p.s. eywa in this story is a character
and not just a vital force like in the movie.
"How are you, child?"
Na'vieh felt her heart flutter at the ever so familiar voice. Calm yet somehow authorative, just like how she remembered it. She was dreaming yet again, but this time, she was in the spirit tree back in the reef.
She opened her eyes with a smile and looked forth, not daring to move her eyes awayo from the gleaming figure in front of her as she sat up.
"Mother?" She beamed, rushing over to the deity in a form of a very tall and slender woman. She could feel the deity's worry as she held her in her arms, transferring energy for her should to feed on. "Oh, I missed you, mother."
It was the same as Na'vieh remembered, Eywa has always made her feel special. As far as she can remember, no one in the history of na'vi has ever even able to meet the deity other than herself, and she would be damned if she didn't admit that it made her feel more than what she is.
Eywa wasn't just an entity, for someone like Na'vieh, the deity was her mother. Her spirit, her soul, and her guide.
She waited for her to say something after they broke the hug. Anything. But Eywa simply gave her a smile and stroked her cheek, giving her a knowing yet caring look. "You are healed, you did not die. You will go back now."
Na'vieh's smile dropped as she realized what she was told. Immediately, she went looking at her stomach for any defects, injury or even pain. But there was nothing. She looked back at Eywa and bowed her head.
"Thank you, Mother." Eywa nodded her head and started to walk away from her as if she had finished what has to be done. However, Na'vieh didn't want for her to go so she rushed towards her and pleaded for her to go back. "Mother! Wait- please! What should I do, I'm not ready to go back yet...!"
"You are ready, you do not need me anymore. Come back with more than what you are."
Before she can think of anything else to say, Eywa had disappeared in plain sight and was no longer with her. Realizing this, Na'vieh knew it will be a long time before she will be able to be in her presence again. She could simoly then express a disappointed smile, accepting it.
Na'vieh could feel a tear drop from her cheek as she opened her eyes, she had woken up. She was stirred awake from the bright ray of the blue sky that faced her, squinting her eyes as she found it difficult to look any longer.
"Huh? Where- ugh." Na'vieh didn't let panic get to her, she only grunted in pain as she attempted to sat up from where she was.
She tried to recall what happened before and, unfortunately, the vivid memory of being struck by a bow didn't assure her that much. Sighing deeply, she plainly gave up on even trying to redeem herself. The pain in her lower left abdomen made her feel numb to even move a limb.
All she could do was lay flat on the ground, listening to her sorroundings; the soft tweeting of pabdoran creatures, the rustling of trees, and the sound of water meeting the... shore.
The shore! I'm by the sea shore! Na'vieh realized where her location was and immediately widen her eyes.
She looked around her, still laying on what seems to be a makeshift bed with the use of leather loincloths, even a blanket was draped over her. She didn't pay much attention to it and just decided to endure it, raising her body with the use of her arms.
She couldn't tell exactly where she was, but she was sure that it was a forest that is certainly near the reef.
"I'm lucky to be alive. They must've abandoned me." She whispered, motivating herself to sit up even despite the tremendous pain she felt from her stomach, which technically was a weak part of her body.
She stared at the bright blue sky and sunny shore, happy to just be alive. She waited for the right time to make a call for her Ilu.
Although, before she could do so, she felt a hand yank her away from crawling out of where she layed.
"Hey, you'll hurt yourself if you move your upper body like that." Na'vieh met the concerned eyes of a girl with the same bright amber eyes as did the boy who shot her.
This girl had very different features and she couldn't help but gulp. She had very big eyes and unkept hair, her skin was just as blue as Toruk Macto.
She couldn't help but grew silent as this girl started to touch her and, as she assumed, checked her out. The girl even lifted up the blanket which covered her legs, which she surprisingly got shocked to see that her wound was wrapped with a white cloth.
Why didn't I notice that?? She gasped internally, almost blurting out a loud 'wtf'.
"Do you need anything?" The girl looked at her once again, but Na'vieh didn't dare answer and pursed her lips, refusing to give any answer even a simple notation. Disappointed, the worried stranger sighed and turned her head away from her.
"Dad! Mom! She's awake!" Na'vieh's heart dropped and she can't hide her panic anymore. She frantically forced herself to get up from where she was a lightly pushed away the girl away from her.
Unfortunately, she had been successful in standing up (although hurting) which resulted to her wound bandage to suck in the blood that she felt being gushed out from the literal hole in her stomach. She whispered scream upon this but limped her way out of the situation. The girl screamed for her parents before starting to chase after her.
"Ughhh, this sucks!" Na'vieh exclaimed. Luckily, she had the endurance and patience of a warrior so running while having a hole in her body still kept her from the will of being caught. And she was a fast runner too.
"Vito! Vito, where are you?!" She screamed the name of her Ilu the moment she felt her feet touch the warm sand. Na'vieh didn't even have the time to wince in pain and just kept going.
However, sad of say, life was just full of surprises.
Na'vieh felt goosebumps creep through her skin as she heard a loud shreak of what seemed to be a bird or a beast. It was more like squawking, safe to say. And it was nearing wherever she was.
Alas, Na'vieh felt so much misery and inner regrets break her wall of emotions as she sets her eyes upon a huge creature she knows to be an Ikran. She could feel the tip of her finger going cold as the bird neared.
Its wide wings flapped loudly that it caused the air to be fouled with sand, almost blowing her off like a mere pebble. What even scared her was how the creature shreaked at her and tried to look into her eyes.
"Holy shit!" She laughed nervously, moving away from the shore even if she was just a few steps close from the water. She gave pressure win her wound, feeling like she was about to exploid because of shock as she watched the Ikran land before her, blocking her away from the shore with its huge wings.
And, yet again, there was another surprise.
"What are you doing here?!" It was the same panicked voice as she remembered. Soft yet somehow husky, just like the last time she heard it. It was Neteyam, son of Toruk Macto, rushing to get down from his Ikran as if his life depended on it.
"Ughh... I just want to go home." Na'vieh mumbled to herself, still looking at the Ikran who kept eyeing her. She didn't exactly know what to do at that moment, she felt so vulnerable.
She felt like fainting from too much distress right and there, if it weren't for the older boy being quick enough to catch her in his arms before she could fall. She didnt even fought back as she had started to taste blood from her mouth, coughing it off.
"You shouldn't have left! You're bleeding!" Neteyam yelled in worry as he took her arms and made them wrap around his neck as he lifted her up, to which Na'vieh took offense of.
Because, first of all, he did it to her.
Neteyam noticed her pain and carried her quickly back to where she didn't want to be. She groaned aggravatedly in disappointment.
"You should've abandoned me- arrgh!" Na'vieh hissed, although the boy didn't seem bothered.
"I'm sorry." Neteyam whispered to her, guilty. He showed her a worried face, looking at her apologetically. "Until you're fine, I'm not sure if I can handle letting you go on your own, Na'vieh."
She looked immediately at his amber eyes and gave him a confused look, "Huh? How- Why do you know my name?"
It took a few stupid conversation from Jake to talk Na'vieh out of her eagerness to leave. It didn't exactly made her feel at ease to agree with him, but she finally let herself go with the flow.
Neteyam watched his family circle around Na'vieh, talking to her all while tending on her injury. Of course, he expected himself to be there too with his siblings, but given the situation he was placed because of the girl's snarly attitude towards him, he made sure to keep his distance. Which he understood. You know, because he did it to her anyways. It was a reasonable token of consequences.
"You okay, Neteyam?" His dad sat next to him and patted his back, giving him a understanding look. Jake knew how his son must've felt, he had experienced the same situation too and seeing his son go through the same, that he didn't want.
"No, Dad." Neteyam answered, looking at his dad with disappointment towards himself. He pursed his lips and looked at his father, wanting the guilt to go away. "I did that to her... I should've stepped back. She could have died, and I was the reason behind it-!"
"Neteyam, listen." Jake consoled, comforting his eldest son. He held his shoulder and looked into him. "I know how it feels, and I understand. But you did it only because you wanted to help me, and you did. But it was a mistake. You didn't mean to hurt her, do you understand?"
Neteyam nodded his head, blinking away his tears. He looked at his father, and he smiled at him. He sat again with a straight posture but few seconds later, he asked his father a question.
"Dad, I just have one question." Jake nodded his head in agreement for an answer and Neteyam took a noticeably deep breath.
"How does mom know who she is?"
i identify as blue, thank you.