~+ Outcasts +~+ Lo'ak x fem reader +~

Chapter 1 ~ {Atala's PoV}

I'm often told that I am lucky. 

Lucky that the chief adopted me when my parents left.

Lucky that I'm even allowed under their roof.

Most people do not speak to me. When they do, it is either scoldings for trying to have a little fun, being told how lucky I am, being ordered around or making discriminative comments to my face. "Oh, a hybrid  can't catch as many fish as a true Metkayina." "A hybrid  cannot go out of the reef, you'll drown!" "A hybrid can't possibly hunt as well as a real Metkayina."

I shouldn't complain. As I get older, having just turned 14, it gets better. The rude comments are dissipating, the words on how lucky I am are fading and the ordering is dissolving into asking, as if all the harsh words were being swept away by the ocean itself. Except the scoldings. I doubt even the oceans strongest tsunami could take the scoldings out of my adopted parents mouths.

Most days are the same. I can practically recite my daily routine. Wake up, get scolded about some little thing from the night before, do chores, teach children, more chores, swim with my ilu, dinner, more chores, get in trouble, bedtime.

Day after day, week after week, month after month I hope for something exciting. A new beginning is something I pray to Eywa for every night. I always thought she just could not hear me. Turns out, she was just waiting to give one huge change.

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I woke up to another bright, sunny day. I walked out of my small, closed off section of our Mauri pod into the main living space, where Ronal was waiting. "Atala!" She hissed, stalking over to me. "I told you, I do not want those wretched fish that you always collect - the Vetina fish?" 

If you do not like the fish I collect, get your own fucking dinner. I think bitterly. Of course, if I were to say this aloud, I would be kicked out for a day or two. I settle for a sigh. "Yes, Ronal, I'm sorry Ronal." I say robotically, having repeated that day after day. I start to walk past her but she stops me. "I am serious this time, Atala. No Vetina."

I nod and roll my eyes once she cannot see them. I hurry out of the pod, eager to get away. But, in my haste, I of course bump into my adopted brother, Ao'nung. 

"Watch where you're going, hybrid!" My older adopted brother hissed. Ah yes. 'Hybrid.' His favourite insult to use on me. But I'm not exactly sure why he thinks it is an insult. I am a hybrid between the forest and sea clans, and there are certain things that I can do that the rest of the Metkayina cannot. So I don't take his words too harshly.

"Good morning to you too, Ao'nung. Perhaps it's time for you to get a new 'insult' for me, hm?" I say, faking a cheery voice. I make air-quotes when I say insult, just for that extra affect. I walk away before he can respond to me, flipping my long, dark hair over my shoulder. I don't really care about what dry excuse of a comeback he uses, nor do I have the time. 

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The first part of my day goes as normal. Chores, teaching children how to hunt and more chores. I mostly get different fish, but I allow myself just a few Vetina fish - just to irk Ronal and for my own personal amusement. 

Finally, once my chores are complete, I can ride with my ilu. I already know where I want to go - Three Brothers Rocks. Yes, it is dangerous out there but the thrill of riding the untamed sea is a rush like no other. 

I mount my ilu, Syreni. I pat each of my sheaths - six total - reassuring myself that I have all of my daggers, knives and spears. One on each arm, each leg and two slung over my torso. When riding alone out of the reef, I like to be prepared. 

I let my ilu go forward, just slowly. I don't like letting her go her full speed when we're in the reef. Too many chances that we crash. 

The ride out of the reef is quick.  As soon as I can no longer see the coral and abundance of wild life below me, I stop holding her back and we shoot forward. Syreni always loved to go fast. 

We dive in and out of the water, riding with the waves. This is my favourite thing - riding with the sea, being one with the water. For many people, they feel closest to Eywa in the reef or in the forest, surrounded with wildlife. But this, the barren wild sea. This is when I feel truly connected to Eywa, when I can experience her untamed, unbridled thrill.

I'm panting by the time I can see the rocks. Another reef coming into my field of vision is my cue to slow down Syreni. She listens reluctantly. I stop her over the reef and get off of her, severing our connection. I dive under the water and swim down towards the reef. Syreni shoots ahead of me, racing to the reef to hunt some fish. I grin and swim faster after her. 

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I swim up to the surface about an hour later. Syreni follows, faster than normal. She seems...anxious? She's bumping me with her head and going underneath me, trying to get me onto her back. "Woah, calm down," I say stroking her. "Theres no rush!" 

Thats when I see it. A large, looming shape charging towards us from the sea: an akula. A massive creature, the largest predator in Pandora reefs. It is incredibly deadly and will eat anything it sees moving. Combined with it's ability to break through coral and the terrifyingly high speeds it is capable of, it is an incredibly deadly predator. "Fuck!" I cry. I connect with Syreni and mount her. She shoots forward. I glance over my shoulder. The akula is still following, so I grab one of my spears. I wait and then use all of my strength to shoot the spear towards it. I don't waste time trying to see if it hit. I crouch forward, trying to have less resistance against the wind and water. 

Just as I think we're getting away, I see five massive shadows fly overhead. "Oh fuck - what now!" I cry out to no one. I risk a glance up and see five massive winged lizards. They each have four wings and varying colours. I urge Syreni to go faster, giving her all of my spare energy. This is the final sprint, the village is in sight. We're leaping in and out of the water, using the waves crashing towards the reef to our advantage. 

As we cross the threshold into the reef, I let out a huge sigh of relief. We're safe. I let Syreni slowly swim to the shore before I notice a large crowd. I can't see what they're gathering for, but it must be important. I dip under the water with Syreni and ride with her until it is too shallow. There, I slip off of her and stand up, walking to the centre of the crowd. As I brush my hair out of my face, I get that odd prickling sensation of being watched. My eyes snap up and make eye contact with a boy that I've never seen. He looks so different - slim limbs, amber eyes and dark blue skin. I break eye contact and push through the crowd to get to the front. 

I finally break through the crowd. There, in the middle of the clearing, stand six new Na'vi. Two older ones, who I assume are the parents, three kids who look around my age, a girl and two boys, and a little girl. They all look similar to the first boy whom I made eye contact with. Then, my brain finally makes the connection. 

These people are Omaticaya. 

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