pathway., neteyam x reader

chapter nineteen

You along with Neteyam, Rotxo, and your two siblings, concealed yourselves behind some foliage. You observed Lo'ak and Payakan as they interacted with each other. All of you were equally puzzled as to what their purpose was.

Lo'ak swam to his front, shrugging as he looked at the mouth of the Tulkun. You moved a little closer, trying to see if you could make up anything.

Without warning, the mouth of the Tulkun opened, beckoning Lo'ak to enter. He hesitated at first but naively swam in.

You and Neteyam turn heads to look at each other, then back at the situation ahead.

The mouth of Payakan closed, Neteyam reacted quickly, immediately swimming towards his brother. You along with everyone else held him back, you placed your hand out to him as if to tell him to stay calm.

He pressed his lips together firmly, then looked to the others, his expression with worry. Tsireya and you both looked back at Payakan, wondering what was happening with Lo'ak. You put your hand on Neteyam's back, looking at the large creature in front of you.

—

"You allowed this." Ronal, your mother, spoke to you and your sister, "You allowed him to bond with the outcast."

She placed one hand on your arm and the other on Tsireya, backing off with a huff.

You had your head lowered, looking at the ground while your parents gathered up all of you who had watched Lo'ak bond with Payakan— to your Marui.

"Y/N, Tsireya." Your father spoke, catching both of your attention, you lifted your head to look at him. Tsireya doing the same.

You displayed a face of guilt.

"You disappoint me, daughters."

.,

You felt a sharp pain in your throat, swallowing your guilt and frowning. Both you and your sister's eyes were glossy with the same emotion as you looked at your father, ears lowered.

You help your head down again, your ears dropping once more, not even wanting to face him right now. Neteyam noticed, huffing while he stood with his arms behind his back. He felt guilt also, for letting his brother so close to danger and also for getting you and Tsireya in trouble too.

"And you are the son of a great warrior." Tonowari scolded Lo'ak, his hand moving to him as he spoke. "Who has been taught better."

Jake and Neytiri walked together up to the situation, clearly confused.

"Payakan saved my life, sir. You don't know him." Lo'ak stood with some confidence, it was clear he was not going to back down.
Tonowari stayed looking at him directly, he pointed a finger at him. "Sit."

Lo'ak obeyed and lowered himself, as your father did the same.
Frustrated, your father yells to the rest of you to sit down. All of you quickly obey.

He pressed his hands together, blowing into them and dispersing them to the side. Tonowari put a hand up to Lo'ak,

"Hear my words boy."

"In the days of the first songs,"

"the Tulkuns fought amongst themselves."

"For territory and for revenge."

Your mother paced back and forth watching over, clearly upset.

"But they came to believe," Your father continued, "that killing no matter how justified, only brings more killing."

"So killing was forbidden. This is the Tulkun way. Payakan is a killer, so he is outcast." He finished.

But of course, Lo'ak did not take in this information.