Fandom: James Cameron Avatar.
A/N: Spider decides to go into a self-imposed exile not out of bitterness but as an act of self-preservation and peace. He removes himself from the cycles of pain and resentment that have plagued him since his birth, choosing instead to live in harmony with Eywa, and in turn, Eywa embraces him as her own. Here is a small collection of vignettes capturing moments of Spider’s peaceful solitude in the wilds of Pandora.
Based on this.
Morning Light
The first rays of sunlight filter through the thick canopy, painting Spider’s skin in soft golds and greens. He stirs in his hammock, the woven fibers swaying gently, rocked by the breeze. His eyes flutter open, adjusting to the soft glow of bioluminescent moss that still clings to the bark of his home. A deep inhale—earth, wood, the smell of peace. He stretches, his body loose and free of tension for the first time in years.
Today, he will forage and give thanks to Eywa.
2. The Hidden Spring
Spider moves through the dense underbrush with practiced ease, silent as a shadow. The whisper of water calls him forward, and soon he stumbles upon something new—a spring, untouched by human or na’vi. The water is so clear he can see his reflection staring back at him, but he does not linger on the cursed image. Instead, he knelt, cupping the cool liquid in his hands before drinking deeply. A gift, he thinks, pressing his palm to the damp earth in thanks to Eywa.
3. A Visitor
“I brought you something,” Kiri announced, stepping into his sanctuary as if she belonged there. And in a way, she does. Spider watches as she pulls several books from her satchel, their covers worn and faded. She settles beside him, their shoulders brushing as she flips through the pages, her fingers smudged with ink and dirt.
Kiri was all that was left of a home that rejected him.
“It’s about old myths from Earth,” she says. “I thought you’d like it.”
He does. He really does.
4. The Storm
The first rumble of thunder rolls through the sky, but Spider is unafraid. He has lived in the forest long enough to understand its rhythms. The wind picks up, mighty branches swaying, the scent of rain thick in the air. He curls up in the hammock inside his tree as the downpour begins, water cascading down in sheets.
But his home remains dry and standing.
A coincidence, he thinks. Then again, maybe not.
5. The Glow
Night falls, and the forest comes alive in a way it never does during the day. Soft glows flicker around him—the tiny insects drifting lazily through the air. Spider reaches out, palm open, and one settles upon his fingers. The blue light pulses, a tiny heartbeat in the darkness. He exhaled slowly, watching the creature lift off, joining the others in their silent dance.
Alone, but never lonely.
6. Footsteps Erased
He hears them before he sees them—the distant sound of feet sinking in the earth, the murmur of voices. Searchers. Omatikaya. Humans. It doesn’t matter. He stays perfectly still, breath shallow as he listens. But then, something strange happens. The wind picks up, the dirt beneath him shifts, and the trail leading to his home vanishes as if it was never there. His footprints, once clear in the damp soil, have also vanished as if they were never there.
The intruders pass by, none the wiser. Spider exhaled softly.
The Great Mother is always watching.
7. Contentment
Lying in his hammock, Spider watches the sky. The stars are unfamiliar yet familiar, tiny pinpricks of light stretching far beyond what he can reach. He is at peace. No whispered insults, no wary glances, no weight of expectations or unspoken resentment pressing against his ribs.
He is no longer the stray.
He is no longer the son of a demon.
He simply is.
8. Promise
One evening, as Kiri reapplied the fading blue stripes to his skin, she murmured, “Everyone is still searching for you. Dad is running himself ragged trying to track you down, and not even Eywa herself will give grandmother a sign. Our siblings grieve, and mom...is quiet."
Ah.
Spider hummed, sliding off his mask and taking a deep breath. Another gift from Eywa. “They can keep looking. I'm not going back."
Kiri studied him for a long moment, then nodded, a small smile on her lips. “I will not tell anyone. I am happy that you are happy.”
Her long arms envelope him in a warm embrace, and Spider closes his eyes.
Happy.
Yes.
He was.
End.