Author's Note: Hello my loves! I am sorry about the wait. Thank you all so much for your support. I do hope that you continue to enjoy. Sorry for any mistakes. This chapter is the initial idea for the story. I didn't put in everything I wanted to, but I am okay with how it turned out. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Neteyam didn't wake up again that night. Despite his siblings all sitting around their marui talking and eyeing him. Lo'ak managed to calm down a few minutes after Neteyam fell back asleep. Jake carried him back in pained silence. Once they made it back to the marui, Neytiri made busy cleaning up and finding Neteyam's sleeping mat, one of the only things that they really hide away to try and help with coping with losing Neteyam.
But Neytiri found it right away and placed it next to the mat that she shares with Jake. Toruk Makto put their oldest son on the mat, and he stayed there unmoving for the rest of the night, much to the disappointment of the siblings. Neytiri had to chase Tuk away more than once when she kept poking Neteyam's soft cheek to try and rouse him again to no success.
Not even the smell of food was enough to wake Neteyam up. Not even Ronal coming in later that night to see him. She sat at his side, listening as Neytiri told her about him waking up earlier and talking to them, even if only for a moment. Ronal nodded slowly as she talked, offering a thin smile and leaving behind some remedies for Neteyam to have when he finally wakes up and is ready to get some food in him. Something that will help him start to regain his strength and will be easy on his stomach.
Ronal gives her farewell not too long after, letting the Sully family settle down for the night. Tuk curls up with Kiri after dinner, pulling her mat up close, while Lo'ak sleeps on Kiri's other side, between the two girls, and Neteyam and their parents. He's lying on his side, staring at his brother who is sleeping soundly, Neytiri placing a blanket over Neteyam's legs and waist. Despite the gentle cool over the normally extremely hot days leading into warm nights, Neteyam started shaking from the faint chill.
Neytiri curls up behind him as Jake dims the fire but keeps it on for Neteyam, despite the rest of them suffering a bit tonight, no one complained. Especially since it is just faint embers, mostly for sight than anything. In case Neteyam needs Jake and Neytiri during the night, they'll easily be able to see him. Especially since the light still hasn't returned to Pandora.
Everyone is starting to get worried, but Ronal simply said to anyone, including Neytiri, that what Eywa has done is both great and powerful, and that Neteyam wasn't the only one that needed to heal from it. Unlike the rest of the Sully family, the bioluminescent freckles on Neteyam's face aren't glowing at all. Like not even his skin has the ability to glow. As weak as his body. So much so that it can't even naturally glow.
Neytiri curls around Neteyam, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face into his shoulder, despite how warm she is, his shivering keeps her pressed close. At some point within the next hour or so, Neteyam stops shaking and just rests comfortably in Neytiri's warmth.
Jake rests a hand on Neytiri's waist and rests his forehead against the back of her neck, closing his eyes and finally dropping into darkness.
He's not sure how long he was listening to a gentle whimpering, but at some point, it pierces through his blackened-out dream and into awareness. The fire has died out, but it takes him a moment to come back into himself to feel Neytiri's grip on the hand he has resting on her waist, like a vice. She's propped up on an arm, looking around in the darkness. It couldn't have been more than a few hours since they went to bed.
"Neteyam?" Neytiri whispers into the darkness, her voice hoarse. That propels Jake into complete awareness as he jolts up and squints into the darkness, seeing the spot in front of Neytiri is empty.
"Where..?" Jake starts but then quiets at the soft sound of whimpering that awoke him to begin with. It's still pitch black out, making it hard for him to see, especially since Pandora is still not lightening up to its natural state. It takes a moment, for him to locate Lo'ak in the dark, curled into a ball, softly whimpering in his sleep.
Neytiri's grip on his hand goes from a twinge of pain to near bone breaking as both parents watch a dark figure slowly wrap around Lo'ak sleeping form, curling protectively around him. Neteyam presses his nose into the junction of his brother's neck and shoulder, keeping his eyes pressed closed. He sucks in a slow breath before softly humming into the darkness, slow and wordless, but a familiar tune from how Neytiri crafted Lo'ak's song cord.
Lo'ak's whimpering slowly dies out as Neteyam's sluggishly humming also dies out as he slips back into slumber. Both parents stare at their two sons in silence, one of Neytiri's hands is covering her mouth, eyes glistening a bit as she glances over at Jake, hope in her eyes.
Jake leans forward and kisses her shoulder before lowering slowly back in place, willing his racing heart to finally slow down. Neytiri stares after them for a moment longer before lowering too, tucking herself back into Jake, eyes burrowing into her oldest son's back curling protectively around her younger son.
"He's going to be okay," Neytiri whispers into the darkness, loosening her death grip on Jake's hand and draws it up her body so that she can hold it to her chest, tilting her chin down to kiss his fingers before relaxing in her spot, eyes locked on her children.
Jake presses in close but doesn't respond, staring over her head and shoulder to also stare at his children. He wants so badly to have the level of faith that Neytiri does, the solid belief that comes so easily to Neytiri, but the dread is still settled in his gut like a bunch of heavy stones. He curls closer to Neytiri and closes his eyes, willing himself to go back to sleep.
Neytiri sits in darkness for a few minutes before her eyes start to droop once more. Like Jake, she's had a long last couple of weeks, and her eyes droop closed once more, falling into a deeper slumber.
Jake's heart jumping wakes him up. His eyes pop open as his body goes rigid. He glances over toward the darkness of the night, but he can hear the faint sounds of the world waking up around him. Dawn is approaching. He can feel Neytiri slumbering in his arms and as tired as he is, and as badly as he wants to go back to sleep, the nagging feeling of whatever it was that woke him makes it impossible for him to close his eyes once more.
Slowly extracting himself from Neytiri, he looks around the room, eyes adjusting to the darkness once more to notice that only three of his four children are sleeping on their mats and Neteyam is gone. The alarm that woke him in the first place sends him leaping to his feet, eyes wildly flying around the room, praying his son was curling around another weeping sibling only to see that he was no longer in the room at all.
Neytiri jerks up at the movement, bleary eyes flickering around the room confused before looking up at Jake. "Ma Jake?"
"Neteyam's gone," Jake mumbles before rushing out of the marui as fast as his legs can carry him without waking the remainder of his children. He looks around wildly at the quiet marui surrounding their own, wondering how long it's been since Neteyam even left. He could be anywhere, and seeing how weak he's been this whole time, Jake can't imagine that even if he didn't make it far, he would be able to look after himself. Jake knows that he's tired, but he's pretty sure he would have heard if Neteyam fell off one of the paths into the water.
At least, he hopes so.
Neytiri appears behind him, grasping his arm, her eyes flying around in terror.
Movement in the corner of her eye shows a figure moving slowly down the paths between the marui toward the ocean. She tugs on Jake's arm. "There, Ma Jake!"
Together they make their way down the path toward the movement to see the dark figure of Neteyam slowly making his way down toward the ramp and into the sand, long thick black strands dancing around his shoulders, played with by the gentle breeze. The oceans waves happily as Neteyam draws closer.
"Neteyam!" Neytiri yelps loud enough that in the quiet around them makes Jake flinch, not having expected it, terror in her voice as he stops close enough for the waves to kiss his toes. Neteyam stops moving, just staring out at the blackened ocean.
"What's wrong?" Tonowari's sleep heavy makes both Jake and Neytiri jump as the clan chief seemingly materializes next to them, rubbing at his face, blinking rapidly, trying to clear his vision. Ronal appears at his side a moment and Jake glances over at their marui to see both Tsireya and Ao'nung both cautiously exit their home, weary about what had their parents charging out so suddenly.
Tsireya's ears flicker at the sight of Jake and Neytiri but Ao'nung's face hardens, blue eyes flickering around dangerously, searching for danger. As they near, his face morphs into surprise and wonder, catching sight of Neteyam standing with his back to them, over at the edge of the beach, still watching the ocean, now swaying gently.
"Oh!" Tsireya says softly, hands raising to her face. "He's awake! Thank Eywa!"
Jake moves past Neytiri and down to the beach, walking toward his son. "Neteyam? Are you okay?"
Neteyam tenses up before turning slowly, head lowered in shame and peering up at Jake through long lashes, looking like a shamed child caught doing something wrong. Jake hesitates at the look as Neteyam slowly turns to face him, chin landing on his chest as he says to the beach, "Yes, sir. I am alright."
Jake's eyebrows pull together in worry. "Neteyam?"
"It's my fault, sir," Neteyam says, voice hoarse and weak. "I told Lo'ak he shouldn't go down there, but I should have kept a better eye on him. I'm sorry, sir. I take full responsibility."
Neytiri's ears flicker back while Jake just stares in confusion, eyes tracking the nervous twitching of Neteyam's tail behind him.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Neteyam," Jake says softly, moving closer. "Are you talking about the boat? About the recoms?"
Neteyam glances up at him, dim golden eyes also not holding the usual sheen that their eyes usually give out alongside their freckles, but his still lack any sort of shine. "No, sir. About the attack on the train? The explosion? I know you told us to be spotters, and I'm sorry that I failed you." He reaches up with one hand to clutch at a wound that is no longer there, flinching, though like it was.
Jake recoils as if struck. He blinks rapidly, turning to look over at the steadily approaching group. His eyes catch Neytiri as her ears fully flatten against her head and both of them turn to look at a frowning Ronal as she makes her way over to him.
Neteyam's dim golden eyes turn toward Ronal and his entire demeanor shifts and he straightens up, hand moving from his side to his forehead, respectfully waving it toward her. "I see you, Tsahik Ronal," Neteyam says, voice rasping slightly. He coughs before clearing his throat. Ronal pauses, curiously, as Neteyam says, "Ao'nung and I managed to find the corral you were looking for." He reaches for the pouch that he usually carries on his side when asked to retrieve herbs, or corral, in this case, but he doesn't have it on his side. He blinks rapidly in confusion, face tightening. "I... I just..." He rubs at his forehead before turning his eyes sheepishly toward Ronal. "I... must have given it all to Ao'nung. He... He should be back soon, too." He glances around looking for Ao'nung, eyes glazing past the real Ao'nung, as if unseeing.
"It's alright," Ronal says, her voice soft as she stops in front of Neteyam, placing a hand on his arm. "My son already returned and gave me the corral for the both of you." She hesitates for a split second before saying, even softer, "Thank you, Neteyam, for doing that for me."
Neteyam's shoulders sink in relief as he smiles sweetly, despite the exhausted pull at the corner of his lips, at the heavily pregnant Na'vi in front of him. "I'm happy to hear that. And you are welcome, Tsahik. Please ask if you need anything else."
Ronal pulls her hand back, offering a thin nod, frown pulling her lips downward. "I will. Thank you."
Tsireya pops up beside her mother, grabbing onto Neteyam's hand, creases forming between her eyes in worry. "Are you okay, Neteyam?"
A dazed look passes over Neteyam's face as he stares blankly at Tsireya for a moment before he smiles, faintly, and nods. "Yes. I'm good to continue our lessons. Our father taught us how to swim, but I've never had to hold my breath this long. I'll just need time to adjust, is all. I'll be okay."
Tsireya blinks rapidly before pulling her hand back slowly, worry flickering across her face. "Oh, no. Um... it's... it's okay. You'll... get it soon. I know it."
Neteyam's little laugh is hoarse and weak, but a bit of sparkle returns to his eyes as he rasps out, "Thank you for having faith in us."
Tsireya nods quickly, looking over at her mom. "He doesn't remember?"
"He remembers," Ronal says slowly, "just not everything at once. He's very confused." Neytiri covers her mouth with her hands, worry written across her face as Jake's shoulders tense up.
Neteyam, not even noticing them talking about him, turns toward the ocean again, eyes wide as it sparkles, the sky finally beginning to lighten up over the horizon, bringing light back to Pandora, inch by inch. Despite the warm breeze, Neteyam starts to shiver, wrapping his arms around himself to stave off the cold.
Ronal catches the action and turns to her son. "Go get Neteyam a blanket, Ao'nung."
Without hesitating, Ao'nung turns and heads off while Tonowari steps closer, looking at his wife. "Do you think this is from the Great Mother bringing him back? Or because of what happened?" Because he died in the first place, was left unsaid, but Tsireya, Jake and Neytiri all flinch anyway. Tonowari sends the parents an apologetic look before turning his own blue eyes back to his wife.
She sucks in a long, deep breath, eyes trailing down Neteyam's back as all the arms seem to converge along his spine and the back of his legs, leaving an inch of space down the line of his body.
"I don't know," Ronal finally admits after almost a full minute of silence, eyes trailing down the markings on Neteyam's body. "It could be one or the other, or a combination of both. What happened to him was so traumatic that his mind is scrambled, or perhaps to keep him sane, Eywa has chosen for him to forget. I can't say one way or the other at this moment."
"But he'll get better?" Neytiri asks, voice wavering.
Ronal offers a little nod. "He seems to recall people, but the order of the memories is just trigger based. We will simply have to see what memories don't come back, if any do."
Ao'nung trots back up to them, walking to Neteyam, gently unraveling the blanket and laying it over his shoulders. Neteyam doesn't react and the blanket slides off his far shoulder. Ao'nung hesitates before reaching around him to more securely wrap it around the darker skinned Na'vi. Neteyam looks down at the hand holding the two sides of the blanket together at his chest, raising his hand to wrap it around the hand.
Ao'nung rips his hand back as if burned as Neteyam follows the movement, eyes landing on Ao'nung's face. At first there isn't any recognition, but when Ao'nung, while anxiously scratching at his throat, mumbles, "I'm sorry," looking at the other boy through his lashes, Neteyam's expression falls eerily flat. The eldest Sully child turns toward Ao'nung as the blanket flutters to the ground, almost landing in the retreating waves. Tsireya dips down to grab it out of the wet sand, brushing it off.
"Don't," Neteyam says, his voice flat.
Ao'nung recoiled slightly, staring surprised into Neteyam's burning eyes. Ronal and Jake spare a glance at one another at Neteyam's sudden shift in demeanor once more. This one clearly more hostile, tail lashing back and forth behind him. Ao'nung's eyes track the movement before looking up at Neteyam once more, eyes flashing in recognition.
At his silence, Neteyam grinds out, anger peaking the edges of his voice, "Don't, Ao'nung. Do not apologize to me. It is not me that you should be apologizing to."
Ao'nung's shoulders dip a bit, staring at Neteyam's face, watching as his silence draws out more ire in the normally composed young man's expression. "I'm sorry," he hears himself say, which is the wrong thing because Neteyam's mouth twists into a deep frown, eyes sharp enough to cut and hot enough to burn.
"I said not to apologize to me. It is Lo'ak you should be apologizing to. You didn't hurt me. You hurt him," Neteyam whispers, voice dark and angry.
Tsireya's ears flicker as she looks at her brother over Neteyam's shoulder with wide eyes. "Brother," she starts but Ao'nung shakes his head, rolling his shoulder back and leveling his chin at the other Na'vi, willing to face this without anyone supporting him. Do it better the second time.
"But I did," Ao'nung says, keeping his voice even. "I hurt you more than you'll ever admit. I hurt the people... the person that you love most. I hurt your little brother. I put his life in danger for a stupid prank that went way too far and way too horribly wrong."
"At least you know," Neteyam says spitefully, creases forming between his eyes as he lowers his gaze to the dirt, peace-making Neteyam starting to poke through the anger. "That doesn't make it any better. You need to apologize to Lo'ak, and mean it."
"I will," Ao'nung assures him. "And I will mean it. I didn't intend for it to turn out like that. I never intended for him to get hurt."
"Did you?" Neteyam asks softly, anger repelling the peace-maker into the recesses of his mind once more, as blazing golden eyes lift until they meet remorseful blue. "Did you really mean no harm? Leaving an inexperienced swimmer in unfamiliar water? With no idea what sort of beasts await him? How to escape them if they come for him? Did you honestly mean no harm?"
Ao'nung flinches but keeps himself steady as all eyes turn to him. He swallows, facing the ire of the older brother before, admitting, softly, "I honestly didn't think about it. It was just supposed to be a prank. Nothing more. It never occurred to me that he might have actually been in danger. That an akula could find him out there."
Disgust crosses Neteyam's face, suddenly, face pinched as he stares at Ao'nung. "You didn't think? It never occurred to you. Really? These are your waters. This is your home for your entire life, and it never occurred to you that bringing someone who barely knows the reef would have the skills necessary to survive in the open waters?" He looks genuinely repulsed by the young man in front of him, and with a back of steel, Ao'nung accepts the look and the words with grace, facing his punishment without complaint.
"I'm sorry," Ao'nung says.
"Stop saying that!" Neteyam snaps, making Tsireya jump behind him, never having heard gentle Neteyam speak so harshly. Even Jake and Neytiri tense at the sound. Their eldest never known for lashing out, even when he was younger. He was always so levelheaded, so composed. Neteyam steps into Ao'nung's space, staring into his eyes, hands curling into fists. "You don't mean it. Had it been me? Had our roles been reversed, and you and your family came to our home in the forest, and I did that to you? To your sister? My father would skin me alive. My mother would pluck my eyes from my head. You are to be the Olo'eykton! We are part of your clan, and this is what you do? This is how you treat those you are meant to protect?"
Ao'nung flinches, eyes lowering to the sand as he swallows the shame in his throat, unable to meet Neteyam's gaze.
"You bring your father shame," Neteyam hisses, rage twisting his features, ears flattening against his skull as his tail lashes back and forth and Ao'nung's entire body coils as if struck.
"Neteyam," Jake starts but Ao'nung shakes his head, sending a look over at Jake, lips pressed together tightly.
Jake hesitates as Ao'nung turns his eyes back toward Neteyam, rolling his shoulders back once more to face the angry forest Na'vi in front of him.
"I know," Ao'nung says, keeping his voice even, but his swallow belies his pain. "I never should have done that. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair."
"Fair?" Neteyam echoes, coiling like a snake, staring up through long lashes at the other young man, tail going rigid. Ao'nung tenses at the sight, but his hands remain at his side. "What did we do to make you hate us so much?"
Ao'nung shakes his head. "Nothing. You didn't do anything. And I don't hate you. I never hated you." Somehow his voice remains steady despite the number of times he keeps swallowing.
"Lo'ak," Neteyam seethes. Ronal's sharp eyes look back and forth between the two boys.
"I'm sorry," Ao'nung says automatically, which makes Neteyam's lip curls in anger as he spins on his heel, stomping away. Ao'nung springs after him. Tsireya jumps into Jake to get out of the way as Neteyam doesn't appear to even see her and Ao'nung wasn't going to slow down. Jake steadies her as Ao'nung reaches out to grab onto Neteyam's elbow. "No, Neteyam don't walk away."
"Let me walk," Neteyam grounds out, twisting at the waist to glare at the lighter skinned Na'vi. "Let me walk, Ao'nung, or I'm going to hit you."
"You can hit me," Ao'nung says, gripping Neteyam tighter as the other boy tries to rip his arm away but doesn't actually have enough strength to do it. Neteyam glances disdainfully at his hand as Ao'nung says, "I deserve it. You should hit me."
"Don't tempt me," Neteyam growls, narrowing his eyes up at the other boy.
Ao'nung pulls him a bit closer, Neteyam's tail lashes once before going unnervingly steady. "What I did was horrible, Neteyam. Your brother could have been hurt. He could have been killed, and it was all my fault. I was the one who led him out there. I was the one who left him. It's my fault. I should get hit for what I did."
Neteyam's tail curls inward for a split second. Ao'nung recognizes it for exactly what it is. Neteyam's tell. And like the last time that he saw it, when Neteyam came to Lo'ak's rescue when the younger Sully boy punched Ao'nung in the face, Neteyam strikes faster than a swimwing, fast and effective right to Ao'nung's jaw, dropping him to the sand in an instant.
"Neteyam!" Neytiri gasps in tandem with Tsireya, rushing forward but Ronal's hand grabbing her arm stops her and Jake, who made another attempt to step in. Both look at the Tsahik in shock as she shakes her head.
"He asked to be hit," she says, voice eerily calm. "Let them make their peace. This rage means it isn't settled. Let them finally settle this."
Neteyam stands there, hand clenching in pain as he stares down at Ao'nung, shoulders shaking from exertion as if that strike took every ounce of his strength. The sun finally crests over the horizon, bathing the moon in a pale orange color as it slowly starts to ascend in the sky. Neteyam's attention turns toward the sunrise, face loosening up more and more until it's even.
Ao'nung takes a moment to wipe at the split of his lip before rising his feet once more, turning sad eyes toward Neteyam, hesitating for a moment before stepping closer once more and resting his hands on Neteyam's arms, but it's unclear if it is because he isn't scared of getting hit again, or because of Neteyam's heavy swaying is making him nervous and he's trying to steady the other boy.
"I let you down," Ao'nung says, blood trickling down the split in his lip and he licks it away, pulling Neteyam slightly closer. The darker skinned Na'vi doesn't protest and takes the step closer, pulling his eyes back to the other Na'vi in front of him. "I disappointed you. I shamed my father, and I will never be able to apologize enough to Lo'ak for both putting him in danger and for letting him accept some level of responsibility when he shouldn't have. I am so sorry, Neteyam. I will do better. I will be better. For you, I will be everything I must, and can. I swear. I will be the Olo'eykton that you can be proud of."
Neteyam stares at him for a long moment, face blank, all traces of anger gone in an instant. He tilts his head slightly, before a soft, kind smile graces his lips as he says, softly, "Of course you can. You can do anything, Ao'nung. I have faith in you. And I'll be here if you need me."
Ao'nung's chin wavers and he quickly swallows it down, dipping his head in a nod. "Thank you."
Neteyam placing a finger under Ao'nung's chin, lifting it until they were eye-level once more. "Chin up, Ao'nung. No pain. No sorrow. No remorse. Son of the Olo'eykton must remain steady. Must remain strong." He offers a nod of affirmation at his own words, not noticing the way Neytiri's ears flick back a bit and Jake's entire body goes rigid, shame pulling him apart at the seams.
"Your hand is cold," Ao'nung says, holding a hand behind himself for the blanket from Tsireya. She quickly places it in his hand and Ao'nung wraps it around Neteyam's shoulders, grabbing the hand touching his chin and bringing it over to the blanket to hold it in place.
Neteyam's eyes glaze over for a moment before looking down at the blanket and gripping it tightly, nodding slowly as he turns back toward the ocean, eyes sparkling in the rising light.
"Are you... ready to go back to bed?" Ao'nung asks softly, stepping closer and putting an arm around Neteyam. "You're going to need a little bit more rest."
Neteyam stares out over the ocean, blinking slowly before looking over at Ao'nung, swaying tiredly until he's pressed into the other boy's side. "No," he says softly, voice cracking. "I want to sit out for a little longer. Can I?"
Ao'nung nods, reaching out to take his free hand and helping him lower to the sand. "Sure but sit. You look tired."
Neteyam doesn't argue. They lower together to the sand and Neteyam presses into his side, resting his head on Ao'nung's shoulder, eyes trained on the ocean. Jake and Neytiri move closer, Jake to Neteyam's other side and Neytiri behind him. She pulls the long, wild strands of black hair behind Neteyam's shoulders and out from under the blanket, running her fingers through the locks, working out the knots. What hair she can with Neteyam's head resting on Ao'nung's shoulder.
After a moment, Tsireya lowers herself to Ao'nung's other side, casting him a knowing look before reaching out and taking his hand. Ao'nung gives it a squeeze but doesn't let it go. Ronal and Tonowari both stare at one another turning their own eyes toward the rising sun and the sparkling ocean. Their beautiful home. All of their home.
After a few minutes of silence, Neteyam glances up at Ao'nung, not at all minding the ministrations Neytiri is doing in his hair. "My baby sister is going to be born today," he rasps out of the blue.
Ao'nung perks at that, perplexed for a moment before asking, "Oh? How do you know it's going to be a girl if she's not born yet?"
Neteyam grins, turning his eyes toward the ocean once more. "My mother knows. She's always known. She said, 'A mother knows, Ma Jake'. And she hasn't been wrong yet, I think, so she must be right this time too."
"Ahh," Ao'nung says easily. Then, "A baby sister born right after sunrise?"
Neteyam nods. "Kiri was born later into the night, just before the start of the new day. Lo'ak was born midday, just past the eclipse. And my sister will be born soon. Just after sunrise." His eyes sparkle as a grin nearly splits his face in two. "I am excited. I can't wait to meet her."
He coughs at his scratchy throat again, but it doesn't break his smile.
Ao'nung pauses for a moment, considering, before turning to Neteyam. "What about you?"
Neteyam hums, glancing at Ao'nung through his long lashes. "What do you mean?"
"When were you born?"
Neteyam hesitates, blinking rapidly, his face twisting in confusion at the question. Jake's eyebrows pull together as Neytiri's hands stop moving. Both parents' glance at one another.
"Me?" Neteyam asks, like the concept was foreign to him. "I don't know. I never asked."
Ao'nung gives him a quizzical look, but Neytiri says, softly, "You were born as the day began, Neteyam. As the forest came alive for the day, so too did you. You were born at first light. My beautiful sunshine baby."
Neteyam turns his head slightly, not quite looking at Neytiri, but more at Jake, his face curious before falling flat once more and he leans his head back against Ao'nung's shoulder, eyes trained out at the sea, eyes starting to droop more and more until they close all together, the waves finally licking at their feet once more. They sit in silence for a few moments longer before Jake leans closer, staring at the sleeping face of his son, sucking in a slowly breath before moving to scoop him up again.
Neytiri follows him to his feet, slowly extracting the blanket from around Neteyam and offering it Tonowari with a nod of appreciation, he accepts it back with his own nod.
"Thank you, everyone," Jake says steadily. "I'll bring him back home so that he can rest."
"I'll check on him again in a while," Ronal offers, casting her son a long look as he shuffles to his feet, dusting himself off, eyes trained on Neteyam.
"Thank you, Tsahik," Jake says evenly. Neytiri echos the sentiment, offering another little nod before following after her mate and son back toward their marui as Tsireya rises to her feet.
Members of the clan start exiting their marui, getting ready to start their days. Some halt completely in place as Jake and Neytiri pass, the former carrying his oldest son. The clan murmur under their breaths, eyes wide, tracking the hand marks on the young Na'vi and Jake wished that Neytiri had kept the blanket on him until they got back home, but he didn't say anything, just stared down anyone who didn't avert their eyes fast enough as they passed.
And for the second time in two days, Jake carries his unconscious son home. But it's better he's unconscious and not dead. That's going to have to be good enough.