"Tehiti, you will play all day with Tuk. I'm heading out with Neteyam, Lo'ak and Tsireya. While i'm gone be safe and don't leave this place. And if someone bothers you, beat the shit out of them. Got it?"
"Got it" Tehiti replies while smiling excitedly.
"Also sister, I trust you. I know in the end you will do the right thing." I smile at Tehiti as he heads out of the pod to Tuk and Kiri. Once he leaves, tears well up in my eyes.
I cant just go against the one I have feared all my life. It's not a switch I can flip, there will be consequences and if any of them hurt Tehiti's chance at a safe future, i'm not doing it. Oh, Eywa I hope it turns out right in the end.
I pat the bag hanging loose to my side and look at my reflection to see a Na'vi looking back at me. I think while I observe her.
She has red-blue skin and she is wearing a dark blue top that forms patterns of fire and a loincloth around her waist in the similar colour. Her hair hangs loose to her sides, the dark brown waves flowing around her shoulders. She wears shoes to prevent her feet from burning the ground she walks upon and her necklace she made is no longer visible on her neck, for she gave it to someone who makes her feel special. So that he may be safe.
Is this girl a traitor? Will she be the Queen of the Ash People? Will she marry the man who is waiting for her back home?
Or will she grasp and tame the future she desires to build? The mate she desires to have.
To be honest, I'm unsure. I'm unsure of who to listen to: my brain or my heart? Duty or Love?
I sigh and make my down to Jake Sully's pod, where his kids and Tsireya are waiting for me.
...
"Hello (Y/n), it is nice to see you again."
"Nice to see you too Jake Sully."
"Call me Mr. Sully. Take care of yourself children. Be back home before eclipse and don't get yourselves in trouble, especially you Lo'ak."
"Yes sir" Lo'ak and Neteyam reply. The way Neteyam said that with his accent was h.o.t. Damn, i'm down bad. (Y/n) keep it together.
I snap out of my train of thought and follow the three of them to the ikrans waiting for departure.
...
Lo'ak pats his ikran and takes Tsireya's hand to pull her onto his creature. Neteyam offers me his hand and I take it, getting on behind him.
"Let's go!" Lo'ak says as his ikran takes off. Neteyam smirks and his ikran takes off as well. As we fly. the wind blows throughout my hair and I view the crystal water down below, counting the amount of creatures I see. I smile as I see Akala spinning happily towards us and wave at him. He's my favourite!
Lo'ak motions his ikran closer to us and says "you guys are so slow. Come on let's race!"
"Bro you know (Y/n) and I will win" Neteyam replies.
"Not when you're riding the ikran bro, you're too slow. Let her ride." I smile at this and tap Neteyam so we can switch.
"You really want to listen to that skwang?"
"What, you think I can't ride your ikran?"
"No-I never said that."
"Move over. It's time to show your brother what a winner looks like." I crouch on the ikran and carefully move in front of Neteyam. I sit directly in front of him and reach for my braid. I make the bond and the ikran instantly screeches and moves wildly in the sky. I take the reins from Neteyam and calm the creature down and try to stabilize it.
Neteyam pats his ikran and says "calm down, calm. I'm here, everything is alright." He keeps saying this until the ikran stops moving rapidly and eventually it calms down completely.
Lo'ak comes towards us and says "oh so you actually want to do this? Tsireya, sweetheart, hold on tight. 3..2..1 GO!"
Both of the ikran's take off with incredible speed. As I hold on, I am realizing that riding this is similar to riding Flames. Doing this just comes so naturally.
"(Y/n), you're so good! Look, they're behind us" Neteyam says and I laugh and keep moving forward, very aware of Neteyam's hands wrapped around my waist. He slowly rubs his fingers against my skin which sends butterflies throughout my stomach.
I look back up and turn the ikran to the side because of the huge rock floating in the sky. Wait, a floating rock?
"Neteyam did you see that? It was a floating rock!"
"Yeah we have many of those in my home."
I gasp in amazement. This place is truly breathtaking. The greenery illuminates the land below and the sky is like a colour palette where blotches of blue, pink and yellow spread across the horizon. As I get lost in the scenery, I suddenly see Lo'ak and Tsireya passing to my side.
"Slow pokes" Lo'ak says while sticking his tongue out. I collect myself and motion this ikran to move faster, which it does and we are directly behind Lo'ak's ikran. I try move around him but he blocks my every move.
"Neteyam, hold on tight i'm gonna try something." I feel his grip tighten as I move the ikran directly below the other ikran. I then pull the reins and the ikran glides upwards and loops in a perfect circle around Lo'ak and Tsireya. They both watch in awe and I wink at Lo'ak in midair and his eyes widen. Once the flip is over, I take advantage of this momentum and make this ikran zoom forwards with an incredible amount of speed.
"(Y/n), you are truly the most skilled Na'vi I have met. That was incredible!" I can feel Neteyam smiling behind me and his hands squeeze my waist.
"What can I say, just so talented" I reply as we both laugh in exhilaration.
"Did you see the look on Lo'ak's face? That is to die for!" Neteyam and I laugh with joy, not noticing we are now someplace very different looking than the Metkayina Clan.
"Land down there, we made it." I lower the ikran on the ground where fresh grass flows along with the light wind. I see Lo'ak and Tsireya landing directly behind us.
Neteyam jumps off and gives me his hand to help me down. We smile at one another and I take a moment to admire how incredibly handsome he looks right now.
Lo'ak and Tsireya come up behind us. "I have to say (Y/n), you were pretty good for a beginner. You just had beginners luck."
Tsireya laughs and says "yeah you were great! Now come on let's go get the material for Tuk and Kiri." Lo'ak and Tsireya lead the way and Neteyam and I walk behind them through the forest.
"Do you do this often? You know look for clothing for your sisters?" I ask him as we walk side by side.
"Yes. It makes them happy" Neteyam replies while smiling. He's incredibly sweet. He treats his loved ones so nicely, something I wish I could experience. Perhaps I could...
"(Y/n), what makes you happy?" My eyes widen as my heart beats quicker. No one has asked me that before.
"Oh. Um. I'm not so sure. I think flying rides late at night?" Neteyam turns his head to look at me and makes this face, like he's sad for me.
"Neteyam. When you are expected to be perfect there is never time to think of yourself. There is only time to think of others. Atleast that's what people who try to be perfect do."
Neteyam stops and so do I. We stand face to face and I look at him confused. He leans slightly closer.
"You're presence alone would make the angels question their own perfection."
I feel my heart flutter and my cheeks heat up. They way he looks at me, the way he sees me when everyone else doesn't makes me melt. Goodness, I'm in deep.
I quickly turn my face away from his heavy gaze and continue walking. If I look at him more I might do something. We both continue to walk along side each other, silently. Our hands slightly brush while walking and I feel time slow down and my breathing falters tremendously. I keep looking forward, never daring to make eye contact as our hands keep colliding softly, until I feel Neteyam's hand reaching for mine. He hesitates and approaches slowly but surely and I slowly give in, not thinking even for a moment. He takes this as a sign and interlocks my hand in his. My heart is beating so fast and i'm burning up with thousands of emotions and feelings.
I don't realize how powerful i'm feeling until I notice i'm heating up intensely, everywhere.
"Neteyam-let go, you will get burnt" I tell him but his grip only tightens.
"(Y/n), I am eternally mesmerized by your warmth and mere existence, and i'll give anything to hold you, even if it burns me."
Oh my. Why does he have to say the most perfect things?
"Neteyam, come here bro. Help me pick the stuff" Lo'ak calls in the distance. I look at Neteyam to find him already staring at me and I gently let go of his hand, motioning him to go join them.
"You're not coming?"
"I'll join you shortly, I just want to see this place more." Neteyam nods and heads to Lo'ak and Tsireya and they soon all go out of my view. I'm alone. I miss the moments I could be alone. I close my eyes and calm my heart. It's beating too fast. I breathe in the breath of the wild and hum a quite, melodious tune with the insects. I have grown attached to the forest. I can see it holds tales, tales that can guide me away from duty and will ignite future into possibility, a thought that I had always been blind to.
"(Y/n) HELP! (Y/n)! (Y/n)!!" I hear them all screaming from somewhere in the distance. I immediately run towards them and grab hold of my knives, spinning them around using my fingers, ready to kill.
I rush towards their screams until the sound grows louder, meaning i'm getting closer. I keep running in stealth and make sure my steps are silent. Once I see them, I bring my back against a tree while observing what's happening.
Neteyam, Tsireya and Lo'ak are kneeling down and are held by some older looking Na'vi. Wait. I know them. That one is Tuntak, my father's friend but unlike Dinraal, he's kind and righteous. He agrees that my father is wrong for killing and tries to convince him otherwise but it doesn't work. He is also one of my dearest friends in the Ash Clan. Beside him are other male Ash Clan warriors. I've seen some of them before. Why is Tuntak doing here? Is he really going to kill my friends? If I go out there, they might expose my mission to the bluer Navi. Shit.
"Let us go" Neteyam says angrily but one of the warriors hits his head with his spear.
"Shut up forest freak."
I feel anger taking over every inch of my body and step out for them all to see me. The fire Na'vi immediately point there weapons towards me and I snicker. Those measly weapons can't do shit to me. Once they all see me, they lower their weapons and stand shocked. Tuntak speaks first.
"(Y/n)?"
"Let them go Tuntak, and you" I point towards the one who's holding his spear too close to Neteyam "back off or i'll break your hands." He quickly pulls his spear away and they all back away.
"(Y/n), how are you?—"
"Why are you here. In the forest?" Lo'ak interrupts Tuntak and we all wait for an answer. I grow impatient and say "answer him" with a firm voice.
Tuntak better not say something wrong. The whole plan could backfire and Dinraal would end me. With every passing second I get more nervous but never dare to show it.
"We came to gather wood to make weapons."
Neteyam than says "why so close to the Metkayina Clan? Why not collect wood in the forest near the Ash Clan?"
"No more questions. For (Y/n), I will let you all go. Next time don't spy on us or there will be consequences." Tuntak answers. Good. He didn't say anything.
Neteyam, Lo'ak and Tsireya get up and head towards me while giving dirty looks to the warriors.
"You guys go back to collecting, I will meet you back at the ikran's before eclipse." Before they can question anything, I walk up to Tuntak with a stern face. I wait for the others to leave and once I see them disappear through the corner of my eye, I focus all my attention towards Tuntak.
"What are you really doing here uncle?" Tuntak motions to the warriors to leave us alone and they all leave while staring me down.
"(Y/n), your father is ordering us to camp out here to make weapons but also spy on the Metkayina. He also said it would be easier for you to deliver information to us here."
"And you're helping him? You and I both know what he's doing is wrong."
"I know he is wrong but he's not listening to me. He's determined to end the Metkayina Clan."
"We have to stop him."
"How (Y/n)? If we become traitors, you know what will happen to us." What he's saying is exactly what i'm thinking.
"I'm still figuring it out. All i'm asking you Tuntak is that if I go against him, you need to join me." Tuntak smiles and says "of course I will. I will always stand by your decisions." I nod in appreciation and say "be careful."
I then leave the fire Na'vi and make my way towards the ikran. As I walk through the forest, I realize just how bad my situation is. One thing is for sure.
This will end in blood.
...