xxxiv. ❝lo'ak, the nephew❞
╰ au / extended storyline
( year three )

ODESSA had grown to love Jake as a very annoying older brother; in her mind, that's what he was. He was the annoying, overbearing, 'kind', stern, older brother that Odessa very kindly pushed off tree branches.

Jake saw Odessa as the younger sister who wanted to tag along with him all the time. The annoying sister who would run to mom (neytiri and niave) whenever he wouldn't let her go on a hunt with him. In his eyes, she was whinny, rude, pushy, 'sweet' and possibly some unkind words.

They bickered and bickered, pushed and shoved, and yelled. They had grown to speak pandora's language so well that sometimes they may speak in english, but their curse words were always in the Na'vi language.

But they loved each other. The lives they were living were joyful and filled with excitement and peace.

"Lo'ak, my nephew." Odessa cooed softly as she let the newborn baby wrap his hand around her fingers. Only hours ago had he been introduced to the clan as the first born son of Jake and Niave. "So strong."

The child in her arms opened their eyes, looking up at Odessa. Letting out a soft cry when he realized that she was not his mother. Lo'ak squirmed in Odessa's hold.

"Oh, shh. It is okay, little Lo'ak." Odessa stood and paced back and forth, rocking the baby in her arms as she did so. "Your mother and father are with your sister, you'll love her, she is to be the next class healer after your mother. She is very kind hearted and welcomed me and my brother with open arms."

Lo'ak seemed to enjoy being talked too. His cries had quieted down and he seemed to relax in the arms he was being held in. He babbled once before Odessa started to continue.

"Ah, you like it when auntie Dessa tells you stories, huh? Well, a few days after I had gotten here, I had been walking and stepped on a stick. I got it in the bottom of my foot —" Lo'ak giggled and Odessa used her finger to tickle the baby's foot softly. "Oh you thing that is funny."

"Dessa, tickling my son I see." Jake spoke as he stepped in front of Odessa, smiling down at his son. "Was he well behaved?"

Odessa laughed, "He isn't even a day old, and you are wondering if he behaved? Jakey, seriously."

"Oh shush. Niave is finally asleep, thank you for watching him. I can take him now if you'd like." Jake said, tilting his head to the side as he admired his son. He was perfect. "Dess, I wanna hold my son. Please."

Odessa chuckles as Jake shifts from one foot to the other, anxious to hold his son again. He misses the feeling of his child in his arms, his first biological child — Not that Spider and Inkire weren't his children, because they were. 

"Here ... support his head you dimwit."

🌍.

THE happy family; Odessa, Neytiri, Neteyam and Kiri were all together in the tree they had called their own.

Both kids laughed, and their laughter made Odessa smile so brightly. Her children brought so much joy and happiness. Odessa was so great full for the life she was living.

"I've got you my son!" Neytiri laughed as she lifted Neteyam into the air. The two year old giggled and put his hands out pretending to fly.

"Look at me, Mommy! I'm riding a Ikran!" Neteyam spoke before he laughed out loudly, his voice happy and bubbly.

His Mama — Neytiri, she continued to move around and hold her son, making him feel like he was flying.

His Mommy, or mom — Odessa, she laughed out as she watched her son flap his arms around.

"Look at you my brave little one. Ride the winds. Feel the air beneath your wings. Feel your surroundings, Teyem." Odessa spoke softly. 

"My turn, my turn!" Kiri giggled as she tugged on Odessa's tail. She was only two months younger than her brother, and she was already just as tall as her brother, for now at least.

"Come on my sweet one, we fly!" Odessa stood to her feet, grabbing her daughters much smaller hand in her own. The woman started to walk around and flapping her arms up and down, like the wings of an Ikran.

Kiri laughed and giggled as she copied her moms actions. Everyone making yipping and chirping noises and they all moved around the smoothed out area in the tree they called home.

"The amazing places you both will go."