As promised, the next day I was up early, heading towards the Sully family pod. There was one person I didn't want to stumble upon, but he was equally trying to avoid me.
I took Neytiri to an area on the beach, next to a palm tree and in between two big rocks. I had already placed the necessary gear to make the clothing, so we just sat and I began explaining.
"Just like the Omatikaya, we have our way of doing things that correspond to the findings in the sea. We use marine plants, feathers, knit thread into patterns, and the dry skin of some birds. It all ties together with a design of beads. Here, I'll do yours with a more complex pattern and you can do Kiri's. I'll be here to help if you need me."
Like that, we spent the remaining two hours knitting and putting together a few pieces for their new wardrobe. I specially made one for Neytiri that had an armband attached, like mine. She was a mighty warrior, after all, and I had the gut feeling she was going to need one piece of those soon. I knew in the back of my mind that there was war coming, but I didn't want to believe it. The piece was designed to have threads tied in knots, with a bead over each one of them, and the bottom part had feathers and leaves.
When we finished, she invited me over to her mauri. We left the clothing in a pile and she thanked me for my help. She left soon after, having the task to collect clams with Ronal. Jake was there, sitting miserably on one side of the mauri, his feet deep in the water. I sat next to him.
"What is it?" I asked.
"You know, you have always been more mature than other kids your age."
"I had to, it wasn't exactly a choice." That sentence came out more sourly than I wanted it to.
"How was it when you came here?"
I shrugged. "Kids bullied me. I spent quite some time by myself. No friends. They all are a bit more judgmental than they should be. It was worse receiving ice treatment from adults. I felt like I didn't belong."
"I'm sorry. I was Olo'eyktan, I should have done something more for your father, so you wouldn't have to suffer all that."
"There's nothing you can do about it, it is all in the past. You should focus more on your kids. I became a Metkayina many years ago, and that is all the clan sees. But your children, they are not reef people. They haven't learned yet, and until that happens they will surely go through a shit ton of things. Be a good father and be there for them, please." I looked at him, but he was staring at the water underneath.
"Thank you," he said, followed by my name.
"Why did you come here, anyway?"
Jake proceeded to tell me a summary of the events back in the forest. It was way worse than I had imagined. My mind seemed all too keen on playing the most deadly and heartbreaking images it could make up on the spot. Animals dead. Na'vi hurt. No more free, normal life, just a refuge in the Hallelujah Mountains.
He told me about Lo'ak's rebellious acts, which to me sounded simply like failed attempts to live up to his parent's achievements, about Kiri's lack to take things seriously, Tuk's expected childish behavior to manipulate her way into grown-ups matters... Most importantly, he told me about Neteyam: his clean kills at the sturmbeest hunt, how he tamed an ikran at 10, how he became a warrior and made his bow from the wood of the fallen Hometree, and how he made his hunting knife. I had learned more of him from His father than from the boy himself. It was the son he was proudest of, even if he didn't say it out loud.
All I could do was nod and smile at his words until it came time to talk about the raids. They were well-planned, but not that perfectly executed. They took everything they could: guns, grenades, ammunition. I was even surprised to hear that Neytiri agreed for the Na'vi to own Sky People weapons. Then the idea came.
"Can you teach me how to use a gun?"
"I can, but you do have to understand. A gun is a dangerous weapon. I know it might seem obvious, but it is important to note that these kill. One bullet goes through your body, in and out, and not even the Tsahik can help. It is a responsibility to carry. I'll show you how, but I hope you never need to use one."
"Sure."
We merely got to stand up when Atswon came through the main entrance.
"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Sully, but I need to borrow her for a while," he said, looking at me.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Nothing too serious, our parents want to talk about the mating ceremony. You know, arrange dates, people, stuff like that."
"Right. Sorry, Jake, Uncle, Mr. Sully, sir... how do I call you?" I chuckled and so did he.
"Jake is fine. Now, you've got places to go and people to see."
I nodded and headed out with Atswon on my left. As we walked through the mauris I noticed someone peeking over a plant and into my home. It was Kiri. She had her arm stretched and her hand over something I couldn't see because of the distance. I planned on going to her, but she seemed too over the moon for that. I would talk to her later.
We got to the common room, where mom and his parents were.
"Oel ngati kameie, Mr. and Ms. Källè"
"I See you, daughter of Na'tyr."
Mom grinned and began ranting about her ideas for the ceremony: what songs and lullabies we would chant, the food, and the day. It'd be after the tulkun returned, so Lowsla could be there with me. I had two weeks to do something or nothing.
Later, once the waters calmed and the eclipse came, I looked for Kiri in her pod. She was sitting on the edge of a small dock, her feet dangling, with a couple of fish swimming around them. Even if she wasn't Jake's ma 'ite, she was somewhat similar to him.
"Hey," I said, sitting next to her.
"Oh, hi."
"It doesn't bother me, really, but I was wondering why you were in my pod earlier today."
"What? Oh, wait- it is yours? I had no idea... I'm sorry." She looked down as if she had disappointed me.
"Don't be."
We sat silently, stargazing. Every white dot in the sky was as bright as ever. I saw the reflection of them in her eyes.
"I... I don't want you to think I'm weirder than everyone already says, but- I can feel Eywa. Inside me and all around us. And, I felt it in the girl in your pod. She was, is, unconscious, but there is something about her that is... Special."
"That girl is my sister. Now I know you don't remember her, but you used to play together. You two were inseparable, the lot who always had a closeness to the Great Mother different from the rest."
Kiri nodded, lukewarmly. She said nothing more and I left.
First Ronal and then Kiri, who else was going to say that?
I went to clean Maitrey and put her comfortably as I ate my dinner alone, next to her.
It had been five days since I last slept in Atswon's bed, and each day the silence of it made me crave some arms to wrap around my body. But not his. I wanted Neteyam.
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Author's note:
Hi people! What's up? I decided to upload this chapter and another one later today, once I write it, because I felt that you didn't enjoy the previous one. It made me gloomy to see that it didn't get as many votes as the chapters before and not even a single comment. Please, if you have any insights on what I did wrong, come forward!
I will not change the chapter, for it contributed to the story in a way you'll be able to see eventually. Today's parts will be of that sort, as I think it is all that important for little details and meaningful conversations to happen between characters. Everything will tie up together, I promise!
Happy Wednesday, cheers.
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A true seer | Neteyam
Fanfiction"We once used to be friends, Neteyam and I. We were more than that. If only my family had stayed in the forest, it could have remained that way. It must have been Eywa's will that we reunited ten years later, in my home in the Metkayina clan, and th...
