#avatar frontiers of pandora fanfiction

[nilsavatar]

All's fair in war and love

Parings: Neteyam x Fem!Sarentu

Genre/Warnings: NSFW/MDNI +18, no use of Y/N, ANGST, SMUT in the end, love bites, sexual tension, P in V, manhandling, fingering, praising, cursing, pet names (tìyawn, yantu, yawne, love, sweetheart), dirty talk (Neteyam has a breeding kink as request by Anon), edging (orgasm denial), soft-dom Neteyam. All characters are AGED-UP. Neteyam is a bit cheesy, but from the way he shows how much he cares for his family, it's in character to be a romantic in a love context.

!DISCLAIMER! Presence of dark and sensitive explicit themes: destruction by explosive devices, massacre, and murder (the protagonist and Neteyam kill soldiers). Please do not read if these topics are not for you.

Summary: The story takes place in one of the final stages of the video game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, in one of the most poignant and heartbreaking moments of the plot. Following a heavy earthquake at the Well of Souls that hit the Zeswa hunting party, Sarentu, who will take the name Ateyana here, travels to the site in search of survivors. Finding that many have perished, she decides to find the source of the devastating tremors. Quakes that are not of seismic origin, rather human. With vengeance in her heart, she goes to the military outpost seeking justice. There she will be joined by her lover, Neteyam, and together they will fight for Pandora. But also for themselves.

Little note: This story should have come out months ago - many months ago, way too many. Writing it was a source of great frustration for me. I found myself having a precise idea that I couldn't put into words. The biggest challenge was the action scene that you will find as you read, and, honestly, I don't even think it came out that well. It was the first time for me to deal with this type of narrative. Even if I'm not at all satisfied with the result, it feels right to publish it, for those who have been waiting for it. Anon who requested it, those who answered the poll to choose Sarentu's name, @akari-rosefield who DMed me for updates. This fic is for you.

Word Count: 9k

Masterlist - Request a fic

“Yana!”

Shouts. Shouts and gunshots. The alarm siren.

“Ateyana, we must move!”

A male voice. Nor? The noises mingled with the high-pitched whistle that filled her ears, her eyes blinded by too much light blocking her view. A wall of intermittent red cleared up only by the white of bullets and the few monitors still working.

“Telisi, Yefti-.” “Come!”

Somebody pulled her by the arm. Her legs ran as if pulled by a force she thought lost. The images blurred until they took on the contours of a face she knew. Eyes that were large and bright, but distant as if hiding a secret, now wide with terror.

“It’ll be fine. Don’t be afraid. It’s gonna be like falling into a deep sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over.” “It burns.” “I know, dear, it’ll pass now. Just close your eyes and start counting down from ten. Ten... nine... eight... seven...”

The woman’s voice became distant like a ghost's, her eyelids heavy. The fire coursing through her veins gave way to a sudden cold; a searing chill that numbed her feet, then her legs, and slowly worked its way up her entire body.

“... six... five...”

Surrounded by darkness, all she could hear was the capsule hissing shut, protecting her from everything but silence.

Neteyam remembered his first meeting with Ateyana well. The excitement and commotion that her entrance to Awa’atlu had triggered, on a par with a resurrected spirit — the dawn of a new day. It felt like déjà vu, but in reverse: this time, the Sullys were not on the side of the outsiders falling from the sky, and instead of suspicion, there was a mood of celebration. On the back of her ikran, she wore with ease the hallmarks of the clans that had touched her, each symbolizing a stage in her rebirth; the teachings of their ways. The sea breeze sighed through the soft kinglor silk of her robes, the feathers of the stiff Keme’tire cloak vibrated with every breath, while the colors of the Zewsa shone brightly in the sunlight. Her eyes even deeper and more orange by the sharp contrast with the white, purple, and fuchsia that tinged her skin. So unusual was her appearance, yet harmonious, paired with the banshee that sported the same fanciful pattern. “Look! Look at her face!” “The mark.” The young warrior's gaze followed the whispers around him and settled on the girl's left cheekbone, cut by a crescent moon and four drops just below the eye.

Sarentu. The lost clan.

Neteyam had only heard of them in his grandmother’s stories. The old woman had a sad smile as she talked about the lost storytellers, who were distant cousins of the Omatikaya and descendants from Entu, the first Toruk Makto; diplomatic wanderers who preserved the oral memory of clans’ history, carriers of Eywa wisdom. A beloved People whose terrible fate was known to all Na’vi. Exterminated by the RDA. The same organization that kidnapped their children to raise them as deviant soldiers, alienated from the Great Mother, from all that made them pandorians. Kids who disappeared twenty years ago as a result of the attack on the Tree of Souls and the dismantling of the TAP program.  Or so they thought, for one of them had just dismounted her dragon, its wings still rustling with the sound of powerful beats.

Making her way through the crowd, the plaintive wails of the baby cradled in her arms acted as a herald of the tsahìk's arrival. Loran, younger brother of Ao'nung and Tsireya, born shortly after the RDA attack that nearly killed the Sullys' eldest son, seemed to have absorbed the heartbreak of his People, the turmoil of those dark times, for relentless was the torment that plagued him until he fell asleep.

The girl stepped forward, kneeling as she made a small bow before her forehead. “Oel ngati kameie, Ronal eo lu Metkayina Tsahìk.” The woman smiled, and her calmness seemed to ease the breathlessness of her son, who stared at the visitor with large, tear-filled eyes. “Ateyana te Hìtaì Kataru’ite.”

For a split second, her gaze flickered. It had been so long since she had heard her full name spoken aloud. The mention of her family, specifically her mother, sent a shiver down her spine. With a long history of being used as an experiment, trapped within the confines of sterile concrete walls, she had come to see herself as nothing but a test subject. A lab rat. A cluster of inconsequential cells employed to experiment with a substance and observe its reaction. Or worse, treated like a monkey that was given logic games to assess its intellectual growth. With each class, each shower in disinfectant, because the stench of Na’vi was unbearable, every trace of her natural self slipped away; depersonalized from everything her name stood for to the point of hating it. Ateyana, Spirit of the Dawn. It sounded like a joke, the sense of hope that her name carried. In the RDA compound, scientists educated Sarentu children in math, English, weapon use, and also introduced them to human literature and history. A series of conflicts, wars, colonization, and destruction caused by the idea of taking things simply because one had the power to do so. Throughout those years, she couldn’t ignore the eerie parallels between them and the indigenous communities who had been eradicated in certain areas of Earth. The name of one population in particular had stayed with her, as it bore a striking resemblance to her own. The Yana, a population decimated by the California genocide unleashed by the Gold Rush, ceased to exist in 1916 when the last descendant perished in a Rancheria.

Right from the beginning, she saw that historical reference as an omen of what was to come for her and her people, now down to just five survivors. Whether through brutal erasure or assimilation into other clans, the Sarentu would disappear.  She made a decision that day: to only go by Yana. She abandoned her full name and any other nickname despite her sister’s disapproval, and adopted what everyone now regarded as a diminutive, oblivious to its true status as a legitimate name. 

A name that signified the final chapter of their lives.  Hers and those who shaped her into the resentment and anger-filled young woman she is today. And with almost absolute certainty of all those who would accompany her in her revenge.

“For a long time, we believed in the defeat of your people, but our hope for your return never wavered. The Great Mother could not fail those she had delivered her word to. We have missed you.” Ronal caressed her cheek, her thumb feathering the raised outline of the mark. A moment of weakness that surprised those present, accustomed to the woman’s stoic and fearless nature. “Come, you need rest. You’ve been through a lot, and your eyes tell me there is much to discuss.”

The girl nodded, her heart full of gratitude at the warm welcome, a gesture she hadn’t anticipated (the tsahìk's reputation preceded her). A fleeting warmth that would soon fade.

2174, PANDORA, RESISTANCE HQ, KINGLOR FOREST

“We have located the epicenter of the quakes near the Celebration Arches”. Priya’s finger pointed on the map to the demarcation point between Aranahe and Zeswa territories; just beyond the network of caves that connected the Kinglor Forest to the Upper Plains.

“Ayvitrayä Ramunong (Well of Souls),” Jake’s voice belonged to a hiss, recalling vividly the last time he had admired the magnificence of rock arches growing up from the underground, driven by the incredible magnetic force. A shell that enclosed within it a dense, lush vegetation protecting the Tree of Souls. Two decades earlier, the RDA had destroyed the Omatikaya’s most sacred site. Although the basin was at the foot of the Hallelujah Mountains, right in the Flux Vortex’s heart, their attack wiped out the clan’s memories and, almost, their spirit. Something similar was happening here. He was certain of it. The tremors recorded were too cadenced and regular to result from seismic activity. Humans orchestrated it. 

“Drills.” “That's what we suspect.” “Unobtanium?” “We do not detect a relevant presence of unobtanium in the subsoil that would justify extraction. On the other hand, it is rich in carbon-fossils.” “Oil?” “Let's call it that.” “What's the point of extracting it? We have abandoned fossil energy sources for more than a hundred years.”

We have. At his side, Neytiri clutched the handle of the bow she had not laid since their arrival, her eyes darkened by the battle paint that adorned her face. Sometimes her husband still spoke as if he were one of them. After all, a part of him always would have been. Just look at the military waistcoat he wore like a second skin, the rifle always at hand, despite Eywa's abhorrence of metal weapons. The man spoke before his mate did, “We must act, but we need to be smart.” “Anqa is already on site examining the situation. Yana is with her,” she added, noting the friend's apprehensive look at the mention of one person alone in that dangerous place. “What?” The tone in Neteyam's voice was caustic; a venomous hiss barely vented between clenched teeth, but he did not have time to question the girl's presence in the field any further, as a loud din echoed from the two-way radio on the table.

“Anqa! Anqa, can you hear me? What's going on?” The purple-haired ecologist was terrified. -The RDA… Arches…! Blew up! Zeswa… the signal was disturbed. The hunting party… Everything collapsed. The arches collapsed…- Neteyam snatched the transceiver from her hand to bring it to his mouth with cold timbre and a blank stare. “Where is she?”

No further explanation was necessary for Anqa to understand to whom that male voice, she had come to know all too well, referred. Despite the number of forced interactions with the young Na'vi, despite the operations they had collaborated on side by side, it seemed impossible for her to get used to the chill that ran down her spine whenever she heard him speak with that tone. Especially at times like these. Netayam was frightening when altered, a worthy son of his mother. His lips pulled downward in a thin line, his teeth clenched to the point that his jaw snapped, the tips of his canines showing in tacit menace. His eyes fixed and alert, serpentine, his nostrils flared, and his lungs swelled to a peak and then deflated into severe rumblings in the deepest part of his throat.

-She went looking for survivors.-

Adding nothing more, the young warrior pushed the device against Priya's frail chest, who could barely stand on her own strength, and took wide strides toward his ikran; his parents at his heels. Jake grabbed him by the arm as the boy adjusted the throat-comm around his neck and set it to the frequency matched with his girlfriend's.

“Where you think you’re going?” “To get her.” “You stay here. We’ll go.” The son ignored those words by loading the bow onto the animal’s back. His mother called him back, in tune with his father’s admonition. “I won’t say that again.” “Fine. ‘Cause I won’t sit on my hands while the girl I love is in danger. I’ve never done that with my siblings, and I’m certainly not going to start now.” Jake stepped back as his son pointed his fingers to his own chest, right at the level of the scar that marked him; the everlasting reminder of when he was dying in his arms. “I’m the one who has to keep her safe. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her.”

“Just as I couldn't live with myself if we lost you.”

Neteyam’s gaze straightened, “I wouldn’t change a thing, even if saving Spider meant giving my life. I am ready to die for those I care about.” “I know, son, that’s what scares me.” He took his face with a palm and brought it close until they were face to face, “Bring her home.” “Yes, sir.” “I expect a mateship ceremony when this whole thing is over.” The boy chuckled, “Yes, sir.”

Yana looked at what was left of the watercourse leading to the heart of the prairie, almost totally dried up except for a few puddles here and there — the water within them of an unnatural greenish hue with purplish reflections and dense consistency. Her vision was blurred by the cloud that had risen after the collapse, and made it difficult for her to breathe; the air tainted by smoke, dust, and pollutants intoxicated her lungs. Around her, the high rock walls were lined with rubble, uprooted trees, and … bodies.

Of winzaw (arrow deer), pa'li and Zeswa.

Most of the hunters had perished crushed by their own mounts, others by boulders or sudden impact with the ground. All were covered in the grayness of ash and death. The only color was the red dye they dyed their hair with, which, mixing with the blood, stained the rocks.

-Tìyawn (love)? Tìyawn, do you read me? “Teyam?” -Thanks, Great Mother, you’re doing okay. Anqa gave us a heads-up about the blast. Where are you at?- “I'm going up the river. There's so much death here. So many killed, so much life…,” her voice died in her throat, ”… destroyed. I'm going up to the drill now. Stop this from happening again.” -No way. Call off the ikran and get back here. Now. We need to regroup. We can't afford recklessness. Do you hear me, Yana? Do not attack!- “I will carry the pain to the ones who caused it.” -Ateyana…!-

Neteyam's inhaled voice died out in the metallic noise of the interference caused by the flow. She was alone. Not that it made any difference. Even though she knew she was hurting him, she would have ignored his intimate but selfish request. She would never have turned back, at the cost of annihilating him in the soul. The Zeswa had welcomed her as a clan member returning from a long, grueling journey. They had raised the festival kites to honor the rebirth of the Lost People; they had taught her their way. She would not abandon them to their grief. The Sarentu were once a peaceful tribe of storytellers and diplomats, they weren't warriors, the Sky People had made them so. Who forced them to take up arms, paint themselves in the colors of war, and swell their chests with battle echoes. If there was one valuable lesson she had learned from human cruelty, it was that there are circumstances in which one must be stained with sin to achieve the goal. Yana was willing to do that, too. She was willing to be abandoned by Eywa and the Na'vi to save Pandora. To give up her integrity and love. To force Neteyam to remain without her. Therefore, even with a grasp gripping her heart, before advancing on the path that had formed in the ruins, besides checking the state of her bow, she counted how many munitions she had in the rifle she carried. As the invaders used to say: all's fair in war and love.

“Fuck!” imprecated Neteyam, pressing the side button to change frequency and connect to Anqa’s throat-comm, his voice sharp. “Anqa, do you copy? I’ve lost signal with Yana. The flux is making the instrumentation crazy.” Static crackled in his ear before Anqa’s voice came through, laced with tension. -Copy. What do you mean, lost signal? Where was she heading?- “She moved into the rubble,” Neteyam said, his frustration barely contained. “Trying to avoid being spotted by soldiers on her way to the drill.”

The woman’s silence spoke more than a thousand words, as heavy as the burden that gripped their hearts. If flux interference was disrupting communication with the Sarentu, it could only mean one thing: she was at the center of it, right in the collapsed area. Then Anqa replied, her tone edged with worry. -Damn, girl. She always does this.-

“I’m not leaving her out there,” he said firmly, his eyes scanning the horizon as he tightened his grip on the banshee's reins. Anqa’s response was swift, resolute. -I’m not suggesting you should. But don’t go in blind, Neteyam. We need you in one piece, too.- “She’s taking out that drill whether we’re ready or not,” the warrior shot back. “You know her—she’ll make the shot even if it kills her.”

A heavy sigh crackled through the comm. -Alright. Listen, head toward the north ridge. The flux is thinner there. I’ll try to guide you remotely with what’s left of the scanners. And, Neteyam?- “Yeah?” -Don’t let her do anything stupid. We need her alive for this fight.- He smirked faintly, though his heart was pounding. “She’s not the only stubborn one here, you know.” -Clearly. Watch your six out there. Out.- The communication fell silent, and Neteyam nudged his mount forward, his gaze narrowing on the jagged horizon.

Flying over the area, he spotted the yellow-and-white-banded Scorpion below him, close to a tall tree growing crooked, almost horizontal, on the top of a hill. A lone stone arch remained intact to shield it. As he imagined, he found the tawtute at the foot of the gigantic tree admiring its leaves turning to fall; the disconsolate expression of someone who had already experienced that same desolation on their skin.

His blood froze when he saw Telisi catch up to her with her typical awkward walk, and rub her muzzle against the woman's cheek as if seeking comfort. Determination burned in his chest as he murmured to himself. “Hold on, love. I’m coming.” With a sharp whistle, his ikran spread its wings, and they dove into the flux-laden skies.

With each step, the dust thickened, and her heart bounced in her chest in rhythm with the increasingly deafening thumps of the drill. Slow and steady, the thuds that sounded by the second seemed to numb her. But even as her feet stumbled over the craggy ground shaken by the vibrations, she did not hint at stopping her progress. Gradually the path became more impassable, where the gorge had filled with giant boulders and uprooted trees, blocking access. She could have scaled what remained of the arches to get an aerial view of the surroundings, but climbing to the top would have meant exposing herself to the aim of snipers and automatic machine guns. Surveillance at that extraction site had to be on high alert, she was certain.

As she advanced, a faint glow hit on her right, warm and clear. Sunlight. A passageway free of disaster. She approached it cautiously. The entrance was just big enough for her to crouch through and gave access to a cave; the ceiling smashed by the earthquake into a natural skylight. Yana hesitated before entering; the air was cleaner but venturing inside a rocky way could be dangerous, even fatal with those continuous tremors running through the underground. A collapsing wall could easily have turned that cave into her grave. But the alternatives were few, and between standing in the mist that prevented her from seeing potential enemies and making her way through the shadows, she chose the one that would give her an advantage. When it comes to Na’vi, the sun is always expected to cast banshee shadows over the heads of their enemies, or the patter of galloping hooves to announce their arrival. It would not occur to anyone to look down, to guard ravines and underground passages to quell any surprise attacks. The People were skilled hunters who never mixed such skills with the art of war. But Yana was not just Na'vi now. Certainly, her DNA was, but a substantial enough part to create ethical contrasts in her person was human.

Penetrating inside the cave, she could ascertain that the main exit had, in fact, collapsed. The only other point of access was the skylight itself, but to reach it she would have to rely on the strength of her arms to climb. With no small effort, she reached the top, and the mammoth, frightening figure of the drill appeared before her, the building structure circling it like a barrier. A stroke of pure luck: as she ascended the passage, she had come right to the heart of the Alpha platform; the auger staring her straight in the face as if to give a defiant welcome.

“Priya? I'm at the drill. Tell me how to tear it down.” -I hear you. Destroying the drill-core will leave that monster useless. It's protected, but cut the control wires, and you should get an opening. Hurry, it's the RDA. Nothing's ever enough.- “Consider it done.” With those words, the tsamsiyu (warrior) took her leave, before turning off the transceiver and penetrated inside the platform, filled with enemies armed to the teeth. But she wasn't afraid. She possessed the skills to accomplish the mission without having to engage in open confrontation. With patience and calculated movements, she would have tampered with that contraption. What could go wrong?

The military base sprawled across the battered terrain like a metallic parasite, its angular structures jutting out from the ground, illuminated by harsh, artificial floodlights. Sarentu advanced through the shadows to make herself invisible, her breathing controlled, every step deliberate. She crouched low behind a jagged fragment of collapsed rock, her body blending with her surroundings. She inhaled deeply, her ears twitching as she listened to the heavy footfalls of a nearby patrol. Her bow was slung across her back, and a quiver of arrows hugged her side, a blade ready in one hand. She slipped between the patrols, weaving through their blind spots, and approached her prey. The monstrous drill, the beating heart of devastation.

The machine seemed alive, a colossus of metal and energy, digging relentlessly. The hum of its turbines vibrated in the air, an almost hypnotic rhythm, but the girl could afford no distractions. The base was heavily guarded; squads of soldiers moved in coordinated patterns, their exosuits clanking softly as they patrolled the perimeter, a mechanical dance of strength and control.

Moving with feline grace, she watched them for several minutes, mapping their movements. Three guards on the raised catwalk, two near the energy core, one stationed at the control room door. The others roamed unpredictably. She’d have to move fast and strike silently. Stealth was the key, and a strategy formed in her mind as she did so, accurate and deadly.

Her chance came when two soldiers paused to speak, turning their backs to her. She darted forward, her feet barely making a sound on the uneven ground. With a lightning gesture, she drew an arrow and stuck it. The string of her bow was stretched in deafening silence. The first shot struck the guard in the throat; the second fell before he could scream. When the third turned too late, her blade flashed, slipping through the crevices of his armor, her palm plugging his mouth before he could react. He collapsed with a muted thud. Yana dragged the bodies into the shadows, methodical despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. No mistakes, no hesitation.

The main control panel was located in a cabin protected by armored walls and a digital keypad lock, where the last soldier was typing distractedly. Taking cover behind a stack of crates, an arrow flew, quiet as the whisper of the wind. The lone guard fell onto the controls, his hand smearing blood on the screen, as the rustle of the drill grew louder. She pushed him aside to access the panel that displayed data incomprehensible to anyone but a skilled technician, but she had no need to decipher it, SID would have taken care of it—a portable interface capable of decoding the security frequencies of enemy forces.

After a few seconds of work, her eyes lit up as the device emitted a soft beep of success, unlocking the door. The cabin was cramped, lit by cool neon lights, and the control panel dominated the room, its screens and switches monitoring every aspect of the drill.

The hanged plans showed how the core was protected by an electronic security grid, making it inaccessible without a specific command. Quickly, she navigated the panel menus, bypassing the access codes with her device. Her experience enabled her to locate the sequence that activated the turbines' maintenance mode, which was necessary to temporarily expose the core for technical interventions.

The next step required rigor. Yana pulled out a small vibration-cutting tool and began to disassemble the panel's side plate. The metal shell was resisting, but with a sharp blow, she managed to remove it, revealing a tangle of wires and circuits. She quickly identified the wiring for the core cooling system, a critical component in keeping the turbines stable. By cutting a single blue wire and replacing it with a connector she modified, she created a controlled short circuit that sent a false overheat signal to the main panel. The lights flashed, and a low alarm went off, prompting the system to automatically open the bulkheads protecting the drill core to allow for a supposed inspection.

Before leaving the cabin, the girl deactivated the hacking device, automatically erasing all traces of her digital intrusion. She remounted the panel plate and verified that everything appeared intact from the outside. Finally, she slipped between the shadows once again.

With the core now exposed, she could see it shone with an unnatural blue-green glow, pulsing like an alien heart.

“Time to finish this,” she murmured, moving briskly to it. She retrieved a bundle of small adhesive charges from her belt, aware that every second lost could be lethal. She carefully placed them in the most vulnerable spots, her hands steady despite the time pressure. The bomb timers were set on a delay long enough to allow her to move away safely. She was just finishing cocking the last one when a cry rang out behind her. “Intruder! By the drill!”

The searchlights all pointed at her, and the camp exploded in chaos. Cursing under her breath, the girl dived behind a support beam as bullets tore through the air, arrows at the ready. She shot one, then another in rapid succession, each finding its mark. She shot down the nearest enemies, but there were too many reinforcements for her to face them alone.

The situation seemed desperate. Her eyes rested one last time on the drill, then her fingers went to the detonator as she murmured a quiet prayer, ready to make a drastic decision. Just as she was about to press the button, a shadow loomed overhead. A high-pitched whistle cut through the air, followed by the shrill screech of an ikran, its wings slicing through the chaos in a bright trail. Neteyam plunged into the fray, the claws of his beast bearing down on a squad of soldiers. He leaped from his back mid-flight, landing next to Yana with a force that made the platform vibrate.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as she fired another arrow at an approaching guard. “Saving you,” replied her boyfriend, unsheathing his blade, piercing a soldier who came too close in the chest. Sarentu gave him a look full of sarcasm and defiance. Together, they fought their way back toward the drill side by side, their movements perfectly synchronized even in the crossfire. Time was against them; the charges were set, and the girl had the detonator.

“Now or never!” Neteyam shouted, shoving her behind cover as another wave of bullets ripped through the air. She took a breath, staring at the target. Everything came down to this moment. The explosion was deafening, a column of blinding flash of light rising skyward, devouring the drill. The shockwave knocked them both off their feet, flames and debris raining down around them. Yana felt the heat lap against her skin as Neteyam covered her with his own body.

“It’s not over yet!” he shouted, pulling her to her feet as the ground beneath them broke, reacting violently to the destruction. They sprinted toward the edge of the base. The warrior whistled sharply, and his dragon swooped low, its wings slicing through the smoke. He hauled her onto its back and the animal soared as the base sank into the rubble.

As they ascended, the flux pulsed ominously, a deep, rhythmic thrum that resonated through the air. From the sky, as the ikran carried them away, they watched the flames consume the drill. She turned to him, her breathing still labored. “Thank you,” she said, the word full of emotion and relief, while hugging him. He nodded in return, his gaze fixed on the horizon. That was only the beginning. The battle was not over, but for the moment, the drill was gone.

The ikran landed on a rocky ledge hidden in the tops of the tallest trees, a safe place away from the chaos. The wind, charged with the wild energy of the flow, subsided. Neteyam descended first, his movements stiff and charged with tension. When the young woman set foot on the ground, she found him already distant, his back to her.

“Yawntu?” she called, her voice low, almost hesitant. He turned abruptly, and in his golden eyes shone a storm of emotion. His voice, usually calm and reassuring, was broken by a tremor of restrained anger. “What the heck were you thinking?!” She stopped in place, surprised by the ferocity of the tone. “I-”

“You left on your own, you walked into that damn field,” he interrupted her, taking a step toward her. “You were going to-” He couldn’t even say the phrase—You were going to let yourself blow up—, too painful to even think about. The trembling that still shook him was not just a momentary fear: it was a deep-rooted feeling, born of the overwhelming love he felt for her and the horror of seeing the possibility of a future without her. The scene played out in his head repeatedly, like a vortex of conflicting emotions consuming him. Even knowing she was safe now could not quell.

He felt a surge of panic when he realized she would remain in the base, risking her life to destroy the drill even though the bombs were active.  His mind, usually clear-headed in battle, filled with chaotic images: her face illuminated by flames, her hands reaching toward him as life left her, the emptiness of a world without the sound of her laughter or the warmth of her gaze. Each beat of the ikran’s wings felt like an eternity, and every second that passed was a weight piling on his chest.

“What was that all about, huh?” His chest rose and fell furiously, his breathing quickened as he drew closer to her again, towering over her with his stature. “Why didn’t you wait for backup? You always want to do everything yourself, you trust no one.” A sequence of questions and statements that sounded as if they meant something else entirely. 

You didn’t wait for me. You don’t trust me?

Neteyam fought with himself not to give in to the sense of helplessness, but with each passing moment, the girl’s silence only infuriated his sense that she had consciously chosen to sacrifice herself to destroy the drill. This tormented him, for it meant that she had decided to leave him behind.

“You were ready to die in there! Do you have any idea what that would have meant for me?!” he shouted, and, for a moment, seemed about to burst, but he held back, running a trembling hand through his hair. “I... I can’t lose you, Yana. Not like this.” Those words crashed like waves against a wall, leaving a pain-filled silence. Sarentu stepped forward, her gaze catalyzed on him. “Teyam, listen to me. I had to do it. It was the only way.” “Your life is not an acceptable price!” he replied, his voice louder than he intended. He took a step toward her, his eyes staring at her as if he feared she might disappear. “Not for this war. Not for any war.”She looked at him, surprised by the vehemence of his words. “And anyone else’s life is?” she asked, calm but firm. “If it wasn’t me, it would be someone else. You know that.”

There was nobility in her intent, but Neteyam shook his head nonetheless at her disinterested altruism, his breathing still uneven. Her martyrdom might mean nothing to someone else, but to him, it would amount to the nullification of himself.

“I don’t care about someone else. I-I care about you. More than duty allows, more than I wish sometimes. When I saw you, surrounded by the RDA with the detonator in your hand, crouching in front of the ordnance ...” He shook his head again as if to banish the image, his eyes glazed over. “It was as if a part of me was already dead.” Silence descended. He ran a hand over his face, trying to regroup his thoughts. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, almost a whisper. “When I saw you wouldn’t stop ... I felt my whole world falling apart. You can’t ask me to bear it, Yana. You can’t.”

She looked at him, motionless. His words sank into her heart like knives, but she did not defend herself. Instead, she moved slowly closer until their foreheads almost touched. “You think I wasn’t scared?” she murmured, laying a hand on his chest, where his heart was still beating so fast. “You think I didn’t wonder, every second, if I could come back to you? But I did, Neteyam. I made it. We made it.” Her hands went up to graze his face, her eyes searching his with an intensity that left him breathless. “I wouldn’t be here without you.”

The Omatikaya prince felt the knot of anger and terror loosen inside, leaving a void filled only by his love for her. Saying nothing, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers, breathing her own breath. His hands moved to encircle her waist, pulling her against him. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I won’t be so reckless next time.”

The young warrior closed his eyes, lowering his head to leave a kiss on her forehead. “There won’t be a next time,” he whispered. “I’m not letting you do that on your own again.” The echo of his words bounced between them, an even stronger bond forged in the fear and love that united them. “I cannot lose you,” he repeated, his voice an almost imperceptible rustle. “I can’t. You’re my everything.”

Yana replied without speaking, laying her hands on top of his, squeezing them with a gentleness that contrasted with the ferocity of their battle. When she finally lifted her face to his, her lips found his in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was urgent, desperate, a reminder that they were alive, that they still belonged together.

As they lost themselves in each other, the world around seemed to vanish. There were no more wars, fears, or dangers; there was only them, two souls who had defied fate to find each other once more.

Neteyam broke away from the kiss, his breath short, his face still very close to hers. He looked at her with an intensity that seemed to want to carve that moment in time. “It’s not just fear,” he murmured, his voice rough, as if the words cost him immense effort. “It’s that without you ... I’m nothing.”

She shook her head, her hands rising to clutch the fabric of his warrior belt, pulling him toward her. “Don’t say that,” she replied, her eyes shining. “You are strong, more than anyone I know. But if you think it’s any different for me, you’re wrong.” Her voice cracked as she continued. “Every time I fly with you, watch you fight, hear your voice through the wind... it’s like the world makes sense. And the thought of losing you... it would kill me.” Her words slid between them, breaking down all barriers. Neteyam closed his eyes for a moment, giving her time to see the vulnerability he rarely showed. When he opened them again, there was a warmth in them, a promise that did not need to be spoken.

“We will not be lost,” he said, with a conviction that seemed carved in stone. “No matter what, we’ll always find our way back to each other.” Yana smiled, an expression at once sweet and wistful. “Then never let me go.” Neteyam responded by grasping her face in his hands, his thumbs tracing the contours of her skin as if he wanted to memorize every detail. “Never,” he promised, before kissing her again, this time with a gentleness that contrasted with the desperation of minutes before. The kiss intensified, fueled by something more than desire. A silent communication, a dialogue of souls seeking each other, recognizing each other. Neteyam’s hands came down along her sides, clutching her as if afraid she might fade away. The girl reacted by wrapping her arms around his neck, letting go completely.

Words became superfluous, replaced by the hushed language of their bodies and their gazes. The adrenaline that had sustained them up to that moment transformed into another energy, warmer, deeper. Recognizing their vulnerability, the go-or-nothing gamble they’d taken, they seized the present as if it were their last. They lay down on the carpet of moss that covered the ledge, the sky above them tinged with the vibrant colors of sunset. The sun’s rays streamed through the leaves, casting dancing shadows on their faces. For a moment, the world seemed to slow down, allowing them to lose themselves completely in each other, without fear, without hesitation.

His hands ran all over her body as if to imbue it with his essence. With each caress, a piece of her clothing slipped away. With each kiss, the ornamental paintings faded. “What should I do with you, huh?” He asked. “Do I need to breed you to generate some reason in you?”  She chuckled, but then said in a serious tone, “I won’t stop fighting even if you impregnate me.” “I know already, geez. That’s why I’m so into you. I still wanna see your tummy swell with my child, though. Still wanna fuck you senseless until my cum fills you whole.” A shiver ran down her spine until her toes curled, and she could already feel a small knot tightening in her lower abdomen. But her stubbornness, combined with a taste for having the upper hand, kept her anchored enough so that she would not get lost in the glee of carnal sensations. So that she would not say something she did not mean, or make promises she would not keep, in the heat of the moment. “It’s not gonna happen until we get the RDA out of here for good.” Neteyam agreed: raising a child in such a volatile, perilous environment was out of the question, “But we can always train for it. ‘Til we’re one forever.” “You mean in front of Eywa? Are you sure? You want to do this with me?” He beamed, in love. “You’re the only one I want this with. Are you up for it? When all this shit is over-” “Yes!” The Omatikaya prince gasped at the sudden answer to a question not quite expressed. “Yes?” “Yes, I will marry you as soon as all this shit is over. For what it’s worth, you are already my mate, with or without tsaheylu.” Their unconventional, colorful declaration of eternal love, though far from romantic, felt perfect for them.

Neteyam resumed kissing her everywhere. Her eyes, the tip of her nose, cheeks, neck, breastbone. Reaching her flat belly, he lingered there for a long time as if something was already sprouting inside. Strong fingers gripped her hips possessively, sinking into them until they left their imprint, while his nose tickled her navel, followed, then, by his tongue. He traced the outline there, then went up to one of her breasts and sucked greedily, his hand massaging it as if he could stimulate something else besides the nipple’s turgidity. As if he expected nourishment. When he was satisfied so, he gave the other tit the same treatment, and Yana had to bite her lip hard to keep from moaning. 

When, at last, the warrior pulled away with a resounding pop, she could sketch out a sly giggle, partly from the ticklish sensation, partly because she knew the source of so much attention. “I love your kinky side.” His face, already flushed from the exertion and impetus that was shaking his insides, turned purple at that joke. This side of him still ashamed him. A side he could not repress. And, to be fair, he didn’t want to erase it either, being linked to the unbreakable connection he had felt with Sarentu from the very first day. The way she held Loran, the way she cradled him, captivated him. The gentleness in her manner, the kindness in her eyes, despite the belligerent times in which they lived, had forged her into resentment and death. Yana exuded a warmth and fragrance that smelled like home. He fell inexorably in love with it and longed to turn the world into a safer place for her. She was his person, he knew it immediately.

She laughed again, her face slightly bent in a canny expression. “It’s cute when you get all bashful.” Stung to the core but refreshed by the challenge, he lifted her legs, spreading them apart just enough to observe how she glistened in the sunset light. A little revenge rattling in his head. “Soaking wet already? Did the raid get you pumped? And you called me kinky.”

With both forearms on either side of her face, one knee crept between her legs to make room for himself, now bent to graze his pelvis, he towered over her in all his majesty.  “You keep getting more and more beautiful,” he declared before moistening a finger and bringing it past the edge of her intimacy. His mouth stifled a sigh that faded into his oral cavity as tapering fingers flew over her inner thigh, caressing the soft skin and slowly growing a pleasant warmth. Attentive to her every slightest change of expression. A soft moan fell from her lips as he rubbed her clit, tracing tight circles, eager to make her tremble under his touch. Her hips moved unwittingly against his.  She sensed him sneering when his finger probed the dewy soil of her womanhood, the ring of muscle already yearning to capture him inside. “I barely touched you.” Provocation to which Yana couldn’t hold back and, embarrassed, she intimated him to shut up. His phalanges slowly slipped between her folds and plunged inside her, caressing the soft walls. She felt him melt into her passion, wet noises filling their ears with each languid lunge of his digits. Sarentu moved in his grip, stammering his name, her heart bursting in her chest as she closed her eyelids. 

“I’m here, sweetheart.” He cuddled her, and she moved closer to his caress, crossing her shins behind his back, her heels wedged into Venus’ dimples, inviting him deeper, harder. “Please don’t stop,” she purred in a moan. The walls sucked him in so deliciously, begging for more, and Neteyam was hardly the type to deprive a woman of her desires. His fingers curled, teasing her most sensitive spot, while his palm rubbed against her agonizing clit, causing an uncontrolled stream of meows. Each more desperate than the last, as they turned into acute wails as she neared orgasm. She gazed at him, her eyes filled with longing, “More,” but his hand retracted, slowing the pace almost to quell the spiral in her stomach, ready to snap. A whimper hovered in the air as he stopped, just a breath away from that wonderful spot that made her toes curl. He stared at her in amusement at the frustration that crippled her delicate facial features, her mouth open at the revelation.

Neteyam was making her pay for it. Whether it was for teasing him just before or for the headshot at the Alpha platform, she couldn’t tell. 

“Neteyam,” she admonished him afflictedly. “Beg.” “Wha—” “Apologize for scaring the hell outta me out there.” “Oh, come on!” she begged him, rolling her hips against his fingers, trying to chase the sublime sensation that was slowly withdrawing from her. “Apologize.” “Sorry, okay? Sorry, sorry, I won’t put myself in danger like that ever again,” she said all in one breath, reduced to a mess of sobs and soft grumbles similar to a cat’s purr. “I need you” The man shook his head, still in her hands, and a shadow fell over his eyes. “Promise me.” Yana snorted in disbelief. But if Neteyam needed to hear her say it, to be reassured, she would.  “I promise,” she sighed, drawing his face to hers and placing light kisses over his eyes, shining with desire but veiled with anguish. He slid to his side, his forehead juxtaposed against the girl’s. Yana drew the contours of his face. The arch of the nonexistent eyebrows, the feline nose, the line of the lips, the cheekbones so sharp they could slice glass. She rubbed the tip of her nose against his, at the affectionate gesture the warrior massaged her shoulders. 

“Roll over your side,” he whispered, and she complied. Once her back matched his torso, his strong arms encircled her, gluing her to him.  “I love you,” he claimed, kissing her shoulder blade. His palm traveled all the way down her body to her shanks, his digits again infiltrating her thighs, still finding traces of arousal. His fingertips collected the liquid and moved on to the stimulating lubrication of her intimacy. She trembled under his skilled hand, babbling his name as his fingers crept further, dancing in rhythm with her thrusting hips. She gasped when she felt a bulge rub against her butt. Then, without warning, his searing erection pushed its way inside her. Her mouth opened wide in a silent cry of pleasure, and her eyes rolled back as she bucked against his firm frame. Her mind clouded with the pulsing need to let the lust wash over her like boiling lava, as her vision turned white and her head grew light. 

She no longer sensed anything around her. Only Neteyam’s thrusts grew deeper and deeper, kissing her cervix at an ever-increasing pace. This would not last much longer. The man behind her knew well. In fact, his tapering fingers took to torturing her clit in concentric motions, as precise and relentless as his cock paced her back and forth, threatening to come out, but never quite.

“T-teyam,” she uttered, earning a quick bite at the base of her neck.“Let go. Almost there” It was like being bewitched by a spell. The knot that plagued her belly melted away, releasing waves of pleasure so intense they blinded her and pinned her to the bed of moss. There, impaled on her one true love dick.  It didn’t take long before the charge with which he poured into her lost its force. Neteyam was close, very close. So close that she didn’t even have time to prepare herself when, with one last, vigorous thrust, he burst free. A grunt rose in the air and an immense heat filled her.

He rested his forehead against her nape as, breathless and with a hint of malice littering his voice, he said, “I got so far down that if we were already mated, I definitely would’ve gotten you pregnant by now.” Yana started laughing in his arms. “You’re obsessed with this stuff, you know that!”He squeezed her tighter, sliding out of her. “How can I not be with a hottie like you?” She turned as far as she could to search into his eyes. Into his beautiful eyes, yellow as the winter sun, soft from exertion and surrounded by the redness of the moment. And he smiled, a full and genuine smile. A smile in love.

They remained hugged under the darkening sky, saying nothing. There was no need. Their hearts spoke more clearly than any words. Neteyam brushed her hair, studying her with a gentleness that contrasted with his usual resolve. “If this is all we have,” he whispered, ”that’s enough for me.” She closed her eyes, a smile that talked of peace and gratitude painted on her lips. “For me, too.” They remained like that, two souls entwined in a world that tried to separate them, but that night failed to do so.

“If this leads to awesome sex, I’m totally down for more trouble!” “Yana!” The sound of their laughter, carefree and light, mingled with the rustling leaves and the gentle breeze, dancing on the wind like a playful melody.

[pandoraescape]

Summary: "My Heart is Shaped by My Home." | Medicine/Sickness: Anufi's Story before the death of the Sarentu Clan and what she gained after.

The Clouded Forest began to shine as the morning sun gradually ascended from the night.

Beams of light filtered through the towering Cloud Pine Trees. The forest floor is bathed in a soothing, golden warmth from the light. Provoking Eywa'eveng's creatures to awake from their sleep, their mighty calls echo as they begin their journey across the woodland. It's quiet.

Until the sounds of tapping of wood rang across the woods.

Perched high on the massive branches stood a Na'vi woman. Alone, she continues to use her knife to pierce the bark. She's dressed to match her surroundings, wearing a soft wooden top carved with graceful designs and a fawn loincloth adorned with intricate beads and shimmering stones. Her hair was skillfully braided with many tiny beads, intricately woven to form a striking and elaborate long braid. It swayed to the mild winds as she finally finished her task. She carefully placed her knife at her hip's sheath before reaching into her leather pouch to retrieve a wooden spout. She positioned it securely in the opening. Soon, a thin stream of orange sap began to flow, and the Na'vi quickly attached a woven container to the end of the tube, allowing the tree's sap to drip slowly into it.

"Tsahik Anufi."

The sudden call of her name caught Anufi's attention, prompting her to look down from her spot. Below stood a young Na'vi boy, Siul. He was dressed similarly to Anufi, wearing a loincloth and beads that signified his passage from boyhood to manhood. In his arms, he holds a basket full of Eyethorn seeds. Stepping away from her task, she leaps from the branch and gracefully lands next to the young herbalist. While observing her student, she scrutinized his collected seeds, examining each for quality. She took note of the color, size, and firmness of each seed, all of which appeared to be in excellent condition and at their peak.

"You've collected well, Siul," she said, "These seeds are in good condition for the mixtures for the Sarentu."

Siul's face smiled warmly as he gazed at his teacher. His eyes then shifted upward to the sturdy branch of the punching bag. "How long must we wait to gather the sap from the tree for the healing remedy?" he inquired with genuine curiosity.

"We return at nightfall. By then, we can collect Banquet mushrooms at their prime."

The banquet mushrooms, commonly utilized in culinary dishes, are known for their versatile application in cooking. However, it's worth noting that the stems of these mushrooms possess a wide array of healing properties that can be beneficial for various ailments. These are commonly used mainly as blams and creams for cuts. This is why gathering them in the dark is essential, as they are at their prime by then. Siul nodded, making his way to his Ikran to return home. Anufi stood at the edge of the clearing, her eyes following her student as the young man gracefully took flight and soared towards home. With pride and satisfaction, Anufi made her way through the serene surroundings, reaching the tranquil lakeside. She settled onto a fallen log, relishing a brief moment of respite before she would eventually return to her community. Looking at the water, she smiled at the clear, calm surface and the wild animals drinking. While she was enjoying the view, she heard a noise behind her. Without turning around, she responded happily.

"Ma Love, if that's the best you can to hide yourself, then I'm afraid you'll be in serious trouble. Even Syils would run at your steps."

The stillness of the forest is broken by a sudden rustle of the leaves; Mokasa emerges from the foliage and strides over to join his mate," My steps may be heavy, but my hunting skills are still as sharp as ever for my prey," he remark, his face showing false hurt as he joins her. Anufi chuckled, continuing to stare at the landscapes. A brief silence passed between the two until she spoke, "Why is the Kame'tire's chief advisor here following me rather than with the people?" Mokasa didn't reply at first, gazing at the landscapes. However, the sudden frown on his lips told a different story, one of worry. "The Mokasa I know would never abandon his duties, even when he was young, and follow his father's tail like a shadow," she said, remembering their more youthful years. He was a shy yet contented child who approached his chores with dedication, always eager to assist his parents.

"Can't he not be worried for his Tsahìk?"

"He can. But I sense it is not the only thing on his mind."

The two became silent, allowing the sounds of the forest to fill the air.

"Our hunters saw them near one of the campsites in the north."

Anufi gazes at Mokasa with no emotion, but the flicks of her ears reveal surprise. Since their return, seeing humans in the forest is not new, but they have never ventured close to the other Na'vi cities," Did they do anything?" she asks. Mokasa shook his head, "No, they were simply scouting, most likely to find a new area to build their strange buildings," he explained. Anufi let out a soft, relieved hum, grateful that no one had been harmed during the scouting expedition.

"Are you concerned that they might come to the Hollows?" she questions. It wouldn't be the first time they entered the hallows. A team of five soldiers and two leaders, Alma, a young woman, and a man named John, came to the Hollows to teach the young ones about their world and further connect with each other. After careful consideration, both she and Mokasa sensed that something was amiss. Consequently, despite months of contemplation, they ultimately decided to reject the offer.

"They wanted our children," Mockasa suddenly said, his voice lowered as he growled under his breath. Anufi reached out and took his hand, trying to comfort him as he stared at her, angry and scared.

"They wanted to poison their minds with their destructive ways. Their "Civilized culture," Anufi chose not to offer a response, recognizing Mokase's point of view. However, despite their unconventional behavior, Anufi observed that some humans were not as unkind as Mokase suggested. For instance, Alma always radiated warmth and positivity whenever they interacted. "We've already declined their offer. We are safe, and as long we continue to leave them be, we are safe," she claims. Mokasa still didn't reply, but Anufi sensed hesitation in his eyes. She wanted to ask, but he leaned in to touch his forehead to hers. Allowing their presence to calm each other. Mokasa then lets go of her hand and stands.

"I have matters to return to before returning home. But I'll be quick, and you should return as well."

"I will."

Anufi stands at the edge of the wilderness, watching him fade into the distance, swallowed by the lush greenery. She turns her gaze back to the tranquil water, then lifts her eyes to the expansive sky above. Inhaling deeply, she savors the serene atmosphere that surrounds her.

"Anufi! Nefika!"

Anufi's eyes flutter open, and she is transported from her familiar home to the heart of the plains. She stands atop a hill, gazing out at the breathtaking expanse of the Zewa, where vibrant, clear lands stretch as far as the eye can see. Nefika, Aranahe's greatest weaver and friend, stands next to her as they greet their young Sarentu, who runs towards them with a smile.

"Ma'yawntu! I should have known you would be eager to compete," Nefika said, smiling at the young girl. "Planning to fling yourself from these cliffs?"

" I will, if you will."

Nefika's laughter echoed heartily as she looked at the girl, while Anufi's face lit up with a warm smile as she watched the interaction between them. "Child! The Great Games are best as a spectator sport, if you ask me. And you should sit here, with us. Share the zangka."

" I think our Sarentu friend is after something a little more exciting than our old stories," Anufi rebutted.

The Sarentu gives her a smile," Actually, we were hoping you'd help us with the mural. The one to celebrate the Games?"

"They have started that already, have they? Come, then! Let us see what we can salvage," Nefika begins her descent back to the Games, leaving the Sarentu and Anufi alone. Anufi gazes at the girl intently as she speaks.

" I competed myself in the last Games. So long ago, yet the memories are fresh," Anufi fondly recalls the vivid memories of her time in the games, reflecting on her youthful exuberance as she smiles and immerses herself in the joy of spending time with her fellow Na'vi. She cherishes the moments spent playing with the Zakru, feeling the softness of the grass beneath them as they indulge in carefree activities. "I feel now as though I am that girl again. Full of energy and hope." As she continues, a sudden wave of sadness washes over her, enveloping her in a heavy, melancholic embrace. "She did not know darkness. We will make new memories now."

The Sarentu tenderly rests a comforting hand on her shoulder, offering the healer a warm smile before embracing her gently, "I know we will. And it will be better than the last," She said, her voice filled with sadness and a sense of happiness for a better future. The Sarentu slowly pulls away, its engine rumbling softly as it retreats, leaving Anufi alone on the hill's edge. Anufi gazes wistfully back at the vibrant, sprawling lands of the Heartlands, her eyes lingering on the distant horizon. As a gentle breeze ruffles her hair, she inhales deeply, feeling the crisp air fill her lungs, and then exhales slowly, gathering her resolve. With a determined expression, Anufi begins to make her way down the hill to rejoin the others, her footsteps steady and purposeful.

Na'vi Words Used:

Meer Deer-Syil

Archive of our own Version

[moonchildxoxx]

Are we a moment, or a lifetime Part 2

A/N: You are responsible for your own media consumption.  MDNI 18+ 

Warning: talk about terminating a pregnancy, Fetus called a baby multiple times, and semi graphic birth scene ( it’s really not that bad)

Pairing: Tsu’teyx human ! Female! Reader

Word count3,673k

Synopsis: it continues right from part one

[ Request are open]

Master List

Rules

[Previous] // [Next]

"We need to keep this quiet" He murmurs, his voice quiet. The last thing she needed was everyone hounding her, demanding answers about this. Mo'at nods, agreeing that this should be kept quiet before turning and going to a small side room, searching for something. He keeps his arms firmly around her , his face buried in her hair as he murmurs reassurances and tries to soothe his own racing mind "It'll be alright"

He repeated, as if he was trying to convince himself more than her. Mo'at re-emerged with a small, woven basket. It was full of various things, but he couldn't see what exactly through the woven cloth She set it down beside him, gesturing for him to look inside. He gently shifted her out his lap for a moment so he could lean forwards, looking inside the basket. His long fingers pull back the lid, his brow furrowed as he looks at the contents.  The basket was filled with various things. Some herbs, some berries, and a few other bits and pieces he doesn't notice Mo'at motions to them, pointing at specific things "Make sure she takes these everyday. Some of the herbs will help with the nausea, the berries will help replenish the energy. I will try to find more" Tsu'tey just nods silently, still trying to process that he was going to be a father. 

The next few months had gone by slowly and quietly. Tsu'tey had kept her pregnancy a secret, much to the growing frustration of the scientists as she avoided them more. He was almost overly protective of her , following her everywhere and trying to keep her from anything even slightly dangerous or tiring. Mo'at had been of great help, bringing over herbs and berries to help with her sickness and any other issue she had had. But as she grew, it became more and more obvious to the others that something was wrong

She was more tired, her stomach was obviously bigger, and everyone was starting to notice. They tried to bring her to the lab for tests and scans, but Tsu'tey stood in their way, refusing for them to do anything more. He knew they would poke and prod and study her, not even considering her as a person anymore. 

He would bring her to Mo'at every time she had even a slight pain or issue, worried that anything unusual was a bad sign. Mo'at assured him that it would be okay, but every time she looked at (Y/N) distended stomach, you could see the worry in her eyes. Tsu'tey was always at her side, his touch gentle and warm. He would soothe  her nausea with a few berries and a cool rag, and soothe his own worries by pressing his giant hands against her stomach and talking quietly to you both.

The other's, particularly the scientists, were becoming more and more frustrated at her and Tsu'tey's secrecy, getting more demanding and more desperate to get (Y/N) in the lab. Tsu'tey's temper was wearing thin and he eventually snapped at Max when the scientist tried to force her in for a scan. It had been a long day, and she was feeling particularly exhausted from being on 

her  feet all day. Tsu'tey had taken her to the lab to work on a project with Max and Norm, but she was starting to feel faint. Max had tried to gently persuade her into the medical room, saying it was just a quick check to make sure everything was going okay and that it would only take a couple minutes. Tsu'tey had lost his temper and shoved Max aside, forcing him to get away from her. "No" He snaps, his voice low and quiet. His golden eyes almost glow with anger as he glares at Max. She'd never seen him this angry. He turns to look at (Y/N), the anger leaving him immediately as he looks at her face. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking from the effort of staying upright. Tsu'tey instantly steps in to support her, gathering her in his arms and gently holding (Y/N) against his chest. Max was frustrated , his jaw

clenching. "I don't see why we can't just do a quick scan. We don't have to do anything invasive, it's just to check everything's going well" Norm  intervened 

"Max-" But Max cuts him off, his eyes locked on Tsu'tey

"it's literally our job to collect data" "And what are you going to do when you get that data and if you don’t like it , huh?" Tsu'tey snaps back, his whole body tense.

"What if you get some readings you don't like, what then, huh?" He keeps one arm firmly wrapped around her , holding her to his chest while he glares at Max, almost shaking with anger "If the fetus is unhealthy or showing signs of abnormality, then it may need to be terminated-" Max keeps going but Tsu'tey doesn't even give him the chance to finish the sentence before his fist clenches at his side, his knuckles turning white even as he holds her with his other arm "There will be no 'terminating'" Tsu'tey practically growls that last word, his body practically shaking with anger "This baby is not a data point. It's not an experiment. It's our child" Max's eyes narrow, but he holds his hands up "okay, fine, it's your child. But don't you think a scan could be helpful? I mean we can find out the gender, we can see how it's developing-" (Y/N) cut him off “ Tsu'tey I want to go home”  In an instant, all of Tsu'tey focus switches to her.

 He instantly notices how pale she was and how tired she looked, and gently scoops her up in his arms, holding her against his chest. He shoots another glare at Max and Norm as he starts carrying her out towards their home. He practically ignores her protests, gently shushing her and murmuring reassurances as he carries her back to their home. As soon as they got home, he carefully set (Y/N) down on the soft, woven pile of blankets that served as their bed. He carefully lowers himself down behind her, pressing up to her back and gently wrapping an arm around her waist. He nuzzles his face into her neck and breathes out a long, slow breath, finally letting his guard down for a moment

He presses his hand gently to her stomach, his long fingers splayed across her skin. He can feel the swell of her belly, the bump of the baby inside. He kept his eyes closed as he breathed her in, nuzzling his face against her. She nuzzled back ,she was exhausted

He tightened his grip around her waist as he pulled her  even closer against his chest. He can tell she was tired, her whole body shaking with exhaustion. His lips pressed against the back of her shoulder as he tried to soothe her. She fell asleep on him. He feels (Y/N) relax against him as she sleeps , her breathing slowly evening out. He keeps his arms around you, holding her tight against him and burying his face into her hair

He stayed awake, watching her face as she  slept. His mind still races, but his mind is calmer than it was earlier. Now she is here, safe and sound and asleep, he can finally allow himself to properly relax. She stayed asleep. He stayed awake for a while longer, simply watching her sleep. He gently pulls the covers up around her, making sure she is properly tucked up and comfortable. After a while, he slowly feels himself start to doze off too.

 She slept till early morning. The sun raised slowly, filtering through the woven shelter and casting it in a soft, warm glow. Tsu'tey slowly wakens a few hours later, opening his eyes to see (Y/N) ace softly lit by the morning sunlight He slowly sits up, propping himself up on one elbow as he looks down at her. She was starting to stir, her  eyes fluttering open. He watches her for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watches her  wake "Good morning" He murmurs gently, reaching out to brush his fingers gently over her cheek He lets his hand cup her face, his calloused fingertips gently tracing over her skin, as if he was trying to commit every little part of her  to his memory She nuzzled him. He feels her nuzzle against him, and his smile widens slightly. He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He lets his arms wrap around her, pulling her close against his chest as if he can't get close enough to her. Her  skin is warm against his, and he nuzzles against her  hair and the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her. He feels his own anxiety from the other night ebb away, replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest. She gently grunted " I want this baby out " she muttered. He couldn't help but let out a small huff of a laugh at her comment, his chest rumbling with a quiet chuckle. "I know, I know" he says, his hand gently rubbing her  stomach. She lay back yawning again. He follows her down, lying back with her as he continues rubbing her belly. He can feel the baby moving under her skin, shifting around inside her .He leans in, gently pressing his lips to her stomach He murmurs against her stomach "your mommy is getting impatient with you" He lets his lips linger, pressing soft kisses against her  skin. She laughed softly " hey you would too if you carrying a watermelon He smiled up at her, his lips still against her stomach  "You're right, I would" He glances down at your belly again "it's your fault, you know" he jokingly murmurs to the baby "You've given your mother a difficult time" He gently starts massaging her  stomach, his hand large enough to span almost all of it at once His fingers gently rub in soft circles, as if he's trying to soothe the baby as well as her. He can feel the taut skin of her  stomach under his fingers, still stretched tight around the bump (Y/N) started to doze off again. He notices her starting to fall asleep again, and he can't help but smile a little. He knows she’s tired, and knows she needs the extra rest. He nuzzles against her  stomach again, then leans in to press a kiss to her  cheek "get some sleep" He gently pulls the covers up around her, making sure she is warm and comfortable. He shifts to lie behind her, his large, muscular body pressed up against hers  as he wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her close  

The next month or so passes in a similar fashion, Tsu'tey being overbearing and overprotective.

Every time she not feeling well, he's at her  side, and he's constantly trying to keep her from getting tired or exerting herself  As her due date approaches, he gets increasingly apprehensive and nervous, spending almost every minute at her side and fussing over every small issue she had until she hit a breaking point. “Why don't you go for a short huh?" (Y/N) suggested He glances at her, raising an eyebrow. His first response is to protest and say he doesn't want to leave her, but he can tell she was feeling smothered and fed up with how overprotective he's been, and he sighs "You really want me to?"  “ I think it'd do you some good besides I'm not leaving our marui" He lets out a small huff of a sigh, knowing she was probably right, and reluctantly nods "Alright, alright. I'll go" he says, already missing her before he has to leave. She nuzzles him. He nuzzles her back, letting his forehead rest against hers for a moment "I'll see you later" he says softly, before reluctantly pulling away from her and grabbing his bow. She grabbed her tablet and read for a little while before taking a nap. It takes a few hours before Tsu'tey comes back to the marui. He's carrying a couple of fish in one hand, He sees her  lying there with the tablet and a part of him relaxes, relieved to know she hasn't left the marui like he was afraid she would, She was curled up asleep in the nest. He sets the fish down, before gently laying down beside her. He tries not to disturb her, as he knows how tired she had been. But he can't help gently nuzzling his face into her hair, breathing in her familiar scent

He lets out a soft sigh as he wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close against his chest. He can feel the bump of her stomach against his , the baby growing more restless and running out of space in her belly. He gently shifts himself to where he's lying behind her, spooning against her back and resting his hand on her stomach. He lets his fingers rub in gentle circles against her  skin, hoping to soothe not just the baby but her as well

As her due date approaches, Tsu'tey becomes more and more stressed and restless. He spends every single minute of the day by her side, refusing to leave her unattended at all. He has nightmares nearly every night while he's supposed to be asleep, about the baby being born dead, or dying soon after, while she is bleeding out and fading right before his eyes. He'll occasionally wake up in a cold sweat, but tries to stay quiet to avoid waking her up. He stays as quiet as possible as he pulls her closer to him, his arms wrapping around her  and holding her tight against his chest. He buries his face into her hair, trying to calm his hammering heart and steady his breathing

(Y/N) hummed in her sleep nuzzling him. He buries his face in the crook of her neck, his nose pressed against her skin. He lets himself breathe in her scent, taking in just how alive she was. He can feel her  heart beating against his, the steady thump of it calming and reassuring him. He lets his hand rest on her stomach, feeling the bump of the baby. They've gotten so big, it's easy for him to feel every kick and squirm they give. He can't keep the smallest smile off his face as he feels them stirring inside her, but the anxiety and stress over the impending birth is still weighing down on him

He tries to shake himself out of the dark thoughts, instead focusing on the baby. He rubs her belly in small circles, silently praying to Eywa that it goes well, that everyone will be okay. He tries to keep his voice soft and quiet, but he can't stop the quiet words from leaving his lips as he murmurs against her skin, "please let it be okay, please let them both be okay..."

He keeps his nose against her skin, breathing in ragged breaths as he tries to will himself to sleep.

But the dark dreams keep coming back, the images of the baby crying out weakly as she slowly fade away, the blood staining his hands and clothes, the image burned into his mind. His grip around her tightens as he shakes those images away, nuzzling against the nape of her neck. He wills himself to think of happier things, of the baby being born healthy, of the first time he will get to hold them, of the joy that would bring.

It had been a long, hard few months . (Y/N)  had been monitored by Mo'at carefully, and Tsu'tey was more overprotective than usual, watching for any signs of distress.

The days ticked by, slowly approaching the moment. She was laying back on a sleep mat Tsu'tey by her side keeping her up. Mo'at knelt between her legs, guiding her through the process. She was gripping Tsu'teys hand tight. He was kneeling beside her , leaning his head on her as she squeezed the life out of his hand. Mo'at occasionally spoke, encouraging her to push and reassuring  her that she was doing well "Good, good, push. You're doing so well" Mo'at's voice was as encouraging as she could be, trying to get her to do what was needed. She could already make out the head. Tsu'tey pressed his forehead against hers , his fingers intertwined with hers . "You're doing so well, you're perfect" He breathed, his breath hot against her skin as he tried to distract her from the pain "Nearly there, you're nearly there. Push again" Mo'at knew it would be hard, but she also knew (Y/N) was strong. "That's it, you're almost there" (Y/N) cried out, the pain intense and burning. She couldn't do it anymore, she felt like she was going to pass out. "I can't, I can't-"

"Yes you can, you're doing so well" Tsu'tey assured her, his free hand moving to the side of her face, trying to soothe her , she let out a low, guttural sound, gripping Tsu'tey hand even tighter. The pain was nearly blinding now, and she was exhausted but she was almost there. So incredibly close.  "One more push for me, come on child. You're doing so well" The encouraging words from Mo'at spurred her on, gritting her  teeth as she used all her strength to push one last time. The push seemed to last forever, but the moment it was done, a soft wail filled the air. The sound of a baby crying.

Mo'at smiled, gently picking up the baby and holding them in her hands. A moment later, Tsu'tey raised his head from (Y/N)  shoulder and looked at the baby

"Is, is it-" he couldn't form a coherent sentence. His chest was heaving and he was shaking from the adrenaline.

“It's a girl"  Mo’at's words were said softly, her voice quieter than usual as she spoke. A girl, a beautiful, perfect little girl. The crying baby was placed on (Y/N) chest, still covered in birth fluids and the cord looped around her.  You could see the pure disbelief and love on Tsu’teys face. He was in shock "Congratulations"

Mo'at's normally sharp voice was quiet, a small smile on her face. She reached out and patted (Y/N)  thigh gently "You did well, child”. 

Tsu’tey leant over her , his lips brushing against her forehead, his breath hot against her skin. "You did so well" He murmured, his voice cracking slightly as he looked down at the little squirming baby in her arms.

The baby seemed to calm as she held her, her crying ceasing and being replaced with little sounds like tiny chirrups. He reached out and stroked a finger down the baby's cheek, his touch as gentle as he could. He couldn't believe how small she was, this tiny little baby, this perfect little thing .Tsu'tey raised his head again to look at (Y/N). She was exhausted, and covered in sweat and blood, but she never looked more beautiful to him . “She’s perfect” He murmured, his voice a mix of awe and tiredness. He carefully sat down on the ground next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. The baby was still in her hold, and she could feel the protective way Tsu’tey was wrapped around her (Y/N) nuzzled her baby. The baby squeaked under her affection, her tiny limbs wiggling again as she let out a soft sort of purring noise. Tsu'tey watched the two of you with a soft expression, his fingers tracing small circles on the baby's tummy

"What are you going to name her?" Mo'at's sharp voiced interrupted the moment, her eyes on her and Tsu'tey as she watched (Y/N) with the tiny baby

“Kamari " Tsu'tey's eyes flicked away from the baby and over to her, a quizzical look on his face "Kamari?" He repeated, tilting his head a little as he tested the name  she nodded, a satisfied smile on her face. It was the first thing that popped into her mind when she looked at her. Tsu'tey thought about it for a moment before giving a small nod "Kamari.." He said again, his eyes falling back down to the baby in his arms. "You like that, little one?" Kamari gave a small noise as if she was agreeing with her father. The baby wrapped one of her tiny hands around Tsu’teys finger, gripping it tightly. Her hand was so tiny, yet her grip was remarkably strong.  Tsu’tey chuckled breathlessly as he gently tugged his finger, watching her not let go with an adoring look in his eyes “Oh you're totally screwed " spoke (Y/N) Tsu'tey gave her a side eye, his mouth tilting up in a small smirk "What do you mean by that?" He asked, his thumb tracing soft circles over the back of Kamari's tiny hand "She's got you wrapped around her little finger". "She's not the only one, you know" He murmurs, his eyes flicking up to look towards her, that smirk on his lips. Then his gaze falls back to the baby in his arms, his expression immediately softening Kamari let out what sounded like a little squeak, her tiny fingers grasping onto her father's finger with her surprising strength. Mo'at chuckled quietly, crossing her arms as she watched Tsu'tey interact with the baby

"You're in trouble already, Olo’eyktan “ Tsu'tey huffed in response to Mo'at's comment but didn't disagree. He knew exactly what she meant, He was completely enraptured, this little girl was the perfect combination of you both. He knew he was falling in love already . The baby let out a tiny gurgling sound, wiggling its tiny little arms as it snuggled against (Y/N) chest.

© Moonchildxoxx 2023 | all rights reserved. do not republish, repost, steal, modify, translate or claim my work as your own.

[0-animelover-0]

Summary: So'lek was protective before but now that his little mate is pregnant, he grown even more protective.

(So'lek x Human!Reader)

Warnings: pregnancy, possessiveness, fear of losing child, mentions of birth

Translations:

kelku = home

ma'tìyawn = my love

Angstik = The hammerhead titanothere

Tulkun = large marine species native to the oceans of Pandora

Nga yawne lu oer, ma little tsamsiyu = I love you my little warrior

You think So'lek was protective before but as soon as he found out that you were pregnant with his child he became 10X more protective. He always has his hands on your waist or stomach. He also refuses that you go places alone.

One day So'lek arouse from his sleep and you weren't next to him. Panicking, he got up and grabbed his bow. He ran out only to be met with you laying in the hammock just outside of the kelku. Sighing in relief, he leaned his bow against the entrance and walked over. “Good morning, ma'tìyawn.”

You looked at him from the hammock and smiled. "Good morning."

You could see that some of the worry still remained on So'lek's face as he looked at you. He walked into the hammock and got in next to you, wrapping his arms around you holding your pregnant belly protectively. "Don't scare me like that again."

You can notice that as he is breathing in the smell of you, he seems relieved that you are still alright and not in line of potential danger.

You smiled at the way his tension left his shoulders. He sighed as you put a hand over his that rested on your rounded stomach. "I'm sorry, I just thought sunlight would be nice."

He looked up at you with a warm smile on his face as you placed your hand over his. His ears and tail flinched at the sun's bright light that broke through the leaves over head. "It is, but I do not want to lose you. Not now with the new life you are carrying within you."

You chuckled softly, honestly finding his words amusing. "Ma So'lek, I am only a few feet away from the kelku. I will be alright."

He groaned in annoyance as he was beginning to get annoyed with your playful attitude towards his overprotectiveness. "I know that you would be but I do not want to take the risk. You are not only my mate but you are the mother of my child. I will not take any chances whatsoever."

His ears continued to twitch at the sound of his own words.

You knew you couldn't change his mind on it, once his mind was set, he was determined. Like a stubborn Angstik. "I know."

He looked down at you with his pretty green eyes. Even if he is trying to be stern with you he is still having a hard time fighting back the urge to pull you close and hug you. He takes a deep breathe before he finally speaks to you in a gentle yet firm tone. "Please do not go far from the kelku from now on until you give birth."

You fingers intertwined with his. You knew you couldn't promise anything like that. You would loose your mind and become restless. Your lips touched his cheek and then kissed along his jawline. "You know I can't promise that."

He growled in annoyance at the thought of you not keeping the promise he requested from you. He also grumbled at the thought of other Na'vi men seeing you outside of his protection. He was starting to get possessive.

"Why not? Your health and my child is at risk the further you go from the kelku. What reason could you possibly have to go far away from here?"

"I have people and duties in Hometree. You know that." You told him with your gentle tone of voice.

So'lek thought for a moment about what you said. It was true that you did have responsibilities and people to look after back at Hometree but he couldn't fight this protective instinct anymore. He was already too worried and anxious about losing you and the unborn child.

"Then I will be coming with you. I don't want to lose you or our child. I will protect you and keep you close to me."

You smiled at his decree. At least you wouldn't be cooped up at your home. "Alright, I have no objections."

He let out a relieved groan and pulled you closer to him. He wrapped his arms around you tightly. This made him feel so much better now that he knows that he can still keep an eye on you while you attend to those matters at Hometree.

"It's settled then. I will make sure to keep a close eye on you and keep you safe from any danger."

A few minutes passed and you slowly stroked your big stomach that would soon hopefully birth a strong child for your mate. "How much longer do you think?"

So'lek looked down at you and took note of how big your stomach had gotten. This baby must be growing at an extraordinary rate. He has never seen a woman get pregnant this quickly before. He also could only imagine how much you were uncomfortable dealing with all this change in your body.

"We are approaching the 8th month so this baby will grow much quicker. I predict that it will be born in less than two months."

You sighed and laid your head on his chest. "Oh thank goodness." Carrying his child felt...uncomfortable on your body to say the least.

He rubbed your head while looking down at you. His eyes were filled with love and relief as he thought about how soon you will be able to give birth. The thought of the baby being born also made him have all sorts of thoughts like how much of you was in the baby and how much of him was in the baby.

"How do you feel? Is the pregnancy getting too uncomfortable for you?"

You nodded and shifted in the hammock to be more comfortable. "It feels very uncomfortable. I think the baby is going to take after you the most. I feel like a Tulkun."

So'lek felt his ego inflate at the statement that your child would be taking after him. However, he didn't like that you were experiencing major discomfort from the pregnancy. This really showed him just how much this pregnancy was taking a toll on you. He continued to rub your head as he spoke.

"I will tell you a secret ma'yawne. When I was young I was a very loud child. Perhaps our baby will be as well."

You groaned and rolled your eyes. "Just what I need, a rambunctious child. AND a baby on top of that." you teased. You only meant it half jokingly of course.

He scoffed at the comment but didn't seem to mind it at all. If anything, the thought of having an energetic child to take care of with you is something he actually looks forward to. However, the thought of having a rambunctious child is also going to make him an overprotective father.

"Well you mated with me didn't you?" So'lek chuckled in his raspy voice as he ran a four fingered hand down your arm. "So it is only fate for our child to have our personalities."

You smiled at his first statement. You did mate with him, and you'd never regret it. You nuzzled into his side, your hand caressing his chest. Your fingers gently traced patterns on his blue skin. After a minute of silence, you spoke up with a request. "Rub my stomach again? It felt good."

He didn't have to be asked twice. As soon as you asked, he pulled you closer and started to massage and caress your belly. In this position, he could really feel how big you were getting. The thought of his baby being inside you was making him feel excited yet nervous for the day that you will give birth.

He put a feather-light kiss to your temple and hummed as he traced circles on your soft skin. "I promise to be a good father to our child. Nga yawne lu oer, ma little tsamsiyu."

[lortsyall]

Echoes of Eywa's Child.

chapter 3.

(Neteyam x Human!Reader series)

authors's note: Merry belated Christmas to those celebrating! 🎄 I’m back with another chapter and just want to say how much I appreciate all of you for reading my story. Your support means so much to me! Hope you enjoy this chapter! 💖

Pending…Pending…

Date: August 16th,2174.

Location: Sully Marui,High Camp,Mons Veritatis,Hallelujah Mountains,Pandora.

Time: 2:13 PM.

Imagine this: I was caught in a tug-of-war between two lives—the one I’d known, built on logic and expectations and the one I’d stumbled into, raw and untamed, a pulse that didn’t just beat but throbbed deep into my bones.

The fluorescent-lit labs of Earth felt like suffocating cages now, a reminder of everything I’d left behind: the pressure to be perfect, to be a cog in a machine. And here, amidst the alien beauty of Pandora, I felt both out of place and strangely alive. I wasn’t just another human anymore—I was a scientist surrounded by warriors, an outsider in a world that was anything but human.

It was disorienting. Every decision felt like a battle. I was forced to fight not just for survival, but for a place in this alien landscape.

Then, there were his eyes. Golden, piercing, like they saw right through me. At first, I tried to ignore him—the way he watched me, as if he understood something I couldn’t even put into words. But it was hard to ignore the pull, the weight of his gaze, the flicker of something deeper in those eyes. The quiet confidence in the way he stood, the power in the way he moved—it stirred something in me.

I couldn’t deny it. No matter how much I tried to push it away, the attraction was there, undeniable. And in that moment, it wasn’t just the pull of Pandora that had me trapped. It was him.

Welcome to my mind. It’s a chaotic,yet beautiful and conflicted place. I suggest you hold on tight.

“Follow me,” the Na’vi said, his voice firm.

I stumbled a little, catching myself on the rocky terrain. The high base of the Hallelujah Mountains loomed around us, the bioluminescent glow of the plants and moss lighting our path. He cast a glance back at me, his sharp gaze softening when he noticed my unease.

“I’m not going to run,” I muttered, crossing my arms. I’m starting to regret this.

“Good,” he replied simply, though a ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips. “You wouldn’t get far.”

I wanted to argue, but I bit my tongue, focusing instead on my surroundings. He’s cocky,it seems. The base was alive with activity—Na’vi moved between the makeshift structures, their voices mixing with the hum of the forest. Humans were here too, walking among them, though they stuck out like sore thumbs.

The sight unsettled me. The RDA had drilled into us the belief that humans and Na’vi were sworn enemies, that coexistence was a naïve fantasy. And yet, here they were—working together, living side by side, proving everything I had been taught wrong. It made me sick to think about how blind and helpless humanity back on Earth really was, trapped in RDA’s own fairytale.

He stopped in front of a large hut, motioning for me to enter. “Inside,” he said.

I hesitated, glancing at the entrance. “And what exactly is waiting for me in there?”

“Answers,” he said simply, his tone giving no room for argument. I hate these half-assed answers. Is he trying to seem mysterious?I mutter under my breath -

“Ugh,dick.”

-visibly annoyed,though the flicker of his left ear tells me he caught that,and I can’t help but grin a little at the dumb situation I got myself in.

With a deep breath, I stepped inside.

The air inside the hut was heavy, a mix of earthy smells and an undercurrent of tension that prickled at my nerves. Sitting at the center was Jake Sully, his elbows resting on his knees, his sharp gaze locking onto me the moment I entered. Neytiri,his mate, stood behind him, her posture stiff, her golden eyes filled with suspicion.

It all slams into place like a punch to the gut. Wait—what? No way. This guy... the one who brought me here... oh my God, he’s his son. Jake Sully’s eldest. Neteyam Sully.

“Sit,” Jake said, nodding toward an open space on the floor.

I sat cross-legged, a sense of vulnerability crawling under my skin like never before. My eyes darted to Neteyam, still standing by the doorway, his face as unreadable as ever. Is he... more attractive now that I know who he is? No, I immediately scolded myself. That’s not the issue here.

“What’s your name?” Jake asked, breaking the silence.

I introduce myself as I try to steady my already-trembling voice.

Jake nodded slowly. “Alright, You’re a scientist, right? That’s what Neteyam told me.”

“Yes,” I said. “I work in the Avatar Recom project. I’m not a soldier, and I’m not a spy.”

“You work with the Recoms,” Neytiri said, her voice sharp. She really is as scary as they say. Sheesh. “You help create them.”

Her words felt like a slap, but I forced myself to stay calm. “I study Avatars. The Recoms are just one part of the project. My job is research, not combat.”

Jake leaned forward, his gaze narrowing. “Then tell us. What is the RDA doing with the Recoms now? We’ve fought them before, but every time, they’re tougher, faster. What’s changed?”

I hesitated, glancing at Max Patel and Norm Spellman, who sat silently to the side, their expressions unreadable. I recognized their faces back from Earth’s most wanted screen that would glow in Times Square every night at 8 PM sharp. Funny how most people here,especially Jake Sully,have their faces there. What’s funnier is,I actually saw them as criminals back then. Finally, I took a deep breath and began.

“The Recoms have been refined since the last time you encountered them back in 2170.” I said. “The RDA has addressed issues like genetic instability and neural lag. But the biggest advancement isn’t physical. It’s uh…psychological.”

Jake frowned. “What do you mean?”

“They’ve started integrating emotional responses into their programming,” I explained. “Specifically, feelings of anger and loyalty. They’ve found a way to amplify those emotions during combat, making the Recoms more aggressive, more determined to complete their missions.”

Neytiri’s tail flicked sharply, her expression darkening. Why do I feel so guilty?  “And what happens when they fail?”

“They don’t fail often,” I admitted. “But when they do... they’re designed to self-destruct rather than be captured.”

The room fell silent, the weight of my words settling heavily on everyone present.

I never wanted this. All I ever wanted was to make art and have a nice,peaceful life,away from anything related to science. . How the hell did I even get here? I feel awful. For being part of this horrible organization that destroys everything that is beautiful,and now...I can see it in their eyes.

The way their troubled eyes betray their stoic expressions as they listen to my words.

“Self-destruct?” Norm echoed, his voice filled with disbelief.

I nodded. “The RDA can’t risk their tech falling into the wrong hands. To them,the Recoms are disposable."

Jake leaned back, his jaw tightening. “This is worse than I thought.”

Neteyam, who had been silent until now, stepped forward slightly. “And you? How do you fit into all this?”

“I-I don’t,” I said quickly,a stutter coming out. “I was recruited in my first year of college because of my knowledge,then I got trained for 6 months before being sent here. That’s it. I didn’t sign up for this war. I swear.”

Neytiri scoffed, crossing her arms. “Convenient excuse,vrrtep.”

“Ma yawntu.” Jake warned, though his voice was tired.

“I’m not lying,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I didn’t choose to be here. Your son brought me.”

At that, Neytiri’s gaze flicked to Neteyam, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Mo’at, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke. “Eywa brought her to us,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “The atokirina does not choose lightly.”

I look at her a bit confused. What atokirina? I see her and Neteyam steal a glance,nodding before they look at me. This is unnerving.

Mo’at’s gaze was steady. “Eywa decides where you belong. Not you.”

I stumbled out of the hut, my mind racing. The cool night air was a welcome relief after the suffocating tension of the meeting. Plus,I just hope there’s a place where I can finally take my exopack off.

Neteyam was waiting outside for me, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked at the ground. Probably zoning out. He straightened when he saw me, his expression unreadable.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said shortly, brushing past him. I can't believe he got me into this mess.

He fell into step beside me. “You didn’t exactly make any friends in there.”

 I scoff. “Not my priority,” I snapped. “And thanks for the heads-up, by the way. Really appreciated being thrown into the deep end,Mr. Blue Prince.”

Neteyam smirked faintly. “You handled yourself fine.”

I shot him a glare, but he didn’t seem fazed. Instead, his gaze softened slightly, and he continued, “You were honest. That’s all that matters.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I kept walking. I don't know where to exactly. I’m sure he laughed inside as he saw me stomping off,considering I have no actual idea where I’m headed. But the unspoken tension between us lingered, a thread pulling tighter with every step.

The human quarters were...modest, to say the least. A simple cluster of prefabricated modules, they were a far cry from the sprawling labs and luxurious accommodations back at the RDA base. But they were functional, blending into the caves in a way that felt intentional rather than invasive.

A woman met me at the threshold of one of the modules, her face lighting up with a warm smile. She was older, with streaks of gray in her short hair and kind eyes behind round glasses.

“You must be the new scientist,I assume?,” she said, extending a hand. “I’m Dr. Marie Holden. I heard you used to work with…Dr. Ellison?Max and Norm told me you’d be staying with us.”

I shook her hand, appreciating the brief moment of normalcy. “Yeah,that’s uhh…That’s me. Thank you for letting me stay.”

“Don’t mention it,” she said, waving me inside. “We’re used to taking in strays. Though I think you’re the first one brought here by a Sully.”

I flushed, glancing at Neteyam, who had followed me to the door but lingered outside,like a shadow, leaning against the frame.

It's kinda creepy,if I might add.

Marie gave him a knowing look, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “You sticking around, Neteyam?”

“No,” he said quickly, his voice sharp but steady as he pushed off the doorframe. His movements were fluid, deliberate, as if every step he took was measured and precise. “I need to report back to my father.”

But then his gaze flicked to me, and the air in the room seemed to shift. Those golden eyes, burning with the same intensity they held during the ambush, locked onto mine. It was the look of a warrior—fierce, unyielding—but underneath it, I caught something else. A quiet, restrained anger. A hint of exhaustion. The weight of a fight he hadn’t chosen but couldn’t walk away from.

And damn him, it made my heart stumble in its rhythm, just like it had that day.

“Try not to cause any trouble.”

I scowled playfully. “That’s rich, coming from the person who dragged me here.”

Neteyam chuckled softly, the sound low and almost teasing. “What can I say?Welcome to the rebellion, syulang.” And with that, he disappeared into the night.

Gosh,did he really just call me that?I’m pretty sure he wants to mess with me,knowing I understand his alien language. I just hope my ears aren't burning.

Marie watched him go, shaking her head with a bemused smile. “He’s a good kid. A bit of a hothead, but his heart’s in the right place.”

“Is he?” I ask,a genuine chuckle coming out of me.

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I kept any more thoughts to myself.

Marie led me to a small room with a single bed, a desk, and a storage locker. The walls were adorned with faded maps, sketches of Pandora’s wildlife, and handwritten notes. I wonder who used to live here before me,yet the thought makes my stomach turn.

“This will be your space,” Marie said, gesturing around. “It’s not much, but it’s private.”

“It’s perfect,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction.

Marie studied me for a moment, her expression softening. “I know this must be overwhelming. You’ve probably heard a lot of... propaganda about us. But we’re not your enemy.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely convinced. I sigh,letting the tension melt off my shoulders. “What’s expected of me here?”

“For now, just settle in,” she said reassuringly. “Tomorrow, Max and Norm will wait for you in Unit 2 of the Avatar department. They want to debrief you more thoroughly. And the Sullys... well, they’ll decide where you fit into all this. Don't overthink it too much.”

The idea of being judged by Jake and Neytiri again made my stomach churn. “What if I don’t fit?”

Marie’s smile was kind but firm. “Everyone here has a purpose. You’ll find yours.”

Sleep didn’t come easily. Every creak of the metal walls and rustle of the flowing mountains outside kept me on edge. When morning finally arrived, I felt more exhausted than rested.

Marie was already up, bustling around the small common area with surprising energy. She handed me a mug of something that smelled faintly of coffee and motioned for me to sit. I’m pretty sure this coffee was smuggled,but I’m not complaining.

“First day,” she said cheerfully. I’m glad she’s friendly, honestly. “You’ll be fine.”

“I swear I feel like Katniss on the day of The Reaping.” I say in a dramatic whine,which seems to get a giggle out of her. I sip the drink, wincing at its bitterness. I wonder if they smuggled sugar too?

“What exactly is on the agenda?” I ask.

“Max and Norm will walk you through our operations here,” she said. “And then there’s another meeting with the Sullys.”

Of course there was.

Turns out, after Dr. Augustine’s death, Norm became the leader of the Avatar department, which divides into 4 units.

Unit 1 is meant for special engineers working on the Avatar link machines, ensuring they work smoothly and fixing any kind of error. These engineers are the silent backbone of the entire operation, constantly tweaking the machines to keep the delicate balance between human minds and their Avatar bodies intact.

Unit 2 is where doctors make sure that every Avatar driver, as well as their own Avatar, are in great health. Physical and mental. That means everyone must get blood samples once a month on different dates,and a psychological exam once every  three months. Turns out, that includes the Sully kids too, since they’re Avatar offspring, and that’s where I’ll be working for now.

Unit 3 is designed for research and development, where they study the intricacies of Na'vi physiology, the integration of human and Na'vi traits, and the environmental effects on both species. This unit is where new advancements are made—whether it's understanding how Avatar bodies react to Pandora's atmosphere over time or testing new methods to enhance the connection between the human consciousness and their Avatar. It’s here that the majority of the data from the Avatar link experiments is processed and analyzed.

Unit 4, however, is where the real magic happens. This is the heart of the Avatar program, where the Avatar link machines are housed. The research here is strictly classified, and I’m not allowed anywhere near it just yet. I was supposed to drive an Avatar too,actually back at the RDA base. I trained for it in the small period of time between getting invited into the next RDA mission to Pandora and the day I actually left,but once I got here, I had to wait around a month since my Avatar wasn’t fully developed yet.

…Guess I won’t be doing that now, and for the first time, I think I’m starting to realize that maybe I never will. It’s a strange feeling, but somehow, it’s becoming easier to let go.

Max and Norm were surprisingly welcoming, though their curiosity about my work with the Recoms was…palpable,to say the least. We spent hours checking over diagrams and notes, discussing everything from Avatar neural interfaces to the psychological conditioning of the Recoms.

When I mentioned the integration of emotional triggers—specifically anger and loyalty—both men looked genuinely horrified,their faces matching the ones from yesterday,during the meeting.

“That explains a lot,” Norm said grimly. “We’ve noticed the Recoms are more... ferocious than before. It’s like they’re out for blood.”

“That’s the point,” I said, feeling a pang of guilt again. “The RDA wants soldiers who are ruthless and obedient. Emotions are just another tool to control them,sadly.”

Max shook his head, his expression dark. “This is beyond unethical.”

I didn’t disagree, but the conversation left me feeling more conflicted than ever.

The meeting with the Sullys was no less tense than the first, though this time, I felt slightly more prepared. Jake sat at the head of the group, his expression hard but thoughtful. Neytiri was as fierce as ever, her sharp gaze cutting through me like a knife,and I could now see more unfamiliar faces, Na'vi and humans alike.

Neteyam stood to the side, watching me with an unreadable expression.

“Ralngeyä’a ‘upe, ma sempul?” Neteyam asked, breaking the silence. His voice, low and steady, carried the weight of his ancestors’ language, each syllable dripping with a subtle rasp that seemed to echo through the air. His eyes, sharp and intent, were locked on his father as he sought to understand what he had learned about me.

Jake sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Enough to know she’s valuable. The knowledge she has about the Recoms... it could give us an edge.”

“Fu kxawm alu säsyep srak?” Neytiri said coldly.

I bristled at her tone but forced myself to stay calm. I can’t believe she just asked if this is a trap. As if being stolen by an 8-feet-tall Na’vi alien prince is convenient in any way.  “What benefit would I get in doing that?I just want to survive.”

Mo’at spoke then, her voice calm but commanding. “Survival is not enough. If Eywa has brought you here, it is for a reason.”

Again with that. The mention of Eywa made me shift uncomfortably. “I don’t know anything about your goddess other than what I read in Dr. Augustine’s book. I’m just a scientist. I don’t…I don’t know how to see this world through your eyes.”

Mo’at’s piercing gaze seemed to see right through me. “You will learn.”

Jake leaned forward, his expression softening slightly. “Look, kid, I don’t trust the RDA as far as I can throw them. But if you’re willing to help us, we’ll give you a chance.”

Neteyam’s gaze lingered on me, and for a brief moment, his expression softened, almost imperceptibly.

“I’ll help,” I said finally,my stubborn nature present in my tone. “But only because I want to.”

The unspoken tension in the room eased slightly, though I could feel Neytiri’s lingering distrust like a weight on my shoulders.

Marie showed me to my room again after the meeting, giving me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You did well,” she said. “Better than most would in your shoes.”

“Thanks,Marie.” I muttered, though her words did little to ease my anxiety. With that,she closed the door.

As I settled onto the bed, staring up at the metal ceiling, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my life had just taken a turn I wasn’t prepared for.

And yet, as my thoughts drifted to Neteyam’s sharp gaze and the quiet way he had observed me during the meeting,I couldn't help but wonder what his deal was. The feeling’s odd to me,I haven't felt that in years. And…

It’s making me a bit hungry,honestly.

The hum of the station was the only sound that accompanied me as I wandered the dimly lit corridors of the human base. My mind was racing, too many thoughts colliding at once,still wrapped around the weight of the day’s meetings, the endless questions hanging in the air, and the awkward tension I couldn’t seem to shake when around the Sullys—particularly, him.

I passed through the narrow hallway, the fluorescent lights flickering overhead as the faint noise of distant conversations and equipment hummed from behind the closed doors. This place felt strange—like a temporary home that would never truly settle. Everything was different from Earth, but in a way, it felt like I was just an observer, caught in the web of something far bigger than myself.

The door to the common area creaked open in front of me, and I froze, half-expecting to see some of the other humans still up, working through their endless piles of research. But it wasn’t anyone of that nature.

It was him.

Neteyam.

The dim glow from the overhead fixtures cast soft shadows across Neteyam’s features. His skin, a rich azure blue, shimmered faintly with sweat from the humid air, giving him an almost ethereal quality. It was the kind of glow that made him seem perfectly at home in this vibrant, untamed world, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of awe.

His eyes, framed by dark lashes, gleamed in the low light—deep golden irises that seemed to catch every speck of light, as if holding the fire of the sun within them. When he turned to face me, the air between us thickened. It wasn’t just the sharpness of his gaze, but the weight behind it—a depth that spoke of untold stories and burdens carried for far too long.

His glowing markings,tanhì, like ancient symbols of power, danced subtly across his chest and arms, pulsing with life. They made him look otherworldly, as if he were an extension of the forest itself. The light caught the edges of his sharp jaw and high cheekbones, leaving me breathless.

I couldn’t help but admire the strength in his build—broad shoulders tapering down to a trim waist, his body honed and defined by years of living in the wild, of being shaped by this planet’s untamed forces. He moved with an effortless grace, the way he carried himself so confidently, yet with a quiet calm that contrasted with the power his frame promised. Even in the softest light, there was no mistaking the intensity of his presence. He was made to lead, to protect, to command. And somehow, in that moment, it felt as if he was commanding my attention without even trying.

The way his braids fell loosely around his shoulders only enhanced his wild, untamed aura. His posture was that of someone who was always alert, poised for action, but also mindful of his surroundings. It was a magnetic blend of strength and restraint that made him seem almost too perfect—too much like some unearthly figure carved from the very land he walked on.

For a moment, I couldn’t help but let my gaze linger on the way his muscles shifted beneath his skin as he moved, the tautness in his arms and chest giving away the sheer power he possessed. His lips, full and slightly parted, were set in a determined line, but I could see the curve of a smile beginning to tug at the edges, as though he had an idea of the effect he was having on me.

I inhaled sharply, suddenly aware of how close he was. I told myself it was just the quiet atmosphere playing tricks on my mind, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something far more dangerous—and intoxicating—about him than I was willing to admit.

He noticed me staring, of course—how could he not? And for just a split second, I saw something flicker in his gaze. A knowing look. A moment of awareness, as if he understood the effect he had on me. It was fleeting, gone as quickly as it came, but it left me feeling exposed, like he had seen through all the walls I had built up.

I wanted to be closer to him, to understand him better, but at the same time, I feared what that connection could mean, what it could cost.

Neteyam seemed to sense the shift in the air, his posture softening ever so slightly, as though recognizing the vulnerability in me that I hadn’t yet fully acknowledged. But even then, that guarded, untouchable strength remained in his eyes, a reminder that he was still a warrior, still a son of the Na'vi, and that nothing—no matter how much I longed for it—could change that.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low, almost as if he was cautious about waking the others.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I muttered, crossing my arms, surprised at how defensively I’d sounded. My heart was still too heavy, still too confused from everything that had happened today, and now here he was—looking at me with that same intensity. The weight of his gaze made my skin prickle.

“I don’t sleep much,” he said, stepping closer, though not too close. “I have a lot to think about. You?”

“Ha,same.” I paused, unsure of how much I wanted to admit. “Just... getting used to everything here.”

He nodded slowly, studying me with an intensity that seemed almost... protective? I didn’t know what to make of it, or why he was still watching me so closely.

“Didn’t think you’d be the type to wander around at night,” I added, trying to mask the strange discomfort that was beginning to curl in my stomach. Fuck,I’m hungry.

“I’m not usually,” Neteyam replied, a slight smile tugging at his lips, though his eyes didn’t soften. “But there’s a lot going on, and... sometimes it’s easier to think when everyone else is asleep.”

There was a pause. I stared at the floor, letting the weight of the silence settle around me. It felt strangely familiar, like a habit from back on Earth. The stillness, the quiet—the world always seemed more… raw in the late hours of the night. Back then, I’d sit by the window of my apartment, gazing out into the dark city, and I could almost feel the weight of everyone’s existence, each one of us caught in the ebb and flow of life.

“You’ve been thinking a lot, huh?” I asked, breaking the silence.

He met my gaze, his eyes flickering with something soft, almost uncertain. “Yeah. About you.”

I blinked, confusion flooding through me, my heart suddenly racing. “About me?”

“About why you’re here. What you’re really doing here.” His voice had dropped to a quieter tone, less certain now, and I couldn’t quite tell if he was searching for the truth or if he was testing me, probing for something deeper.

“I mean…You and your grandmother did mention something about Eywa so,clearly,you know more than me.” I said with a soft chuckle,though my laughter died softly. “I didn’t think I’d be... dragged into any of this.”

Neteyam’s gaze softened, and for the first time, there was a small flicker of understanding in his eyes. “You didn’t want to be a part of the RDA when you came here, but you were stuck with them,” he said, as if he understood the weight of it all in a way that nobody else did. “You’re here because you are lost. Inside.”

I looked up at him, surprised. “How did you—”

“I’ve seen it before,” he said quietly. “People like you... forced into a situation they didn’t choose, trying to make something of themselves. Trying to belong.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. His words resonated in me, but the idea of belonging here—among them—was too overwhelming to comprehend. The thought made my heart ache. 

A silence fell between us again, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable as before. There was something in the air, something unspoken, tangible, like the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Neteyam took a step forward, close enough now that I could see the faint glow of the tanhì on his face.  “I don’t think you’re meant to fit in. Some people aren’t meant to,but…You’ll find your place here. Just... take your time.”

I nodded. I wanted to trust him,I swear, but inside, I could feel a storm brewing. He had no idea what it would take for me to fit in, how hard it’s always been for me,let alone what I was still carrying—what was still hanging over me like a cloud.

“I don’t belong here,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not one of you.”

“You’re more than just a human,you know.” Neteyam said, almost as if to himself. “You’ve got something in you. Something... different.”

I blinked, taken aback. Before I could answer, he raised his hand, pointing toward the exit. “I should um…I should go. I have some errands to run early in the morning.” he said. “But if you need to talk...” He hesitated, then added,a warm smile making its way on his face. “I’m here.”

I didn’t know what to make of that. “Thanks. I’ll uh…think about it,yeah.” I said, feeling a pang of uncertainty claw at me.

He gave me a short nod, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer before he turned and walked off into the shadows of the hallway.

I stood there, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I wasn’t sure what was happening between us—if anything at all. But as I watched Neteyam disappear into the night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were changing. And whether I liked it or not, I was right in the middle of it.

[luvv4j4ybe11]

✧ Summary~ you help so’lek out during his rut

✧ Warnings~ p in v, rut cycle, creampie, A/B/O elements (knotting), dom!so’lek, sub!reader, choking(kinda), dirty talk, praise,

✧ Translations~ Narlor-beautiful (visually), Yawntutsyìp-darling, little loved one,

You were collecting plants before you heard soft whimpers and grunts coming from the cave that was just a foot up ahead.

From where you were standing you could see the cave was lit up with bioluminescence of the fauna even though it was still light out. You could also catch a faint smell of who was in the cave; a male Navi, but you couldn’t pick up anything else.

Mindlessly you walk closer, the pheromones got stronger with every step , which gave you the chance to find out that the male in there was in rut.

When you reached the entrance of the cave his pheromones were almost overwhelming and…familiar too.

Before you can call out to him, he grabs you, pulling you into the brightly lit cave. He looked down at you hungrily, his eyes weren’t the same color as yours, they were orange, and in the right light they looked red. You study his form carefully, taking in how rapidly his chest rising and falling, the thin layer of sweat that covered his whole body, and how much he was leaking. So much that it dripped onto your thighs, just looking at him made your whole body hot. But you had to keep it together. No matter how much he was scaring you and making your loincloth unbelievably slick.

“So’lek?..” it was whispered and shakey, but he heard it. You could tell by the way his ears perked up. He doesn’t respond to you though, he just backs you up against the wall of the cave, so you had nowhere to run. Even if you did, you knew you wouldn’t make it very far without him catching you.

He trails his eyes up and down your body before doing the same with his hands. You yelp quietly at the touch, his hands felt like they were on fire, making you feel extremely sympathetic for him. “Need you to help me, Narlor.” His deep voice had chills of arousal running all over your body, and you knew he caught onto too because of how his nose twitched and his cock did the same against your thighs.

You wanted so desperately to give in and help him, you’ve been craving him like this ever since you two first met. But you had to rationalize, for your sake.“Lek’..I don’t think I should..I mean, we aren’t even ma-“ You started, but you were silenced by the growl that left his mouth and the feeling of being picked up and thrown over his shoulder.

His strong back was taking blow after blow from you, and his ears were being filled with all sorts of curses from you so he’d put you down. But all he did in return is laugh, he found your attempts comical. And even more so when he felt you huff in defeat, realizing you weren’t getting away from him.

He places you down onto a makeshift bed, crouching down slightly so he could look you in the eye. “You’ll help me, yes?” He questions, whole body still stiff and ridged from holding himself back. You took a minute to respond, thinking of all the reasons why you shouldn’t help him out, but with the way he was looking at you and how your body was responding before you could, you already knew what your answer was gonna be. And so did he.

You nodded your head eagerly while saying “yes” to him, giving him the go ahead to damn near rip your loincloth off and manhandle you onto your knees so your face was shoved into the mattress and ass was in the air. There’s a second of silence before you feel him lean down to leave sloppy kisses down your spine, stopping when his face reached your leaking cunt.

A low moan comes from him at the sight, before he reaches out to play with your puffy folds. “Mhm~ so pretty, yawntutsyìp..” he murmured softly as he pushed a finger into you, the tightness of your gummy walls around his finger made him grow impatient. And the pretty nosies that were coming from your plush lips weren’t making it any better.

You hear a small “I’m sorry, yawntusip..” after he pulls his finger out of you, but before you can question and complain to him you’re cut off by your own moan and the overwhelming feeling of his huge cock stretching you out, not giving you time to adjust as he pounds into your greedy pussy ruthlessly.

You could feel every ridge and vein of him, how much he twitched inside of you, how his tip perfectly aligned with your sweet spot. It drove you crazy. The coil in your stomach was unraveling quickly, quicker than you can warn him before you came all over him. He didn’t stop though, he didn’t even slow his pace. He just tightened his grip on your hips and kept using you. Not like you cared anyway.

The overstimulation was hitting you fast and hard, causing tears to blur your vision, instinctively your hand reaches behind you, lacing your fingers with his in search of comfort. “So’lek, please! I-mhm!~s’too much..I can’t..” you were blubbering nonsense at this point, body turning into mush the more he played with you. “Oh, but you’re being such a good girl for me. So just shut up and take it.” He demanded as he wrapped his arm around your neck before he lifting you up, placing his other hand on your waist to give him more leverage.

The new position has you seeing stars, he was somehow even deeper inside of you and hit your sweet spot even more directly. All of the sensations have your coil snapping once again, juices dripping onto the bed below you and adding to the obscene skin slapping nosies that filled the cave.

Soft moans and whimpers leave his lips when your pussy flutters around him, the feeling makes him push his knot in you instantly, spilling his warm, sticky cum all inside of your needy cunt. You almost scream when you feel his knot push into you, pain and pleasure running all over your body from it. And even more so when he bit down on your shoulder, unbeknownst to you that he was doing that to silence all the pretty noises that’d come from him.

He licks and kisses the wound as he rides out both of your highs, whispering sweet praises in your ear occasionally. You’re still a mess, the feeling of him still being inside of you overwhelming you slightly, but you eventually relax the more he calms you down.

Swiftly, he pulls you so your flush to his chest as he rests his body against the wall. You reach your hand behind you to cup the side of his face gently, making him turn his head to look down at you, “you feeling any better yet?” the orange haze of his eyes told you all that you needed to know, yet you asked anyway.

He turned his head to kiss and nibble at the skin of your hand, mumbling a small ‘mhm’ in response.

But you knew he was far from over with you.

A/N~ this is my very first So’lek fic so pls be nice to me😔 and also my first fic where I included a/b/o elements, so I hope I used everything in the right way bc I’ve always been a lil scared to write anything to do with a/b/o elements bc it’s a lil confusing to me and overwhelming😭 but regardless, I hope you guys enjoyed, stay safe and hydrated. Love you bbys💕

Duces🫶🏽,

luvv4j4ybe11

~

~

~

Taglist~ @blue-slxt @xylianasblog @hotdsworld @pandoraslxna @itchaboi-itchyboy @eywaite @chaoticpoetrystudent @tallulah477 @princesslilisworld @hungrynessforfics @bunnscoffe @daydreamer246 @leilaxjem @etherial-moon-blog @criticallybella @plooto @aperiraa

(Lmk if you wanna be added or removed💕)

[pandoras-prada]

Excuse me while I go die. @ScudmanVP captured my husband so beautifully.

[love-daesy]

Three instead of two fingers run along his forehead, down the bridge of his nose and up to his forehead again – leaving stripes in the color of the sun on the places they've touched. Black follows soon after, drawn along the existing yellow lines, mirroring the path of the bioluminescence freckles on his cheekbones (though painted along them, not over them since it is considered sloppy for paint to interfere or cover the bioluminescent markings of man or animal). Index and middle finger dip into the almost gooey yellow substance again to draw a straight line from his lower lip down to his chin – the corners of his mouth turn up, a beautiful smile gracing his features. You feel something brush along your right leg, creeping its way up until it wraps around your thigh – his tail, pulling you closer by a few inches. Either of you are aware of the implication the next drawn lines will hold, of the changes Tsu'tey took in the iconography of his war paintings so that you could be part of it, included like you were included into the clan and became one of the people a few nights ago.

Tsu'tey takes the bowl of white paint and holds it infront of you. He gives you an encouraging smile as you let both of your hands be covered in the color of his bioluminescence freckles, before carefully placing them on his pectorals. You look up at him shyly and ask: "Like this?"

"Yeah.", he whispers, softly like the dayspring upon morning, when the moon sleeps and the stars rest to let the sun be the brightest one in the sky, so it can shine its light on every being like a breath of fresh air. "Yeah, Like this", he says again, a calloused blue hand gently taking hold of your left wrist, squeezing it, pushing it harder against the place where his heart is – the corners of his mouth lifting into a big, mushy grin that makes the inside of your stomach feel like every butterfly in the world has moved there.

"I love you, yawntu.", you gasp and he catches it in his mouth. You´ve never – he never sai–

It´s soft, so impossibly soft, more of a peck than a kiss and ends way too soon. The hand not holding yours to his heart, which has started beating very fast, cradles the back of your head, fingers carding through your hair. His nose brushes along your forehead, down your temple, eventually nudging your own and rubbing the tip of his nose against yours affactionately. You feel a few lone tears run down your cheeks when you finally reciprocate, a whispered I love you too that he also catches in his mouth. Warmth consumes you as you lean into the kiss. His lips undeniably smooth against your own, his tongue asking for entrance which you easily allow. You feel a soft tickle of his breath, fingers still carding through your hair as you breathe each other in.

"I wanted to say it first.", you say dejectedly after it all ends, a puff of a chuckle hitting the top of your head. "We can say it too each other all the time, there´s no competition." You feel the vibrations of his words on you and bury your face into his chest, arms curling aorund him.

"I love you, Tsu'tey.", you mumble into his chest and he purrs and it´s like a soft whisper that soothes ones troubled mind.

"And I love you, ma´yawntu.", he mumbles into the crown of your head and you laugh and it´s like a gentle breeze that sweeps away life´s worries.

–

You still blush in the colour that his love gives you everytime your gaze lands on his pectorals – on the war painting, though a little smudged now, and the hands, your hands, that are adorning it. Small in comparision to the two Na´vi hands normally decorating almost his entire upper body. Eywa, how you feel blessed to be allowed to take part in this ceremonial undertaking, blessed to be allowed to live here on this alien planet, blessed to have found the one for you.

If you’re wondering, I’ve changed my name from fixmyfeathers to love-daesy. <3

[mydearneteyam]

WORTHY OF YOU ;; SO'LEK

summary ;; after a long time, it seems that eywa has allowed the same children who chased away your suitors to give the warrior you once knew a chance.

pairing ;; so'lek x healer!gn!na'vi!reader

warnings ;; mentions of war (briefly)

word count ;; 2.3k (with bonus)

word of the day ;; txasunu [t’a.ˈs·u.n·u] vin. love greatly, enjoy tremendously

You had never been easy to court. That was a fact. Perhaps many believed that simply because you cared for orphaned children after the war, you were easy prey for being kind and sweet, but it was far from a reality.

You had constantly heard sugar-coated words or modern compliments just by being a healer. You would even sometimes come across some who would get hurt to be treated by you, but your authoritative voice and piercing gaze were enough to make them give up easily. Although that was only part of it.

Yes, it was true that after the Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains you had adopted a few children. Each one had a different personality, a different view, none was the same as the other, except for one thing: the affection and concern they had for you.

"Sa'sem, I made you a necklace!"

"I brought a pair of feathers, Sa'sem. For your hair."

"I made you a basket, Sa'sem!"

You were their parent. And of course to you, these child hunters, artisans and future healers were like your children. Therefore, every na'vi from your clan knew that to win you over, they had to first earn each child's respect. But even you knew that was impossible.

The little hunters ruined hunting parties, causing prey to flee and your admirers to apologize for returning empty-handed, those craftsmen offered easily torn garments or clumsily knotted blades, and healers always ruined their presentations after perfuming them with stink bombs.

At this point, you had an army of young kids who loved you, cared, and hid you from others to death.

"They're not good choices! They give up right away!" they would plead from time to time. And while, you were grateful to be taken care of, sometimes you also wanted to meet someone, although for your age, the opportunity was becoming more and more distant every day.

At least that was until you met the Resistance.

"The Sarentu clan has returned" the Olo'eykte of your clan, a friend you had since you were young, came with that information to your home. That news surprised you, almost as if your own fellow banshee had taken a bite out of you.

"Are you sure?" and she smiled.

"I'd like to know firsthand. I want you to come with me."

You were not very familiar with the idea of humans, but you trusted blindly in the one who led your people, besides, it was an extinct clan! As a healer, you had a thousand doubts, especially because of the, according to you, reason for their death.

Arriving at the place, you were surprised by four Sarentu, whom you greeted with cordiality and an enthusiasm uncommon in you, in turn, you spoke as best you could with one of them in particular.

"Dr. Alma left us resting in capsules, for sixteen years now, at least" they said. You had to pull out a couple of numbers, for their story- the story itself of all of them told you, didn't match what you had been told as a young na'vi, but you didn't want to say anything yet. "...and then So'lek along with others from the Resistance led us out of that place to here."

Hearing that name, your ears flared a little and you were a little startled.

"So'lek?" you questioned. Behind you, a throat clearing made you turn around. With one of his arms dangling and a scowling face of pain, you were greeted by that boy, whom, with a smile, you recognized from both of your youth.

"I see you, Healer."

...

As a younger, you always had a strong temperament, taking the opposite to many authority figures that nowadays and with time, you had learned to respect. But in particular, as a young na'vi you were part of the warriors of your clan where you met So'lek a hunter, or well, a warrior at that time who was injured.

You would never admit out loud that during the weeks you were taking care of his wounds, you developed romantic feelings for him. But for you, it was just an awkward teenage romance. He was from another clan -literally massacred-, he had sworn to learn a little bit of everything in order to get revenge on the humans. For you, it was impossible. So you moved on.

Though now that you were giving his wounds a quick checkup, you wondered if the reason for allowing your children's shenanigans was because you wished - or rather prayed - to meet that warrior again.

"Brings back memories" you sighed as you put an ointment on his left shoulder. He made a grimace that you could almost consider a smile and nodded. "...from when you were impulsive" And of course, your words could never end without a certain comment.

"How could I forget? You knocked me out for a day to get my wounds to close" he released the air from his lungs, looking at you. "I'm glad to hear you've been good".

"I can say the same, have you find someone?" by the silence that came, you could assume it didn't go well.

"I thought I did, but instead I was reckless."

"Why am I not surprised?" you questioned quietly. Perhaps he didn't hear you or preferred to avoid answering, but he asked you the same question.

"How about you, has anyone managed to tame Pandora's beast?" his attempt at a joke only made you snort, rolling your eyes.

"Not yet."

As you continued conversing with him, you couldn't help but notice that from a safe distance, the Sarentu were watching you attentively.

"Have you been taking care of them?" you questioned, bandaging his shoulder after checking that the pomade you had put on had adhered to his skin. He denied, letting out a low laugh.

"I thought my appearance was the opposite of what a babysitter would look like."

"Well, I babysit several and look at me, I look the same or worse than you" you pointed to yourself. He looked at you with surprise and you noticed his tail wagging under the bed.

"Have you had children?"

"Not of my own" you clarified. "After the war, many of their parents… passed away, so I took care of some of them. They've grown up under my wing, so I try to give the best I can." you spoke, smiling as you described them.

You didn't notice So'lek looking at you intently.

"Though sometimes they are too unruly" you gave a chuckle. "Okay, stand up, let's see if you have anything else" you changed the subject.

When he stood up, the two of you stood with a closeness that you didn't feel forced, as with the suitors you had, but you ignored that thought quickly, examining him completely. Stepping around him, you nodded.

"I don't see anything else and I don't sniff for open wounds. If you have any problems, let me know, okay? I'll be staying for a while here" you reported. You looked up only to notice that he was already watching you and although you thought he would avert his gaze out of nervousness, he didn't.

"I understand, thank you. I... I must go" but his body ignored the words and you both remained just a few centimeters away. Maybe something would have happened or maybe not, but a voice interrupted both of you.

"Sa'sem?" it was At'ari, one of the older boys you had taken care of. Beside him stood Rina and Äska, the huntress and the craftsman, watching you intently. You turned away from So'lek as if you might have gotten the flu next to him and approached them.

"What are you doing here?" you questioned, somewhere between concern and annoyance. There was no way anything could have happened in the clan, you just arrive yesterday.

"You forgot some baskets" indicated the boy who had white dyed hair, but he wasn't looking at you, he was looking at the man behind you. "Who is he?"

"At'ari. Show respect" you commanded, to which he reluctantly waved. So'lek reciprocated the gesture with respect, saluting all three.

"I must get going." he placed a hand on your shoulder to which you gave a smile and nodded.

"Be careful."

As the male walked away, the trio looked at each other. You'd never be so nice to someone…. you didn't want to know better.

"Don't even think about it!" you threatened.

...

They did, in fact, think about it.

They had decided not to leave until they had completed what was their goal. But this time, not everything went the way they expected.

"So'lek, can you teach me how to use a human weapon?" smiled Rina, remembering how the few warriors in the clan would get paranoid at the mere thought of her touching one, imagining your furious face.

"As long as you don't use them as a toy" he indicated, allowing her to sit closer. "You see, this is a fusil, it's the most common thing humans use…" he began to explain and the girl's eyes lit up, listening intently.

From afar, At'ari had a frown on his face and Äska looked at him.

"He's a warrior, 'Ari, far better than anyone we know" he admitted, but the elder only gave a grunt.

In the second week, Äska was the one who had run into So'lek, albeit accidentally. While the younger had started making a feather necklace, something didn't seem to be right. Something was still missing.

"I see you, Äska" the boy was a bit surprised, but waved back. "Something wrong?"

"I can't see what's wrong with this. Can you take a look at it?" he muttered, a little embarrassed. Noticing the attitude, the man looked it over quickly.

"I won't lie to you. I'm not an expert in the crafts and I'm not looking to spoil your progress. Wouldn't you prefer that I accompany you with someone who does know about it?" unwittingly, So'lek had already climbed from a mere stranger to an acquaintance and from acquaintance to someone respected, but there was still a young na'vi who disliked his person.

"Give it up At'ari, So'lek is a great guy. Besides, Sa'sem is not here to hear you complaining" and it was true, you had been tasked with a job with a clan a little further away for a few days, so you could only communicate with them by radio - which, ironically, So'lek had taught them to use.

"I don't trust him yet. You guys are such an easy sell, what's this about him taking you to meet the Aranahe Clan?" he frowned at Äska. Rina laughed as she cleaned an empty gun.

"That's jealousy, if you want to go, you can just ask him" but the teasing stopped immediately as to the spot the same na'vi they were talking about fell to his knees, wounded in the side.

"Oh, just in time" cursed At'ari, rushing to pick him up and lay him on a stretcher in the company of his two brothers. Only Eywa could think of a time like this for him as a healer to go help him.

"I just need to clean the wound-" So'lek commented trying to get up, but with a familiar attitude, At'ari laid him down again, a bit aggressively.

"Hush." was all he said, starting to clean the wound, then reaching for one of your bowls to start spreading one of the creams he had, positioning a leaf from one of the healing plants and applying pressure. A few minutes passed where everyone in HQ was attentive to what would happen next.

"Don't sit or move. You'll open up the wound" he reported, grimacing. "Everything is fine, so stop looking at us like So'lek has given birth" he spoke for everyone.

As he went back to tidying things up, So'lek spoke to him.

"You're just like them."

"Of course, I am a healer after all" he said as he rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I'm talking about, At'ari" the named turned towards him and after a few seconds, he turned again, hoping So'lek hadn't seen the small smile that peeked across his face.

"That… means a lot to me. Thank you."

...

When you came back, of course you congratulated At'ari for doing a great job.

"There will be no mark left. Well done" you nodded inspecting So'lek's wound, showing pride and At'ari puffed out his chest, happy to know he had done just as your words had said.

Before leaving the scene, the boy turned.

"Perhaps he is worthy of you, Sa'sem. We approve of him courting you" and with that said, he took off.

A silence flooded the place and both you and So'lek tried to brush the comment aside. You gave an embarrassed cough.

"I'm s-" but the opposite denied.

"Don't be sorry. I hope…" you could tell by his look that he wanted to say something and was about to regret it, but you took his hand gently. "… I hope that when the time is right, you will allow me to court you."

"Eywa will give us a third chance?"

A minuscule smile appeared on the opponent's face accompanied by a sigh.

"Then I would like to court Pandora's beast, if you allow me."

"I've wanted to hear that for a while now. You can."

BONUS ;;

"They smiles too much with him. The others were so nasty that Sa'sem ask me to shoo them away" Priya gasped at the words of the trio, putting a hand to her chest.

"Really? I've seen So'lek try to nurse his wounds outside before going in…" she moved a little closer to the three siblings and whispered to them. "Ri'nela said it was so as not to worry the healer too much."

"I saw both of them laughing the other day!" exclaimed Teylan, joining the conversation.

"That's impossible, So'lek never laughs" argued Nor.

"With the healer he does" Teylan stuck his tongue out at him.

a/n ;; my tummy hurts 😔😔anYWAYS its been a long time since i kinda write this much?? (like 2k words....) so if you like it, please tell me !! i kinda didn't proofread this so if there's a mistake correct me, xoxo <3

[minnory]

Neteyam x reader tag has been hijacked by porno accounts. I keep blocking them, yet new ones keep showing up. How does that even work? Who thought that someone interested in a Neteyam x reader fic would also be interested in random women's coochies wtf !?

[writing-goblinnilmerg]

A Single Rockbeak | Neteyam x Metkayina!Reader

Word count: 1.2k

Summary: Aonung believes that you should love him. Neteyam doesn’t agree

A/N: This was a request for @sunflower343 sorry it took so long to make!! As always thank you to my beloved @redezlyn for proofreading

Masterlist

Gif cred: @taminawang

“Good morning, Yawne,” murmured Neteyam gently kissing your temple and sitting down beside you. You were weaving baskets for the upcoming harvest, where fish would come aplenty and the Metkayina clan would have a feast to celebrate their good year. Additionally, this is where mates announced their love for each other to the clan, shared a rockbeak, a type of fish that could be found past the reef. Neteyam grabbed three pieces of a stiff fiber and tried to start weaving as well.

You both stayed like this a while, until you realized that Neteyam had no idea what he was doing. You quietly guided his hands to show him the proper technique to make baskets and not knots. He thanked you with another kiss to your temple.

This was how your relationship started; with you just enjoying each others company and not saying a word. Neteyam enjoyed the break from his duties as the eldest child and you were just shy. Kiri occasionally wandered over to talk to you, and Tuk would come if you were doing something particularly artsy. Today however Neteyam was alone.

Neteyam struck up a conversation with you, speaking in soft tones. This was how you liked your relationship: quiet and private. Of course that couldn’t last forever.

Aonung had his eye set on you from the moment you both turned of age. He was waiting to get to know you when the pesky Sullys arrived and ruined his whole plan. He didn’t know, however, about your confirmed relationship with Neteyam. From the outside, it simply looked like two friends or two flirts at the most. Today, of course, he saw you two together and figured that enough was enough.

Aonung swaggered over and sat down opposite you and Neteyam, whose conversation had grinded to a halt and were looking at him in bewilderment.

“Hello, y/n. Do you mind if I weave baskets here as well?” He asked. You didn’t have the heart to say no, so you nodded curtly. He grabbed a few strands of firm fiber smoothly worked it all together. Neteyam looked over at him in envy; he didn’t need your help.

“So, y/n, do you think that the harvest will be bountiful?” he started.

“It always is,” You replied, trying to keep talking to a minimum. Neteyam noticed your tail flick and your ears pin back.

“I hope to have you next to me at the feast. Perhaps we could share a rockbeak? ” proposed Aonung. This was the last straw for Neteyam.

“No thank you. She will me sitting next to me at the feast. We shall be the ones sharing a rockbeak. Good day.” He snapped.

Aonungs cheeks turned a dark hue as he left hurriedly, quite embarrassed. Neteyam sully expression softened as he turned his gaze to you.

“I hope that I haven’t overstepped, yawne,” he started. You lifted your hand to stop him and kissed him.

“It is alright. I like this protective side of you.” You mumbled against his lips; you could feel him smile in response.

***

Aonung was fuming. How dare he, Neteyam, a stranger to the clan, so shamelessly dismiss the son of the Olo’eyktan! Well, he will show you exactly what he thinks; that pesky Neteyam won’t be around to save you.

***

You leaned into Neteyam as your clan celebrated a bountiful fish harvest. A large bonfire burned in the middle of your village, and you watched as your fellow Metkayina danced joyously. He kissed the top of your head and pulled you to dance as well.

Tuk was running around with some friends around her age, playing with the sparks that were coming off the fire. Lo’ak had snuck off with Tsireya about an hour ago and Kiri was engaged in a deep conversation with Ronal about how this harvest affected local fish population. Jake and Neytiri swayed slowly with each other a little ways away from the fire.

The moon has risen high into the sky with Neytiri broke apart from Jake and called Neteyam to her. She requested that he carry his little sister, Tuk, to bed, as she had fallen asleep on a mound of sand. He accepted, albeit reluctantly, and carefully slung her on his back and walked to his family’s marui.

You decided to wait until Neteyam came back to the feast, and set about cleaning up certain seaweed dishes that were empty; less work for you later! You had gathered them all and were making your way to the food storage marui when something rammed into you, causing you to fall. The dishes tumbled to the floor.

“Now will you talk to me? Now that Neteyam isn’t here anymore?” A figure hovered over you; the moon and stars behind him darkened his face. His voice sounded familiar.

Without warning, the figure leaned it close, his nose almost touching yours.

Aonung.

His tail wrapped around your leg and his muscular arms held you down as he examined your scared face. He was so close that you could see the teal ring in his aqua eyes.

You knew that you couldn’t scream; the whoops and cheers from the bonfire were too loud, so the only thing that screaming would do was possibly anger Aonung.

***

Meanwhile, Neteyam swiftly ran back to the feast, eager to get back to you. You weren’t where you had parted ways. He walked around the bonfire twice, checking every face for your distinct features. Finally, Neytiri informed him that you were cleaning up certain areas and were probably on the path leading to the marui. Neteyam debated staying to wait for you but decided that he wanted to see you as soon as possible.

***

You were trying to force yourself deeper into the sand to avoid Aonungs jeering face when you heard loud footsteps thumping closer and closer. Aonung seemed too absorbed in evaluating you to notice any outside noises.

Aonung closed his eyes and leaned in slowly. His lips were a hair’s breadth away when he abruptly got shoved off of you. You heard a familiar hiss and a presence that you knew intimately jumped over you, crouching protectively.

Unbeknownst to him, Neteyam’s pose was identical to his mother’s some 16 years previously, when his father was attacked by Tsu’tey.

“Never come close to her again,” snarled Neteyam, “or I will slash you to pieces and feed you to the ilus.” You slowly got up and grabbed Neteyam’s hand, gently easing him up and away from Aonung, whose wide eyes conveyed a primal fear. Neteyam let you lead him away, but didn’t take his eyes off Aonung until you had gotten back to the feast.

You tried to enjoy the rest of your night with Neteyam joined at your hip. He didn’t leave you alone, wanting to reassure you and ensure that Aonung wouldn’t come back. He kept watch and was focused and attentive until you finally managed him to coax him to your marui.

“Thank you, Nete,” you murmured into Neteyam chest as you ran your hand up and down his back. He stroked your hair and hummed in response.

Divider cred: @cafekitsune

[nilsavatar]

Your fic with Neteyam and The Sarentu was amazing I loved it! Would you be willing to write a fic about the Sarentu having a nightmare about being back in TAP? I just keep thinking about our characters reply to Anufi after saving her from being tortured by the RDA “Sky peoples air, one of Hardings favorite punishments” it’s horrifying that they would do that to literal children.

The Sky Breaker: Shadows of the Past

Parings: Neteyam x Fem!Sarentu (Ateyana)

Genre/Warnings: NSFW/MDNI +18, no use of Y/N, ANGST. All characters are AGED-UP. No smut, only fluff in the end, but still this story is not about romance, even if Sarentu’s relationship with Neteyam is mentioned. So'lek cameo as a brotherly figure for Sarentu.

!DISCLAIMER! Presence of dark and sensitive explicit themes: torture through poison, child abuse, trauma. Please do not read if these topics are not for you.

Little note: Thanks a million, Anon, for your request. It resonated with me so much that I couldn't wait in writing it, surprising myself with the speed I completed it with. Like you, I too was deeply disturbed by that part of the DLC, and even more so by the protagonist's hint about the abuse Harding allegedly inflicted on the Sarentu children. I usually wait at least a couple of days before posting to check for errors with a cool head, but this time I'm so impatient that I can't resist. I hope I managed to satisfactorily touch on all the points you listed, and that the end result reflects your expectations. Thank you again for the challenge you have given me, allowing me to explore even more of the world of Avatar, even in its darkest and most disturbing parts.

@hao-ming-8 you told me to tag you in case I write about So'lek. Although this story is not about So'lek, there is a part about him that reflects the ghosts of his past. I thought you might appreciate it.

Word Count: 5k

Masterlist - Request a fic

Yana crouched in the underbrush, her heart still hammering from the chaos of the last battle. The air was heavy with the acrid tang of scorched earth, a testament to the destruction wrought by the RDA. Beside her, Anufi set silently, the blue of her skin ashen, the fresh burns on her wrists standing stark against her flesh. Her silence haunted her almost as much as her own thoughts. Anufi’s rescue had been harrowing. Finding her facing the ground in a gas chamber where humans forced the Na'vi's lungs to choke on their poisonous atmosphere awakened an old, buried terror. Her hands trembled as she wiped sweat from her brow, memories unraveling in her mind before she could stop them.

She had been little more than a child when she, her sister and the others were taken into the RDA’s TAP. The Ambassador Program, they had called it, a name coated in the syrupy pretense of goodwill. To the humans, it was a symbol of diplomacy, and experiment in ‘peaceful coexistence’. Its true nature was something far darker—a carefully calculated project to mold Na’vi children into tools for the humans’ colonial ambitions. A gilded cage, where their culture, their independence, and even their spirit were systematically stripped away.

The Sky People smiled as they handed out data pads and notebooks, teaching the children about Earth’s history, science, and culture. But those smiles always hid something colder. They’d correct a mispronounced English word with thinly veiled frustration or scowl when a child struggled to manipulate human tools with their three-fingered hands. “It’s for your own good,” they’d say when a child wept, homesick for the forests of Pandora. “This is how you’ll help your people survive.”

Great responsibility for someone who was just a kid.

Aha’ri, however, saw through the lies. She had always been the bold one, the spark to Yana’s cautious flame. While the little sister obeyed quietly, biting back her discomfort, the older one would glare at the instructors with a defiance the set her apart. Her golden eyes, so full of fire, had  unnerved the RDA staff from the start. “That one’s trouble,” they’d mutter as she passed, but for a time, they tolerated her resistance. They wanted to shape her, too, to prove they could tame even the fiercest Na'vi.

Yana, on the other hand, was more thoughtful, more fearful and aware of the superiority the humans had over them because of their technological contraptions. They were on their own turf, here the soldiers and scientists were playing at home, driven by a cruelty and avarice against which a paltry little group of children could do nothing. Moved by this, the younger sister tried to temper the elder's temper, pleading with her to stay quiet. But Aha'ri wouldn’t listen.

“Tsmuke [sister], they’re stronger than us. They control everything. If you fight them—.” “Then I’ll fight harder,” Aha’ri interrupted, her voice sharp as an arrowhead. “They won’t break me.” But Ateyana knew better. The humans’ kindness was a thin mask over something monstrous, and that monstrosity revealed itself one fateful day.

It began in a cultural lesson — one of the RDA’s many patronizing attempts to bridge understanding between humans and Na’vi. Her sister had been tense from the very start, her tail flicking in irritation as the instructor droned on about the technological advancements of Earth, their tone dripping with condescension. “And that’s why humanity’s ingenuity has made us the dominant species,” they stated, holding up a glowing data pad as though it wet a sacred artifact.

Aha’ri patience snapped. With a swift motion, she grabbed the object from the instructor’s hands and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the metal wall with a deafening crash, its pieces scattering like shards of broken pride. “You don’t want to understand us!” Her voice cut through the stunned silence, sharp and fierce. Her tail lashed behind her, and her chest heaved with rage. “You want to own us! To take everything away from us. Our families, our land, our identity!” The other Na’vi children froze, their wide eyes darting between Aha’ri and the Sky People. Yana’s heart sank as she saw the instructor’s face harden, their polite veneer cracking to reveal cold fury.

Within minutes, the incident was reported to John Mercer himself. The administrator of TAP arrived with his characteristic composure, his every movement calculated and deliberate. Mercer had a presence that muffled rooms and chilled blood — a man whose power was as much in his intellect as in his authority. He looked down at the remains of the data pas, then up at the girl, who stood unrepentant, her chin raised in defiance.

“Colonel Harding,” he said, his tone calm but devoid of empathy. “You may deal with this as you see fit.” Ateyana’s blood turned ice. She knew what that meant. Colonel Angela Harding, the TAP’s enforcer, thrived on cruelty. A towering woman with a predatory gaze, she carried herself with the detached air of someone who viewed torment as a mere tool for oder. Her punishment were as inventive as they were brutal, each conceived not just to discipline but to humiliate and break the will of her captives, to withdraw insubordination and replace it with submission. For that monster, breaking the Na’vi wasn’t simply her duty: it was a twisted form of entertainment.

As she arrived in response to Mercer’s orders, the colonel strode into the room, her boots clicking against the linoleum floor, her expression one of faint amusement. Aha’ri maintain her bolshie attitude, but everybody could see the tension in her stiff tail and the subtle quiver in her shoulders. “Ah, the little firebrand,” Harding commented, her voice dripping with mockery. “You think you’re so special because you’ve got a bit of spark, don’t you?” The girl didn’t respond, her golden eyes narrowing in silent insolence, and she chuckled, shaking her head. “We’ll see how long that spark lasts.” When the woman reached for Aha’ri, Yana acted on instinct. She stepped forward, throwing herself between the colonel and her sister. Her entire frame trembled, but she forced her voice to be steady ash she spoke. “Aha’ri didn’t mean it!” She cried, meeting her icy gaze. “She’s just… she’s just angry. Please, forgive her just this time.” “Step aside, child,” Harding said coldly, her eyes razor-sharp like knives, but she refused to move. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and ears, but she planted her feet firmly on the ground. “Please,” she begged, turning to Mercer, who studied her from the doorway with the detached curiosity of a scientist examining a specimen. “I’ll make her behave. I promise.” He stared at Sarentu for a long time, his head tilted as if considering her plea. “Discipline,” he said finally, his tone almost paternal, “is essential for progress. If you truly wish to help your sister, sweet child, you should teach her to obey.” Tears streamed down her face as she dropped to her knees in front of him, clinging to his lab coat in supplication. “I’ll take her punishment. Just let her go.” “Do you think if she saw you suffering in her place, she would learn her lesson?” The aloofness with which he asked prevented her from answering. “You want to protect your sister, I understand that. But have you ever thought that she is putting you all in trouble with her antics? Ateyana, you are a good girl, but if you always cover for her you will end up doing her more harm than good. Aha'ri needs to learn how to be in the world.”

With a flick of his hand, Mercer signaled Harding to proceed. The colonel didn’t wait for further discussion, she grabbed Aha’ri by the arm and began dragging her away, ignoring the younger Na’vi’s thrashing and curses. Yana lunged after them, her hands reaching for her sister, but two Sec-Ops troopers blocked her path, their like iron as they held her back, ready to point the weapons hanging at their side if necessary. “Don’t do this!” She screamed, her voice breaking. “Please! You don’t have to do this!” Her cries went unanswered, Harding didn’t even glance back. She pulled Aha’ri around like a rag doll. The doors hissed shut behind them, with a mechanical finality that sent a chill through the little girl’s soul.

Aha’ri’s punishment was swift and merciless. Harding took her to one of the facility’s sealed chambers — a tool originally designed to test human oxygen systems in Pandora’s atmosphere but repurposed for a far darker use. She was shoved into a cylindrical space with reinforced glass walls, that allowed observers to watch.

Harding’s fingers hovered over the control panel, her lips curling into a devious sneer. “Let’s see how well she handles a little taste of home.” Yana pounded on the glass, her fists striking the cold surface with frantic desperation. “Stop! Please! She’ll listen! She’ll listen, I swear!” The soldier glanced at her, one eyebrow arched in fake pity. “Oh, she’ll listen. One way or another.” With that, she pressed the button. Inside the tube, Aha’ri face shifted from boldness to confusion as the first wave of Earth’s air flooded in. It was clear but carried a hidden poison — the mixture of gases that made up the Earth's atmosphere, was toxic to Na’vi physiology. And the speed with which it was being administered in the small space made its effects immediate.

Within moments, the girl staggered, her hands clutching her throat as her lungs rebelled. “Breathe, little warrior,” Harding murmured, her voice filled with wicked mirth. At first, the girl resisted, glaring through the glass as if daring Harding to do her worst. But courage and recklessness couldn’t stop the poison from taking hold. The little sister’s breath labored in sync with the oldest’s, as she watched her confident posture collapse to her knees, gasping for air that her body couldn’t accept. Her chest heaved as she clawed at her throat, her eyes wide with panic.

The sight of Aha’ri’s agony — the strength draining from her limbs, the fire in her irises flickering into fear — was more than Ateyana could bear. She turned back to Mercer, who stood silently in the corner, his arms crossed. “Stop her!” The girl sobbed, her voice raw. “Please, make her stop! You’re killing her!” The man regarded her with the same neutrality he had shown throughout the ordeal. “Killing her?” He echoed, as though the idea were preposterous. “No. Colonel Harding knows her limits. Your sister will survive, don’t worry. The question is whether she’ll learn.” Sarentu’s whines filled the lab as she could only watch her sister being tortured.

The minutes dragged on like hours. Aha’ri’s struggles grew weaker, her gasps becoming faint and uneven. Her frame trembled, on hand pressed against the glass, her golden eyes locking with her sister’s as though reaching for help that would never come. Yana could do nothing but press her palms in return, her tears smearing the surface. Then her hands closed into fists, pounded against the window until they bled. She screamed, begged, wailed, but no one came. Behind her, the other Na’vi children huddled in terrified quiet, their eyes averted.

Harding savored the scene with a vague smirk, her arms crossed as though she were enjoying a private show. At last, when Aha’ri passed out, limp to the floor, her chest rising and falling in shallow, ragged breaths, she released the seal. “Enough,” her tone almost bored. The chamber’s doors hissed open, two guards stepped inside to drag the victim out, while the colonel looked down at the motionless girl with disdain “She’ll live,” said with casual, scorn indifference. “Maybe now she’ll learn her place.”

When they returned Aha’ri to the dormitory, Ateyana rushed to her sister’s side. Her skin was damp with sweat, her breath still short, but her beautiful eyes fluttered open as she cradled her. “It’s okay,” the younger whispered, stroking her hair. “You’re safe now. I got you.” But Ahari didn’t respond. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her expression devoid of the fire that had once defined her, replaced by a hollow emptiness that she could barely recognize. Ateyana’s heart ached as she realized the truth: the sister she knew was gone, her spirit crushed under the weight of what she had endured.

From that day, she was different. She stopped speaking out against the humans, her rebellious nature altered by a haunting silence. Yana, too, carried the scars of that day — not on her body, but in her soul. She had failed her sister, failed to protect the one person she loved most.

The memory of Aha'ri’s panting breaths, her despairing eyes, would never leave her. It would follow her into adulthood, a ghost that whispered of her guilt and the monstrous cruelty of the humans she had once begged for mercy. That was the day Ateyana learned a hard truth: mercy was not something to be asked for. It was something to be taken, or forced, or denied entirely. And if she wanted to protect her people, she could never again rely on the humanity of her enemies. She would have to fight with all her might, at the risk of being stained with sin in the eyes of the Great Mother. A promise she made to herself again on the day Aha'ri was killed.

She sat on the thick root of a great tree, her fingers absently tracing the worn fletching of an arrow. Around her, the forest pulsed with life. The gentle hum of glowing flora and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze seemed distant, muted by the storm in her mind. The memories of Aha’ri scratched at the edges of her consciousness, threatening to drag her into the darkness she had fought so hard to keep at bay.

Sarentu squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on the sounds of the nature, the cool texture of the moss beneath her fingers — anything to anchor herself in the present. But the harder she tried to push the memories away, the sharper they became. The hiss of the cell, the anguished cries of her sister, the emptiness in Mercer’s eyes. A shadow fell across her, and a warm weight settled on her shoulder. Startled, Yana blinked and looked up to find So’lek standing beside her. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, his touch firm bun unintrusive. 

So’lek was one of the few people she trusted completely. He had been a warrior long before the RDA’s return and had seen firsthand the destruction the humans could bring. His cheek and temple bore the scars of past battles, and his eyes — amber like a fading sunset — held the weight of someone who had endured loss and hardship.

He didn’t speak at first, his gaze steady as he looked down at her. There was no pity in his expression, only quiet understanding. A gaze that knew the pain of haunting memories. The gaze of someone who had carried his own ghosts through the years.

“You’re far away,” he stated softly, his voice low and even, like the rumble of distant thunder. She tried to muster a reply, but the words caught on her tongue, looking away, ashamed of the vulnerability she was showing.

The man crouched beside her, his hand still on her shoulder. He didn’t press her to talk, didn’t demand an explanation. Instead, he sat in silence, his presence a muted reassurance that she wasn’t alone.

“I know that look,” So’lek said after a moment, his thoughtful. “The way your shoulders tighten, how your tail moves without you even realizing it.” He paused, his warm eyes meeting hers. “You’re fighting something inside, aren't you?” Yana felt her throat harshened. She wanted to deny it, to tell him she was fine, that she didn’t need his concern. Bet the words felt pointless even before she could externalize them. So’lek’s glance held her, stiff and unyielding, and she found herself nodding, almost imperceptibly.

“I think about it too,” he admitted, his tone dropping even lower. His eyes drifted to the forest canopy, his expression longing but far-off. “The things I saw. The things I couldn’t stop. Sometimes they come back when I least expect it. In the quiet moments, when the forest is still, I feel I may be at peace once again, at least a little, they creep in.” His hand gave her shoulder a small, reassuring squeeze. “But you don’t have to face it alone.”

Her lips parted, but she hesitated. So’lek’s words reached something deep inside her, a part of her that had been hidden for so long she’d almost forgotten it existed. For years, she had carried the weight of her guilt and pain in silence, afraid to burden others with the darkness she couldn’t escape. But in So’lek’s eyes, she saw no judgment, only the quiet camaraderie of someone who understood.

“What do you do?” she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “When the memories come?” So’lek tilted his head, considering her question. “I remind myself why I fight,” he said after a pause. “Not to forget, or to erase the past. But to make sure it doesn’t happen again. For the ones I lost. For the ones still here.” Yana stared down at her hands, her fingers still gripping the arrow. His words resonated with her, stirring something in the depths of her chest. She thought of Aha’ri, of Anufi, of the clans who had entrusted her with their lives. Of Neteyam. They were her purpose now, the reason she had to keep fighting—even when the pain felt unbearable.

So’lek rose to his feet, his hand slipping from her shoulder. He turned to leave but paused, glancing back at her with a faint smile. “You don’t have to carry it all by yourself, little one,” he said gently. “If the burden is too heavy, let someone else help you shoulder it.” She watched him walk away, his tall frame disappearing into the camp shadows. The weight of her memories hadn’t lifted, but for the first time in a long time, she felt the faintest flicker of hope. She wasn’t alone—not entirely.

The moment of clarity didn’t last long. As the night deepened and the forest grew quieter, the memories crept back in, stronger than ever, sharper and crueler than any blade. It seized her mind without warning, dragging her into the dark recesses of her subconscious where fear and guilt lurked, waiting.  

She was back in the TAP facility, a child again, small and powerless. The sterile white walls loomed around her, closing in like the jaws of a predator. The hum of machinery filled the air, a sound she had grown to dread in those years. Ahead of her, Mercer stood tall, his shadow stretching impossibly long, swallowing the room in its cold grip. His expression was impassive, the same look he had worn when he condemned Aha’ri to her punishment.   Behind him stood Colonel Harding, her fingers drumming against the control panel with rhythmic precision. Tap. Tap. Tap. Each sound reverberated through her chest like the beat of a war drum, growing louder and louder until it drowned out her own breathing. Harding’s lips twisted into a devious smile as her hand hovered over the controls.   Inside the chamber, Aha’ri yelled. It was the same scream she had heard that day, raw and primal, full of misery and pain. The sound teared at Yana’s ears, filling her with a helpless rage that burned like acid in her veins. She tried to move, to stop Harding, but her feet felt rooted to the ground, as if the very air around her had turned to stone.  

“Stop!” She exclaimed with a cry of distress. “Please! Stop!”  

Her hands moved on their own, pounding against the glass until her knuckles split, blood smearing the surface. But her cries were swallowed by the cold, unfeeling room, just as they had been all those years ago. Aha’ri’s golden eyes locked with hers through the glass, wide with terror. Ateyana’s heart shattered all over again as she saw her sister collapse to her knees, gasping for air, her body convulsing as the poisonous atmosphere ravaged her.  

Suddenly, the scene shifted. Ateyana was no longer outside the chamber. She was inside it. The walls pressed in around her, the sterile white replaced by suffocating gloom. The hiss of the oxygen systems grew louder, sharper, until it was the only sound she could hear. Her chest tightened as she drew in a ragged breath, only to feel flames sear her lungs. It was Earth’s air, toxic and alien, invading her body and asphyxiating her from within.   She grazed her throat, panic overtaking her as her vision blurred. Shapes flickered in the dimness—indistinct at first, then blinding. She saw Anufi, her body slumped against the wall, her eyes round and lifeless.   “No,” the girl breathed, reaching for her, but her limbs felt heavy, sluggish. “No, no, no!”  

Then another figure emerged, stepping forward from the shadows. Aha’ri.   Her sister’s complexion was pale and gaunt, her once-bright golden orbs now dim and vacant. She stared at young woman, her expression indecipherable, as though she were looking at a stranger. Behind her, a faint, ghostly image of the cylinder chamber from their childhood flickered to life, overlaying the blackness like a poignant projection.  

“You failed us,” Aha’ri whispered, her voice merging with Anufi’s in a disturbing, chilling harmony.   She shook her head, tears raining down her cheeks. “I tried!” she gasped, her voice plaintive, barely audible over the sound of her labored breathing. “I tried to save you!”   “You failed us,” they repeated, their voices growing louder, the words echoing in her skull until they became a deafening chant. “You failed us! You failed us!”  

The constraining darkness strengthened its grip, the air growing heavier with each passing moment. Her vision swam, the shapes of Aha’ri and Anufi blurring into the shadows. Her own reflection appeared before her, distorted and corrupted, her visage pallid and streaked with tears.   In the reflection’s eyes, she saw all the guilt she had buried for years— the guilt of letting Aha’ri down, of begging Mercer for mercy instead of fighting back, of living when her sister’s spirit had been crushed. And now, the remorse of almost losing Anufi to the same hideous tactics, the same noxious fumes.  

The reflection spoke, its tone cold and unrelenting, distorted in sounds that weren’t hers, but resembled all too closely the voice she had grown most fond of, in the endless struggle that was her life. “You think you can protect them now? You can’t even protect yourself.”  The words hit her like a blow to the chest, forcing the last remnants of air from her lungs. She kneel over, the choking poison overwhelming her. Her hands reached out blindly, her fingernails grasping at nothing.   “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry” she murmured, while her reflection took the figure of somebody else.

The darkness surrounding her grew denser, swallowing her cries and the shapes of her sister and Anufi. It was suffocating, cloying, pressing on her from all sides. She reached out, desperate for any tether to pull her back into the light, but her fingers grasped only the void. Then, she saw him.

“Neteyam?” she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

His form was unmistakable — his broad shoulders, the proud set of his jaw, the way his braids swayed gently as he walked. But something was off. His movements were sluggish, his steps unsteady. Yana's breath caught in her throat as he turned toward her, his face ashen and drawn, his bright lemon eyes dull and dead. “No,” she hushed, shaking her head as alarm dig into her chest. “No, not you. Not you too.”

Neteyam didn’t answer. His lips parted, but no words came out, only a soft, wheezing gasp. Her horror deepened as she saw the friction burns on his wrists, raw and angry, identical to the ones Anufi had borne. The result of the straps with which they had taken him there. Aimed at inflicting pain and subduing resistance, as a further form of the utter contempt RDA had for them.

The light fizz of oxygen filled the air, and she realized with sickening clarity that her mate was choking, his body wracked with spasms as he fight for breathe the toxic human atmosphere. She ran to him, her feet moving as though through water. “Neteyam!” she cried, her voice cracking. “I’m here! I’ll save you!”

But no matter how fast she moved, she couldn’t reach him. The distance between them stretched endlessly, as though the murk itself were conspiring to keep them apart. He fell to his knees, his eyes locking with hers for a fleeting moment. There was no accusation in his gaze, only dread and sadness—a quiet, haunting sadness that made her chest feel like it was splitting open. “Don’t leave me!” she shrieked, tears streaming down her face unstoppably. “Please! Eywa, don’t take him from me!” As his body slumped forward, the shadow surged around him, consuming him entirely. Ateyana dropped to her knees, her cries echoing into the void.

She bolted upright with a strangled gasp, her form drenched in sweat. Her hands flew to her forehead, trembling as she struggled to shake the lingering terror of the dream. Her chest heaved as she gulped in Pandora’s sweet, life-giving air, her mind racing to separate illusion from reality. Her surroundings came into focus slowly — the soft glow of bioluminescent plants, the distant hum of nocturnal creatures. She was back in the forest, far from the sterile walls of the TAP facility.  

It took her a moment to realize she wasn’t alone. Beside her, lying peacefully on a bed of soft mats and pillows, was Neteyam. Her breath caught as she turned to look at him. The moonlight filtering through the hut bathed his profile in a silvery gleam, highlighting the strong lines of his jaw and the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He looked so tranquil, so alive. Yana’s shaking fingers reached out to touch his cheek, her fingertips brushing against his warm skin as though to reassure herself that he was truly there. The tension in her frame ebbed slightly, a wave of relief washing over her. He was safe. He hadn’t been taken from her, hadn’t suffered the horrors her mind had conjured.

“I almost lost you,” she mumbled, her voice whispery as the wind. The young man stirred slightly, his expression softening in his sleep as though he could sense her presence. Sarentu's heart clenched with a mix of endearment and dismay, her emotions swirling like a storm within her. The nightmare had felt so real, so visceral, that even now, the echoes of it clung to her. Her hands trembled as she touched her throat, half-convinced she would feel the burns of the human oxygen.

Her eyes darted to Neteyam once more. Her feelings for him were undeniable, a bond as deep as the roots of Pandora’s sacred trees. But that love came with a fear so profound it threatened to consume her. She had already lost so much— her family, her innocence, the peace of her childhood. The thought of losing Neteyam, of watching him suffer as Aha’ri had, was a pain she could scarcely bear. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to linger in the solace of him being there, her digits brushing against his hair. But the relief was short-lived.

Yana buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with silent sobs. She had tried so hard to bury the past, to lock away the pain and guilt in the darkest corners of her mind. But saving Anufi had torn open those wounds, forcing her to confront the truth she had spent years avoiding: she couldn’t run from her failures. 

As the faint light of dawn began to seep into the forest, she felt the weight of reality settle over her once more. The RDA’s war machines still loomed on the horizon, their engines a constant reminder of the battle yet to come. The nightmare was a cruel reflection of the stakes she faced every day — a reminder that every moment she spent with Neteyam could be their last.

Her gaze shifted to the bow resting nearby, its polished wood shining smoothly in the early morning. There was no room for hesitation, no space for weakness. If she wanted to protect Neteyam, Anufi, and her people, she couldn’t allow insecurities to paralyze her. Her fingers brushed against Neteyam’s cheek one last time before she stood, her movements quiet so as not to wake him. She would fight for him, for all of them. Whatever it took, she would ensure that the nightmare she had seen would never become reality.

She glanced to the floating mountains, and wiped her tears, her hands curling into fists, her resolve hardening like steel. The battle was coming, and she would meet it head-on, fueled by the love that gave her strength and the fear that reminded her what she had to lose. She couldn’t change whar happened to Aha’ri, but she could give her whole self for the future, for Pandora itself.

The past had left its scars, but it had also given her purpose. The Sky People would pay for what they had done. Yana would make sure of it. 

[pandoraescape]

Summary: Day 4: "Food" | Memories: The Sarentu (Female Version), after learning Sa'nop's recipe, decides to make the dish for her brothers and sister, which brings back memories of the past—happy ones and…not so happy ones.

Archive of our own

Note: (S/n) Mean Sarentu name. You pick

At the Resistance HQ's kitchen, a young Sarentu woman, (S/n), stood at the kitchen counter, meticulously chopping the vibrant crimson mushrooms into small pieces on the wooden cutting board. Her brothers and sister, Teylan, Nor, and Ri'nela, sat at the dining table, their eyes fixed on their sister with admiration. They watched her every move with a mix of respect and hunger.

"Can't you tell us anything about what you're cooking?" Nor asks, resting his chin in his palm.

"Nope!"

(S/n) cheerful reply only earned her brother a groan. (S/n) Then, carefully place the freshly chopped mushrooms into a separate bowl on the side. She then reached for the refrigerator and pulled out three ripe Shell fruits. She placed it on the board and cut the red skin in half, revealing its juicy and vibrant interior.

"Not even a tiny bit?" Teylan asks nervously, not one for surprises.

"Not even for the tiniest bit."

Both boys groaned, one annoyed and the other in dismay. Ri'nela laughed at the two as she waited patiently for her sister to finish setting things up. Unlike her brothers, she could wait patiently for things. After what felt like hours (10 minutes), (S/n) finally walked to the table with two large trays. One held the food, and the other had the drinks. She placed them down.

"Dinner is served!"

The others gazed at the food. The tray held two sets of three meals, a bowl of shell fruit and sliced crimson mushrooms, and another meat roast. The fruit salad looked fresh, as it was washed and had shiny skin, while the mushrooms were bright in color. The same was true for the meat dish, with marbled fat that glistened under the table light as steam rose from it. The second tray was also intriguing. A glass pitcher held a bright pale blue liquid with seeds. The others were surprised.

"(S/n), all of this looks fantastic! Did you learn all of this from Sa'nop?" Ri'nela asks, still amazed at the spread.

Ri'nela knew that her sister was learning various arts from the Aranahe, such as weaving, crafting, and even cooking. However, she didn't expect this after only a few weeks. "Him and the Aranahe top chef, Relun. I practiced a lot when I had time for myself. They both taught me a lot," (S/n) replies happily, her hands on her hips.

They both were also very particular in their teaching methods. Relun's fiery temper and obsessive nature were challenging, as he always had notes on everything (S/n) did. Cutting the wrong way results in a small swat back of the head, not cooking a meal properly forces you to eat and deal with stomach problems, and if you bring a kill that was not clean or merciful, don't even try to get any note from him. But, despite that, he was always there for her, like a daughter wanting to learn from their father. He seemed always there when she arrived from the clan, even late at night—to Nefika's delight, teasing the older man.

Sa'nop's teaching was very different from Relun's. He's a more carefree and joyful man when making meals. Due to his youth traveling Pandora's lands in exotic foods, he sampled the feasts he enjoyed. He treats (S/n) kindly, much like his own daughter. He educates the young Sarentu by sharing tips from other clans and narrating stories for each lesson. But when it came to gathering, he made her go alone, stating that it was up to her to get the freshest ingredients by her own hands than someone else. In the sense of cooking, it makes sense.

"Well, your work shows. Everything looks delicious," Ri'nela praises.

(S/n) smiles at her sister before she turns to her brothers, seeing their curious and hungry expressions and giggling," What are you guys waiting for? Dig in and tell me what you think."

Without hesitation, all three of them grab their bowls and dig in. Ri'nela starts with the fruit salad, taking bites of fruit and mushrooms. A burst of ripe fruit drove her to hum in delight when it hit her tongue. The sweetness was subtle and not overpowering, which pairs perfectly with the earthy and savory taste of the dice mushrooms. They also have this nutty taste, which this dish makes sense with this type of dish. She looks at the meat dish. She used her spoon to scoop up a good piece of meat. Blowing at it to cool it down, she takes a bite. The meat is perfectly cooked, and the tender flesh falls apart when she eats it. The richness of the roast juices and the spices used to bring this robust flavor make the dish even more delightful.

"Well? Is it good?"

Ri'nela looks at her sister, holding in her laughter, as she sees the serious look on her face while her tail sways back and forth. Before she could comment, Teylan beat her to it with a happy yelp.

"It's so good!" Teylan's ears twitch happily as he eats, and his tail sways freely. Both Ri'nela and (S/n) smile at their brother.

" Aw, thank you, Tey. I'm so happy you like it."

"I don't like it; I love it! You should always cook for us," Teylan adds, still munching on his food.

"He's right," Ri'nela points out," You beat the guys here with your cooking. Nothing can compare.'

(S/n) smiles more brightly at her sibling's comments. If this is the feeling you get when making meals for people, she may need to reconsider her path. She looks at Nor, noticing that he hasn't said anything. His face was down, but (S/n) could see the frown on his lips. Was the food bad? Undercooked? Not to his taste? Was the food not good, Nor?" Teylan and Ri'nela looked at Nor with confusion on their faces. Their food was delicious; was Nor's different?

"Nor?'

"It's taste.."

The three of them stood in silence as he finally began to speak, "It tastes exactly like the meals my father used to make."

As Nor finally looked up, his eyes began to water as memories flooded back. The others were shocked by his reaction, except for (S/n), who quickly moved next to her brother and enveloped him in a tight, comforting hug. He did not hide his face on her shoulder as quiet sobs escaped him, prompting Teylan and Ri'nela to join in the hug to comfort their brother. After a moment of hearing his cries, (S/n) said, "When Sa'nop taught me this recipe, and I got to try it, I couldn't stop stuffing my mouth until it was all gone."

Nor cries soften, and his ears twitch at her words.

"When I told him, he laughed, told me it was alright, and asked me what I liked about the dish. At first, it tasted like it was named 'Mushrooms and Shellfruit.' Then, she gently moves Nor to face her, making the others move away from their hug as she continues, 'But then, I remembered this warmth. A gentle hand that holds me during a storm. Her voice."

As she speaks, Teylan and Ri'nela fix their gaze on her, their ears perked up, fully attentive to the heartfelt words about her mother.

"Then Sa'nap told me how he got the recipe from a Sarentu woman. Who had an amazing singing voice and my eyes."

Shocks ran across the three faces,"You think-"

"He sang the Sarentu song that he learned from her. The one we always sing"

All three gasped, realizing that their ancestors had paved the way for connections with people they had yet to meet. This thought brought them comfort. After wiping his face, he calmly settled down, signaling for the others to take their seats. Then, (S/n) poured juice from the pitcher into each cup and handed it to them. Ri'nela took a sip and immediately recognized her childhood favorite - Yovo fruit, which she and the others had loved as children. Nor and Teylan also smiled at the taste, enjoying their drink.

"Is it sweet?"

As Ri'nela looks at her sister, her eyes are filled with abundant love and warmth radiating from her entire being. Her smile is genuine and reflects the depth of her affection. She responds with a radiant and heartfelt smile, her eyes brimming with joy and tenderness.

"Yes,.It's very sweet."

[dilfsyndrome]

So’lek’s Scar,

[avatarl0v3r]

The Lost Clan - Chapter 1

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Navigation

warnings: angst (?)

Pairing: Neteyam x Fem!sarentu reader

Notes: just as the main character of the game the readers mother is the same but also the tsahik

chapter 2

the animals could be heard from overhead as your smaller legs carried you farther away from your camp the smell of soil filled the air. your mother warned not to wander to far, but she knew it was in your blood to be adventurous.

you stepped over stones the moss tickling at your feet as you stepped, the light from the noon sun was warm hitting your skin with its rays that were breaching though the larger leaves of the trees. this side of pandora was beautiful this was your first time out of the western frontier, and this was a change of scenery compared to that of the clouded forest where the kame'tire stayed.

you had no idea where you were only that you kept going straight so you wouldn't get completely lost, as you walked you started hearing voices being curious you quietly walked closer crouching behind some bushes before the voices belongers came into view. it was a boy around your age with his father learning to catch a fish. you watch as he told his son how to time the arrow right. he let the arrow fly, it pierced the fishes body you stumbled back from shock of the fishes body slapping the surface water. you continued to peek through the bushes watching as the father stepped back to head home.

thinking the boy was just going to follow you slowly stood up to start back towards your camp, but the boy had the feeling of being watched so before following his father he stopped and looked around his eyes met yours and he smiled at you. "neteyam come on" you returned the smile and you both waved goodbye to each other. no words were spoken but you both knew the two of you were friends.

--

"mama, are we there yet" your mother kataru smiled down at you picking you up while she walked aha'ri right by her side "we'll be there soon little one" you nodded before resting your head on her shoulder allowing the rhythm of her breathing drift you to sleep.

when you were shaken awake you were surrounded by other navi but still in your mothers arms you took a look around you and noticed you were inside a tree, your mother sat you down and aha'ri took yoour hand as you two and the other sarentu children were approached by the other clans children, while your parents were approached by the leaders.

you greeted other navi kids telling them of your life of traveling and staying with other clans. after those interactions you wandered around the large tree by yourself while walking you seen the boy from the pond he jogged over and greeted you and showed you around the tree which you learned they called home tree. after the tour you guys' stuck side by side even when it was time for your clan to share, they're stories.

--

you stayed for a week or two before the war came to the tree at that time everyone was preparing for battle but your clan sure you kids learned to fight and protect yourselves from the zeswa but not the adults.

smoke filled the air; the smell of ash and sadness could be smelled for miles parents with children were ordered to leave even neytiri had to retreat to be with her children while jake and the others fought for their home the sarentu went their own way parting from the clan that allowed them to stay and share their stories. screams filled the air while your clan ran away trying to survive. a tree blocked off the way your clan ran they last thing you remember was making eye contact with neteyam before your father scooped you and aha'ri up in his arms sprinting the opposite direction.

the last thing neteyam seen was your father scooping you up in his arms along with your older sister before sprinting the opposite direction along with rda soliders right behind you.

that was the last time you saw neteyam and neteyam saw you.

and that would be the last time the sarentu were seen and their stories heard for years to come.

copyright © 2024 avatarl0v3r - on tumblr. do not translate/ remake/repost my works in any platform without authorized permission

[lortsyall]

Echoes of Eywa's Child.

chapter 2.

(Neteyam x Human!Reader series)

Pending...Pending...

Date: August 10th,2174.

Location: Marui,High Camp,Mons Veritatis,Hallelujah Mountains,Pandora.

Time: 1:56 PM.

Life had always demanded more of me. As the eldest son of Toruk Makto the 6th, I was born into expectations as heavy as the mountains, molded by a legacy I had no choice but to carry. For as long as I could remember, my path was laid before me—protector, warrior, leader,big brother. It was a path carved in blood and sacrifice, one I couldn’t veer from even if I wanted to.

The war had changed everything. When the RDA returned when I was only 15,four years ago, they came with the same greed, the same hunger to strip Eywa’s creation of its breath. Their machines burned forests and poisoned rivers, their soldiers brought death with cold precision. But the war wasn’t just an enemy out there—it had carved itself into me.

I’d come closer to death than I care to admit. Fleeing to the Metkayina clan with my family,away from Quaritch and his puppets,was traumatizing,to say the least.

I always fit in the Omatikaya clan. I was already respected by so many clan leaders across the globe,already seen as a strong-willed,responsible and noble young warrior. The perfect next Olo'eyktan in line. But here...at sea...I was too stubborn to learn the ways of the Metkayina,scared I might lose myself. My ancestors. My traditions. The forest...Everything.

Sooner or later though,you always have to wake up back to reality. The RDA’s ships had pursued us relentlessly, their weapons tearing through the sea and air like the rage of a storm. After saving my siblings and our friend,Tsireya,my brother insisted on saving Spider as well.

I'll admit,I followed my mother's steps in distancing myself away from him as the years went by,though the brotherly bond we have carried ever since childhood lingered like a lost memory. Plus,I couldn't deny Lo'ak anything. Not in that moment.

As soon as we turned our backs to jump into the water,though...I felt it.

I’d hit the water hard, the force ripping the breath from my lungs. I fought to surface, but the panic, the crushing weight of the sea—it almost won.

All I could hear were Lo'ak's desperate cries pulling me on an ilu as he dragged me back to shore,along with the others. When I woke up, the first thing I felt was pain—white-hot and searing, burning across my chest where shrapnel had torn through flesh. The Tsahìk saved me, but she couldn’t erase the scar, jagged and cruel, that now ran from my collarbone to just above my heart,nor the memory that came with it. A bitter reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything.

That scar has stayed with me, a mark of survival, but also of failure. I should’ve been stronger, faster, better. I’m alive, but at what cost? The memory of my siblings’ terror, my parents’ fear—it’s a weight I still carry, even in moments of peace.

Sometimes,I still hear my mother's screams late at night. It's terrifying.

And now, the war feels like a constant shadow, lingering even in the quiet. I’ve learned to keep my thoughts guarded, my fears buried. We're back in the forest,thankfully,but we still live in the Hallelujah Mountains. The clan looks to me for strength, for guidance. They see a warrior who has proven himself time and time again. They don’t see the cracks beneath, the moments when I wonder if I’ve given too much of myself to a fight that may never truly end.

I’m of age now. Been for some time. I went through all the rites of passage,starting with becoming the youngest Omatikaya to make a clean kill on the Sturmbeest hunt,going through Iknimaya,and surviving Uniltaron,the Dream Hunt. After transferring into adulthood, an Omatikaya Na'vi has two things left to do: craft a bow from the wood of the fallen Hometree,and find a mate. Yet I've checked only one thing on the list,and I guess it's obvious which one I'm talking about.

I get it. I'm 19 years old now. Old enough that the elders murmur about a mate, about settling down and adding to the clan’s numbers. My parents don’t pressure me—at least not directly—but I see it in my father’s proud nods, my mother’s quiet glances. They’re waiting for me to choose, to find someone who will stand beside me as I carry the mantle of our people. Not to mention,my brother has already been mated to Tsireya,and some people among the clan are...nosy, to say the least.

But how can I think of mates when my mind is a battlefield? When every time I look at the stars, I see the faces of those we’ve lost? Love feels like a luxury I can’t afford, a vulnerability I can’t risk. I can feel my father breathing down my neck,slowly preparing me with Olo'eyktan training. I don't even want to be the next chief. Not anymore. I’ve buried the idea so deep within me that even the thought of connection feels foreign,and I can't remember the first time I really opened up to someone. They already have their image of me.

Fierce young warrior. Next chief in line. Son of Toruk Makto. Great,right?Why should I ruin that for them?

And yet, there’s a part of me that wonders—when will I be more than this? When will I be something more than a protector, more than a warrior? Is there space for Neteyam beneath the weight of it all?

The air was thick with the smell of burning metal and the acrid tang of gunpowder. Around me, the sounds of battle echoed through the forest—the hum of RDA machinery, the snap of Na’vi bows, the shouts of humans and my people alike. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear, but from the weight of responsibility.

My feet barely made a sound as I landed on the roof of the human truck. Beneath me, I could hear their muffled voices, panicked and sharp. They were scrambling, caught off guard by our ambush. Good.

I moved to the edge, my bow drawn and ready, scanning for my next target. That’s when I saw…her.

She was crouched behind a crate, her wide eyes darting around in terror. Her skin was almost glowing in the dim light, and her hands trembled as they gripped a human weapon. She was small, fragile even, compared to the others.

A soldier, perhaps? No, she didn’t move like one. She was scared, out of place. A tablet was in her small and dainty fingers,and it looked oddly familiar,like the ones Max and Norm usually toy with in the lab. So a scientist,then. Doesn’t matter.

I drew my bowstring tighter, the arrow poised to fly. My target was clear, my purpose steady. Until I saw it.

An atokirina.

The seed of the sacred tree floated gently down, its soft glow cutting through the chaos. My breath caught as it hovered near the girl, circling her like it was studying her. And then it landed, just for a moment, on her shoulder. Didn’t this happen to my parents when they met?

Eywa was watching. Yet the girl didn’t notice.

I hesitated, my fingers loosening on the bowstring. This wasn’t normal. The atokirina didn’t just appear without reason, and they didn’t linger around those unworthy of Eywa’s blessing. Yet here it was, touching her—a human.

Her gaze was fixed on the ground, her breathing shallow. She had no idea the seed was there, no idea what it meant,too focused on her own panicked heavy breathing.

The voices of the other warriors faded into the background. For a moment, it was just her, the glowing seed, and me.

I lowered my bow.

I could hear my father’s voice in my head, a memory from years ago: "Eywa sees more than we do, Neteyam. Sometimes, the why is not ours to understand."

“Drop it,” I said, my voice steady despite the conflict brewing inside me.

She looked up, startled, her eyes locking onto mine. Great Mother,what pretty eyes she has. It’s as if I could see her entire soul through them. For a second, I thought she might try to fight, but instead, she set the weapon down on the truck bed. Slowly, carefully.

I studied her. She was different from the others—softer, quieter. And yet, there was something in her eyes that spoke of a hidden strength. And me?Well,let’s just say there was something almost��ethereal and noble in her fear that made me admire her.

“You do not belong here,” I said.

Her lips parted, as if she wanted to respond, but no words came out. The atokirina hovered again, as if to emphasize my point, before drifting off into the trees.

I couldn’t explain why, but I felt a strange pull toward her. Not sympathy—not yet—but curiosity. Eywa had chosen her for something, and it wasn’t my place to question the will of the Great Mother.

The sound of an AMP suit crashing nearby snapped me back to reality.

“Run,” I urged her, my voice low.

“What—”

“Go!” I barked, the command sharper now. She flinched but obeyed, scrambling off the truck and disappearing into the chaos. I cannot let the others see her,or she’ll get an arrow straight to her heart. The Great Mother put this responsibility in my hands,and I simply cannot let her get hurt. It must be a sign.

When the ambush was over, I retreated with the others, my thoughts still tangled around the human girl. The site was a mess,but at least we did what we had in mind. All of their cargo was either destroyed or stolen,and I doubt they won’t send out search parties for our heads.

Back at our camp, I sat by the fire, staring into the flames thoughtfully. Their dance was mesmerizing, a kaleidoscope of amber and gold licking against charred wood, with hints of blue at the edges where the heat was fiercest. The fire cracked and hissed, tiny sparks shooting upward to join the stars above. It felt alive, almost like Eywa herself whispered through its flickering rhythm.

Yet, even as the flames captivated me, my thoughts were elsewhere. On her. The girl in the forest.

Her scent still lingered faintly in my memory, something soft and sweet, like flowers I couldn’t name mixed with earth after rain. Her big eyes had been filled with fear, yet there had been something else too—curiosity, maybe? Defiance? I couldn’t decide which had unsettled me more. Her delicate frame, so unlike the strength we Na’vi pride ourselves on, seemed breakable, yet her spirit shone through her trembling form.

And then there was the atokirina. A single seed of the great tree had floated between us, its gentle glow bathing her face in an ethereal light. It had hovered briefly, as though weighing something unseen, before drifting closer to her. The moment felt... significant, as though Eywa herself had chosen her. Funny how she did not even notice such a blessing.

I had been ready to draw my bow, my duty clear in my mind. Sky People were a threat. A poison. It doesn’t matter that I share both human and Na’vi ancestors. Neither does the fact that my dad was one of them once. In my eyes,he is Na’vi. Just as everyone part of the Resistance. Yet the sight of her—so pure, so deliberate,so…utterly chaotic and scared—lingers in my thoughts. Something in me shifted then, a quiet nudge deep within my soul. I let her go, even when I knew my parents would question my decision.

Now, as the fire crackled before me, I couldn’t help but wonder: who was she? Why did Eywa send a sign? And why did I feel as though letting her go had set something far greater into motion?

The camp was buzzing with movement. The humans part of the Resistance were all in the biolab quarters, tending to their Avatars’ wounds. Lo’ak, my younger brother, plopped down beside me, his usual smirk replaced by a look of concern.

“You’re quiet,” he said, poking at the fire with a stick. “Sa’eyla said some shit went down. Something happen out there?”

I hesitated. “There was a girl.”

He raised an eyebrow. “A girl? Like, a human girl?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice firm. “And Eywa sent an atokirina to her.”

Lo’ak looked at me, confused, the stick in his hand forgotten. “What do you mean?”

I let out a loud sigh. Why is this interaction with her bothering me so much? “Just as I was ready to fire my bow, an atokirina landed on the head of this tawtute eve. As if telling me to lower my bow.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

He let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s... something.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping. “What are you gonna do about it?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. For now. It’s not like I can do much, anyway.”

“Sounds like someone’s already in over his head,” came Kiri’s teasing voice as she approached from the shadows. She carried a bundle of herbs, her expression curious. “What’s this about an atokirina?”

Lo’ak smirked, scooting over to make room for her by the fire. “Our big brother here almost got bested by Eywa’s will.”

Kiri raised an eyebrow, sitting down. “That sounds interesting. Go on.”

I hesitated, but I knew Kiri’s connection to Eywa might help make sense of this. “There was a human girl. She wasn’t like the others—she didn’t fight. And an atokirina came to her. It lingered above her head. Right as I was about to…to kill her.”

Kiri’s expression turned thoughtful. She set the herbs aside, her hands resting on her knees. “Eywa does not make mistakes, Neteyam.”

“I know,” I said, frustrated. “But why her? She’s... she’s one of them. I have no idea why it’s bothering me so much. It’s like a buzz in my head.”

Lo’ak snorted. “Maybe the Great Mother’s matchmaking now.”

“Lo’ak,” Kiri said sharply, shooting him a look that silenced his grin. Her attention returned to me. “Eywa sees the heart, not the body. Maybe this girl is different. Maybe she’s meant to change something.”

I frowned, staring at the fire as its light danced across the darkened camp. “But how can I trust that? How can I trust her? I don’t even know her name and yet…” I hesitated, running a hand down my face. I really don’t need another teasing remark from Lo’ak.  “Gosh, I don’t even want to think about it anymore. Forget it.”

Kiri smiled faintly, her voice soft. “Sometimes, Eywa doesn’t ask for trust. She asks for faith.”

Lo’ak leaned back, looking between us with a sly grin. “Well, sounds like you’ve got a lot to think about, bro. Or maybe, you’re just scared of a tawtute girl.”

I shot him a glare, but Kiri nudged his arm before I could retort. “Leave him alone, Lo’ak,” she said, her tone amused but protective. “This isn’t something to joke about.”

Her gaze returned to me, her expression serious. “Whatever it is, Neteyam, trust that Eywa will reveal it in time. You’ll know what to do when the moment comes.”

And as the fire crackled between us, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of her words. Whether I was ready for it or not, my path—and hers—was no longer just my own.

In the days following the ambush, my thoughts lingered on her. I hadn’t told my parents yet. My father, Jake, carried enough weight on his shoulders. Every decision, every strategy, every skirmish—it was all for the survival of our people. He didn’t need my confusion about a single human clouding his focus. And my mother, Neytiri… she wouldn’t understand. Her hatred for the sky people ran deep, forged in blood and loss, and for good reason.

But I couldn’t ignore it.

One evening, I couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning in my marui,only to be kept awake by my own thoughts. I hated whenever this happened. When no position was comfortable,my skin felt on fire and I would get more annoyed and tired by the second. I got up and slowly made my way through the campgrounds,passing by people alike,lost in their dreams.

What I’d do to be in their place.

Calling for my ikran, I waited as she descended gracefully, her form blending seamlessly with the star-speckled sky. When she landed, I took a moment to rest my forehead against hers, finding comfort in her steady presence. Together, we soared into the night, the cool wind sweeping away some of the weight on my chest.

Our destination was inevitable: the remnants of Utraya Mokri.

Once, long before I was born, this was the site of the great Tree of Voices—a place of profound connection where our ancestors’ memories thrived. But during the war, the humans came and destroyed it, severing that sacred link. In its place, saplings had begun to grow, fragile yet persistent, spreading slowly across the scarred land. They shimmered now, soft bioluminescent light dancing in the dark. It was a bittersweet sight—proof of Eywa’s resilience, but also a reminder of what had been lost.

I landed and dismounted, walking to the center of the grove. The soil was cool beneath me as I sat cross-legged, surrounded by the glow of the saplings. Gently, I wrapped the tendrils of a sacred vine around my queue, seeking solace in even the faintest connection. It wasn’t strong enough to download memories or speak with the ancestors, but it was something—a tether to Eywa. And maybe, just maybe, she would hear me.

The connection came swiftly, a wave of warmth and calm coursing through me, easing the storm within. I closed my eyes, lowering my head.

“Great Mother,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Why her? Why a sky person?”

The forest seemed to exhale, its life humming softly around me. The glow of the saplings pulsed gently, as if in answer. I tried to silence my doubts, to push past the fear and confusion. My father had always told me to trust Eywa, even when her ways seemed inscrutable. But this... this felt different.

A memory surfaced unbidden—my father’s voice from years ago. He had been telling us about how Eywa had chosen him, a human, to unite the clans. “Eywa doesn’t see as we do, Neteyam,” he’d said. “She sees balance. Potential. She sees what we cannot.”

A force for balance,maybe. For something greater than I could comprehend.

The thought brought both comfort and unease. I opened my eyes to the glow of the saplings, their light steady and unyielding.

“Help me understand,” I murmured, my words barely audible. The forest around me thrummed once more, but no answer came—at least, not in words. Yet the stillness wasn’t empty. It carried something intangible, something that settled in my heart.

Perhaps the answer would come in time.For now, it would have to be enough.

The jungle was alive with its usual symphony of sounds—the distant calls of viperwolves, the rustle of leaves as a gust of wind swept through the trees. But my focus was razor-sharp, every movement of my body calculated as I followed the humans' trail.

Our scouts had reported another transport heading deeper into the forest, likely bringing more machines or weapons.My father had been clear: Observe, but do not engage. Watch, learn, and then strike if the time is right.

I crouched on a thick branch, hidden by the foliage, my bow resting lightly in my hand. Below me, the humans moved in a tight formation, their vehicles rumbling loudly and their voices carrying through the air. Among them, I saw her again.

She wasn’t dressed like a soldier. Her clothing was simpler, and she carried a small device in her hands, her gaze flicking between it and the terrain around her. She looked… out of place, as though she belonged somewhere quieter, somewhere far from the chaos of this world.

The same tug I’d felt during the ambush returned, stronger this time. But I forced it down.

She’s one of them.

And yet, I couldn’t look away.

We shadowed them for hours, moving through the trees as they trudged through the undergrowth. They stopped occasionally, setting up equipment and scanning the area. The girl seemed focused on whatever task she had been assigned,a small fierce nature in her body, but there was a tension in her posture, a hesitance in her movements.

As the group reached a clearing, my father’s voice came through the earpiece we used for communication.

“Pathfinder, fall back. Let them move on.Over.”

I hesitated. Something wasn’t right.

“Neteyam,” my father’s voice was firmer now. Shit. “Do you copy?”

“Yes,father.” I replied quietly. But I didn’t move.

The attack happened so fast, even I didn’t see it coming.

Viperwolves, drawn by the noise of the humans’ machines, erupted from the shadows. Their snarls shattered the fragile quiet, and the humans scrambled into action, shouting and firing their weapons. Chaos consumed the clearing, the air thick with smoke, fear, and violence.

And in the middle of it all, I saw her freeze.

Her wide eyes darted around, her body stiff as stone. She didn’t run, didn’t fight. Instead, she crouched low, pressing herself against a fallen log, trying to make herself invisible as the chaos surged around her.

I should’ve left. I should’ve followed my father’s orders, retreated into the safety of the trees. But the sight of her, small and vulnerable, anchored me in place. I couldn’t leave her.

Before I realized it, I was moving.

I landed silently behind her, my bow slung over my shoulder as I unsheathed my knife. The viperwolves hadn’t noticed her yet, but it wouldn’t be long before they caught her scent. I could see their noses twitching at the foreign human scent.

“Move,” I whispered, my voice low but firm.

She whipped around. For a moment, she didn’t react, her mouth opening slightly as if to say something. I could see it in her eyes. She recognized me.

“Holy shit,you–”

“Now!” I hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her up.

She stumbled but followed, her legs moving awkwardly as I led her away from the clearing. The sounds of gunfire and snarls faded as we put distance between ourselves and the fight.

The forest was eerily quiet now, the aftermath of the viperwolf attack leaving a tense stillness in the air. She stood there, staring at me with wide eyes, her breaths coming fast and shallow. I could see the tremor in her hands, the slight quake of her legs—fear, exhaustion, or both.

I didn’t know what I was doing. Eywa’s will tugged at me like a strong current, the memory of the atokirina circling her vivid in my mind.

I raised a hand to my throat comm, pressing it lightly as I spoke in Na’vi. “Eagle Eye, I have a situation,over.”

“Holy shit,dude!Where’d you disappear?Over-” My brother’s voice came through, laced with confusion. I figure he fled back with the others. “What’s going on?”

“I found that girl again. The one I told you about. I’m taking her back to camp. Go on without me.Over.” I said, my words clipped. I’ll never hear the end of it.

“What?” Lo’ak’s shock was evident, his voice rising. “Why would you—”

“I’ll explain later. Tell Father and Kiri to meet me. And be ready. Over and out.”

Before Lo’ak could respond, I cut the connection and turned back to the girl. Her gaze flicked between me and the trees, as if she was debating whether to run.

“You’re coming with me,” I said firmly.

Her brow furrowed. “What? No, I—”

I didn’t give her a chance to finish. Stepping forward, I grabbed her wrist—not hard, but enough to guide her—and began leading her through the trees,calling for my ikran. She struggled against my grip.

“Let go of me!Are you fucking insane?!Why did you–” she hissed.

“We need to move,” I said sharply,cutting her off. “The forest isn’t safe for you.”

“Yeah,no shit.” she bit back,panic present in her tone. Does she think I’m kidnapping her?

When my ikran came to us, the girl froze, her eyes widening at the sight of the massive, winged creature. It let out a low growl, its sharp eyes narrowing at her.

“No way,” she said, shaking her head. “I am not getting on that thing.”

“You don’t have a choice,” I said, swinging up onto the ikran’s back and reaching down for her.

She hesitated, but when the distant laugh of a viperwolf echoed through the trees, she grabbed my hand and let me pull her up. She’s so light.

“Hold on,” I said, guiding her arms around my waist.

She muttered something under her breath, but she obeyed.

With a sharp call, I urged my ikran into the air, the wind rushing past us as we soared above the forest.

The Hallelujah Mountains loomed ahead, their floating peaks glowing faintly in the evening light. I focused on the flight, trying to ignore the growing tension I felt with her pressed against my back.

It wasn’t until we began our descent toward the high base that she spoke.

“You think I don’t understand you?”

Her voice, so sudden, startled me. She was quiet the entire ride and now she speaks?

I twisted slightly to glance back at her, my eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”

“When you spoke earlier, in Na’vi. I understood you. You’re taking me back to...to torture me or what?!” she said, her tone biting,but I could sense the fear and tremble in her tone. Feisty little thing.

My heart skipped a beat. She understood? How?

“You speak my language?” I asked, my voice sharp with disbelief.

“You didn’t answer my question!” she snapped, her grip tightening on my waist as the ikran dipped slightly. Fuck,I’m getting lightheaded with the way her tiny hands grip my waist like that. “Why does it matter? Why am I here?”

I didn’t answer immediately. We landed on a wide platform near the high base, the soft thud of the ikran’s claws echoing against the rock. She climbed off quickly, putting distance between us as she glared at me. How do I even explain to her?

“Tell me,” she demanded, her voice rising. “Why did you take me? Why didn’t you just leave me there?”

I slid off the ikran, keeping my gaze steady on hers. “You would have died.”

“I could’ve handled it!” she said, her voice trembling with frustration. Yeah,right. Surely you would have handled dying,little tawtute. “I didn’t ask for your help!”

I took a step closer, my expression hard. “And yet,you were frozen. If I hadn’t acted, the viperwolves would have torn you apart.”

Her anger faltered, and she looked away, her fists clenching at her sides. “I didn’t need saving.”

“You don’t understand this world,” I said, my voice softening. “It’s not like Earth. It will kill you if you’re not careful.”

She looked back at me then, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and something else—something I couldn’t quite place.

“Then why not leave me there?Away from the attack.” she asked quietly. “Why take me with you?”

For a moment, I didn’t know how to answer. The truth was tangled up in feelings I didn’t fully understand myself—in the memory of the atokirina, in the way Eywa seemed to whisper through the forest that she was important. In the way I felt when I stared into her eyes.

“Because we need intel from inside the RDA. And you seemed like a good fit,you know. Small,feisty scientist who didn’t show any signs of a threat. ” I lied, the words slipping out before I could stop them,though I kept a certain amount of smugness in my teasing.

Her brows furrowed in confusion,almost as if she was…offended. “What are you talking about?”

I hesitated, debating how much to tell her. I pet my ikran before I started walking into a cave. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” she said, crossing her arms.

Gosh,she’s so infuriating. Maybe I should have left her with the viperwolves. I turn around to her,simply cross my arms in defiance,towering over her small stature with a silent smirk. For a moment, she was observing, her gaze searching mine. I'm too stubborn to talk further. Plus,she's...pretty like this. She let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” I said, a faint smile tugging at my lips. She’s got jokes,huh. I like that. “Takes one to know one.”

Her laughter faded, and she looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “What happens now?”

I straightened, my resolve hardening. “I…don’t know. We’ll figure it out once we get there.”

She didn’t argue this time. Instead, she simply nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly as if the fight had gone out of her.

“And for the record,I’m not going to torture you. We’re not barbarians.”

I heard a weak chuckle leave her lips as she followed behind me,and…it was a pretty sweet sound. 

But I knew this was only the beginning. Whatever Eywa’s plan was, it had already begun.