CHAPTER 9
"Have you seen my brother?"
'Kanu opened her eyes to peer at the person who had blocked the sun. Out of her boredom she had wandered around the beaches before laying down and enjoying the subtle breeze. Her mind would have been at complete peace had she not been thinking of her brother. Her and him got into fights often - more often than any siblings in the entire tribe. Usually it was petty and useless, but 'Kanu still felt horrible after each tussle.
'Kanu could barely make out Neteyam's features as he stood against the sun, "I have not seen him," she propped herself up on her elbows.
Neteyam sighed and sat beside her, "He just disappeared."
Kanu smiled and turned her head in his direction, "You are so caring."
"I am the oldest brother. I have to be," Neteyam chuckled. 'Kanu's smile turned somewhat bitter and he furrowed his brows, "What is it?" He nudged her with his elbow, causing her to jokingly swat him away.
"My brother is not like you," she admitted after a dramatically heavy sigh.
"No one is like me," Neteyam agreed, trying to make her laugh again. It worked. "But your brother cares for you," he said in a suddenly serious tone, "It is tough love."
"I suppose," 'Kanu shrugged.
Neteyam grinned, "I can be your other brother," he offered, making 'Kanu smile as she admired the sky, "I'll take care of you," he told her.
'Kanu turned her head to look at him and chuckled at upon seeing his bruised up face, "That is nice of you," she said. Neteyam grinned at her in response before he averted his eyes, looking over the horizon with a thoughtful expression. "Your brother will find his way back." 'Kanu folded her arms behind her head and looked up at the sky. It was the beginning of eclipse - soon it would be dark.
"Yeah.." Neteyam agreed, "He better apologize to Ao'nung quickly so he makes it back for food time."
'Kanu looked at him, "Ao'nung?"
Neteyam nodded, "Yeah. He went to apologize to him."
'Kanu sat up straight. She'd seen her brother and their friends head outside the reef to hunt and she'd seen them return. Could Lo'ak have been with them? "I need to talk to my brother."
Neteyam's eyes followed her as she stood up, "What is it?"
'Kanu held her hand out to him, offering to help him up, "Come with me," she told him. Confused, Neteyam accepted her help and the two of them hurried back to the village to find her brother.
It was dark by the time they arrived at her home and 'Kanu found her brother sitting in a corner, looking nervous as he faced the wall.
She shared a look with Neteyam before walking over to him. 'Kanu took a hold of his shoulders and shook him - her intention being to scare him. Her brother yelped in surprise and whirled around to face her.
"'Kanu!" He exclaimed as soon as he saw her, "Do not do that! It is not funny!"
"Where is Lo'ak?" Neteyam stepped in front of him.
Ao'nung looked guilty as he stood up to face them both. "He knows something," 'Kanu said, "Spit it out!"
"We took him hunting.. outside the reef."
'Kanu stared mouth wide open at her brother. She knew he was petty, but was he truly that stupid?
Ao'nung scratched his neck, "We left him there - as a prank."
"A prank?" 'Kanu repeated, "You know he isn't allowed to leave the reef without an adult yet!"
Neteyam cut her off before she could say anything else, "Did he come back? Where is he?" He stepped past 'Kanu to be inches away from Ao'nung. He truly looked menacing.
Ao'nung shook his head slowly, "We tried to go back and find him - but we can't remember where we left him," he said quietly.
"For the love of Eywa-" 'Kanu held her head in panic. Going outside the reef was strictly forbidden for anyone else but hunters who had been trained to do so.
Neteyam looked furious. He pushed Ao'nung harshly in his anger. The younger boy fell back and didn't raise a hand to put up a fight.
"Neteyam," 'Kanu said, "We must tell your father."
"No," Neteyam said, his eyes on Ao'nung, "He will tell my father himself," he took a hold on Ao'nung's queue and led him out of the pod.
When they found Jake, he was talking with Kiri. Neteyam walked right up to them and finally let go of Ao'nung, pushing him to be closer to the two. 'Kanu trailed behind nervously.
"Tell him what you told me," Neteyam told Ao'nung angrily. The young Metkayina boy looked ashamed and he hung his head.
₊˚.༄
The search for Lo'ak began. Every hunter was calling their ilu or skimwing before hopping on their backs. Everyone was ready to go - even 'Kanu had asked to join in the search but unfortunately for her, her request had been denied by her father.
'Kanu thought she could see a bright light coming from the water and she quickly turned to tap Neteyam on the shoulder, jerking her head toward the sight. The two decided to go check it out.
Before they could make it any closer than a few steps, the sound of a horn had alerted 'Kanu, who was walking along the beaches with Neteyam, trying to find Lo'ak. It was dark by then which had only made their job that much harder. "We have to go!" The two of them ran at full speed toward the village and stopped only when they saw two hunters arrive on their skimwings. One of them had another Na'vi on its back and 'Kanu smiled upon realizing it was Lo'ak, "Lo'ak!" She called, waving her arms above her head.
The boy looked at her and smiled as he got off the skimwing, onto a boat by the path. He thanked the Na'vi who had given him a ride.
"The boy has returned!" Someone said.
"Sully boy! We found him!"
Tonowari walked over to see and Ao'nung followed closely behind, trailed by his sisters and Neteyam. 'Kanu smiled and waved at Lo'ak again upon seeing him from closer up. Instead of paying her any attention, this time Lo'ak looked at Ao'nung once and started heading toward him angrily.
He was about to go up to them when Jake reached him first, "Hey - hey," he said, getting the boy to focus on him rather than Ao'nung, who stood there looking ashamed of himself, "Let's have a look at you," Jake inspected his son, trying to find any signs of him being hurt. Lo'ak kept his eyes trained on Ao'nung. "He's fine," Jake told everyone, "He's fine. Just a few scratches."
"Lo'ak!" Neytiri hurried to her son, pushing 'Kanu out of her way in her haste. Neytiri placed her hands on Lo'ak's shoulders as she made sure he's fine, "I pray for the strength that I will not pluck the eyeballs out of my youngest son," she said, suddenly sounding angry. She then proceeded made an angry gesture - as if scratching his eye - as she hissed in frustration.
"No," Tonowari interrupted, "My son knows better than to take him outside of the reef," he placed a hand on Ao'nung's shoulder, making him get on his knees, "The blame is his."
There was a moment of silence before Jake spoke up, "Okay. Let's go home-"
"No," Lo'ak said. 'Kanu looked at him curiously. "This is not Ao'nung's fault," he said. 'Kanu, Tsireya and Ao'nung all looked equally confused. "This was my idea. Aonung tried to talk me out of it. Really."
"Come on," Jake said as he got onto the path. Tonowari and Ronal looked at each other questioningly.
"I'm sorry," Lo'ak said.
"Come on," Jake said more sternly this time. And when his son rose out of the boat as well, he turned to Tonowari, "I've got this one."
As the Sully family walked off, Ao'nung was pulled to his feet by his father. "Is this true?" Tonowari asked him
"Ao'nung," Ronal said, "What were you thinking?"
When their parents finally left, Ao'nung took a step to go with them as well. He was stopped by both his sisters getting in his way. He groaned in annoyance, "I get it. I'll go apologize. That's what I was doing!"
"Last time you said that you led him beyond the reef," 'Kanu said sternly.
Tsireya narrowed her eyes at her brother but she turned to 'Kanu, "Go with him. Make sure he apologizes."
'Kanu raised a brow, "Why me? You go yourself."
Tsireya smiled, "You are the youngest. You'll do as I asked."
'Kanu frowned and mumbled curses under her breath as she followed her brother. She didn't love it when her siblings would constantly boss her around, but she felt like she had to do what they asked. They had accepted her into their family after all.
Ao'nung stopped walking when they caught sight of the Sully's. Even if she could not hear them, 'Kanu could easily tell that Lo'ak was getting scolded. For the second time that day.
'Kanu saw when Lo'ak started walking off and she hurriedly tapped her brother on the shoulder, "Go now."
She stayed behind while her brother made his way past the Sully's to catch up with Lo'ak. 'Kanu met Neteyam's eyes and smiled gently. He nodded back and walked away. Turned out he had been told off for not keeping an eye on his younger brother. 'Kanu frowned as she wondered if her siblings had that kind of pressure on them as well. The pressure to take care of her.
Ao'nung reached Lo'ak and walked beside him, "Why did you speak for me?"
Lo'ak glanced at him, "Because I know what it's like to be one big disappointment."
Despite this being a rather sad statement, Ao'nung laughed.