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CHAPTER TWO
❝It'll be okay. Trust me.❞
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"YOU NEEDN'T FOLLOW ME everywhere I go, sky-boy," the young Na'vi girl spoke, kneeling on by the roots of the tree her companion currently dwelled on. "You have family, go bug them."
"Well, we're friends," Neteyam quipped, "plus Kiri has no interest in exploring; Tuk is too young, and, well, all Lo'ak does is follow our father around." Ni'Alu only offered a hum of acknowledgement for the boy, an indication she at least registered the poor explanation.
"We aren't friends, skxawng. If anything, I share the same compassion with you as I do a rock wedged in my foot." This caught Neteyam's attention, and he soon clamored to the edge of the branch, ready to argue with the girl. But as soon as he caught Ni'Alu's teasing smirk, any words he had prepared quickly died in his throat. Instead, he coughed in an attempt to cover the brazen grin that threatened to spread. It was nice to know she was capable of joking around. With him, at least.
"You haven't cussed me out yet, so I try to count that as a blessing in my favor."
"The day's still early." She shrugged, maneuvering further into the dense abundance of plants, careful to avoid the jagged twigs which littered the path. When she didn't hear Neteyam's signature steps behind her, she glanced puzzledly behind her—only to be met by the boy's stunned expression. She rolled her eyes, "Don't hold your breath too much," she paused, "it'll cut off whatever oxygen's left in that brain of yours."
The boy let out an indignant shrill, but the girl had already continued her trek. "What are we even looking for?" He grated, sulking above her.
Ni'Alu stilled for a moment, she jabbed a finger towards herself, "I was looking for the banshees near the mountainside." She switched to him, "You are the leech who tagged along."
"Fine, fine. But why exactly there? Neither of us are hunters, nor are we ready to become ikran riders," Neteyam pointed out. With that sentiment, the boy paced faster, lurching forward in an ungraceful attempt to land on ground level beside the girl. Rather, he landed with a harsh 'thud,' stepping forward clumsily upon impact. When the girl checked over her shoulders, he just hastily brushed himself off, a small flush visible alongside a sheepish smile.
"You act too gaudy, sky-boy. You're only entertaining yourself," Ni'Alu sneered, twisting backwards to send a brisk jab below Neteyam's ribs, to which she earned a surprised yowl in return. She couldn't help the hand that went to her face, a half-suppressed laugh bubbling at her lips. He was interesting at least. "Plus you needn't wake the entire forest with your stunts." She flicked his forehead, continuing her stride. Neteyam surely would've felt ridiculed in normal circumstances, but he could hear the playful tone in the girl's reprimand. So, he just shook his head with a chuckle, falling contently in-step behind.
"I never saw you much at the clan's gatherings," Neteyam brought up, stretching his arms behind him. Ni'Alu side-eyed him, but she answered nonetheless.
"I spend more time here than there. We move too much, nothing will ever truly feel like home to me." Truth is, Ni'Alu enjoyed nights under the stars far more than those spent at their clan's makeshift camps. She missed when her people had a real home. When her grandmother spoke of their past, all Ni'Alu wished was to be able to experience it too—just as her grandmother; just as her ancestors. And when the young girl glimpsed down, she realized her fingers had clenched uncomfortably into her palms.
"I don't really remember it much, but I did feel sad leaving." This piqued the girl's attention, her head tilting slightly as she ducked under leaves to stay on path.
"But it was your father's decision."
"He didn't want us to set up a permanent settlement." This, however, made her scowl. Of course it was for reasons like that. Reasons his people created. Were they meant to run forever? Live as cowards, running away from their own home, their own people?
Ni'Alu huffed, a swirl of emotions at the forefront of her thoughts. But, instead of a barrage of insults erupting off her tongue, the two were met with a faint rumbling. She turned to Neteyam, and the boy mirrored a similar bewildered expression. That was not the forest. She unsheathed her blade, holding its hilt level with her collarbone. Neteyam did the same, pressing his back to hers. The two stayed like that for a few heartbeats, surveying frantically at the overgrowth surrounding them. The two made a steady circle, a small hiss falling from the boy as his lips curled in a heinous snarl. It wasn't until the branches parted that their company made its location known. A large creature, sleek black and six-limbed. Its shackles rattled, a guttural growl coming from its chest. One which made the girl shrink further into her companion. She had heard of them, but never had she had the displeasure of being face-to-face with one. A palulukan. The bringer of fear.
"Do we run? Or fight?" Neteyam whispered, but the petrified look he received signaled only one answer. The girl wasted no time as she grabbed his hand, hoisting him into a sprint. The two plunged and swiveled amongst the trees, running as their lungs burned for relief. Ni'Alu wanted to sob, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Every time the snapping jowls of the creature echoed behind her, she flinched, pushing her feet deeper into the dirt as if to propel herself further. The two slid under a tree, sheltered by the thick roots. The young Na'vi breathed, nodding to each other. A silent sign of comfort at the other's presence. It did not last, however, as their pursuer's body exploded through their coverage.
Neteyam straightened, slipping through the back end of the stump, Ni'Alu hot on his trail. The two had almost made their getaway, up until the girl's foot wrenched beneath her. She gasped in pain, crumpling to the ground. Neteyam rushed to her side, hoisting her by the waist despite the yelp she released. He pressed his palm to her lower back, ushering her steadily in front, eyes darting between the distance he shared with both his friend and the creature alike. "It hurts, Neteyam," she whimpered.
"I know, I know," he consoled, his voice coming out in rushed pants, "just keep moving. We just have to keep moving." A bolt of black darted into their peripheral, and the two swerved in the opposite direction, scrambling on the rocky terrain. It wasn't until the girl's view ahead dipped vertically that she knew the two were truly done for.
"It drops," she sniffled, pointing madly at the landscape ahead. "We can't."
"It'll be okay. Trust me." And, in that moment, she chose to believe him. They veered closer, and the boy rasped beside her. "Hold onto me." He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her as the two tumbled down the cliff's slant. All Ni'Alu could taste was the rough grit and blood which coated her mouth, her ears ringing as her shoulders clashed harshly with the ground. The Na'vi pair continued to roll, each of the two's skin cutting on the prickled vegetation which engulfed them. It wasn't until the flooring evened, and the land plateaued, that their chase finally ended.
The first thing the girl felt recognized was the ache that settled over her. Her body felt like lead, worn and spent. Ni'Alu squinted, a blurring sensation layering her vision. She turned to her side, hacking violently until her lungs couldn't care to empty more. She glanced to the side, her eyes widening when the boy she knew wasn't nearby.
"Neteyam?" She questioned. "Neteyam? Where are you?" She haphazardly spun, her ears pinned firmly into her skull. This couldn't be happening. "Neteyam, please." She continued to brush aside the nearby plants—up until a faint coughing came to existence. Her shoulders sagged with ease, watching as the boy rose from a few feet away. She scurried to his side, evaluating his condition. Despite taking the brunt of it, he'd escaped with only a few scrapes on his torso, as well as a few bruises on his face. When the two met eyes, a smile split onto her features. "Thank you, Great Mother," she whispered, lightly grasping the boy's forearm where he sat. "You're okay."
"Is it gone?" He asked, lifting his hand to rest softly atop her own.
"It didn't follow us, sky-boy," she reassured, beaming slightly.
Neteyam eyed the girl, staring quizzically at her ecstatic demeanor. "Why are you smiling, Ni'Alu?" Her eyes widened, up until a cocky grin fizzled onto the boy's face. "Worried?"
She glowered, pushing the boy aside. She almost regretted it instantly, watching as he winced. "As if, skxawng. You overestimate your importance," she denied, removing her hand and tucking it quietly into her lap. Her tail swayed slightly behind her, and Neteyam smiled at the sight. He hadn't known her long, but he had picked up on a few indicators of her body language. She was lying, of that he was quite certain.
He had half a mind to continue teasing the girl, but instead he just hummed. "I'm just glad you're alive." He corrected himself, "That we're alive." As if a switched was lifted, the girl bowed her head down in shame.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. You came to the forest because of me, and I wasn't careful enough to keep us safe." She averted her eyes, afraid of the expression she'd be met with. "This shouldn't have happened."
"You're right, it shouldn't have," he agreed. Ni'Alu nodded, accepting the instigation behind his words. "But it did, and it is not your fault, Ni'Alu." At that, she perked up.
"But—" Neteyam raised his hand, quieting any rebuttal she had.
"I chose to follow you. We are friends, are we not? Friends have each other's backs." He paused for a moment, "plus it was fun. A little bit, no? An adrenaline rush. My brother—Lo'ak—he won't believe this story. Facing a palulukan and escaping with my life? I will be a legendary big bro." Ni'Alu swatted the boy's head, cuffing his ear.
"And I'm sure the Olo'eyktan will think the same thing," she gritted, rolling her eyes. She looked to the sky, "Great Mother, please do not let me be killed for allowing harm to come to this skxawng who happens to be the clan leader's son."
"Relax, Ni'Alu, he won't know. I'll just lie and say I tripped. I do it all the time," he dismissed. "Plus he's too busy watching Lo'ak, or Kiri. Or both of them. They fight a lot. And my mother's too busy with Tuk. She's young, eager to explore. Though I suppose I'm not much different, seeing as where we are."
"You have a big family."
"Yeah, I suppose I do. They can be a lot, but I will always be theirs, as they will always be mine." Neteyam wrung his fingers together, smiling fondly as though recalling a pleasant memory. He turned to the girl. "What about yours?"
"I am very close with my grandmother. She has taught me most of what I know of the world." With what little Ni'Alu did offer to the boy about herself, she knew that this piece was true. Her grandmother was special to her; her closest ally, her closest friend.
"I hope I can meet her one day."
And of the million remarks he expected the girl to spit at him, Neteyam did not expect the small, shy smile which blossomed on the girl's features. Nor the quiet, "I hope so too."
The boy mulled over his words for a moment. "What about your mother? Father?"
As if yanked from under a blanket, the atmosphere was quickly replaced by a sorrowful cloud which hung densely in the air between them. "Another time, sky-boy," Ni'Alu replied, an anguished lilt clear in her voice.
And of the million things she expected the boy to do, Ni'Alu did not expect a gentle hand to intertwine with her own. Nor the quiet peace which settled in the air—in her bones. A lot of the aspects her life had were changed since meeting the strange boy she sat beside. But, in this moment, she could not swear to skies above that she wasn't just a little bit grateful for it.
A/N: Okayyy chapter 2 also published at 12AM (I am sensing a pattern). I will re-read and update tomorrow, cuz I just posted as soon as a finished and did a good once-over (i even forgot to put an author's note). Please leave comments letting me know if you like it bc it makes me happy :))) also I will hopefully update this again in the next 2-3 days depending on how busy new year's gets. Best wishes to all who see this <33