Chapter Text
The body shape of the Metkayina were contrasting, slim waist, bigger muscles, tails with a little flapper on the end obviously for swimming, bigger eyes (he wasn’t complaining), and of course, a different pathway of stripes inked onto their skin. Not literally, although some had designs imprinted with ink on their arms, shoulders, faces and much more. Neteyam could tell that this was tradition.
He noticed the whispers and stares he was getting from a few boys in particular, and instinctively shied into his shoulder. He only glanced up when the boy from a few seconds ago walked closer to both Neteyam and Lo’ak, eying them meanly.
The young boys both signed ‘I see you’ with their hands as a symbol of respect, but this Metkayina boy gave them a cold glare and didn’t return the gesture. Neteyam raised his eyebrows at the cruelty he was already shedding, for this boy didn’t even know them at all. The more Neteyam glared back, the bigger the smirk on the other male’s face became when he eyed him up and down, stopping his glace at Neteyam’s tail.
“What is that? A tail?” He laughed, a soundly laugh to his companion next to him. He was being mocked. Neteyam forced a small smile to be respectful, even if these na’vi weren’t. He wouldn’t want to get into any trouble for not being the kind-hearted son he was raised to be. But it was excruciatingly difficult not to return these looks as he felt violated and self conscious. That smug little face was eating him up inside, and it showed. That pale turquoise boy noticed the temper boiling and said nothing, but he was definitely amused by the short and more lean na’vi.
Neteyam’s strong gaze was interrupted by a splash behind that amused figure. His attention quickly spun away from him and onto the noise.
He turned around to see a young Metkayina girl glide through the clear water and appear further to the shore in such a graceful manner that Neteyam didn’t even think was possible for these people because of his tremendous introduction. It seemed Lo’ak was also distracted, as Neteyam noticed him staring at this girl until she flicked her hair behind her shoulders and walked closer towards the crowds.
“Hey.” Lo’ak grinned at her as she passed by. She giggled and covered her smile with her hand as she glanced down. Neteyam smirked and looked in that direction only to see the boy glare at Lo’ak and roll his own eyes in distaste.
This playful meeting was silenced when an older Metkayina appeared, with tattoos for miles, inked carefully onto his rough skin. He looked kind yet fierce. Turns out he was.
“You are forest people. Your skills will be useless here.” He explained truthfully as he observed the situation. Neteyam stepped back an inch when a meaner looking na’vi stepped forward. She looked as if she was with child. Probably was.
He was caught off guard when the Tsahik gave him a look and grabbed Lo’ak’s fingers, lifting them up to show the crowd. “They’re not even full Na’vi,” Neteyam was fearful that his younger brother would do something stupid like insulting her but, no, he didn’t thankfully. “Demons. Half-breeds.”
The Tsahik wasn’t finished with the unnecessary humiliation and moved onto Kiri, pulling at her tail.
“Their tails are too small to survive in our waters.” She announced smugly, whilst Kiri pulled away quickly.
“Hey! Let go!” She complained and held her own tail.
“Hey, I’m a half-breed too,” Neteyam witnessed his father holding up his hand, showing five fingers in total. “I used to be sky-people but I adapted to be a Na’vi.” He then referred to his children. “It doesn’t matter how they look, they are still fully Na’vi, okay? We just need a place to stay… away from… someone.” He finished off.
The chief of the Mekayina people stood up tall, showing off some of the tattoos on his shoulder. “You cannot bring your conflict here.” He replied solemnly. Neteyam was fearful that he would have to ride all that way back home.
“You want to stay here to be away from someone? I thought you were a mighty warrior!” The Tsahik hissed with mockery. Neytiri stepped forward with anger.
“My husband was Toruk Makto. The one who fought the sky people and led the Omaticaya to victory!” She growled fiercely.
“If he was Toruk Makto, why are you hiding away instead of fighting for your people?” Ronal spat back, ending in Neytiri blinking slowly with frustration, and stepping away from the scene, eyeing Ronal closely.
All Neteyam hoped for was some rest. There was no way he could even fathom flying all the way back to the forest with such low energy. He was tired, and so was Tuk.
“Please let us stay,” She spoke out so fearfully that the chief and his mate looked at her with graceful intent. “We’ve come all this way!” Neteyam’s eyes softened. He eyed the lighter-skinned na’vi with a newfound clarity, as he scoped out the native people.
The Metkayina glanced at the Sully’s, and then at his wife. “They will stay with us. We will teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being, useless.”
“My son, Aonung, and our daughter, Tsireya will teach your children-“
“Dad-“ The boy from earlier protested, but his request to speak was shut down immediately.
“It is decided.” The chief raised his hand with a stern look on his face.
‘So his name is Aonung?’ Neteyam thought. ‘Chief’s son?’.
He eyed him carefully. The chief’s son of the Metkayina. No wonder he was so bold with his movements when they first arrived.
Tsireya, also the leaders child bounded in front of her father. Neteyam could already sense that Lo’ak was blushing profoundly. He snickered silently. “Come, I will show you your new home.” Her smile was brighter than the eclipse back home, Lo’ak smiled.
Neteyam grinned and grabbed his belongings off his ikran, slinging them over his shoulder, and walking behind his baby brother, who was with no doubt, following after Tsireya like a lost puppy. As Neteyam turned back to look out for Tuk, his eyes were met with ones filled with the ocean.
He wasn’t to sure about this, Aonung, guy, but eyed him back as if to say, ‘Peace will come from me as long as you return it.’
Aonung’s eyes widened slightly at the mini staring contest, but then his sly smirk appeared once more.
“Bird boy.” He muttered before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving Neteyam standing there, with the sound of Kiri in his ear.