strong - neteyam x oc

needle

Kireyi

Small jolts of pain ran through her stomach at each prick. Over and over without a break her mother continued to ink her skin with the sharp needles. It was almost rhythmic, her mother working at a steady pace.

"Are you okay Reyi?" Aonung asked, he'd been taking her hand or rubbing her head here or there despite her not asking. It had helped either way, and she was grateful for her brother's attempts.

"Yeah, I'm alright," She smiled up to him, making sure she didn't move. The two of them hadn't made much noise when it came to their tattoos, Rotxo being the one to complain most.

Her mother continued her pace, "We are almost done, you've held up well."

Kireyi desperately wanted to look, to sit up and see what her mother did for her. But she didn't, she tried to stay as patient as possible, laying back to allow her mother to finish. Though the Metkayina were able to choose where they would get the tattoo, everything else was up to Tsahik. Working and designing by impulse, matching their marking to their own energy flow, almost like the will of Tsahik, a reading. Of course certain designs meant specific details of the person's ranking; socially and skill wise, which Tsahik would always keep in mind.

The pricking stopped, a cool ointment placed onto Kireyi's stomach, "Let this set, do not go into the water until it is time to head back home."

Aonung removed his hand from Kireyi's hair, allowing the girl to sit up. Her eyes didn't even take a second to find her stomach, her pupils tracing over her tattoo. The girls face slowly changed from indifference to a wide smile, "I love it!" She jumped onto her mother, not paying attention to what she was doing, "Thank you mother."

The tattoo began just under her stomach, leading up towards her bellybutton. It was a flowing design, still representing that she was a warrior now. Strong but free at the same time.

"Yes my girl, go collect the next few for me with Aonung and Rotxo."

Stepping out of the makeshift hut, she realized how long they must've been in there, the sky now beginning to turn soft hues of orange and dark blue. Her brother placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'll go get the others, you go meet the group with Rotxo."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'll only be a second anyways," Aonung somewhat shoved her forward to begin walking, the boy moving in the opposite direction to retrieve the next few Na'vi.

The more she walked, the more relieved she was that it hadn't stung much, the ointment her mother applied giving such a cool feeling. In all honesty, she didn't understand why Rotxo had been complaining much, "You're done?" Kiri yelled out.

"Yeah! Look at me!!" Rotxo began to flex as he approached, Kireyi shaking her head as she followed behind.

"Bro it's sick!" Lo'ak hopped up onto the sand, examining the ink along Rotxo's arm.

Tsireya beat both Neteyam and Tuk, already in front of Kireyi to see her tattoo, "It's so pretty!" Her eyes lingered, "It was definitely made for you Reyi."

Kireyi smiled at her sister, glad she loved it too, "Yeah, I agree."

"I want to see too!" Tuk practically fought her way out of Neteyam's arms, running up to Kireyi. She stopped just before her abdomen, eyes stuck on the dark ink, "Wow..... its so cool!"

She began to jump up and down, moving to tug Neteyam next to her, "Look Teyam! Look at it!"

"I see it Tuk," He turned his attention to Kireyi, nodding in approval, "It is pretty, Tsireya is right."