Shells | Lo'ak Sully

Part 20 - Gone

As for the knives, she chucked them up, too. She made sure they'd land high up in a tree, carving into it's bark and staying put, high enough so that they'd be out of sight and deep enough so they wouldn't fall.

Satisfied and much more relaxed, Ni'teya headed back with her bowl of fruit, brushing the powder off of various parts of her body.

When she returned, a Na'vi was blocking the back exit of the hut.

It was Tonowari. He stood just in front of where Ni'teya was trying to get into, looking down towards the other end of the hut which looked out upon the sea. She stepped up into the hut anyway, making Tonowari hear her and find her standing behind him with a bowl of fruits in hand.

He looked at the bowl and then up at her, a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

Does he not like fruit? Ni'teya asked herself.

He then did something odd; He took the bowl out from Ni'teya's hands, her not being able to stop him, and holding it with on arm. The other arm had found itself onto the girl's shoulder, pressing down.

He merely sighs before saying silently,
"I'm sorry, child."

Were the fruits that bad? She thought again.

But then, she noticed what was going on down on the opposite side of the hut and outside it.

She first saw Tuk and Kiri, who were hugging their mother as she knelt down in front of them, wrapping them in her arms as tight as she could squeeze, not letting them go. Next, she saw Tsireya and her brother with their backs to where she was stood, so incredibly still that it looked like they could be statues. Next, she saw Lo'ak who was stood with a crutch to balance him outside the hut, looking down at the docking platform. His dad was next to him, looking in the same direction only he was crouched down, his head in his hands. The only family member left was Neteyam.

Where's Neteyam?

She saw Neytiri open her eyes, which were tear-stained. They met Ni'teya's disoriented ones, looking at her for a few seconds with a blank stare before saying something to her eldest daughter.

Kiri turned around, revealing her disheveled state, her eyes also wet and empty, a look she'd never seen on her before. She walked up to her friend, her hands rubbing her eyes and clearly shaking.

Looking up, she choked out,

"He's gone."

What?

He's... Gone? Ni'teya thought to herself. Gone. He's just... Gone?

She reached upward, tugging on her headpiece and removing it from her head in one slow movement.

He can't be.

It was like her thoughts were being whispered in her own head, only questions filling it completely.

Kiri let out a deep sob, turning back and rushing to her mother, who was waiting ready. Neytiri saw Ni'teya, blinking slowly at her and beginning to develop teary eyes once again. She tried to smile at Ni'teya, digging her face into her daughter's shoulder after she did.

Jake had gotten up by then, tapping his wife on her shoulder, making her raise off of her knees to hug him, their two daughters joining in. Jake turned behind him, telling Lo'ak to come over to them. Ni'teya watched as he limped towards the group, being pulled in by his dad.

Ni'teya felt weak, ill. Her lips quivered, her grip lessened on her headpiece, letting it fall to the floor next to her.

Jake must have heard her, opening his eyes and laying them on her.

Her eyes were shining, the rest of her body was stationary. He could tell that she didn't know what to do with herself.

He sorrily tilted his head backwards, calling her over with that movement as well as his face, which was grief-ridden.

At a slow pace, she made her way to the family, waiting for someone to let her into the hug. Jake could see her face clearer now, she was holding her breath and was biting her lip as she was trying not to let anything leave her.

Kiri and Lo'ak opened up their arms, lifting them off of each other and pulling her into the hug, Lo'ak making her lean on him as he took her head into his hands.

Ni'teya couldn't hold it in any longer, her tears got the better of her. She could hear everyone else's muffled cries as well as Lo'ak's, who was the quietest of the lot. She hugged his waist, allowing herself to sob.

Every one of them stayed hugging eachother for a long time after, Ni'teya stuck clinging to Lo'ak, who's cries had picked up.

Soon after, she felt a firm hand caress her head, stroking her hair delicately, comforting her. She knew it wasn't Lo'ak's, so it must've been Jake's.

She felt safe inside that of hug, like she belonged there.

And Jake's hand only allowed her to feel that sense of belonging strengthen inside of her heart.

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