When I Found You ~ Neteyam

35

~{ The Final Goodbye }~

"Hey, sweet girl." Neteyam spoke quietly, stroking his mates her as she awoke from her slumber. It had been a week since the war and the clans were still recovering. People were being given onto Eywa, letting them past through to another life, after death. Tatianayi had been recovering for the majority of the time. Her injuries were beyond the help of the healers of the clan which made Neteyam order his father to use the Sky People's technology to help heal her.

They concluded she had a fracture along her spine, which caused her to be unable to walk while she healed, other broken bones including a rib and part of her shoulder. Some of her injuries did heal quickly, everyday a new scar would form she was practically covered. Tatianayi didn't care though, it showed strength, a warrior, a leader, a chief. Where she had been shot on her chest above her heart, a new tattoo had been placed. It was a traditional Metkayina style, one the symbolizes the power of her heart. Though she had been marked, her heart beat on. It showed immortality and power. 

Tatianayi let out a sigh, her eyes fluttering open to look up at her mate who perched himself up beside her in their bed. "You want to try go out today?" Hey asked gently. Ever since they got back from the night of the war, he had never been so gentle with her, thinking even touching her in the most delicate way would fracture or break another bone in her body. He ran his warm finger over her face, carefully brushing a loose hair from her face.

She hadn't really spoke much either, nobody understood why, but then again nobody dared to bother her in her fragile state. Gently motioning her head up and down in a 'yes' motion, Neteyam let out a proud smile. "Good girl, I know you can do it." He placed a gentle kiss to her lips before removing himself from the bed and walked from the room to go speak to his family about her coming out of their bedroom for the first time. 

Tatia let out a breath, slowly pushing herself up to sit straight. She caught a glimpse of herself in the dusty mirror that was placed on Neteyam's wall in front of her. Neteyam had let her hair loose from her war braids to help her relax, which meant her hair was flowing down past her waist in gentle waves. She wasn't wearing any clothes to help with comfort and healing  and it wasn't like anyone other than Neteyam would see her in her vulnerable state, besides, she was covered by blankets to keep her warm anyway. 

Within the past week, she had gotten much skinnier from barely being able to eat, other than the warm soups Neteyam fed to her every day so she wouldn't have to do it herself. She still had war paint on her, as well as a white painted handprint which belonged to her mate which rested in the middle of her breasts. 

"You look beautiful, my love." Neteyam smiled, walking into the room again which caught her attention. "No I don't." She responded, her voice barely above a whisper. Thankfully to Neteyam's good hearing, he heard it which caused him to sigh, walk over to the warrior and stand in front of her which blocked her view of the mirror. "Don't talk like that, you know it isn't true." He cupped her face with his large hands, tilting her head up so he could kiss her forehead.

Tatia sighed, nodding at his words as he let her go so he could grab some clothing for her to wear. Neteyam picked up a thin top, one that he crafted specifically for his mate while she healed. He found some white feathers his friends had brought over from the forest which he had crafted and tied into using twigs leaves and decorated it some more using small beads and small white shells. He paired it with one her thin netted skirts which was also decorated with shells and beads and tied it on her side above her hip, the top going around her neck and tied at the back.