Burn for Me

Chapter 7: Dance for me

3rd pov:
Neteyam had gone to celebrate with his brother, his dad and Tonowari, Aonung had unfortunately failed once again, but Neteyam didn't mind that all, he called it karma for saying those nasty things to Tsamera.

Even if she was different and adopted, why is that reason to treat her so terribly, she had been in his family since his birth, she was his older sister. Neteyam couldn't ever imagine treating Kiri like that, adopted or not, avatar looking or not, he was her big brother through and through. He would do anything to protect his siblings, anything.

Jake was bursting with pride, for once his kids hadn't caused trouble but instead celebration.

Tonowari decided that Neteyam was to be the Ritual King this year, their official guest of honour.

Basically, Neteyam got some fancy clothes, a weapon and a special performance just for him.

The men were together cooking the food for dinner that was hunted by the tribe earlier in the day.

The sun was beginning to set, and once night fell, the real fun begun.

For now though, all the women were gathered in each other's Marui.

Neytiri had called over Tsamera, wanting to get to know the girl her eldest son is interested in.

The daughter of Tonowari walked into the Marui.

"Neytiri te Suli, I see you." Tsamera said.

"Tsamera La'oklan, I see you." Neytiri responded.

An awkward silence hung in the air, Tsamera fiddled with the velvet bag behind her back, she was unsure of whether it would be inappropriate to ask Neytiri to braid in the beads Neteyam gave her, Neytiri might take offense to the Metakayina asking for an Omaticaya tradition, or she may question why her son was giving the chief's daughter gifts.

Neytiri simply laughed softly, "Come child, your mother tasked me with making some costumes for the performance, one of those costumes being yours, I would like to take your measurements and such."

Tsamera let out a breath of relief, approaching Neytiri still rather timidly.

The Sully mother's eyes caught a flash of deep blue fabric in the girl's hand, "What is that?" Neytiri asked innocently.

Tsamera's eyes went wide, "Oh just...just some um hair beads..."

"I didn't know it was in your culture to do such things." Neytiri said surprised.

"I-it's not...Neteyam gave them to me..." The girl avoided eye contact with the Omaticaya mother, a blush flooding her cheeks.

Neytiri's heart warmed at her son's innocent gesture and the girl's even more innocent response, for such a strong and warrior-like personality, Tsamera was surely soft in her emotions.

"Would you like me to braid them into your hair." Neytiri held her hand out for the bag, causing the younger woman in front of her to snap her head up, shock on her face. 

"Oh...yes, yes please that would be lovely." Tsamera placed the bag into Neytiri's hand.

"Sit." Neytiri told the girl, sitting in front of the fire herself.

They faced each other, Neytiri opened the bag, placing the beads and feather on the ground, a dark green stone bead caught her eye, that was Neteyam's the one he carved when he was 13, he never wore any other one, today he had a white stone bead in, but Neytiri didn't really question it, now she knew why, he had given his old one to his love.

The mother could practically cry her heart out, she saw her baby growing up, sure he was physically and culturally a man, but to Neytiri her kids would always be her kids, and Neteyam was always still her little boy, now it felt like he was really growing up.