His Hands. || 𝘼𝙤'𝙣𝙪𝙣𝙜

twelve

Italics = thoughts or flashbacks
Bold = Metkayina sign language

It was now completely dark out and most of the village sat outside waiting for the arrival of Lo'ak.

Tonowari sent out a group of warriors in search for him and we could hear them yelling out his name.

Tsireya looked worried as she stood beside Ayreina who was side hugging her comfortingly.

I stood beside Neteyam with his arm wrapped around my shoulders reassuringly as I picked at the skin on my lip anxiously while we all awaited for Lo'ak's arrival.

'What's with Ao'nung?' 'Why did Ao'nung do that?' 'Great mother please make sure Lo'ak is okay.' 'Oh eywa what if he's dead?' 'He isn't fucking dead, no way.'

I was too distracted by my thoughts to notice the sound of the horn being called.

"The boy has been found!" Tonowari announces as a warrior's canoe with Lo'ak in it came towards us.

'Thank Eywa he isn't dead.'

Sighs of relief could be heard faintly around the crowd of villagers.

Neytiri and Jake immediately rushed forward to him once he got closer as I also let out a sigh of relief, to which Neteyam squeezed my shoulder lightly.

Lo'ak mumbled a small "thank you" to the warrior that brought him back before looking back up at Ao'nung and glaring at him.

He shook his head with a scowl on his face as he saw Ao'nung and was about to walk towards him but Jake stopped him.

He quickly looked over his body and didn't find any large wounds, just minor scratches. He announces to everyone that he's fine and he only has a few scratches.

Just then, Neytiri comes forward and looks over him too.

"I pray to the great mother that I do not pluck the eyes of my youngest son." She seethes as she made a clawing motion towards his face.

Lo'ak just turns his head away with an annoyed look on his face.

"No," Tonowari says, "It is not his fault. My son is to blame," He pushes Ao'nung down onto one knee, "He knows better than to go beyond the reef."

Jake thanks Olo'eyktan and moves back to give Lo'ak space to get off the canoe. Lo'ak notices the guilty look on Ao'nung's face then steps up onto the platform and speaks up.

"No, it was my fault."

Ao'nung's ears twitched at this and he looked up at Lo'ak with confusion.

"He tried to talk me out of it."

Me and Neteyam share looks of confusion with each other. We both know that isn't true, Ao'nung told us himself.

'Why would he lie for him!? What a skxawng!'

"Is this true?" Tonowari asks his son.

Lo'ak gives Ao'nung a pleading look, basically telling him to say yes. Ao'nung lets out a quiet yes and Tonowari sighs.

"Very well."

Jake quickly takes Lo'ak and rushes him out of there along with the rest of the family. I wasn't paying attention as I was too caught up in my thoughts again.

'Oh Eywa, how can both of them be so stupid! I pray that great mother gives me the strength to not rip off their tails and feed them to my ikran.'

My head shot up once I heard the sound of Lo'ak and dad's voice.

"Dad, you told me to make friends with the kids here. That's all I was trying to-"