"the Cove of the Ancestors"
Y/n woke up extra early and started to do some errands around the village. she wanted to see if it would help her convince her parents to shorten her punishment.
Y/n was carrying a basket full of Akula teeth and a couple of already carved handles. she was walking to the giant roots just by the edge of the reef.
"you're up early."
Y/n turned around and saw Neteyam walking to her. Y/n smiled and shifted the basket to her hip.
when Neteyam got close enough, Y/n grabbed his necklace and pulled him to her. she placed a small kiss on his lips and looked into his eyes. "why are you up?"
"i don't know." he said and traced his finger on her waist. "what are you doing?"
Y/n sighed and moved the basket back to her front. "i... am making knifes." she motioned to her basket.
"cool." he looked down. "can i help?"
"sure." Y/n smiled. she turned around and started walking again. Neteyam noticed that she still had the flower in her hair.
"you still have the flower?"
"yeah." she reached to the back of her head and touched the flower. "it didn't wilter last night, so i just put it back in my hair."
Y/n hopped over a couple of puddles and looked back a couple of times to check if Neteyam was following her.
the puddles got bigger and bigger and soon they were just huge pools. the water splashed everywhere as Y/n walked.
she stepped to a rock platform with a couple of trees and had seaweed covering all of it. Y/n set down the basket with a huff and sat down.
Neteyam walked around her and sat down with his back to one of the trees. "so, how do we do this?" he rubbed his hands together.
"okay." Y/n chuckled at his excitement. "you are going to make your first knife." she smiled to him.
"wait, really?" he asked her.
"yeah!" she exclaimed. "give me your case." she reached out her hand. Neteyam reached for his case that was on his loincloth.
he unattached it and handed it to her. "pick a handle." she told him and pointed to the basket.
Y/n took the knife out of its case and looked at it. she started to rummage through the Akula teeth to find one that had the same shape.
"did you carve any of these?" Neteyam asked Y/n.
Y/n looked up from the teeth and looked over at him. "um... probably? if you find my mark, it is mine." she showed him her mark on her own knife.
the mark was just some swirl with the first letter of her name in the middle. it was small but you could see it if you looked really closely.
Neteyam nodded his head and went back to looking. Y/n finally found one tooth that was similar to Neteyams knife.
she grabbed a strip of rope and waited for Neteyam to pick a handle. after looking for a couple of moments, he finally found one and handed it to Y/n.
"great. now we just wrap it together really tight." she told him. "like, really tight." she started wrapping the rope around the tooth and the handle.
Neteyam watched her as she tied it off and brought the knife up. she started shaking it and then she threw it down at the rocks.
"to check its strength." Y/n told him when she saw his look. she picked up the knife and looked at it. she flipped it and saw the bottom, it had her mark in it.
Y/n smiled and handed it back to Neteyam, along with his old knife and the case. he attached the case back on his cloth and placed his new knife in it.
Neteyam looked at Y/n, holding his old knife. "just put it in the basket." she waved him off.
he nodded his head and did as he was told. Neteyam looked back up at Y/n who has started on another knife.
he moved the basket that was separating them and moved closer to her. Y/n saw him move the basket. "what are you d-"
she was cut off by Neteyam kissing while holding her chin. Y/n immediately melted into the kiss and started kissing back.
Y/n forgot all about making the knifes and started moving even closer to Neteyam. his hand moved from her chin to her cheek and he started kissing down from her lips to her neck.
Y/n sighed contentment and closed her eyes. she wanted to enjoy her moment with Neteyam, since she doesn't know how long it will last.
"we need more!"
Y/n jumped away from Neteyam and set quite a distance between the two of them. the people had started waking up and went straight to their tasks.
even though Neteyam understood why she did that, it still hurt.
Y/n went back to the knives as the people started walking to the big root to fish and do some other work.
"Y/n! Neteyam!"
the two looked to the source of the voice and saw Tsireya walking to them with Ao'nung and Rotxo.
Neteyam glared at Ao'nung as he walked closer to them. Ao'nung cowered a little but still held his head up. "hey." he nodded his head to Neteyam.
Neteyam didn't say anything just continued to glare. Ao'nung looked at Y/n for help but she just shrugged, telling him to figure it out by himself.
"what are you doing here?" Tsireya crouched down next to her sister.
"i was teaching Neteyam how to make a knife." she told her and pointed to the basket. "also i hoped it would help me lower the punishment down to three days."
"you really hate that punishment?" Tsireya picked up one of the knives Y/n made.
"you would too." Y/n told her and dropped the knife she made into the basket.
"over here!" Neteyam shouted and waved his hand in the air. Y/n looked back and saw his siblings running to them.
Y/n spotted Lo'ak running to them too. what surprised Y/n was when Lo'ak got to them Ao'nung and him did some kind of shake.
Y/n looked over at Neteyam in shock and he also had a shocked look. Ao'nung and Lo'ak started talking like Ao'nung didn't abandon him in the ocean.
speaking of that, Y/n wanted to know how Lo'ak survived beyond the reef for a whole day. "what happened?" she asked.
"what?" Lo'ak turned to the girl.
"out there, in the ocean. what happened?" she repeated.
Lo'ak sat down next to Tsireya and started explaining what an adventure it was out there. he talked about how an Akula almost killed him if a Tulkun wouldn't have saved him.
Ao'nung and Y/n shared a look. the Tulkun haven't arrived yet and aren't going to until a couple of weeks. and it was rather odd how the Tulkun was alone.
only one Tulkun travels alone and Y/n prayed that Lo'ak didn't end up meeting him.
but, when Lo'ak started talking about the adventures that the Tulkun took him on and all of that, it brought a smile on Y/n's lips on how highly he talked about the animal. Lo'ak was talking about the Tulkun like it was his soul brother.
maybe the tales weren't true, but there was a high chance that it wasn't the same Tulkun that Y/n was thinking about.
"i wished i'd been there." Kiri smiled thoughtfully. "the ocean blessed you with a gift, brother."
"the Tulkun have not returned yet." Ao'nung spoke. "and anyway, no Tulkun is ever alone."
Y/n spotted Neteyam rolling his eyes at Ao'nung and scratching his head in annoyance.
"this one was." Lo'ak shook his head. "he had a... um, missing fin." Y/n looked over at Rotxo and then at Tsireya. "like stump on the left side."
"oh, poor Tulkun." Kiri sighed.
Tsireya looked over at Y/n to see if she was thinking the same as her. Y/n thought for a moment and then nodded her head.
"Payakan. it's Payakan." Tsireya told Lo'ak.
Lo'ak and his siblings looked confused. since they didn't live on their island, they knew nothing about the stories of the killer Tulkun, Payakan.
"who's Payakan?" Kiri immediately asked.
Rotxo sighed. "a young bull who went rogue." he answered her question. "he is outcast, alone, and he has a missing fin."
"the stories say that Payakan killed Na'vi and other Tulkuns." Y/n spoke, but a little uncertain about the information.
"not here." Ao'nung spoke when he saw some frightened looks from Kiri and Tuk. "but far to the south."
"they say he is a ruthless killer." Y/n spoke again.
"no, he's no killer." Lo'ak denied everything they just told him.
"Lo'ak, you are lucky to be alive." Tsireya grabbed his hand.
"i'm telling you guys, he saved my life." Lo'ak tried to convince them. "he's my friend."
Y/n frowned and looked away from the group. she was told to stay away from Payakan as he was a killer but now Lo'ak tells a whole different story.
"my baby bro..." Y/n was brought back to reality when Neteyam stood up from his crouched position. he grabbed Lo'aks shoulder and shook them a bit. "the mighty warrior who faced the killer Tulkun and lived to tell about it."
Lo'ak pushed his hands away and Y/n noticed he was getting pissed. Lo'ak let go of Tsireyas hand and stood up. "you guys aren't listening." he turned away from them and walked away.
as he was walking away, his sisters tried to convince him to stay. "no, i- i'm listening, Lo'ak." Tuk whined.
"Lo'ak, come back." Kiri spoke. "you skxawng."
Y/n looked over at Neteyam who shook his head and sighed. Y/n stood up and walked to Neteyam. she put a hand on his shoulder before running after Lo'ak.
"Lo'ak!" she shouted. Lo'ak didn't turn around just continued to storm off. "Lo'ak!" she shouted again.
"what?!" he stopped and turned around.
"are you going to find Payakan?" she questioned him. Lo'ak hesitated before nodding his head.
"he's not a killer." he insisted. "you have to believe me."
Y/n sighed and looked out to the sea. "did Payakan really do all of those things you just told us?" she turned back to Lo'ak.
Lo'ak nodded his head repeatedly, hoping that someone would believe him. Y/n knew Lo'ak wouldn't lie for no reason so she crossed her arms and smiled softly. "be safe out there."
Lo'ak smiled and ran off again, but in a better mood this time.
Y/n turned back around and walked to the group again. she spotted Kiri and Rotxo talking together, more like Kiri talking and Rotxo staring at her, mesmerised.
Tuk was playing around with Tsireya, who wasn't as excited as she normally was. Ao'nung was talking with Neteyam, much to Y/n's surprise.
when Neteyam saw Y/n walking back, he left Ao'nung and walked up to her. he smiled at her and she smiled back. he grabbed her forearms and brought them to him.
Y/n hesitated a little and looked over Neteyams shoulder to see if anyone saw them. Neteyam noticed this and his smiled dropped a little. "hey." he grabbed her attention.
Y/n looked at Neteyam and gave him a tight smile. "we need to talk about..." Neteyam trailed off. he dropped one of her forearms and pointed to the two of them.
Y/n knew what he was talking about and pulled her arm out of his grip. "right." she whispered. she walked around him and back to where the basket of knives were. "can we talk about it later?" she whispered to him.
Neteyam trailed behind her and looked around. "can't we talk now?" he asked her.
Y/n picked up the basket and started making her way back to the village. "this is a conversation for another time, Neteyam." Y/n said in a stern voice.
"yeah, okay." he whispered. "but-" he started again.
"Neteyam!" Y/n stopped walking and turned to the boy. Neteyam jumped back, shocked by her shouting. "i am sorry." she apologised after noticing him jump. "just- just please be patient. we will talk about this, ma Neteyam." she whispered his name.
Y/n took one of her hands off the basket and touched his hand. she didn't want to hold it and risk someone seeing them.
Neteyam looked down at their hands. he wanted nothing more that to hold her hand and run out of there.
Y/n retracted her hand and placed it back on the basket. "go back to the others." she told him. "i will be there in a moment."
Y/n walked away and went to her marui. but before as she made a turn she looked back to Neteyam who was looking at her with a longing stare.
Y/n looked down into the basket and continued walking.
she understood why Neteyam wanted to talk about... them and where they stood in their relationship, but Y/n didn't.
it pained Y/n to even think about it. if they started talking about what they were, the relationship would be done for.
Y/n is betrothed to a man she is about to pick in a couple months, Neteyam can't be one of them.
she desperately wanted to show her parents that she is a good leader and is capable of taking care of her people, the mate thing is unnecessary in her opinion.
but, at last she has to pick one. Y/n has horrible options and would rather strangle herself with a rope than mate with one of them.
it would make her parents proud if she picked, but...
oh, her Neteyam.
he is certainly the one for her.
• • •
Neteyam watched as Y/n walked away with the basket. with only one thought on his mind, he left and walked to the group.
'why is she ignoring the talk?' Neteyam thought to himself.
Neteyam desperately wanted to know where they were in the relationship. he knew that she has feelings for him and Neteyam has feeling for her.
the whole 'choosing a mate' is getting in the way. Neteyam hated that he had to fall for the chiefs daughter but luckily he knew one person who fell for one too.
instead of walking to the group, Neteyam walked into his home. he found Jake sitting there with his knife, carving something.
"sir." Neteyam called.
Jake looked up from his craft and smiled. "son." he said. "come on, come sit." he waved him over.
Neteyam walked to him and sat down. he started fidgeting with his fingers out of nervousness.
Jake noticed this. "why are you so nervous?" he asked his son while he carved.
Neteyam inhaled and mustered up the courage to ask him. "mom was betrothed to Tsu'tey before you came along, right?"
Jake stopped carving for a moment. "is this about Y/n?" he started carving again.
"how did..." Neteyam stopped to think about his next words. "how did mom get out of mating with Tsu'tey?"
"well, Tsu'tey died while fighting in the battle, so it made my job a lot easier." Jake joked.
"dad." Neteyam groaned.
Jake chuckled and dropped the things in his hands. he looked over at his son with a smile. "your mother and i mated, before Eywa."
Neteyam and sighed in disappointment.
Neteyam couldn't do that, he didn't even know what kind of relationship he was in with Y/n.
"it's hard falling for a future leader, isn't it?" Jake asked Neteyam.
"yeah." Neteyam looked down at the ground. Jake gripped one of his shoulders making Neteyam look up at him.
"if Eywa wants you two together." he started. "then Eywa, will make it happen." Jake reassured him.
"hey." Rotxo was now in the opening. "we're going to show your sisters the Cove of the Ancestors." he pointed to the sea behind him. "you coming?"
Neteyam smiled and stood up. "yeah, i'm coming." he started walking out. Rotxo grinned and walked off. before Neteyam walked all the way out of the hut, he turned back to his dad. "thank you, sir." he nodded his head and left.
Neteyam saw Y/n, Tsireya and his sisters standing on the beach, waiting for the boys. Kiri noticed the guys and cheered. "finally." she groaned. "let's go."
Y/n called for the Ilus and they all got on one, Tuk being on the back of Kiris. they all started to ride.
Tsireya and Rotxo were in the front, leading them all in the right direction. Y/n was riding a little back and in front of Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk were a little behind enjoying the sea.
Neteyam looked forward at Y/n and leaned his body forward to go faster. he was now riding right beside her. Y/n looked to the side and smiled at him.
"Y/n, please, we need to talk." he emphasised each word.
Y/n's smile dropped and she looked a little distressed. "Neteyam, stop it." she pleaded. Neteyam watched her dive under the water and he followed.
the group swam under and over some rocks before going up over the surface again. Y/n was now in the front with her sister.
"we are here." Tsireya announced.
Neteyam and his sisters looked around. Neteyam smiled at the scenery, it reminded him a lot of the Hallelujah Mountains back home.
"this is the Cove of the Ancestors, our most sacred place." Tsireya, Rotxo and Y/n all looked back at the first siblings to see their faces.
Tuk was gasping loudly. Kiri was silently looking around with a smile and Neteyam did the same.
Y/n let her Ilu swim backwards to Neteyam. he looked at her and then looked away. Y/n sighed and put a hand on his bicep. "we will talk about it when we get back." she told him.
"no going back on your word." Neteyam told her and smiled.
Y/n chuckled silently and looked up. "eclipse is the best time of day to be here." Y/n told them.
as the suns disappeared, the group continued to ride slowly to their destination. they finally spotted a huge glowing tree under the water.
"this is it." Tsireya stopped her Ilu. "this is our Spirit Tree." she said.
"let's go down." Y/n smiled and got off her Ilu. the rest followed and started to dove and swim to the tree.
Tsireya showed Kiri how to connect with the tree, while Rotxo showed Tuk. Y/n took Neteyam a little further away from them and showed him.
Neteyam grabbed his braid and connected it with one of the leaves. he closed his eyes and let everything go blank.
✯
Neteyam opened his eyes and looked around. he stood in a glowing, white room alone. "hello?" he called out.
suddenly, he heard giggles coming from all around. he turned around in circles to try and see who was laughing.
"Neteyam."
Neteyam turned around and saw Y/n standing in front of him smiling up at him. "Y/n." he whispered.
Y/n giggled again and grabbed his hand. "what are you waiting for?" she started pulling him with her.
as they walked, Neteyam noticed Y/n's features and body started to change. she started getting tattoos and her hair started to get longer. her clothes changed and scars started to scatter around her body.
Neteyam felt himself getting taller and develop more muscles. Y/n let go of his hand as a little kid started running to them.
Neteyam furrowed his eyebrows in confusion on who this kid was. Y/n picked it up and started bouncing it up and down.
the kid noticed Neteyam and started stretching out for him. "ma sempul!" the kid exclaimed.
Neteyam eyebrow shot up. he was certainly not his father. "aren't you going to greet your son, ma Neteyam?" Y/n smiled up at him.
tears were welling up in Neteyams eyes as he walked closer to Y/n and the kid. "my family." he whispered under his breath.
he chuckled a sob and kissed Y/n's head. he then looked at the boy and touched his head. as soon as he touched him, Y/n and the boy started disintegrating into the air.
Neteyam took a step back and watched them disappear from his sight. "no, no, no, no."
in Y/n's place, he saw another Na'vi but she looked different. Neteyam can't even describe her, except that she was taller than most Na'vi and that her eyes were indigo.
Neteyam realised who it was and fell down to his knees. "Eywa." he bowed.
the goddess walked to him and gently put her hand on his head. "i'm sorry, my child."
Neteyam looked up at Eywa and stood up. "what?" he asked. "what does that mean?" he asked her again just more worried this time.
the goddess backed away from him and spread her arms.
suddenly, Neteyam was pulled back and everything around him turned black.
✯
Neteyam opened his eyes and his sight was set on Y/n who was shaking him. he saw the leaves on the trees were blinking and he looked at the girl.
she had a worried expression and pointed him to Kiri, it looked like she was having a seizure.
Y/n and Neteyam quickly swam to her along with the rest. when Tsireya disconnect her Kiris bond with the Spirit Tree it stopped glowing and her bioluminescence spots started blinking.
Rotxo and Neteyam grabbed Kiri by the arms and swam up to the surface.
"come on!"
"Kiri!" Tuk exclaimed as soon as her head was out of the water. Y/n called for one of the Ilus to help Neteyam find a stable surface.
Neteyam pushed Kiri on top and got on the Ilu. Tsireya gel the Ilu still so it wouldn't move as much.
"Kiri! what's wrong? what is it?" Tuk swam closer.
"it was a seizure." Neteyam started doing mouth to mouth, hoping that it would make Kiri breathe again.
Y/n held Kiris head, worried for the girl. Kiri and Y/n had gotten closer the past few weeks. Kiri kept asking Y/n about the sea and what they do so Y/n decided to teach her on specific days.
"is she breathing?" Rotxo was next to Y/n and was really worried for the forest girl. Neteyam tried again. "is she breathing?"
by the third time, Kiri finally breathed. Y/n sighed in relief and gave Neteyam Kiris head. "go, quick!" Y/n told him. "to the village!"
"let's go!" Neteyam nodded his head and rode off.
"Tuk, come here!" Y/n got on her Ilu and pulled Tuk up with her.
Y/n rode as fast as she could on her Ilu. Tuk held on to her shoulders tightly so she wouldn't fall off. "will she be okay?" she sobbed.
Y/n glanced back at Tuk and patted her leg. "she will be fine."
『••✎••』
please do not forget to vote, it really motivates me to write more <3
i had four tests in the past weeks and i crushed them.
i'm a pro at school. a literal pro.
i'm still debating the ending. but i do have like three different ideas🤭