Recovery, Nussudle was learning, was not a single moment of rest followed by sudden strength. It was a slow, frustrating accumulation of small victories: standing without swaying, drawing breath without pain, lifting his arm just a little higher than the day before. The healing pod no longer felt like a prison, but it remained a reminder of his limitations. Each morning, elders and healers returned with quiet efficiency, replacing bandages, reapplying thick, aromatic ointments, and murmuring prayers to Eywa as they worked.
"You heal quickly," one elder remarked as she tightened the last binding around his arm. "But do not mistake speed for completion."
Nussudle nodded obediently, though his attention drifted beyond the pod's entrance. The sounds of Home Tree had changed since the Wind Traders' arrival. There was a constant undercurrent of movement now—voices unfamiliar in tone and cadence, the creak of organic structures adjusting to new weight, the soft chime of wind-crafted tools brushing against one another. The forest itself seemed to hum differently, as though aware of the visitors settling into its breath.
When he was finally permitted to leave the pod for short periods, Nayat'i was never far from his side. She walked slightly ahead of him, setting a careful pace, glancing back whenever his steps faltered. "If you push too hard," she warned more than once, "I will personally carry you back to the healers."
"I'd like to see you try," he replied lightly, though he did not miss the way she adjusted her stance, ready to do exactly that if necessary.
Beyond the inner platforms of Home Tree, the clearing where the Wind Traders had landed was alive with cautious activity. Kamun stood near the centre, speaking with the Wind Traders' patriarch—a tall, weathered Na'vi whose presence carried the quiet authority of someone long accustomed to command. His braids were threaded with pale feathers and fragments of wind-polished bone, and his eyes, pale and sharp, missed very little.
Trade, it seemed, was beginning.
The two leaders spoke with deliberate care, their words chosen as much for what they implied as for what they said outright. Kamun's posture was composed, his tone respectful but firm as he outlined the Omatikaya's boundaries, their reverence for the forest, and the laws of Eywa that governed all exchange.
The patriarch listened intently before responding. "We trade not to conquer," he said, his voice carrying easily across the clearing. "We trade to survive. The winds are generous, but they are not constant. What we lack, we seek with respect. What we have, we offer freely, if the balance is honoured."
Around them, warriors from both clans stood watchful but restrained. Eytukan was among them, arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he studied the Wind Traders' equipment and mounts. His stance was defensive, his hand never straying far from his weapon.
"They rely too much on the air," he muttered when Nussudle and Nayat'i approached. "A strong storm, a misjudged landing, and they would fall."
"Or they would adapt," Nayat'i replied calmly. "Just as we do in the forest."
Eytukan glanced at her, then at Nussudle. "And you?" he asked. "What do you think?"
Nussudle hesitated. "I think they understand something we don't," he said slowly. "The wind is unpredictable, but so is the forest. They've learned to listen to it."
Eytukan snorted softly but did not argue.
As the initial exchanges concluded, smaller groups began to form. Wind Traders displayed woven gliders, lightweight tools, and organic containers designed to store air currents and thermal shifts. In return, the Omatikaya offered rare seeds, medicinal plants, and crafted arrows imbued with forest toxins unknown beyond their territory.
It was during one such exchange that Nussudle felt the system stir sharply in his mind.
Unidentified Resource Detected
Material Classification: Unobtanium (Raw Fragment)
Value Assessment: Extreme
System Advisory: Acquisition Recommended
Potential Reward: Pending
His breath caught. He turned slowly, scanning the Wind Traders' displayed goods until his eyes settled on a small, unassuming fragment resting within a living container. It glowed faintly with an inner light, pulsing softly as though alive.
Unobtanium.
He had no true understanding of its significance—only fragments of half-forgotten memories from another life, echoes of a resource coveted for its impossible properties. Yet the system's reaction was unmistakable. This was important.
Nayat'i noticed his sudden stillness. "What is it?" she asked quietly.
"That," he replied, nodding subtly toward the fragment. "I need to trade for it."
Eytukan followed his gaze, frowning. "That? It doesn't look like much."
"It is," Nussudle said firmly. "I don't know how, but it is." The system pulsed again, reinforcing his certainty.
Suggested Action: Offer High-Value Organic Materials
Trade Probability: Moderate to High
The problem, Nussudle realised, was that he had nothing of obvious worth on his person. No rare tools, no crafted weapons, nothing that would justify such a trade.
"I need to find something," he said, turning toward Home Tree. "Something valuable."
Nayat'i raised an eyebrow. "You're still healing."
"And I won't go far," he replied. "Please."
Eytukan sighed. "You always find trouble," he muttered, but he stepped forward nonetheless. "Fine. But we do this together."
They moved through Home Tree, the familiar pathways now alive with both Omatikaya and Wind Traders observing one another from a respectful distance. Nussudle's system guided him subtly, highlighting materials and objects of potential value: rare resins hardened by lightning strikes, bioluminescent spores harvested at specific lunar cycles, and woven fibres infused with natural toxins.
They gathered carefully, selecting only what could be spared without disrupting the forest's balance. Nayat'i contributed her own knowledge, pointing out plants prized for their medicinal potency. Eytukan, initially sceptical, began to add items of his own—crafted arrowheads, tools he had refined through years of hunting.
"You're serious about this," he remarked as they paused to rest.
"I am," Nussudle replied. "This feels… important. Like one of the Elders Quests"
Eytukan studied him for a moment before nodding. "Then let's do it properly."
When they returned to the clearing, Peylak was waiting near the Wind Traders' goods. His expression brightened slightly when he saw them approach. "You've been busy," he observed.
"We wish to trade," Nussudle said, gesturing to their gathered items. "For that fragment."
Peylak followed his gaze, his expression shifting subtly. "You have a keen eye," he said. "That piece was recovered from a deep wind current, far from any forest. It is… unusual."
Nussudle felt the system pulse approvingly.
Peylak examined their offerings with care, his fingers brushing over each item as though listening to them. After a long moment, he looked up. "This is a fair exchange," he said finally. "Perhaps more than fair."
Relief washed through Nussudle as the trade was completed. The fragment was placed carefully into his hands, its faint glow warming his palms.
Acquisition Successful
Reward Pending
Further Analysis Required
Eytukan watched closely, his earlier tension easing. "You didn't lie," he admitted. "It does feel… significant."
Peylak smiled faintly. "Change often does."
As the day wore on, the atmosphere between the two clans softened. Warriors lowered their guard, conversations grew more animated, and laughter began to surface. Eytukan found himself speaking with Wind Traders about aerial hunting techniques, his curiosity gradually overcoming his suspicion.
Nussudle, though still tired, felt a quiet sense of accomplishment. His recovery continued, but so did his journey—one that now extended beyond the forest floor and into the shifting currents of the wider world.
As evening settled over Home Tree, the fragment of unobtanium rested securely at his side, its glow mirroring the subtle excitement in his chest. Whatever reward the system promised, he sensed it was only the beginning.
(AN: Hi guys im not that bad so imma release some chapters hope you enjoy.)