✰
WHEN JAKE told Ilyana she had gone deaf in her right ear, she cried for a little while but soon realised what that could mean.
She may be deaf in her right ear, but she was grateful to have survived, unlike her brother. And at least she had a meaningful story to tell future generations too.
Those were the same thoughts that clouded her mind during her many weeks of recovery. She knew the routine by now. Kiri would put paste on her wounds every day midday, and Ronal would bandage her up an hour or so later. Ilyana wasn't allowed into the water until a week earlier.
Now her and Lo'ak sat opposing each other, painting different patterns of paint onto each other for the day they dreaded for weeks on end. Their brother's funeral Since the battle, the duo seemed to have matured slightly, but that might've been due to Ilyana's injuries.
"I saw him, you know." Ilyana speaks up, catching her brothers attention.
"What." He mumbles in disbelief, wiping the paint across the bridge of her nose.
"He said I was on the bridge of life and death." She chuckles, recalling the memory. "And he told me to thank Eywa."
"Can we see him after the funeral?" He whispers sadly, his forehead wrinkled.
"Yeah." She replies, her voice coming out almost like a whisper.
✰
THE BEACH was silent as the family pushed Neteyam's body across the water.
EVERY SONGCORD
MUST HAVE A LAST BEAD.
Ilyana watched as her father's facial expressions varied as he passed many Metkayina watching the scene unfold.
A FATHER PROTECTS.
IT'S WHAT GIVES HIM MEANING.
Jake helped his family take Neteyam off the leaf that was holding his body. Ilyana looked at his face; he looked peaceful, with all the flowers nicely decorated around him. Tsireya helped with that.
Jake and Neytiri dove down under the water, carrying his body.
THE PEOPLE SAY THAT
ALL ENERGY IS ONLY BORROWED.
AND ONE DAY
YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK.
The tendrils carefully enveloped Neteyam's as if Ewya were accepting him.
EYWA HOLDS
ALL HER CHILDREN IN HER HEART
NOTHING IS EVER LOST.
Goodbye Neteyam.
YOU ARE READING
𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒; avatar
ActionILYANA TE SULI NEYTIRI'ITE was a girl who only valued her family, her home, and her ikran. She was the daughter of two powerful warriors who fought in the legendary war against the sky people: Toruk Makto and his mate, Neytiri. When forced to leave...
