Today is my birthday, and what better way to celebrate than by updating, happy New Year's Eve, and a prosperous New Year.
"Three generations ago, something terrible happened," I began to tell her, searching through the memories stored in this body, "a time of great pain, which is still remembered with sorrow."
Grace sat in the meadow, crossing her legs and leaning forward, not wanting to miss anything of importance. "First, it began with a season of great drought. For moons, not a drop of water fell. People died of thirst—animals and plants alike. Many perished, the jungle withered, and entire clans were lost."
"But that wasn't all. Saltwater from the sea rushed onto the shores with unrestrained fury, poisoning the last remnants of fresh water. It was the final blow. Some lost faith in Eywa, the Mangkwan clan among them. For them, it was worse: the volcano near their lands erupted fire and ash, nearly wiping the entire clan away."
Grace remained silent throughout, her brow deeply furrowed and a look of confusion on her face. "But what does that have to do with your seclusion?" she asked, seemingly unable to keep her curiosity contained for even a moment.
"I'm getting to that, don't interrupt," I snapped, silencing her. "My clan, the Subaiya, even amidst the tragedy, tried to help the other clans as much as possible. Many warriors even went to the clans that hadn't been affected, seeking aid for those who were weak. But the answer they received was always the same."
"'If this is happening, it is because Eywa has willed it so.' We knew Eywa allowed it; the Great Mother is always perfect, never giving or taking more than we can endure. We accepted that. But what we did not accept was that those clans would not help us. To them, helping was seen as interfering with Eywa herself."
"So my clan decided to help as much as they could, and then, to withdraw—cutting all ties with the outside world that didn't lend a hand in our time of need. Years later, Yelaco arrived at the clan, riding a Toruk, calling for aid. We did not answer the call, but the other clans did—even those who hadn't helped us back then. We realized then that strength was necessary. They listened to Yelaco because of the beast he rode, the power he represented. We understood we had to be strong, like that. We would never cry again."
"Since then, we have flourished. We are perhaps the strongest known clan. We no longer bend, we do not cry, we do not suffer. And now, it is those who turned their backs on us who long for our help, especially now that your people have arrived."
Grace looked uncomfortable at my final words, but I didn't care. It was time she realized the mess she had gotten into by entering our territory. This wasn't the Omaticaya. Here, if she were found to be falling short of the teachings, she would be expelled back to where she came from—but not before being stripped of her sight and speech. The clan's location had been kept hidden for years, and that would be just one of many options to keep it that way.
The other path was that she would never leave, which only meant her body would rest under the earth, or inside the stomach of a Palulukan.
"Come, that's enough history for today. Let's tour the area," I said, wanting to avoid thinking about the tragic fate that might await her. But it seemed fate had other plans.
"Aleyx, the hunters have spotted a herd of Talioang, a large one. The Olo'eyktan says you should join us; your Palulukan will be of help." I looked at the boy for a moment and then nodded. "I'll be there in a few moments."
I was about to tell Grace I would take her to the clan's resting place, but after thinking it over, I changed my mind. Decided not to waste any time, I called Fang through the bond, urging him to arrive. "Grace, get ready. You're coming with me. You'll see the work of a hunter firsthand. Perhaps that way, you can decide if this is the path you truly wish to follow."
Without another word, I mounted Fang while telling Grace to climb up as well—but not before pleading with Fang to allow it. The last thing I wanted was for Grace to die at the hands of this "little guy" right here.
There was still light over the plains, making the meadow glow with fleeting shades of green and gold. Strange insect-like creatures flew over the grass, and in the distance, the songs of Ikrans filled the air.
One of the strange insects was about to land on a leaf of a small shrub when a heavy tremor occurred. The insect took flight, but it was too late; a powerful gust sent it spinning through the air. At the same time, dozens of Talioang—creatures resembling terrestrial bulls but four times larger, with a massive horn on their foreheads—ran as if their lives depended on it. Which wasn't far from the reality.
Behind the stampeding herd, a group of Na'vi pursued them—more than three dozen young hunters, each with Tsaheylu, the sacred bond, already established. This made them a single being: beast of burden and hunter, united in the task at hand.
In the air, a dozen Ikrans flew over the herd, their riders tensing their bows, waiting for the signal to descend and cut off the herd's path.
The target: the Talioang herd, colossal beasts roaming the open plains, consisting of over a dozen large males, another two dozen females, and the rest made up of young calves. But the hunters already knew their targets: seven males and ten females. The calves would not be touched, nor the rest of the herd once the desired number was reached—no more, no less.
Of those seven males, four would be used as supplies for the clan; the other three would be used to bring new blood to the herd under the clan's control. The same treatment was for the females, except three would be killed and the rest captured for the flock.
This was done to release the females the clan kept under its control, due to the risk of inbreeding affecting the young. The breeding females and males were released far from the hunting grounds, and new beasts replaced them. This maintained the balance while benefiting the tribe with a growing herd of Talioang, perhaps reaching a point where hunting would no longer be necessary.
Leading the ground group was Aleyx, with Grace gripping his waist tightly. The wind whipped her face with force, yet a delighted smile could be seen on her mouth; to her, this was nothing short of a dream come true.
Ney'ara, a young hunter whose skill with the bow rivaled the best in the clan, rode her own Palulukan. She was the only woman in the tribe to have a Bringer of Fear as a mount, making her highly respected. In a clan where power and strength were respected and seen as Eywa's favor, Ney'ara—though young—had achieved milestones like this: commanding the hunting party. The Subaiya clan was distinguished by its meritocracy, which translated into events like these.
Ney'ara, seeing the perfect moment, gave signals and codes on how to proceed. A sequence of sounds, whistles, and clicks was the language she used, and everyone understood. The ground group split into two, heading to the left and right flanks, guiding the herd so that the slowest—the calves—began to fall behind.
With the calves, the females stopped their march, ready to protect them. This was where the Na'vi in the air intervened. Using arrows poisoned with Txumre toxins, they fired without hesitation at the females' legs. These arrows, smaller and blunt rather than sharp, were designed to cause impact wounds but not fatal ones. And so it was.
The blunt arrows failed to pierce the muscle and flesh of the legs, but it was enough to break their thick hides, letting the toxin contact the surface blood. The Talioang had a strong immune system in their legs; thus, the moment the toxin entered the bloodstream, their bodies shut off blood flow from the legs to the rest of the body and heart. This caused the toxin to accumulate in their legs, making them slow until they collapsed under their own weight.
On the other side, Aleyx, mounted on Fang, led the charge, choosing his target. He didn't choose the alpha male; that would cause infighting within the herd and leave the calves unprotected. Instead, he chose another male—young but of breeding age. Fixing his target, Aleyx told Grace what was about to happen. Throughout the hunt, he had been explaining everyone's roles, from the aerial archers to the ground guides.
"Grace, you have to hit the opercula directly; these are connected to the lungs and heart. It ensures a quick and painless death. There's no reason to prolong the suffering." With that said, Aleyx did just that. Aiming his bow skillfully, he released his nearly two-meter-long arrow, and it hit the mark. The arrow entered straight, piercing the heart of the male Talioang, causing it to stumble and fall, dying instantly.
Others also managed to hunt the remaining targets, but one of those meant for capture was missing, which brought a smile to Aleyx's face. "Hold on!" Grace barely processed the command before she nearly fell as Fang made a powerful leap, landing full-force on another male, pinning it to the ground and preventing it from rising.
With the Talioang on the ground, Aleyx wasted no time. Using a blowgun, he fired a dart laced with the tribe's Txumre neurotoxin, which left the Talioang immobilized moments later. "It was beautiful, don't you think?" Aleyx asked Grace later, once the Na'vi arrived with large, strong vines pulled by Angtsík, ready to take them back to the tribe. "Beautiful? It was brilliant!" Grace couldn't help but show her excitement.
Being her first hunt within a Na'vi clan, she couldn't be happier. Deep down, she knew that coming to the Subaiya clan was one of the best decisions of her life. And if she could, she would do it again as many times as necessary.