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[Random the Navigator]

"One more thing, and it's going to be a little tricky," said Kenten.  "The first person to give him solid food must be his mother.  Normally she'd be the first one to feed him at all, which is why we don't have our adult Ikran snatching away our suppers!"  He smirked.  "Hand-feeding is far, far from ideal.  But with this one it wouldn't be wise to rush him outside the moment he's out of the shell.  We'll give him something nourishing but not all too appealing--no meat scraps!--and let his mama introduce him to the good stuff."

Enya didn't even have to think about that one.  "Little Grey Packs!!" she squeaked.

[Kiyevanie]

"Little Grey Packs?"  Rick made a face.  He could see Kenten's reasoning, but still...  "You seriously wanna feed this poor little chick that stuff?  How about...I don't know, some broth or something?"

[Random the Navigator]

"Ikran don't really drink," Kenten explained.  "They get most of what they need from their prey, and the rest almost by accident when they're fishing or bathing themselves and manage to swallow some water."

Brenda thought about Enya's idea.  "Avatar rations actually make sense.  They've got everything a Pandoran creature needs...and nothing that they want!!"  She grinned.

"Is so!" Enya vouched.  "When Tali and Waytelem found my pack, animals not had touched - no animals, not in ten days!  Already ate Solanda's sandwiches; no food left in there 'cept Little Grey Packs...and even Palulukan musta said 'Nuh-uh; no thanks!'"

[Kiyevanie]

Rick still wasn't too ecstatic about using the Avatar rations on the little Ikran.  "I can still picture Ni'ka's face when she first tried them.  Poor girl; she didn't even know her name back then, but she definitely didn't like that stuff...  Well, it's gonna make sure he'll love his mommy once she starts feeding him the good stuff."

[Random the Navigator]

"That's the idea," said Kenten.  "She should be the only one feeding him, so that his strongest attachment will be to his own kind.  But we'll have to settle for her being the only one feeding him anything he'll enjoy."

"Oh, I dunno," Brenda mused.  "He won't complain about the grey mush if he's never known anything else."

Enya put up her nose.  "I  did!" she huffed.

"You cheated--Solanda kept bringing you cookies after hours!" said Brenda.  "And speaking of cheating..."  She stretched and yawned hugely.  "Bedtime for Brenda; I've cheated myself of sleep!"

"Indeed," Kenten realised as he considered that she'd been up since yesterday's dusk.

[Kiyevanie]

"Yeah, you've been up quite some time now, one way or the other.  You go get some shuteye."  Rick nodded to the other human.  "Should we wake you if something happens with the little guy?"

[Random the Navigator]

"I think Ni'tingal will take care of that - when she hears her baby chirp, you'll be able to hear her from Hometree!" Kenten answered.  "All right; let's get this thing into Tsanten's house."

"I go get rocks and moss," Enya volunteered.

Tali considered.  "I can do that," he said.  "We'll need you to work the Tawtute equipment, such as the heat-lamps."

"What I know 'bout heat-lamps?" said Enya.  "Is Sky-People stuff, yes...but that don't mean I know how to use 'em; old-animal rocks not need to be kept warm!"

"Ah - you have a point there," Rick agreed with Kenten, then laughed about Tali's and Enya's discussion.  "Why don't you go looking for moss and stuff together and leave those heat lamps to me?  Ya know - let the Sky People do the Sky People stuff?"

"THANK YOU!!" Enya squeaked, all but picking Rick up bodily in her most vigorous embrace, then setting him gently back on his feet to catch his breath.  "Is embarrassing, everybody thinking that 'cause I grew up at Sky-camp, I must know how to use everything they do!  I not know how to use robots or special bed or Little Blinky Machines; I not even know how to use Solanda's deep-sound machine; someone hadda show me where big lamps are here..."  Her ears colored and her shoulders slumped.  "Only know what I been taught; and been learning that that not was much!"

[Kiyevanie]

"Eh, that's still more than I can do."  Rick shrugged, loosening his shoulders after Enya's enthusiastic hug.  "And I've been guarding science expeditions for years...but most of the equipment those guys use is still some big mystery to me.  You're a child, Enya, and you're still learning - there's nothing wrong with that."  He gave a wink at Tali.  "And according to your brother, I'm a complete baby with a lot of things one needs to know to get along on Pandora, with even more to learn."

[Random the Navigator]

"Is not to worry," Enya reassured him.  "Na'vi teach you all that if you stay home enough!  And, umm, Brenda show me paints and paper and stuff she made, all from here...so think she maybe know a little bit 'bout that too."

Tali bumped the Avatar's arm.  "All right, now that that's settled--let's go set the little guy up.  Between him and putting green on the shacks, we have a lot of work to do today!"

"Oo, and only us four to do it," said Enya, meaning Rick, Kenten, Tali and herself.  "And I not can do much..."

"Tangek's here," Tali reminded her.

"But who gonna ask him??" Enya said anxiously.  "He all stiff with Sa'nok--think they still mad!!"

"It won't get better if he sticks to pouting.  Sooner or later they'll have to figure it out," Rick mused.  "Alright, I'm gonna set up those heat lamps, and then I'm talking to Tangek about helping us cover the shacks."

Enya giggled.  "'Pouting'?  Never did think of it that way!  Not so scary now--'less you tell him you said that!"

Tali was pondering their manning situation.  "I think Brenda knows the most about hiding the shacks, but she's zonked out now or about to be...  Maybe that'll have to wait?  Nobody's found us yet..."

Kenten looked doubtful.  "That doesn't mean they won't find us today," he said.  "If you ask me, we've been beating the odds.  It doesn't take much technical expertise to spread dirt on the roofs for starters.  After that, we can make nets to hold the leaves and branches--you know, put them through the holes and tangle them in the twine?  You and I fish; we know how to make netting, though it'll be a while before we have enough.  At least we managed to find plenty of vines."

They discussed the details a bit further; then, getting back to the matter at hand, Tali took the soon-to-be terrarium out of Rick's hands and carried it into Tsanten's module while Enya went to get some moss.

[Kiyevanie]

Rick followed Tali along into the module where Silronsem was still watching for Tsanten.  "You're getting some company in here," he smirked at the healer and her patient while checking for a good place to put the terrarium.  It had to be out of the way so that nobody accidently stumbled across it, and close enough to a power outlet for setting up the lamps.

"Oh?  And who might that be?" asked Silronsem.

"Ni'tingal's baby - once he's worked his way out of his egg," Rick grinned.

Silronsem's hand flew to her mouth.  "Oh...my!" she blurted out.

[Random the Navigator]

Tali and Rick spend the next quite-a-while setting up the incubator/terrarium for Ni'tingal's egg.  They put it under a bottom bunk in Tsanten's module, with the idea of Tali, Rick, Enya and maybe Brenda taking turns sleeping on the bunk itself so that no matter when the egg hatches, someone will be there to notice.

Meanwhile, a certain self-propelled Avatar gets an inspiration...

Enya, having collected a whole armful of moss in a large gathering-pouch, now contemplated the matter of stones.  They weren't hard to find; but her eyes chanced to fall on the pit-oven next to the bonfire, and it gave her an idea.  "If stones be good, warm stones be better, yes?" she mused.  "Can keep baby-Ikran warm same way me and Tsanten stay warm at Hometree, bringing stones from fire...  Not gotta learn how to work those!  And when they cool, he can use them for bracing."

Surprised and pleased by this burst of cleverness, she hustled into the longhouse to fetch a firepot for the stones.

She returns with her finds as Tali is briefing the young healer Silronsem:

...Silronsem's second verbalisation sounded just like her first: "Oh, my!"

"That's all right," Tali assured her.  "We've had plenty of practice with strange roommates...right, Enya?"  He grinned at the Avatar as she maneuvered her way into the module, drawing a predictable "HEI!" in response.  Only then did the boy notice that his not-so-little sister was armed with a pot of hot stones.  Fortunately for his full head of hair, their possibilities as projectiles didn't occur to Enya either.

Enya takes "first watch", with predictable results...

Rick chuckled while checking out the second lamp, switching it on; and when it started glowing too, he backed off again.  "Seriously, I've never seen someone fall asleep that fast before; and as a soldier you usually learn to take your naps when- and wherever possible."

"She's earned it, though," said Tali; then he turned to Silronsem.  "Do you have any idea what a hero she's been this morning?"  And he gave the healer the rundown on all that had transpired during their foraging trip, including Enya's first time riding at a canter, her quite competent climb up the rock, her discovery of the undersized egg in Ni'tingal's nest, and everything she'd done since then to nurse it along.

"I'll just have to tell Tsanten, then," Silronsem said.  "I'm sure he'll get a good round of taps and scratches out of that tale!"

[Kiyevanie]

Rick climbed down from where he had been fixing the lamps.  "Seems as if everything's prepared here and we can do nothing but wait.  In the meantime, I'd better go and try to enlist Tangek's help."

Tali smiled again.  "The sooner that egg gets in here, the better...and I know all the gentle ways to wake up Sa'nok."

So saying, he ducked out of the module and began to make his way across the courtyard.

[Random the Navigator]

  -:-

Tangek was leaning against the B-shack looking broody...or, to those few people who knew him closely, maybe a little lost.

Interpersonal relations with non-patients had never been his strong point.  But 'Iheyu understood him.  'Iheyu had always been there for him as coworker, counsellor or "Close-friend" according to his needs of the moment.  And lately, to their mutual surprise and delight, they'd been drifting into something more like soul-friendship.

He'd surprised himself again by how quickly and thoroughly he'd bonded with her family once he'd permitted himself the leisure time to meet them.  How he treasured the moments they'd already given him!  When he'd taken Enya on that thinking-walk, and when she'd called him "Sempul", and when Tali had chosen to sleep in the cabin near him instead of in the module with his mother their first night at the compound, he had felt honored.  He had also known the, for him, rare sensation of affection both given and received; of his flaws and quirks just being part of what endeared him to those who mattered most.

All told, and the occasional spat aside, the experience had gentled him somewhat.  He hadn't known he had that kind of tenderness in him.  Neither had anybody else...except probably 'Iheyu in her wisdom; 'Iheyu, who could See without Tsaheylu almost as well as most people could See with it.

So how had it come to this?  Why had she said those things?  Did she really think he and his mentor Tiye were cowards?

If anyone else had said such a thing, he'd have bristled and roared and sent them scurrying.  Even the warriors knew better than to test his temper.  There wasn't much that anyone in the Clan could say or do that would get to him, unless it was concerning a patient.  But he'd handed himself over to 'Iheyu.  Only her insights really mattered; only her advice had he taken to heart...and thus, only she had the power to wound him.

He let out a long, shuddering sigh.  Blast this place; for him it had been nothing but pain and frustration.  Blast the circumstance that had brought them here; why here, and not a place of the People?  And blast the constant little crises surrounding the human woman - the mood swings and mini-panics that everyone was forced to respond to, and that everyone had to deal with instead of having the chance to really bond with each other, and be a family, and work out how to have some semblance of a normal life again.

[Kiyevanie]

Rick followed close behind Tali, looking around for Tangek until he finally spotted the healer leaning against the wall.  The Na'vi's face was dark and Rick's own mood sank - Tangek didn't look very open to any suggestions.  But the soldier still walked over and leaned against the wall too, giving the taller man a greeting nod.

"Kaltxi, Tangek," he started.  "It's been quite a day so far, huh?"

[Random the Navigator]

"That it has," the burly healer said noncommitally; it was only the truth.

Tali, more than aware of the tensions in the camp, was still nearby in case Rick needed some help with Tangek, and it was looking like he did.  "You're not kidding!" he replied with a wide smile.  "'Course, you've been part of the big news..."

"Indeed," Tangek said a little more warmly; his prickliness did not extend to anybody's boy-child, most especially this one.  "You finding Ni'tingal's nest; us bringing her baby home...  That's one load off our minds, at least.  Give me one of those great bloody Tawtute digging-machines and I might be able to move the whole lot..."

"Enya did it," Tali informed him.  "We were looking for stuff to dress up these shacks with--you know, like we were talking about yesterday?  And we heard an Ikran screech--and Enya took off on Kilvanä--and we were all 'Wait!!  You're gonna get your head bitten off!!!'  And she's all 'Na, is Ni'tingal!  I baby-Ikran to her!'  And she goes tearing over there and jumps off Kilvanä and hauls herself up that rock-face and jumps right into the nest as if she jumps into Ikrans' nests every day or something, and she's all 'Hei, girl, how ya doin', long time no see!'"

This breathless account had the desired effect; Tangek chuckled softly, a hint of a smile in his throat if not on his lips.  "Now, lad, you know to save the tale-speech for the bonfire..."

"No, really!" the boy protested...then just as promptly began backing water.  "Okay, maybe she didn't jump off Kilvanä--more like wriggled; and maybe she didn't haul herself up the rock--more like crept..."

"I get the idea," Tangek said with a wave-off, the smile making inroads into his voice this time.  "Of course, by tonight she'll have flown up there...and all the witnesses will agree!"

Tali grinned, then gave him an earnest look.  "You know...that's the first I've seen of the old Enya since she came to us.  Really seen.  We've had fits and snatches, sure--mostly when she'd try some stunt she wasn't ready for.  But up there...she was her again.  Not a cripple; not a klutz who used to be an acrobat.  Just her, being herself because she can.  It's...good to see..."

[Kiyevanie]

"Tali's right," Rick agreed, recalling the scene at the nest.  "Guess it's 'cause she didn't think of it, she just did it 'cause she knew it was the right thing to do.  And we all know it's only partly her body that's keeping her back."  He grinned to the two Na'vi.  "Although I think my heart was in my pants half the time, at least until Ni'tingal almost hugged her back."

[Random the Navigator]

"Ni' did hug her!" Tali exclaimed.  "She stretched a wing over her, pulled her right in, nuzzled, cooed...  Actually, you know how she got the rest of the way up? --Ni'tingal grabbed her by the seat of her shorts and plopped her in the nest!!"

Then he pondered Rick's statement about Enya's relationship with her body.  "Umm...last week, yeah; about the only times she moved fast were when she did it without thinking.  This, though...  This was totally thought out, totally on purpose.  Did you see how carefully she got off Kilvanä at just the right spot to start climbing?  And how sure she was of each hand- and foothold?  Rick...I don't think her body's getting in the way anymore.  I think she tells it what to do and it does it, same as you and me.  Same as old times.  She's the boss again."

[Kiyevanie]

"Well, then we'll find her up the trees and on top of the shack soon," Rick only half-joked.  "We all know how she loves to climb."

He eyed Tangek.  "Actually that brings me to something I wanted to ask you.  It's about time this place stops looking like a human camp.  Not only to hide from any search parties from Hell's Gate, but even more to make it a place we can all feel a bit more comfy with."  He raised a brow.  "I had to be blind to see that living in a longhouse around human shacks makes all of you uncomfortable - and that's not how it's meant to be."

[Random the Navigator]

Tangek gave Rick an enigmatic look as he debated in what tone to respond.  What was he supposed to say to that?  'Is that so'?  'About time you noticed'?  'And what, exactly, do you think you can do about it'?

To his credit, he said none of these things.  Instead he replied, "Rick...this is a human camp; it can't very well pretend to be anything else.  Dress it up how you like; it'll be easier to look at, at least.  But it's still not, and never will be, a place of the People."

[Kiyevanie]

Rick suppressed a sigh.  "It started out as one, true.  But that doesn't mean the place can't change.  It's true, it can never be your real home, especially 'cause you can't make a connection to the place like you're used to - things being as they are.  And I'd bet all the paychecks I'm never gonna get that the only thing you really want is to just go back home again."

He glanced at Tali, briefly pondering how much he should go into detail around him, then decided that the boy probably knew the reasons behind the move anyway.  "But you decided to come here for a reason...to keep Tsanten safe, and the children.  And those reasons are still valid, as much as I wish it wasn't so.  So...we all have to make the best out of things as they are."  He gave a faint smile.  "And I just don't know what it takes to make this place as un-miserable in Na'vi eyes as possible.  So we need you and 'Iheyu, Kenten, Silronsem, Tali, Enya - all of you - to decide what you need."

[Random the Navigator]

"Na," Tangek agreed.  "It never can be our real home.  You see, home isn't just a place.  If it were, any little knot of us could stay anywhere, free of commitments or attachments...even here.  But...and I'm not the best person to say this, but I'm the only one here right now to say it...'home' is mostly people.  Lots of them, doing all kinds of things.  Hunters, warriors and healers, yes...but dancers, singers, crafters, and teachers too; wise older people and adventurous young ones; and leaders to take that burden off the rest of us.

"We here, this little knot dropped into this foreign place, have to do it all without any support except for each other...and we can't.  We've been giving it our best for a week...and we can't.  We live in numbers for a reason.  And we are wearing ourselves down trying to be a whole Clan by ourselves.  In trying to be everything, we are becoming nothing, and making ourselves less and less able to stand the strain...  Does any of that make sense to you?  Is it a thing than can be fixed with nets full of twigs?"

Tali, seeing that the discussion had gotten underway, slipped away to see about getting the little Ikran egg from his sleeping mother.

[Kiyevanie]

"Yeah, it does make sense," Rick nodded.  "And no, that can't be changed with a net full of twigs."  He looked down, kind of beaten; a Na'vi in his position would probably have drooped his ears.  "And to be honest, I have no frickin' idea how to solve that one.  I'm fresh out of miracles."

[Random the Navigator]

"Well, we were talking last night about visiting Hometree now and again," Tangek said.  "Especially Tali and Enya; they could spend the day there, learn what they can, meet who they're going to...  I think they'd like that, and I wouldn't mind ferrying them back and forth every day if I had to.  There are only two problems with that--neither of which would keep us from doing it.  The first is that Enya, at least, is thriving here, and she might need to make a more gradual transition into her new life, and this'd be the best place for her to do it.  The second is...if the rest of us go even once, we might not want to come back..."

[Kiyevanie]

"Mmmmmmhm."  Rick rubbed his temple, thinking.  "Maybe...uh...  Say, did anyone already tell you that Brenda and Ni'ka ran into Atreyu and his family this morning?  He and the rest of his hunter friends were on their way to another settlement, a bit upriver, just far away enough to not hurt our hunting.  I'm pretty sure Kenten will make a trip there soon; maybe that's something for the rest of you as well?"

[Random the Navigator]

"Just the pongu?" Tangek asked.  "So they're finally doing it...  Well, that's another place to visit and a few more friends to see, at least--though I can't say it brings any new skills to our mix.  It's out of harm's way; there wouldn't be the same worry as with Hometree.  And if it's the one I'm thinking of, it's a long day's ride from here, or a few hours' flight...  Why, I do think we could be talked into staying overnight, or maybe for a few days..."

Then he came back to earth; his mouth went tight.  "But someone has to hunt for you, and someone has to care for Tsanten, and someone has to tend the animals and the fire, and someone has to be on-hand for Ash's next incident--and someone else in each category has to stay behind to relieve the first batch.  Well, that's all of us..." he growled, throwing up his hands.

"I'm not sure, you'll have to ask Ni'ka or Brenda, but I think there were more of them than just their hunting group and their families," Rick said.

Tangek raised his eyebrows a little.  "You mean they might have a real evacuation going?  That'd be something..."  He thought about that for several moments; the meanings; the implications.  "Then enough people have become convinced that the threat is real," he said, a little dismayed.