𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 ⋆꩜⋆ ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ x ᴏᴄ

4.

⋆.───

"LE'THE!" JAKE'S VOICE BOOMS ACROSS THE DANCING FIRELIGHT. "Le'the Te Neyan Saeyla!"

Le'the growls under her breath, annoyed by the amused and knowing glances spared around her. The other young na'vi gathered around the fire stop their chatter and jokes and turn to watch as she fixes a cool expression onto her face and turns.

"Yes?"

"What the hell were you thinking?" he hisses, coming around quickly and stopping right in front of her.

She crosses her arms, knowing full well what he refers to. Even in the dancing orange glow, she can tell he isn't happy with her.

"I was thinking that I needed to train him, like you asked me to do," she retorts, throwing her braids back from her face and glaring straight back at him.

The interest of her friends and fellow warriors is piquing around her. The na'vi of the clan love watching their interactions like this; there's no one besides his children and mate that dares speak against Toruk Makto, let alone so brazenly.

But Le'the's confident in her actions and more importantly her ability to fight, even if it is against her Olo'eyktan. She bows to no one, but she keeps up the pretence of half-obedience because it's simply easier that way.

Eywa knows how many times she's disobeyed Jake, even excluding the ones he's found out about.

Even so, she follows him away from the fire and to another one where the Sully's and the Metkayina are seated.

"Yeah, I asked you to train him," Jake says tiredly, "not return him all bruised and sour-mooded."

"Not my fault he bruises like a peach," Le'the shrugs, ignoring the snickers of the listening Neteyam and Lo'ak at her comment. Aonung flushes, and Rotxo nudges him. "His defence is weak and his spirit is... somewhat floppy."

"What?"

"There's kids around," she wrinkles her nose at Jake, "unless you want me to speak my full mind in front of Tuk?"

"Go ahead," Tuk shrugs, grinning widely. 

"Yeah," Lo'ak smirks, "let it all off your chest."

Aonung's face sours further. Le'the enjoys the little thrill at his humiliation, but she isn't a total bitch. Well, she is, but she has honor.

"He was not terrible," she concedes, and Aonung looks up instantly. "He has good form and I have no doubt he wields a spear well. But spears serve little purpose here and he is unfit to fight me yet. I needed to gage his talents to the best of my ability, Jake. You asked me to train him and I am, don't come at me because he isn't perfect."

Jake squints at her, and Neytiri hides a smile. Across the fire, Ronal tilts her head.

"Yes, fine," Jake says finally, waving her off. "But stay here. Your warriors can wait."

"Can they?" Lo'ak jokes, poking her with his tail. He sits along one log beside Tsireya, next to Aonung and Rotxo. Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk are seated on the opposite log across the fire.

"I'm sure they were itching to hear your latest argument, and the rest of your opinion. Certain warriors in particular-"

"Shut up Lo'ak," Kiri scolds him, pulling Le'the down to sit beside her. "Here, Le'the, eat some of this. God, what were you even drinking over there, I can smell it on you."

"Relax, I only had one bowl," she rolls her eyes. "I needed to relax after today."

"You need to relax?" Neteyam grins from the opposite log at her. "You should have seen Aonung over here lumbering back from the forest. Nearly half-dead of exhaustion and littered in marks. Anyone would think he was attacked by a thanator."