Not the same

what you say fishboy?

chapter seven.

Ao'nung called to the ilu as they swam around him and he gestured his hands out to his side.

"These are ilu." Ao'nung announced. "If you want to live here, you have to ride. Sister you will help Tuk and Lo'ak, Rotxo help Kiri and Neteyam and I'll help Za'nara."

Lo'ak and Neteyam glared at Ao'nung after what he had said.

They all made their ways over to the ilus and began their training.

"Put your feet here." Ao'nung said calmly to Za'nara as she mounted an ilu.

"Woah." Za'nara let out as she sat on the ilu, as she had never truly experienced the Na'vi way of life, other then when she was a child.

"That's good." Ao'nung complimented. "Make the bond gently and remember to breathe."

Za'nara made the bond and let out a deep breath.

"Good."

"Feel her breath, her heartbeat."

"Whatever you say, teach." Za'nara joked.

"Oh is that funny?" Ao'nung replied.

Ao'nung splashed water on Za'nara's face and Za'nara's mouth widened.

"Your so dead." Za'nara laughed before jumping on Ao'nung and tackling him into the water.

The two laughed and splashed around in the water, which made Lo'ak and Neteyam insanely jealous.

"Lo'ak? Loak? Hello?" Tsireya said snapping her fingers to draw Lo'aks eyes off of Za'nara.

"Sorry, sorry." Lo'ak replied.

"You like her?" Tsireya asked.

"No, no, why do you say that?" Lo'ak replied.

"The way you look at her and the jealousy in your eyes looking at her and my brother." Tsireya commented.

"Whatever, let's just do this." Lo'ak responded.

"Okay but remember to-

Before Tsireya could get another word out Lo'ak took off on his ilu and raced through the water but failed to stay on and slipped, rolling backwards into the water.

Everyone laughed including Za'nara.

"You okay forest boy?" Ao'nung joked.

Za'nara stopped laughing after Ao'nung made that comment and started feeling a tiny bit guilty as everyone made fun of him.

~

Later on that day Ao'nung and Za'nara swam for hours around the reef, after the kids all finally got a hang of riding the ilus.

They came to the surface and  Za'nara laughed.

"That was unreal!" Za'nara yelled in excitement.

Ao'nung laughed.

"There's nothing quite like it." Ao'nung responded.

Lo'ak and Neteyam reached the surface where Za'nara and Ao'nung where, they had an annoyed look smeared across their faces.

"Za'nara." Neteyam said firmly.

"Neteyam." Za'nara replied.

"It's time to go." Lo'ak said whilst staring deeply at Ao'nung and giving him a hateful look.

"It's not even eclipse yet." Za'nara replied.

"Now Za'nara!" Neteyam yelled.

"Easy forest boy." Ao'nung joked.

"What you say fish boy?" Lo'ak said coming closer to Ao'nung.

"Okay that's enough testosterone for me today, come on boys let's go." Za'nara said splitting up Ao'nung and Lo'ak.

"I'll see you soon." Ao'nung yelled to Za'nara.

Lo'ak and Neteyam turned around once again, shooting him and hateful stare.

They began to ride off in the distance.

"You should stay away from him." Lo'ak announced to Za'nara.

"Why?" Za'nara asked in confusion.

"He's a dick, that's why." Neteyam replied.

"Oh and I suppose you two are any better?" Za'nara scoffed, riding away from the boys.

"Dude, your not like still in love with her are you?" Lo'ak said to his brother.

"Are you?" Netayam responded.

"No." Lo'ak lied.

"Neither." Neteyam lied.

"Good." They said at the same time.

The brothers rode off back to the shore~

Za'nara stomped angrily into the hut. Jake stopped her and tried to calm her down.

"Hey hey, what's going on?" Jake asked concerned.

"Leave me alone, Jake." Za'nara replied.

"I want to help you. Let me." Jake explained holding her shoulders.

Za'nara nodded and they went somewhere quiet to chat.

"Tell me what's wrong." Jake said putting one hand on her back.

"I spent the last ten years, hating every single one of you. Hating my own people because that's the only way I thought I would survive. I'm not the same sweet little girl everyone once knew and to be completely honest, I really miss her at the moment." Za'nara explained as she began to tear up.

Neytiri sat around the corner from the hut listening into the conversation.

"I don't believe that."Jake responsed. "I believe that they sweet little girl is still a big part of you. The girl who liked to sing and dance and had so much love in her heart for the forest and for her people, especially my kids. You know they cried for weeks if not months after you left. Every night. Every night they would pray to Eywa that you would return."

Za'nara looked up at Jake as a tear ran down her face.

"Really?" Za'nara whispered.

"We all love you. We never stopped. You are our family and you are our people. Even if you hate us and worked with the sky people. You are still our people, that's something nobody can ever take away from you. Not Quaritch, not the sky people, not even me. You are one of us." Jake spoke passionately.

"How can you be so forgiving after everything i've done?" Za'nara asked.

"Because I know you Za'nara. You are kind and compassionate. Even if your not the same girl you were ten years ago, you still saved my daughter. That shows that you still have love in your heart." Jake responded.

"I tried so hard for years to defend myself against the sky people but I was only a child, the more i fought back, the more I became afraid for all of you." Za'nara explained. "I grew hate in my heart instead of love because that was the only way I could process."

"I know how hard it is." Jake responded. "Take it from someone who used to be human. Someone who used to work with the sky people. We choose our own path, and you are still young."

Za'nara hugged Jake.

"Thankyou for listening." Za'nara whispered as she hugged Jake tighter.

Jake hugged her back.

"Of course." Jake replied.

Za'nara wiped her tears and entered the hut to see Neytiri around the corner.

They exchanged looks for a quick second. Before Za'nara knew it, Neytiri hugged her tightly and didn't let go.

Za'nara froze for a second before hugging her back and embracing it for a few moments.

end of chapter seven.