After the trees, the seas | Neteyam

Chapter 1

As Neteyam's Ikran landed on the ground, I got off and walked to the tent. "Hayla, wait.." Neteyam said but I didn't stopped.

I sat down on the ground and brought my knees back to my chest and started crying rethinking the events that just occurred. I felt empty. I heard footstep behind me but didn't turn around. "Hey, come here" Neteyam said softly as he sat next to me, bringing me close to him. I sobbed in his arms as he tried to comfort me. After a while, I had stopped crying. I was just resting in Neteyam's arms, my eyes closed as I tried to forget about the emotional pain. We then heard the return of Jake and Neytiri. I knew he had to go see them so we both stood up slowly. I sat on my hammock, head down. "You're okay?" he said softly holding my arm. I looked up at him and nodded. He then left the tent to go see his parents. It didn't take long before Neytiri showed up in the tent and took me in her arms. "My dear angel, I'm so sorry for what happened, I know what it feels like". I broke free from her embrace so I could look at her with my teary eyes. She continued. "I've lost my Ikran once, and I know how painful it is". "I didn't know that" I said in a low voice. She then gently kissed me on my forehead before giving me a lovely smile. Jake then entered and looked at me worried. "Are you okay, princess? Are you hurt?" he asked in concern. "No, no I'm fine" He took me in his arms and kissed me on my head. "You really scared us back there, it was close".  "Jake" Neytiri said in a warning tone. "I know.."I simply said.

The whole Sully family checked on me for the rest of the day, making sure I was fine. Lo'ak tried so hard to make me laugh by telling me jokes, Kiri talked to me about random stuff to try changing my mind while Tuk was playing in my long hair. I also noticed that Neytiri and Jake kept their eyes on me more than usual. And Neteyam asked me if I wanted to go on top of the Hallelujah Mountains to look at the stars in the sky like we often do. "I don't really feel like it since.. since I don't have my Ikran anymore" I answered. "C'mon Hayla, I'll take you on mine" he said with a lovely smile, trying his best to cheer me up. "Fine" I finally said. We both climbed on his Ikran and flew to the top of one of the high mountain and got on the ground. I laid down on the grass and looked up at the sky. It was wonderful, full of brightening stars. I smiled, amazed by the view. Neteyam laid down next no me, also looking at the sky. "I've seen this sky countless times, and I'm still as amazed as if it was the first time"I said. He looked at me and laughed a little. I looked at him, a smile on my face. "Thanks, for doing that and taking the time"I said softly. "That's the least I can do"he answered smiling. We stared at the sky for so long that I managed to fall a sleep. "Wake up Hayla" Neteyam said in a low voice as I felt his hand on my shoulder. "We should go before anyone starts worrying about our absence" I got up on my feet and walked slowly to his Ikran. I got on after him. As we flew off, I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes. I felt his hand holding on to my thigh for safety, as he was probably scared I'd fall asleep on him, he wanted to be sure I wouldn't fell off if I did so. 

When we arrived I went straight to bed.

I woke up alone in the tent, nobody woke me up. They probably thought I needed to rest. As I got out of the tent, I saw Kiri. "Morning" she said with a smile. "Morning, where is everyone?" I asked. "They are out for another mission. It's just me, you and Tuk for the whole day." she answered. Of course, I couldn't go on any mission without an Ikran so that's probably the reason why they didn't asked me to come. I didn't do much today, as Kiri was making some special recipes, I was crafting more arrows and trying to get myself useful. I was not used to stay at camp like that. We suddenly started to hear Jake screaming. They were back.

"You are supposed to be spotters, you spot bogies and you call them in, from the distance!" Jake said, he seemed real angry. Kiri, Tuk and I rushed to the entry where Neteyam and Lo'ak were, standing in front of Jake in shame. They clearly did something wrong. "Does any of this sounds familiar? Jesus! I let you two genuses fly a mission and you disobey direct orders." I was right, they disobeyed, I wasn't even that surprised. Kiri started to look at Neteyam's injuries. "Kiri, can you go help your grandmother with the wounded please?" Jake asked firmly. "My brother is wounded" Kiri answered back. I looked at Neteyam and he noticed my glance. Tuk then started to inspect Lo'ak as well. "Tuk, Kiri, Hayla, leave now!" Kiri left rolling her eyes. I walked off holding Tuk's hand as Neteyam's kept his sight on me.

Few minutes after, Neteyam and Lo'ak were walking away. I walked up to them. "What did you two do to deserve this speech?" I asked. "We went down on the battlefield but we had the orders to stay up and watch for bogies. One came as we were on the ground and dropped two missiles." Neteyam answered. "You skxwangs, that could have been dangerous." I replied a little concerned. "Don't worry, we are are alive" Lo'ak said. I rolled my eyes at his reply. 

We then went in the tent were his grandmother patched Neteyam's wound. "Ow, ow" I laughed at his complain. "I would use yalknabar, it stings less" Kiri says, a bowl in her hand, starting to apply some on her brother's back. I sat in front of him, between his legs, and started to take care of a wound he had on his chest. "I wouldn't have let you two do this if I'd been there" I looked at him smiling, catching his sight. "Yeah, I know" he answered smiling too, looking at me straight in the eyes. "There you go mighty warrior" I said when his wound was done taking care of. Everyone in the tent laughed. I laughed too as I stood up to go talk with Lo'ak. "You sure, you're okay?" I asked him. "Yeah, Neteyam took it all in the attack" he said with a small grin. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Alright, then".

***A month later ***

" C'mon, wake up!" Neteyam said. " I don't want to" I said turning around in my hammock trying to fall back asleep. "Hayla, stop it, get up" he replied. "I've changed my mind, I don't want to go". " What is going on here?" I heard Lo'ak's voice. This was about to get worse. "She doesn't want to move from her hammock, today we have to go get her a new Ikran" Neteyam answered to him. "Can I come with you?" he asked in excitement. "If you get her up, yes". 

I was already annoyed. I heard Lo'ak coming closer to my hammock. "C'mon move you ass Hayla" he said. "No" I grumbled. "Fine, then I'll just lie down next to you" Lo'ak said as he infiltrated my hammock making it swings from left to right. As he tried to lay down, he crushed my hair. "Ow, Lo'ak fuck off!" I screamed. "I'm just trying to hug you! Don't be mean" he said with a smile, clearly trying to annoy me. I heard Neteyam laughing, he was clearly enjoying the show. "Fine I'm up!" I said as I escaped my own hammock. Lo'ak stood up and laughed too. "It was too easy" he said. "You skxwangs" I growled. 

"Be careful" Jake told us as we were heading to the boys' Ikrans. "Yes" Neteyam and Lo'ak answered. "Good luck, angel" said Neytiri as she gave me a kiss on my head. "Thank you Neytiri". I climbed on Neteyam's Ikran and we flew off to their spot, followed close by Lo'ak. 

As we arrived, I was kind of anxious. "Do we have to do this today?" I asked them. "Yes, you've been constantly pushing it, you can do it" Neteyam said. I sighed as I took the leather strap. I walked trough the  the path full of Ikrans, some hissed at me before flying away. One of them looked at me and hissed, trying to confront me. I had found him. He had to choose you, and that, he would tell you by trying to kill you. I was ready to jump on him when an Ikran came out of nowhere, and landed right in front of me. He chased the other one before turning to me and hissing. His skin had a dark blue tone, with purple stripes. I gave a quick glance at Neteyam and Lo'ak who were both on their guard, ready to help me if anything turned bad. I shut his mouth with the leather strap, not waiting any longer, and climbed on his back as I tried to make the connection. This Ikran was giving me a hard time, moving in all directions, trying to get me off his back. I succeed to make the connection as I screamed "Calm down, for the great mother!". All of a sudden, he stopped moving. I smiled as I looked at the boys, their concerned expression had turned into a proud and happy one. "Good boy" I said as I pat his neck. I rushed to the edge of the cliff as we went down together for our first flight. Neteyam and Lo'ak quickly got on their Ikrans and followed me. I could fly, again. My eyes became watery as I thought about my other Ikran, but I also felt a really strong connection with this one. I closed my eyes as I felt the wind in my hair, I felt free. I had missed this feeling so much. I was happy to be able to find it back.