~Map of Songs~ Neteyam x OC

Captured

"Let's go this way." Neteyam signs to me. We are underwater far out from the shore. The two of us had decided to venture out into the sea this time. Considering that in the 5 months that we've known each other we have explored all that there was to see of the tiny forest on the side of the island that no one dares to go, it's about time we find somewhere else. We pass through an underwater cave, the floors of it covered in coral and beautiful stones, weathered by the waves. On the other end of the cave there is what looks to be a forest of seaweed sprouting up from the ocean floor. My ilu had a little munch as we passed through, I patted her head and looked up to find Neteyam pointing upwards. We break the surface, gasping for air.

"I see someone was hungry." he joked, talking about my ilu who is still crunching on the sea weed.

"To be fair, it is lunch time." I laughed as we traveled to a nearby rock being splashed by the waves. Just like the one where I first saw Neteyam. I dismount the ilu and allow her to swim off, Neteyam does the same with his and we sit together, staring out at the horizon. I hum a song to fill the silence until he says, "I got you something."

I turn my head to see him pulling out a braided string with a bright yellow bead made of a pebble. I examine it closer when he hands it to me, noticing the wavy design carefully carved into it. "Neteyam... is this?"

"I told you I'd help you start it right?" he looked away from me, scratching the back of his neck, his braids covering his face. "Kiri told me that it's actually really important when someone offers a bead for your songcord. She said it's usually done between family or..." I didn't finish my sentence. Neteyam looked at me, his face was completely serious, devoid of the smiley face that was there before.

"Noa, I'll admit that I'm not just doing this to start your songcord..." he said and I waited for him to continue. "I've been thinking about this for a long time but... I think you saved me in more ways than you think."

"What do you mean?" I said, starting to get confused.

"When I was dying... I saw Eywa. She's amazing, she felt powerful, mighty. She told me that she was happy to see me. But it wasn't my time to go yet. She told me to follow the call home. And that's when I heard a voice, humming a song. I followed the sound of that voice. It felt as if I was following a map, leading me home and there was no way that I could get lost. The next thing I knew, I came to." My eyes widened in realization as I realized what he meant. "I only realized after I met you that it was your voice. You called me back." he took my hand in his, looking me directly in the eyes now.

"It wasn't too long after that, that I realized how I actually feel for you. I admire how you care for others. You always put other people before yourself. Even if sometimes I wish you'd take better care of yourself. And I love how you play with Tuk and the children in the nursery, and it's so fascinating watching you treat people, seeing you be so passionate about it. I can't even find words to say how-"

"I see you, Neteyam. I see you." I cut him off, taking my hand out of his grasp and placing it on his cheek. He smiles and places his hand over mine.

"I see you, Noa." he says, placing his forehead to my own. It feels as if my heart is soaring like an ikran. I thought I had been the only one to notice the growing feeling in my chest whenever we were around each other. Like this was more than friendship.

WHOOSH

An arrow plants itself in the spot I that I had my hand in just moments before. A gasp escapes my lips as the both of us turn our heads in the direction the arrow came from. Two giant dragon-like creatures are flying our way, they have red and orange scales, with black lines accenting their wings. And their riders, they were Na'vi unlike I've ever seen. A dark blue and yet ash gray skin tone, their hair looked to be shaved on the sides with braids going down the middle. "Get in the water!" Neteyam yells jumping into the water and basically pulling me with him. He calls for his ilu and secures me close to him. We sped off in the direction that we had come from, The shadows of those creatures chasing us from above. Instinctively I close my arms tighter around Neteyams waist. We travel through the seaweed forest and just as I think we've lost them, one of them dives into the water to attack. They just narrowly miss us. "Ah!" I scream, losing some of my air. The attacker returns to the skies but the damage is already done. In my moment of weakness I am knocked off the back of the ilu by one of the leaves. Neteyam quickly turns his head, alarmed as the dragon tries again, diving down into the water and snatching me by my shoulders with its talons.