Chapter Text
Koranu tried to pick up her pace to chase after Tamtey. “Tamtey! You walk too fast for me!” Her friend laughed and apologized, slowing down just enough so their footsteps could fall into an even pace. “You act like this whole basket of silk is nothing to you.”
Tamtey’s blue eyes sparkled like the river they had just been by. “I do carry at least four weapons on me when I’m actively fighting the RDA. You know this. You’ve made my gear for me.”
Koranu pouted. “Still. I’ve been carrying silk baskets since I was a child. You make it look easy.”
“Oh thank Eywa. I make something related to weaving look easy!” Tamtey laughed. Koranu smiled at the sound of her friend’s voice and laughter.
Since Etuwa and Ka’nat had invited the Sarentu to stay until they established themselves a bit more, Koranu had spent as much time as she could with her friend. Tamtey’s laugh and singing voice were heard around the camp often. Ri’nela’s stories graced the fireplace every night. Teylan kept the children delighted with his quirky inventions and toy designs. The youngest Sarentu had even taken it upon himself to investigate odd sounds for the children, bringing back evidence of the “terrible pieces of metal” that caused the trouble.
Tamtey and Ri’nela were often found with Ka’nat and Etuwa respectively. Ri’nela had already been named tsakarem and spent her days training in different spiritual rituals and practices. Tamtey sat in on council meetings with Ka’nat, who valued her thoughts and opinions almost as much as if they had come from Etuwa herself.
But Koranu knew that all three Sarentu still dreamed terrible dreams. Teylan was too nervous to sleep in Hometree. Tamtey and Ri’nela’s explanation was all Ka’nat needed to hear, so the three of them slept outside like their ancestors did. Sometimes Koranu would join them and tell them old Aranahe stories that she knew Ri’nela would hold in her heart and pass down to other clans and generations. Tamtey and Ri’nela were always able to calm Teylan from his nightmares. And on the nights that the two of them stayed awake talking, Tamtey would always catch Ri’nela’s changes in breathing before Koranu could.
Tamtey’s dreams were silent. Koranu never woke to the sound of them, but often saw the aftermath. Glassy eyes, shaking hands, and silent gasps for air. Koranu would sit next to her with a blanket draped over them both to watch the sunrise.
So any time Tamtey laughed? Koranu was sure it was a moment of healing for her friend. She would do everything she could to make her laugh. Which is why she asked:
“So’lek should be joining us today, yes?” Koranu asked, moving the basket to her shoulder. “Itu will be thrilled to have another male join our nightly ritual.”
Tamtey smiled again, this time with a look in her eyes.
Koranu pointed. “Aha! See! That’s the look!”
“What look?”
“That one! The one that happens when I say a certain Na’vi’s name.”
Tamtey huffed and turned her face away. “I do not have a look.”
“Ah. You do.” Koranu wiggled her shoulders at Tamtey’s groan. “What do you think he will think of our nightly ritual?”
“I think he will find it slightly silly.”
“It is!” Koranu grinned as she dropped the silk at her work bench. Tamtey settled on the floor, frowning at her latest attempt at weaving a chest guard for Teylan. “That is the whole point. Besides, you know it is really cute of Teylan to try to solve this mystery for the children.”
Tamtey laid back and stared at the weaving on her loom. “It is cute of him.”
“Didn’t So’lek come with you to go hunt a palulukan?” Koranu leaned forward to grin at Tamtey.
“I think my counts are off. Look.”
“Deflection.” But it worked. Koranu couldn’t resist looking. She frowned with Tamtey. “Yes. They are. Right there. You counted an extra row.”
Tamtey groaned. “I’m gonna have to undo a whole seven rows.”
“At least it’s not the whole thing?”
“It took me forever to do the last two! With the switch in colored silk?”
Koranu shrugged. “Extra practice- hey!” She caught a roll of Kinglor silk. “You’ll roll this back up if it comes unraveled.”
“I tied it closed this time,” Tamtey pointed to the piece of string that was wrapped around it, securing the silk in place. “I do learn from my mistakes.”
“Not weaving ones, clearly.”
Tamtey groaned. “Koranu…why do you vex me?”
“Oh, I live for it.”
So’lek landed on the ikran landing when the sun was highest in the sky. Koranu gently shoved Tamtey forward. Not that Tamtey noticed. She nodded to So’lek as Iley landed next to Telisi. No one else was on the landing except for the three of them. Koranu slipped back down the tree to leave the two of them alone.
“Matchmaking, are you?” Ri’nela teased.
“Look who’s talking.” Koranu nudged Ri’nela with her elbow as they both ducked behind the bend of the tree. “You’re just as bad as me, tsakarem!”
Ri’nela watched the two of them talk. So’lek hovered just close enough to be nearly touching. Tamtey stared into his eyes with bright attention. Neither of them seemed to notice how they circled each other. Ri’nela’s eyes were bright too. Her small smile didn’t quite touch her eyes. “We should leave them be.”
So’lek looked absolutely thrilled by their little group’s nightly trip. “You take this trip every night to let the little ones know they are safe?”
Teylan nodded, skipping ahead of them with Vuan. “The noises scare them, we find the source, they are less scared.”
Koranu watched where she walked behind the group with Ri’nela. So’lek and Tamtey walked aside each other. So’lek slowed to keep pace with Tamtey as she explained why this had turned into a nightly thing. Koranu leaned to Ri’nela, “Has she talked to you about her dreams?”
Ri’nela shook her head. “No…I wish she would, but she very rarely has.” Ri’nela touched her hand to Koranu’s shoulder. “I see how you look out for her. Thank you for being there for her when I cannot.”
Koranu smiled back at her. “She protects us all…the least we can do is keep her safe where we can.”
The night was filled with laughs, especially when the source of the odd sound in the night was the sound of a Na’vi practicing a new instrument. Itu brought two large flasks of a drink from the Zeswa that he poured into small gourds and passed around. Tamtey flopped next to Koranu rather ungracefully as So’lek and Itu took turns telling stories about ikran from ancient times. Teylan and Vuan laughed at Itu’s imitation of an ikran while Ri’nela listened with rapt attention. Koranu ran her hand through Tamtey’s hair. “If this isn’t the best way to spend a night, I’m not sure what is.” Tamtey told her.
Koranu dropped her head on top of Tamtey’s. “I agree.”