The morning sun slanted through the branches of the Home Tree, casting dappled patterns on the moss-strewn floor. Tony, swaddled snugly in the sling that Ilara carried across her chest. Every vibration in the ground, every rustle of leaves, every passing Na'vi footstep was a note in the symphony of this new world.
From the open clearing, the thunder of hooves reached Tony first. The rhythmic pounding carried through the roots, vibrating faintly in the sling. Then, a flash of dark brown and white appeared, moving with speed and confidence. A direhorse—a creature of muscle and sinew, bridled and mounted—came to a controlled stop in front of Ilara.
Eytukan.
The young Na'vi, still in the bloom of adolescence, leapt from the direhorse with the practiced ease of someone who had spent years learning to ride. His long braids swung as he landed, and his amber eyes—bright with energy and a touch of mischief—immediately found Ilara. "Mother!" he called, voice booming but light with youthful exuberance. He skidded slightly to a stop, throwing a grin over his shoulder at the horse as if it had behaved perfectly.
Ilara's lips curved into a warm smile. "Eytukan," she replied, her voice calm but affectionate. "You ride as if the wind itself were chasing you. Are you well?"
"I am," Eytukan said, chest rising with pride. "And the wind is no match for me!" He stepped closer, eyes darting past his mother, and immediately noticed the small bundle cradled against her chest. "What… what is that?" His tone shifted from triumphant to curious in an instant.
Ilara adjusted Tony slightly in the sling, letting him rest securely against her. "This," she said softly, "is your younger brother. His name is Nessudle."
Tony's tiny head lifted slightly, and his wide eyes fixed on the newcomer. The sight of a taller Na'vi with lively movements sparked something in him. He watched Eytukan with intensity, his small fingers curling instinctively around the sling.
Eytukan's grin widened. "My… my own little brother?" His voice was filled with excitement, almost disbelief. He crouched slightly, reaching a hand toward Tony's small, glowing form. "I want to touch him. Just for a moment," he said eagerly, ignoring the cautionary tension in the air.
Tony reacted instantly. His tiny fingers flexed, and before Ilara could intervene, he nipped at Eytukan's reaching hand. The bite was more instinct than malice, a reflexive response to the sudden motion.
Eytukan yelped, jumping back with a sharp intake of breath, eyes wide. "Hey! What—he bit me!" His voice cracked with surprise, and a flicker of embarrassment colored his features. His braids swung as he shifted awkwardly, clearly unprepared for such a fierce reception from someone so small.
Ilara's laughter rang through the clearing, musical and warm. "Eytukan!" she chided, shaking her head with mock sternness. "Do not toy with your younger brother. He may be small, but he has his ways."
Eytukan's ears flushed, and he scratched the back of his head. "I… I just wanted to greet him! I didn't mean—" He paused, glancing at Tony, who now blinked slowly up at him, tiny fingers flexing again, luminous eyes bright with curiosity.
Ilara adjusted Tony in the sling, pressing a soft kiss to his head. "The boy knows when he is threatened," she said gently. "Even this small, he has a voice. You must respect that, Eytukan. A brother is not a toy."
Tony, for his part, seemed pleased with his small show of independence. He cooed softly, a musical note that echoed faintly in the clearing, as though the forest itself acknowledged his tiny assertion.
Eytukan's surprise melted into laughter, embarrassed and full of energy. He stepped back slightly, holding his hands loosely at his sides. "He's… strong!" he admitted, his grin returning. "I did not expect that. He's… fierce!"
Ilara shook her head, smiling but firm. "Yes. Fierce, but also precious. Do not forget that. Treat him gently. Watch and learn, as you would with any other creature of Eywa's world."
Tony's tiny hands flexed once more, curling instinctively as if he understood every word, though his mind could not yet grasp such concepts. He was still learning, still discovering the rhythm of life in this vast, new world. But his first encounter with a brother—a living, moving being larger than him, warm and vibrant—left a spark in him, a recognition of kinship, and the sense that he was not alone.
Eytukan crouched lower, holding out his hand again, but this time more slowly, more respectfully. Tony watched carefully, eyes tracking the motion. The younger Na'vi's energy had shifted, becoming more patient, more attuned to the tiny rhythms of the infant. Tony cooed again, reaching one tiny hand toward him, and this time, instead of biting, allowed his fingers to brush Eytukan's.
Ilara's laughter softened, and she stroked Tony's head. "Better. That is how he learns trust. Through patience and care. You will have much to teach each other, I promise."
Eytukan grinned, his earlier embarrassment fading. "I promise I will be gentle," he said. "But you… You are already fierce. You'll make a strong little warrior, little brother."
Tony cooed again, small arms stretching toward Eytukan, as if in agreement. The tiny thread of connection—family, bond, recognition—sparked between them in that moment, subtle but undeniable.
Ilara watched the two, smiling at the sight of her older son cautiously engaging with his younger brother. "This is just the beginning," she whispered to herself. "You are both part of this world now. One day, you will understand it fully. But for now… let the first threads of family weave themselves."
The forest around them thrummed softly, the Home Tree alive with subtle vibrations of life and energy. Tony's coos blended with Eytukan's laughter, with Ilara's warmth, and with the quiet pulse of the trees. In that small clearing, among the moss and roots, a family began to grow, bound together by blood, by care, and by the gentle guidance of Eywa.
Tony lifted his tiny hand once more, brushing at Eytukan's wrist with the faintest curiosity, and in that small gesture, the older brother's laughter rang again. The bite forgotten, replaced by the spark of a bond that would only grow stronger in the days, moons, and years to come.
Ilara smiled, adjusting the sling once more. "Come now," she said. "We have much to do today. But remember this moment—your first meeting, your first bond. It will carry you far."
Tony cooed softly in reply, warm against her chest, tiny eyes wide and alert. The world was vast, strange, and new—but with family, he was beginning to understand that he could navigate it.