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14 - A Well-Aimed Shot

There were few things Neteyam appreciated more than the sunrise.

Since he accompanied his father and family in their move to the new clan, Neteyam had no opportunity to enjoy the dawn; the environment differed, and the sun rising over the sea could never compare with the sun appearing under the broad canopy of trees. He supposed they both had their beauty, and perhaps in time, he would get used to the sparkle in the sand, but so far, he hadn't, and the beauty of the sunrise had gotten lost along with his homeland.

As Sabrina stepped out of her bungalow in black leggings that covered her entire leg and a looser-than-necessary T-shirt, the rising sun shone her in gold. Neteyam felt the familiar tighten for the first time in months — he was out of breath and dazzled. No one in his family was artistically gifted; although his mother sang, she didn't do it often. Neteyam wondered if he could have inherited Neytiri's talent and if he could write something about that moment.

"Good morning," she said in a husky voice unfamiliar to the boy. Though charming, her voice didn't match the Sabrina he knew — now, she mostly looked sleepy. A part of him stirred, and he fought himself and the urge to reach out to her with open arms and protect her from the rising light.

The irony that he was a morning person and she a night girl went unnoticed.

Neteyam had opened the first door of Sabrina's cabin. Still, he didn't venture to open the second (even if it was unrestricted, he could easily break it since the material was plastic). So instead, he knocked a few times and called out to his friend, only to step out of the small canvas tunnel when he heard her yell, "I'm up!"

He doubted that she was "up", but he knew she had finally woken up, so he withdrew from there. It was true that he grew up surrounded by scientists (his father didn't object to them), but all of their science still scared him a little. The masks and labs were strange and had never seemed natural to the forest boy.

Using a transparent mask covering her entire face, Sabrina made Neteyam forget where they were. The rising sun was beautiful once again. She looked as she always had, and as they walked side by side, without the turquoise Na'vis passing between them, all was peaceful.

He would never complain, but Neteyam wanted to go home. It was a vain thought that occasionally overcame him; it had been the same two days before when Sabrina had arrived. Embracing her was majestic, but the news that she would stay with them was unsettling.

She was his best friend, and Neteyam didn't want her away. Selfishly, having her there was all good. However, Neteyam was selfless by nature; knowing she would be there set off fifty alarms in his head.

Where would she live so she could sleep without a mask? What would she eat? How would she survive away from the lab and her father?

Norm Spellman presented all these problems with a solution the same night of her arrival. Jake called for Neytiri and Neteyam, and the four analysed the situation together. Neteyam was glad to have been included — he was an adult, and Sabrina's case was as much of his concern as anyone else's.

Even his mother, Neytiri, who acted coldly towards the human girl, deep down liked her. Neytiri appreciated Norm and Trudy, Sabrina's parents, and therefore, she cared for the lassie. However, she didn't show it because she was strict with all the humans, and Neytiri didn't want to be unfair to Spider — if Neytiri hated one, she hated them all.

"It pains me so much," said Norm Spellman that night, "to leave her here, out of my embrace; it pains me more, though, to see her suffer."

The scientist's words stuck with Neteyam because he understood the sentiment. He was the eldest son; he was responsible and always wanted the best for everyone, even if it hurt him. Neteyam was surprised to note that paternity was similar; he'd thought of himself as an adult since he turned thirteen, but now Neteyam felt he was ready for another step that came with it.