𖣘 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙖 𝘼𝙥𝙞 𖣘 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𖣘

25.

Lei and Neteyam flew for what seemed like hours to find the village, the ship had carried them lands away.

As Neteyam's ikran approached the hanger multiple Nyala Api Na'vi rushed to the opening, Lei mentally prepared herself to undergo punishment.

Neytiri and Jake branched away from the crowd, they had stark contrast between their emotion. Neytiri seemed thankful for her son's presence, but Jake was obviously distressed.

"What were you thinking?" Jake immediately berated his son.

Lei took a small discrete stumble backwards and away from the 2 parents, she avoided eye contact with either of them.

"Jake stop." Neytiri softly said, beckoning him to notice Lei.

"— Neteyam you did not have permission from us or the chief." Jake continued, he blatantly ignored Neytiri.

"She was by herself. Hantu was not with her before I left." Neteyam finally protested, glancing at the girl he referred to.

"And Hantu found her, did he not?"

Lei hardened her gaze while she forcefully listened to the argument, she wasn't a liability — at least usually not.

Neteyam clenched his jaw and stared at the ground, he was angry because he knew his father would've acted the same.

"They can handle it —"

"Jake stop now." Neytiri demanded with an aggressive tone.

Lei felt extremely embarrassed, she prayed for one of her own to come snatch her away.

Her prayers were answered when Eta'yla shoved her way through the crowd alongside her 2 siblings.

Lei dragged her hand across Neteyam's hip to wish him a goodbye, also dipping her head to Neteyam's parents.

She started to walk towards her 3 family members, she could read Matahari's face from a mile away.

When she reached her family Matahari would not mutter a single word, only giving an expression of disappointment.

"Lei nga pänutìng never do that again." Eta'yla spoke quietly, with her usual tranquil manner.

Lahar stood off to the side, Lei raised her eyebrows to him. "You are a dumbass." Lahar muttered with a grin. Him and Lo'ak had become best friends, and Lahar picked up the curse words Lo'ak often used.

"You are grounded to the hut." Eta'yla said, thwacking Lei on her stomach. "Go, now."

Neteyam's eyes trailed behind Lei as she walked to her hut with only Lahar following her.

"She is a good girl." Neytiri observed with an affectionate expression.

———————————————————————

Lei sat criss-crossed on the floor, she had found the unfinished bracelet she started to make for her mother. Lahar was sat alongside her picking the seeds out of a weaving material.

"Who taught you how to do that?" Lahar questioned while gawping at her hand movements.

Lei looked up to him for a moment. "Kiri did."

Lahar nodded. "She did not teach me." He furrowed his eyebrows enviously.

Lei sneered. "You are at their hut all the time, ask her." She advised.

Lahar nodded once again.

"I'm done." Lei smiled and showed Lahar the bracelet after minutes of still quiet.