Fate's Game | Lo'ak Sully

Part 10 - Shotgun

🌿🍃

The following day rolled around, Fay'tari had just woken up and was heading out of her tent to go find something to eat. Upon seeing the Sully's all together, she could tell that tensions were high. Since Neytiri was awfully quiet too, she guessed it wasn't because of her and Lo'ak's spat that day prior seen as she didn't know. Unless Lo'ak snitched again.

Before she reached them, both Neteyam and Kiri jolted up onto their feet, striding towards her, Kiri grinning from ear to ear.

"Fay!" Neteyam called, making the girl stop walking and wait for him to get to her instead. It seemed to Fay'tari that the two of them had wanted to escape the rather awkward family meeting.

Kiri passed her brother, plunging towards Fay'tari, grasping her shoulders and shaking them slightly as she spoke. "I can't believe I didn't seen it!" She panted, widening her eyes at the girl she was holding. Fay'tari understood what she meant by that.

"Was he, like, crying-scared or just scared-scared?" She tried to figure out what her brother's face looked like as it happened.

"I suppose a bit of both-"

"I knew it!" She preached, letting go of Fay'tari and clapping her hands together. "He's such a wuss." She says before turning away and walking back to her family, who were still sitting in silence.

Neteyam watched her go before talking to the girl. "You're okay after yesterday, I'm guessing? Lo'ak still looks phased."

"I'm okay, the bed's still really comfy." She smiles at him honestly and brightly, looking over at the rest of the Sully's, her curiosity growing.

He notices this, deciding to answer her questions without actually hearing them. "Oh. Yeah, uh." He rubbed his forehead, "Dad thinks it would be best if we leave the Omaticaya clan because of the Sky-People's threats, but nobody's really taking it very well." He explained, checking to see her reaction.

Her head was tilted, but she didn't look annoyed at the idea, rather she was just curious about where Jake wanted to go exactly. "Where to?" She asked, to Neteyam's surprise.

"He says somewhere across the sea- I'm not sure if he's trying to be poetic or if he just doesn't know yet." He shrugs.

"I've only just unpacked!" She realizes, huffing slightly, making Neteyam laugh at her reflection. "Wait- You will take me too, right?" She halts, knowing she wasn't part of the family truly.

"I suppose, I mean, I know Jake wants to bring you and I'll certainly protest if he doesn't." He told her, reassuring her that she was indeed going to go with them if they decided to move.

"You really don't mind leaving?" He checks again.

"Well, no, not really. The packing issue is a bit annoying, sure."

"Huh. Mature." He chuckled, receiving a small hit over his head, making him laugh even more. "Sorry, sorry!" He blocked her hand from hitting him again, smiling big.

"You could do it yourself, if you're so mature!" She retaliates, pointing back towards her pile of things.

"Don't you just carry a singular spear around with you? What else is there-" For that, he was met with another hit.

"Teyam!" She acts shocked, putting on a surprised face, her mouth open and her eyes stretched.

"Oh, that's right, one more extremely small, minute thing." He adds, raising his index finger up in front of him.

"Go on...?" She cautioned, noticing he looked nervous to speak, clenching his teeth together and attempting to smile.

"So, here's the thing-" He stopped again, avoided her eye contact.

"Oh no. What is it?" She stressed, knowing that look of reluctance.

"Lo'ak- He... Doesn't have an ikran." He forces his words out, as if he were running a race, closing his eyes shut tight. When he heard nothing, he peeked one of them open to check she wasn't either fleeing or reaching for her knife again.

Fay'tari was simply squinting her eyes at him, inspecting him.

"Why is this my problem?"

"Well..." He tried again. "Me and Kiri sort of already shotgunned that it wouldn't be us taking him, so..."

Another silence took over, before Fay'tari let out a small chuckle, which then grew into a full-blown laughing fit. "Good one! When did you come up with it, huh?" She continued to laugh, leaning forward as she did.

When Neteyam didn't reciprocate the laughter, her face dropped instantly.

"No. Nope. No-"

"Those are the rules of shotgun, I didn't make them up!" He shrugs his shoulders, lifting his arms up to his side in surrender, beginning to back away slowly from her.

"Teyam. No. I mean it, no!" She started to chase him, making him turn and sprint away from her.

"Neteyam!"

.

That night, the decision had been made. Jake Sully gave up on his role of Toruk Makto, making him no long the leader of the Omaticaya clan.

Fay'tari watched the ceremony, mainly wanting to give Neytiri one big hug, as she was struggling throughout it. It was painful to see, as everyone knew neither Jake nor Neytiri wanted to leave the forest and their people, but they had to if they wanted to attempt to protect their children. It was incredibly noble, Fay'tari thought.

Jake passed his role as the leader over to Tsu'tey's younger brother, leaving the clan in the safest hands possible.

Fay'tari had dressed in warmer clothes, draping a large shawl over her shoulders, her ikran ready to go. She followed behind the Sully family to be respectful, letting them lead the way to where they'd set off from. The crowd was saying their goodbyes as they passed, making Fay'tari feel even worse for the family.

Neteyam and Kiri looked the same, quite hushed, tired but calm, walking slowly behind their parents and their youngest sister, who was being held by her Mother. Neytiri was leaving everything she knew behind, as were her children. But it meant more to her. She did everything for her people, fought for them and lived with them, and now she had to leave them to protect them.

Once everyone had mounted their ikran's, the family and Fay'tari began their long journey to wherever Jake was about to take them.

Fay'tari and Lo'ak stuck on the same one.

.
.
.