Archive of Our Own

Notes:

• Inspired by Ash and Vine by Xenomorphee

Leytsare first makes her appearance in Xenomorphee's "Ash and Vine" continuation fanfic of Avatar: Fire and Ash. She is a Reef Na'vi, possibly of either the Metkayina or the Ta'unui clans originally, and ekes out an existence as a nomadic trader with a female Skimwing/Tsurak and an Ilu. She first appears in Chapter 8, "Plan" where she comes across now-Seargent Lyle Wainfleet as he's relaxing on a small uninhabited island. Lyle, attempting to relax three days before carrying out his assigned mission by Ardmore's former aide (and current leader of Bridgehead) to drive the remaining Mangkwan (including Varang and his former CO) out from the ruins of their Hometree so that the RDA can mine the Unobtanium beneath its roots and build an airstrip not far away, is shocked by her presence. Lyle, having expressed an atteaction to "Ocean Girl" Na'vi twice prior (and a definite preference for them over the "freaky" Mangkwan), eventually manages to trade a metal-free pencil/notebook with her for a Pxazang-tooth necklace. His most recent meeting with her is in chapter 11, "Recovery".

Her first appearance is described thusly:
"It was a young Ocean Na’vi woman [standing before him]. She had wet, loose, wavy hair, browner than black, most of it gathered into a messy side braid, her queue's braid still at her back. She had an ornate tattoo on her forehead and wore a colorful shawl, which didn’t look like the typical attire of Ocean Na’vi, and a loose, thin, flowing wrap skirt over her loincloth. Both were wet, but their material seemed to facilitate a quick dry."

Her "ornate forehead tatoo" is a stylized version of a Glider Fin, a type of Pandoran Reef fish.
All character art by me in Procreate, and the background photo was edited in Procreate as well.