Moonchild | Neteyam

5

CHAPTER 5

       "You're alright!" Aok cried as she ran over to the group who had just arrived. She threw her arms around Erìhe and hugged her tight, "You're usually back before eclipse! What happened?"

Aok was forced to release her when Nupxa suddenly swooped in, embracing Erìhe too. They were both relieved to see her. Nupxa let go of her pretty quickly though, "Ew! You're wet!"

"It's rain," Erìhe rolled her eyes, "And dirt." She laughed at her friend's expression, "And you're supposed to be Na'vi - how does this brother you?"

Nupxa waved her off, "Where were you?" She glanced at the Sullys. They all seemed to be exhausted and shaken up.

Erìhe looked back at the family behind her as well, "You'll find out soon enough," she sighed and pet her ikran. The chief would have to tell the clan what happened, and she thought she'd let him do so himself.

After everyone got washed up, Erìhe was on her way to her tent when Neteyam blocked her path.

"Glad to see you're alive," she told him, attempting to get past him so she could go to sleep.

Neteyam merely stepped in front of her again.

Erìhe groaned, "I want to go to sleep. Move," she tried pushing past him again.

Neteyam placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. Erìhe stepped back with a confused look on her face. She glanced down at his hand and he immediately drew it back, as if he had been burned. "Why would you take them with you to the battle site?" He finally said.

Erìhe scoffed, "I didn't take them anywhere. I went along to keep an eye on them."

Neteyam crossed his arms, "How did that go?"

"I'd say it went pretty well," she replied, sarcasm evident in her voice, "We only came back one short. It could've been a lot worse."

Neteyam glared at her, "Do you find this funny?" He demanded, "You should have told my mother that Lo'ak planned on going to the battle site!"

"Don't stand there and pretend that you would have told her," Erìhe raised her brows at him.

"I would have-"

Neteyam was cut off by Tuk, who shushed them and beckoned them to come closer. She was peeking through a gap under the tent in which Neytiri and Jake were having a conversation.

Erìhe shot Neteyam a glare before she hesitatingly stepped toward the tent.

She crouched down to press her ear against the opening. When she did that, she thought she saw Neteyam looking at something that was not her face.

As soon as this had registered, she reached her leg out and kicked him. Neteyam flinched and held his foot where she had kicked him, "What the hell?!" He demanded in a hushed voice.

"What were you looking at, perv?" Erìhe hissed back.

Kiri smacked her brother, "Will you two shut up?"

The two were quiet after that. Neteyam had squeezed in next to Erìhe and Tuk, which caused him and Eríhe both to shove at each other. When he suddenly pushed her with more force than required - causing her to crash into Tuk - Lo'ak hit both of them, "So childish! Be quiet!" He told them.

The group fell silent and listened, scared that the adults had heard. When they heard their conversation resume, they all pressed in closer to listen.

They all heard Neytiri loud and clear. "I cannot - you cannot ask this," she said, "I cannot leave my people."