Chapter Text
Neteyam smelt the salt of the ocean far before he ever reached it. He had smelt it once before, and despite it’s foreign scent, he found it exciting and comforting in an odd way.
Now, riding his Ikran with the tension permeating the air around his family, the smell only dug a pit into his gut and set his nerves on edge.
The sun shone too bright and the air a little too warm. A small patch of dry, open sand sat beside the Metkayina village. It would serve as the perfect landing strip.
A horn blared, presumably announcing the arrival of Neteyam and his family.
Neteyam zeroed in on the sand patch, and Tsyale screeched her agreement as she spread and flapped her wings to slow her descent from the air.
A large crowd gathered as Neteyam and his family landed their Ikran. Several of the Metkayina stared at the flying creatures. Parents held their children back.
Neteyam dismounted from Tsyale, patting her neck as he disconnected their Kuru.
The heat from the sand warmed Neteyam’s wind cold feet. The scents of each person made him dizzy and nauseous, but he remained firm and steady on his feet from several years of practice.
Several younger members of the clan approached the newcomers. One caught Neteyam’s attention. An Alpha. Tall, far taller than Neteyam and Lo’ak, with curls braided up and piled on top of his head in a tight bun. A single necklace was all he wore, and bare of the tattoos the decorated the skin of the other Metkayina.
He eyed Neteyam and Lo’ak, stalking them like prey. Neteyam greeted him and the shorter boy behind him. Lo’ak followed suit.
The boy circled them, then laughed.
“Is that supposed to be a tail?” He said.
Neteyam’s tail flicked in response, drawing more laughter from the boy. Neteyam huffed his dissatisfaction.
A pretty girl emerged from the water, and Neteyam didn’t miss the way Lo’ak looked at her, or the way the boy behind them suddenly had something better to do than pay attention to the outsiders.
The crowd parted, and from it emerged the tallest Na’vi Neteyam has ever seen. His curls were half tied up in a top knot with the remaining free hair falling just below his shoulders. His cape was a bright orange and red, and Neteyam was certain he recognized Ikran wings incorporated into it. A necklace of large teeth took over all the open space around the man’s neck, and a clearly armored chest piece wrapped around the left side of his chest. Tattoos covered the man’s face, neck, chest and arms, putting him above all others of the clan surrounding Neteyam and his family.
Jake gestured with his hand, giving a very sincere “I see you” before approaching who was clearly the Olo’eyktan, Tonowari. The man reciprocated.
Neteyam had heard of Tonowari’s calm yet strong presence, and his strong earthy scent almost made Neteyam vomit from its intensity. Instead, he swallowed down the bile that crawled up his esophagus.
A woman slipped through the crowd as well with a large shell on her forehead, a skirt with woven shells hanging low on her hips, her neck piece with yet more shells and small stones, and tattoos on her face, neck and chest separating her as the Tsahik, a woman named Ronal.
“I see you, Ronal, Tsahik of the Metkayina.”
His father gestured again, and his mother followed suit. Neteyam nudged Lo’ak, and they copied their parents.
The Tsahik watched them all with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, her dissatisfaction evident in even the most minute of her facial expressions.
“Why do you come to us, Jakesuully?” Tonowari asked, watching carefully as Jake picked up Tuk.
“We seek uturu,” his father said, worry knit into his scrunched brow. His mother placed a hand between his father’s shoulders in silent comfort.
The crowd gasped, and both leaders shared a glance with each other. Ronal stepped forward.
“Uturu?” She spat, eyes narrowed further directly at Jake.
“Yes — sanctuary for my family.” His father held Tuk just a little tighter.
“We are Reef people. You are forest people. Your skills will mean nothing here.” Tonowari’s voice betrayed his calm, exasperation evident the more words came out.
“We will learn your ways!” his father cried. They were all desperate for the chance to protect the others of their clan. This was how his father thought it best would happen.
Ronal circled the Sully family, examining them like a prized Omega being bought off. His father had told him the horrors on Earth that Omega’s went through just existing, and the mere idea of it sent gooseflesh prickling across his skin and a shiver down his spine.
Tonowari’s voice cut through Neteyam’s nerves like a blade.
“Your tails are weak. You will be slow in the water.”
The boy who had initially remarked about their “small” tails stood beside the Chief, smirk growing as he realized the leaders of his tribe thought the Sully’s to be just as useless as he had.
Neteyam straightened further, just as desperate in his own way to help in his family’s acceptance.
Ronal snarled, grabbing Kiri’s tail and wrapping the appendage around her wrist, then flicking it away. Her contempt was written all over her face. She detested outsiders. She detested the Sully’s on a near fundamental level, if her face was anything to go by.
“These children are not even true Na’vi!” Ronal punctuated the bite in her words by holding up Kiri’s hand and grabbing Lo’ak’s. The entire village gasped.
Jake held up his hands, showing the entire crowd. Neteyam grimaced as several people cowered away.
“I was born of the Sky People, but now I am Na’vi. We will adapt.”
Neytiri’s glare said it all — the Tsahik had one chance to back away from her children before it became a problem.
She stepped out from behind her husband, leveling Ronal with her gaze.
“My Husband was Toruk Makto. He led the clans to victory against the Sky People.” Pride oozed from each word. Neytiri loved her husband, and took great satisfaction in the actions he took to honor Eywa.
“This you call victory? Hiding among strangers?” The Tsahik glanced between Neteyam’s parents, doubt in her eyes despite a near neutral expression. “It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, Chosen One.”
His mother snarled at the Tsahik, teeth bared. The Tsahik did not back down, returning the hiss with one of her own.
The chief and his father shared a look, and Jake stepped in, quick to apologize and diffuse the situation.
“Do not apologize for me!” Neytiri snapped.
Ronal nodded, taking the attempt at diplomacy as a chance to stare back at her own mate.
Tonowari gave Ronal a warning look. He locked eyes with Jake — alpha to alpha. His People’s eyes upon him, he examined the crowd. It would be dangerous ground whichever way he decided.
The paired leaders shared a look, communicating full ideas in just one glance. It reminded Neteyam of his own parents. They had a way of talking in front of everyone with just their eyes that was uncanny in its clarity. It was the way only those mated for life before Eywa seemed to be able to communicate with one another.
“Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na’vi people know his story,” Tonowari paused. “But we Metkayina are not at war. Death follows you wherever you go, Jakesuully. I can not let you bring your war here.”
“I’m done with war. I just want my family safe.”
Jake squeezed the young girl in his arms, placing a hand on the back of her head and cradling her head in the crook of his neck.
Tonowari scanned the crowd once again, then closed his eyes and nodded his head before slowly opening them. Assent. Tonowari had accepted Uturu.
“Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as Brothers and Sisters. They do not know our ways, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless.”
The crowd murmured their agreement with their Chief.
“Thank you,” Jake said, unable to hide his gratitude.
“My son Ao’nung and daughter Tsireya a will show the children what to do.”
The boy stepped forward.
“Father, why—“
Tonowari cut his son off.
“It is decided.”
The Chief quickly took his mate from the crowd, and Tsireya, an omega if her floral, sugar sweet scent was anything to go by, grabbed both Neteyam’s and Lo’ak’s hands in hers.
“Come! I will show you our villiage!” She giggled out the words, as if it would have brought her no greater joy than to show around the Newcomers.
Ao’nung, while clearly displeased at the prospect of being in charge of these new people, begrudgingly took up residence beside Neteyam. Neteyam almost called him out for his earlier actions, before he noticed that with his own brother beside him, the alphas had him boxed in against the crowd. An odd display of instinct that was comforting in its familiarity.
Everyone stared as his family followed Tsireya. Several of the villagers held their chins firmly down as they locked eyes with Neteyam. Surprisingly, a few lifted their chin in submission. The hierarchy of caste already affirming itself with little work on Neteyam’s part.
“Seems you will be greatly respected, Forest Boy.”
Neteyam blinked at Ao’nung. The alpha laughed.
“Don’t let it get to your head,” he said.
Neteyam rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on the proper guide through the village. The woven flooring made it difficult to walk with any level of stability, but Neteyam did his best. Tuk’s joy and energy were infectious, and Neteyam laughed as she jumped and bounced around the walkways.
Tsireya led the family to a marui of their own.
It was a small structure seemingly woven of the same material of the walkways. It was rather plain, except for a blue reflective material that was the slightest bit transparent, allowing the the sunlight that traveled through to be tinged blue and reflect on the floor and walls like ocean waves lapping at a sandy shore.
“Once you are settled, me and Ao’nung will be waiting on the beach to begin teaching you our ways,” Tsireya said, bowing and leaving them to settle into their new home.
Everyone dropped their things, and Jake sat himself front and center for the whole family.
“Alright, gather round. Family meeting,” the man said.
Every sat in a circle, and Neteyam, even in the comfort of what was now his home, sat with his back straight and his attention firmly planted on his father. Jake cleared his throat before he spoke.
“I want you kids on best behavior. I mean it. You learn fast, pull your weight and don’t cause trouble. Got it?”
Their father eyed Lo’ak, who rolled his eyes as he spoke.
“Yes, sir.”
Neteyam patted him on the back with a grin. Lo’ak pulled away, smacking his hand away with bared fangs and snarling. Tuk interrupted them, sniffling and with tears in her eye.
”I want to go home.” The young girl cried, fat tears streaming down her face as she rubbed hers eyes to get the infernal things away.
Jake’s face softened, and he gathered the girl up in his arms, nuzzling the side of her head as he rubbed her back.
”Tuk-tuk -- this is our home now.” The words came out soft, and Jake kept nuzzling Tuk. It was small, but the effort worked and Tuk settled just the smallest amount.
The family had their eyes on Jake. He looked around the room, meeting every single pair of eyes. His father opened and closed his mouth rapidly. He wanted to speak, but he couldn’t.
“What does your father always say?” Neytiri said, her voice cutting though the silence.
Every kid rolled their eyes and answered in unison.
“Sullys stick together.”
”That’s right. Sullys stick together,” Jake said with a laugh.
Tuk giggled and nuzzled their father before getting out of his lap and running to Kiri.
Their father brushed his cheek with each of them and their mother before leaving the Marui. Neytiri smiled, and shooed the children to their new duties.