Ma Neteyam

21

" Come on." Jake said firmly before turning to Tonowari one last time and whispering something she couldn't hear. Thankfully, she's used to observing from afar and learnt to pick up a skill or two. One being lip reading. " I got this."

As fun as it would be to watch her cousin get ridiculed by his parents, she only caught a glimpse of that before dashing to a hidden spot closer to the Sully family.

" Dad, you told me to make friends with these kids. That's all I was trying to do-"

" I don't want to hear it." he said, not even bothering to listen to his sons side.

" Dad-"

" You brought shame to this family." he sighed tiredly, as if he was the one who was tricked, left alone outside the reef, then took the blame fully knowing the consequences.

" Can I go now?"

" Any more trouble, I jerk a knot in your tail. You read me?"

" Yes, sir. Lima Charlie."

Although she didn't know what that last phrase meant, from the look on Jakes face she presumed Lo'ak got the exact reaction he wanted. " Go on." was the last thing he said before his youngest son walked away.

With him gone, Vareyas attention was now entirely focused on Neteyam. His mother appeared to do the same.

" Where were you?" Neytiri questioned.

" Yeah." his father pitched in, " What happened to 'keep an eye on your brother'?"

Vareya watched and waited for him to say something. Waited and hoped for the boy whom she spent so much time with these past few weeks picked up on some of her attitude. That the talks, and fights, and tests, and trainings, and brawls had toughened him up. Not physically but mentally.

That he can now stand up for himself. Tell them how he feels and wake them up from this fantasy reality of theirs where they believe their eldest son is in charge of their children.

But those expectations were ended abruptly when Neteyam played his expected part perfectly. Nodding his head like a good soldier and answering with a simple, " Sorry, sir."

Letting out a breath, Vareya turned to make her way back to her hut before she was discovered. Not soon after she entered the forest, a familiar voice called out to her.

" Vareya wait!" Neteyam called out breathlessly as he caught up to her. " Wow, you move fast. I've been trying to reach you for a while now." he smiled gently.

Yet for some reason, Vareya couldn't bring herself to do the same. Couldn't bring herself to do any kind of expression. Not a snarl, not a frown, nor a hiss. So all she did was look at him with a stoned face.

Neteyam noticed her expression and cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable suddenly. " You were coming from the village. You were there?"

" I heard the commotion and got curious."

" Oh. So, do you know-"

" Yes. I heard everything."

Neteyam wanted to evaluate what exactly she meant by everything, but just by how she's acting he got a pretty good idea of what she overheard without him knowing.

" Good, then I can keep this short." He wasn't used to this Vareya anymore. Now her cold, short remarks struck a nerve. " My brother got into trouble thanks to Aonung, just as you had suspected."

" I know."

" So everything is.... everything?"

" Yes, I heard and saw every interaction you had. So just spit out whatever it is you want to tell me so I can be on my way." she spat impatiently.