I See You (N. Sully)

Chapter 21

"Guys I'm telling you, he's not bad! He saved me!" Lo'ak stood from where he had only just sat down, staring at them all incredulously. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Oh Lo'ak." Tsireya rested a hand on his arm. "Payakan is a killer by Tulkun standards. Exiled."

"I don't care!" He huffed, "none of you are listening to me!"

"I'm listening Lo'ak!" Tuk shouted after him as he stormed off down the pile of rocks they were sitting upon. Tsireya chased after him, offering a sad smile of reassurance to them all.

Ahurewa turned to look at Neteyam with concern. But he didn't meet her eyes, answering her with his gaze focussed on the trail Lo'ak disappeared down. "My brother," shaking his head, he stood too, "the mighty warrior." His smile was slightly broken, a crack in his armour only Ahurewa had noticed.

She noticed something different about the way he spoke, as if angry at his brother. Despite everything everyone had said, Ahurewa could understand where Lo'ak was coming from. Payakan saved his life, so the least he could do is forgive a reputation that wasn't rightfully earned. "I believe him." She smiled, patting her legs with her declaration. "I wish I got to see a Tulkun like that, especially after hearing so much about them. It's a shame it had to be under those circumstances, hey?'' She raised her eyebrows as she glanced at Rotxo and Ao'nung's sheepish expressions. They had wronged Lo'ak, but he could handle his own problems. By the looks of things, they were getting on just fine despite it all, so she would have faith that the reef children meant it when they apologised.

She had thought they would sit for a while longer, but Neteyam stood suddenly and left without a word, disappearing after Lo'ak. His head was tilted slightly more downwards than usual, his braids brushing from side to side against his shoulders. Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, Ahurewa stood and announced her goodbyes, "I'm sorry," she tilted her head in apology, watching him disappear through a gap in the rocks. "I'll see you guys later." She probably shouldn't have tried to follow him, but who else was going to? He only looked out for his family, they didn't seem to look out for him. So if they wouldn't then she would have to, no matter how much it might make him uncomfortable or inconvenience him.

He had completely vanished from her sight, so checking the tent wasn't a bad place to start looking, but instead of finding Neteyam, she could hear the distant bickering of Jake and Neytiri. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but Lo'ak's name had drawn her interest enough for her to stay just to see what it was about.

"It is my fault." Jake said, his shadow passing between the gaps in woven straw that made up the walls of their tent. "I gave him demon blood."

"Ma Jake," Neytiri made her way over to him, holding his outstretched hands with concern, no doubt looking at the five digits.

"No," he cut her off, "I started this. He and Kiri shouldn't have to be treated that way because of me."

"It is not your fault."

"I earned the respect of the clan by becoming Toruk Makto," he sighed, "that is why the Omatikaya are safe for the kids. Lo'ak cannot do that."

Neytiri reached a hand up to his face, her gaze transfixed on his.

"The Tulkun was a mistake." Sighing, he leaned into her touch, "it will only make things worse for them. And I wish I could change it."

Ahurewa backed away slowly, careful to not make a sound. She didn't know what Jake meant by becoming Toruk Makto to be respected by the Omatikaya, she had always thought he was sought out in times of war, not the other way around.

It was difficult for her to think about she had initially judged them for the same reasons. She had been told stories of avatars, and the way they were used as weapons to kill the Na'vi from the inside. Lo'ak looked like one of them when she first saw him. But spending time with them all, Kiri especially, had shown her how different they were – that their blood was only physical. Even in Neteyam, the way he cared for them had eased her worries, and now she understood his protectiveness over them, she was starting to feel the same way. It hurt to hear the Metkayina Olo'eyktan speak down on Lo'ak for something he could not have known – hearing, for the first time when they arrived, the Tsahik snub them as inferior. She wouldn't realise the cuts it was making on her heart until it was ripped right open.