𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 - NETEYAM

|You look like a girl|

Ilus. A sea creature blessed by Eywa. A friend to the Na'vi. When one bond with another, a friendship blossoms. Loyalty begins to grow, and roots intertwine.

Although they may be kind, they happen to have tendencies to play. Kaipo had tried to gather a few, yet none had come at all. They were playing hide and seek. Making Kaipo and me, the seekers.

It had taken me another ten minutes and no improvement in gathering a group. I sat down on the sand, bringing down my heartbeat. Gasping for air.

Breathe, and take a deep breath.

My eyes flutter as the sun hitting my back faded away. Giving me a pause from the heat. My shadow now formed larger, a shadow forming against mine. I raised my brow as I placed my back against the figure behind me.

"Ao'nung, you call for them." I groaned.

Muscles ached from chasing the ilus. Out of everyone, I had the hardest time bonding with an animal. My connection to Eywa's animals wasn't the best. I hadn't come up with an answer as to why. My aunt often said it was because I had a stubborn soul. My spirit alienates itself from Pandora. I feared that.

The boy cleared his throat, stepping back as my back hit the sand.

"It's Neteyam." He spoke. "You're the warrior girl from the night before, right?" He asked.

Neteyam. His name sounded beautiful as it rolled off his tongue. It sounded foreign. A new culture outside of the reef.

I couldn't help but feel anxious. My chest burned and I grew nauseous. Perhaps it wasn't him being attractive. It might've been that his looks disgusted me. My mind went blank, it was as if a fire had been washed at sea. All thoughts were dusted off in my head, being replaced with the image of the boy in front of me.

"Akamu..." I muttered. Obnoxious thoughts seeped into my mind; my door of common sense broke down. Flooded with delusional ideas.

"You look like a girl," I said.

Akamu, Zero. Intrusive thoughts, One.

Losing a battle with yourself is every drunken man's dream.

"Excuse me?"

"Not an ugly one though."

"..."

Why now. On the outside, my face was neutral. Not a single thought in my eyes.

Neteyam looked concerned as my face heated beneath him. He stepped back, giving me space. His footsteps distanced themselves from my head, right near my-

I hissed as I felt intense pressure on my braid. My queue underneath his foot.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" He shouted. Jumping back.

I grimaced.

"It's all good," I whispered.

I looked up at the boy as he avoided eye contact with me, shifting side to side. He held out his hand towards me, yet he was hesitant as to whether to keep his hand there. The feelings I felt were burrowed deep inside me. I felt nothing but annoyance.

Pushing myself off the ground, I held my stance behind him.

"Neteyam, could you do me a favor?"  I spoke innocently. Placing my hand on his shoulder. Afraid that if I touched him, he'd break.

"Yes." He replied.

"Move," I ordered.

The boy with confidence had disappeared before me. Leaving me with one who looked fragile.