xlix. where i belong now
╰ avatar: the way of water

BY the end of five days time, the Everett and Sully family had packed anything important and left the Omaticya clan.

Jake had given his role of Olo'teykan to a younger but wise na'vi man who has trained along side Jake for many weeks. That had been something that pained Odessa's heart when she saw how sad he had been, knowing that he had enjoyed every moment of being the clan leader. It had been his pride and joy, since he had been accepted as the 'leader'. But as Jake let someone else take the role of Olo'teykan, he took on the role of making sure each and every person of his family made it to their next destination safely.

The tinted blue water was where Jake lead them. The Metkayina Clan, who would hopefully take in the two families, saving them from what they were escaping. Odessa had prayed to the all mother, and she hoped that her prayers would be answered.

"Leave it." Jake speaks lowly and rudely as he puts his hand out and signals for Neytiri to leave her fathers bow on her Ikran. He didn't want the group to seem threatening, knowing that it could become their downfall.

Odessa glares angrily. She's tired, and Jake being all commanding and broody isn't helping. She's ready to bite his head off, and leave him to float in the beautiful waters. "Jake." She snarled so quietly that only he heard.

Odessa holds her hands out, showing that she comes in peace. She's a few steps ahead of everyone, choosing that she would be the first to talk to the clan leaders. She would have let Jake, but he was awfully rude to her mate and she didn't like that. She glanced over her shoulder, eyeing her big whole family that follow behind her; putting their trust in her.

"Mamma." Tuk whispers as she steps towards Odessa, her arms outreached as she waits for her Mamma to pick her up. Odessa does so, picking up her daughter with ease and tucking her against her side, keeping one hand wrapped around her and the other to the side.

Odessa glances at her son, watching him step forward with a brief smile. She was proud of him.

Neteyam followed his mothers actions, keeping his own hands outreached to show he didn't mean any harm. His eyes wondered around the new environment; from the water to the sand, the people to the trees. As much as the new surroundings excited him, it wasn't anything like the forest. It would take him and his family a whole bunch of time to call the water their home.

Flashing a small and quick smile as two Metkayina boys walked forward, Neteyam brought his hand to his forehead before gesturing down. The common gesture for 'i see you' in na'vi culture and language. He eyed Lo'ak and Inkire, both who repeated his action.

The two siblings were unfortunately met with small teasing chuckles from two Metkayina boys. Neteyam frowned at the action; the poor hospitality between the turquoise boys showing. He diskliked them already, knowing that if they had come to the forest seeking sanctuary than they would be met with kind smiles and welcoming arms — at least from him. The tallest boy, stepped closer to Neteyam, point at the forest boys tail with mock interest.

"What is that? Is that supposed to be a tail?" The eldest of the two Metkayina boys teased, his friend chuckling in response. The boys finger tips reaching for the forest boys tail, Neteyam stepped out of the way, not letting the boy have the satisfaction of touching his tail.

Neteyam felt a nudge to his side where Inkire had painfully dug her elbow into his ribs. "Ouch," He muttered quirky, turning his head quickly to look her in the eyes.

She raised her eyebrows, her eyes darting to the boy who seemed to be very interested in Neteyam. She wasn't hinting towards him, and in return Neteyam only shrugged and stayed quiet as he stood on the sand.

After many moments of name calling and teasing from the two immature boys — not having stopped after seeing Niave and Neytiris furious glares — a girl stepped towards them. She slapped their arms harshly, calling out their names and ordering them to stop what they were doing.

Neteyam flashed her a kind smile, admiring the beads that hung from her clothing and hair, reminding him of home. She smiled back, flashing her pearly colour teeth.

Her attention was captured as Lo'ak waved his hand, smiling awkwardly and muttering a small "hey." His painfully horrible actions that Neteyam had to watch and listen too caused his second hand embarrassment, the girl blushing and giggling as she looked down towards the sand beneath her feet.   

Eyes wide, Neteyam ducked as a creature that resembled an Ikran, flew over top of him and his family. The rest of his family did as he had, the creatures new and unknown to them. Although they were different, when the creature landed in the water and had stilled, Neteyam couldn't help but admire it. It seemed familiar, like he had seen it before, but there was nothing like the creature in the forest. It confused him greatly, but that didn't stop him from attempting to rack his mind for where he believed he recognized it.

"I see you, Tonowari." Odessa spoke, her fingers coming up to her forehead before they drifted downwards. Both families copied her motion towards the chief. The crowd behind the leader broke apart as a woman walked forward, quickly stepping forward to examine the family. Odessa was quick to greet the woman as well, "I see you, Ronal, Tsahik of the Metkayinas."

He wondered how his mother knew who they were. Ancient stories? Tales from time? Maybe the words had been whispered in the wind.

Neteyam was amazed at the clothing that adorned the man's body. Seashell and gifts from the water hanging from strings. He was amazed at everyone and his whole surroundings — he wouldn't tell anyone, but he was extremely excited to swim in the water to his side. 

The man, adorned in various things Neteyam had never seen before, gestured to the forest Na'vi. "Why do you come to us?"

Neteyam glanced at his mamma, waiting for her to step forward and explain why they were here. But Jake did it, the man stepping forward and tilting his head. "We seek sanctuary. I seek sanctuary for my family; my mate, sisters, children, nieces and nephew. For them."

Ronal scoffed, the word uturu rolling of her tongue with ease. She whirled around, her eyes darkening with every growing second. She didn't not like the forest people, and it showed with each and every one of her movements.

"We are reef people. You are forest people." Tonowari spoke in a questioning manner. He was unsure as to why the the two families would come to his home out of all places. To the water. There were many other clans among Pandora, many that had similar traits to the forest people. "Your skills will mean nothing here."

"We will learn your ways, alright." Jake said. Neteyam watched as he gestured to his family, those who were being hunted because of what had happened so many years ago.

Ronal came up behind Odessa, picking up her tail to examine it. Her fingers poking and prodding at the blue skin that wrapped around her tail bone and blood vessels. Neteyam wanted to say something. His mamma seemed so uncomfortable and he hated how it made him feel to just watch what was happening. He then watched as the woman moved over to his youngest sibling, Tuk. Ronal grabbed at the youngest siblings bicep. "Their arms are thin."

"Mamma." The youngest Everett child looked scared as she hid her head further into her mothers chest once Ronal had let go.

"Their tails are weak." Ronal moved onto the other Everett daughter, Kiri, picking up her tail and running it through her fingers. The daughter fiercely smacked her tail out of the woman's grip, pulling it to herself. Neteyam smiled at his younger sister for standing up for herself, not allowing the woman to treat her the way others were being treated.

"You all will be slow in the water." Ronal said as she looked up at Jake and Odessa, she then grabbed Inkires hands, holding them in her harsh grip. She raised them upwards for the crowd around her to see. "These children are not even true Na'vi."

Neteyam watched as his uncle, Jake Sully clenched his jaw at the sight of his daughter being held by Ronal. Jake wouldn't say anything in fear that the woman would send them away, Neteyam knew that. It's why he hasn't said anything either.

"Yes we are." Kiri spoke up in defense, arguing against the comment that Ronal had made. She was Na'vi; raised and born. So what if she had an extra finger and different blood than others.

Ronal finally moved over to Neteyam, who held his head up high. He wouldn't show her that he disliked how his family had been treated. She gripped his hands, harshly, holding them up high for everyone to see again. "They have demon blood."

Engendered blood mixed from human and Na'vi. That's all it was, not demon blood. Neteyam knew this, but he knew that the woman wouldn't.

The people gathered around gasped, some even choosing to back away. Neteyam felt hurt, pained that this was how people would react to difference. He looked towards the ground as Ronal continued to hold up his hands. Neteyam was tired too, pained and tired, he wouldn't fight anything.

"Look. Look!" Neteyam glanced towards his uncle who stepped forward, holding his own hands out for everyone to see. His mamma did the same. Jake shook his hand and attempted to bring all of the attention onto himself and away from the children. Once the attention was on him he started to talk. "I was born of the sky people and now I am Na'vi. Alright, you can adapt.My sister adapted, we can adapt. We will adapt"

"My husband was Toruk Makto." The mother to four, Niave, stepped out from behind her mate, glaring at Ronal for having touched her family. She held her head up high, confident, she wouldn't let the actions stand — to her it wasn't acceptable. "He led the clans to victory against the sky people."

"This you call victory?" Ronal looked around at the family, eyeing them with what Neteyam assumed was disgust. "Hiding amongst strangers?" She stepped towards the family, more so Niave than anyone else. "It seemed Ewya has turned her back on you ... chosen one."

Niave stepped forward, hissing into Ronal's face. Ronal responded by doing the same as the two started to circle each other in a form of battle between the two. One trying to prove that they were right, well the other tried to prove they were more than what they seemed. Neteyam wondered if he would need to step in, but his mamma seemed to have it underneath her control; stepping forward and placing herself between the two woman.

"Look, I apologize for my mate." Jake spoke lowly, casting his mate a glance. She spat out some words, ones that made Jake take a trouble take as if he didn't believe his calm mate would be so snarky. "She's come a long way and she's exhausted."

"Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na'vi people know his stories, but we Metkayina are not at war." Tonowari turned and looked towards his people gathered around. He knew that many of them knew the stories of Toruk Makto, and if they didn't, they would learn. Tonowari sadly looked towards the large family.  "We cannot let you bring your war here."

"I don't want war." Jake shook his head. He wrapped his arm tighter around the child in his arms, placing a hand on the back of her head to keep her against him, to keep her safe. "I just want to keep my family safe."

Tonowari turned to his mate, who still had a look of disagreement written all across her face. It was clear that she didn't want to let the forest people into her home. The two mates didn't share any words, but their looks and actions shared a million messages. It was when Tonowari tilted his head to the side that his mate nodded in response.

Tonowari took a deep breath before he turned towards to his people. "Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as our brothers and sisters. They do not know the sea ... so they will be like babies taking their first breath." He glanced towards the family that he was welcome. "Teach them our ways, so they do not suffer the shame of being useless."

Jake let out a sigh of relief as he put his youngest daughter back down onto the ground and nudged her shoulder. "What do we say?"

"Thank you." The youngest daughter smiled as she looked up at the leader. Once she had said her thank you, she let her eyes drift towards the water she was more than happy to explore.

"My son Ao'nung and daughter Tsireya will show your children what to do." He pointed to the young girl and boy at his side.

Tsireya stepped forward, waving the family forward. "Come, we will show you to where you'll be staying."

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╰ authors note

hi! eeee, i'm so excited! i can't wait to write more of neteyam in this story! and odessa!