No one wanted to leave but we had to. The whole time Neytiri was holding back tears as Jake stepped down from being ole'eyktan, giving it to Tarsem. It'd be a long journey before we reached the Metikaya clans. Ale was already packed up, I felt bad taking him away from his home and his own family. I smiled at the memory of our first bonding. I had bruises for weeks. Jake was the one that taught me how to ride, Neteyam wasn't good at it seeing as he could barely get on his Ikran. I reveled in the wind brushing my hair as we flew above the sea, I looked back. I thanked the forest, for raising me, for being my home and family for the beginning stages of my life. I will never forget it, Tsnì txoa. The forest will have a special place in my heart, and I hope to return, when I am strong. When I am able to protect it and be the strong warrior it deserves.
I prayed to Eywa to give me strength on this journey.
" Riti?" Neteyam called me and I looked ahead.
I had fallen back, there was no time to waste. Patting Ale's neck we surged forward, he would fly for days. We would not sleep nor eat, the distance was too far and we didn't have enough time.
I missed sleep.
I closed my eyes just for a second.
" RITI!"
I jerked awake, just in time to pull upwards before going headfirst into the ocean.
" I'm awake, I'm awake." I reassured Neteyam as he stared at me concerned.
" We're almost there." He promised, I could tell he was tired too from the journey. He was just too stubborn to show it.
" I was thinking..." I hesitated and he tilted his head at me.
" Yeah?"
" I was thinking that once we landed you could teach me english."
He looked at me shocked, " You?You want to learn english?"
His shock made me not want to learn it.
I looked at the horizon, " It's infuriating not understanding anything."
I thought back on my confusion when we were held hostage. I needed to be able to understand the demons, especially to be able to protect my family. I didn't need to be clueless on everything they said and become useless.
He smiled at me, " It's going to be just like old times."
I shook my head and smiled back at him. When Neteyam and I first met, I couldn't speak in our tongues. I grew up alone so there was no one to teach me, no one to listen to learn off of. It made the first year of our friendship very hard, he never stopped trying to communicate with me though. He would always come in and teach me a new word everyday.
" You think it's going to be a lot different than home?" I asked, talking about the reef people.
" I want to say no but..."
" The sea is very different from the forest." I sigh and he nodds
Seeing the look on my face he rushed out, " But we can adapt, you've always been a fast learner Ri."
" Well I've always had a good teacher."
Neteyam's blush was back. He moved his face into his shoulder. I was just speaking truths?
Lo'ak suddenly popped up, " I am going to be sick if you guys keep flirting."
We both shouted, " We aren't flirting!"
"Fall in." Jake commanded us and that's when I realized that we were here. The Metkayina Clan. Jake made calling noises , announcing our arrival. A conch shell was blown, gathering people in the middle area of where we were going to land.
The ocean was a turquoise color, so clear you could see the fish and the reefs. It was...pretty.Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I was thinking.
As soon as we landed the people surrounded us. They looked different from us, a wider rib cage, enlarged eyes with the color blue, their forearms and lower legs expanded into a strake and their tails were shaped like a paddle, everyone looked to have curly hair, and their skin was the color of the sea. Some people had black markings on their bodies.
Jake put his hands out as a sign of peace. My hand inched toward my dagger, wondering if I should put it away to show them I meant no harm.
Neteyam shook his head and grabbed my hand pulling me next to him as we faced forward.
I glanced around warily as everyone's eyes bared down on us, it was making my skin itch. A few boys my age looked at Lo'ak, Neteyam and I in interest. I felt like I was a rare animal out on display. Nevertheless we showed our respect by touching our hands to our foreheads, conveying " I see you."
They didn't recuperate the sign.
A smaller boy with fluffy curly hair pointed and laughed at our tails, " What is that? Is that supposed to be a tail?"
Another boy looked at my eyes and shuddered, " Weird."
I casted my eyes downward. I tried to pull my hand away from Neteyam but he used that to pull me closer with a rumble in his chest. I raised an eyebrow at him. When we were younger he never liked me holding his hand in front of people, he said it embarrassed him. Glancing around I saw some girls my age riding on some type of ocean Ikran, one girl stepped onto land and I can say she was very pretty.
"Woah." Lo'ak murmured. I held back my laugh as he stared at the girl entranced. I side eyed Neteyam to see if he was as entranced but he was more amused than anything.
I hit Lo'ak in the arm, " Look away, you're scaring her."
He looked down and Neteyam hid his smile, knowing what I was thinking as always. I was going to tease Lo'ak so hard later.
" It's too small and thin to swim with."
They were still talking about our tails? The pretty girl came and slapped the two guys on the arm, " Do not, Roxto, Ao'nung." She gave them a hard stare.
She turned back to us and Lo'ak nodded his head to her, "hey."
I wanted to laugh at him so bad right now but I kept my composure. She actually giggled behind her hand. I was actually curious to see how that was going to turn out.
The leaders of the clan came flying in on some type of sea creature? It was nothing I had ever seen before. It had a long tail, and snout but with wings.
Jake told us the male leader's name was Tonowari and his wife was Ronal.
We greeted him with our I see you sign. Ronal came up behind her husband and looked at us with disdain. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be easy to stay.
" Why do you come to us, Jake Sully?"
Jake turned to us and the Metikaina people, " We seek Uturu."
" Uturu?" Ronal hissed.
I almost groaned to myself, we did not just come all this way for them to turn us down.
" A sanctuary for my family"
Ronal started circling us, Tonowari spoke " We are reef people. You are forest people. Your skills will mean nothing here."
He wasn't wrong..
Jake spoke , "so we will learn their ways, right?" He looked at us and we nodded.Me more reluctantly than everyone else.
Ronal grabbed Neytiri's tail, and Tuk's arm. " Their arms are thin,Their tails are weak. You'll be slow in the water."
Tuk hid behind Neytiri, and Ronal moved onto Kiri staring at her hands. It was always the hands that got people, always. I breathed through my nose. They grew up Na'vi so why does it matter if they have four fingers or not?
" These children aren't even true Navi." She raised Kiri's hands causing gasps to run through the crowd.
Ronal moves onto Lo'ak and he looks down, " They have demon blood."
People hissed. I hope Jake had a backup plan, but with the way he was looking right now I was guessing not.
He raised his own hands, "Look. Look."
He looks towards the people, "I was born of the sky people, now I am Na'vi.We will Adapt."
Neytiri spoke, "My husband was Toruk Makto. He led the Clans to victory over the sky people."
Ronal was not impressed, " This you called Victory? Hiding among strangers? It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one"
That was a little harsh. Neytiri hissed and they circled one another. It was about to go down. I bet on Neytiri. I've seen what happens when she gets pissed, and it isn't a pretty sight.
Jake stepped forward, " I apologize for my mate. She has flown a long way and is exhausted." "Do not apologize for me"He gave her the look.
Tonowari finally spoke up, " Tarok Makto, the Great War leader. All Navi people know his story, But we Metikayana people are not at War."
" We can not let you bring your war here."
Tuk wanted to be held by Jake and Jake held her and spoke "I am done with war.okay. I just want to protect my family and keep them safe."
Tuk really came in clutch with that sentence because it actually looked like they were considering it. Ronal and Tonowari looked at each other, portraying their emotions through their eyes.Could these people speak to each other through their brans? I turned to look at Neteyam and stared at him.He rose an eyebrow at me in confusion.
Can you hear me?
Common Netty, don't let me down like this. I stared harder, he pushed my face away.
" Your such a weirdo, you know that right?" he whispered in my ear.
I was suddenly ticklish, and gave a giggle when the air from his mouth touched my face. He shook his head at me and looked forward. Oh yeah I forgot about that.
It seems that they have come to a conclusion. We were going to stay.
I didn't know if I was relieved or disappointed.
Tonowari spoke to his people basically saying we were babies in a new environment and that we should pull our weight so we don't become a burden of being useless. Useless was a new one for me. Probably not for Neteyam though, I looked at him and gave him a pointed look, he bumped his shoulder into mine.
Tonowari introduced his son and his daughter, the pretty girl and the older boy that was looking at our tails.
"My son Ao'nung and our daughter Tsierya will show your children what to do."
Ao'nung was not happy with that but Tonowari stopped his complaints, " Tis has been decided."
Tsierya looked happy about it though, " Come, I will show you around our village."
It was different from the forest, they had huts and this weblike structure so that we could walk over the water. Tuk was having a field day with it.Sea Ikrans were everywhere, I almost dropped the bags in surprise as one popped up out of nowhere.
" Shut up."
" I wasn't going to say anything." Neteyam hid back his laugh.
We arrived in our own hut, " This is for you. Your new home."
Neytiri dropped her bags and heaved out a sigh. I was feeling that right now too. The word home didn't fit this place.
At sunset, Jake called a Family meeting.
" everyone fall in."
Everyone was in a bad mood, except Neteyam who was putting on a facade for everyone. I knew better though.
" Remember family meeting?" He grabbed Lo'ak and forced him to sit down in the circle.
I was feeling really awkward right now. I don't think I had ever been in a "family meeting" before. I started inching my way towards the opening of the hut, if I just go quietly maybe they wouldn't notice. Neteyam snatched my wrist and pulled me down next to him, he gave me a reprimanding look.I shrugged my shoulders in innocence.
" I need you kids to be on your best behavior. I mean it .Learn fast, pull your weight, don't cause trouble, got it?" Jake look directly at the Lo'ak, "yes sir"
Neteyam put a hand on the back of Lo'aks neck but he hissed at him in annoyance. To lessen the blow I put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at my hand and then put a hand over it to show me that he was okay.
Tuk cried, " I want to go home."
She was portraying how everyone was feeling, " Tuk..this is our home now.We're going to get through this.We're going to get through this and we have each other's backs, right?"
"What does your father always say?" Neytiri asked us.
I did not know the answer to that but it seemed like everyone else did.
"Sully's stick together."
I winced and grabbed my knees pulling them in.
"That's right, Sully's stick together. Now again, This time with some feeling."
Everyone said it more strongly, except me. Jake stared at me, and I avoided his gaze.
" Riti, you're a sully. Always have been... I need you on board with this."
I twiddled my thumbs and nodded, not knowing what to say. They were obviously waiting for something, " You have to say it." Neteyam said.
That was a bit extra.
" I dont think-"
" Say it RIti." Kiri said, bumping my shoulder.
I sighed, looking up at Jake and Neytiri who was giving me an encouraging look ," Sully's stick together."
"That's what i'm talking about."
I smiled and a warm feeling filled my chest. Riti Sully? I could get used to that.
Later that night I looked at the stars, even in a new place the stars layed unchanged. I wasn't used to sleeping with everyone so I came outside, feeling the breeze. I tried to fall asleep, laying on my back but it was not happening,
" Riti are you out here?"
" Here" I waved down Neteyam
" It's been a long day. Why aren't you asleep?" He sat down next to me.
"I don't know."
" Thats weird you love sleep."
I nodded, " I know!"
He felt my forehead, " Is there something wrong with you?"
I pushed his hand off and sat up. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed, " I don't know."
He pulled me so that I was sitting across from him. He put his elbow on my knee and placed his head on his hand.
" What's wrong Ri?"
Ignoring how close he was and the butterflies that I felt in my stomach I groaned, " What isn't wrong?"
He hummed. " I know how you feel."
" You think we're going to have trouble with the people here?" I pondered, twiddling my thumbs.
"I don't know."
He pulled my face up to look at his, " I do know one thing though."
" What's that?"
" should I tell you?" He sat back on his elbows tilting his head up at the sky. I admired his beauty for a second before I could gather my thoughts.
" Do you want to die?" I threatened him coming closer.
"Not particularly."
I raised my eyebrow.
" I know that as long as I have you, no one else matters. " He shrugged
" I can't be your only friend Netty." I spoke but his words evoked a spark to come alive. My cheeks heated up and I made sure that he didn't see. I didn't need him teasing me.
"I can get along with people, but the only person that gets me is you."
" Why try finding someone else when I already have you?"
" oh shut up you skxawng." I flopped down next to him.
" I'm being serious ,Riti."
" So you'd really be content with just me and you for the rest of your life?" I laughed thinking he was just messing with me. He just wanted me to feel better.
" Yeah, You and my family."
I stopped laughing when he didn't join me, and turned my head. I thought about it and shrugged, " You know what? Me either."
He looked at me finally, and I just pretended to think back, " even back at home I wasn't really friends with anyone else except you and I was perfectly happy."
He smiled, " So then it won't be any different here."
How did he always know how to make me feel better?He was also most of the time right, not that i would ever tell him this.
" You ready to go to bed now?"
I leaned my head on his shoulder and yawned, "let's just stay here for a little while longer."
He wrapped an arm around my waist. This was normal for us but I don't think that normal friends do this. Especially with these feelings I have for him, I shouldn't be further pushing myself into his arms. Not when I would be crushed by his rejection. I was a close friend to him, that was all. I almost slapped myself for almost thinking otherwise.I wasn't going to lose my best friend over some stupid feelings. I never wanted to lose him and that was a big possibility if I furthered whatever I felt for him. I pushed the thoughts of my feelings away as I have been doing the past year. I pulled myself off of him with reluctance.
" Alright all mighty Sänume, you ready to teach me some english?"
He laughed, " Okay, lets start off with some greetings."
I groaned " Thats boring, teach me something else."
"Like what?"
I grinned, and he looked at me cautiously, " I know that look. I am not teaching you how to cuss people out in english."
My shoulders dropped, " Just one." I begged
" Pleasssseeeee."
" No." He didn't look into my eyes, and I lunged at him, hugging his legs " PLEASEEEEE!"
" Okay okay!"
" Just don't tell my dad."
I rubbed my hands together.
" This is such a bad Idea."