Like Water || Neteyam

Chapter 4: They're Back

The ride back to the Omaticaya village was silent.

Lo'ak had to ride along with Jake, even though this morning when he left home, he really believed that he would finally have his own ride on his way back.

Spider rode with Kiri, these two who usually joke around with Lo'ak had their mouths shut the entire time, both knowing that Lo'ak was in a foul mood.

You rode with Neteyam per usual, and like everyone else, neither of you spoke. Even the Na'vi hunters who were successful in iknimaya today were impacted by the atmosphere and hardly made a sound.

After eclipse, there was still to be a celebration for those who tamed their own ikrans, to Lo'ak's discontent.

"I mean...Neteyam got pretty scratched up when he did it, didn't you?" You tried to make Lo'ak feel better about himself.

Taking a second to realize what you're trying to do, Neteyam quickly nodded. "Right, of course!" He whispered under his own breath that he didn't fall down a cliff at least, but he held it back since that was probably the last thing Lo'ak wanted to hear right now. "It's not an easy task little brother, you'll be ready next time.

"It was not your path today child." Mo'at tried her best to comfort her disappointed grandson. 

"I was so close." Lo'ak turned to Jake who stood near, "Can I try again tomorrow?"

"We'll wait one season, maybe two." After witnessing what happened today, Jake was not about to risk his son's life again so soon, he is clearly not ready.

"Two?! But dad..."

Lo'ak got shoved off to get his wounds dressed by Mo'at before he could protest further.

By the fires where the other young hunters celebrated their achievements, you noticed that your dad in his avatar was playing the violin jovially as many danced and sang around him. You wanted to join him, to share his joy. But as soon as you noticed Neteyam's somber expression, you stood back and decided to stay beside him. He was watching from afar as Lo'ak got patched up by Mo'at and a few other healers, complex emotions in his eyes that perhaps only you could understand.

"It's okay, he'll get over it. Like you said, he wasn't ready today, but next time he will be."

"I know... I just hope he doesn't look lowly on himself after what happened today." Neteyam sighed. He knows Lo'ak had been attempting to follow after his footsteps, to be a good son, to make their parents proud, but things don't always go as planned.

"Hey," you called out to Neteyam, not letting him dwell deeper into his own thoughts, thereby somehow making it inside his head that he was somewhat at fault, "don't make this about you. It is not your fault for being a good son and good hunter. As brothers, competition is natural, but at the end of the day, Lo'ak is not you. Not everyone is born a fast learner, maybe he is a late bloomer. He needs to stop pushing himself so hard just to try to match up to your accomplishments. If only he had heeded your warning and waited a little longer, he might have succeeded."

"Competition is one thing, Lo'ak is also afraid to disappoint dad." Neteyam's tone grew heavy, "Dad has been afraid for many years, since the day the sky people left, he had always known that they will return. This is why he not only trains us the Na'vi ways, but also teaches us to use guns, even though mom tells him it is against the laws of Eywa. We try to live up to his expectations, it defeats Lo'ak spirit when he thinks he is not doing as good as I was at his age.."

 "I know it is easier said than done, but Lo'ak must learn to live for himself rather than for your dad. My dad used to worry for me when I would always be out in the forest with you, but he learned quickly that I am my own being, and he respects that I will not become a scientist like the rest of them are. Jake might be a strict dad, but Lo'ak is lucky that he was not born the oldest, that burden has always been yours Neteyam."