Chapter Text
The 'hissing' conversation was first brought up apropos of nothing as Tamtey and So'lek hewed their arrows outside an abandoned science station.
There had been a Tlalim rumor regarding a long-neglected Sarentu waystop about a hundred kilometers west of the Silk Woods originally overheard by Tamtey, who told Nor, who told Teylan, who told Ri'nela, who decided they were long overdue for a family ''road trip!'' Everyone had been eager to go and stretch their ikrans' wings with a longer journey– except, obviously, Teylan.
Tamtey had told him about a hundred times already that he was 'spending too much time inside the HQ!' 'some nice Pandoran air would do him good'– but it was only the reluctant promise that they would stop at every computer terminal they saw to look for scrap that really won him over.
It wasn't until they were almost ready to take flight that So'lek had appeared with a bag and a gun slung over his shoulder.
"There is no way that you all could have believed that I would let the last of the Sarentu wander Pandora unaccompanied," he'd deadpanned. "Imagine how sad everyone would be to hear that your clan was completely wiped out by a hungry storm glider in one fell swoop."
Tamtey had considered himself definitely strong enough to protect his clan alone, but fine. So'lek could come too.
So the Sarentu had set off, plus one extra, for their first unofficial migration.
**
"I have noticed that you do not oìsss-si."
Tamtey gave So'lek a strange look. "I do not know this word."
"Do you know how to…" So'lek struggled for a moment to find the right word in English.
There was much to learn that Tamtey and the other Sarentu children had missed during their youth spent trapped inside the TAP prison. At least now they were learning quickly, but when So'lek and the resistance had first reawakened them they had all spoken Na'vi with simple vocabulary, built only upon faint memories and the imperfect sterile education provided by Alma. What Tamtey had once called bladewings became reyknap, banshees became ikran, neural queues became tsaheylu, and so on. Reclaiming his tongue from the humans, piece by piece.
"... 'Hiss' ?" So'lek bared his fangs demonstratively.
Tamtey eyed the whites of his teeth with a vague apprehension.
"I have hissed. Just… not recently."
"Why?"
"Does this matter, So'lek?" he questioned, his tone now edging into something a little more testy.
So'lek's tail thrashed unhappily. "It is healthy to release anger in this way. And safer, if it can scare off a threat," his reply was low and serious, more so than normal. "A viperwolf may see your fangs and retreat with no blood spilled, a sky person may flinch at the cost of his own life. It is Na'vi," he leaned closer and placed a steady hand over Tamtey's heart, "and you are Na'vi."
Tamtey was warmed by the gesture, despite himself. Even years of TAP reeducation couldn't keep his tail from lifting and a smile from tugging the corners of his mouth when presented with a genuine compliment from Sol'ek.
Then he remembered what they were talking about. He drew back instinctively.
"I… I find it difficult," he began, then hesitated.
He didn't like to dwell on the things that set him apart from the other Na'vi. Every thoughtless compliment from the humans in the Resistance HQ on Tamtey's unique 'perfect human accent!' felt like a poisonous barb lodged under his skin.
So'lek regarded him with an unwaveringly patient gaze. Under the gentle gleam of his eyes Tamtey finally found the strength to continue, even if his ears were held awkwardly stiff and flat as he spoke.
"It was one of the many things at TAP that we weren't allowed to do. Alma discouraged it, and Mercer… well. We were beaten for less. He called it– a beastly habit. Like we were wild animals."
So'lek's eyes flicked briefly down to Tamtey's hand, which Tamtey belatedly noticed was gripping tight around his tail to hold still. He let go, allowing it to twitch freely in agitation. Old habits died hard.
"Mercer is dead now," So'lek reminded him.
He glared at So'lek. "I know! Obviously!" Tamtey snapped, twisting away and leaning further back. "You think I wouldn't remember?"
"But you still do not 'hiss'," So'lek continued, ignoring his outburst. "You were not allowed to before, despite having many reasons to do so. But now that you are free, and you never still never have. I honestly find myself wondering if you know how."
"I'm tempted to hiss at you right now!"
He rose up from his seat and began to stalk away, ears now pinned fully in irritation.
So'lek, never one to read a room, followed close behind and grabbed Tamtey's arm tightly before he could make an escape. "Then do it!"
Startled by the sudden hold, he whipped towards So'lek and… something happened. His yellow eyes flashed dangerously as he bared his glittering white fangs but the sound that came out was… quiet. And pathetic, like a mushroom puff being squashed underfoot.
This was so embarrassing. He immediately deflated, clapping a four-fingered hand over his mouth. A hiss like that wouldn't intimidate a single thing, not even the smallest lizard. If Mercer had still been around to hear it, he probably would have paused to laugh before ordering one of his soldiers to get the muzzle. So'lek released his arm, but Tamtey didn't even bother to try running away now. The damage was already done. He could only pray that his ancestors in Eywa weren't paying enough attention to have witnessed this shame.
"...Sorry."
He wasn't even sure what he was apologizing to So'lek for. Maybe for hissing, some partially buried instinct to tamp down his "alien-ness" rearing its ugly head. Maybe for how badly it had gone. Tamtey wasn't sure what felt worse– not acting human or not acting Na'vi.
Large calloused hands cupped his cheeks and lifted his head up until he had no choice but to look So'lek in the eye. The Na'vi warrior looked contrite, pained.
"You do not need to apologize to me. I see you." Tamtey felt, deep in his gut, that somehow So'lek knew both of the things he had been sorry for.
An unbidden tear rolled down his face before getting caught on So'lek's palm, who in turn lifted his thumb to wipe Tamtey's cheek, almost urgently. "I see you, Sarentu," he repeated.
Tamtey felt a watery laugh bubble up inside his chest at So'lek's unhappy expression.
He knew he probably made a very pathetic sight in So'lek's arms– eyes wet, ears laid flat, tail limp behind him. But So'lek didn't seem disappointed, only guilty.
A crash sounded from the surrounding undergrowth. The pair of them tensed in alarm at the sudden sound, only for Nor to leap into the clearing with a dead winzaw wrapped over his shoulder.
"What's happening!" he barked, tail whipping wildly. He looked in confusion at So'lek.
"What did you do! Why is my cousin crying?"
So'lek raised both hands in willing surrender. "I overstepped and pushed him too far– my rudeness is to blame." His hand was still wet from brushing away Tamtey's tears, it glistened incriminatingly in the green forest light.
Nor's eyes widened comically large. He looked like he was about to explode. "Huh?!"
Nor turned to the other Sarentu, winzaw completely forgotten. Tamtey looked rattled, no longer crying now but still unsteady where he was crouched low to the forest floor.
"He overstepped?" Nor sounded incredulous and more than a little upset.
Tamtey struggled for words, still fighting whiplash. "Um– I'm okay, Nor. Calm down."
Nor looked miserably between the two of them. "If he hurt you–" he started to say, but Tamtey shook his head and pulled at Nor's arm. "Let's just forget this," he pleaded.
Despite his insistent yanking, Nor dug his heels into the ground and refused to be dragged away. "How dare you! I held you in great respect as a mentor," he addressed So'lek. "Everyone knows our Sarentu clan is– small– but Teylan and I are enough to defend–"
"Teylan…?" Tamtey interrupted with a tone of utter incredulity, but Nor barrelled on.
"-- against skxawng who would take advantage of our–"
"What the shit, Nor!" Tamtey despaired in English, finally catching on to the misunderstanding. "Leave it alone!"
Nor, hissed, actually hissed, at So'lek, who looked incredibly wary. Tamtey noted with some unhappiness that his hiss actually sounded strong and intimidating, unlike his own.
"I apologize. I will take my leave," said So'lek, dipping his head low before retreating quickly into deeper forest and out of sight. Twin pairs of yellowy eyes watched his retreat, one narrowed and suspicious, the other wide-eyed and hurt.
"Dumbass!" Tamtey rounded on Nor as soon as they were alone. "Skxawng! What do you think was happening just now?"
Nor looked like he was trying his best to swell up twice his size and failing badly. The result had him looking like an Earth pufferfish. "He was…"
All the air left him, leaving him sad and deflated. "I'm not sure. But you were crying and it was his fault."
Tamtey shoved angrily at his shoulder. "First of all, Ri'nela and I do not need protection, especially from Teylan– holy shit, Nor. Second of all, it wasn't like what you think. I was upset…" He really didn't want to bring up TAP and stir those memories in Nor. So he pivoted. "Because I hurt my foot. He was just trying to comfort me when you walked in on us." Nor frowned. "That doesn't make any sens–" Tamtey shut him up with a finger to his lips.
"Third of all, it's So'lek we're talking about. We both trust him with our lives, plus he's so uptight that everyone at HQ suspects he's got a tree branch shoved up his ass; and so in what world would he do anything like that?"
Nor hunched his shoulders, sufficiently cowed by his argument. "I'm sorry."
Tamtey huffed and pinched his tail, but not too meanly. "You're forgiven."
On the bright side, this emotional rollercoaster had dried up his earlier shame almost completely. The only downside being, now he had a brand new worse thing to feel even more embarrassed about. He already dreaded the awkward prospect of at least another week's worth of travel together after everything Nor had said. He had to apologize, both for his cousin's behavior and his own stupid outburst from before. He rarely cried since Aha'ri's death, so to have done it today over… practically nothing! It was too ridiculous for words.
Tamtey cast his gaze despairingly at the thick wall of trees around the station. There was absolutely no way he would be able to track So'lek down in this unfamiliar thicket, especially if he didn't want to be found. Nor still looked too antsy to be left willingly behind anyhow. He focused his attention back onto his kin.
"So!" He shifted his face back into a smile that hopefully looked less forced than it felt. "Ri'nela will be happy you brought dinner, let's go inside and let her know so she can help dress the deer."
Ri'nela actually was happy to see the cleanly killed winzaw, and when her question of "where's So'lek" was met by a hesitant "I don't know," she wisely did not press harder for details. This is why Ri'nela was Tamtey's favorite family member.
After dinner had been eaten, everyone else had gone to rest, and Tamtey was starting to get seriously worried that So'lek had actually ditched them for good– that was when he finally reappeared from the darkness. Tamtey rose from his crouched vantage on the roof and nimbly leapt down to greet him as he approached.
"You were gone for so long! I saved you some of the food–"
So'lek held up a hand to forestall him. "Thank you. I have already eaten."
Tamtey frowned. "Okay. Where have you been?"
So'lek looked visibly more awkward than he'd ever thought him capable of being. Tamtey would be more tempted to laugh if he wasn't so worried that So'lek was going to be stuck like this forever.
"I was– hunting," So'lek replied, stiltedly. He seemed to take a moment to visibly steel himself, then began, "Sarentu, I owe you a great apology. I have taken liberties, and…"
He trailed off as Tamtey actually did begin laughing at him.
"Oh, come on! Nor was speaking nonsense, obviously it's me who should be sorry? Him as well, but Eywa already knows he would never actually say it. I am sorry for him, and for earlier."
He crossed the distance between them in order to hug So'lek tight, ignoring the stiffness in his posture. Tamtey had already decided during dinner that he would not let his own awkward feelings drive a wedge between them. The metal chestplate dug uncomfortably into his cheek, which he ignored.
Slowly, as if trying not to spook away a nervous direhorse, So'lek lifted his arms to embrace Tamtey in return. It was nice, even if Tamtey was a little annoyed that the other Na'vi warrior would treat him so gingerly. He sighed happily then pulled away, yellow eyes and bioluminescent syuratan glowing bright in the dim night light.
"We are friends, still? You are staying." Tamtey needed to make sure. It was more of a command than a question, anyway.
So'lek furrowed his brow, as if unhappy about something.
"Of course. The Sarentu clan can always depend on my friendship. I will not go unless you wish me to." Tamtey let out the little breath of relief he'd been holding in. "That is good. You take the watch then, wake me before the eclipse so we can switch."
So'lek still looked a little uncomfortable, although perhaps Tamtey was just confusing that for his normal scowl.
He followed Tamtey as he clambered back to where he had been before on the moss-covered metal roof. Tamtey very intentionally ignored the heavy weight of So'lek's gaze as he curled his long limbs into a more comfortable shape and closed his eyes for sleep.
The air in this part of the world was warm, even at night, for which he was thankful. Pretty much the only thing Tamtey had ever appreciated about TAP was the old uniform, which had been designed specifically to keep the children warm in a cold air-conditioned facility. Once he had been set free, he'd taken every chance he'd gotten to embrace Na'vi culture, but the clothes had at first seemed a little skimpy to his human-informed sensibilities. And on chilly nights he missed the army-issue thermodynamic fabric. Not this night, though. There was no need for a blanket or bed to shelter himself, and what little breeze existed was being blocked by So'lek's larger figure from where he sat beside him.
Grateful, Tamtey fwipped his tail so the tip touched the small of So'lek's back. Comforting, grounding, a reminder of his presence. I see you, too.
His eyes were closed, so he didn't see the fond look So'lek cast upon him where he lay resting. But Tamtey could feel the other Na'vi finally start to untense. He'd need to remember later to thank Eywa for many such small blessings.
**
When he next blinked awake, it was to the beeping sounds of Teylan noisily busying himself with a SID. I've slept well past the eclipse, he noted with no small amount of internal exasperation. Typical considerate, stupid, So'lek. Tamtey stretched out sleepily, languid and comfortable in the early morning light.
So'lek was nowhere to be seen when he'd opened his eyes, but judging by the happy chittering from the ikran, he wasn't far away. Tamtey realized belatedly that there was a woven blanket that had been carefully draped over him at some point in the night. He smiled, pinching the soft thing in between two blue fingers. Very considerate.
He was still a little upset that So'lek hadn't woken him. It wasn't just a matter of fairness– So'lek was stony enough on the best of days, so Tamtey shuddered to imagine him tired and therefore grumpy.
Ri'nela poked her head out from the laughably tiny human doorway. "Oh, good! You're awake."
Tamtey wriggled out from under the blanket. "I was asleep for far too long. Tell me, has another 16 years passed? Did I miss anything very important?"
"That's not very funny," scolded Ri'nela. But Tamtey could see her struggling to conceal a little smile. "So'lek is feeding the ikran. Nor is flying ahead, and Teylan has a time limit of 35 minutes before we all have to go, too."
She lifted a long warning finger. "Do not let him try and convince you to stay longer. I already gave him extra time."
"Couldn't say no to that face?"
"No," Ri'nela sighed. "I never can."
Tamtey shook his head, but he was smiling too. "I'll help you bring everything onto the ikran, then."
Ri'nela shot him one last grateful look before disappearing back into the cramped interior. Humans really had always been so small.
Together they bundled up the scrap parts Teylan had salvaged the night before, working quickly in companionable silence. Teylan helped too, after spending the last half hour clambering around the station like a monkey and pointing his scanner at every wall. Ri'nela and Tamtey listened as he happily chattered on about what old research files he'd found, which personnel used to work here, who had a hidden stash of weed (identified by the horrible smell) and porn (gross). Tamtey stood up partway through the story, weighed down by four bags of scrap that were ready to be loaded on among the ikran. With a grimace he realized that they'd have to put a limit on what Teylan was allowed to bring if they truly were to repeat this process for every science station– the ikran could only be expected to carry so much. A conversation he was not eager to have, and one that could be delayed only for now.
So'lek was right where Ri'nela had said he'd be; offering fruit to the hungry ikran. Tamtey noted with pleasure that his own ikran was docile under the care of the older Na'vi, even allowing him to scratch her beak with a rumbling purr. It seemed only fitting that his bonded would like So'lek as much as he himself did.
"I come bearing gifts," he announced, hefting the bags a little higher as he approached. "Guess what it is!"
So'lek gave him a bemused glance. "Heavy junk?"
"Of course!" he replied brightly, and set the bags down to the grass with a demonstrative thump.
Tamtey allowed himself a small covetous moment to admire So'lek's lean back as he treated his ikran to the firm, smooth strokes of his hand. Then he remembered that he was still annoyed with him.
"You promised that you would wake me, and you didn't," he accused.
So'lek shrugged, ignoring his huffy tone and smiling softly at his happy ikran. "I promised no such thing. You seemed tired." Tamtey rolled his eyes, but let the matter drop. He had been tired. That was probably the reason he'd reacted so badly to their conversation yesterday. "I'm splitting the watch with Nor tomorrow night, then. And you," he pointed at him with an accusing finger, "will take it easy. Just make sure you don't fall asleep in the saddle, old man."
This finally earned him a scoff from So'lek. He turned towards Tamtey with one raised condescending brow. "As you say, I am older and more mature. Young warriors need their rest so they can grow big and strong."
Tamtey flashed him a fangy grin. Technically, because of the cryosleep, he was his age– if not older. But he'd already tried that argument on him a dozen times and it never worked. He switched tactics. "You know that I've already finished growing. I'm not a child."
For a split second something about So'lek's face gave him the impression of a thanator whose prey had just walked directly into its open maw.
He then asked Tamtey his question with a deceptively innocent smile, "Ah, I see. So you will stay this tiny forever, then?"
"RAH!" With a guttural cry, Tamtey pounced on So'lek and tackled him to the ground.
It was just play fighting, really. Their tails thrashed around them as they rolled in the dirt, the movement kicking up assorted leaf litter in a giddy flurry. He scrabbled at So'lek's knees with his feet, So'lek growled playfully and pushed his face into the dirt. He retaliated in kind and bit into the palm pressed over his mouth– hard enough that So'lek winced, but not with enough force to break the skin. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. Just as the blunt edge of So'lek's nails began to dig sharply into his hip, he opened his jaw and hissed.
It was much better than yesterday's attempt. The pride of it shook through Tamtey's bones like thunder rolling across a valley.
So'lek had stopped short at the gentle sound, which he used to his advantage. With a mighty shove he flipped their positions so So'lek was pinned underneath him on his back. "Not too small to beat your ass!" Tamtey crowed triumphantly.
So'lek was smiling way too widely for a man who was trapped in an embarrassing pin by a less experienced warrior. "You win," he conceded, but his eyes were excited.
Tamtey also felt a little too excited. Obviously their blood was pumping from the wrestling, but when he played like this with the other Sarentu he'd never felt this thrilled over a win. Or… like even if he'd lost he would still be pleased.
Abruptly, he realized that he'd spent too long quietly staring at So'lek to pass it off as not weird. He rolled off the firm stomach and swept gracefully up from the ground, still jittery from the sudden dopamine rush. So'lek looked surprised at the sudden loss of Tamtey's weight over him, then longing, then conflicted. Tamtey missed all this because he was too busy thinking about how good So'lek had looked, flushed and panting on the ground, so he distracted himself by greeting his ikran before his face could turn a humiliating shade of purple.
Prrnen snapped at him, clearly miffed that she had not been acknowledged by her bonded earlier.
"I'm sorry, ma'yawntu," Tamtey cooed at his ikran. "Good morning baby. Did you have a good breakfast? Did So'lek give you good pets? Yes he did!"
By the time he felt strong enough to turn and face So'lek, he had already gotten back up to his feet. There was a leaf that had gotten caught in his hair. Tamtey decided not to mention it.
So'lek picked up one of the bundles and tested the weight, looking skeptical. "He definitely can't keep this much from every human outpost we pass," he muttered. But he helped Tamtey pack them onto the ikran nonetheless.
Just as they were finishing the last knots and fastenings, Teylan appeared with Ri'nela in tow.
"Ok, I'm ready!" Teylan announced– then stopped in his tracks to squint at So'lek. "You've got something stuck in your hair." So'lek's stoic demeanor did not shift as he quickly fished the leaf out of his braid, but Tamtey could have sworn he'd seen his eye twitch very slightly.
Tamtey also noticed Ri'nela watching him with an interested look, and he quickly averted his gaze before he could give himself away.
There was nothing he could keep from his family for long. No secrets. But Ri'nela definitely wasn't going to confront him about this right now, at least. And Tamtey truly had no desire to hash out his stupid crush and hear the others poke fun at him, especially Nor.
They all took flight with little to no fanfare. Nor circled back in the early afternoon to report no RDA sightings, no severed ferals, and no new computer terminals either. Teylan looked disappointed, and so, out of respect for the youngest Sarentu, nobody cheered.
If the rumor they'd heard was correct, the old Sarentu encampment would be less than a two-day flight away at this point in their journey, so it was decided that they would push forward until evening. Tamtey flew point, flanked by Ri'nela and Nor. So'lek brought up the rear, with Teylan nestled safely in the center of their ranks.
Trying to talk loudly enough to be heard over the wind was exhausting after a few hours, so conversation was light. Tamtey used the empty time as an opportunity to contemplate the gorgeous scenery passing underneath his ikran like a sliding tapestry.
Not for the first time, he thought about the other Sarentu that Mercer and Alma had put in TAP. The ones who were not lucky enough to fly beside him now. Telisi, Yefti, Yuayt. Aha'ri. His sister especially would have been so thrilled to see this view. The lush colors of Pandora– a stark contrast to the cold gray of concrete and steel they'd grown up with.
He wished bitterly that he could see them all in Eywa, to tell them that not all had been lost; that the Sarentu were free and would again travel the forests of Pandora as before.
But they had never communed with any spirit tree, and their bodies had all been lost. Incinerated, most likely. Or else spliced up into little pieces for the scientists to study and run tests on. They lived on only within his own imperfect memory– a poor substitute for the Great Mother. Tamtey knew the others shared his grief, but that did not make the ache in his heart any easier to bear, nor did it stop his mind from wandering to angry memories and painful questions. What if they hadn't been murdered before the revolution? What if Alma had done something sooner to protect them? What if none of this had ever happened?
Tamtey would give anything for that last one to have been true.
So'lek's voice crackling through his radio broke through his swirling thoughts. "We should land soon. I see a good place to shelter up ahead."
Tamtey had definitely lost track of the time. The yellow sun was beginning to dip under the horizon, and one quick glance showed him that Nor and Teylan were starting to droop a little in their saddles.
He twisted in his mount and gave So'lek a grateful thumbs up. He'd spent enough time around humans that So'lek almost certainly knew what it meant, although Tamtey would never forget the first time he'd unthinkingly done it to a Zeswa rider and needed to quickly explain himself, since it was apparently an offensive gesture in their clan.
Tamtey and the other Sarentu followed his lead, banking down and to the left towards a cluster of floating rocks. So'lek led them towards the biggest one, roughly the size of a small mountain, where there were numerous ledges etched in the sides of the stone, with trees and vines to shelter them from the cooler air.
Tamtey and So'lek landed first, their ikrans letting out twin screeches as their talons hit the ground. He slid to the stone with a groan. His legs were especially saddle-sore; they were unused to this kind of prolonged journey, and none of the Sarentu had built up the stamina required to comfortably perch on an ikran all day just yet.
Infuriatingly, So'lek was obviously fine. His mouth pressed into a bemused smile at Tamtey's discomfort, but he was mindful enough of his pride to allow the moment to pass by without comment.
As soon as everyone had landed (and everyone except So'lek had taken a moment to soothe their crampy legs) they got to work setting up their camp for the night.
Teylan draped the stone with their packed hides and woven blankets for sleeping, with So'lek there to help him unburden the resting ikran. Nor started a fire and set water to boil for a stew using the meat from yesterday's winzaw. Some other fresh ingredients would do them all some good, so Ri'nela volunteered herself and Tamtey to go look for something edible.
Tamtey wasn't stupid. He knew without question that Ri'nela had just wanted a chance to interrogate him about whatever was going on, but he couldn't see any subtle way to wriggle out of it. This was going to be inevitable anyways, and at least he could trust Ri'nela to be more tactful about this conversation than either Teylan or Nor were bound to be.
Reluctantly, he followed his cousin into the forest with a metaphorical tail between his legs.
"So," Ri'nela, just as predicted, began almost immediately after they were far enough away from the others to be out of earshot, "you and So'lek have been acting a bit stranger than normal."
"How so?" Tamtey aimed for his tone to register as neutrally as possible. His efforts were wasted on Ri'nela, though.
"Nor told me there was some kind of misunderstanding yesterday, and I know So'lek disappeared for a little while last night," Ri'nela paused expectantly for an explanation.
Tamtey groaned. "Yes, Nor had a misunderstanding. He talked to you already? Such a tattletale!"
Ri'nela grabbed him by the hand before he could brush past, stopping him dead in his tracks. "I want to hear your side of the story."
Tamtey stubbornly tugged his hand free, but didn't step away. "Nor obviously had no idea what he was talking about. It was genuinely nothing," he insisted. "His imagination got the better of him, and he was rude to So'lek. That's all."
Ri'nela gave him a look. "He saw you crying in So'lek's arms."
Tamtey's ears flattened in embarrassment, which was basically as good as a confirmation that it was true.
"And this morning– what were you two doing that involved getting dirty rolling around on the ground?"
Tamtey felt his face go hot and blush a dark purple. "It's not what you think!"
Ri'nela threw both hands up into the air, exasperated. "I don't even know what to think, Tamtey! What in the name of the Mother is happening with you two?!"
"I don't know," Tamtey admitted, suddenly miserable beyond words. "I feel so stupid."
Seeing her kin so obviously in distress, Ri'nela made a soothing sound. Her hands quickly rose to wrap comfortingly around his shoulders as he leaned into her sturdy embrace.
"Just tell me what's going on," she pressed.
This time, Tamtey told Ri'nela the whole story without keeping anything hidden.
"We talked a little about TAP– he was asking me about hissing and… well. You know."
Ri'nela remembered just as well as he would exactly what Mercer's punishments for that type of misbehavior were like.
"And things got kind of… emotional. He wouldn't just let it go, so I snapped, you know? I hissed– but it wasn't like you think, it was bad, completely pathetic. I don't know what came over me, and then Nor showed up— he made some wrong assumptions, started saying some things– we really need to talk with him about some of the human biases he's internalized– then So'lek ran away. You can probably figure out the rest yourself; he came back a few hours later and I apologized for being so… much."
Ri'nela nodded. "And… this morning?"
Tamtey shook his head. "Just playing. As if he doesn't already think I act like enough of an eveng'skxawng," he added. He sounded bitter, even to his own ears.
"I'm such an idiot, Ri'nela!"
"That's definitely not true," Ri'nela insisted. "Why would you say that?"
"Because So'lek is– he's a legend, 'Nela! The infamous Dogtag Warrior, and I feel like I'm barely even a real Na'vi most days. I know I need to just get over myself, that it's just a dumb crush, but I can't help but act like a complete fool around him all the time. It's hopeless!"
Ri'nela grabbed his shoulder and shook it, gently. "We are real Na'vi. Don't ever let yourself think otherwise. So'lek knows that too."
Tamtey had to acknowledge that this was probably true. From even the very first moment that So'lek had gathered the Sarentu from their cryo pods, he'd never treated them as anything less than true Na'vi. Guiding them, protecting them, but never coddling or othering them. He nodded, slowly.
"Sorry…"
Ri'nela waved her hand, as if batting away the apology. "I see you, Ma'Tamtey. You underestimate yourself. Any warrior would be honored by your interest, even infamous ones."
He huffed a disbelieving snort and grinned. "I can tell you're eager to sell me off! You think I should hitch up with the next strong warrior I see and live in his hut?"
She smacked his shoulder. "If you think there's any chance I'd let you leave this clan to join someone else's, then you really are an eveng'skxawng. Come on, there's probably a yoten nest around here somewhere we can gather a few eggs from."