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I see you
The group of young Na'vi were following the Tsahik and Olo'eyktan of the Metkayina clan. All of them walked with their heads down as they all knew they were getting a punishment, all because Lo'ak bonded with the outcasted tulkun.
Leyra trailed behind all of them and was furious to whoever had ratted him out. She tried to see through their face expression and body language. Obviously Neteyam hadn't said anything about it, so the only one left are the Metkayinan siblings.
"Aonung! Did you told them?" She hissed in a quiet voice as he was walking in front of her and shoved him slightly to get his attention.
"No!" He hissed back and walked faster to get away from her.
"Tsireya?" Leyra asked her best friend quietly.
"I'm sorry. I had to." Tsireya whispered and had a sorrowful expression on her face when she looked back at Leyra, who pressed her lips together at the confession.
Ronal stopped a few meters away from their Marui and let all the young Na'vi pass her and follow Tonowari inside. Leyra side eyed the Tsahik while passing by and saw the disappointed look she gave her.
"You allowed him to bond with the outcast!" Ronal yelled to the two girls as soon as they gathered around Tonowari and Lo'ak in the Marui.
Tsireya lowered her gaze in shame defensively but Leyra held the gaze of the Tsahik firmly.
Tonowari stepped towards them. "You disappoint me, daughter." He said and Tsireya's shoulders fall once again while she closed her eyes briefly, although he only looked at her for a second.
Tonowari held Leyra's gaze as he spoke those words and Leyra's ears flattened when she understood that he was also referring to her as a daughter.
It would've made her happy that he practically called her his daughter but not in this situation. Not when he is extremely disappointed with her.
"And you!" Tonowari turned to Lo'ak "son of a great warrior, who was taught better." Lo'ak's gaze briefly shifted from the ground to Leyra. He was a little embarrassed that he yet again caused problems in the clan.
"Payakan saved my life, sir." Lo'ak's shoulders stiffened when he noticed his parents approaching behind him and he again searched for her eyes. It calmed his nerves when she looked at him with so much affection.
Shaking his head Lo'ak spoke "I'm sorry, sir, but you don't know him." He fought for his misunderstood friend. The tension rises in a bad way as Tonowari slowly lowers himself with a disapproving look on his face. "Sit."
"Sit." He instructed once more and Lo'ak followed his orders while waiting for the next words of the Olo'eyktan. He looked at him while he nervously tapped with his fingers on his knee.
"Sit down!" He yelled to the surrounding Na'vi and then looked at Lo'ak, letting out a sigh. "Hear my words, boy."
Leyra quickly sat down beside Tsireya and took her hand reassuringly, even though it's Tsireyas fault Lo'ak is in this difficult situation.
Neteyam eyed his brother and Tonowari intensely. He knew that he couldn't take the blame for Lo'ak's actions this time. He could only hope that there won't be worse consequences than last time.
"In the days of the First Songs, tulkun fought amongst themselves for territory and for revenge." Tonowari started saying in a calmer voice while looking around the young Na'vi, who listened closely.
"But they came to believe that killing, no matter how justified, only brings more killing."
Leyra closed her eyes for a second and looked to the Tsahik standing behind Tonowari, who had her hand on her chest. Killing is never the answer, that was what Leyra believed.
"So all killing was forbidden." Tonowari continued and looked to Lo'ak. "This is the Tulkun Way."
"Payakan."
Lo'ak's ears perked up at his name and he looked at Tonowari.
"He is a killer." He said. "So he is outcast."
"I'm sorry, sir, but you're wrong." Lo'ak spoke up and Leyra glared at him. He didn't made the situation better, when he ignored the words of the leader.
"Lo'ak!" Neytiri hissed. "You are talking to Olo'eyktan!"
"I know what I..." Lo'ak started but got interrupted by his father.
"That's enough!" Jake yelled and Lo'ak's gaze shifted to the ground as he blinked a few times. Leyra looked at Jake and would have hit him if it wasn't against her values, because he's extremely rude to his own son.
"I know what I know." Lo'ak stated in a louder voice and got different reactions. The Tsahik hissed at him angrily and Tonowari shook his head in disappointment like Neteyam. Leyra looked at him sadly, because she believed him with her whole heart.
"Thats enough." Jake said in a low voice when he got closer to his youngest son. Lo'ak felt threatened by his own father in that moment and didn't dare to look at him. Instead he locked eyes with his beloved. She gave him a small smile, that told him that she believed him and that was enough for him.
"I'll deal with this one." Jake said before he grabbed Lo'ak's arm and forced him to go with him, away from the Marui. Leyra watched them leave with anger burning inside her.
"Why don't you believe him?" Leyra spoke up and looked at Tonowari. "Payakan killed no-one!"
"Watch your tone, girl!" Ronal shouted.
"I'm not talking to you!" She said back and stood up. This only made the Tsahik angrier, so Tonowari had to hold his mate back a little to stop her from attacking Leyra.
"The sky people are the killers!" She continued to speak to the Olo'eyktan. "They did it. I've seen it with my own eyes!" She gestured to herself while tears started to form in her eyes.
Everybody, except Tonowari and Aonung, stared at her confused.
"They... they killed her." Her voice broke and the tears streamed down her face. "They killed my spirit sister." She sobbed and the tears blurred her sight as she tried to hold the gaze from Tonowari.
He pulled her into his chest and stroke over her head. "It's okay, daughter. Let it out." Leyra cried so heavily, that something in Neteyam's heart broke and he moved forward to comfort her but his mother stopped him by grabbing his arm.
Neytiri felt Leyras grief as she had to think about Seze, her of ikran which died in the battle in the forest. "Come." She quietly says to her son while she grabbed his shoulders and walked away with him from the Marui.
Ronal took her children with her, to give Tonowari and Leyra privacy and left the Marui too.
"I want revenge." Leyra quietly said after her sobs quietened.
"I know, child. But it is not clever to start a war with the sky people." Tonowari answered and Leyra nodded.
"I don't know if I can live without her." She whispered.
"You can. There are two boys that love you, daughter, and you can't miss the opportunity to have mates." He responded and looked at her while giving her a smile. "You have my approval."
"Really?" Leyra cracked a small smile.
"Yes. You deserve to be happy."
┅
It's late in the evening and the sky has taken a blue and purple color as the sun goes down.
"I searched for you everywhere!" Leyra yelled after Lo'ak while following him in to the forest near the sea. Leyra could see that Lo'ak was upset about everyone not believing him and because his father gave him a long lecture, again. "Could you just wait for me?"
Lo'ak slowed down and held a branch back when Leyra neared him, so it won't hit them. "Talk to me." Leyra said and caressed his back lightly. Lo'ak stopped in the middle of the forest in the sand and turned to her.
"This storm will pass, Lo'ak." Leyra said assuringly and took his hand in hers. "I saw something today. A forest boy chosen by a tulkun. That never happened before." She gave him a warm smile.
"I'm proud of you, Lo'ak." Leyra said lovingly and caressed his cheek.
Lo'ak sighed and a frown was on his face, he didn't believed her words this time. "Payakan didn't kill them, the boys." He saw the events that Payakan showed him playing in his brain over and over again. "I saw it all."
"The demon ship killed his mother, right in front of him." He started. "He gathered the young bulls and the reef boys together to attack the ship." He explained further.
"They were all killed, but by the sky people, not by him. He's not a killer." Lo'ak clarified.
"I know Lo'ak, I believe you, but by the Tulkun Way he is." Leyra answered and looked at him sadly. "He bears those deaths."
"Does he have to pay for it for the rest of his life?" Lo'ak asked but knew the answer anyway. "He knows what he did was wrong. He would never do it again!"
Leyra sighed. "You need to tell this the Olo'eyktan." Leyra gently grabbed his wrist and walked back a little.
"No." He interrupted her and held her in place. "I'm in enough trouble with my father already."
"I'm sure he will understand this time." She answered to probably convince herself, rather than him.
"No, he won't. He doesn't understand anything." He slightly raised his voice and his voice dripping with venom. He'll always be the outcast in his opinion.
"The whole clan hates me." He spoke the truth and looked her in the eyes. "Demon blood. Alien. That's all they see." He raised his five fingered hand beside his head. Leyras gaze fell on his hand and she really understood him.
Her small hands clenched around his hand and she squeezed it gently. Then she looked deeply into his eyes.
"I see you." She slowly said and his ears perked up while he stared at her. "Listen. You are Brother of Tulkun."
His tail was swaying behind him rapidly and fast while he continued staring at her. He couldn't believe her words, but he knew she spoke the truth and he waited for so long that someone truly saw him.
"You are one of us now." She whispered and smiled at him. A smile appeared on his face as well as he leaned in to kiss her. They shared a sweet and emotional kiss.
"I see you." He said smiling and her own smile only grew at his words while put her hand over his heart.
"You shouldn't care about what others think about you. It only matters that you know who you are." Leyra said while her other hand was on his cheek.
"You matter to me." Lo'ak said truthfully and stroke over her cheek. "So much."
"I want to show you something." Leyra said and took his hand, leading him to the water.
In the water she called two ilus. "It's a secret spot I found with the others. I'm sure you will like it." Leyra said smiling while she glanced at Lo'ak, who was watching her intensely.
"Just follow me and my ilu in the water." She instructed and dived into the water after connecting her queue with the ilu's.
Lo'ak followed Leyra through the water while they were on their ilus to get to the secret spot. He was excited but nervous about what was going to happen next with her, when they arrived in a cave.
All the plants were enlighten again as it was slowly turning night. Lo'ak admired Leyra's beauty while the lights brought out her features more. "Come here." He said slowly while he captured her eyes.
Leyra swam to him and put her arms around his neck while admiring his face too.
"You're so beautiful, darling." Lo'ak said and kissed her deeply. Their kiss slowly got heated, but they soon were interrupted by a voice.
"I knew you would come here." Neteyam came out of the shadow and looked at his beloved and his brother.
"I was waiting for you." He smirked.
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[art by me]