Late Night P2 | Rough Draft | Fin

Y'kanama

Unfortunately your nap doesn't last too long.

It's still dark out when you wake, and by the fire still being there - it was probably a few lone hours that you were able to get any rest.

Oni happened to be up then, too. Escorting his youngest child out for a quick bathroom break.

"Everything alright?" He asks as he comes up to you, noticing how you stare outward and towards the trees.

You look to him as he speaks.
"Worried about my family." You shortly answer. "I can't sleep."

"It's understandable. We have not found anything yet, but the second we do we will let you know."

"I appreciate it."

He jumps off his mount, and helps his daughter down onto the ground.

His mount is an odd cross between a horse-sized mammoth and a goat, if you were to give it a best description.
It has a mammoths fur, and it tusks are small. The tail is curly in the back, though.
The largest part about it is the antlers, which now make sense as to where the ones Oni wears have come from.

After he escorts his daughter away, he comes to sit with you. Seeing you could use the company, as he too would be frightened in this situation.

"Are those.. from one of your mounts?" You ask as you politely gesture to his headpiece sitting on a makeshift table made from wood.

"Yes. My current mounts mother." He explains. "She passed away a while ago.. We let their bodies be with Eywa, and we wear their antlers in honor of them.
We believe they protect us from bad spirits and negative energy."

"I think that's beautiful, Oni. Sometimes we wear our ikrans claw sheddings for necklaces. They don't have as much importance though, just a way of keeping a piece of them close."

He notices how you look down the way, spotting more and more huts further out.

"Would you like a tour?" He offers, and reaches a hand out as he walks over to you.

"Sure, it's beautiful here."

He helps you up onto the mount with him as he connects and you two stroll along.

"What are these called?"

"Y'kanama." He answers. "They provide transportation, companionship, milk, and some are raised for their meat. The larger ones we give to our warriors. They will connect with anyone, and do not exclusively stick with one Navi their whole life."

This place felt medieval almost, although the rules of Eywa would never let that come to fruition.

"Down this way, we have several more huts placed closer together and covered with wool from our Y'kanama. It keeps us warm. Mostly used for smaller families.
Some may decide to live higher up, some closer to the water. We do not have preference, as long as everyone is close enough should grouping together be needed."

"What does happen out here?"

"Mostly the ash people. They steal from us often, they try to take weapons and livestock that are not theirs to have.
They take part in sacrificial ceremonies, and it used to be my people traded animal for their spices - but they stopped over the centuries.
Now they only take, and they kill in the process."
You watch as he hangs his head sadly, and grabs on tighter to the reins.
"It is how her mother went, and why I chose her antlers to wear. We found her body near the volcano, drained of its blood."

You offer a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Oni, I am so sorry."

"I imagine that is what they attempted to do with your kids." He says, tugging on the reins a bit more to speed along.