Wish You Were Dead

Chapter Seven

Neteyam

One Year before the humans return/Three years before the incident

Thirteen and fourteen years old

The family is returning from dinner when Neteyam feels his father tap his shoulder. Neteyam looks up at Jake, who gives a curt nod to Neytiri. "Hey, Neteyam, I wanna show you something." Jake gestures away from their family hammock and into the woods.

Neteyam glances at the rest of his siblings before looking back at his dad, "We're training? This late?"

Jake shakes his head, "No, no, just to hang out. I got something I wanna ask you about."

Neteyam's brows furrow and he wonders if his father somehow found out about his fake relationship with Alyara. His heart thumps hard against his chest as he follows his father into the dimly lit forest. What will I say, how will I explain this? He asks himself. He feels the blame falling onto Alyara, and his disdain deepens.

There's a small path the Omatikaya had made since they settled near Hell's Gate. It's narrow, but it's been followed so many times that it's easy to spot. Jake takes Neteyam down the path leisurely.

"So, how you been?" Jake glances back.

Neteyam shrugs his shoulders, attempting to seem more natural, "Same as usual."

"I noticed you've been sneaking out on your ikran recently. You must be pretty happy about it, huh?"

"Yeah," Neteyam nods with a small smile, "I like flying." A small breath of relief escapes him; he would not be found out today.

"I guess we'll have to take the family out on a flying trip. Two people per ikran, that's enough, right?"

Neteyam's eyes round at the thought of a family flight. "Just as long as Lo'ak doesn't ride on mine. Eywa knows what he'll do."

Jake laughs, "Yeah, right, he might just jump off if he gets the chance."

Neteyam continues following after Jake down the road. He notices the thick glum in the air. It's usually hot, but not the kind of heat you feel from the sun. The forest is hot like some sort of greenhouse; all the moisture is heavy in the air and on your lungs.

It makes Neteyam imagine what the other biomes on Pandora must feel like. How would the air change and what would the people be like? How would they have adapted to their environment? All of this sends him down a rabbit whole of inquiries and questions. "Hey, Dad?"

"What is it?"

"What does the rest of Pandora look like? I mean, I've only ever seen the forest. There's more out there, right?"

Jake pauses for a moment, taking in the question, "You may not remember, but shortly after you were born, we took you to visit some of the other clans. Ikeyni, the Olo'eykte of the Tayrangi, wanted to be the first to see you."

"They live on the cliffs." Neteyam acknowledges. A great sea beneath them and relying on the fish for food. The closest Neteyam has ever gotten to an aquatic life is the time spent at the rivers and streams near the base camp, which are basically creaks in comparison to the expanse of the ocean.

Jake nods, "They sleep right on the edge. It's awesome. Neytiri refused to let me sleep with you on the cliff, but it wasn't dangerous at all. I only slipped a handful of times."

A chuckle escapes Neteyam. "You sound like Lo'ak when you say things like that." He holds a half smile when Jake turns to look at him.

"Do I? I think Lo'ak does take after me the most." He bears a bright smile, it gleams in the lights of the forest. But it falters. "What a shame for him." He barely whispers it, as if it wasn't supposed to come out at all. Neteyam heard it anyway, though.