i've got too many tabs open in the brain rn
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"don't worry about it."
ao'nung grunts at the thought of neteyam being completely clueless.
whatever happens is his own doing.
"you can't just say it like that and expect me to ignore it y'know"
neteyam nudges the boy on the arm, urging to have a clue with what he's on about.
"ask my sister." a monotonous voice adheres quietly and the two fall silent whilst taking the same route from yesterday.
ao'nung couldn't help himself but to steal a glance at the charm; noticing various hanging items.
however, it's the red crystal that took his attention away from the others, furrowing in concentration.
"i don't understand why we have to do this." the metkayina groans, speaking on another topic to distract himself.
"would you let your sister do this?"
"huh- of course not. i'm talking about the warriors. we are literally children."
ao'nung releases a harsh, thick exhale as his gaze immediately falls onto an item.
"we aren't that youn- what?" neteyam perceives a furrow on the boy's cast, turning his focus towards the same direction.
as the two cautiously bend closer to the object, neteyam recognises the piece.
perhaps he's seeing things.
and so, neteyam inches way closer before being stopped by a hand grab on his wrist.
"wait, what if it explodes?"
ao'nung's eyes doesn't leave the seldom article.
"calm down. it's not going to explode."
his eyes roll at the lunacy before reaching out and grabbing ahold of the item as ao'nung's grips onto the boy's wrist even tighter.
"see. it's just a piece of metal."
neteyam places it in the air between the two, observing it closely.
that's when neteyam registers the fact that ao'nung is still holding onto his wrist; clearly occupied by the object himself.
"are you going to let go of me or..."
his eyes avert down and ao'nung does the same, abruptly loosening his fingers.
"but i wonder how it got all the way.. here.." neteyam eyes out the ocean, glaring while his mind adsorbs any possibility.
"the sea current was mad last night.. maybe that's why?" ao'nung tilts his head and looks over the boy's shoulder.
"probably.. i'll show it to my father, maybe he'll know something."
to ao'nung it may seem like an odd piece of metal but to neteyam, there could be many issues if it's what he thinks of.
"let's keep moving."
a clench to the jaw by neteyam as he starts to move with ao'nung following closely.
as the two boys continue walking down the shoreline, nothing had been seen so far and neteyam releases an internal exhale.
"i think we're fine. we've see nothing else other than that metal."
ao'nung nods at the boy's observations, gazing at the ground and wondering how to keep him not go all out crazy.
he couldn't allow that; it's only him here.
if neteyam goes crazy, he'll get attacked.
"you got a girl?" he suddenly blurts out, thinking it's the best question ever in order to change the energy in the air.
"what kinda-"
"just curious, we're friends aren't we?" he quickly layers over neteyam's vowels, gazing at him.
neteyam clenches his jaw before a breath.
"i don't.. do you?"
"nah. i don't do that whole love thing, it's fucked up." ao'nung scowls and attention darts onto the sandy grounds.
"how so?" neteyam's ears perk high and now looking at ao'nung with a sudden growth in curiosity.
"it just is — why don't you have a potential mate yet anyway?"
"maybe because i'm not into it? i'm the eldest son so my times been used up by my siblings."
neteyam shrugs, feeling content in his responsibilities for the younger sully's.
"they're grown, they can take care of themselves"
"it's a dangerous world out here."
ao'nung pursues his lips tightly, not sure how to clap back with a response like that.
"hey let me ask you something."
"where do you even run off to when you're supposed to tech us along side reya?"
the metkayina's ear perks in alert, not sure how to respond to that.
"i'm just a busy na'vi, surprised you noticed." ao'nung shrugs back with eyes being shut for a mere second before looking back at the boy.
"how can i not when lo'ak keeps bringing it up"
neteyam huffs through the nose, slanting his head to the other side.
neteyam thinks for a second, contemplating wether he should bring up the fact that he keeps seeing ao'nung tip toeing away at the darkest of nights; consistently.
almost every night too.
he decides to not squeak a vowel of such.
"just how busy are you? i don't see reya as busy as you? she's even got the time to teach us."
"i'm just the older brother, that's all. stop questioning my whereabouts."
ao'nung groans, explicitly lying through the teeth.
neteyam sighs and comes to the understanding with silence drawing in closer.
once the two makes it into the forest once again, a sudden odour offences their snout causing ears to become high on alert.
"gas?" neteyam's gaze darts back and forth around the forest with a scowl.
"gas..?"
ao'nung tilts his head in complete bewilderedness whilst turning his focus on the boy.
neteyam could feel the uncontrollable thumping of his heart beat, terror rushing over him.
what if we get attacked?
is this an ambush?
how did they end up here?
"i think it's best we call the others before moving" ao'nung comes quick to place his palm on the boy's shoulder before he pounced forward.
"that'll be too late." neteyam scowls, turning back to see an unfamiliar figure behind them.
"look out!-"
and that's it.
of course, ao'nung gets knocked out
but with neteyam still conscious, he's quick to grab ahold of the dagger in his belt sleeve, instantly slicing the individual's throat, watching red liquid spew out from the cut aggressively.
neteyam quickly grabs the unconscious metkayina and carries him on his back, still eyeing the dying individual before they go out cold.
the boy's breathing hitches, petrified at the sight.
he didn't want to continue alone into the haunting of the forest.
neteyam knows he must head back before anything happens.
and so, the omaticaya bolts back into the village; scowling as his mind wanders.
he hadn't got the time to observe the person clearly but it was indeed another na'vi but thing was, they weren't wearing the similar clothing as the ones he saw back at the forest at home.
is it another na'vi?
one of their own?
neteyam quickly shakes those absurd thoughts as his focus retrieves to running back.
that's the first priority; and telling both his father and tonowari what had happened.
"you better not fall into coma you weirdo."
he seethes through his teeth, speaking up as if ao'nung could hear him as the grip around the boy's thigh thickens.
❦
it's been a few hours and ao'nung who had been placed nicely in his pod hasn't opened his eyes.
needless to say, both families were getting unsteady.
ao'nung being unconscious and the mysterious attack that was greatly unprovoked.
both families had come together to conduct a meeting about this confusing situation and sharing such theories.
"—what is the meaning of this?"
tonowari furrows towards jake whilst gazing down on his unconscious son.
"i.. i don't know. neteyam, did you see anything else?"
"no, we could only pick up the gas scent and then there was that ... na'vi? — and that metal."
neteyam explains, pointing towards that article in jake's hand.
"where's the na'vi now..?" neytiri finally speaks up, frowning at her son but averts his gaze.
"...dead." he mumbles.
"oh eywa.." neytiri allows her eyes to come to a shut with a sigh of relief, placing her palms together against the forehead.
"if there's the gas smell, that just means their vehicle got mildly destroyed. they've come to seek land away from the main village."
jake mutters on, furrowing towards the ground.
"what're we still doing here then?? shouldn't we go into the forest and attack those .. beings?! plus since when did you guys have a forest??"
lo'ak exclaims, eyes dancing between the group.
"no.. we can't just charge in. we don't know what they're capable of nor who they really are." neteyam looks at his scowling brother, gulping at the possibilities in that forest.
"i've got an idea.." jake crooks his head up at tonowari who folds his ears in suspicion.
"it's old friends." his eyes make its way to neytiri who's eyes widen in hope.
"who..?"
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1426 wc
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woke up and suddenly felt super hungry