chapter twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-Eight
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You woke up in the middle of the night, Tonowari’s arm around your middle, Ronal’s face buried in your neck. You sat up, the contraction rolling through you like a wave. You gasped, holding you knees a little as you tried to breathe through the pain. Tonowari say up, a lighter sleeper then Ronal.
“Hana?” he asked, sitting up.
You nodded sharply, and he gently shook Ronal awake. She was slower to wake, blinking blearily up at him in confusion. “Ma’Tonowari?” she mumbled, voice raspy.
“It is time,” he said. That woke Ronal up. She sat up, placing a hand on your stomach and feeling.
She nodded a little, bringing a hand up to wipe the sweat off your face. “Get Tsonu’e,” she told Tonowari. To you, she settled herself behind you, letting you rest against her. Her hands were on your belly as she prided it gently. You winced in pain as another contraction hit, leaning against her heavily. Tonowari moved quickly, disappearing from your sight in a moment.
The rain started then. Thunder cracked, and the onslaught of rain invaded your senses through the haze of pain. The smell of the sea and rain mingling together into an intoxicating mix. Ronal smiled into your hair, gently running her hands up your arms. “A baby born in the rain is said to live a long life,” she said. “It is very lucky.”
You smiled a little, crying out a little as another contraction hit you. Tsonu’e darted on, dropping to your side.
“My sweet Hana,” she cooed, hands on your face. “Breathe, my child.”
“It hurts,” you told her, feeling like a little girl. She grabbed your hands comfortingly, stroking your skin gently.
“It will be over soon,” she promised. Ronal and Tsonu’e helped you stand, leading you to the water. You were not sure how other Na’vi gave birth, but the Metkayina believed life began and ended in the water. Tsonu’e was with you, Ronal close. Soon, Haolìp joined you, along with Uäloä and the other mothers of the clan.
The rain pelted your face, your hair drenched. Tsonu’e hummed a song, supporting your weight. Ronal never left your side, her tail brushing against yours as she encouraged you.
And then the pain was gone. Ronal grabbed the baby, pulling her from the water carefully.
“Is it okay?” you asked, exhausted. Ronal looked at her, wiping her face and nose.
Ronal looked at her gently. “It is a girl.”
She was a small, squalling little thing. Her face was smushed. She had four fingers and four toes, delicate little eyebrows. She had your lips and Tonowari’s eyes. You loved her like you had never loved anything in your entire life. You reached out, and Ronal placed the abby in your arms.
“She’s perfect,” said Ronal, coming to wrap her arms around you. Her eyes were gentle, and delicately, she stroked a hand down the baby’s face.
The baby squalled a little, a soft little sound escaping her lips. She was perfect. Your heart soared at the sight of her. Tsonu’e leaned her head against your shoulder.
“You did good,” she told you quietly. You cried a little, your eyes spilling over with tears as your heart swelled.
Carefully, you were assisted out of the water and back to your marui. Tonowari rushed in, his eyes wide as his gaze fell on you and Ronal, your baby sleeping between you both. You held out a hand to him, and Tonowari took it, kneeling beside you as Tsonu’e stroked the fire. Uäloä followed him more sedately, taking her place beside Tsonu’e, who gently grabbed her hand. It continued to rain.
His eyes roamed over her face, and you told him softly, “She had your eyes.”
“Thank you,” he said to you softly. You rested your head against him, Ronal taking your free hand. Together, you admired the baby’s sleeping face.
“Do you have a name for her?” Tsonu’e asked quietly after a few moments, coming over with some fish and berries for you. You took the plate gratefully, popping a few in your mouth.
“Ko’oä,” said Ronal quietly, looking up at Tsonu’e. “We thought we would name her Ko’oä.”
Tsonu’e’s eyes lit up a little, and she smiled, though it was a little watery. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
You looked at her a little nervously. “If you prefer, we can name her something else.”
Tsonu’e shook her head. “No,” she assured. “I love it. I am just overwhelmed. My mother, she would have been very happy to have met you.”
Uäloä agreed, “It is a beautiful, strong name.”
“Tomorrow we will introduce her to the clan,” said Tonowari. “Ko’oä te Anewa Hana’ite.”
Ko’oä blinked, opening her eyes and giving a soft cry. You picked her up gently, bringing her to your breast. Ronal sat close beside you, guiding your movements to better get the baby to latch.
Your heart swelled with love for her, for the small family you had. You glanced at Tonowari, who was watching you and Ronal and Ko’oä with a soft look. You smiled at him, feeling warm.
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You spent the next few days with Ko’oä and Ronal, the both of you taking turns making tsaheylu with the baby. You’d been thrown when Ronal had first told you to make the bond, but she had reassured you that it was very natural for parents to bond with their baby this way. Tonowari had been forced to return to his duties to the clan, but he had made sure to drop by multiple times per day, usually with a small entourage that was overwhelmingly curious about the firstborn child of the olo’eyktan. Ko’oä, the sweet little baby with vibrantly blue eyes and a pudgy face, she might become the future tsakarem, the future tsahìk of the Metkayina.
Ronal was sitting with Ko’oä in her arms, carefully arranging some of the items you had been gifted.
Tsonu’e had been in and out all morning, bring you food and anything else you wanted or needed. Currently, she was sitting next to you, carefully forming a sling for Ko’oä.
You frowned a little, watching as she wove a pattern you weren’t familiar with. “How did you do that?”
Tsonu’e glanced at you, grinning a little as she let you run your fingers over the fabric. It was soft—sturdy. “Watch,” she said, demonstrating the weave slowly. “It will be gentle on her skin, but strong enough to hold her to you.”
Your eyes lit up. “It is over, over, under?”
Tsonu’e nodded, demonstrating it again. You gestured for her to continue, watching intensely.
“This is similar to the path,” you acknowledged.
Tsonu’e nodded proudly. “Yes!”
She was nearly done when the horn blew, the jubilant calls of the Metkayina ringing through the air. Your heart nearly exploded, eyes locking with Ronal. She beamed. clutching Ko’oä to her chest. You stood, a little slowly, making your way over to her.
The tulkun had returned.
“Go!” you said. “Tsonu’e will help me, I will take Ko’oä and meet you with Ame.”
Ronal beamed, kissing your cheek. “I will find them both.”
She took off after handing you the baby, and you and Tsonu’e followed a little slower. Ko’oä was so small in your arms, and you felt relieved that she was such a natural swimmer. Tsonu’e called an ilu, allowing you to sit behind her. She stayed above the water, moving slowly toward Ronal’s form. Tonowari appeared beside you, and you smiled warmly.
Tonowari’s spirit brother was with Roa and Ame when you arrived, Ronal having gathered them all. Ame spotted you girls, giving an ecstatic hum in greeting.
My sister! she called, moving closer.
You flopped into the water, watching as Ko’oä instinctively took a deep breath before going under, her little cheeks puffed out as she wiggled in the water, the bond keeping her from going too far.
This is my Ko’oä, you told her, fingers moving quickly.
Ame observed the infant, her eyes soft. She is beautiful.
Ronal swam up beside you. Thank you.
So it is true? Ame confirmed. You have mated?
Yes. There is a lot you missed, you told her, a coy grin on your face. You felt Ko’oä’s lungs burn a little, and cradled her in your arm, swimming to the surface. She gasped for breath, titling her head back as she kicked to stay above the water, her tail swishing back and forth.
Tonowari surfaces beside you, his eyes tracking Ko’oä’s movements. She paddled toward him sloppily, and he gently reached out to pull her toward him.
He held her in his hands, making a funny face at her. Ko’oä’s amusement came through the bond, and you grinned at him, coming closer. “She thinks you are funny.”
Ko’oä was too young to smile, to do much of anything beyond instinctively hold her breath and wiggle her body around, and cry for food. But she loved Tonowari already, Ronal too. This you knew with certainty.
He blew the air from his cheeks, blowing a raspberry on her tummy. His spirit brother floated closer, and he carefully climbed on his fin. You sat beside him, watching him as Ame joined Roa and Ronal in conversation.
Tonowari held his daughter up, letting his spirit brother admire her.
You studied him quietly, the curve of his face, the soft expression in his eye. Tsonu’e came up to sit beside you, engaging you in conversation. You slipped into it easy, occasionally glancing at Tonowari and the baby. When Ronal joined him, she cradled Ko’oä against her chest, lovingly caressing the baby’s skin.
You loved your family so much it threatened to consume you.