ool. family meeting and the water
╰ avatar: the way of water

Not very long after Tsireya had left the Everett and Sully family to unpack their belongings, Jake and Odessa had gathered all the members of both family's to have a family meeting.

Sitting down, crossing her legs in front of her, Odessa wrapped her arm around her eldest daughter Kiri. Her adoptive daughter hated the family meetings with a burning passion, and as much as Odessa understood her hatred, there were a few times that she would have to make her daughter sit down and endure the meetings.

Jake crouched in front of all the kids with a sigh, "Okay, I need you kids, on your best behaviour. I mean it, learn fast, pull your weight, don't cause trouble, got it?" He asked the group of kids although his eyes landed on Lo'ak and Inkire — the biggest trouble makers he's seen in years, the two somehow becoming spitting images of his teenage years.

Inkire glanced towards her younger brother, the corner of her lips quirked upwards. She was the adoptive daughter of Jake Sully, whom she knows she magically taking after. And for her brother, he was trouble. Both Inkire and Lo'ak glanced at each other, bowing their heads downwards, "yes, sir." The two spoke in sync, a set of more feminine words mixing with Lo'ak slightly squeaky voice.

Odessa felt her youngest shuffle again her side. Looking down, her eyes softened at the sight of Tuks little doe eyes watering with tears. Her heart ached as her youngest daughter sniffled and looked up to her, speaking out with a shaking voice. "I want to go home." Sobs started to rack the youngest, her shoulders shaking and lips trembling.

Odessa wasted no time in pulling her youngest child against her body, cradling her like her mother had done when she was only a young little girl. Her warm skin provided a feeling like home to Tuk, like how the warm weather would shine against her body on days she went around and played with her siblings and cousins.

"Tuk," Odessa whispered softly, her hand rubbing small circles on her littlest childs back. "This is our home now."

Jake eyed his niece, sadness blooming throughout his body as he watched tears stream down her cheeks. "We're gonna get through this," He spoke, his voice going from soft and friendly to more stern as he looked to peered at his kids. "We're gonna get through this if we have each other's backs, right?" As much as it hurt him too, that the water was his home instead of the trees he had fought so hard for, he needed everyone to understand that things would be difficult but as long as they were together they could do it.

Niave smiled, ears perked down before thinking of something her mate would always say, "What does Jake always say?"

"Sully's and Everett's stick together." The big family spoke, their voices coming out as soft whispers. Neytiri noticed the lack of answer coming from her daughter, and only her daughter, Kiri, patting the girl on the leg, sending her a glance.

Jake nodded with the smallest smile placed on his lips, "That's right. Sully's and Everett's stick together. Now, with some feeling." Once again, the big family said the words together, their voices mixing in with each other. Some overpowering others, well some were soft and quiet.

Everyone missed their home but were glad they still had each other.

🌎

Neteyam smiled a genuine smile.

He was standing back with Lo'ak, watching as his two cousins, Ak'tari and Inkire, grasped ahold of his sisters, Kiri and Tuk, hands with a buzzing energy. As the four stood together, sharing a small glance before they all let out giggles of happiness and let their legs push them off the small ledge and into the baby blue water below.

His tail swished back and forth as a happy feeling washed over his body. He couldn't be any more happy that he, and the rest of his siblings and cousins were having a good time after already being treated like outcasts and monsters for two days. Yes, two whole days since they've arrived and been 'welcomed' — was welcomed even the right word to use ? — into the Metkayina clan.

He crept towards the edge, watching as the four girls swam upwards towards the surface of the water. They wore bright smiles as the water washed over their bodies, soaking their hair too.

Lo'ak now stood beside Neteyam, a smaller smile growing in his face. He was much more nervous, full of curiosity of what would happen once he submerged himself underneath the blue surface. It wasn't like the forest, where he grew up knowing what would be ahead of him, this was new to him and his whole family. They didn't have answers either.

"Ready, Lo'ak?" Neteyam questioned, letting his body lean forward until he was ever so close to falling into the water below.

"Slow pokes! Come on!" Kiri playfully exclaimed, joy filling her body as she felt like she belonged in the water.

Neteyam jumped, holding his breath as he sunk underneath the blue surface. He scrunched his eyes closed, unsure if he wanted to open them or not yet to avoid a sting he may receive. There wasn't a sting, only a slightly blurriness to his vision.

He didn't care though, about anything other than what he could see. The fish of many colours, swimming around together in a peaceful manner. The underwater plants of green, reds, blues and even ones that looked like they glowed, growing from beneath the sand. Creatures swimming off in the distance — the Ilus — which never strayed to far unless connected to a rider.

He was behind now. His siblings and cousins had all swam towards Tsireya, Ao'nung and Roxto. Sticking with them and momentarily forgetting about Neteyam. Oh he didn't care too much though, the pressure from the water held him snugly where he was moving his arms around.

Inkire waved him towards where she was, her feet kicking the water and help her move closer to the surface where she could fill her lungs with air once again. Following his cousins actions, he did the same, swimming upwards until he reached the surface.

He gasped in an intake of air, his lungs welcoming it with greed. As he swam over, keeping his head above the water so he could breathe, he could hear the soft waves and splashes of the ocean. Peaceful and content. He loved it.

Tsireya, her brother and his friends all surfaced, curiously tilting their heads to the side. It was Tsireya who grew more concerned when Lo'ak continued to take deep breathes for air. "Are you all alright?"

"You're too fast. Wait for us," The youngest girl, Tuk, complained. Of course everyone else would be quicker than her, she had very little legs.

Neteyam laughed at his younger sister, wrapping his arms around the younger girl and helping her float on her back as the others looked between each other. Tuk giggled, forgetting all about the small ache in her lungs from the lack of breathing.

Ao'nung gazed between the forest Na'vi children and smirked, his eyes landing on Neteyam and staying there, "You are not good divers. You may be good at swinging through trees, but —"

The boy was cut off when Tsireya slapped him on his head, a warning as to tell him to stop saying mean things and to be nicer to the new additions. Ao'nung looked at his sister with a deep frown laced on his face; they were different than him and everyone knew, as curios as he was, making fun of them was easier than showing he wanted to know.

Inkire scrunched her face up, annoyed at the boy younger than her. "Oh you would not survive in the forest, boy. You'd fall from those trees you're talking about, skxawng."

Ao'nung held a beyond annoyed expression, before he could even say something, Lo'ak was quick to open his mouth, eying the Metkayina children as he moved his fingers around to mimic what they had been doing earlier. "We don't speak this finger talk, you guys. We don't know what you are saying."

Tsireya smiled brightly, her dimples showing. "I will teach you."

So Tsireya would be the one to teach them the Na'vi sign language, but Ao'nung was the one who had volunteered to teach Neteyam how to ride an Ilu.