𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐚’𝐯𝐢... echoed through the tall trees. Netzari watched how they pulled themselves higher and higher up the slender green vines to see who was the fastest climber. The beads in her braided hair jingled as she jumped in her place in excitement when one of the boys yelled out in victory, his voice distant and high above. Within seconds, the four children slid down the vines and landed with a soft, silent thud on the ground.
“Who’s next?”
Netzari immediately perked up and had already half grabbed hold of one of the vines before it was snatched back.
“No! Not you. You have four of each, how is that fair?” The girl beside her sneered with the ghost of a smirk on her face as soon as the kids behind her started to snicker along. She pointed at Netzari’s hands and feet and laughed again, “Look how weird! Did your daddy give you those?”
“My father is Toruk Makto, he’s not weird, he’s mighty!”
Another boy walked up to them and shoved Netzari out of the way.
“Go! Demon child.” He seethed the English words in a thick Na’vi accent.
Netzari bared her teeth, scrunched her nose and hissed like she’d seen her mother do before. Her eyebrows were set in rage, but her trembling lip betrayed her true feelings.
“Netzari?” Jake’s voice called out for his daughter, and soon he appeared through the bushes. His face lit up when he saw her among the other Na’vi children, not sensing what had just occurred. The kids immediately quieted down, some even hung their heads down in shame.
“It’s time for training, let’s go.” Jake gently placed his hands on her shoulders, gave the staring children a kind smile and ushered her away. Knowing how keen Netzari usually was to stay and play with the others, Jake was surprised at how easily she let him shepherd her home. Before they could disappear behind the density of the bushes, one of the kids mumbled something under his breath,
“Stay away, sky demon.”
Netzari immediately turned back around. Her ears were flat against her head and she bared her teeth once more before letting out a long hiss. Jake turned, surprised at Netzari’s actions, not having heard the kid speak. And if he had, he wouldn’t have understood most of it anyway. He chuckled dryly, “Hey, what’s wrong? Did you guys not play fair?”
Netzari took a couple of seconds to stare down each kid who held the boy's same hatred and disgust in their eyes, before passing her father and walking back home.
“Next time you can stay a bit longer, I promise.” Jake followed, unsure of what to say. When it came to feelings and emotions, his daughter was a replica of Neytiri. She was a master at keeping things to herself, at the silent treatment, and at times her behaviour confused him. He always passed it off as having to learn to be a dad, to have a child, but lately, he’d seen the change in Netzari. Was this normal for young girls? Was this something that was usual for the Na’vi culture?
Before Jake could ponder any longer, Netzari grumbled out, “I want to go home.”
“Don’t you want to go tracking with your mom?” Jake smiled in endearment the moment he saw her ears flutter and perk up in enthusiasm. “Thought as much. Race you across the river?” He smirked at his daughter, but her usual wide grin stayed hidden, and Netzari only softly nodded her head in return.
Neytiri immediately noticed something was afoot when she took one look at her daughter. “Ma’tseo (my little arrow), what’s wrong?” She softly held Netzari’s chin to make her look into her own yellow eyes, and saw the grumpy pout on her little one’s face. Ne’tzari shook her head, not budging, but Neytiri tilted hers, a silent order to not hold back.
“They called me demon child and didn’t let me play along.” Her daughter’s small voice mumbled out, and Neytiri immediately closed her eyes, afraid Netzari would see the anger and disappointment in them. Her girl needed to be kept in the dark as much as she could when it came to the whispers that had slowly resurfaced now that the Sky People were nearing their territory again, and she realised that Jake would never truly be seen as part of them by some of their clan. Now it seemed, things had even gone so far that her children were suffering the same treatment Jake had had all those years ago.
Neytiri dropped on her knees to get at her daughter’s eye level, “You are Na’vi, you are ours, ma’itetsyìp (my daughter),” She endearingly placed a hand on her little girl’s cheek, then placed her forehead against hers. “You are a daughter of mine, you are resilient, and you are as special as your father.”
“They mocked him too, but he is Toruk’s rider. He’s not weird, he’s the best flyer there is.” Neytiri smiled through her heartache at Netzari’s innocent and childlike amazement.
“And when you’re older, you too will soar through the skies on an Ikran of your own.” Neytiri held back a smile at seeing her daughter’s widened eyes. She lovingly untangled the few knots in Netzari’s hair, “Don’t let them tell you anything, don’t let them intimidate you. You are Netzari Sully, you are Omaticaya, you are our daughter.”
Jake watched as quietly as he had approached, having heard only the last part, but his heart both sunk and swelled at what he had heard.
“Now go gather your stuff before it’s too late to go out and train.” Neytiri watched the young girl hop over the log, through the bushes and out of sight, her mood now completely shifted after her talk with her mother.
But Neytiri’s mood had shifted too, and hers had turned sour after the newfound information. She stood up and turned, only to see Jake with an apologetic but soft smile on his face.
“Jake-” She sighed out and passed him, continuing to pack the stuff she needed like she was doing before the interruption. “-they tease her. Call her names. Lo'Ak and Kiri too. This cannot stand.”
Jake uncrossed his arms and pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against, “They’re just kids, messing around and throwing around words they have yet to understand. It’s like that on every planet.” He tried to lighten the mood with a soft chuckle, but Neytiri stopped what she was doing and gave him a calculated look that turned more into a glare each second that passed.
She scrunched her nose together, “They understand it is a bad word. And why only say it to our children?” She threw her bow around her shoulder, “They understand what it means, and so does she.”
Jake sighed softly, now understanding why Netzari’s mood had been so gloomy, “I didn’t realise it was getting out of hand.”
He knew those lingering stares of disapproval had never truly left with some people of their clan, but he should’ve put two and two together and realised that their popularity was slowly decreasing now that the Sky People were getting closer and closer once more.
“If you will not talk to them, I will.” Neytiri’s expression had one of finality, and Jake knew he had to step in if he didn’t want things to get worse. Neytiri was fiercely protective when it came to their family. She had already half jumped onto her Ikran before Jake grabbed her hand. He squeezed in it as a way to seal his promise, “You go with Netzari, take her mind off things. I will talk to them. I’ll make it right.”
Neytiri gave him a curt nod, her anger and frustration slowly subsiding as Jake comforted her, “You are Toruk Makto, and she is our child. They will listen.”
please do not copy, reproduce, translate or republish my work as your own. respect each other's work
please do not use my oc's
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𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐢... first sealed their Tsaheylu, they had thought only of each other in that moment, not knowing that it would result in Eywa blessing them with their very first child. Netzari was a healthy and strong infant; with bright golden eyes that reminded them of the sun, which were always eagerly following whatever happened around her as she'd move around in her crib or against Jake’s chest when she wanted to be part of what they were doing. She could not sit still, and if she had to, she would fuss and let them know that she wasn’t amused by being excluded.
It was clear from her very first months that she would grow up to be a fiery child, with a strong and big heart and a clear will like her mother, and an unwavering sense of resilience, determination and compassion coursing through her veins like her father. Therefore, amongst the Sullys, Netzari gained the nickname Nì’awvem; to pay homage to that fire in her belly that kept her heart warm and her blood pumping. From days spent in a carrier on her mother's back as the woman was out on hunts, to following her father around wherever he went as soon as she could walk, she developed a strong sense of belonging within their clan. She loved running through the forest, exploring the flora around her, greeting the animals and visiting the Spirit Tree now and then just as much as she loved to hunt, gather, craft stuff and give back to her people. Just because her family was important, did not mean she could slack off, and if she would forget, her parents would remind her.
The eldest Sully had always looked up to her mother for being such a skilled huntress and warrior and was in awe of her father each time he'd put her to bed with stories of his days as Toruk Makto. Her sun-goldened eyes would widen in amazement as he told her of soaring through the sky on its back after just having made his Tsaheylu with the mighty animal, and Neytiri would stop her work on making her daughter's songcord to watch with the warmest grin on her face at seeing two.
The first toy she had been given hadn’t been an Ikran or a Leonopteryx, like all the other children of their clan. No, instead, Netzari had a tiny handwoven bow attached around her torso all day. Neytiri would often catch the little four-year-old staring up at her in awe and in return, Neytiri’s eyes would soften and a giant toothy smile would appear on her face as she placed a loving hand on her daughter’s loose locks. Her girl... her beautiful and mighty girl. Then she’d look up at her mother, and this time Jake would swoon, for the two shared a fierce resemblance when it came to their smiles and the love in their eyes.
In those moments, as Neytiri watched their young child wobble through the forest with her tiny bow in her hands, she promised herself over and over again that if the day came, though she prayed to Eywa that it wouldn't come soon, she would give her father’s bow to her daughter, just like how it had been passed down to her. However, this she kept to herself, but Jake could see it in her eyes nonetheless. When Neytiri loved, she loved hard and with every fibre of her being. Jake and Netzari had softened the losses of those that had so harshly been ripped from her grasp, but the scars and the pain never left. Although she hated to think of it too often, it served as a good reminder to always protect what was dear to her.
As soon as signs showed that Eywa had blessed the pair with another child, the family of three was over the moon. Neteyam, was his name. And just like her parents had expected, Netzari had stepped up to take care of her little brother in her own adorable way. She’d sit by him for hours as he babbled, and she’d watch him fast asleep with her bow in her arms; keen on shying away any predator. Still, there was one thing that would never fail to send her into a downward cycle of confusing thoughts. Even as a young child, she realised that she was different from her brother each time his tiny hand would reach out for her. Her hands and her feet were different, just like her father's, whereas Neteyam's looked like those of other Na'vi, like her mother. Not able to properly put her thoughts into question, the young child merely pushed them to the back of her mind. But when she grew older and others started to take notice of it too, it resurfaced and slapped her in the face like a cold rainstorm pelting against the leaves of the rainforest.
Years passed again and more Sully kids followed, making the weight of being the responsible eldest sibling push down on her. She loved them all, with all her might. Their little family was her sacred place, for their family was their fortress as their father would remind them time and time again. She'd play for hours on end with Neteyam, catch fish with him or teach him how to track animals. She'd pull Lo'ak out of trouble and help him release his energy by finding fun ways to tire him out; holding little races and climbing the tallest trees, for example. And during days when he felt a little lost just like she often would, she let him tag along wherever she went. She'd spend hours with Kiri being taught by their grandmother, their Tsahìk, and they could sit in silence for hours, on the ground, each doing their own thing, to take in all the nature around them. And when years later Tuktirey was born, Netzari was over the moon all over again. The tiny bundle of purity happily cooing in her crib strengthened their family once more. Still, there was one thing they all had in common; each Sully child looked up to their eldest sibling. Neteyam wanted to be as calm and responsible as her to make his parents proud and sought out her guidance, Lo'ak admired her fiery nature and the fun she could have and only ever wanted to go on adventures with her, Kiri loved her ability to appreciate all that was around her and her knowledge of their world and needed her to learn all she knew, and sweet Tuk just wanted to be around her wherever she went, always attached to her hip. However, even if their intentions were pure; they all wanted something from her. Though she loved her siblings, she could feel the pressure her father had subconsciously put on her. Where the others could slack off or get away with things with a mere warning or a simple chore, she received the brunt of it all, for if she made a wrong decision, it would reflect poorly on the others as they'd no doubt mirror her set example. Perhaps it was Jake's insecurity about how to raise a child that made him want to shape her into the best version of herself, but his ways were questionable, and by doing so, he wasn't paying attention to how much it actually strained her.
So, Netzari did not mind one bit whenever her mother would take her out for hours on end to teach her the ways of their people. With each intake of fresh air, she could feel Eywa course through her lungs and with each thankful exhale, she knew this was where she was meant to be. During lessons with her grandmother, who taught her the ins and outs of what it meant to be a clan’s Tsahìk, she listened carefully and with much intrigue. And when her father taught her how to fight and hold her own, she saw him beam with pride and joy and she knew that things would be alright, even if he was quick to put pressure on her. But then he would start to nitpick each thing she did, in his defence simply because he meant the best for her and only wanted her to succeed, to be the strongest version she could be, to be a toruk makto's daughter. It hammered away at her self-confidence. Surely, she would learn by trial and tribulation. She needed to face her own challenges and make mistakes in order to learn. Not get berated for how she could've done something differently. Not to even begin about the lecture she would get if one of her siblings had gone out of line. Then, at times, he'd talk to her in his own language, something he had never dropped throughout the years, for in the beginning, all he knew was the language of the humans. He had slowly eased out of his language throughout the years as he had started to pick up on Na’vi, but the foreign language Netzari had heard all throughout her first years hadn’t been lost on her. Jake had used it to tell infant Netzari stories about his life on his own planet. Although she spoke with an accent, she understood his language. And she hated every aspect of it. She’d roll her eyes when her younger brother’s first few words were a few human ones and she’d shrink and shudder each time she’d hear someone whisper a bad one or point as she walked by. It was building up, and she could feel the pent-up anger, confusion and exhaustion rumbling closely underneath her chest, where it all hurt the most. For whenever her father spoke human to her, she would be reminded that she was different, that she didn't fit in, and perhaps would never truly find her place in the forest she called home.
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Netzari heard its teeth crunching the branch it was chewing before she could see it, but it was definitely there; the Hexapede whose fresh tracks she had followed. Softly, she steadied her bow and adjusted her aim to its movements.
“Do not hold your breath. Let it flow freely, calmly. Let Eywa guide you.”
She heard her mother’s voice in her mind and could almost feel her stern eyes on the back of her head, observing her actions. If Neytiri had been there, she would probably have adjusted her elbow a little with a gentle slap, but Netzari had quickly mastered and adjusted her bow skills to her own posture.
She neared through the bushes, blending in among the nature Eywa had blessed them with. She blinked softly and curled her lip, pulling the string backwards… waiting just a second longer before-
The Hexapede's head shot up, but as it tried to run for cover, it dropped onto the pebbled ground beside the shallow river.
She heard their laughing echo through the trees and saw the group of Na'vi children her age approach the animal. One of the boys pulled out his arrow, wiped it clean and turned to his friends with a smug smile on his face, with no further regard for the animal he had killed.
“That is four for me, one for you. Want to go look for more?”
"And make it five for you? No."
Netzari craned her head; it was a large number of animals they had supposedly hunted, too much for one day for their clan, yet she saw no carcass being pulled behind them. Curious, and perhaps already a little on edge because of all the previous times these kids had gotten under her skin, she appeared from behind the vegetation.
Immediately, they turned to her and started to snicker, “Ah, we were wondering when you would come out of your hiding place.”
With a snarled lip, she harshly pushed the bushes away and approached, “I was not hiding, I was hunting.”
“By yourself?” One of the girls feigned surprise and they all started to look around, “Where is your mommy?
“I’m ten, I don’t need to have my mom with me everywhere.” Somewhat hurt in her pride, Netzari crossed her arms. “I’m the oldest.”
“Are you sure? Because my-my... they do love to keep you close. Has Daddy already forgiven you for bonding with a direhorse without his permission?”
Netzari’s tail started to flick erratically and her ears twitched in annoyance. Still, she tried so hard to push it away. She just needed to ignore them, like her parents had told her to. She turned to the animal and bent down, softly caressing its skin and closing her eyes, ready to start the prayer, which they had forgotten, to send its spirit back to Eywa when one boy spoke,
“What are you doing? It's dead?”
Netzari huffed, already sensing it was not his priority to become a Taronyu, “We share our home with them, you do not kill without paying respect.” She bitterly muttered, annoyed she had been interrupted. She saw the animal twitch, “And we do not let it suffer.”
"They breed rapidly, we will never run out, what does it matter?"
She let out a hiss to herself, doing her best to ignore their judgemental stares, “Oel ngati kameie, ma tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi irayo.” Netzari softly whispered as the sheath of her blade shone in the sun sneaking through the trees above, “Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea, tokx 'ì'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì.” She placed a gentle hand on where the animal’s heart had stopped beating mere moments ago when her blade had seeped in, and closed her eyes in one final silent prayer to Eywa. But her peace was interrupted as soon as the group had taken one quick look at her hands again.
“-four-fingered demon freak.”
Was all she heard them whisper, but it was enough to set her off. Instantly, she shot up and grabbed the boy with a smug look on his face, who had no doubt been the one muttering the words. The group dispersed immediately, frightened by her sudden movement. She rattled him in his place, her teeth bared as she snarled, and her ears pinned to her head.
“Go! Leave me alone!” She rose her voice, trying her hardest to ignore the itch of wanting to lash out again. But no, she would not disappoint her parents.
Getting over his initial fright, the boy pushed her off, making her lose her balance and fall into the creek, which set off another round of laughs. Each chuckle made a sharp pain shoot through her.
"You go! Back to your own planet."
“Like hell-“ Netzari muttered, quickly abandoning the promise she’d made to her parents to not get into fights again. She never once instigated them though, it was her shared blood with humanity and the deformities she had gotten from that same shared DNA that seemed to be the one thing that was a thorn in the eye for them.
She ran up to him, trying to pull at his queue, but one of his friends pulled him back and grabbed her arm, yanking her to the side. Without another thought and using her first instincts to react, her elbow harshly reared back. She heard a stifled yell before a sharp pain coursed through her elbow. That had made the dam break because now, the boy in front of her tried to pull and claw at her arm. She swiftly evaded his attempts thanks to her father’s lessons. Maybe human tactics were good for something, at last. Her feet landed against his kneecap after a kick and he fell into the mud with a groan, barely holding himself up when she climbed onto his back and held him there, putting pressure on his ribcage with her knee.
The sound and commotion of fighting children echoed through the trees and atop her Ikran, Neytiri perked her ears to the sound.
“Get off of him, you freak!”
“Demon, demon!”
A small gasp left Neytiri's mouth and she widened her eyes in realisation before readjusting her course and flying straight to the noise.
Netzari hissed when someone pulled at her tale and queue simultaneously and tried to stop herself from being dragged away through the mud. But it was five against one; this was no fair fight.
She heard her mother’s approaching hoot before she saw the Ikran's shadow hovering above them, the clapping of its wings dangerously looming over her head.
“Hey!” Neytiri yelled at her daughter’s bullies, who instantly let go of the eldest Sully upon seeing her mother.
Their surprise and fright gave Netzari room to finally fight back again, and so she punched the girl who had held her in the stomach.
“Enough!” Neytiri yelled, staring at them with her dangerous glare. Within an instant, all the children disappeared through the density of the forest. All except the girl who had fallen to the ground in a heap of coughs after Netzari’s punch.
The young Sully squatted beside her and hissed a warning; a clear missive to never bother her again. The girl trembled slightly and her eyes showed real fear for a split second as they flickered between the young Sully and her mother, until all Netzari’s intimidation was being washed away by her mother pulling her back. The look in the girl’s eyes changed as Netzari fussed and flailed around, and she quickly disappeared after her friends into the forest.
Neytiri squeezed her daughter's arm, “Hey! Stop it! No more! Mawey, 'Tzari, mawey!”
Harsh breaths puffed through Netzari's nose, her teeth were still clenched shut and her ears were still pulled back in anger and alarm. Upon seeing her daughter’s once bright sunny eyes filled with tears, Neytiri let go and stumbled back. Netzari did not need to say one word for her mother to know what had happened. Again. Still, she did not want or need her daughter to pick fights every week, come home with cuts and bruises or make problems for their family. Jake was Olo'eyktan, and their family needed to act like it.
Though Neytiri’s next words were stern, Netzari could feel that her mother was not one bit angry at her for defending herself. Instead, her eyes showed compassion... hurt and guilt.
“Go.” Neytiri gestured with her head, “To grandmother. I will get your father.”
“But they-!”
“Let her take care of the bruises and tangles.” She pulled at some of her daughter’s locks. Each day, she'd come home with them in a tangle, and no matter how often Neytiri asked her if she wanted them braided, Netzari loved her loose locks with the occasional single braid being hidden beneath them. No matter if it made her even more different in the eyes of the others.
"We'll talk later. Go now."
Netzari dropped her head, her ears falling in sorrow, and softly trudged through the forest, leaving her mother with an aching heart behind. They didn’t like her. Did not accept her. That was the most important thing to be a part of a clan, to be a daughter of an Olo'eyktan, especially since Netzari could one day very well be the next generation’s Tsahík, yet they did not want Netzari around. She did not belong. Her girl, who loved dearly and who was fierce yet good-natured. Only because she was different.
Neytiri's eyes glazed over as she turned to the Hexapede's carcass on the ground, where her daughter’s dagger still rested against its skin. Neytiri bent down, said the same silent prayer, cleaned the dagger and stored it in her belt. Her fingers traced the messy shot in the animal’s hip and she immediately knew why the fight had started, for her daughter was a far better shot; this hadn't been her doing. Netzari’s hatred towards injustice and unkindness could sometimes be greater than the mighty Eywa herself. It was one thing Jake and Neytiri loved about her, yet, as it seemed, it was also the thing that brought her the most trouble. Still, one day, it would be a valued quality for a Tsahík or for a strong Na'vi woman in general. That was if that day would come. The clan could very easily cast her daughter aside if they did not accept her as their healer and spiritual leader. And Netzari getting into fights every other week did not help her case at all.
Neytiri puffed out a frustrated breath and stood up, already dreading having to involve Jake. But he had to know; as Olo'eyktan, as her mate, and as Netzari's father. Their daughter was hurting, and now so was Neytiri.
"Ma Nì’awvem..." She sighed in sorrow, "Ma'ite..."
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Jake stormed into Mo'at's hut, making the older woman look up in annoyance and shake her head as she tended to her granddaughter. Silently, and with her eyes locked on the hands in her lap, all Netzari saw was the extra digit on her hand. However, her father's voice booming through the hut made her look up instantly.
Swallowing down half of his initial anger after having been given a look by Mo'at, Jake cleared his throat, "Tell me what happened." He examined his daughter from afar, seeing her sunken shoulders and her glossy eyes.
"Who started it?" Jake bit his lip in thought, taking place beside his daughter as he squatted to her level from where she sat, "Talk to me, my girl."
But Netzari did not need to answer, for he saw her clutching the extra finger they both had so tightly, that her knuckles turned white.
"I will come back later." Mo'at excused herself and left the hut, not without giving him another stern look, finding Neytiri nervously pacing there.
"Sa'nok-" She sighed in desperation, feeling like a young girl all over again in her own mother's arms, "-It is getting worse, I cannot send her to you every week. She is unhappy. She is... she will, I see-"
"Ma'ite, trust that Eywa is looking out for her-" Mo'at comforted, "-as she does for all of her children. Remind yourself that our Great Mother blesses only the strongest warriors with the most difficult challenges."
"She is only a child." Neytiri peeked a glance at Jake and their daughter through the cracks of the hut, "Not a warrior."
"One day she will be. This is Eywa's path for her. Trust it."
Jake realised it would take more than just a joke and a teasing nudge to get his daughter to crack and sat down beside her, staring at the flickering flame in front of them.
"You know, they used to pick on me too for being different." Jake started, awkwardly playing with his hands as his arms rested on his knees, "I mean, I wasn't as young as you were now, but the planet I came from is harsh. People were not kind to each other, especially not when you were different."
Netzari looked up momentarily and Jake smiled encouragingly at her, sensing the slight intrigue on her features even if she'd heard this story before, "I couldn't walk, so your Pops had to depend on others in the beginning to get a better quality of life. But I learned very quickly that people don't feel inclined to help when it does not concern them." He softly nudged his daughter's knee with his own, trying to get her to look at him again for his next words, "But it made me stronger. More independent. Made me grow a thick skin. It taught me to always be kind to another because even if we're all different, we're just as much all the same... and so we all deserve to be treated with kindness."
Jake watched his daughter let his words sink, "Hey, look at me, baby girl," He held her shoulder and smiled softly when he looked into her golden eyes. It hurt how she had grown up within the blink of an eye, not only because of how fast Na'vi children grew, but also because Jake feared he had spent too much time with the younger ones to realise that even if Netzari was his oldest, she was just a child as well. He feared he was too late now. It suddenly hit him that he might have not told her enough of how much she meant to him, "You're unique. You're a reminder that there is good in this world after all. And you are a reminder of how much your mom and I love each other and love all of you. Never forget that, okay?"
When Netzari softly nodded, Jake pulled her against him and planted a kiss on her head, "Our family is our fortress, remember?"
Jake felt her nod against his chest. He cleared his throat and made her look at him, "But no more fighting."
"But dad-"
"I cannot have my daughter throwing punches left and right just because of some silly bickering."
"It wasn't silly! And you told me to always stick up for myself! Why would you-"
From outside the hut, Neytiri's ears perked at the sound of voices getting louder.
"I am Olo'eyktan, I cannot accept this behaviour. You are my daughter, you need to set an example for the other young Na'vi... for your siblings."
"If I don't bite back, they will just continue to walk all over me!"
"Then you'll just have to walk away before they get the chance too."
Netzari pulled back out of his arms completely, confusion and anger displayed on her face.
"Jake-" Neytiri stood in the opening of the hut, disagreement evident n her eyes.
Netzari shot up from her place on the ground, "This is not fair! I have always been on my best behaviour, but they-! They..." Tears pooled in her eyes, and Neytiri took a step closer, wanting to console her eldest, even if she could see that the ten-year-old was fuming.
"You're just afraid to take action and get them to stop because of how their parents will judge you as Olo'eyktan!" She yelled, watching her father with widened eyes of rage and frustration, "I hate it! I just want to be normal and start my Iknimaya and train with the others and- ugh!" She groaned and squeezed her hands in two tight fists.
"Netzari-" Jake waved his hand in a gesture of finality, "No more. I told you that you will no longer pick fights or look for trouble, and you will obey."
Netzari wasn't having any of it, "I try my best to be the perfect daughter, to be the perfect big sister, to be the perfect trainee to grandmother, but the only thing you see is what I do wrong! You tell me to walk away but they come for me! I don't belong here, everyone treats me like I'm different. Can't you see?! Even you, Dad!"
"Netzari," Already exhausted from having to discuss this again, Jake sighed and held his temple, "Your tone, please."
"Oh right, because what if Lo'ak hears and will raise his voice the next time he gets into a fight by defending himself from being called a four-fingered freak too?!"
"That's enough!"
Netzari flinched, her tears falling onto her cheeks as she inhaled sharply. Her large golden eyes flickered between both her parents, but where she saw hurt in her mother's, her father's were harsh and inscrutable.
"You will do as I said; no more fights. And that's an order."
Her lip trembled and her ears were glued stuck to the back of her head. The words left her lips before she realised how they would cut deep like the sharpest blade, "I wish I didn't exist!"
Neytiri gasped and felt a painful tug at her heart from hearing those words coming from one of her life's greatest gifts, "Ma'tseo-" She whispered out, but it fell on deaf ears.
Speechless, the only thing Jake could do was let her words hit him with full force. When he melted from his freeze and wanted to touch her shoulder, Netzari stepped aside.
"Asshole!" She spoke in his language, knowing it would hurt more, taking both her parents off guard before she stormed out.
"Hey! Come back here!" Jake called after her, "You do not speak like that!" He made a move to follow her when he was pulled back,
"I will talk to her later-" Neytiri's voice wavered, "Let her. Let her, please. She is hurting. Let her..."
Jake finally turned to his mate, a dejected sigh leaving his mouth, "I don't know what to do with her. We've had her the longest, you should think we'd know her the best. I don't know how to discipline her."
"You do not have to. She is well-behaved."
"You call fighting her peers well-behaved?" Jake gave her an incredulous look, "I looked the other way for years, thinking it was just what children do, but she's growing older and I can no longer accept this kind of behaviour."
Neytiri sighed and shook her head. How detached was Jake really to not have realised what had been going on? "They should be the ones being disciplined, to respect our ways to live in harmony. Not our girl, Ma’Jake. They call her names, cast her out, hurt her. Yes, they’re children, but if we let this go on, she’ll grow up to be..." The words unhappy and alone got caught stuck in her throat.
"Has it really been that bad?"
Neytiri nodded solemnly, "I saw it, Jake, it was five against one. You know Netzari is not reckless enough to just pick fights for no reason. Time and time again, she has done so to defend herself," She squeezed his shoulder and looked him straight in the eyes, "Now it is your turn to defend her."
He pursed his lips, letting it sink in.
"Show her you are the man from the stories she was lulled to sleep with. Be Olo'eyktan. Be Toruk Makto. Protect your people. Protect our little girl, Ma'Jake."
His hand went to cup the one on his shoulder and pulled it off, holding Neytiri's hand and nodding as he looked her in the eyes.
"I'll protect our fortress."
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please do not copy, reproduce, translate or republish my work as your own. respect each other's work
