I WANNA BE SAVED, neteyam

Ch 5: Worry to The Bones

It had been a quick flight back to base, the rest of the clan cheering for their return. It had been a joyous moment for those who waited for their loved ones to come back to them. Coming back from a raid this big was truly something to celebrate. But now was not the time to get distracted, Ayatney had thought.

Jake got off his ikran, leaving the girl sitting as he began walking a few feet forward. The trio could only watch as he paced back and forth before calling the boys over, pointing to where he stood. "Call in."

The two hesitantly walked towards their father as Ayatney straggled behind, watching as Tuk and Kiri came to check on their brothers. Twisting and turning them to see every inch. "Kiri— can you go help you grandmother with the wounded, please." It wasn't a request, trying to get rid of them so he could be angle to scold them properly.

"My brother and Ayatney are wounded." Kiri stated with a matter of faculty, she wanted to take them to be treated first.

"Tuk go with her— go! Go!"

Ayatney watched as Kiri rolled her eyes, grabbing Tuk by the hand before dragging her along. They both made eye contact as they walked away. She and Kiri never really talked to one another, seeing as she was best friends with the human that Ayatney so despised. But there were often times where she had to put up with the him since he was around the Sully family all the time.

"You guys we're supposed to be spotters!" Jake raised his voice, clearly upset that they had gone against orders. "You spot bogie's and call them in— from a distance!"

"Jesus! I let you geniuses down on the field only to have you parade around as if it didn't cost you your life." He looked back and forth between his sons, both too ashamed to meet his eyes.

Then he made eye contact with Ayatney. She had been watching this whole ordeal from the back, feeling unworthy to stand next to any of them. Jake raised his hand, beckoning her to come over. Though nothing was being said, but a lot was understood. She was next to be ripped to shreds.

Ayatney took a step forward lining up next to Neteyam and Lo'ak, trying to straighten up her back as much as possible. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off as the burning feeling from her injuries began to set in. Ayatney felt as if she was sweating buckets as Jake stared hard into her eyes.

"You were supposed to watch over them." He started off slow, menacingly slow. "I assigned them to you to make sure they didn't do anything stupid."

"Of course sir— I'll take full responsibility."

"Yeah you will because you're the oldest, you gotta act like it." Ayatney was now feeling dizzy, blinking rapidly as if it were to help her rid of spell. Neteyam and Lo'ak both side eyed her as she stumbled a bit on her feet before correcting herself to stand with perfect posture.

While Jake was busy scolding the trio, Neytiri had came behind each and everyone one of them, assessing their injuries. As a mother, she felt the need to take care of any na'vi child, even if they weren't their own.

"Ma Jake," Neytiri called, she stared over at him from above the three's heads. "They're actually bleeding." Nodding her head towards Neteyam and Ayatney, his expression seemed to soften for a moment.

He was yelling at kids, of course for good reasons, but they were injured. Sighing in exasperation, he sent them off.

"Go, dismissed."

Neytiri grabbed Ayatney by the arm and begin to lead her away, presumably towards where the injured lay and rested. Neteyam following not too far behind as he turned back to look at his younger brother.

Her and Neytiri's relationship had grown much better after the sky people had returned. Before hand they wouldn't even talk to each other, simple glances here and there, and that was the most. Now, they were talking, not all the time but when they had the chance to have a decent conversation.

Ayatney was glad to have Neytiri through the girl would never admit it. It felt nice to have someone to act motherly to her when Ayatney herself didn't have to perform like a mother when she took care of the other orphaned children.

Ayatney couldn't help but look down and watch as her feet moved, one moving in front of the other. Blinking once, she continued staring at her feet, her vision going in and out of focus.

One step.

Breathe in.

Another step.

Breathe out.

Black spots began to swarm her vision, Ayatney tried blinking them away, but only more seemed to appear with each blink. The ground beneath her was spinning and the white noise in her ears were back.

Ayatney stopped walking, confusing the two that were walking along with her. Neytiri and Neteyam both ceased their steps as they watch the girl raise her hand to her head, fingertips lightly dancing over where she had hit her head.

"Are you okay Ayatney?" Neytiri's voice sounded like she was drifiting away as exhaustion began to seep into her limbs.

"Y-yeah..." she replied, "I'm jus' a bit tired is all..." Ayatney's words began to slur, concerning the two as they carefully observed her. She softly swayed before her knees gave out under her, body dropping now that it no longer had any support to hold all the weight up.

Thankfully, Neteyam was standing right behind her before she had collapsed. Breaking the fall to slowly lower her to the ground, he held her head closely to his chest.

"Ayat?"

Neytiri watched her son as he softly called the girls name, trying to wake her from her unconscious state. Neteyam shook her a bit with his arm that supported her shoulders and neck, trying to get some sort of reaction out of her.

She hadn't moved an inch, and it began to worry Neteyam. Quickly hooking his arm under her legs, he rushed to his grandmother and his sisters in the wounded area. "Grandmother, please help!" His voice sounded fearful as he headed straight towards where an open mat lay, gently setting Ayatney down.

Mo'at recognized the child that laid still, she was the one that Neteyam had stuck to during their childish years. So obviously now as he sat watching her face for any reaction and even holding her limp hand showed that he cared more than he let on.

Anyone here could tell. It was painfully obvious.

"Move," his grandmother demanded, waving her hands around in a shooing motion to push him away. "We cannot work if you are here hovering over her."

The grimace on his face made Mo'at want to laugh. When had her grandson fallen so hard?

"Go, she will be okay. I will tend to you after."

Though not fully convinced, Neteyam took his leave as Kiri began to wipe off the war paint and blood on Ayatney's cut up skin. Mo'at gazed softly at the resting face, sighing while shaking her head.

"My dear girl, you are going to worry him to the bones."