Vareya hummed softly as she sharpened her hunting knife. In the safety of her own hut built away from the rest of the clan. There was nothing she was missing out on by not being placed beside the ocean like the rest of her family. She was still capable of enjoying the ocean breeze, the oceans wildlife a distant rhythm along with her humming, and she can enjoy it with no interruptions.
It's not like she truly belonged in the clan anyway. Vareya is the only outcast in her clan, the mysterious Na'vi that no one knows where she truly came from. A half breed. Half Metkayina because of her father, unknown for the other half.
Vareya's skin was a mix of what her people say is not quite metkayina blue, but mixed with something else. Her tail was thin as one from the forest, yet her forearms were only slightly wider. Her eyes were nothing from her fathers side, large yet narrow, and a violet so deadly her family says Eywa has bestowed a grand gift upon Vareya.
Her eyes especially more vibrant due to her powdered hair. ' Brighter than the whitest pearl'. Her uncle constantly reminded her. Oh how she loathed it.
Loathed the fact she couldn't belong anywhere or never truly learn what she is.
Her entire life she's lived like this and she's come to the conclusion that she'll never accept herself. Never accept her appearance, nobody else does anyway.
That's a lie. Somebody did, once. Somebody accepted her for who she was, no fear, not for laughs, but pure love. Then she-
Her thoughts were cut off by the sounds of flapping wings and the horn being blown to alert the clan of incomers.
Vareya leapt up, looking out from the clearing of her very own Mauri. It was set farther into the island, not right on shore like the rest of the clan.
This location gave her isolation and a clear view over the village and beyond the reef. That's where she could see it.
Vareya pointed out five dark figures in flight above the oceans surface. Even from a distance there was no mistaking the size and threat of these creatures, the riders on them were what was in question.
Her nose flared as they made their landing on the island. She usually wouldn't meddle in the affairs of her clan, yet this was something she couldn't miss.
Her hunting knife secured, she made her way down.
~~~~
The entire clan was gathered on shore to see the travelers. Conversation was already erupting between the clans leaders, Olo'eyktan Tonowari and Tsahìk Ronal, and who seemed to be the parents of one odd looking family.
Just a few minutes earlier, Vareya was heading down to greet the intruders with narrowed eyes, barred teeth, and her knife gripped tightly in her hand.
Yet now she's hidden behind a mangrove, jaw slack in shock, and her eyes darting between herself and the Na'vi only feet away from her.
They were not Metkayina, their skins were a darker shade, one that she'd dare say was the missing half of hers? Their limbs were slim, just like her arms, and their tails....identical.
The eyes, hair style, everything was so similar yet so different. She suddenly had the urge to run up to them and demand answers from them, what exactly? She wasn't quite sure herself.
"We can adapt! We will learn your ways, right everyone?" the older male shouted, looking around desperately at his family, they nodded slowly, "Just please, we need a place to reside.."
" I think you mean a place to run and hide with your tails between your legs." Vareya shouted, making her presence known.
The surprise from everyone was clear, but it dispersed soon as they all began to mutter between themselves in fear.
What used to be a huddled circle around the newcomers was soon broken apart as she began making her way towards them. She made sure to hold her head high, keep her eyes narrow, and show no sign of the curious young girl who made her escape a few moments before.
The clan kept their heads low as she passed them, avoiding eye contact as some hid their children behind them.
Good. Let them show the fear they have of her, let them see who they dared cross paths with.
The family stood wide eyed at this mysterious Na'vi who now stood in front of them.
Vareya wasted no time walking right up to them, beginning with a girl. Vareya stared her down, and she looked away biting her lip and began to fiddle with her cloak. That's when she noticed five fingers on each of her hand.
Demon blood, she thought. Then she passed through two boys who stared at her confusingly. They paid their respects, saying I see you, as if not knowing what else to do, and she just hissed at them.
Their ears went down as who she assumed was the younger ones gaze averted to someone behind her. She glanced as saw it was her cousin Tsireya, who looked on the exchange with a worrisome glance.
The older ones jaw tightened, but he didn't dare to say a word as she scanned him. And only for a second, she caught herself admiring his physique.
The way his unusual spots and markings blended so well with strikingly dark blue skin. The beads in his hair swinging slightly and his innocent yet resilient eyes widened and narrowed- either in confusion, fear, shock, or because he was uncomfortable, she did not know.
She snickered at him as she moved on to the woman. Vareya stood face to face with who she figured out was the mother, and none of them broke eye contact.
Even though Vareya wasn't about to back down, there was something dangerous about the Na'vi in front of her. Something raw, brutal, and intense. Then the woman spoke...
"My husband was Toruk Makto" holding her head high as she slowly spoke, as if to make sure they absorbed every word, "and he lead the clans to victory against the sky people"
"Toruk makto, will mean nothing here" Ronal responded for her, and it was true.
No fancy titles would stop Vareya from holding one of their children at knife point and demand the real reason of their becoming.
" This is what you call victory? Hiding amongst strangers? It seemed Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one." Vareya spat with laced venom, setting off Neytiri as they began to hiss towards eachother.
Neytiri's gaze turned deadly.
" You've accepted this disrespectful creature who looks nothing like your people, and you're hesitant to accept my family!"
Vareya hissed loudly at her, unsheathing her knife as everyone else backed in fear, the crowd erupting in fast conversation.
Vareya saw the older son from the corner of her eyes begin to take steps forward as if to defend, gaze set to one similar to his mothers. Deadly. Ready to fight.
Her uncle was the one who had to step in front of her, the only one who dared to, yet his eyes were shooting arrows at the Sully family.
Vareya walked around her uncle, pointing the knife at Neytiri, " Do not think I will hesitate to start a battle with you to keep the war away from this clan who has nothing to do with this." she growled towards both parents.
"I apologise for my mate, she-"
"Do not apologise for me!"
"Has flown a long way and she is exhausted" Jake began to reason.
"Jake!" she hissed, before turning away angrily.
Tonowari widened his eyes slightly before speaking, " Toruk Makto is a Great War leader. All Na'vi people know his story. But we Metkayina, are not at war." he says shaking his head, opening his arms wide. " We cannot let you bring your war here."
"I'm done with war, okay?" he said, sounding pathetically desperate. "I just want to keep my family safe." Jake said directing his attention entirely on Tonowari and Ronal. Now was the first time Vareya noticed the young forest child as she climbed into her fathers arms and held tight.
Jake and his daughter gave them pleading eyes, ones he knew the family side of her uncle couldn't resist.
The Mother closed her eyes, almost as if preparing herself to say her next words, " Uturu has been asked."
Vareya could see her uncle look towards his mate with pleading eyes, she looked up at him, both exchanging words with their eyes.
She hated when they did that.
"Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us." Tonowari announced, Vareya felt her heart drop to her stomach," Treat them as our brothers and sisters. Now they do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless."
The clan around them snickered their response as the Sully family regretfully shared their thank you. The clan slowly departed from the now handled excitement. The white headed Na'vi wasn't quite finished with the situation just yet.
Vareya walked towards her uncle and hissed only low enough for him to hear, " Have you forgotten the... events that took place the last time the sky people raided our clan?"
Although she did everything she could to hide it, she internally winced at the way she hesitated and her voice cracked.
What she hated even more was the sorrowful look Tonowari was now giving her, so when he opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off with a snarl,
" Keep them away from me." was her only request, and he knew better than to protest. He nodded solemnly.
"My Son Aonung , and our daughter Tsireya will show your children what to do."
Aonung began to disapprove of his new role, but his father was quick to put him in his place. Good, Vareya thought.
Leave the babysitting to her cousins.
"Come, I will show you our village." Tsireya sweetly said with an all too genuine smile on her face.
Then her cousin was carrying the foreigners things and leading them to where they would sleep and live among the clan.
Vareya could feel her anger begin to boil as she saw the relief on Jakes face, the rest of the family following suit.
She made a clicking- throaty noise with her tongue to call on her ilu to head outside the reef alone, away from this soon to be disastrous circus that's now taking place on her island.
She doesn't want to imagine the possibilities of another attack from the sky people. The technology they've must've improved, more deadly than ever.
Vareya left on her ilu so fast, she didn't even notice the two eyes looking back at her.