Lost (Ao'NungxNeteyam)

1.- The land meets the sea

He had a role to fulfill after all. An example to give. 

He knew they had to do this, for the risks were too many to help it. He knew his father was trying to keep them safe.

But why did it feel so wrong? 

Why couldn't he find peace in following such instructions, in going along with his father's plan? Who could completely be alright with leaving everything they knew, they are, and turning over to a new leaf? Start a new beginning? 

And on a completely different environment: The reef.

He understood completely what his father thought. The sea clans were a whole other world aside from the forest, with thousands of islands and so much unknown territory it became the safest place to disappear without leaving a trace of anything behind.

It's just there were too many memories attached to the Omaticaya clan. With his forest, in which he did his first hunt, where his brother and sisters had been born. Where they had buried their ancestors under sacred grounds. Where his father would teach him by the lake how to hunt fish. Where Kiri and Lo'ak would fight and annoy his father until he had to shut them up. Where his mother would carefully teach him the ways of the hunt, the sacred places, and customs. 

Where his mother had made the first bead for his birth.

Neteyam felt his chest heavy at such a thought. 

Leaving behind his home and everything he ever knew, for instance, was one thing he never thought would be asked of him to do. Yet, what hurts the most was knowing his father was right, to a certain extent. They will not stop coming for them until they were dead—until his father was dead, he knew that much. Staying meant the loss of many lives in his clan, along with those of his brother and sisters.

Taking a quick glance over his father's ikran, Neteyam wondered if he'll ever get to see him fight along the great Toruk like the tales and myths told by the na'vi whispered. The tales of how he, a mighty warrior sent from the sky turned the tables around as he proudly united the na'vi clans along with Toruk and destroyed the enemies. 

A part of him wished they had stayed instead, that they could've fought bravely. That his father would once again call for Toruk and they would end this horrible war. 

A part of him wished foolishly, that he could ride Sìlpey by his side and aid him in war. To fight by his father's side. By the side of Toruk Makto, defending his home. He was a warrior— he was supposed to fight, not run away.

Neteyam was used to the ways of the forest, but now he couldn't go back.

No matter how much he missed it.

"Hey— look at that!" Lo'ak interrupted his brother's thoughts, pointing at the beginning of the Metkayina seawall terrace, decorated with varying shades of blues and greens. There were multiple pools of water, along with na'vi that immediately jumped underwater as the shadows of multiple ikrans approached their territory.

Oddly enough, not much talk had taken place during the journey, and for Lo'ak to be kept quiet this much meant it had affected him greatly. Neteyam had to snap out of it, for he wasn't the only one suffering. He had brothers and sisters to take care of and to look after. 

"Yeah, pretty cool huh?" Neteyam smirked at his little brother. "Why the long face little brother, tired already?"

"As if!" Lo'ak grinned and immediately lifted a middle finger toward him, which made Neteyam chuckle in response. 

He loved them, even if they got him in trouble all the time and were a damn headache, they always managed to lift him up.