Morning light filtered through the leaves of the Omatikaya Home Tree, touching the ground beneath its roots. In a small hollow formed by the tree's base, a newborn stirred.
Tony—who the clan would later call Nessudle—shifted slightly in Ilara's arms. His breathing was slow and steady. The air smelled of earth and leaves, familiar to the forest but new to him. His eyes opened, unfocused and wide, catching the glow of the canopy above. His fingers curled around Ilara's braid without thought.
Ilara watched him closely. Her expression was calm but attentive, the way it always was when something mattered. She brushed her finger gently along his cheek.
"Eywa," she said quietly. "You have brought him here for a reason."
The infant made a soft sound, barely more than a breath. It drew Ilara's attention outward, to the quiet movement around them.
Other women of the clan were arriving.
They did not rush. They came one by one, drawn by word and instinct, gathering near the hollow beneath the Home Tree. Some were mothers. Others were healers. A few had never borne children but felt the pull all the same. They stood or knelt nearby, watching in silence at first.
Mysa, one of the elder healers, stepped forward. She crouched and studied the child with practiced care.
"He is healthy," she said after a moment. "Strong lungs. Steady heart."
She paused, then added, "But there is something else."
Ilara nodded. "I felt it immediately."
The women murmured softly among themselves.
Rilaya, younger than most, knelt beside Ilara and hesitated before reaching out. When she did, the infant turned his head slightly, eyes tracking her movement. The reaction was small but noticeable.
"He's aware," Rilaya whispered. "Already."
That caught the others' attention.
Mysa folded her hands. "Some children feel Eywa early," she said. "But this is rare. Especially for a child found alone."
Another woman, Nivah, gently offered her fingers. The infant's hand closed around them with surprising strength.
"He doesn't fear us," Nivah said softly.
"No," Ilara replied. "He feels safe."
The group fell quiet again. Among the Omatikaya, moments like this were not rushed. They were observed, weighed, and respected.
"The forest recognizes him," Mysa said. "That does not mean we claim him yet. It means we watch. We guide."
Ilara adjusted her hold on the child. "Kamun found him at the Tree of Souls. Eywa placed him there, not us. That means we must be careful."
Tony stretched, arms lifting slightly. Faint patterns glimmered along his skin, catching the light. A few of the women leaned closer, curiosity clear but restrained.
"Do you think he is chosen?" someone asked quietly.
"Chosen is the wrong word," Mysa replied. "He is connected. What that means will take time."
Rilaya smiled faintly. "He learns fast. You can see it."
The conversation shifted naturally to practical matters. Who would help care for him. How he would be fed. Who would watch him during the day. The women spoke softly, offering suggestions without argument.
Ilara remained at the centre of it all, steady and protective.
A young woman named Salyen hummed softly, a low sound meant to calm infants. Tony relaxed almost immediately, his grip loosening, his breathing evening out.
Ilara smiled. "He understands comfort."
Mysa nodded. "He will need many hands. He will grow among the clan, not just one family."
She looked at Tony again. "He will be different. That much is clear."
No one disagreed.
The woman knelt briefly, hands hovering close to the child, offering silent blessings. It was not a ceremony. It was an acknowledgement.
Tony shifted again, eyes moving slowly across the faces around him. Ilara adjusted her hold and lowered her voice.
"You are safe," she said. "You are not alone."
One by one, the women returned to their duties. The day continued. The forest moved on.
Tony remained in Ilara's arms, awake and quiet. Light grew stronger beneath the Home Tree, warming the hollow. Sounds of the forest carried around them—distant calls, movement through leaves, life continuing as it always had.
Ilara brushed his hair back gently.
"Welcome, Nessudle," she said. "This is your home now."
The infant made a small sound in response, arms lifting slightly as if reaching.
And the forest accepted him.
(Hope you enjoyed :) )