People."

When we returned to New Hometree, the grand celebration held that night sprawled from the Omatikayan's Mreki U'lito to the glowing, cerulean radiance of the Protoss Pylons and Gateway. During the festivities I and Ieesha regaled all attending with tales of our lives before and after coming to Pandora. By the time our stories were told, my Clanspeople looked impressed; each was standing perhaps just a little taller; they were honoured to have someone so brave as their Olo'eyktan. Mo'at was looking decidedly floored, Neytiri was rocked back on her heels, stunned and Jake was shaking his head in awe. "Damn..." he finally murmured, "you've done a hell of a lot in your life up 'till now... all six hundred and fifteen years of it."

As Ieesha and I sat warming ourselves by the heated light of the Mreki U'lito - my beloved resting her great head in my lap - giving Jake a respectful nod, I softly answered, "I have, ma Olo'eyktan, but there is always yet more to be done..." A fond smile crossing my face, I lapsed into silence for a moment as my attention set upon Txe'lan as she sat within the rejuvenating aura of one of the Gateway's Pylon's with her parents. Sunu and Rìkean had come barreling through the Gateway as soon as they'd heard the news of their beloved daughter's awakening from her Coma, and had been by her side ever since. So had Miracle, too; the little White Ikran had stuck to Txe'lan like glue ever since she'd awakened beneath the Tree of Souls; now he lay at her side, his head in her lap as my Na'vi friend caressed and sang to him softly.

"Huh" Jake grunted softly, drawing my attention from the touching scene, "that's part and parcel with being a leader, I guess; there's always more to be done. Speaking of getting things done, what are you going to do with the Gateway, now that your Penance is complete?" Rather than answer his question right away, I thought privately to Ieesha, 'What do you think we ought to do, love? Reckon we should leave the Gateway set up here, or dismantle it?' Ieesha thought for a moment before she answered, ~If Jake is agreeable to it my love I think we should leave the Gateway here. It certainly makes travel between our Homestead and New Hometree easier and if Jake and his Clan need our help, or need a safe haven should they ever be in danger than the Homestead is just a short trip away.~

Nodding thoughtfully, I conveyed this to Jake and upon hearing our reasoning for leaving the Gateway assembled, a moment of realization struck him as he said, "Hey, yeah... I never thought of it like that! Let me talk to Mo'at and Neytiri about this..." As he swiftly moved to confer with Neytiri and Mo'at, I softly murmured to Ieesha, "Don't get me wrong, big girl; if Jake ever needs help I certainly won't use the Gateway to bring thumping great war machines in - and I'm not using the Gateway as an excuse to 'modernize' these Na'vi either; the less technology they have to deal with the happier they'll be, I'm sure - but I will bring a detachment of my Clan's Warriors here in a pinch if needed!

The Women, Children and the Elders of the Clan will have access to a safe haven in the Homestead, should such a thing be necessary; my Menagerie and Clan, too, will have a swift way to New Hometree, should some disaster ever befall the Homestead. Still, how much is too much before the Omatikayan culture becomes 'damaged' by the introduction of too much technology? I mustn't allow that to happen; I mustn't!' The cultural contamination of the Na'vi was something that had been constantly on my mind ever since I'd become the Olo'eyktan of my own Clan, Tawkami, and so - in leading my new Clan - I had always strived for a balance between the Natural and the Artificial.

Whether members of my Clan chose to venerate Eywa, or the Dragon Weyr was something I refused to have a hand in; it was not my place as Olo'eyktan to determine whom they would worship. If a Clan Member chose to venerate the Dragon Weyr, however, I did sit down with him or her and question them as to whether it truly was the choice they desired. In addition Txe'lan, San'eya, the Dragon Weyr, and I often acted as mediators to soothe tension and promote balance and harmony between those who worshipped the great Nexus, and those whom chose to keep following Eywa; together we did our best to impress upon our Clan that both entities were of equal importance in the Great Weaving.

And yet... a part of me still feared what might happen if the delicate balance we worked so diligently to maintain ever shifted... 'Civil War between the members of my Clan is the absolute last thing we need...' I thought, a shiver crawling down my spine. Sensing my distress, Ieesha raised her head to nudge me gently. ~David...~ she murmured, the tone of her voice filled with gentle chiding, ~there won't ever be a war, not as long as we're here to help ensure peace and - as you say - keep the balance in all things. You're letting yourself get carried away!~ My beloved returned her head to rest in my lap again and gazed up at me with puppy-dog eyes, silently demanding that I resume my caressing of her head.

Her pleading expression made me chuckle for a moment before I replied in exasperation, "You are incorrigible, you know that?" My beloved chose not to answer; instead, she merely gazed up at me innocently as I resumed stroking her head and ears. A moment later, however, I murmured, "Yeah, you're right; I probably am thinking too much." Then, pushing all thought of Civil War to the back of my mind I changed topic. "Truth is" I continued, "I'm looking forward to getting back to the Homestead; I know Txe'lan misses the Weyr, and my Clanspeople are undoubtedly looking forward to reuniting with their brothers and mates again. That and - even though Falkor and Miracle are here with us - I miss the Menagerie; I wonder how they're doing?"

Of course, no sooner had I asked the Weyr the question than Ieesha and I were both being sent status updates of the condition of every single animal at the Homestead, along with images from the place's many, many cameras; in short, all the animals were fine, and being properly tended by my Clan in my absence. "Guh..." I said, dropping my head into a hand as Ieesha's laughter echoed through my thoughts, "thanks for the update, but... I think that was just a little overkill..." A moment later, as the Dragon Weyr's amusement filled our thoughts, I joined my beloved in laughter. The sound of our merriment soon drew the attention of Jake, Neytiri, and Mo'at whom it seemed had reached an agreement on what ought to be done with the Gateway.

They wandered over to us and then sat down to join us by the warm, flickering orange-red light of the fire, their grave expressions filling our thoughts with concern and mild anxiety. 'Why the hell am I so nervous?' I thought. 'Worst case scenario is that they'll just say "no" and then that's that; we dismantle the Gateway when we leave, ergo end-of-story...' As the three Na'vi Leaders came within reach of us, and then sat down with us at the Mreki U'lito my attention was drawn away from my thoughts when, surprisingly, Mo'at softly stated, "Jhake Zholy, ma Ite, and I have decided that the Tawfya'o may remain... for now. If it should ever become a danger to the Clan however, then we will ask you to remove it. Do you agree with this, Olo'eyktan Txa'vit?"

As Mo'at looked on I nodded before humbly replying, "Ma Tsa'hik, with sincerity and humility in my heart I agree with the words you have spoken. Irayo, for allowing the Tawfya'o to remain. You should know that - even though the Tawfya'o is a separate aytxula from Txra'kon We'er - it is still part of him; it is always connected to him through a form of Tsaheylu and Txra'kon We'er is what makes it work. Thus, if the Sky Path should ever fail to work correctly, Txra'kon We'er will close it until he repairs whatever is wrong; therefore it shouldn't ever be a danger to your Clan. On the contrary, it is the Pxeylonsx that can be dangerous." When Mo'at's eyes narrowed, gesturing to said structures, I gravely continued, "The great crystal that is the txe'lan of each Pxeylon is delicate, like the Atokirina; the Seeds of the Great Tree.

If a Pxeylon is cracked or shattered it would pxor and all of the titxur inside would be violently released..." Mo'at nodded; she didn't need me to tell her what a terrible catastrophe that would be! "However" I concluded as she opened her mouth to speak, "so long as you are all careful with your weapons around them - and do nothing to break them deliberately, of course - you will all be fine; there should be nothing to fear. Besides, if a Pxeylon ever does crack or break - before its energies can harm any of the People - Txra'kon We'er will take it away and then immediately create a replacement." At my words, Mo'at closed her eyes and thought for a moment, mulling over what I had said.

Then, at last she opened her eyes again and nodded, as she answered, "Any kind of titxur can become lehrrap if not used correctly, from the titxur of a weapon of the People, to the titxur of the Pxeylonxs that even now allow the Sky Path to work; I know this and understand your words Txa'vit. I thank you for the warning; Jhake Zholy, ma 'Ite and I will ensure that the People of the Omatikaya will take care around these things." Her words filled me with relief and - sinking gently back against my beloved's body - I softly intoned, "That is all I ask, Tsa'hik--and you're welcome." Events become hazy after that, dear readers - I remember that the party continued long into the night with much dancing, drinking, storytelling, and celebrating of Txe'lan's return to us - but we did eventually retire to our Field Tent to sleep.

When we awakened on the morn of the next day however... "Oh, Adun, please have mercy; kill me now..." it was with the painful pounding headaches brought about by only one thing: the absolute /worst/ of all hangovers! Ieesha wasn't faring any better; she appeared dehydrated as she lay on her side, a wing folded over her head. ~Trag'Oul, Great Blessed Dragon whom watches over us all, I beseech thee... please burn me with your Eternal Flame~ she babbled as her nausea rolled through me via our bond. "Guh..." I murmured eventually, once the worst of it faded. "Did we... get into a drinking contest with Lompor?" Whimpering, my beloved made no move to nod her head for fear of throwing up; instead she just blinked as she said, ~Yeah...~

Working my tongue about my mouth - as if dry sandpaper scraping over toughened leather - I groaned weakly again as I responded, "Did... we... lose?" A whimper was my beloved's only response and upon hearing it I cursed, "God damn it! How did he talk us into it this time?" However, before another word could escape my lips, from deep beneath my beloved's wing a feminine Na'vi voice groaned, "Unnh... fnu, Txa'vit! Ke ha wok..." and then, a Na'vi hand emerged and weakly attempted to slap me but missed horribly. "Txe'lan" I cried upon recognizing the voice of my Na'vi Companion, "not you, too!" But alas, dear readers, it was so. "Sr-*urp!*-Srane..." came the weak reply.

A short while later, however - courtesy of three glasses of the Dragon Weyr's patented Hangover Breaker; a colony of alcohol busting Nanocytes suspended within a shot of Purge for extra strength - all three of us were up and about. ~Ugh...~ Ieesha groaned as we dressed and then completed our morning ablutions, ~never again, David. I'm not letting Lompor talk you into another one of those silly contests ever again!~ After dressing myself in my attire, as I assisted my beloved with her own Ikran-sized garments, I grumbled, "Hey, it wasn't my fault! Lompor can be... very persuasive when he wants to be." Once Ieesha was dressed - as she went through an unarmed combat kata to check her comfort level and ensure her motion wasn't impeded - her disbelief filled my thoughts as she griped, ~Yeah, right. And the next time he gets you drunk, another Olo'eyktan will take the Clan from us...~

"I doubt it..." I replied, giving her a scratch behind the ears as we headed out to pack up the Field Tent. "Between you and I, we'll be leading Clan Tawkami for a long time to come. Ah... speak of the Devil..." No sooner had we exited the tent to begin dismantling it then we espied Lompor a few meters away from us, the mighty Na'vi Warrior standing beneath a tree, boasting to two of the Omatikayans, also warriors by trade. "Ha!" he crowed as he laid eyes upon us. "As you can see my friends, ma Olo'eyktan Txa'vit, his yawne Iee'zha, and his Numeyu Txe'lan clearly cannot hold their liq..." Upon seeing our condition - perfectly fine, rather than intoxicated and hung over - his words died in his throat, an unhappy frown creasing his features as the two Na'vi with whom he was talking guffawed with mirth.

A moment later - once they were able to regain control of themselves - one of them said, "You ought to stop telling such tsawl ay'vur about your Olo'eyktan! Obviously he can hold his liquor well, as he appears to be fine..." At his words, Lompor's frown deepened, and then - as the two Na'vi men burst once more into hearty laughter - mumbling under his breath, the big Tawkami Warrior stomped off. Once he was out of sight, the two Na'vi wandered over to us and - after some instruction from Ieesha - proceeded to help us pack up the Field Tent and gear. Once everything was stowed away and safely loaded onto my beloved's back, with a contented sigh, I turned and bowed gently to the two Omatikayans.

"Irayo ma ay'eylan, for your help," I said to them. A gentle smile upon her muzzle, Ieesha nodded respectfully to the two Na'vi as she, too, responded, ~Yes, thank you both for helping us.~ The two Omatikayans nodded to us, the first gesturing to his friend as he said, "You are welcome, Olo'eyktan Txa'vit. This is Swizav - ma Tsmukan - and I am Änsìt. Why do you let your Warrior, Lompor, disrespect you the way he does?" Upon hearing the question, I thought for a moment, before answering, "Well... it's not really disrespect in the way that you would see it. It's that, well, Lompor and I are more brother and brother than Warrior and Olo'eyktan; when he is not in battle, he's always pulling practical jokes and things like this on me.

He does it not out of spite, but to release stress. It does not help that, although he is a Warrior, I am not; at the Homestead there are no great conflicts and battles; situations wherein he may use his training and skills. He... sometimes can get very bored with having nothing to fight and if 'disrespecting' me lets him relieve that boredom, than that is fine with me. Besides, you have not seen him when he is in battle..." With that I proceeded to describe Lompor's part in the Battle for the Homestead against 'They Who Could Not See'; how the great Warrior had employed his tremendous strength to impale the enemy upon his spear, break their spines, snap their necks, and crush their skulls with his bare hands.

By the time I finished detailing the exploits of the Tawkami Warrior, both Omatikayan Na'vi were pale with fright. "Now," I asked them both, "would you want that kind of power turned against you?" When Swizav and Änsìt frantically shook their heads in the negative, I nodded as I replied, "That is why I let him play his jokes and pranks upon me - getting us all drunk last night, for example - so that he won't lose himself to the Tsam Tirea that burns in him." Swizav and Änsìt nodded thoughtfully at this and then - a moment later - it was Änsìt whom responded, "We hear and understand your words, Olo'eyktan. We will find Lompor and apologize to him."

Moving to lean casually against Ieesha's side, I nodded to them as I replied, "Irayo, and Eywa ngahu. Rutxe, find him quickly. We will be leaving soon, and I wouldn't want to return home without him. His Lifemate would have my head if that ever happened!" With that said - guffawing with mirth once more - Swizav and Änsìt left; soon finding Lompor bemoaning exaggerated woes to one of the other Omatikayan Warriors. "Oi, tsawl 'awpo, your Olo'eyktan, Txa'vit, would like you to return; he says he will be leaving, soon," Swizav said. Lompor nodded to the Omatikayan and then - with a hearty goodbye to the Warrior he was addressing - he made his way back to me.

Lompor caught up to me, Ieesha, and Txe'lan as we were bidding our goodbyes to Jake, Neytiri, and Mo'at. As I sensed his approach - and then felt the big Tawkami Warrior rest a hand upon my shoulder - I softly intoned, "... and Lompor has returned, which means it's time for me to go." Jake nodded to me in acknowledgement whilst - to my surprise - Neytiri moved forwards to embrace me in fond farewell. "Must you go?" Neytiri asked, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I... I am beginning to See you and the things you do..." Gently, she pulled away from the embrace to return to Jake's side and as she did so I gave her a smile before replying, "Hey... this isn't really goodbye. Remember, the Omatikaya have a way to the Dragon Weyr, now; all you need to do is walk the Sky Path."

It was Jake whom responded, his eyes suspiciously misty as he softly uttered, "Thanks, man. See you later." That was that, dear readers; we headed through the Omatikayan Gateway, exited from the Homestead Gateway and then - as my Clansmen made their way back to their tent-homes and Lifemates - Txe'lan, Ieesha, and I made our way back into the Weyr. Therein, we swiftly doffed and put away our gear before slumping down onto the Great Fleece Pile with weary groans. "Whew, am I glad that's over with," I said to Ieesha as I rested against her, giving her head an idle caress. "I feel like I could sleep for a week..." Weariness coupled with faint amusement filled my thoughts then as Ieesha replied, ~Yeah, tell me about it...~

Also resting against my beloved's body - the Ikran Miracle curled against her side the same way Falkor rested against mine - Txe'lan chuckled softly. Upon hearing the sound from his Mistress, Miracle cocked his head and chirped in inquiry. "Don't worry ma 'eylan" my Na'vi Apprentice replied, a mirthful grin suffusing her features for a moment, "Your Sempul and Sa'nok are just acting like ay'evi again!" At this, both Ieesha and I turned to look at each other... then turned to look at her... and finally thumped a fist and a foreleg upon the fleeces as we mock-whined like said kids, "~We are not!~" After that we just couldn't take it anymore; together Ieesha, Txe'lan and I fell against each other, howling with laughter!