Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{83}

When everyone has recovered from the event, the whole clan soon returned to their peaceful and joyful state.

The most joyful amongst the Anurai clan na'vi was Layontsin as she helped out with the celebration preparations once more. The festivity was not going to be ended or delayed because of what happened; rather, it will continue on like it always has. The spirits of everyone did not show to be down or sprawled on the ground. Instead, everyone from the clan was more enthusiastic about making the celebration once again from the start. It would take some time, yes, but they knew it would be worth it. And Layontsin wasn't the only one helping out; the skypeople that they have grown close to were helping out as well, lending the na'vi their strength and their knowledge without stopping. Of course, they needed some rest some time later because of the work and the days before, but their smiles and pride continued to show how eager they were. Thanks to them, they finished making the preparations for the celebration in the night. When they finished, some na'vi went their way to meet the skypeople that they have grown close to. Families, brothers, sisters, and of course the children, were happy to interact with Asim's group. Some of them weren't present at the moment due to them recovering from serious injuries...or that they have been brought to a resting place where they would return to Eywa. It was almost heartbreaking for Layontsin to see the skypeople mourn for those that they knew and were now no more. Despite all this, they carried on with strong hearts and healed gradually to go and meet new people. The same way that Asim was currently doing with the clan leaders and other na'vi...

Layontsin snapped back to what she was doing in order to be prepared for the night.

***

Night came faster than expected due to everyone being busy. Or maybe it was because of the excitement that the sun set so early.

Like before, the Anurai clan began with music and dancing, moving around the fire and the thanator skeleton totem hung above. The shouts and yips of the na'vi filled the air all around the people that were present. Strangely, the one thing that made Layontsin more nervous at that moment was not because of the loudness of the performance, nor that she would begin to act soon with the other na'vi in representation of her beginnings. The thing was...that Asim was missing from the crowd, not even visible among his family members. "Where is Asim? He's not here, and the storytelling with me and then with him will begin soon." Layontsin asked to herself, her tail twitching behind her in anxiety. Rai'uk must have overheard her as he was next to the anthro thanator, moving close to face her and speak with her. "I assume he went to get something for the storytelling." Rai'uk told her while the celebration continued. "I'll go find him." Layontsin said with a sigh as she got up and slowly weaved around the crowd,  making her way towards the outskirts of the village as she felt that the storytelling part was soon to begin. Layontsin began to make her way to the forest, climbing up a tree to widen her search sight in order to find the skyperson. At first there was absolutely not one sign that he was out there or making his way back to the Anurai clan camp. Then, when she was about to head deper into the forest once she climbed down, the call of a banshee was heard. When the anthro thanator looked up, she saw the creature perch itself on another tree close to where she was. And soon after Layontsin could spot Asim dismounting from the banshee, his banshee, and start to climb down. "Asim? Where have you been?" Layontsin called out to him as he was starting to climb down, making the skyperson look down at her. "Oh, Layontsin! I got something for you." Asim said as he was climbing down the branches, about to step on the last ones before getting down fully.

But then his foot accidentally slipped and he fell down to Layontsin.

Asim gave a small shout as he approached the ground, and the anthro thanator gave a yelp as she reached her hands towards him. Layontsin caught him, but the momentum he was traveling at made him heavy enough to make the two of them fall to the ground. Both of them crashed down, groaning as they slowly recovered. "What are you doing away from the village?" Layontsin asked Asim in an exasperated voice, getting up and helping him stand again. "Sorry. I wanted to give you something before the festivity started" he said, almost out of air as he recovered and then reached behind him. Layontsin tilted her head at him, mainly in more frustration than curiosity, and then her eyes widened when she saw what he has brought along. It was a present; another set of blue flowers like the ones Asim gifted her not long ago but were destroyed in the Ash clan attack. "You...searched them for me?" Layontsin asked, surprised and enthralled momentarily by the gift that Asim offered. "Yes. They're for you. I noticed the others were gone, so I searched new ones." Asim said, smiling as he raised them up in order for her to take them. "They are beautiful...but...right now? You are almost late. The storytelling is about to start." She said, switching back to her serious voice as she took the flowers away and looked at the village. "Oh! Right! Sorry! I felt like I would have time!" He said, almost jumping and then starting to hurry towards the village along with Layontsin.

When they got there, Unil'tingai was just moments away from finishing the first part of the Anurai beginning story. Asim went with his friends and joined them, ready on their positions to be prepared for their parts. What happened next was just like before, Layontsin climbing up on top of the thanator skeleton before jumping down and swinging her spear at the fires, Asim appearing when she climbed in before jumping down again to confront him, and the two battling each other before Layontsin subdued him. However, the thing that was different from the previous attempt was not the fact that it wasn't interrupted or that it was exactly the same. When Layontsin looked through Asim's mask and the crystal that covered his face, she saw him smiling. And not just smiling casually, but in a more natural way than any other times Layontsin had seen him do that. This one was genuine, and showed various emotions going through Asim, such as relief, true happiness, and above all...calmness and finally grateful to be in a place after searching for a place to belong. The anthro thanator watched all of this while all of them continued to play their parts like it truly happened, enjoying it until the last part. When the storytelling was over, the rest of the festivity passed by like a blur. There were some fragments of memories that came by very fast, but Layontsin made sure to cherish each single moment of the festival night so that she would remember for the rest of her life. The singing, the laughing, the jokes, the other shirt storytellings, the games, and even the silly things that happened, all of these happened so fast that soon it was time for everyone to go back home and to sleep.

For Layontsin, however, there was still one more thing that had to be done.

The skypeople chose to stay the night again in the village as it was very late, planning to head back to their village in the morning. Which was a good opportunity for Layontsin to go and ask the clan leaders about her proposal. "I would like to take Asim back to the Tree of Voices again. So that I can proclaim him as my mate. I've had a long time to think about it, and...I believe he is right for me. No na'vi hunter or warrior could match his strength in battle. But most importantly...none of them can match his heart in any way. Despite all that he has done, in the past and now, he has shown to have nothing but a strong heart. And I want to stay with him for the rest of his life. Because...I love him. And with the new flowers that he gave me, it came to show me he does too. I just want to confirm it by myself." Layontsin said to the clan leaders, explaining what she wanted to do with Asim where she chose to go. The clan leaders were thoughtful about this, their expressions telling the anthro thanator that the subject she lended out was very sensitive. She was going to speak about how she understood their doubts and that another option was possible, but they stopped her when they spoke. "Go with him. Do what your heart tells you to do." Rai'uk told Layontsin. "Express what you feel to him, and listen to him. You will do great." Unil'tingai said to her. Layontsin smiled, almost in the verge of tears, and hugged both of them tightly with all four arms. "Thank you. And I love you both." Layontsin said, purring and nuzzling them. "We love you too, dear daughter, with all of our hearts" Rai'uk said. After a long moment she let go and stood up before leaving the hut and heading to where the skypeople were residing. Asim and his friends were having a final conversation before settling down to sleep, and they looked up when they saw the anthro thanator approach their hut. Asim...can I have a word with you? And I want to take you to a place, alone." Layontsin said, looking down at Asim and kneeling down a bit as she stretched one hand. Asim looked up at her for a moment before nodding and taking her hand. The others watched them depart, Mikhail making a gesture with his hands and fingers to Asim, before they returned to what they were doing.

With that Layontsin took Asim into the forest once again, excitement coursing through her body.