'Ello, everyone! Well here it is, my fanfic: Seven Years. Just as a notification, when the quotes are NOT italicized/bolded it just means they're speaking Na'vi, NOT English.
Na'vi word(s) translated: Oel ngati kameie—I See you (but everyone who's read other Avatar fanfics knows that) and Kelutral—Hometree.
Enjoy! Review! Enjoy some more!
The sun shone brightly in a new mother's eyes. The newborn child laughed uncontrollably as she was lifted up, blocking the sun away. Then brought back down, safely in her mother's arms. Neytiri smiled with her child and kissed her little baby fatted cheek.
"'Ok, you're so adorable, you know that. I can't believe you're all mine." Neytiri kissed her cheek a couple times more.
"She's not all yours." Said a males' voice. Amhul came up behind his mate and hugged her close to his chest. Neytiri laughed a little and turned around. He leaned in and kissed her lips and she kissed back.
"Fine, you're right." Neytiri said when they pulled apart. "She does have your eyes." She looked at 'Ok's uniquely almond shaped eyes with slight roundness. "But with your heart shaped face." He complemented giving Neytiri a chaste kissed on the jaw line.
Neytiri looked at him, smirked playfully, and then walked away from him and Kelutral. "Hey, where are you going?" Amhul followed her.
"Grace's school, where else?" She said smoothly, resting 'Ok's head down on her chest.
"With the baby?"
"Of course; she could learn English, right?"
Amhul wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and walked beside her. "Yes, and with Grace as her teacher; she will do well."
'Ok cooed at her parent's conversation.
The parents walked to the school and waited patiently for the teacher to start her lesson. Neytiri's sister, Sylwanin, came up to them with a smile on her face.
"Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri. Oel ngati kameie, Amhul." She said giving the proper gesture with her hand.
"Good morning." Neytiri said with a thick accent. Sylwanin smiled at her sister and Amhul before taking 'Ok in her arms. 'Ok had fallen asleep during the walk to the school.
"She's so little," Sylwanin said pushing back some loose strands of the baby's hair.
"She really is and she'll get bigger every day." Amhul said leaning down leveled to Neytiri and rested his head between her shoulder blades.
"All right students; let's get started." Grace clapped her hands together and her class settled down to their seats. "Today we'll learn—" Grace looked at Neytiri who held her child again. "Neytiri, we already talked about this. As much as your baby is cute and adorable, she cannot come here at such an extremely young age."
Everyone turned to her direction. Some even snickered at her thinking she'd be able to bring her baby to school.
"Come on, Sweetie," Gracie insisted when Neytiri gave her a wining puppy look. Grace let out a sigh of defeat and said, "Alright, she can stay, but only for today." She added when Neytiri beamed a smile of excitement.
The rest of the day went on as normal. Some of the students would come up to Neytiri and hold 'Ok themselves. 'Ok had awoken some hours before the Omaticaya students would leave back to Hometree. She had only cried a few times, but once during Grace's lesson. Neytiri would have to feed her and rocked her to sleep. Eventually the school day ended.
Amhul had taken his young daughter in his arms just as Grace called Neytiri over.
"Yes, Grace," Neytiri said when she came close enough.
"Neytiri, I saw you and the other students with—"
"'Ok." Neytiri finished, giving her the name.
"With 'Ok and you're one of my best students, so I'll give permission to bring her as long as you can keep yourself from being too distracted by her."
Neytiri jumped up and down with glee then hugged Grace tightly before running back towards Amhul and her sister to share to the news. Obviously they were very happy by what Grace had said because Sylwanin hugged her sister quickly and then Neytiri received a simple kiss by her mate.
For the next three months, 'Ok was brought to Grace's school, learning English with her mother and father. Her aunt had stopped coming and slowly edge Amhul to do the same.
"Neytiri," Amhul had started coming to her. She had just nursed her child to sleep and swaddled her in a woven basket to rest for the night.
"Yes," Neytiri turned to face Amhul. His face expressed a look of concern with a mixture of understanding. "What? Is something wrong?"
Amhul took her hand and gently pulled her down to sit together. "Neytiri, Sylwanin and I…you know none of our people get pleasure from the Sky People cutting down our land…so tomorrow—"
"What about tomorrow? What are you and Sylwanin—" The fear could be heard in her voice which Amhul kindly shushed.
"Sylwanin and I, and a few other hunters, are going to take a stand against them…" Amhul swept some of Neytiri's tears away. She rested her head against his chest and let the tears fall to him with sniffling and heavy breathing. Finally she looked up at him and said, "Please be careful."
Amhul lightly kissed her lips in reassurance.
After Neytiri's tears had calmed, she quietly walked to her old single hammock next to Sylwanin. Sylwanin was still up piecing together what looked like was going to be a necklace. She looked up from her work and saw Neytiri coming towards her.
"Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri, what brings you here?" She asked. Neytiri settled herself into her own hammock before responding.
"Amhul had told me what you're doing tomorrow." Neytiri looked to her sister for encouragement.
"Oh, Neytiri, you do not need to worry about us; we are some of the best warriors of the clan. All you need to think of is your child."
Neytiri gave a small smile at her although she didn't feel that much better.
"Neytiri…" Sylwanin started just as Neytiri started to close her eyes. "I want you to remember something,"
Neytiri's ears perked up to listen.
"There is good in all things, even the Sky People."
Neytiri smiled at her words.
The next day Neytiri waited anxiously with 'Ok nuzzled close in her arms. Grace was teaching her lesson when the sound of running feet and heavy breathing entered the school. Everyone turned to see Amhul, Sylwanin, and some of the other hunter coming through the door.
They were soon followed by some angry Sky People. Panic filled the room when they entered. Neytiri started to run out, but turned back to see Sylwanin being held at gunpoint, the tears intensely falling from her face.
BOOM!
The next thing Neytiri knew: she was staring at her sister dead on the floor. Other gunshots were fired as Neytiri ran for precious life with 'Ok while having the tears fall from her face. Neytiri had finally stopped running after finding a hiding place far away from the school surrounded by tall trees. 'Ok had started to moan as a warning of beginning to cry.
"No, no, no. Shh…stay calm. Please don't cry." Neytiri plead while trying to keep 'Ok calm and cradling her back to sleep.
Some time passed until the noise of students and gunshots had hushed up. Neytiri stood and involuntary walked to the scene. The dead bodies of the hunters who had followed Sylwanin were found with bullet holes through their flesh. Neytiri looked once more at the gory sight before recognizing one body in particular: Amhul.
Neytiri could quickly feel the salty tears well up again and she let out a loud, heavy cry of sorrow.
No, no, no, no, no. He promised he'd stay. He can't leave me, not now, not ever. We have a child now and he can't leave when she's still so young.
Neytiri replayed her thought over and over until her once numb body started to move again, away from the sight.
The people were mourning at Hometree over the loss of so many. Neytiri's mother and father had started to mourn for themselves at the thought that both their daughters and granddaughter were dead.
Neytiri had come back to Hometree safely with 'Ok and when she was seen by her parents she was instantly enveloped in their embrace.
"Neytiri, it is so good to see you alive with your child, but where are your sister and Amhul." Neytiri's mother, Mo'at, asked.
Neytiri looked to the ground in sadness which Mo'at understood easily; she had lost a child and Neytiri lost her mate.
_88888_
By the time 'Ok had become seven months old, her mother had not yet overcome the death of the two closest to her. Neytiri was sitting, one morning, as the other members had started on their daily chores.
'Ok was being rocked back and forth gently as she was being suckled. Her eyes were closed as she was fed.
Neytiri sighed at the sight of her child and smile slightly for the first time in a long time. She finally pulled 'Ok up to rest her head against her chest.
"Mommy," 'Ok suddenly said. Neytiri looked down at her just as she stood up.
"What?" She asked unsure of her daughter said.
"Mommy," 'Ok said again staring back.
Neytiri smiled again a little wider and soon started laughing with joy. "Your first word…You said your first word." She kissed her child's forehead and bopped her up and down in happiness.
'Ok giggled loudly and said, "Mommy,"
Neytiri finally stopped and looked at her again. "I'm so happy when you're around, Sweetie. You're adorable and you have you father's eyes which make you even cuter."
Neytiri walked with a smile on her face to some of the other mothers around Hometree when a couple of unknown males came up to her. They were riding pa'li and one of them had strong muscle tone while the other still looked young and scrawny. He looked as if he was still learning to be a hunter.
"Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri," The older looking one said. He jumped down from his horse and walked further to her. "We are from the Tipnai clan."
Neytiri nodded in understanding. "Oel ngati kameie," She said.
"My name is Omati, and we have come to acquire your child."
Neytiri's ears perked up and her pupils dilated with apprehension. "What? You want to take my child? Why would want to do that?" Neytiri asked one question after another.
"She is still young and to be raised without a father will only be seen as a transgression—"
"No! You will not take her! She is my child and the only thing I have!" Neytiri screamed at Omati taking a few steps back before he was able to even touch 'Ok. But Omati stepped to her and strived to grab to baby from her. Neytiri burst out in tears as she was taken. 'Ok was crying too as she rode with the hunters.
That night was not any better for Neytiri. She just lay in her old hammock next to Sylwanin's; she didn't dare go back to her and Amhul's. She was laying there crying like she had done all day.
"Ma 'ite," A voice behind her said. Neytiri slowly turned around and saw her mother standing there with concern in her eyes. Mo'at knelt down by her side and brushed away some free strands of hair.
"Ma 'ite, you're so distressed. You have lost some many in your life, but you must come and eat something. You cannot lie here all day." Mo'at did her best to encourage her, but it was truly hard when you already have lost your sister and mate let alone your own child.
"She was mine and the only thing that made me happy after everything else, how could they just take her?" Neytiri sobbed.
"I do not know, but things will lighten up. I promise."
Neytiri sat up and let her become embraced for ease. Suddenly the calm moment was interrupted by the sounds of a crying baby, which made small tears fall from Neytiri's eyes.
"Neytiri, I have someone for you." Another voice said. Neytiri recognized it as Tse'tey's. She turned around to face him and saw him holding a small baby in his strong arms. She gasped at the sight.
"My baby. How…how did you—" Neytiri happily took 'Ok back in her arms.
"It wasn't easy, but…" Tsu'tey looked honestly at her with no emotion to decipher.
"Thank you, thank you so much." Neytiri looked at him sympathetically before kissing 'Ok's cheek and letting her grasp one of her fingers. Mo'at had stood up and left with Tsu'tey leaving Neytiri cooing and cuddling her child until 'Ok fell asleep.