Ma Lo'ak

4

"Li'laak! Li'laak, come on, we're almost here!" Kiri called as I slowly lifted my body and took in my surroundings.

It had been a long journey that had lasted for many days and were all almost dead with exhaustion and uncomfortableness.

"Where are we?" I asked drowsily.

"We are at a Metakayina village," Neteyam explained.

Great, the reef people, I would much rather like to be back with the Omatikaya in the forest. I sighed and followed Jake and Neytiri as they circled the village, and a horn was blown. We made calls to signal that we had arrived. As we landed the villagers looked amazed at our Ikrans but even more at us, we looked and dressed very different from them. The final Ikran flew off to who knows where, but Zelay stood firmly next to me as I stroked her neck and held onto her shoulder.

"Li'laak," Jake tilted his head.

"No, she stays with me," I replied firmly.

Neytiri grabbed my hand, "Please."

I growled in frustration as I called for Zelay to leave. We walked out onto the sand and stood around waiting for the Olo'eyktan and Tsahik to arrive.

Two boys walked towards us and scanned us up and down. Neteyam and Lo'ak signaled to them the traditional greeting, but I stood my ground with my arms crosed.

They did not return the gesture and the taller one scoffed, "You call that a tail?"

I hissed and his gaze landed on me. It looked like he was about to speak but could not form the words. An intense blush appeared on his cheeks as he frantically scanned me. I smirked and raised one eyebrow as he was led away by the shorter boy, still in a trance. When the boy did not take his gaze off of me, Lo'ak inched closer, holding his arm out in front of my leg.

Then, a girl emerged from the water walking and flipping her wet hair over her shoulder. Neteyam and Lo'ak's heads both turned to look at her., but I noticed that Neteyam was getting flustered.

As the girl slapped the boy who was laughing at them, Neteyam awkwardly said, "Hey."

The girl gigled and Lo'ak looked over at Neteyam snickering, but quickly stopped when he saw his deathly expression. I was about to say something but was interrupted by the arrival of the Olo'eyktan.

They rode odd animals that were hovering over the water, soon diving over the patch of sand and landing on the other side. The man waded out of the water as the Tsahik parted the crowd, making her way towards us.

Tonowari greeted them all and asked, "Why have you come here, Toruk Makto?"

All Na'vi knew him to be a great and respected warrior. But it was not the chief that worried me, it was his wife.

"I have come to seek a sanctuary for my family," Jake pleaded.

"Sanctuary?" Ronal repeated.

"You are forest people, your skills will mean nothing here," Tonowari stated.

Ronal walked around us, picking up Tuk's arm and Kiri's tail.

"There arms are thin, and their tails are weak, they will be slow in the water." She grabbed Kiri's hand, "They are not even true Na'vi!" She held up Kiri's hand.

"Yes we are!" Kiri exclaimed.

She advanced over to Lo'ak, holding up his hand as well. "They have demon blood!"

I hissed at her, and she slowly turned around, eyebrows raised in shock.

"Did you just threaten me girl?"