ꎇ꒒ꌩꀤꈤꁅ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꂦꂵꍏ꓄ꀤꀘꍏꌩꍏ (ꍏꃴꍏ꓄ꍏꋪ ꊼ ꂦꉓꌗ)

\\ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟠//

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The Dark Leonopteryx glides effortlessly along the ridge where Nate and Ke'Kaya first encountered him. It scans for prey below, its magnificent, cyan-crested head cocking left, then right.

'The way Jake had it figured, the Toruks are the baddest cats in the sky. Nothing attacks them... So why would they ever look up?'

The small shadow of Nate's banshee falls across the back of the mighty beast, Ro'in cooing in uncertainty.

"Easy boy," Nate stroked Ro'in's neck. 

'But that was just a theory.' Nate jumps up to crouch on his Ikran's back before falling into a dive.

That afternoon, the sun painted the land orange, and the Omaticaya people lifted their voices in a song filled with tragic loss and yearning for deliverance. Neytiri sat, singing beside an empty spot, where her sister was supposed to sit, but she hadn' t been seen all day. A large shadow crosses over her face, causing her to look up, and her eyes go wide. A terrible cry echoes, turning all eyes skyward. Two enormous shadows cover the crowd as Toruk and Xen'oruk (The dark horse) come out of the sun, beating their huge wings to slow their descent. Their crimson and black wings, backlit by the sun, seem to glow from within. The People cry out in alarm and scatter as the dreaded beasts alight in their And that's when they see Jake and Nate, riding high on their shoulders, plugged into their antennas. Jake's Toruk folds its wings and stands calmly amid the paralyzed Na'vi while Nate's Xn'oruk seems to pace on his front claws, tilting its head as it looks over all the people. Toruk lowers its head, snapping its jaws at the darker Leonopteryx, making it pull back and growl. The stare clans in awe as Nate and Jake dismount and stroke the magnificent animals' flank. Neytiri, Tsu'tey, and Mo'at watch in stunned amazement as the legendary Rider of Last Shadow, and another entirely new warrior walk toward them.

"Toruk Makto..." Mo'at breathed her words as she stared unblinking at the two avatars.

Jake walks through the crowd, straight to Neytiri at the foot of the dais, Nate in tow. Neytiri begins to slowly descend the stone steps of the alter to meet Jake halfway. As Jake reaches her, he looks into Neytiri's enormous eyes, and the emotion between them is powerful and pure.

"I See you," Neytiri whispers, her golden doe eyes looking over every inch of Jake's face.

Jake smiled, reaching his arm out to place on Neytiri's.

"I See you." He states back in a hoarse whisper.

Neytiri's eyes brim with tears.

"I was afraid Jake... for my people... I'm not anymore." She tells Jake as she places his hand on her cheek.

Nate steps out from behind Jake, his eyes darting between Neytiri and Mo'at.

"Ke'Ke?" He asks, hoping she is okay.

Neytiri lowers her eyes and for a split-second Nate's heart drops, robbing him of breath.

"She has not been seen by the people," Neytiri frowned, and Nate could see she was equally worried.

Nate furrowed his brows for a second, trying to think where she would run off to before it hit him, and he turned to look at Jake.

"Go, I will take care of Grace," Jake placed his hand on his brother's shoulder and nodded.

Nate nodded and turned to jog back over to his Leonopteryx, mounting the giant creature. He wrapped its large antennas around his wrists before speaking the go command and watching as all the Na'vi stared as he took off.

Soaring through the skies, Nate's eyes carefully scanned each passing mountain. He hadn't paid much attention to the mountain when Ke'Kaya first took him to it, she was leading the way, all he had to do was follow. But now, she wasn't leading him, and Nate had to try and find it on his own. Racking his amber eyes over waterfalls and hanging vines, Nate's head jerked up when he heard a banshee's cry. Turning his head Nate spotted Se'Kae, Ke 'Kaya's purple Ikran chomping down on a hearty piece of meat atop a large mountain.

"Ya~!" Nate turned his Toruk, aiming for the mountainside, where he could now see a small opening illuminated in a blue glow.

Xen'oruk screeched as it landed with a crack of stone, digging its claws into the mountain as it perched. Extending its wing, the giant Leonopteryx watched as Nate slid down its leathery appendage into the cave entrance, before turning its attention to the piece of meat Se'Kae was chewing, going to steal it only for the small Ikran to hiss and snap at him, grabbing the meal and pulling it back.

Nate slowly entered the dimly lit cave, his sharp ears picking up the soft humming he recognized was from the Song crystal. The light pattern of his feet on the stone floor matched the drops of water falling from the ceiling, echoing through the hollow mountain. Coming around the corner, Nate saw Ke'Kaya's small figure curled on the edge of the small pond, her tail wrapped around her, her arms holding her legs while she rested her head on her knees. She was staring at the crystal as it sang, her breath floating like a white cloud in the cold cave. Nate approached her quietly, kneeling behind her as he thought about what he was going to say.

"You're still here..." Ke'Kaya's voice croaked.

Nate frowned as he looked down at his knees, her throat was still raw from crying. The male avatar bit his lip before shifting forward slightly.

"Your family is worried about you, Ke'Ke," Nate whispered, watching the young Na'vi turn her head away.

"I know you don't want to see me," Nate blinked, swallowing the lump forming in his throat as his eyes began to water.

"And, if you wish, I will leave, and you will never have to see me again~" He began to say, watching as Ke'Kaya's body began shaking, her frustration building.

"But first I~" Nate looked up, taking a deep breath.

"First I needed to know you were okay..." He finished.

Ke'Kaya said nothing, and Nate sighed, slowly rising to his feet. His chest hurt, and his throat burnt, but if the love of his life was happier without him, then he would go.

"So... that's it?" Ke'Kaya spoke, catching Nate's attention, and making him turn back to face her.

"What?"

"A little misfortune, and you just turn to go...?" Ke'Kaya turned her head to look at Nate.

"A little mis~ Ke'Ke you lost your home... Your father," Nate lowered his ears, stepping forward to kneel beside Ke'Kaya once again.

"I have lost much~ I know," Ke'Kaya turned to face him.

"But you cannot gain, without losing," She gave Nate a small smile, taking his hands.

"I ran here, to hide from how I felt, I thought, I could use this, as a reason to hate you and forget... but~" Ke'Kaya looked up into her mate's eyes.

"I could never hate, Natey. You are not to blame, this, would have happened if you were here or not... And I'm glad you were here because I did not know how much I needed you with me, till I thought you were gone," Ke'Kaya's large golden eyes watered, and she sniffed.

Nate exhaled softly, moving his hand up to wipe Ke'Kaya's tears away before pulling her face towards him. The two Na'vi closed their eyes as they kissed, smiling against each other's lips before pulling away. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───