The next morning, Norm pleaded with Mr Sully to come along on my journey, but he was told that it was best if i achieved this next goal without the pressure of a parent's distress.
Norm stayed silent & nodded to his bestfriend's words, he got onto the helicopter with a flustered look as he faced me one last time before taking off to the facility.
I waved & pressed 3 fingers to my forehead, lowering it down as he tried not to burst into tears.
"I see you dad" i muttered under my breath as i watched the helicopter hovered into the clouds.
Mr Sully then ordered his oldest son to prepare me for the Iknimaya ritual (rite of passage) before we make our way to the top of the Hallelujah mountains, where we'll find the Banshee Rookery.
Neteyam wasted no time & took my hand, bringing me into his family's hut as the others were off to resume their duties till the afternoon.
"Have a seat my dear, i'll get the paints!" he said running to the corner of the hut.
I smiled & sat by the woven mat. Arranging my weapons & rope onto my waist belt. I was indeed nervous & my heartbeat was through the roof from the thoughts of wrestling an ikran, i would never dare to look one in the eye let alone go near its mouth.
Neteyam then came back with his hair half tied up in a bun, his muscular body was towering over me as i dazed up to my gorgeous cerulean husband. Holding a container of yellow & white battle camp paint in one hand.
He chuckled when i didn't respond to his call, i was busy thinking about something else. His free hand reached out to lift my chin up to meet his golden eyes,
"Im up here my love" he spoke softly, rubbing his thumb across my bottom lip. His gaze travelled from my eyes, to my lips & sensually back to my eyes again, making him bite his lip.
My heart was pounding to his subtle touch.
He knelt infront of me, slightly tilting his head & i still couldn't believe that this man is mine. He brought himself closer to my lips, slowly putting down the container of paints.
"We have a little bit of time, don't we?" he asked in his irresistible raspy voice.
"Mhmm-"
Our lips touched & Neteyam's hands landed on my thighs, my body immediately felt so hot from the skin contact. We chuckled as we kiss & my hands caressed the back of his neck,
"You always look so beautiful in the morning my love" he whispered.
"& you take my breath away Ma'Teyam" i replied.
Mornings with Neteyam is what i looked forward to when i was back on the ship. Dreaming about having him all to myself, Eywa definitely heard my calls.
His smile, the subtle fangs showing whenever he talks, his strong hands, he loves the way my fingers trace on his chest when we lay together, how my face fits the corner of his neck & collar.
I am so in love with him.
"Nete- the paint" i said, as much as i hated to stop kissing the man i constantly crave for.
"Yes, my wife" he said, pulling himself back with a smirk. Eywa, he knew what he was doing to me.
The hut was empty, sounds of the curtain flowing & birds echoed through the walls as Neteyam reached for the container behind him, sitting down infront of me with his legs crossed. He dipped 2 of his fingers into the yellow paint, swirling it to mix the dandelion colour with a little bit of white.
He looked up, blinking once with a soft smile indicating that i should lean my face forward to him. His 2 fingers that was dipped in paint lightly traced my forehead, making a V shape. He tilted his head as he examined the drawn line,
"There you go my beautiful girl" he said.
"Do- you think im ready Nete? i-i mean, shouldn't i master the basics before getting my own ikran?" i asked.
He pursed his lips, hesitating to answer at first but he took in a deep breath.
"My dad.. is pushing everyone to be on their feet, be aware of our surroundings & to be able to protect the people of Omatikaya" he said.
"But he also sees great potential in those who have fire in their hearts, & you my love- there is something in you that the people don't have" he added.
I sat there confused. What exactly do i have? i only fought because i was pushed too far & that i was angry, all for survival like the rest of the hunters& warriors. Isn't that normal?
"Knowledge & passion. It flows in you naturally" he said, bringing his palm to my chest.
"Nete.. i d-dont-"
"The only thing holding you back, is you" he cuts me off, bringing his other hand to cup my cheek.
"Don't hold yourself back from your strength my love, When you stop doing that, you'll discover all the amazing things you can do like launching those 3 arrows at once, making the perfect kill. Pinning down young warriors like a pro, like you've been doing it your whole life!" he said.
I face down to the floor. I do doubt myself every single day, on whether i could be the best scientist, if i could hold up a bow like a true Navi, being alive after getting ambushed by the hunters.
I never truly saw any potential in me, everything was just words & all i saw was a scared young girl.
He lifted my chin up again, placing a gentle kiss to my button nose. Its crazy to think how he noticed all of these things when i was plainly running from danger. How can i-
"Ma'Vi? don't do that to yourself, you're the smartest & the most toughest girl i know. You'll do insanely great no matter what you face" he said reassuring me.
Neteyam stood up, reaching his hand out for me. He fixed my waist belt around me & rested his hands on my hips, his golden eyes like a dream staring into my teal iris. A silent pleasant moment for us, this is what we live for.
*ೃ༄
Neytiri waited on the grounds of the forest with Mr Sully, as their sons guided me along with 2 other warriors to the Hallelujah mountains.
"Remember to make the bond as soon as you hold it down Ma'ite! (my daughter)" Neytiri cheered out as she watched me disappear into the trees with her children.
Climbing up the vines on the floating rocks was easy, it was like trees but don't look down or you'll fall.
We were definitely high up almost touching the clouds, with large waterfall rocks & ikrans flying pass us & it was breathtaking.
Then Neteyam & Lo'ak jumped onto the vines in mid air as one of the rocks moved passed us, moving upwards & signalling us to grab on quickly before one of us accidentally falls.
I nervously jumped & pushed myself up with my feet, trying not to look down at the forest 2,000 ft below me. The warriors howled & laughed as i struggled to grab onto the last vine at the very last minute.
Running across a vine branch connecting from one rock to another, leading to a secluded cave inside of the waterfall at the highest part of the mountain. It couldn't get any better than this, numerous ikrans flying around the perimeter.
"What a sight.. you cant find animals & mountains like these back on earth can you?" i said to myself as i looked down, feeling the wind flow through my hair.
"Violet Pierce will go first" said one of the warriors before anyone could make a decision.
I scoffed & handed my bow to Lo'ak, carefully with Neteyam we stepped to the side & onto the slippery moss with my back on the wall for support. I kept my head up facing the waterfall, hearing the ikran's screeches getting closer.
"Now choose your ikran, this you must feel inside. If she chooses you, move quick like i showed" Neteyam softly said, putting his hand on my chest to feel my heart beat.
"How will i know if she chooses me?" i asked.
"She will try to kill you."
Great. All the more reasons to bail but i cant turn back now, not with those warriors mocking me at the back & Mr Sully's hopes for me to be the best.
"Outstanding" i muttered.
I slowly paced myself towards the flock of ikrans, looking at each of them in the eye to pull their attention onto me. But one by one they got out of the way, some hissing to scare me off before they flapped their wings.
Finally, i spotted a unique coloured ikran. Teal with a hint of bright pink for its accents on its leathery back, wings & jaw. It soon turned around to face me, letting out a ferocious roar before i tilted my head & hissed back at it.
Lo'ak grabbed onto Neteyam's arm, screaming at the back for me to not be afraid of such creataure. The warriors howled, distracting the attention of the other ikrans.
I waved my rope in a circular motion, making the teal ikran move its head to the rhythm of my rope. I was prepared for whats about to happen next, the ikran launched itself towards me & i quickly wrapped my rope around its mouth.
Climbing over its back, trying to hold it down with my weight as it tries to shift itself over to the edge of the mountain to take off. The ikran was light & heavy at the same time as it flapped its wings, bringing us airborne for a few seconds.
"Quickly Ma'Vi! Make the bond!" Neteyam yelled out.
I wrapped my arm around to cover its eyes, pulling my queue to make Tsaheylu before it breaks out of the rope. The ikran knocks me away with the back of its head but i had no time to waste with it.
"Fuck! c'mere!" i growled.
Getting on again & this time wrapping my legs around its head, pulling the 2 queues together. I let out a frustrated scream as the ikran slowly calmed from the Tsaheylu.
"Stop!" i cried out & the ikran immediately stayed still.
Neteyam crouched down as he watched me unwrapped the rope from the ikran's mouth, whispering to the ikran for it not to retaliate. The warriors cheered alongside Lo'ak as my ikran stood up steadily.
"On her first try?! Go Vi!!" Lo'ak howled out.
Then Neteyam hastily pushed my ikran to face the edge, "The first flight seals the bond! you cannot wait!" he said.
"Think 'fly'!" he yelled out.
"Fly?-"
& my ikran took off, straight down with the waterfall. My body accelerated towards the bottom as i gripped tightly onto my ikran & screamed on the way down, i tried pulling it's queue like a yoke in a plane but it didn't work. As i looked down at the trees below, my ikran's shrieks covered my thoughts & i panicked.
"Shut up & fly straight!" i cried out.
I opened my eyes when i felt the wind push straight, my ikran was flying steady & i was in control of it. She followed the directions i gave in my head & i laughed as it flew passed Neteyam & the rest.
The boys howled & jumped like little kids over seeing me ride the ikran, i couldn't help but howled back to the sky. This feeling, the first time & sitting alone on the back of your ikran is fucking phenomenal.
Neteyam & Lo'ak ran back into the cave, we'd promise earlier to meet back down near the river to let my ikran meet theirs so that we could all ride out together in the evening.
My ikran & i circled around the mountains a few more times just for the fun of it. I was distracted by the euphoric moment, not realising that something was trailing us in discreet. As we flew passed the back of the waterfall, a shadow towers over us, causing my ikran to shriek alarmingly.
It was shaky & unpredictable, i was suddenly out of balance & not in control anymore. My panic-stricken ikran flew straight to the ocean & i was looking around to scan for any possible sightings of danger.
But there was not a large predator in observation. Whatever made the shadow just vanished into thin air.
I then instantaneously felt an hard impact on the back of my head, flares of colours flashed through my mind & it went completely dark.
*ೃ༄