The Frozen Na'vi Princess

11

Mali'kis POV

I was currently helping out with the ikrans, I could overhear Neytiri and Jake arguing.

Neteyam approached me and lightly tapped my shoulder, "hey Mali" he said softly, I turned around and gave him a soft smile.

"Hey Netty!" I signed as I unsaddled one of the ikrans which was the last ikran. "Soo I was wondering if you wanted to work on bow and arrow training, just to uhm practice together" he said as his face was tinted with a hue pink color. I smiled at his demeanor, "that sounds great! I'm a bit rusty so let's go" I signed, I could tell he was still trying to get the hang of what I was signing. Neteyam grabbed ahold of my hand and pulled me with him.

We mounted his ikran and we took off to go practice.

Once we reached an area that was meant for archery, we got off the ikran and began practicing.

I watched as he demonstrated everything. He looked absolutely stunning in the stance, it was so natural for him, the way his grip on the bow was tense but gentle.

My face heated up as sinful thoughts began running through my head. Idiot I thought to myself as he gave me the bow and started fixing my stance to make sure it was an exact reflection of his.

His touch ignited my skin and I was a blushing mess.

"Again."

I grunted softly, arms tired and sore, and honestly I felt like crying. I was barely working up my strength and yet here I am training with the future Olo'eyktan.

Some of my braids fell in front of my face as I looked down, shoulders sinking.

Neteyam gripped on my forearm and shoved it upwards to which I whined at, "arms up." With a whimper, I stretch out the bow, back twinging in pain as the dips of my fingers sting. Neteyam moves, eyeing me from a different angle before gliding behind me. He surprised me when he wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me against him as I flinched at his touch. His grip is hard yet gentle.

"Your back needs to be straight like this." He teaches, demonstrating my now straightened back that is pushed up against his torso. "Not hunched over like this," he pushes my shoulder forward, setting my back into the position I was in before.

The thing was, Neteyam had a very physical type of communication. Something that intrigued me so much even though from what I was able to see, he wasn't very physical with his mate. "Otherwise, the strength in your pullback is weakened" Neteyam steps back with a click of his tongue, "thought you already learned that, Mali."

That nickname again. It was a very innocent nickname that was given and it made me feel like I was actually accepted by someone. Just the deep husk of his voice brewing out the word- or any words for that matter always made something flutter inside of me. I blinked, a quick shake of my head and a flick of my tail and I can feel his gaze burn into my head.

I let my eyes slip, flicking to the sweet curve of his lips and that's when he knows. Yet he didn't act nor did I. "Let's head back-" I signed in pure embarrassment, Neteyam grabbed ahold of my arm before I could fully walk away.

He turned my body to face him and with his free hand, he traced my jaw very gently. At first my body flinched at his touch which I saw a hint of hurt flash in his eyes but was soon gone and turned into something that I could not read.

"Mali.. why don't you speak? why do you pull away from me?" He asked softly, I looked into his yellow eyes and sighed, "Neteyam..- you have a mate. I was tortured all my life... I do not trust anyone" I signed, the word mate made Neteyam cringe.