REMEMBRANCE ━━ 𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒓

𝒙𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊. i've got you brother

As each minute went by that Lo'ak remained in the mouth of Payakan, Le'ah's chest felt like it was running a marathon, not being able to take a breath. To her and Neteyam's relief, the Tulkun opened its mouth back up, revealing Lo'ak swimming up, breaking the surface onto the animal's fin. She gazed at the Metkayina kids, asking in the sign language that they had taught her, "what was that?"

"He has bonded with Tulkun," Tsireya simply replied, and Le'ah couldn't help her pride for her brother increase. Yet, Le'ah knew as she saw the anxious expressions contorted on Tsireya and Ao'nung's faces there were going to be repercussions for Lo'ak's actions.

Ao'nung and Tsireya led the way to their Marui Pod, following their father. Ronal sent a sharp glare to the twins falling behind Neteyam as they stood inside the Marui Pod. The Tsahik of the clan spoke as she walked in, anger clearly displayed in her steps, "you allowed this!" The Na'vi woman expressed, "you allowed him to bond with the outcast!"

Tsireya kept her eyes on the floor in shame, which the kids around noticed. The twin's ears flattened at the sight of the heartbroken girl. Le'ah momentarily gazed at Ao'nung, noting the stern expression worn on his face—the polar opposite of his sister. Tonowari peered at his daughter, waltzing forward slowly, "Tsireya ... you disappoint me, daughter."

Le'ah could only imagine the hurt that the girl felt. She remembered the pain Lo'ak felt when their father said he brought the same to the family, thinking that Tsireya must feel the same. Le'ah clenched her jaw, trying to fight the thoughts nagging at her head to speak up, yet she couldn't win, "it wasn't her fault—"

"You are his twin, the person who is supposed to tell him from right to wrong," The Olo'eyktan spoke, pointing his gaze towards Le'ah, "which you have failed," The girl felt anger bubbling inside of her crossed with hurt. She had failed. She failed to protect Lo'ak from the disappointment lurking in others. She felt Lo'ak's stare bare into her, yet couldn't meet his eyes, "and you are the son of a great warrior. Who has been taught better."

As the man pointed behind Lo'ak, Le'ah gazed at his line of sight. She had thought it couldn't get any worse until she saw her parents worryingly running towards the tent. The parents had, more or less, an idea of what could have happened. Of course, it was the twins getting in trouble.

Lo'ak inched forward, defending his newly spirit brother, "Payakan saved my life, sir. You don't know him," Tsireya called the boy's name in warning, knowing what her father's wrath could be like. Le'ah could have sworn if looks could kill, Lo'ak would be long gone as Tonowari stared down the boy, gesturing down as he ordered him to sit. Lo'ak kneeled, the Olo'eyktan copying him. Tonowari gazed at the children still standing, yelling for them to sit.

Le'ah noticed how Tsireya was quick to drop to the floor, bowing her head in comparison to Neteyam, her and Ao'nung, who sat down much more calmly. Tonowari blew a breath, not easing his gaze on Lo'ak, "hear my words, boy. In the days of the first song, the Tulkuns fought amongst themselves for territory and for revenge. But they came to believe that killing, no matter how justified, only brings more killing. So, killing was forbidden. This is the Tulkun way. Payakan is a killer and, so, he is outcast."

Despite the explanation from Tonowari, Le'ah knew that hadn't changed Lo'ak's mind. The boy shook his head, disagreeing with the man, "I'm sorry, sir. But you're wrong," Neytiri seethed from behind her son, reminding him that he was speaking with the Olo'eyktan. As he tried to talk, Jake cut him off, telling him it was enough.

Le'ah sighed, meeting the gaze of her twin brother. She felt his desperation and need for help. The girl smiled softly, sending a confident, subtle nod towards her brother, strongly peering at him with reassurance. Lo'ak took in her encouraging actions, nodding to himself, before gazing back at Tonowari, shrugging, "I know what I know."

Jake finally had enough, stepping towards Lo'ak, and hissed, "that's enough," Everybody heard the anger radiating in the man's voice. Yet, Le'ah shook her head to herself, seeing from her peripheral vision the shake of the head that Neteyam sent her. She pushed the boy away and exasperated desperately, "dad, just hear him out!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she received a cold and hardened glare belonging to her father.

The Sully man gazed at Tonowari, "I'll take care of this one," Before anyone could say anything, Lo'ak was grabbed by his forearm, being pulled away from the scene. Le'ah sighed heavily, watching as their figures disappeared within the distance. Without saying a thing, the girl stood up and followed after her parents and brother. Neteyam stood up as well, mumbling his apologies to the Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk of the Metkayina clan out of habit, quickly trailing behind his younger sister.

Neteyam was swift but gentle to grasp her arm and spin her around, coming face to face with her brother. She noticed him shaking his head once again, "you'll only make it worse, Le'ah. Let dad chill out first," Le'ah scoffed at her older brother, tearing out of his grip and continued walking with her back turned to him, yet she knew Neteyam was still following her.

She spoke out of the anger in her chest, halting in her spot midway, "Lo'ak's telling the truth, Neteyam!" Le'ah yelled, her voice bouncing. Neteyam sighed softly, staying silent to let his sister continue with her words, "he's not a liar. I feel how he feels—he feels like he's outcast. And Payakan helps him with it," Her pitch of voice lowered, turning into a whisper as she softly said, "I can't even help him with it, but Payakan can."

She didn't even realise the tears building in her eyes until Neteyam pulled her into his grasp, coming into contact with his chest. Le'ah felt the emotions she had been building up since they had left the forest catching up with her. She tried to gasp for air, inevitably becoming harder with each hoarse sob that left her throat. Neteyam hushed his sister, whispering the calming phrases he remembered saying to her when she was a couple months old, cradling her to sleep.

"I know," Le'ah heard Neteyam say gently. She pulled away from his grip, wiping at her cheeks where the tears had fallen, gazing up at him with a questionable look as her eyes held vulnerability, "I know that you and Lo'ak are telling the truth. But this isn't our home where we get to make the rules. You and Lo'ak have the closest bond out of any of us. He doesn't know how to ask you for help but instead pushes you away."

The girl's face contorted, trying to fight the fresh set of tears glistening in her eyes, "but why? Does he not trust me? Does he think he's going to bring shame to me? He could never. All I want to do is help him, but I can't even do that," Something inside of Le'ah realised this was beyond Lo'ak, but the whole battle against the sky people. Neteyam took notice of her sudden change in demeanour and called her name, about to ask her what was wrong but was cut off by her shaken voice, "how am I supposed to go through this war against the sky people if I can't even help Lo'ak? If someone like Juniper couldn't ... survive, how could I?"

"Because I'm here," The older brother said, causing Le'ah to stare into his comforting eyes, "I'll always be here, little sis. Not only to get you out of trouble but to save you from it. I swear it on Eywa. And, soon, you won't need me anymore to look after you because you'll have grown up into a mighty warrior."

Le'ah shook her head, and Neteyam thought she was going to deny him of his words, yet was taken aback as she muttered, "I'll always need you, big brother."