𝙪𝙣𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙. 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢

𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨

"I see you, Ny'reiya." Were the words that kept her awake. Her lips curled into a smile as she tossed and turned trying to sleep.

Reí was eager to start the day, so that she could see him.

Ny'reiya quickly got up and left her Marui as soon as the sun rose. She looked over towards the Marui where Neteyam and his family had been staying and to her surprise he was up, already looking at her.

She smiled softly at him and walked towards the sea, where Iri was already waiting for her. Neteyam followed her with his Ilu and swam up to her.

"You are going to avoid me again?" He teased. Ny'reiya turned around as he trailed behind with his Ilu, she smiled and looked down, a light blush dusted her cheeks.

"We mustn't give anyone the idea that we are seeing each other, Neteyam." Ny'reiya took out the net from a pouch she carried with her every time she would collect fish.

"You know I love when you say my name." Neteyam sighed in a dramatic way, which resulted in Reí rolling her eyes playfully. She tossed the net out to sea and kept her hands on the string that she would use to trap the creatures.

"Instead of flirting, which is something that you should do in private, how about you help me catch food." Ny'reiya chuckled as she passed another net over to Neteyam.

"Yes my love." Neteyam took the net and tossed it out to sea. Reí quickly closed the net, trapping the fish and pulling them out of the water.

On the land, Tsireya walked out of the Marui and quickly spotted her big sister with Neteyam. A smile took over her lips as she thought of the ways she could tease her about their sudden hang out.

"We mustn't let the seed grow." Ronal walked up from behind. "Her fate is with someone else, not Neteyam."

"Mother, why are you so against her being with Neteyam? He is a strong warrior and I'm sure he will do well in being a leader beside Ny'reiya." Tsireya questioned, though she was more curious for her sake. Should her future be with Lo'ak, whom she was growing more in love with everyday.

"How would Neteyam lead the Metkayina people? We are reef people, he is from the forest." Ronal looked over towards Reí and Neteyam. "He and his family have demon blood."

"Mother, Jake Sully was born of the sky people like he said." Tsireya tied to reason with her. "He adapted with the Omatikaya, he is Na'vi."

"They will bring war upon us." Ronal whispered. "The same tragedy that happened four years ago will happen again now that we have granted them uturu. Awa'atlu cannot go through this again." 

Tsireya frowned and looked up at her mother then turned her head towards Ny'reiya and Neteyam. Ronal walked back into her Marui to assist Tonowari.

Both of her parents were strong leaders, well respected among the Metkayina people. Yet Tsireya wondered how much the fate of her people would be affected if Ny'reiya and Neteyam were to be leaders and have an offspring.

Tsireya remembered that day clearly. The soldiers of the RDA invaded her village, killing multiple Metkayina. Ny'reiya's best friend was one of the many people the soldiers had killed. Her blood curdling screams could be heard as she held her best friends lifeless body, praying to Eywa that she would come back. Praying that this whole day was just a dream, hoping that she was just having an awful nightmare that she would soon wake up from.

Her little sister watched as she grew more quiet, becoming harsh against her people. Obeying Ronal's orders, sometimes even becoming the younger version of her mother. Ny'reiya strived to be wise and strong like her father Tonowari, quick witted and fierce as her mother Ronal.

Yet she had grown cold, secluded from her little sister and brother. Lashing out at them often for 'distracting' her of her duties to become the next great chief.

She had lost herself in the process of her unwanted trauma, but had found her peace and her old self again with Neteyam.

"I should teach you how to use a bow, it's how we use to hunt back in the forest." Neteyam looked over at Ny'reiya. Her cheeks grew hot at the thought of him even offering to show her how he grew up.

"I suppose since you know how I live my life, you could show me yours." Reí shrugged. Neteyam smiled, grabbing the net full of fish he had caught.

"I'll teach you how to ride an Ikran." He pulled the net back to shore. They both walked towards her Marui and placed the nets down. Reí sat down, taking out a fish and preparing it to be cooked.

"How about you teach me how to use a bow first, and later we will see about the Ikran." She handed the skinned fish towards Neteyam.

"I'll make a bow just for you." Neteyam grabbed the fish and placed it in a bowl. She smiled and nodded at Neteyam and prepared the other fish in the nets and handed them off to him.

"We'll start the lessons at dawn." Ny'reiya looked over at him. "We'll have more privacy then."

-

"Sister, we need to talk." Tsireya grabbed her shoulder. Ny'reiya turned around, the look of concern on Tsireya's face made her stomach drop. She knew it was serious, given that Tsireya would never come to her with her concerns and only their parents.

"What is it?" Ny'reiya asked, following her towards a more secluded area. Tsireya fiddled with her fingers, trying to think of the right way to say what was on her mind.

"Sister, I fear for our future." Tsireya whispered. She sat down on the sand and motioned for Ny'reiya to sit in front of her, once Reí sat in front of her, she took her hand and intertwined them with hers.

It was something they had both done with each other ever since they were kids, as a way of comforting each other when they were having a serious talk alone.

"I see the way you and Neteyam have grown close." Tsireya began. "Although I am happy for you, I fear that it will maybe cause conflict in the future for our people. Mother is against the seed that is growing between you two, she said that war will soon come upon us and what happened four years ago will happen again."

"I...I don't understand." Ny'reiya whispered, her grip on Tsireya's hand tightened. "Mother and father granted Toruk Makto and his family uturu, because he wanted to keep his family safe from the sky people. Mother's vision will come true soon."

Ny'reiya sat quietly as she watched Tsireya's eyes form tears. "What happens if war breaks between the Metkayina people and the sky people? What will we do?"

"Then we fight, we will not stay and do nothing." Ny'reiya finally spoke. "Do not fear only because we are with Toruk Makto's sons, they are strong warriors. We will go to the cove and find answers."