꓅ꃄꑾ• ꅏꋫꌥ (avatar/pandora OPEN FOR RES 3/12)

[Stargazer3000]

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Discussion Thread
Na'vi,..............
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Recon..............
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¹Since the Sky People have come to their home,
destruction and loss have become the way of
life for the Na'vi. No land remains untouched,
no tribe safe from the planet's new inhabitants.
Of those who have lost everything, most
choose to stay with their clans, held by safety
and familiarity. But there are some who strike
out on their own, driven by retribution.

In the heart of Pandora's deepest jungles, a new
clan is forming, built of these lone Na'vi.
Using skills and weapons from each scattered
clan, this new group is an effective, formidable
force or warriors and craftsman alike. Together
they rove the land, attacking and disarming
human settlements to give their people a
fighting chance.

²Far from their dying planet, and the loved ones
they have left there, Avatar recombinants are
tasked with security of human settlements -
and in turn the future of the human race. A
small group of the recom have been sent away
from their base of a dual purpose mission
following a recent storm that took out most
of their geologic sensors.

The scientists among their group are tasked
with repairing the downed sensors and
retrieving what topological data they can,
while the soldiers are on reconnaissance.
Recent attacks from an unidentified group
have been increasingly difficult to fend off,
forcing the Reon to gather whatever info
they can about the unpredictable attacks.

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³On a rainy day both groups - Na'vi and Recon - set out into the jungle. Whatever
plans they might have had, it would seem that Eywa has one of her own. A flash
flood flushes out the river basin, causing heavy damages to both groups and
leaving nothing in its wake. Perhaps it even cleared the way for something new
to be built.

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.∘ ● story⋅∘⋅ rules/info ⋅∘⋅ na'vi ⋅∘⋅ recom ●∘.

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[Stargazer3000]

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like a minimum
of one paragraph per
post (~7 sentences).
viii. Try to keep the
groups somewhat even
and rep different clans!
ix. Though the plot of
the films + statements
from the director draw
parallels to real world
scenarios, I'm
interested in fictional
world building and like
to focus on character
dynamics! (I'm always
open to discussing more
about this complex topic
in my dms if anyone feels
so inclined!)

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18 - please keep their
f.c. a reasonable age.
(For more info about Na'vi
ages, see the below section
and provided links!)
vi. While you don't need to
be a walking encyclopedia
of Avatar knowledge I'd
like to stick to the general
info presented in the films
vii. There will be some
combat in this rp, so
check in with the other
RPers involved before
any intense action! If you
want to 'write off' a char,
check in with me
first!
vii. While this is not
a semi/lit roleplay, I'd still

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i. Please follow all of
nick + tess' rules here
ii. There's a max of 2
characters per RPer
to start! *I'm always
happy to talk about
adding more later
iii. Send reservations
over PM and have
your form up within
48hrs on the discussion
iv. Discord will be
heavily used, so I
recommend having an
account!
v. No characters under

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General RP information:

• Our story will be happening parallel to that of the films
- while our characters reasonably might have heard of/
been affected by the movie's story, there shouldn't be
too much overlap!
• We will be starting right after the flood! The water
would have carried them to a hidden valley like
this one or this one!
• As the need arises, additional info will go here
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.∘ ● story ⋅∘⋅ rules/info ⋅∘⋅ na'vi ⋅∘⋅ recom ●∘.

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not a rule, but want to put it here: I will always, always be down to have more peeps
join, regardless of where we are or how much has been written; so if you're
interested or have any questions, just PM me - we'll work something out!

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Below are some wiki
links that might be
helpful refreshers on
the world, story, etc.
(not required reading!)
• Na'vi -Mainly facts on
biology - useful when
figuring out ages!
•Clans -Expands beyond
Ometikaya + Metkayina.
Also helpful for character
building!
•Creatures -Na'vi terms
instead of human versions
•Recombinant -Expands on
lightly touched on info
from the new film

Last links that might help
with character stuff:
A Na'vi translator and name
generator!

[Stargazer3000]

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A new clan unto themselves, the self-proclaimed Taronyu (hunters) are as formidable as they are angry.
Comprised entirely of lone Navi, deserters or outcasts alike, they have banded together with a
singular goal - bringing an end to all Sky People. To that end they use the skills and crafts of all who
join their ranks, making their attacks and plans immensely unpredictable, effective, and deadly. The clan
is primarily nomadic, though a tentative base has begun to form along a rocky coastline at the mouth of
a river that leads deep into the jungle. The Tayonyu have no formally recognized Olo'eyktan or Tsahìk.

xxx

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name irui
user sparrow
age 24
status alive
clan anurai

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name ateyo
user star
age 27
status alive
clan Tayrangi

xxx

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name riha
user power
age 26
status alive
clan tipani

xxx

── • ──
name
user blu.jaye
age
status
clan

xxx

── • ──
name
user serendipity
age
status
clan

xxx

── • ──
name
user
age
status
clan

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.∘ ● story ⋅∘⋅ rules/info ⋅∘⋅ na'vi ⋅∘⋅ recom ●∘.

└──────────── • ────────────┘

[Stargazer3000]

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Made as a part of the experimental Pheonix program, Recombinants are Na'vi human hybrids who, unlike
their avatar counterparts need no remote pilot. The memories and personalities of their original bodies
are implanted in them though they are completely disparate beings. The current majority of Recoms
are military, though a handful of scientists have also been incorporated into the program, operating
under incredibly close surveillance following their actions on the old mining base.

xxx

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name asha
user az
age 29
status alive
unit sci

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── • ──
name annie
user star
age 25
status alive
unit sci

xxx

── • ──
name luci
user power `
age 25
status alive
unit recom

xxx

── • ──
name clive
user sparrow
age 33
status alive
unit recom

xxx

── • ──
name
user
age
status
unit

xxx

── • ──
name
user
age
status
unit

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.∘ ● story ⋅∘⋅ rules/info ⋅∘⋅ na'vi ⋅∘⋅ recom ●∘.

└──────────── • ────────────┘

[Stargazer3000]

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.∘ ● res just in case! ●∘.

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[Stargazer3000]

.....𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐘𝐎 ━━━━━ • ━━━━━
.....• location jungle basin • tags none • mentions everyone
.....

The first thing that Ateyo realized as he blinked back to consciousness was that his arm was throbbing - if it was not broken he would be surprised. As he instinctively raised his uninjured hand to probe at the aching limb, cradling it as firmly as he dared, his senses began to filter back to him. Slow at first then coming in a rush all at once every ache, cut, and bruise emerged into sharp and sudden clarity as though they were being made anew. Dimly Ateyo became aware of the water lapping at his feet and the grating feeling of coarse mud coating every limb, the sharp rocks digging into his back and the soft smacks of heavy raindrops as they fell freely onto his face.

Ateyo's body throbbed in protest as he rolled from his prone, sprawled position first to his knees, then, after a great effort, to his feet. Still cradling his injured arm and blinking against the thick rain, he opened his mouth to call out a name but no part of him had been spared from the mud, and so all he succeeded in doing was spitting out a mouthful of the grime.

It had all happened in the blink of an eye - Ateyo knew from years of living on the water how fast Eywa's blessings could turn, but never before had he seen something like that. The scouting trip had been his idea, and even though the rain had started at first light, the clan needed the know if the Sky People were moving deeper into the jungle, so Ateyo had refused to stay at the village. Traveling through the jungle had been slow in the rain, and the trees grew so close together that Rȉkean, his ikran, could not navigate between them. Silence had hung heavy while he and Rìhä traveled closer to the Sky People's village, silence that proved it's worth when the Sky People had come blundering through the trees. Hidden under wide leaves, Ateyo could not be certain if the Sky People knew that the Na'vi were there or not.

No sooner had Ateyo seen them and turned to catch his partner's eyes to make sure she had seen them too when the thunderous rumbling began. In a heartbeat all other noises dimmed, and Ateyo had just enough time to lunge for Rìhä in the hopes of shielding her body with his own when the water hit. His hands had closed over nothing, grasping at the body that was no longer in reach as he was lost in the rolling, tumbling waves. He fought his way to the surface, and though he was able to suck in a breath before being pulled back down, his chest had burned with the need for more air. All sense of direction was lost as Ateyo had hit against trees and rocks, fingers scrambling to grasp whatever they could. And then, all at once, he was falling. Even lost in the water as he was, there was no mistaking the feeling. Falling and then - darkness.

Now Ateyo stood on the banks of the muddy flood-river, cradling his injured arm close to his side as he looked towards the sky, his stomach twisting with worry. Above him, smooth, even cliffs rose high, slick with water and steep enough that they made his hands ache to look at them. At points the cliffs arched inward, creating rock bridges and hiding the sky. Plants grew thick around him, though most were broken under the weight of the water that had carried him below the ground. He was in a valley, sunken below the jungle floor, and likely hidden by the towering trees above. Ateyo could see no path out, no creeping vines to climb, and even when he twisted to see how far the flood-river ran, he lost sight of it under the dense plants.

Rìhä was not in sight either, and this realization hurt worse than any of the cuts and bruises scattered like stars over his skin.

He was the one who insisted they scout. It was happening again, he was getting people hurt again. He was a fool.

Ateyo stumbled away from the water's edge, trying to push his worry down. It would not serve him. Rìhä was strong - she would have survived. She must have survived. Clinging to hope, Ateyo sought the cover of the towering foliage; he would look for his scouting partner until he found her. He would not lose her. Not to the water, not to the jungle, not to - the Sky People. In the chaos, they had been forgotten. Cold crept down Ateyo's back as he considered the inevitable - they could not have avoided the water any better than he. If he had survived, and Rìhä had survived, then they would have survived as well.

He would have to look silently then.

[Stargazer3000]

.....𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 ━━━━━ • ━━━━━
.....• location jungle basin • tags none • mentions everyone
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If nothing else, Annie was proud of how quickly she reacted. Old trainings had surfaced the second the noise of the jungle had fallen away, the earie silence punctuated by the steady drumming of the rain. Something was horribly off. She had braced like it was second nature, dropping to a crouch, ready to sprint if need be. As though she even could sprint in the jungle - she could barely manage graceful movement of any kind outside of the water. The rumbling had followed seconds later, and though she had turned to try and grab ahold of her companions to get them to run with her, her fingers only brushed against Lucian's arm before she was ripped away by the unrelenting swell of a massive flood.

It was supposed to be a simple data gathering mission, in and out, no fuss. Even with her sparce jungle training, Annie had been excited to get new readings of the towering trees, certain that they'd give her better context for studying the reefs surrounding Bridgehead City. The rain might have deterred most, but to her it made the heavy heat of the jungle more bearable. It had made her feel less out of place.

Now, as water pressed in on her from all sides, she had to force herself not to panic, grasping desperately for long-forgotten trainings about flash floods and tsunamis - as though her home planet had the strength left for such acts of defiance against the humans who had so thoroughly broken it. Tossed head over toe along the path of the flood, the instincts of her Na'vi body reacted before Annie could, snapping her nictitating membrane shut, and protecting her eyes as a plan formulated.

Lungs burning with the strain of holding her breath, Annie grappled over her shoulder for her backpack zipper, twisting and and turning in the current to avoid as many obstacles as she could - she managed it twice, but a collision with a wide log forced all the remaining air out of her lungs in a billowing cloud of bubbles quickly swallowed by the churning waters. Desperation sparked anew just as her fingers brushed against what she had been searching for inside her backpack - her ventilator was intact, at the ready should she need to enter the human facilities. The water would have destroyed any of her comms, her navigation tools, her sensors, but the ventilators were built for use in any condition - not matter how wet. Annie yanked it to her face, pulling it into pace as it kicked to life. Even with the strap pulled over her head, the mask was far from secure, forcing Annie to hold it in place with both hands pressing down over the edges. She greedily gulped down the air it supplied, getting a mouthful of water before the mask had finished draining. Far from ideal, but it bought her much needed time.

With her hands occupied, and despite of her wide legs and flat tail built for water navigation, Annie was useless against the raging current. Still, surrender never came easy to her - she had just begun to attempt trying to right herself when Annie became horribly aware that in addition to nearly drowning, she was now falling.

The falling was, in truth, fairly easy. The landing was not.

In another life, in another body, Annie would've been dashed to pieces. She should have been dashed to pieces. There should have been rocks jutting up below the waterfall, but instead there were tall trees, standing strong against the deluge of flood water and slowing her fall the the ground below. Dimly, from a place so far removed from the situation that it might as well be back on Earth, Annie couldn't help but consider it odd that she was falling down when by all accounts they had been swept off the valley floor. And trees weren't often in the habit of growing underground.

Like a child being calming after a tantrum, the water beneath the drop lessened in its intensity, raging waters calming slightly. Calming enough. Annie gathered all the strength she had left and kicked, breaking the surface of the water in a triumphant rush. Still pressing the mask to her face she swiveled around like a corkscrew, desperately seeking an opportunity and - a fallen branch came into view, deeply imbedded in the muddy banks of the flood-river.

If her past minutes of 'swimming' had been a graceless act, they were nothing in comparison to what followed. Graceless as it may have been, and despite getting countless splinters from broken bark, Annie collided with the massive branch, then dragged herself along it's length to the shore, collapsing in a muddy, trembling heap the second her hands hit solid ground. As she lay catching her breath in deep, wet, gulps of air, Annie glanced skyward, her brow furrowing in confusion at the towering, smooth cliff faces that greeted her. Cliffs that reached higher than she could ever hope to climb, and far steeper than any she had seen on Earth.

If nothing else, it explained the trees.

[‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‏‏‎ ‎power `]

( 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍 ☆ 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆 ──────── ✮ )
lucian cheong ⊹ 25 ⊹ form here ⊹ tagged: n/a ⊹ mentioned: annie, ashara ⊹ wc: 1,262

indent“and that is supposed to be?” lucian’s voice trailed off quietly, trying his best to not bother the scientist crouched before him too much. he can only ask a handful of questions before one of them send him a look, making him laugh to himself. so far, the mission had only just begun, his group maneuvering the lush jungle for some sort of data gathering, and to be honest, he was really only half paying attention to what they were ordered to do. small hairs stuck to his forehead because of the humidity of the jungle. the heat wasn't unbearable but the humid air made everything a bit worse. they had come to a quick stop, the scientists of the group conversing to themselves as lucian peered over their shoulders curiously, ears and tail flickering. most of what they were saying fell into one ear and right out the other, he was not knowledgeable in anything of what they were saying. tearing his eyes from the scientists, lucian began to walk forwards deeper into the jungle after they had finished whatever they were doing. lucian was the group's designated “moron with a gun” as some people would refer to him, which made him laugh at the silly nickname. yet, he knew he was more than that. glancing behind him briefly, a small snort escaped him. he was meant to keep his group safe, out of harm's way. that was his duty. be the brawns in a group full of brains.

indentso what was he supposed to do when he couldn’t keep them safe? when the problem at hand wasn’t a person, rather, the world around them. the unpredictable world they were trying to claim as their own home.

indenthe was unaware that there was a slight drizzle but once the rain began to pour harder, it demanded his attention. ears twitching with an uncertainty, his glances towards his group became more frequent. lucian had an internal debate with himself, not sure whether to brush it off or succumb into the gut feeling. the grip he had on the gun was harsh, enough to turn his knuckles white. the group behind him had stilled and his ears pinned against the side of his head. there was a low rumbling heard from afar and lucian’s eyes darted high above him, staring at the thinner trees from afar moving erratically, the leaves thrashing about. immediately, his limbs were ready to dart through the jungle and find some sort of shelter but his feet planted still as his gaze fell on his team.

indent“get a move on!” the order boomed from his chest towards the rest of the group, watching as some darted through the forest trying to get away from the oncoming flood. he opted to grab the nearest member of the group, which happened to be annie and ashara. despite the firm grip he had on both of them, the water had crashed against them, showing no mercy with it’s strength. swinging his gun over his shoulder and wrapping it tightly against him, worried he would lose it within the merciless currents of the water, his large tattooed arm stretched towards any low hanging leaves from the area around him. “damn it!” a frustrated yell escaped his lips as the water pushed him further and further away, his previous grasp on a leaf slipping due to water coating his hands and weakening his grip. his head was forced under the water before he knew it but lucian no matter what situation he was in, he would put up a fight. kicking his heavy boots off of his feet, maneuvering himself would prove to be slightly easier. every now and then, he would resurface and try to get a lungful of air, tilting his head upwards towards the vast sky while the rest of him was completely submerged.

indentby some luck, his back was met with a thick tree knocking the air out of him but also providing him a small break from all the struggle. grabbing onto the vines of the tree, he hoisted himself upwards so his upper body was completely exposed to the humid air around him. he took this time to calm his breathing, despite the burn in his arms. he couldn’t stay here forever though. the loud crashing of waves filled his ears and the dirt that seeped into his eyes in the water made them sting, blurring his vision. wiping his eyes with his arm quickly, he made out a figure falling out of his sight and into the unknown. panic settled within the pit of his stomach, unsure of whether his eyes were playing tricks on him.

indentafter another internal debate, he let out a noise akin to a groan and a hiss before letting go of the thick vine. willingly diving back into the water, he used the tree behind him as an extra boost, ignoring the debris scratching at every inch of his exposed skin. c’mon, c’mon. he knew what he was getting himself into but he didn’t know how grave his consequences would be. opening his eyes in the murky water. by whatever luck that had been bestowed upon him, he noticed a few trees rather than the usual rocks that usually accompany a waterfall. grabbing onto what he could amidst his falling, he hung on tightly to yet another group of vines thick enough to support him. the weight of the water was fighting against him, trying to get him to lose his grip but lucian managed to pull himself out of the waterfall, quickly wrapping his legs around the thick vine and analyzing the situation he put himself in. muttering words that would not be delightful if heard by others, his amber eyes widen at the grandness of the valley. so green, yet only lit by the world above.

indentthe burning in his arms reminded him he needed to plan his descent down. he spotted a familiar face down below, reassuring him that he wasn’t the only one stuck in this situation. “okay, well…” he pauses before looking straight below him, a mass body of water. “yeah, okay, i got this.”

indentwillingly, he let go of the vines and plunged into the water below him. there was no rapid movement, no struggle, just a calm swim to the surface. a groan ripped from his throat at the peace after the flood, he was merely grateful that he hadn’t plunged to his death - although, even if he had fallen from such great height, his carbon bones would withstand it - lucian decided that he would plan a way out later, for now, he just needed to rest and digest what just happened.
finally making it to land, he swung the gun he had behind him and his face cringed at the damage. it must’ve been from earlier, above the surface when he was pinned against the tree by the flood. examining the gun, he aimed it towards the sky curiously pressing against the trigger. only a few bullets shot out but after that, nothing. pressing on the trigger a few more times, he deemed it damaged far beyond repair. “just my luck.” despite the burn in his entire body, he stood tall as his eyes surveyed the vast area, so much bigger than what it looked like from above. near the entrance of the valley, the one he fell from, it was thick with trees with large vines but the deeper the valley became, the smaller the vines got.

indent“yeah. just my luck.”

[‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‏‏‎ ‎power `]

( 𝐑𝐈𝐇𝐀 ✧ ──────── ➶ )
riha te yiaywewi 'rrkxlle'ite⊹ 26 ⊹ form here ⊹ tagged: n/a ⊹ mentioned: ateyo ⊹ wc: 833

indentthe jungle was far too thick in greenery for riha to be able to ride her ikran skillfully in the area. the trees were too crowded and tall, they were suffocating, so she had opted to walk alongside her scouting partner ateyo. the entire scouting trip was full of silence, for a couple of reasons; riha was never one for small talk and they needed to keep quiet as they neared the sky-people village, as making a sound would alert one of the demons causing a ripple effect, if one knows soon all the others know. riha was no amateur wielding a bow, but the sky-people had weapons of their own. the only noise that filled the silence between the two of them was the sound of the rain pattering against the leaves of the hot jungle. from the get go, riha had warned ateyo that this - what they were currently doing - might’ve been a bad idea, but ateyo was a man who acted upon the greatest interest of the small clan, so she complied with him on this rainy day. wherever he would go she would follow. his dedication to his people was admirable and that was something that she owed loyalty to. she managed to keep up with the taller na’vi, the occasional clicks of her beads clashing together making her ears twitch.

indentshe heard the sound of the mud squeaking under heavy shoes and riha was quick to avert her striking yellow eyes on a small group, navigating their way through the trees. she was going to grab her bow that rested against her back until a rumble was felt under her feet. her immediate reaction was to lessen the space between her and ateyo to try and get the man to escape what was inevitably coming. “ateyo!” was the last thing coming out of her mouth before her head was forced under the vengeful waters that eywa had sent their way. aggressive and merciless, she felt her body being thrown around under the torrent. she had not expected to be thrown underwater and her lungs began to burn, begging the woman to fight her way up to the surface for a quick breath.

indentforcing her eyes open in the murky water, she searched for ateyo but she was met with nothing but empty waters. ears pinning against her head at the realization, she finally found the strength to fight the water. opening her eyes and gasping at the relief of air filling her lungs rather than water, riha had not realized where the water was taking her. the next thing she knew, she was free falling and her back had met the cold hard ground; effectively knocking the air out of her lungs. a cry escaped her lips before she mustered the strength to hold it in. the wood of her bow had shattered behind her, cutting her skin and embedding small splinters. all she felt was a pure aching pain throughout her body that left her writhing in pain for a few moments before forcing herself up with a hiss. little prayers to eywa to give her strength repeated on her tongue until she stood straight, finding her balance once again.

indentevery limb on her body screamed in agony but despite it, she walked towards the pool of water she had missed by a few feet, washing the remnants of debris on her. she had not taken a moment to look at her surroundings, so when the reflection of the water came into view so did the entire valley she had fallen into. ears pinning back in astonishment, she whipped her head upwards. it was a dim valley, the plants reaching high upwards to grasp at what little sunlight they craved. never has riha seen such a place, despite this entire planet being her home. it only reminded her that she was merely a small speck of eywa’s creation. and to be honest, it was quite daunting.

indenthissing in frustration, she grabbed what little remnants of her bow had been left behind from the flood and made it her personal mission to find ateyo. despite the great pain she felt throughout her entire body, she walked as if nothing had happened. the last thing she wanted to portray herself as was both vulnerable and injured. yet, eywa did spare the warrior. gunshots rang throughout the valley, putting riha into a state of survival. they were not close nor far so she wrapped a hand around the knife hidden near her hip, tiptoeing quietly to avoid being in the middle of such a large space.

indentstaying quiet was easy for her, in fact, it was a second nature. her clan had made sure that everyone moved silently, as if they were not there at all. to them, hunting in silence was far more powerful than charging into a battle. laying against a giant pillar of stone, riha shut her eyes and focused on the noises around her.

[nocturna.]

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────── ☙|𝐈 𝐑 𝐔 𝐈|❧ ─────────────────────────────────────
𝐈. 24 yrs | 𝐈𝐈. taronyu newbie | 𝐈𝐈𝐈. formerly anurai | 𝐈𝐕. location; jungle basin | 𝐕. tags; riha | 𝐕𝐈. mentions; ateyo, riha

Initially, Irui was grateful that Ateyo had chosen the scouting party to travel by foot. Both of his elder companions had ikran, those magnificent, yet intimidating beasts. Irui still wasn't completely sure of his role within the rag tag clan; and the fact he hadn't yet bonded with a mount, weighed heavily on his soul. He felt incomplete in a sense. A reoccurring wave of insecurity washed over him whenever Ateyo called for the group to go scouting. Riha and he were able to cover incredible distances with the help of flight. What could he do? Even if he were to push himself to his limits and run all day, he'd still never be able to cover even half of what an ikran could travel in a day.

At least that heavy feeling had subsided today, for the area chosen by Ateyo was incredibly dense jungle. Meaning, ikran were all but useless in this terrain. He'd been bit slow to keep up in the beginning, the damp vegetation forced Irui to pay attention on how he placed each step. Having been raised Anurai, the jungle wasn't home to him. Even though he'd grown up near the jungle edge and even explored it from time to time, it wasn't someplace Irui would claim as personal refuge.

The trio had made good time, covering a decent amount of ground before things started to feel... strange. Irui's ears pricked to attention, listening intently. The background song of creature calls suddenly fell silent. Even a kid from the plains boneyards knew what a silent forest meant - danger. Then all at once, animals began to shriek with terror, their voices trailing off quickly into the trees. Irui's golden eyes widened, the helplessness of uncertainty now with him once more. He glanced frantically between Ateyo and Riha, searching for some sort of reassurance. But he wouldn't get it.

A mighty rumble came first from the ground, then grew in pitch, reaching his alerted ears. A rushing sound ripped through the trees, making its way faster and faster towards the group. Before he even had time to move to safety, Irui caught sight of what was barreling through the jungle: a massive wall of murky water. Stunned frozen, Irui felt his legs lock and heart sink into the pit of his stomach. In the few seconds after realizing it was a flash flood, Irui was violently swept up into the water's rampage.

Almost immediately the current whipped his body about, forcing him into the undertow. He struggled with all his might, fighting desperately to keep his head above the torrent as it struck him about. His fight didn't last long. Debris fought alongside and with him before Irui's body was swung into the trunk of a massive tree, rendering him unconscious. Limp and lifeless, the young male's body slipped below the dirty water's surface, completely at the flood's mercy.

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His body's instincts fired on all cylinders, heaving his chest upward in a deep and ragged cough. Spitting up brackish water, Irui gasped, trying to regain his breath. He inhaled deeply, coughing again in terrified exhales. He could breathe... he was alive... He was alive?! Somehow, he had survived. Thank Eywa... After getting control of his lungs, an immense pain enveloped him, dulling his thoughts a bit. Sharp, throbbing waves of pain seemed to emanate from his skull and upper body. Irui sat up, placing the palm of his hand to his forehead. He hissed, recoiling from the stinging pain and pulled his hand back down to look. Blood… and quite a bit of it. His body began to feel heavy with a slight faint, but Irui forced himself to his feet, fighting the feeling.

His first few steps were tentative, unsure if his body was even intact enough to walk. With a very noticeable wobble, Irui willed his feet to move under him as a realization slowly came - He had no idea where he was. His jaw fell slack, looking up at the cavernous valley he'd been brought to. Murky water and debris continued to pour over the cavern rim, only to smash into the ground moments later. He flinched involuntarily, watching a mass of branches topple over and shatter into thousands of splinters. That fall should have killed him. Irui made a mental note, he'd need to pray later.

Irui shook his head, trying to chase away the lingering & painful mental fog before glancing around the cavern in attempt to get his bearings. Suddenly rapid popping noises ripped through the air. Irui instinctively dropped, lying flat against the ground, his eyes wide and alert. Did he fall into a trap? Irui's mind raced, thinking of all manner of horrible scenarios. Movement caught his attention, and to his surprise, Riha appeared to be stalking towards the source of the gunshots. His spirit rose, relief briefly washing over him. "Qluock-ah!" Irui softly called out, trying his best bird mimic in attempt to get Riha's attention.

𝐕𝐈𝐈. wc; 831