Too Close for Comfort... (open)

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] The air was full of noises, though he made none as he stalked through the dense foilage, eyes alert to any movement, no matter how small. His tail flicked anxiously from side to side, his pointed ears pricked while his fingers clutched the bow with such a force, it would take an army to get him to drop it. After a few more moments, he spotted it - blue, bright, and skiddish. It was deer-like in appearence, though it's fur was the same hue as the Na'vi that hunted it, it's eyes were dark and seemingly black. It had brighter spots around it's whiter stripes, that lit up in the dark, and it was carried on six legs instead of four. The crown of fan like skin quivered as he drew closer to it. "Be still brother..." Dahmanii's voice was as quiet as his footsteps had been, and he pulled an arrow from his quiver, while his beastly companion breathed heavilly at his side. The Palulukan silenced immediately, and the next sound was that of his arrow striking his prey in the heart. It fell, dead, to the ground, and Dahmanii smiled grimly, prowling toward it, Tanku'ur right behind him. He knelt down by the small creature and removed the arrow, almost with a small pang of sadness. "I thank you, brother, for your flesh... and may your spirit rest with Eywa now." He hoisted the creature onto the beast, securing it with the lashes he had created from strong branches, and he motioned the Palulukan forward. He hadn't connected with it - there was no need. In some way, it was his friend, and in others his partner. He had no Ikran, and so the large predator had replaced the void, though Dahmanii longed for the company of his people. He knew he could not return to his Clan, but perhaps he could join another? He shook his head. Don't get your hopes up, thinking of such foolish things, he thought to himself. You'll end up alone again. He stopped a while after near the river for a drink, but decided to stay there for the night. It would be easier than trying to get the deer home so that nothing would try to steal it from him, but he knew that the Palulukan would keep everything away. The mere sound of the beast padding quietly through the forest was enough to keep even scavaging Nantang from bothering them After finding a small tree fall that would be suitable for the two of them, they crawled in, settling like the strage pair they were, Dahmanii making a small fire to cook on. The hexapede by then was cold and even after roasting his small portion was rather tough and tasteless after letting it set for too long. Even Tanku'ur seemed a little disapointed in their catch. They enjoyed it though - food was hard to come by when you lived near a large Clan like the Omaticaya He thought for a moment, what it would be like to start a Clan... But he shook his head again. For that, he'd need a female. And he wasn't about to go charging off into a strangers Clan to find one.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] Ni'awtu had gone out intending to hunt, but for some reason her heart wasn't in it today. She sat there up in the boughs of the giant trees of the Pandoran jungles, feeling the soft, luminescent moss that covered the thick branches beneath feet. She was over looking a couple of yerik grazing below her and she had a clear shot at both, but there was no strength in her arms this day, for all she cared currently those two could be a world away... Actually, she knew why she was feeling this way. Last night over dinner one of her best friends had told her that she had become mated to a fine young hunter in the Clan. Of course Ni'awtu had hugged and congratulated her friend, of course Ni'awtu was happy for them as anyone could plainly see they were a very good match for one another. But that night, the young female Na'vi couldn't sleep, annoying thoughts buzzed like hungry insects around and around in her mind keeping her from sleep. I need to swim... yeah, I'll go swim, that will clear my head... The listless Na'vi thought to herself as she moved off, the yerik below never knowing how close they had come to being one with Eywa this day. Ni'awtu slid through the giant branches as silent as a thought, her large golden eyes reflecting her troubled thoughts. Thankfully her feet seemed to know the way as soon without realizing it she found herself at a favorite swimming area of the Omaticaya, a large flat expanse of a river where the current was slow and steady. Kneeling at the bank of the river she caught her reflection and sighed as she saw the crux of the problem concerning her troubled thoughts of late. Ni'awtu reached up with a hand and traced the huge and ugly scars that twisted across the left side of her face, going back into her scalp, and where the hair did grow, the scars left a shock of white hair instead of her normal dark chocolate coloring. Her left ear was pretty much just a nub of purplish ruined flesh, not something one would call an 'ear' anymore. Yes, this was the problem, all her friends were getting chosen as mates and here she was, scared and ugly from the talons of a Toruk. Self-pity welled up in her as she hit her image in the river water, making it break up into ripples for only a moment before it reformed. No one was going to choose her for a mate, who would want her? Touched by Toruk, they called her, half in pity, half in awe and she hated the brief looks she got that she knew they were just looking at the scars, not her, not Ni'awtu. STOP THAT! Her more logical reasoning screamed out in her mind, How dare you have such pity! Are you not alive? Toruk could have eaten both you and your Ikran, and you're both alive by the grace of Eywa! So who cares about scars? They're just on the surface! She sighed and nodded at herself; Yes, that's right, that's true. But she was just so sick of the looks, even though they were fewer and fewer as the moons passed. But still, won't a male ever look at her like they do her more beautiful friends? Shaking her head with a bitter smirk she entered the water finally and started to swim toward the middle of the river... Better to exhaust herself then keep thinking these depressing thoughts, true or not! ***** yerik = hexapede

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] Dahmanii, who had been dozing with the Palulkan in the tree fall, was roused by the sound of something smacking the water and he sat bolt upright, as if expecting something to attack. Tanku'ur, however, more in tune with the world, simply grumbled a bit and rolled over, ignoring his friends worried vibes. A little agitated by his lack of concern, the Na'vi gave him a shove, getting to his feet and picking up his belongings silently, creeping along, ears twitching to catch even the slightest sounds. He flared his nostrils a bit, and when he picked up the scent of the Omaticaya's scent, fear gripped him a little. He didn't know what they'd do if they found him on their land, or what they'd do to Tanku'ur. The latter concerned him more, since Na'vi were not usual hostile toward intruders, and with Tanku'ur being a feared predator, he was quite horrified at what they might do to his mild-mannered beast. It was one of his worst fears - Tanku'ur was all he had. His sensitive ears picked up the muted noises of someone in the nearby water, and he silently crept up a tree, balancing carefully as he ventured out onto a long branch that overhung the river. His tail twitched and flickered as he nearly lost his balance, stepping on a rather slippery patch, and his heart hammered along in his chest. Focus... He thought fearfully to himself. He really wasn't used to how slippery things were around here, especially after it was done raining, and he always seemed to underestimate the slickness of the moss that grew on these trees. It was the white hair he noticed first. It was quite striking and caught his attention, capturing his orange gaze as he tried to figure out just what he was looking at. When he finally figured out what it was, he was even more confused. What had happened to make her hair turn like that? He leaned in closer, trying to get a better look, and - Splash! He flailed madly as he landed in the water, and he gasped as he broke the surface, a little freaked that he had fallen, completely forgetting that the female was one a little ways away. He let out a small cry, not exactly knowing how to swim, and though he wasn't in that deep, it still scared him something awful. What he saw at the bank scared him even more. Tanku'ur had heard him and come to see what was wrong and was now standing at the edge of the bank, looking like he desperately wanted to help. What if the Omaticaya saw Tanku'ur? He didn't care that he had fallen almost directly in her line of sight, but she could easily over react to the Palulukan's presence as many others had. Clearing his head a little, he began to drag himself miserably through the water until he reached an are where his feet touched the ground, regaining his bearings as his heart pounded, blood rushing in his ears.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] SPLASH! Ni'awtu had been floating there on her back for a moment, but when the new Na'vi had fallen out of the tree into the water below, she looked up just in time to see someone flailing through the air as she dove out of the way just in time. She popped back up with a gasp as she spotted him struggling in the water as she swam over to him. "Are you okay?" she started to say, but then he had looked up and seen something on the river bank, which in turn make her turn and look. It was a palulukan and it was looking right at the two Na'vi. Her lips moved, but nothing came out as fear seized her heart and she tried to grab the other Na'vi to drag him to the other shore. If they could just make it to the other shore... then she could call for help! However, she never caught him as he took off swimming, right for the palulukan! "NO! DON'T GO THAT WAY!" she screamed, "NO!" It was too late as she turned and swam with all her might to the other bank where she had started, as she cut through the water she let out a high pitched whistle as when she drug herself out on the other bank a large shadow loomed over her. Crashing through the trees, her ikran Atan'eko landed over her and let out an ear-piercing scream at the perceived threat, protecting his bonded. The huge ikran showed his teeth and also had similar scars running down the same side of his head and neck that Ni'awtu had. Feeling better now that she had Atan'eko and her weapons back, she nocted an arrow, but then stopped... Something wasn't right here. There were no screams of bloody murder, no howls of the palulukan as it killed, aside from Atan'eko hissing and growling, there was nothing. Ni'awtu turned and looked as she grabbed the chin fin of her ikran friend and looked past him. The palulukan didn't have its neck fins up, it just looked... confused? Atan'eko was slapping her in the head with his queue as she connected with him without thinking. "Calm, Atan'eko, calm," she said without thinking as the ikran flooded their bond with his observations on how proud she should be because he was so brave! And he'd like fish. And that palulukan seemed kinda nice. Fish now? Ni'awtu blinked, what was going on here? Finally, "Is the palulukan your bonded?" she shouted across the river.

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] His ears flattened at the screams as his stunned brain tried to make sense of what was going on, though this was failing miserably - he was simply too disoriented to understand what she was screaming at him. While she dove madly for the bank, he simply trudged out of the water, flicking some of it off his tail, looking rather annoyed now that he was thinking a little more clearly. Tanku'ur was waiting anxiously on his side of the river, looking very concerned, though this was something only Dahmanii could tell; anyone else would think that he was about to attack, what with the way he was clawing the soft sand beneath him. When he heard the crashing of the ikran, he immediately tensed and stood in front of his beast, eyes wide with terror. Had the girl spotted Toruk? Was there a rogue ikran about to descend upon them? He was completely confused, and never once did it occur to him that she was screaming about his friend until it finally clicked when her ikran stood over her protectively. But then she notched an arrow on her bow.. His whole body seemed to freeze, but one swift, almost invisible movement and he had drawn two small blades from the sheaths on his quiver, and he held them out defensively. Even if they were only just big enough to deflect arrows, and he knew the chance of him actually striking them down was small, he was determined. There was no way he would let her hurt the only family he had. Still tense, his ears flicked a little when she called across to him, and his muscles only relaxed a fraction - there was still a chance of danger from her. Tanku'ur had actually sunk to the ground in fear, his sensory quills flat against his strange head, eyes glittering nervously behind his counterpart. "Yes. He is my brother." He replied loudly and clearly, though his stance had not changed. His tail whipped anxiously behind him. Would she report them to her Olo'eyktan? He hoped not... He couldn't bear another clan thinking he was scum. He watched her silently, barely daring to breathe as he waited.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] "Yes. He is my brother." Ni'awtu cocked her head to one side as some of her wet hair got in one eye as she tried to shake it out as her hands were full. What? They were bonded? Who bonds an palulukan? However the evidence was right there in front of her own two eyes as the great black beast laid down behind him trying to make itself smaller somehow. Amazing! The only time a palulukan had been bonded in the history of the Omaticaya was during the battle of the Sky People and Jakesulli when Neytiri bonded one after her ikran's death. Her jaw had been hanging open as she shook her head, reached up to get that hair out of her eye and put her arrow and bow away. "I'm sorry, I didn't know," she yelled out, "Oel Ngati Kameie brother, I am Ni'awtu of the Omaticaya and this is Aten'eko." The ikran on the other hand, once figuring out there was no threat to his bonded to be had, he decided he was going to take advantage of the situation and go fishing. Thus, the large creature trundled off into the river and started sticking his head in ready to chomp on some fish...

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] Oel Ngati Kameie, brother... Dahmanii visibly flinched at this. He hadn't heard anyone say that since his exile years ago, and he took a step back, narrowly missing Tanku'ur's foot, causing the Palulukan to scramble back a ways. Although, this could simply be perceived as letting his guard down finally, so he took the opportunity to put away his blades, though he was still on a slight alert. He motioned his fingers from his forehead and brought them down from his face. I am Ni'awtu of the Omaticaya and this is Aten'eko... "Oel Ngati Kameie." He replied, finding his voice again, motioning Tanku'ur to rise (he looked pathetic trembling on the ground behind a creature he could kill in one swipe) and standing beside him. "It's okay... I wouldn't have expected you to run up and kiss him now would I?" He called out with a small melodic laugh, trying to ease the slight tension; though he was really the only tense one. "I am Dahmanii... I have no people, but this is Tanku'ur." He regretted telling her he had no people immediately after he said it. This would bring the usual round of questions - one's he didn't want to have to answer - and it would all end in him being chased off and marked as a monster. Then again... he could turn it around on this particular one by asking about her scars. He shut down that thought as soon as it cropped up. That would simply be rude, calling attention to something like that when you had no idea what was behind it. He had half a mind to mount Tanku'ur and cross the river to end the needless shouting as it was straining his voice, but he was a little nervous about how she'd react to seeing a beast so close to her.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] Ni'awtu had to chuckle to herself at Dahmanii's joke about kissing his bonded, but went silent when he mentioned he was of 'no people'. What did that mean? A Na'vi without a Clan? She had heard of such things, whispered among her kinsmen, exiled and disgraced Na'vi expelled from their Clans, or worse, run away. It happened, even the Omaticaya had their skeletons in their proverbial closet, but not in a great while. She looked down as she thought, turning to look briefly at her wacky ikran who was splashing up a storm in the river. She couldn't hear Dahmanii over the racket Atan'eko was making. Time to make a decision, cross the river and trust this vagabond not to kill her or call her bonded in and leave him to his own devices. However she already knew her own heart, after all this is why she had made friends with one of the Sky People already in Nia. She was eternally curious, cautious, but curious and Dahmanii and his Tanku'ur had her curiosity piqued. Why not? How else was she going to see a living palulukan up close that wouldn't eat her? Thus she waded into the river and dove into it, swimming casually past her thrashing ikran who finally came up triumphantly with a huge fish in his mouth. He sighted her and followed her to the other bank of the river. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over Atan'eko splashing, what were you saying? Dahmanii and Tanku'ur, yes?" Atan'eko flopped on the bank, spraying her with water, which made her turn around and hiss at him. He whined around the large flapping fish in his mouth and then he caught sight of the palulukan. Craning his neck he flopped the fish next to the beast and then turned to wade back into the water and continue splashing around looking for another fish. Ni'awtu sighed, not the best way to make a good first impression with her goof of an ikran. "Don't mind him, he was just giving you both a gift," Or he wanted me to cook it... she thought briefly...

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] When the female began to come toward them, his pulse quickened, no knowing what to expect. It had been years since he had really talked to any sort of Na'vi, let alone a girl, and he was a little surprised that she actually trusted him enough to cross. Surprised was a little mild - he was positively shocked. Maybe she didn't quite get that he was an exile... He didn't really care. He was just quite happy that someone was actually interacting with him for once instead of freaking and going in the opposite direction. When she got out of the water, his throat seemed to have squeezed shut, and he tried a feeble smile. It's been so long... He thought to himself, trying to remember how to act around people. He flinched a little as the Ikran appeared in front of them; to be honest, they intimidated him a bit with their size and teeth, not to mention that they could swoop down and attack in an instant. Ironic, because Tanku'ur himself was a twenty foot long eating machine... When the flyer spat the fish on the ground, the Palulukan looked up at it, tilting it's head to the side before going to inspect the dead thing, nosing it before gingerly taking a bite. After a few, Tanku'ur looked at his partner and pushed it toward him, trying to share the meal with his friend. Dahmanii grinned and shook his head, patting the beast on the head. He nodded at her question, not really knowing what else to say. His throat was still closed. He looked at her for a moment, assessing her. Though her white hair and scars had attracted his attention first, he was really drawn to her eyes, large and luminous in the slowly setting sun. Her stripes and skin were paler than he remembered his own people having, but then again, they were from completely different areas, and he enjoyed that she didn't remind him of them one bit. She did seem a tad under-kept with her worn clothes, but who was he to judge? He was probably one of the most scruffy Na'vi anyone would ever lay eyes on after living out here for so long, his hair hacked off and his fingernails as black as anything, though he tried to keep as clean as possible. After a moment, he blinked, his eyes going wide with a sudden realization. "You... You have been chosen by Toruk..." He said, his voice hushed, his eyes still wide and his face full of awe. He couldn't believe it. His clan had taken the fearsome beast as their totem, and considered it a good omen if you came into contact with one. But being touched by Toruk? They would have been worshiped. He bowed slightly, bending a fraction as his kept his eyes locked on hers, completely mesmerized.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] "You... You have been chosen by Toruk..." Her eyes dilated some as a hand went to the left side of her face without her thinking about it as a sharp inhale was all he might have heard from her at that moment. Damn. How'd he know? Part of her moaned internally, she could have gotten these scars from another Na'vi, or a Sky Person, or heck, even a palulukan! Although if it was a palulukan, she probably wouldn't have been so eager to come so close to one no matter if it was bonded or not. Then she looked down a bit and then stupidly realized she was wearing the tooth of the Toruk that had attacked her that was left behind in Atan'eko's neck at the time. She had had it made into a necklace and now wore it constantly. She wasn't entirely sure why she had this done, but she had, so of course he knew she was attacked by a Toruk, she was wearing the evidence around her neck for all to see. Finally she let out a sigh as her tail twitched in exasperation, and was horrified that he slightly bowed to her, "Oh please, no, don't do that. I'm nothing special, just lucky that Eywa didn't call me back that day, that's all." "I'll tell you what happened you want," she shrugged and scratched the side of her neck, "And maybe you can tell me how you bonded with Tanku'ur? He really is beautiful. Can I pet him or does he not allow such contact?" Tanku'ur's bonded wasn't too bad to look at either, a private part of Ni'awtu seemed acutely aware of this as he was rather different from what she was used to in the Clan. He was very scruffy looking, so removed from the polished look of the males in her Clan, Eywa forbid you ever find one of them with their hair in such disarray as Dahmanii. Plus the darker hue of his stripes struck her as somewhat exotic.

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] When Ni'awtu seemed a little weirded out at his reaction, he immediately backed off, realizing that he was coming on too strong. It was just in his blood to pay respects to those touched by his Clans totem, even if he wasn't part of them anymore. On the other hand, he knew when he was going too far. Tanku'ur, sensing his friends slight embarrassment, murmured and shoved his snout under his palm to calm him. When her hand went to her head and she inhaled sharply, he felt a little bad. He hadn't meant to draw attention to something she was so clearly not at ease with, and he felt a little bad (Tanku'ur grumbled and nudged Dahmanii). When she offered to tell him what happened, he looked a little surprised. He didn't want to intrude upon her past, but he was really curious about what had happened. At her inquiry about Tanku'ur, he looked up at his friend who was now standing at full height and jerked his head a little at the beast. Tanku'ur murmured a little and padded forward, his lips pulled back - this may have looked intimidating, but it was the equivalent of a smile. He pressed his armored head into Ni'awtu's shoulder, his tail almost wagging as he did this, and Dahmanii smiled. "He likes to be scratched right there.." He said softly, gently taking her hand in his calloused one, placing it behind his sensory quills before letting go. He didn't want to insult her. "And that would be interesting... i-if that's okay of course, I don't want to be a bother. And my story isn't all that great.." Tanku'ur, seeming to beg to differ, whacked him with one of his queues, causing him to laugh a bit. "Not to say that you're not important, buddy... You're the only thing I've got." The Palulukan murmured at this, nuzzling into the females shoulder.

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] Ni'awtu was a little surprised at first when the huge predator came up and started to bare its teeth at her, then nuzzle into her shoulder, to say the least. "Oh," was all she could stammer at first as then Dahmanii took her hand in his. Just this small gesture made her become acutely aware of her heartbeat thudding in her chest all of a sudden. Did it just get really warm or something? To the Na'vi, touch was a sacred thing, the Clan would touch one another when they welcomed someone as an adult into the Clan, they'd connect together to pray in groups to Eywa, and of course, touch when they took each other at mates. Thus Ni'awtu hadn't been touched much by a male outside of her immediate family unless it was a friendly punch to the shoulder or slap on the back for a job well done - something both sexes did to each other equally after a successful hunt. The callouses on his rough hands told Ni'awtu he was a hard worker, someone who was one with whatever he did as he had to make everything himself. This confirmed he must be a rogue Na'vi, but at the same time she was intrigued, not repulsed by this information. She briefly wondered, if something happened to the Omaticaya, could she find the inner strength to live alone in the jungles? One had to be a strong spirit to do such. She found her tongue again as she started to scratch where Dahmanii had directed her to do so. As she did this a very bright smile started to grow on her face as Tanku'ur continued to nuzzle into her, pushing her back a bit. "Heh, he is very sweet," she observed and then remembered her offer, "Well, there is not too much to tell, one day Atan'eko and I were hunting. I was about to strike down some prey, which now I don't even remember what it was." Her brows knitted together briefly as she tried to think, what was it she had in her sights that day? How odd, maybe it was due to the trama of it all not to remember such a detail. "Anyway, there was this shadow... and I just remember a flash of orange and nothing... Not until I woke up days later and was told the rest of what happened. Apparently there were a group of hunters who saw the whole thing and came to my rescue. A young Toruk tried to kill Atan'eko and I, but Atan'eko fought back while I was thrown loose. We all fell into a really thick part of the jungle, so the Toruk lost us and our falls were broken for the most part. The hunting group took us home straight away and the healers didn't think either of us would pull through, but by Eywa's blessing we did." A wry smile bloomed on the female's face, "We were lucky, lucky it was a young Toruk, lucky we fell into dense jungle and lucky the hunters were nearby. However now I can't hear to well out of my left ear and I can't hunt much on Atan'eko's back anymore. So the Clan uses us as messengers, we go back and forth to the other Clans allied with the Omaticaya and deliver messages between the leaders."

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] He was slightly aware of her elevated pulse, but he could only tell from the heat that came from her skin a moment before he let go. He was a little confused at this but said nothing, and he grinned when Tanku'ur murmured again, enjoying the scratch he was getting. When she noted his sweet nature, he laughed out loud, and the beast thumped his tail on the ground. "Yeah, he's a bit of a pushover.." As he listened to her story, he felt a new respect bubble inside of him. How hard it must have been to go through something like that and not be completely traumatized. Obviously she was brave to go back out into the skies after that had happened and he smiled kindly when she told him she was used as a messenger. This intrigued him greatly. Sometimes after suffering and injury like that, a person is deemed unfit for everything and is tossed to the bottom of the heap. She on the other hand, was chosen for something awesome by the chief to deliver messages. She had a well solidified place in her clan, despite the attack she had survived. "Well, that's a great post to have you know." He pointed out, looking over at her with orange eyes. He was trying to think of a way to say it without sounding insulting, something he was getting progressively better at he thought. "It means you're being a big help, that you're important. And I don't know what you were talking about, that was one of the most interesting stories I've heard in a long time." This comment was a little off though, considering he had been living on his own for a while, but it was by far one of the coolest interested in her story that he almost forgot his part of the deal.things he had heard. He smiled a bit and gave the Palulukan a shove when the beast thumped him again, flicking his tail to keep his balance when Tanku'ur pushed back. He had been so "As for this goof here..." He laughed out loud, but the sound was countered a bit by the tiniest bit of sorrow that crept into his voice as he continued. "His mother had started a stampede back where I used to live, but she was weak and she didn't manage to catch anything." He paused, forcing himself not to think of his poor sister, continuing in a less sad tone. "I heard something when I was out one day, and found her. She was having complications giving birth... There was no way to save her, so I had to..." He made a swift motion with his arm, signifying that he had to cut her. "And Tanku'ur... Well, he was completely healthy, but what could I do? I mean, he was a newborn, and I couldn't just leave him there to die... I knew I had to kill him..." He trailed off a little, a grin spreading on his face as he leaned into his best friend. "But I just couldn't. Instead, I raised him, bonded with him and we became the best of friends... I don't think I'd still be here if it weren't for him, for multiple reasons. He gave me a reason to live."

[Jai'byrd]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true][bg=01234C] Ni'awtu's smile did not disappear as she scratched the large rumbling predator and listened to Dahmanii's story. "Then you are blessed by Eywa indeed," she finally said after a long pause digesting his story, "Such a thing was meant to be, or else you wouldn't have found his mother, nor felt connected to the pup enough to raise it." By this time the splashing in the river had died down some as yet another fish was sliding down Atan'eko's gullet as his head was pointed up and one could make out something going down his long neck. He then cocked his head to one side as he looked over to see his bonded getting nuzzled by the large palulukan and instantly felt a surge of territoriality. The Ikran waded noisily through the waters of the river and heaved himself up on the bank right behind Ni'awtu, peering down at the threesome from above a bit. He poked her with one of his neural queues as she joined with him and felt his apprehension. Ni'awtu looked up and smiled at her partner and reached up to grab his chin fin as she flooded reassurance over their bond. "Silly, Tanku'ur is Dahmanii's. Not going to take me away from you. Now go, it's getting late and we all need dinner. Now be the big strong Ikran you are and get us dinner." Atan'eko puffed up a bit thanks to the flattery (as that and fish will get you everywhere with him) as he disconnected and plunged back into the river, his focus renewed. "Sorry about that, Ikran are very territorial," she explained as she looked up at the dimming sky above, "It will be night soon and Atan'eko and I cannot fly at night to get back home. Do you mind if we all stay together this night? I thought I saw utral utu mauti back aways from the river. There might be some utu mauti up in the canopy as they should be ripe by now. By the time we get back Atan'eko might have some more fish for us." utral utu mauti = Push tree utu mauti = Banana fruit

[Dαhṃαṉïï]

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[atrb=background,http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2060/dahbody.png] He felt a little pang of sadness at this, wishing she knew the entire story, knowing he couldn't tell her. It was more out of a desire to replace the family he lost, and somehow having one last bond to Ka'ali, who he missed terribly ever day, knowing he played a role in her untimely death. He did indeed feel blessed, but it was bittersweet... Then again, it had been him not Tanku'urs mother who had started the stampede. Again, he flinched in the presence of the Ikran, eyes visibly a little wider as he flattened his ears a fraction. Tanku'ur simply nudged him with his armored head, feeling his anxiety and trying to calm him as Ni'awtu spoke to the flying bonded, and he settled a little. She wouldn't let the beast hurt him... right? He shivered a bit, flaring his nostrils. "Now be the big strong Ikran you are and get us dinner." He realized then that he was a little hungry again, but when she asked him if the two of them could stay, he looked a little surprised. It was her clans territory, why was she asking him? "O-of course. It's you land after all." He smiled gently, turning to his friend. "Tan, would you kindly accompany us? We need you to keep the wolves away." The beast made a huffing noise and looked off into the dense jungle that was slowly starting to come alive with the bio-luminescent glow. This to Dahmanii was an obvious 'yes' and he connected with him moments after, looking at Ni'awtu. Would she be okay with riding a Palulukan? "Need a hand up?"