Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{24}

Everyone was in the chopper that took them above the large expanse of the forest.

Everyone, and that included Lily, Asim's little sister, despite his reluctance that she should remain in the outpost. Lily's persistence was one thing, but her being backed up by his friends was another thing. "Remind me again why we brought her along with us?" Asim asked over the radio as everyone was on their seats in the chopper that was transporting them to where the home of the na'vi was. "It's been a while that Lily hasn't been outside and accompanied us. Besides, she is safe with you and all of us." Emeralda said from the pilot's seat. "Safe is a huge understatement coming from you. And you guys are the ones who insisted she'd come along" Asim said in a concerned manner. "Bringing her to a battlefield, that is dangerous. Bringing her along in this small expedition that does not involve fighting, that is not dangerous." Shaka countered with his logic. "Even so, who is to tell that they won't choose to attack us? They may have chosen to spare you guys because of them listening to me, but what is to say the others that do find us won't? And I really don't want to involve Lily into this when it happens." Asim said to him. "We know you are worried about Lily. Truly, we see it. But at least let her have a bit of freedom to choose. She isn't a little one anymore. Lily deserves to explore the new world outside of the safety of the outpost. And besides, no harm will come to her." Kentaro said from the copilot seat next to Emeralda. "How do you know for sure?" Asim asked his friend. "Bringing a young one is risky, yes, but in my culture, it means another gesture for peace. It is almost universal when it comes to native beings." Shaka said from where he was sitting. "It still doesn't reassure me that she will be completely safe." Asim said as he looked down at the fishing trees that they left behind as they flew over the forest. Mikhail, sitting next to Asim, looked at his comrade and reached to pat him on the shoulder. "We will all protect our Lily, like we protect each other. We will never forget that" he said to Asim as he later let go and leaned back onto his seat.

"I hope so" Asim said to himself quietly as their journey continued.

***

Two hours later, they were arriving near the territory of the na'vi clan. Asim did his best to trace back on the route that he went when he was brought back by the na'vi. It wasn't really the best, but from where they were, they saw some banshees with na'vi riders on their backs as the chopper that took them flew above the banshees. They decided to move carefully across the skies to about the na'vi patrols, and to land a distance away from the territory. This was done so that they wouldn't be seen as intruders and get attacked in response. They landed the chopper in a place where they could hide it and later return. Once they landed, they got off from the chopper and began their advance while they carried the container with the na'vi items, with masks on, except Asim, as well as weapons on their places. Lily walked with them through the forest, obeying their directions about being close with them at all times.

The team continued to walk through the forest floor, going over and under obstacles while they kept close and continued carrying the container. "So, how do they know we are here already? Do we wait for a greeting group?" Emeralda asked as they kept waking. "Make no mistake. They already know." Shaka said to them as they kept a close eye on their surroundings. Each one from Asim's team looked in all directions as they kept close to each other, watching each other's backs like the team they were. Each sound that the forest made, they made sure that there were the sounds of footsteps or something large rather than their own steps. They kept advancing until Asim stopped, and did a hand gesture for his team to stop and be alert. They obeyed and stopped, scouring their surroundings. Asim felt again that something, several somethings, were watching them from behind the foliage. Kentaro, Mikhail, Emeralda, and Shaka prepared to defend themselves if they were suddenly attacked, keeping Lily behind them. Time passed by as they kept silent, before the bushes and branches began to move. Soon they saw, to their surprise, she tall and large shape of the thanator creature, Layontsin, emerge from the foliage. As the last time they saw her, she was tall, intimidating, and ready with her long spear in one of her four hands. Behind Layontsin, several na'vi hunters came out as well with their weapons at the ready.

Everyone that was part of Asim's team, as well as Asim himself, tensed up as they had their weapons ready behind them to pick them out. Lily gasped a bit and hid behind more while she peeked. Then Shaka lowered his weapon and placed it back before he stepped in front of them and spread his hand. The na'vi hunters and Layontsin took one step back as Shaka approached them, still with their weapons at their hands and pointing at them. Shaka then stopped a meter from them, with arms still spread, before speaking in the na'vi native tongue. "Mawe, na'vi. Ayoe za'u mì fpom." Shaka spoke to them. The na'vi exchanged some glances at each other before lowering their weapons a bit, but still in their hands as one of them asked a question at Shaka while Asim and the rest stopped reaching for the weapons. Shaka answered the question, then gesturing behind him to Asim and the rest his friends as he continued to speak in the native tongue. Then Shaka looked back at Asim and gave him a nod, telling him that it was time for them to bring forwards what they had. They nodded before Asim and Emeralda pulled up the container to bring it forwards and place it in front of the na'vi. Carefully and gently the two opened the container and revealed what it's contents were to the na'vi.

The natives carefully approached to peer inside the container, and their eyes widened as they gasped and murmured in their language. Then one of the hunters said something to Layontsin and to another hunter, and this hunter turned and ran towards the forest. Then one of them spoke to Shaka, who nodded in understanding and turned back to Asim and the others. "They want us to take this and bring it to the village." Shaka said to them. "Good. Then we should go with them. Emeralda, Kentaro; take Lily back to the chopper and wait for me" Asim said before Shaka stopped him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't understand. They want all of us to come to the village. And I think that includes Lily as well." Shaka explained to Asim, making him tense up a small percentage. He was hesitant about bringing Lily to the village filled with na'vi, but he remembered what Shaka had explained before. "Alright. Let's all go." Asim said to everyone in his team.

Closing the container back up and starting to carry it again, everyone in the group started to follow Layontsin and the na'vi hunters to their home village in the forest.