𝙪𝙣𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙. 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢

𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚. 𝙚𝙮𝙬𝙖

After the party, the tension between Ny'reiya and Neteyam only rose. Reí was now avoiding him at all costs, even sometimes skipping the lessons her siblings were teaching the Sully children.

"Where's Ny'reiya?" Neteyam asked. Tsireya shrugged and shook her head. "I am not sure, she gets into these moods and will go out to do things for my mother and father."

"Only to please them and to get them off her back." Ao'nung scoffed. "She's always done this, even flaking out when we were supposed to hunt to gather food."

Kiri looked up at Ao'nung, humming at her thoughts. "Maybe she needs someone to talk to." Ao'nung and Tsireya looked towards Kiri, confused by what she had meant. Their oldest sister never liked talking about her situation, let alone her feelings.

"Good luck trying to get her to talk about her feelings then." Ao'nung smirked. Tsireya elbowed her brother, telling him to be quiet and not make any smart-ass comments. "I'm just saying." Ao'nung shrugged. "Every time Tsireya tried to get her to talk, she would scold her and even me because I would stand up for her."

Kiri stood silent after a few minutes, not knowing what to say. She thought about leaving the group and going out to seek Ny'reiya and try to talk to her but she didn't want to bother nor upset her.

But something told her she had to.

"I need to go talk to father." Kiri lied. She got up and got on her Ilu, swimming towards the main island to find Reí.

After minutes of searching, she had finally found her. Ny'reiya was in her own Marui, making jewelry for her mother and father. Kiri quietly made her way inside her Marui, she stopped in her tracks at the sight of Reí's ears perking up.

"Ny'reiya." Kiri walked around her to sit in front of Reí. "What is it, I am very busy right now with my duties." She looked up at Kiri with a cold look and looking back down to continue making her jewelry.

"Tuk was asking for you." Kiri replied. "And so was Neteyam." Her ears twitched at his name, she felt bad leaving them without saying anything.

Then again she didn't have much of a choice.

"You've been avoiding us ever since the party." Kiri pointed out. She placed a hand on Reí's arm. "I may not be your brother or sister, but I am your friend. You can talk to me."

Ny'reiya froze, looking back up at Kiri. The words that she wanted to say were stuck in her throat, how could she say that she was slowly falling in love with Kiri's brother? A son of Toruk Makto.

"I told your brother that Eywa has sent him to me." She finally spoke. "I am coming to regret it." Kiri's eyes widened at her answer. She didn't expect her to say this. Then again she wasn't oblivious to their growing connection. "I do not wish to hurt him."

"I see how Neteyam cares about you, and the connection you two have." Kiri finally spoke. "From the way your mother spoke to you that night at the party, I can understand if she put a stop to you speaking to us."

"I care about all of you, especially Neteyam. As much as I hate to admit it." Reí grumbled. "But my mother would disown me, I would become an outcast to the Metkayina people."

"What about your father? Would he understand?" Kiri asked. "I do not know, given that Toruk Makto is Neteyam's father, he would want someone strong, a warrior in few words." Reí sighed.

"You know, before my dad became Toruk Makto, he was one of the sky people." Kiri began to explain. "He was sent to home tree, where my mom lived. To warn them about the sky people that would come and take their homes."

"How did your mother fall in love with someone from the sky people?" Reí asked. "Honestly even I don't know." Kiri cracked a smile. "My other mom worked with my dad, she was also born with the sky people and had an avatar like my dad and uncle Norm. She had a school where she would teach the Na'vi living in home tree English and things about the sky people."

She looked down, covering her smile and looked back up at Ny'reiya. "When I asked my dad how he knew if my mom chose him he gave me the most funniest answer."

Ny'reiya scrunched her brows and tilted her head slightly. "What did your father say?"

"She would try to kill him, like an Ikran choosing their rider." Kiri said. Ny'reiya smiled at her answer.

"Your parents are soulmates, specifically the ones you live with at the moment." Ny'reiya shrugged. Kiri laughed, grabbing the jewelry to help Reí with making the necklace.

"If you don't mind me asking, where is your other mother?" Ny'reiya asked. Kiri's smile faded a bit. "She's in some pod-like machine, she went with Eywa a long time ago before I was even born."

"I'm sorry." Ny'reiya whispered, placing a hand on Kiri's shoulder. She looked up and gave her a small smile. "It's okay, I know she's watching over me, within Eywa. I feel her heartbeat."

"You feel Eywa's heartbeat?" Reí asked, to which Kiri nodded. "I know I sound crazy."

"No, of course not." Reí shook her head. "What does it sound like?"

Kiri paused for a moment. "Mighty."

Reí smiled and placed a hand on Kiri's. "You are a gift from Eywa, Kiri. Never forget that."

"If you would like to see your mother, I can take you to the Spirit Tree sometime." Ny'reiya offered.

"That would be nice." Kiri nodded.

Double chapter today! Also Happy new year's everyone! Please remember to stay safe <3