𖣘 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙖 𝘼𝙥𝙞 𖣘 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𖣘

14.

  Lei sat in her hammock by herself, finicking with her dagger's handle. She had been listening to the storm outside of her hut and timing the thunder.

She felt as if she had cried out every tear she once held in the past 2 days, now she felt numb and was unsure of what to do next.

She had gone over every single possibility and outcome in her head if she had done something different. There was nothing left for her to question or critique about how she responded.

Suddenly Matahari appeared in Lei's doorway holding a small round green fruit. She held the fruit out in front of her, offering it.

Lei thought for a moment before sliding her knife back into her sheathe, slowly standing upwards.

"Thank you." She solemnly thanked her sister while she took the fruit.

Matahari nodded, remaining where she stood. Lei awkwardly inspected her sister to see what she needed.

They stood in silence staring at eachother for a moment. "What?" Lei finally asked. The tension felt incredibly high, neither of the sisters were sure of what to say.

"Nothing." Matahari folded her hands while they fell in front of her stomach, she exited Lei's room.

Lei sighed, she began to peel the fruit open. She shoved each of the edible pieces of the fruit's flesh into her mouth hastily, she hadn't eaten since the Hoo'lewa.

She began to make her way to the kitchen to place the fruit peel in a basket, she overheard Lahar softly crying from his room. Eta'yla was attempting to comfort him but failing.

Lei tossed the peel into the basket, she hesitated before entering the room. Lahar's eyes immediately shot to Lei once she stepped foot into his bedroom.

Lei smiled downwards compassionately while she approached closer to the hammock her mother and brother were sat on.

She gently wiped Lahar's cheeks with her thumb, she held her hand out for her mother.

"My daughter." Eta'yla traced Lei's palm indents gently while holding one of Lahar's hands. Lahar continued to weep quietly while he rested his head on his mother's shoulder.

Eta'yla allowed her son to slip under her arm, she wrapped it around his shoulders and placed her other hand on his cheek. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead, afterwards resting hers on his.

Lei sat on the opposite side of Lahar, intertwining her fingers with his. Words weren't at all necessary for this interaction, comforting gestures spoke for all 3 of the Na'vi.

"He would not want us to be so sad." Eta'yla said while she stroked her hand through Lahar's hair.

"Come on." Eta'yla pulled Lahar up, motioning Lei to come along as well.

The 3 made their way through their hut. "Hari." Eta'yla called out, her smooth voice echoed through the hut.

Soon enough Matahari emerged from her room, joining her family.

"We are going to eat with the tribe." Eta'yla announced.

"Mother, please." Lahar weakly asked, wiping his face dry of tears — although it was pointless.

"Lahar it'll be fine." Lei nudged his wrist gently with her hand, he casted her a pleading gaze.

——————————————————————

"Have you seen Lei?" Neytiri asked her eldest son while they made their way to the first meal of the day.

"Not since the Hoo'lewa." Neteyam responded.