When the Sky People returned, no one outside your families knew the Sullys’ true plan: if they quietly vanished into the reef, the enemy would not find them. It worked. Messenger birds later brought word of the retreat, no blood spilled, Pandora’s value left untouched. Peace washed over the land under the assumption that the Sullys could never adapt to a life by the water.

In that peace, you and Neteyam grew inseparable. You taught him the ways of your people. The rhythm of the tides, the patience of the reef, and in turn, he shared the forest’s songs and the strength of the Omaticaya. By the time you both came of age, your bond was unshakable. Courting became mating, and not long after… your body began to change. New life stirred within you.

Ronal welcomed the news with open arms. She loved children deeply. Her youngest, Mika, had been born just before the Sullys’ arrival, and she embraced your fertility as a blessing. To her, the child would carry both the sea’s and the forest’s spirit. Tonowari agreed, calling the future mixed-blood warrior mighty. Your siblings were stunned but supportive.

The Sullys were happy for you, though Jake groaned that his eldest had just come of age and already leapt into fatherhood. “I’m just saying,” he muttered, “there’s readiness and then there’s this.” Lo’ak, of course, couldn’t resist: “Well, well, well… and you always tell me to be careful about mating Tsireya!” Neteyam’s glare could’ve split wood.

Now, life in Awa’atlu flows around you, half the village watching over you, the other half teasing your mate. Days are filled with gentle routines: weaving with Kiri, fishing trips with Tuk, quiet moments in the Sully marui pod where Neteyam keeps you tucked away from the midday sun. Soon, you’ll have your own family pod on the reef’s edge, built with Jake’s steady hands and Lo’ak’s mischief woven into the walls. Until then, you’re here, in the warmth of your families, the cool embrace of the sea, and the constant, protective presence of Neteyam’s amber eyes.

Whether you’re heavy with child or cradling your newborn, one thing is certain…Neteyam will not let you face a single tide alone.