The massive interior of Hometree, which had once been filled with the lively clamor and bustling activities of the clan, was now shrouded in an almost stagnant, heavy sorrow.
The bodies of the fallen were carefully laid out in the center, covered with glowing moss and sacred flora. The air was thick with the scent of herbs mixed with blood, while stifled weeping and sorrowful songs echoed continuously in the background.
Eytukan stood before his people, his powerful frame appearing slightly stooped, the war paint on his face unable to conceal his deep exhaustion and pain.
He solemnly recounted the battle, praising the bravery of the warriors, especially the support and sacrifice of their allies from the Kame'tire clan.
"The Sky People used a new weapon. Evil energy scorched our warriors, and even Eywa's song could not soothe the sudden destruction they brought," Eytukan's voice was heavy. "But we did not shrink back! We showed the invaders the courage of the Omaticaya and the Kame'tire! Their blood will not be shed in vain! Eywa witnesses our hatred!"
His words attempted to channel everyone's grief into a deeper hatred for the Sky People and a united will to resist. Most of the clan, especially the red-eyed warriors who had lost loved ones, responded to his call, gripping their weapons and voicing low, rage-filled oaths.
However, in the corners of the crowd, discordant voices began to stir quietly like subtle streams beneath the frozen ice of grief.
An old hunter who had lost two sons squatted on the ground, holding his head and murmuring, "Why... why did we charge head-on when we knew they had such terrifying weapons? My children... they didn't have to die..."
Beside him, a young woman whose arm had been horribly scorched by a plasma bolt whispered, "Sutai clearly brought a warning... If we had withdrawn the hunting party early and avoided them... at least, at least the children learning to hunt wouldn't have..."
These voices were faint and filled with uncertainty and self-doubt at first, but soon, those who shared similar thoughts drew closer to each other, exchanging their fears and doubts. It wasn't that they did not hate the Sky People, nor were they cowards, but the unprecedented and massive casualties made them begin to question the cost of their leader's decision.
Sutai sat quietly near the periphery, looking at the scorched wounds of the clan members killed by the plasma weapons, her body trembling uncontrollably. She remembered Rei's calm warning, her own hesitation when delivering the message, and Eytukan's final decision.
A complex mix of emotions churned in her heart—fear of the Sky People's cruel weapons, grief for her fallen kin, but also a lingering thought: If we had chosen to believe and avoid them back then, would the outcome have been different?
This thought filled her with a sliver of guilt for betraying the collective, yet it continued to grow uncontrollably.
Just then, a hunter named Tanuu—who had lost his best friend in the battle and was one of the few who had voiced reservations during the previous council—came to sit beside Sutai.
"Sutai," Tanuu said, his voice raspy, glancing at the bodies in the center. "The news you brought... was real. The Sky People indeed came, and they indeed used terrifying weapons."
He paused, lowering his voice. "Many are saying in private... if we had listened to you back then and chosen to avoid them instead of launching an active ambush, perhaps so many wouldn't have died."
Sutai raised her head to look at Tanuu, seeing not only grief in his eyes but also a distinct trace of doubt.
She silenced herself for a moment before whispering, "I... I don't know which choice was right. But I know I don't want to see more of our people fall to... unnecessary battles."
Her words seemed to speak for many of the silent onlookers nearby. Soon, several other clan members who found the casualties unbearable and felt lost about the future gathered around. Their numbers were small, only about a dozen, mostly those who had lost immediate family or had personally witnessed the terror of the plasma weapons.
But within the overall atmosphere of grief and fiery defiance, this small group seeking a different voice quietly formed. Naturally, they coalesced around Sutai, the one who had brought the warning in the first place.
They no longer publicly questioned Eytukan's authority, but in private, they began to discuss: How could they better protect their people? Was it possible to prevent similar tragedies by obtaining more information about the Sky People?
Sutai, the bridge who could communicate with the "special Sky People," became the only hope in their eyes.
The grief and undercurrents stirring near Hometree were indirectly transmitted back to the Pathfinder through Rei's faint perception of the consciousness field and the team's observation of Na'vi activity patterns.
"The Na'vi clan has shown a clear emotional split internally due to the heavy casualties," Rei stated in her report. "A small faction of members is questioning leader Eytukan's hardline decision, believing that risk avoidance would be the wiser choice. This group is coalescing around Sutai, attempting to find a way to minimize casualties."
Osiris listened intently to the report, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the console. The development of the situation was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated. The pressure had successfully pried open a crack in the Na'vi's resilient social structure.
"This crack must be deepened and exploited," Osiris issued a new directive. "Rei, your team's next task is to attempt to establish a more stable, secret communication channel with Sutai. The goal is no longer vague communication, but obtaining specific information regarding the Na'vi clan's internal power structure, resource distribution, and especially their level of dependency on Eywa. At the same time, you can disclose a limited amount of inconsequential information regarding the RDA's potential future movements to solidify her and her small group's reliance on our 'intelligence value.'"
He looked at Maine: "As for your side, continue maintaining cooperation with Quaritch. You can timely 'suggest' that he strengthen reconnaissance and deterrence over other key Na'vi areas to keep up the pressure. However, avoid launching another annihilation battle of the scale seen in the Eastern Valley that would severely damage the Na'vi's core strength. What we need is sustained pressure, not a premature showdown."
The new task meant higher risks. Rei's team needed to slip back into the Hometree area under highly guarded conditions and find an opportunity for a private meeting with Sutai.
This time, they chose an even more hidden location—a natural rock crevice deep within Hometree's massive buttress roots, shielded by glowing mushrooms and hanging vines. This was an alternative meeting point they had discovered during previous scouts.
With Lucy operating a micro-drone for peripheral surveillance and Rei using her sensitivity to the consciousness field to avoid patrols, the team made their way to the prearranged spot with great difficulty and caution.
They emitted the prearranged acoustic signal, mimicking the frequency of a specific nocturnal Pandoran creature.
The wait was long and grueling. Every passing minute carried the risk of being discovered.