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Neytiri was out by the river cleaning some of the fish that’d been caught. Picking from one basket, gutting and slicing with her knife, then tossing into the other basket beside her.
It was menial work, but she liked it. Gave her something to do with her hands while her eyes wandered. Other people from her clan were busy doing other tasks around her.
Some Na’vi fished further up river, up past the waterfalls, others would explore the forest nearby to forage. Little ones darted past her in the shallows, being chased and squealing. Neytiri’s head leaned back as she got caught by some of the splashing. Her nose wrinkling, but she smiled, amused by their excitement all the same.
She’d left Jake at hometree to learn weaving, and hopefully, some singing with Ninat. She planned on getting him to start his songcord soon and hoped their best singer might be able to teach him a thing or two.
Was she doubtful? Absolutely. Did she keep looking in the direction of hometree wishing to be there? All the time.
She shouldn't have left him alone with Ninat. A coil of unhappy thoughts had her cutting into the fish with more force than was needed.
Jake was strange in his ways, but she found it stranger how easy it was with him.
She hated the idea of Ninat enjoying that too. Another fish was gutted and tossed.
The fall of a child and a sudden piercing cry got her attention back on the waters. She’d already started to get up to go to them but another Na’vi was already there.
“Bring them over here.” Neytiri called, gesturing to a boulder they could sit on.
Dropping the fish back into their baskets and cleaning her hands and knife in the water. She’d sheathed it by the time the injured would come.
She wasn’t Tsahik yet, but she knew a thing or two about the practices her mother would do. Little one would be back in the water playing before the day was out.
Her thoughts on Jake weren't as easy to shake.