As she landed on the mountains her father was already beside her ikran helping Neteyam get off.
-Mom!-Tuktirey came running to hug Neytiri.
-Tuk!-Neytiri said as she hugged her.- Tuk, Tuk, Tuk.-she repeated warmly.
Liläk patted her ikran's neck nervously, Jake was furious and she knew a scold was coming. Even though she was probably not going to get in trouble, she knew Lo'ak was going to be screamed to. She had never told anyone this, but she hated the way her father treated her brother sometimes...he didn't understand him.
The moment Lo'ak got off her ikran, her father began his speech. Neytiri approached Liläk and touched her shoulder as Kiri looked at her from afar, knowing fully well that her dad was mad.
Jake called his sons and Liläk sternly.
-You're supposed to be spotters,-he began.-you spot bogies and you call 'em in, from the distance! Does any of this sound familiar?-it did, their father had explained them their job several times. To avoid the conversation Liläk was still next to her ikran, caressing her neck. Lo'ak was similarly under the neck of his.
-Get here!-her dad said. She walked towards them and got beside Lo'ak who was breathing heavily, but no one else seemed to notice. Liläk took his hand and pressed it softly. Kiri had approached them and instead grabbed Neteyam's hand.
-Jesus! I let you two geniuses fly a mission and you disobey direct orders, if it wasn't for Liläk's call I wouldn't even know you got into the battlefield! And then you,-his dad pointed at her.- you come down to find Neteyam, which I get, but you aren't supposed to go down unless I directly tell you to.-as he noticed Kiri and Tuk where around he found it necessary to send them away, they weren't the ones who disobeyed him, they weren't the ones he thought he lost...
-Kiri, can you go help your grandmother with the wounded, please?-He said exasperated.
-My brother is wounded.-Kiri answered back.
-Just go, please!-Tuk was looking at Lo'ak's back not knowing which of her brothers his father was referring to.-Tuk go with her! Go!-Jake insisted, irritated.
Tuktirey pouted but obeyed her father, so did Kiri, who rolled her eyes and looked at Liläk before leaving, Liläk gave her a look of disbelief, annoyed with her father's harshness.
-Dad..Sir, I take full responsibility...-before Neteyam could continue, Jake interrupted him.
-Yeah you do! That's right, because you're the older brother you gotta act like it, like Liläk does.
-Dad...-Liläk said, hating the way Jake compared him to her.
-No Liläk.
-MaJake -Neytiri said after Jake stood quiet for a while.-your son is actually bleeding.
-We gotta take you to get healed.-Liläk said as he got beside Neteyam and grabbed his arm.
-It's...it's fine.-Neteyam mumbled.
-No it's not, you're actually hurt.-She said this while looking at his dad defiantly.
-Just go and get patched up.-Jake continued.-Go on, dismissed!
Liläk shook her head with his dad's choice of words. Dismissed, seriously? She thought. She adored him, she did, she also understood that his scolding's usually came from a place of worry and fear. She didn't justify it, but she understood.
Neytiri took Neteyam to get healed but Liläk didn't move from her place.
She grabbed Lo'ak's arm and waited for his dad to continue.
-Liläk leave, please.-her dad said, vexed.
-No.-she said, firmly. Jake knew that he could insist Kiri and Tuk to leave, hence why he did, but Liläk was a different story, she was going to hold her ground, her mother's stubbornness and fire flowing through her veins.
-Fine.-He ceded sternly. Lo'ak thanked his sister's company as he held her hand.-You do understand that you almost got your brother killed...
Liläk's heart skipped a beat even thinking about the possibility.
-Yes sir.-Lo'ak answered.
-You are grounded, no flying for a month. And after that, every patrol you do is with Liläk. Now see to the ikran, all of 'em!
-Sir.-Lo'ak answered, his head low.
-And get that crap off your face.-Jake added. Liläk stood quiet as their father left.
-Let's go, I'll help you.
Lo'ak sighed as he was followed by Liläk.
Later that day, the Sully's where in their home. Mo'at was preparing to heal Neteyam as Kiri helped her.
Liläk looked from afar as Mo'at began looking at her brother's back. Mo'at had always wish for Liläk to help her, she was going to be the future Tsahík of a clan after all. But Liläk was never really interested on being tsahík. She admired her grandmother, but she knew she was not cutout for that. She didn't worry much about it, she always believed that Neteyam was going to inherit the honor of being olo'eyktan. But their situation was complicated. Technically, both of them were the firstborns of olo'eyktan, so either Neteyam had to inherit the title, or Liläk had to become the next tsahík, but both things couldn't happen and with na'vi twins being nonexistent with the exception of Neteyam and Liläk, no one really knew how to proceed.
Liläk always thought that Kiri was made for being tsahík, she had the sensibility that was needed, even Tuk was better suited for such a role. Which is why they were the ones who always helped Mo'at.
Jake appeared at the door of the hut, he looked at his family before speaking and his eyes focused on Lo'ak for a second, he was still mad at his father, Jake sighed, maybe he had been too hard on him.
-Liläk, can I speak to you for a second?
Liläk stood up and followed her father outside. They walked beside their hut and sat on a nearby branch.
-You helped Lo'ak with the ikrans.
-I did.
-That was supposed to be Lo'ak's punishment.
-Dad you prohibited him flying for a month I think that's enough.
His eyes softened and he grabbed her shoulder.
-You did good today tsawksyul.
-I could do so much more...-she said while she stood up and walked to the trunk of the tree, leaning on it and looking at the night sky.
-You're doing enough where you are.-Jake assured her.
-Dad...
-No, you're not ready.-he said abruptly.- You and Neteyam are good hunters but this is different, if I can avoid you being in this war I will, for as long as possible.-Her father usually only explained this things to her, not any other of her siblings understood their father's motivations and strictness. Not only that, not any of her siblings had seen the true war. She had, through her dreams. After telling them to her parents they realized most of the things she saw were things that truly happened. None of them could explain how it happened, but she knew war, indirectly at least.
She was going to answer her father, but he continued speaking, this time his voice had softened.
-I am terrified of losing you. Every time you three fly as spotters I fear. Today when I saw your brothers on the battlefield and that bogie attacked I was scared to death... that is why I'm hard on Lo'ak. You understand that don't you?-She sighed and approached her father, she touched his shoulder just as he had done recently.
-It's not me who has to understand or who you owe this explanation to.-she told him softly.
She kissed his head and went back inside.
Neteyam was still repeating "ow!" Over and over as Liläk got in. She laughed and walked towards Kiri and Tuk to see what they were doing.
-Don't be such a baby Nety.-Liläk said as she crouched beside her sisters. Tuk giggled and Liläk playfully ruffled her hair.
-Ow! Shut up Liläk.
-Your brother's wound is deeper than it seems 'evi.-Her grandmother said as she motioned for her to come sit beside her, wishing, once more, that Liläk showed more interest in the tasks of the tsahík.
-What would you use?-Mo'at asked her granddaughter.
His back was not bleeding anymore, but there was a gash that was still very much open. It wasn't as big as she thought, judging by Neteyam's constant whimpers.
She looked at Lo'ak, a smile forming on her face. She touched her brothers back thoughtfully.
-Ow! Liläk!
-I'm helping!-she said. She knew she wasn't, she was just playing. Mo'at took her hand away and shook her head.
-Aw...a little kiss on the booboo.-Spider said. Liläk laughed as she high-fived Spider and stood beside Lo'ak. Neteyam looked at Liläk, annoyed. He pulled her tail abruptly.
-Ow! What was that for?
-Helping.-He said.
-I would use yalknabar.-Kiri said while taking the mixture to her grandma, answering the question Mo'at had asked Liläk.
-Oh yeah? And who is tsahík?-Asked Mo'at, however, she was actually proud at the fact that Kiri had suggested it...it was the answer she was hoping from Liläk.
-You are...Move!-She told Lo'ak as she shoved him. Liläk laughed, always amused by her siblings quarreling.-you are, grandmother,-she continued sitting besides Mo'at.-but yalknabar is better.
-Ow! Ow!-Neteyam exclaimed once more. Liläk crouched beside him, this time a bit more worried, for she had felt a faint tickle on her back, therefore, it was really hurting him.
-Oh now you believe me?
-Shut up.-she said.
-Ow!-he said once more.
-It stings less...-finished Kiri.
-Mighty warrior.-Lo'ak mused.
-That you are.-Liläk smiled, even though she knew Lo'ak was just teasing Neteyam.
Neytiri looked at their kids from outside. She sometimes felt like Jake forgot to see them as what they truly were, kids. Even Liläk and Neteyam where still young and playful and naive, it was just a matter of seeing how they teased each other constantly.
Jake noticed that Neytiri was troubled about something as he fiddled with a gun on his lap.
-What is it?-he asked.
-Neteyam and Lo'ak try to live up to you...-she put an emphasis on the word try as if to make Jake see their attempts, see their motives.-it is very hard on them.-she said as she turned around to look at Jake.
-I know.-Jake answered, ignoring what Neytiri was trying to tell him. Neytiri crouched beside him to try and get him to listen to her.
-You are very hard on them.-he stopped charging the gun and sighed, looking at Neytiri.
-I'm their father, it's my job.
-And Liläk?-He continued cleaning the guns, looking down.
-What about Liläk?-he said as he sighed.
-You think they don't notice how you congratulate her efforts and turn down theirs?
-She didn't disobey direct orders, they did. If Liläk hadn't listened I would've been just as hard on her, it isn't about that.
Neytiri quietly looked at Jake. He was speaking about their children yet it seemed as if he was talking about the discipline of hunters, congratulating those who followed orders and scolding those who didn't.
-This is not a squad, it is a family.-she reminded him. This remark seemed to get to Jake, as his eyes softened and he looked at her all while finally letting the gun down. He sighed, still shaken up about how hard it had been to look for Neteyam on the rubbles next to other bodies.
-I though we'd lost them...
Neytiri grabbed his arm affectionately, finally understanding Jake's harshness of the day.