Neteyam

Maybe

Merq'ena walked back to her and Viryn's tent. She was still angry over the whole incident. Yes she may have overreacted. She realized it then. But she still didn't think that Spider had any right to think he was owed the right to see Viryn. It wasn't a funeral, it wasn't the time that anyone could just come in and gawk at her sister. Viryn would have hated it. "I hope I'm long gone before my funeral." Merq'ena remembered Viryn joked when they spoke of death. Viryn spoke of it as if it would a great peace. That Eywa would have much use for her alive and she would follow the great mother's every breath.

Humans taken again and again from her. If not for their intervention who knows what sort of person Merq'ena would become. Now she was about to lose another sister. Which she couldn't even properly mourn without having to be frightened of the little human. It irked her how such a tiny thing caused so much fear in her. His face alone. Merq'ena shuddered as she tried to still her heart.

When she would sleep that night she would have nightmares. She wanted to rest and heal her body from the previous night of no sleep and just war but there was memory deep within herself that curdled at the look of the human boy. What was it? What scared her so much about him? It was in all of them, like a plague that she couldn't heal or die from. "Calm." Merq'ena whispered to her self as she pressed her palm in her heart. The pain of the pressure somehow was better than the taste of fear onher tongue.

"Merq'ena!" The tattooed girl looked over her shoulder to see Kiri following after her. "Wait up." Kiri jogged to now stopped taller girl. Merq'ena sucked in a deep breath in. Kiri always radiated a calming energy, it distracted her. Made her feel brave. "You're still mad?" Kiri placed a hand on Merq'ena's shoulder. "No, I'm not mad." Merq'ena's head shook louder with her heads. "Are you going to check on Viryn?" Merq'ena shook her head again.

"Neteyam hasn't gotten much time with her anyways. I've got chores I need to catch up on anyways." Merq'ena took a step to walk away but was stopped again by Kiri's hand. "I'll come with you." The two girl walked hand in hand towards her tent. It felt nice for Merq'ena to hear someone's steps echoing her's again. Someone who would watch her blindside. Like a shell on a snail, or armour for a soldier.

It felt like weeks since she saw the inside of her own home. Viryn's bed roll that was just a mat woven by her own hand that she used as a bed. Merq'ena flinched at the sight. Finally the girl hurriedly moved to the mat and rolled it tightly. As if she was in a rush she firmly tucked it at the back of containers they had placed on one side of space. Merq'ena stopped to look at the looms inside the largest box. So many projects started, none of them would be finished.

"Make yourself at home." Merq'ena gestured around before crouching down at the same level of their things.

Kiri sat awkwardly watching Merq'ena sort through the boxes. "Can I ask you a question?" She asked as Merq'ena lifted a jug from behind some boxes. "Ya." Kiri licked her lips trying to think of a question that wouldn't come off pointed. "Why do you not like Spider?"

Merq'ena turned and looked at Kiri as if to check if the question was serious. "I mean, sure you guys aren't close but he was checking on Viryn." Merq'ena lowered the jug and crouched down to be on Kiri's eye level. "We've known him for years. Surely you know he's harmless." The taller Na'vi girl chuckled at the phrase. "You and your family have known him for years." Merq'ena shook her head swaying her braids with the movement.

"We are strangers to each other. And he's an acquaintance with Viryn at best." Merq'ena looked back at the jug to pick at the clay. "And he isn't harmless Kiri. He would never hurt you, but that doesn't make him harmless." Kiri furrowed her brows at Merq'ena's words.