The Stars in Your Skin

CHAPTER 25

Naawri stares up at the clear afternoon sky, hoping the steady cadence of Eywa'evang would drown out the anguish slicing through her heart. Rayka had basically dragged her out of their home to go gather berries for dyeing. She'd been taking dinner alone for a week, unable to bear seeing Neteyam sitting next to Sateya. Eywa, she missed being with him. She twirls a finger through a braid.

“Naawri?”

She tilts her gaze in the direction of the voice. Aitwu stands there, a large basket on in his back, locks pulled into a bun. “I spotted some red berries perfect for dyeing. Could you help me gather them?”

She notices the way he fidgets. She glances beyond him at the group of gatherers working within the glade, the warriors with them on high alert. She thinks for a moment. Keeping up pretenses was exhausting. “Sure.” She follows him further inward  where they'll have privacy but can still get to safety if Sky People appear. Sure enough, the clearing is clustered with berry laden trees. “Tewti. You were right.” She immediately starts picking the oblong red berries, making sure to steer clear of the sharp leaves.

They pick in silence. She allows the tedious work to empty her brain.  “So,” he drawls “what's your favorite color?” She stops to glance over at the young man, who has somehow worked his way closer to her.

“Green,” she answers, gesturing to her loincloth and the stone on her choker.

“Yours?” She drops berries into her own basket.

“Orange.” She regards him briefly, eyes drifting to the orange beads spaced throughout his locks and anklets.

“I can see that.” He beams at her but she can't find it in her to return it fully. Neteyam's smiling face rises in her mind and with it sharp wistfulness. She turns away quickly.

“What's your favorite flower?”

She moves to another tree. “Moonflower.” She can't help the smile that lifts the corners of her mouth when she thinks of the bouquet Neteyam had given her.

“Beautiful flower.”

She nods. “What about you?” She glances at him when he doesn't answer.

“Don't think I'm weird but….txe'lengewll”

She stares at him, brow creased. “You're definitely going to have to explain that.”

He chuckles. “It reminds me that even very beautiful things can be dangerous. Like the forest.”

“Well when you put it like that…” She throws him a tiny smile.

“Yeah.”

She resumes her work. A silence drapes between them. She clears her head and focuses on the task. Cut, pluck, drop. Cut, pluck, drop. She can't allow herself to think. If she did, it would only be about Neteyam. And that would only bring up anguish.

“Naawri.”

She nearly jerks at Aitwu's unexpected proximity. “Yeah?” The inflections in his voice warrant her full attention.

“I've noticed that you've been really down lately. Why?”

She pauses, twirling her fingers through her braids. “I can't. It's personal.”

“Oh.” He looks genuinely disappointed.

“Yeah.” She turns away to resume picking.

A beat later, “can I hug you?”

She puts a hand on her hip, squinting at him with pursed lips.

“I'm not trying anything." He holds his hands up. "Hugs always make me feel better when I'm sad. So you know maybe it'll help a little.” His ears twitch.