reborn to pandora (reader pov)

unkown and unsafe

walking into HQ, the familiarity felt nice. its warm here and always has these sweet smells. the artificial light the humans use is welcoming and interesting. they use something called electricity to make all their gadgets work. its too confusing for me to understand, but from what i hear, nor and teylan have taken to it quickly. the two of them have always seemed oddly interested in the human way of doing things. as grateful as i am to have my sister to relate to, i do often wonder and worry about the two others we spent 16 captured years with. as my mind wanders, i saunter through the corridors trying to remember where i had slept the first few nights i was here. somewhere around here i left my satchel bag with a few pieces of clothing, my mother's songcord, and an extra string for the bow so'lek had given to me. after a few minutes i find the secluded corner where my belongings were waiting for me. picking through my clothing, i found my favorite two piece set. the waistcloth is a simple dark brown leather woven together with bright red threads. it is thin and hangs to my mid thigh. on the waist string is many beads and small shells i was able to find outside of HQ on my first night. i stayed up all night unable to fall asleep, weaving each piece onto it. the matching top is a red stained leather that loops around my neck and hangs freely over my chest, woven together with strong dark brown leather to compliment the bottom.

now having my own belongings, its time to start feeling like myself again. all i want to do now is wash myself. for those 16 excruciating years, the humans in the RDA forced us to take 'showers' as they would call them. standing under boiling hot water that runs all over you. it felt like torture. one of the most exciting things about returning to pandora was being able to wash myself naturally again. with the memories of those 'showers' in mind, i rush myself to find a nearby stream or lake. heading back towards the entry way of HQ, i find so'lek talking to priya and inform him that im stepping out. "woah woah sarentu, you don't go anywhere alone yet, you don't know the woods or wildlife well enough yet." so'lek begins to turn his head multiple directions, assumingly looking for someone to accompany me. i roll my eyes at him and walk to the airlock doors. as they hiss open and i take a step through so'lek speaks again. "neteyam!! take lun'ayla outside, she longs for the forest this one!" he says with a chuckle. as much as i enjoy neteyam's company, i really could just use some time alone. "of course, lets go luna." neteyam comes around the corner and enters the airlock with me. the doors hiss and close behind us.

"im not trying to be rude but i really don't think i need a babysitter do you?" i ask neteyam, sounding annoyed. i feel sweaty, dirty and just gross, standing here holding my fresh clothes in my hands. "babysitter?" he asks me with a confused tone. "yeah someone who watches over young ones so they don't get hurt or into any trouble. i don't need someone hovering over me." the second set of doors begin to hiss and i step through them quickly before they could even fully open. while walking away swiftly, i say "if you could just point me in the direction of the nearest stream that would be as much help as you could give me." as far as i am already from him, i can hear his loud sigh. "just follow me luna." does he not hear me? i turn around in frustration to face him. "no just tell me where to go please i just need a few minutes and i'll be right back inside its fine! im fine!" i didn't realize i was yelling until i already had. now im the one who let out a deep sigh. neteyam walks up to me and rests his hands on my shoulders. "please, just trust me." he says softly. the easiness in his tone cause my eyes to trail up to his. i feel bad for yelling at him, he has just been trying to help me. "you do trust me don't you?" he sounded concerned. "yes of course i trust you, i just-" my face drops, i take a step back and simultaneously remove neteyam's hands from my shoulders. "what? tell me what's on your mind ma luna." he just wants to help, he just wants to help. "okay fine, the truth. i haven't been able to feel properly washed since i was like 5. and as amazing as today was, i feel dirtier than ever and i really would love to just enjoy a bath by myself for the first time in a really long time okay. i just wanted some time alone."

neteyam seemed conflicted after i confessed what i was feeling. "listen luna. i understand completely. but- as much as i want to give you the space you're asking for, i can not." "you can not?" i repeat mockingly to him. "i can not. as strong as you have proved yourself to be, so'lek is right. you do not know enough to be on your own. the whole Western Frontier is crawling with RDA soldiers, drill sites, and not to mention the animals they have corrupted and turned feral. not everything is safe to na'vi anymore. i just want to keep you safe, i NEED to see you safe. i would never be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you while you were out on your own." gosh i hate it when he's right. he seems to always be right. i take a deep breath attempting to come to terms with the fact that neteyam is about to join me for a bath. "fine. show me where it's safe to go oh mighty babysitter." i crack a smile at him to try to lighten his mood too. he recognizes this and reaches out for my hand. "follow me." i take his hand and his faint smile widens.

HQ rests at the top of a great waterfall. getting down to the bottom i thought would be a task for ra'nyra and i, but neteyam shows me a series of lifting vines at the edges of each cliff on the way down. proving once again that he is right, i do still have so much to learn from the na'vi. after a few minutes we reach the bottom of the waterfall. as im starting to walk to the edge of the lake, neteyam calls over to me. "luna! not that way, this way." i turn to see he is walking towards a large hole in the side of the mountain, next to the waterfall. getting closer to him, i see that its a cave. once we slipped inside, the light from the other end is hard to miss. a bright pink color shines through and paints the walls of this small cave. i follow closely behind neteyam as we reach the end and step out. what was in front of me was absolutely breathtaking. directly behind this huge waterfall was a giant series of pools, and in the center of them is the biggest ancestry tree i've ever seen. hundreds of feet tall inside this cave of its own, the long pink tendrils of the tree flow slowly with the water all around it. the glow it provides lights up everything around it beautifully. my focus is interrupted by a loud splashing sound. during my staring, neteyam had walked ahead, stripped his waistcloth off, and dove into the nearest pool. the water of the pools had a mysterious fog floating above them, but in an enchanting way. coming back to the surface for air, neteyam calls out to me again. "are you coming lun'ayla? i thought that you were super dirty and sweaty hahah." "im right behind you don't worry." he smiles at me largely, then dives under the water again.
while neteyam is under, i quickly undress myself and jump into the next closest pool. being naked in front of him is one thing, but to bathe with him would be another. i wanted to keep a respectable distance. i had hoped separate pools would do just that, but again, little do i know.