Chapter 3: A Choice Already Made

Neteyam blinked a few times, feeling the growing pressure as Tarsem sat waiting expectantly. The clan chief was no doubt awaiting what he assumed would be an affirmative answer.

The proposal was not something Neteyam had expected. His father had been forced to relinquish his leadership of the Omatikaya when they had left to seek refuge with the Metkayina. Tarsem had been appointed in Jake's stead as a replacement. As Jake's leadership had ended, so had Neteyam's birth right to succeed him.

Neteyam had long ago given up on any aspirations of being olo'eyktan. When his family had first moved to Awa'atlu, he had gone from being the highly-respected son of the clan chief to being ridiculed and mocked for being a 'freak'. The adjustment had been tough, but once his family became Metkayina, Neteyam buried his ambition and made peace with his new position in life.

"Well, son?" Tarsem prompted, raising a curious brow at Neteyam's silence.

Swallowing the nervous build-up of saliva that had pooled in the hollows of his cheeks, Neteyam answered with queries of his own, "What's happened to Tupou? Why is he unable to continue as your successor?"

"This is actually Tupou's idea. He doesn't wish to be successor." The admission from Tarsem was a surprise, "He finds the role more a burden than an honour, and it impinges on his freedoms. My son wasn't born with the responsibility of impending leadership. Unlike yourself, he wasn't raised with the expectation or the preparation, which is perhaps why his manner is somewhat lacking for leadership. He's a well-respected warrior and very skilled, but he's also wilful and conceited. He is not the most suitable candidate."

If this proposition had come to Neteyam several years ago, he may have accepted. If Naia was still tsakarem, he would definitely have accepted. However, she was not tsakarem anymore and his priority now was her. Naia was the biggest reason he had returned to the Omatikaya. Using the diplomacy he was raised with, Neteyam asked, "Is this proposition negotiable? Do I have a choice?"

Neteyam heard his mother sigh quietly beside him and his father looked somewhat uncomfortable. His grandmother, on the other hand, was smiling wryly at the awkward situation.

The incredulity was clear on Tarsem's face, "You do not wish to accept this proposal?"

"With all due respect olo'eyktan, I'm honoured and I thank the council. However, I must decline."

"Why?" Despite the frown that was forming a deep knit between the clan chief's brows, Tarsem's voice was calm. There was no indignation in his tone, just a genuine want to understand, "You've trained most of your life in your father's footsteps. You were one of the youngest individuals to succeed at Iknimaya and one of the best warriors the Omatikaya have ever seen. The clan respects you and rejoices at your return. I thought this proposal would be an easy acceptance for you."

If Tarsem wanted Neteyam to spell out his reasons then he would, "It would be the utmost honour to lead the Omatikaya one day, sir, but I won't accept this position if it means I will be betrothed to Leylani."

Tarsem looked even more astounded by Neteyam's response and he let out a dubious bark of laughter, "First Manaia's refusal to mate Tupou and now this? What is this madness? Look, I agree that Manaia and Tupou were ill-suited to each other. However, you and Leylani are both wise with good heads on your shoulders. It's a robust partnership and she is a beautiful woman! I must say I don't understand your reasoning. You've clearly been spending far too much time with Manaia and she has been a poor influence on you."

Neteyam was about to defend Naia when his grandmother burst into hearty, guffawing laughter, startling everyone around her.

Mo'at's amusement petered down to quiet chortling after a few moments and she mildly chastised Tarsem, "Perhaps next time you will listen to your tsahìk when she suggests that a proposition be relayed to someone in private. That way you might have avoided this uncomfortable exchange entirely."

Tarsem scoffed and addressed Neteyam, "The council can't force you to accept. However, this does leave the clan without a suitable successor. Your choice to decline and your reason has surprised me, Neteyam."

Despite his annoyance at Tarsem's slighting of Naia, Neteyam kept his tone carefully measured, "I'm sorry to disappoint, sir. May I be dismissed?" He did not want to suffer the awkward situation any longer or risk the chance of Tarsem trying to persuade him otherwise. He was resolute in his decision. He would not accept if it meant he would be mated to Leylani.

"Yes, you may. Dismissed."

With a respectful bow of his head, Neteyam uncrossed his legs and rose to his feet. Bidding them all goodnight, he headed deeper into the shelter intent on bedding down for the night.

Still chuckling under her breath, Mo'at added towards Tarsem once Neteyam was out of earshot, "You may be a noble olo'eyktan, Tarsem, but sometimes you do not see what is right under your nose. You do not put two and two together to see the truth for what it is."

Pursing his lips at Mo'at, Tarsem bristled a bit at her barb, "What am I not seeing, tsahìk? Please enlighten me. I don't think my surprise at Neteyam's refusal is unwarranted. He was the clan's original successor until before the Long War, after all."

"Yes, but who was his tsakarem back then?" Mo'at's question was perceptive and she narrowed her eyes at the clan chief, willing him to work things out for himself. She could see the cogs turning in Tarsem's mind, "A few moments ago you acknowledged that Neteyam and Manaia are close. Manaia refused to mate Tupou, and now Neteyam refuses to mate Leylani. Why do you think that might be?"

Several moments later, realisation spread across Tarsem's features and his lips formed an 'oh' of understanding. He gave a slow shake of his head then and sniggered, "Ah Great Mother, what a mess. If only Manaia had remained tsakarem."

The others joined him in soft chortling and Mo'at sighed, "The path that Eywa has planned for us rarely runs straight or smooth. This clan does need a strong successor though. It is not a matter to be taken lightly."

"If I may ask," Jake began, hesitant due to the fact that he knew what he was about to suggest was a deviation from ancient Na'vi tradition that dated back to the time of the First Songs, "Must the olo'eyktan be mated to the tsahìk? I mean, look at what we've done for the last two decades. Mo'at, you remained tsahìk when I was clan chief and even now still with Tarsem as olo'eyktan. I believe Neteyam would accept the proposal if he wasn't obligated to mate Leylani."

"My Jake, our divergence from tradition is a one-off and not ideal. One divergence is not reason to diverge for the rest of time." Neytiri cautioned her husband, though she looked shamefaced at the subject. She knew and acknowledged that it had been her who had caused the divergence in the first place.

"Times may be changing. I have heard whispers of clans who no longer follow this tradition, maite (daughter). Some clans even have an olo'eykte (clan chieftainess)." Mo'at stated, "Above all, strong leadership and partnership is the most important in the leading pair. Jake may have a point worth exploring. I will speak to Leylani about this, though I can't imagine her objecting to being free to choose her own mate."

Tarsem fixed strong amber eyes on Mo'at and he nodded, "We will bring this to the clan council. A vote can be taken. Majority will rule."

Fear lanced through Naia as she ran towards the nearest clearing, her terror like shards of stabbing ice in her chest. She had been gathering various medicinal shrubs on the verdant forest floor below the mountains with some other women when a scout had arrived from High Camp to summon her home urgently. The warriors' party had returned to camp early after an incident with a palulukan (thanator) and several warriors had been wounded.

Blood pounding in her ears, all Naia could think of was Neteyam. Great Mother, please let him be alright…

Reaching the clearing in the forest, she let out several shrill calls for her ikran who would not be far away. Sure enough, an answering skreich sounded overhead and it was only moments before Lortirea landed in front of Naia with a great flap of her wings. Leaping onto the creature's back, she urged her winged familiar into a steep ascent, taking to the skies in a burst of speed, "Quickly, Lortirea! Fly! Fly for home!"

The short flight back to High Camp passed in a numb daze for Naia. She dismounted hastily upon reaching her destination, absently thanking Lortirea before weaving her way through the other tents and shelters bound for the tsahìk's hut. The woven satchel she had been collecting her herbs and roots in was haphazardly slung across one of her shoulders, and Naia was sure a good portion of the medicinal florae had probably fallen out of it in her mad dash towards the forest clearing, but she could not care less currently.

Spearing through the flaps of the hut, she expected to be greeted by a grisly scene where chaos was running rampant, with the injured lying about on mats, groaning deliriously in their agony. However, the atmosphere was calm and the hut was mostly vacant apart from Mo'at who sat tending to a female warrior's arm and Leylani who was patching up another young male warrior.

"Oh good, you're back. Tupou's wounds need tending to." Mo'at called out, gesturing with a cock of her head to the corner of the hut nearest the entrance on Naia's right, "The bleeding has slowed considerably, but the gashes will need to be carefully stitched closed to minimise scarring. My hands are no longer as steady as they once were and your stitching skills are stronger than Leylani's are."

Naia's chest was heaving from her surge in adrenalin and in her panic she had not even seen Tupou lying to her right. Her wide eyes flicked hastily around the hut and she registered that Neteyam was not in there, which meant that he must not have been injured. She sagged in relief at the realisation and set her satchel down on the floor. Thank you, Eywa.

Moving to gather her healers' pack and implements, Naia cleaned her hands in the washbowl nearby and returned to kneel by Tupou's prone form. He was awake, but his lips were pressed into a tight line, clearly uncomfortable and in pain. Not that that stopped his condescension when he took in Naia's unnerved state.

"By Eywa, you look like you've seen someone return from the dead. What's got you all flustered?" Tupou sneered, and Naia thought to herself how amazing it was that he could still look haughty even while his face was contorted in pain. She wanted to pinch his nose and twist it off his stupid face.

Naia willed her professionalism and maturity to step up to the mark, biting back the urge to retort with a smart comment, "I was worried. When the scout found me and told me the hunting party had returned after a run-in with a palulukan, I assumed the worst."

Peeling back the cloth that had been used to stem the bleeding, Naia grimaced at the three open gashes that marred Tupou's chest, cutting across his torso from one shoulder down to his navel. He had been clawed by the creature.

As Naia prepared her needle and thread, Tupou took the opportunity to taunt her again, "Aww, worried for me were you? I'm touched."

With a roll of her eyes at his mockery, Naia hissed quietly, "No, my worry was not for you."

Tupou gave a soft and scathing chuckle, "Don't worry, your pretty boy is just fine. Unlike him, I didn't run when the palulukan showed up."

Naia's ears heated both from embarrassment and from ire at Tupou's remark. Were her feelings for Neteyam that obvious? And how dare he mock Neteyam for choosing not to face down a palulukan! She swatted Tupou on his uninjured shoulder, snarling at him, "You're supposed to run from palulukan! Not stand your ground!"

The female warrior Mo'at was tending to, Saeyla, jeered in agreement in the background, "Yeah, you skxawng ass! You tried to charge the beast and scare it off! You should know that palulukan does not fear anything! We lost one of our kills today, no thanks to you."

Leaning down towards Tupou so her comment would be quiet enough that none of the others would hear, Naia murmured, "It's not Neteyam's fault that he has a brain and you don't. One would think the only working head you have on your body is the one between your legs. Now you'll wear three welts across your body for the rest of your life as a reminder of your foolishness."

To Naia's surprise, Tupou did not even seem offended. With a scornful lift of one of his brows, he pursed his lips and nodded as if in agreement. Maintaining the same quiet level of speech that Naia had used with him, Tupou threw back a barb of his own, "You know, it's a pity your stitching skills are better than Leylani's. The view would have been so much better on her side of the hut."

It was a blatant jab at her appearance and while the comment stung, Naia did not show it. She had been witty with a sharp tongue all her life and she knew that if she wanted to dish sass out, that she would need to be tough enough to take it too when someone else gave her a taste of her own medicine. She had called Tupou dumb and he had called her plain. Fair game, they were even.

But, she had never been one to give up on having the last say.

Casting him a falsely saccharine smile that oozed mockery, Naia cautioned him, "Careful Tupou, I can stitch nicely or I can stitch poorly. Now, I'm sure the women wouldn't want the view of your chest to be ruined, would they?"

Tupou scowled at her but said nothing. Smart choice, Naia thought.

Ready to begin her work, she reached for a small vessel of brown tubers in her pack. Uncapping it, she pulled a single rhizome from it and held the finger-length root to Tupou's mouth, "Chew this, but don't swallow it. It'll help with the pain. And I want silence from now on or I'll make sure to wiggle the needle extra hard with every stitch."

"Yes ma'am." Tupou smirked and snickered, grimacing straight after at the pain his movement caused his wound.

Naia soon found a rhythm with her work, a repetitive cycle of needle and thread, and dabbing and cleaning as she went along. The three gashes were not very deep, but they were wide enough that she needed to stitch slowly and evenly to bring Tupou's skin back together. She prided herself on her work and all going well, he would still scar but the scars would be neat.

It was easy to drift away into her thoughts and as always, she thought of Neteyam. This past week had flown by in a blissful haze for Naia. She could hardly believe that he returned her affection. Every morning she thanked the Great Mother in her prayers and every night she got lost in the scent of him and the searing heat of his kisses.

That was not all they did, of course. They still spent some of their time meaningfully, talking and doing menial tasks like woodcarving, weaving and sewing in each other's presence. But Naia greatly enjoyed exploring this new, red-blooded side of Neteyam. She felt a blush begin to creep its way across her cheeks and she consciously kept her expression cool.

Neteyam was ever the gentleman but he was very much a man still, with hands that liked to roam, leaving sizzling trails across her sensitised skin, and lips that loved to nibble and kiss elsewhere too apart from her own lips. Certainly never without her permission, but how could Naia deny those gentle eyes that gleamed mischievously in their depths with the promise of something hotter. She was not blameless in their mutual explorations. She also loved running her hands over him and she relished the way she too could make him breathless with desire.

A pained gasp from Tupou interrupted her daydreaming and Naia murmured an apology as she started on the last gash. This wound was the deepest and he was clearly in a lot of pain. Reaching for a larger bottle in her healers' pack, she pulled the cork off and handed it to him, "It's straight rumautnäk. Take a big gulp of the liquor, don't choke."

Someone was pushed through the flaps of the hut then and jovial laughs of protest filled the space. Naia looked up and her heart skipped a beat when she realised it was Neteyam.

"Tsahìk! Neteyam hasn't been seen yet." Another one of the male warriors pronounced, sticking his upper half into the hut but not stepping into it, "He's being stubborn."

"I'm OK! I've just got a few cuts and scrapes. It's nothing to worry over." Neteyam asserted, "Besides, everyone here is busy."

"No, I've just finished dressing Untuk's leg." Leylani called kindly from across the hut, "You took the same tumble everyone else did. At least let me look you over and clean your cuts."

Neteyam's eyes dropped to meet Naia's where she knelt tending to Tupou and sweet relief washed over her at the visual confirmation that he was, in fact, more or less unharmed. He smiled warmly at her and she grinned in return, flicking her head in Leylani's direction, "Go on then, mighty warrior."

With a shake of his head and a half-hearted eyeroll at Naia's teasing comment, Neteyam ambled deeper into the space towards Leylani's work station. Offering her a friendly greeting, she gestured for him to sit before her as she cleared away what she did not need and cleaned her hands.

"Untuk told me your quick thinking saved them all today." Leylani's voice was appreciative and she beamed at Neteyam, "Tupou might not be here if it wasn't for you."

A weary sigh escaped Neteyam at the memory of the morning's harrowing encounter with the palulukan. Tupou had foolishly tried to charge the beast down and it had retaliated as expected. Tupou had fought fiercely, evading most of the creature's attempts to end his life until an ill-timed lunge on his part had earned him a clawed swipe down his torso. The palulukan would have killed him then if Neteyam and the other warriors had not cut one of their kills loose and rolled it down the bank to distract the hungry predator. The beast had accepted the trade.

"Well, I figured you can't fight palulukan and win, but you can bargain with it. It was hungry. The loss of one kill is a small price to pay for everyone's safety." Neteyam murmured, closing his eyes while Leylani patted gently with some cloth at a cut near his temple.

Leylani chortled, "Yes, I'm sure a fat talioang calf was a better deal than a scrawny Na'vi warrior in comparison. Good thinking." She continued to inspect her patient. Neteyam was unscathed apart from small cuts and grazes here and there, which Leylani diligently cleaned and applied her medicinal salve to.

They sat in comfortable silence while Leylani worked. Like many others their own age, Neteyam had been a friend and childhood playmate of hers growing up. He had been well-respected as next-in-line to be olo'eyktan after his father, but not once had the mantle ever gone to his head. What Tupou lacked in humility and good judgement, Neteyam more than made up for. He truly was the successor the Omatikaya needed.

"Your grandmother told me about the condition you have put forward to the council regarding their proposition." Leylani broke the silence, broaching the subject of him reclaiming his birthright, "I hope they find favour with your request. It would be a very progressive step forward."

Neteyam stiffened at her words. His grandmother had approached him the morning after the awkward encounter with Tarsem at his family's home, when the council's proposition had first been relayed to him. Mo'at had asked if he would re-consider re-claiming his birthright if he was not obligated as olo'eyktan to be mated to the tsahìk. He had taken the day to think about it and had come to the conclusion that the only thing stopping him was indeed Naia.

He was aware that his grandmother would have spoken to Leylani about it. After all, his condition did affect her path as future tsahìk too. However, unease simmered in Neteyam's stomach now at her direct reference to the situation and he realised he did not want Leylani to take his request the wrong way.

"It's not personal." Neteyam remarked apprehensively, turning sincere eyes up at Leylani who stopped her dabbing to meet his gaze. He struggled with his words, wanting to convey his genuine feelings that it was not because of anything wrong with Leylani herself that he objected to being betrothed to her. "It's not because I have any objections to you or that I find you unappealing. You're very beautiful and incredibly compassionate; any man would be lucky to have you as a mate. I just-"

Leylani giggled then and silenced him by finishing his sentiment for him, "The heart wants what it wants?" Her eyes flicked briefly to Naia over his shoulder before she narrowed her eyes at him with a perceptive grin, "Don't vex yourself, I know your reasons."

Neteyam chuckled awkwardly, speaking in a hushed tone, "Yeah, I haven't mentioned anything to Naia yet about the council's proposition though."

Leylani blinked surprised eyes at him, "Really? How come?"

"You know what she's like. She'll push for me to accept the position and lecture me from morning until night about why I'm even hesitating."

"And she would be right to do so." Leylani pressed in agreement, although her expression was still warm, "The clan needs you, Neteyam. There's no one else more fitting to lead in future, even Tupou knows that. It's one of the reasons why he wants to step down now that you've returned."

Neteyam's lips pressed into a determined line, his tail weaving purposefully at his back, "I didn't come home to reclaim my birthright. I came home for Naia."

The meaning behind his words did not need to be spelled out for Leylani to understand that if the clan council did not vote to allow a deviation from tradition, that Neteyam would be declining the proposition. His mind was made up, his choice was made.

Leylani thought wistfully to herself how special it must be to share such a profound bond with someone; to have known from a young age that the other was the twin to your own heart and soul. Time and distance had done nothing to change how Manaia felt for Neteyam, and clearly the emotion was returned on his part. Leylani was happy for her friends; to separate them now would be cruel.

Not wanting to dwell any longer on such serious matters, Leylani perked up with a bright smile, "Tell me about the ocean, brother! What's it like and what are the sea people like?"

"It's wet all the time." Neteyam's tone was deadpan and he maintained a straight expression at first before they both dissolved into hoots of laughter at his lame gag.

Naia watched out of the corner of her eye whilst Neteyam and Leylani engaged in good-humoured conversation. Neteyam's arms were animated as he described something to her and Naia felt a small pang of jealousy when Leylani let out a peal of enchanting laughter. Leylani, with her hip-length braids and all her feminine grace and beauty…

Naia recognised the danger of her own insecurities though and the rational part of her brain chastised her for her doubt. It was not Leylani who Neteyam chose to spend intimate company with in the evenings… But still, it made her feel uncomfortable seeing another woman's hands on his face and on his chest, even if Leylani was only doing a healer's job.

"Alright, you're all done." Naia pronounced, gently cleaning Tupou's chest and applying some salve to the now closed wound sites. "No hunting, sparring or strenuous activity for at least a week. Try not to stretch the skin too much or the stitches will burst and you'll end up back here again."

Tupou grunted as he eased himself into an upright position with some support from her, "Thanks for patching me up Manaia."

Smirking at him, Naia teased, "Wow, is that sincerity I hear?" Her skin prickled when Tupou fixed her with a look that held a surprising amount of candour in its depths.

"I'm not so proud that I don't recognise or show gratitude for the proficiencies of others, especially where I know my own skills are lacking."

Naia had no smart retort to that.

"Where are we going?" The question was almost a petulant whine from Naia, but the giggles that punctuated her words revealed her tongue-in-cheek mood.

Squeezing her hand as he led her along through the woodlands, Neteyam turned and wrinkled his nose at her, "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, would it?"

The flourishing forest shimmered with the bioluminescent beauty of the night and the air was crisp around them. Neteyam wanted tonight to be meaningful and the small leather pouch that bounced lightly against his hip as he walked reminded him of why. The clan council had yet to come to their decision on his request and they would take their final vote tomorrow night. However the outcome mattered little to him. There was only one thing, one woman he wanted no matter what.

The sound of water flowing, lapping gently as it travelled its way down the stream, filled Naia's ears and she realised that Neteyam had led them down to the brook where the fisherfolk often came to fish and gather. The stream opened into a large grove with a serene body of water that was too big to be called a pond, and yet too small and too closed off to be considered a river.

Rocks of all sizes surrounded the grove, framing the edges of the pool and pretty paysyul (water lilies) with dainty flowers of violet and pink dotted the water's surface. As with all of the Great Mother's natural wonders, the pool was illumined with phosphorescence in hues of teal, lilac and magenta from the aquatic florae that thrived in the water's depths. Pandora was never truly dark after eclipse.

Reaching the water's edge, Neteyam sauntered into the pool up to his knees and suddenly found himself unable to go further. Naia's arm was outstretched and she twisted her hand gently, pulling it out of Neteyam's hold as he attempted to pull her in after him. She planted her feet firmly on the bank, her toes scrunching reluctantly as the cool water swirled around them in an enticing tickle.

"We're going swimming?" Naia asked, the uncertainty clear in her voice.

Chuckling, Neteyam turned to face her and his handsome smile was most disarming, "We have to swim a bit to get to what I want to show you, yes."

Blowing a hesitant breath out through her lips, Naia shook her head, "I don't know, Neteyam. You might be half fish now, but I'm not. I'm very much a dry-land kind of person." She could swim, but she had never been confident in the water and preferred to stay dry.

"It's not far, I promise."

"Where exactly is this place?"

Sensing her obstinacy would not relent without some coaxing on his part, Neteyam sloshed up the bank to stand beside her. Curling a warm hand around her waist, he pointed with his other hand out toward what appeared to be a colossal boulder sitting in the centre of the pool, "There."

Naia blinked and a confused frown knitted her brows. The boulder was a tall dome and it stretched backward, connecting towards the rocky bank behind it. It just looked like a big rock to her… There was nothing special about it in particular. Turning perplexed eyes up at Neteyam, Naia drawled uninspiringly, "We flew and walked all this way to sit on a big rock?"

With a snort of laughter, Neteyam left her side again and waded further into the pool until the water swirled about his navel, "So little faith in me, Naia. It's not a rock. It's a cave system with an entrance under the water. We're going to swim into it."

A knot of nerves sat low in Naia's belly and her apprehension must have shown on her face, for Neteyam stretched an arm out towards her, his open hand beckoning for the grasp of her own. His warm gaze encouraged her and she stepped slowly into the brook and took hold of his hand, wading in after him to stand at his side.

"Do you trust me?" Neteyam's voice was tender as he posed his question, and he leaned down to press a kiss to Naia's temple.

Naia's reply came to her unbidden, "Always." The answering beam of his smile was worth all of her nerves, Naia thought.

"We're going to swim to where the mouth of that cave is. We'll surface there and then it's one big breath before we dive under and in."

Nodding tautly, Naia agreed and followed. Taking a breath she immersed herself and she swam.

Marvelling at the lean lines of Neteyam's body as he swam a little ahead of her, Naia supposed she should not have been surprised at the graceful strength that he possessed underwater. Even disregarding the many years he had spent in the reefs with the Metkayina, Neteyam had always excelled at anything athletic.

Naia continued to admire the musculature of him, determinedly keeping her eyes away from the floor of the riverbed which she was sure was getting deeper and deeper as they swam on. As they came upon the entrance of the cave system, she could see what Neteyam meant about surfacing for air one last time before going under again. The mouth of the cave was completely submerged and unlike the glowing bioluminescence that surrounded them now, the cave's depths appeared very dark.

Surfacing for air, Naia's breaths were short and shallow and she flicked her ears to get the water out of them. Neteyam surfaced immediately after her. He reached out beneath the water to take her hand again, "Alright Naia, big breath in on my count after three. Breathe in deep, let it expand down into your abdomen and hold it. It's not far in, maybe ten paces or so. Ready?"

Naia looked doleful, her braided hair was wet and her ears were folded back uncertainly. Her breaths were slightly shuddery and Neteyam lifted her knuckles to his lips to hearten her, "I've got you, promise. I won't let you go. One, two, three."

On Neteyam's count of three, she mimicked him and took a deep inhale through her lips. Holding her breath, she submerged herself again and felt Neteyam pulling her along as he swam. The sheer blackness of the cave entrance engulfed her next and she gripped tightly on to Neteyam's hand, kicking her own legs, and reaching and pulling through the water with her free arm.

Naia hated the darkness; hated the obscurity of not being able to see what was around her or where she was going. She could feel dread worming its way through her and her heart began to beat faster and faster. Screwing her eyelids tight shut, she allowed Neteyam to continue pulling her along with him. The angle of his trajectory changed then and she felt herself being pulled upward, up and up until her face finally broke the surface. Her next breath of air rushed into her lungs in a spluttering gasp and she instinctively flung her arms out, scrabbling for purchase at whatever was nearest to her.

Coughing, Naia's flailing arms met warm skin and sinew. She threw her arms around Neteyam's neck and clung on, her legs hitching themselves up around his hips. She could feel his legs treading water beneath her and with eyes still scrunched shut, she proclaimed into his neck, "I hate the dark. Water and darkness are not my thing!"

Fleetingly, Naia wondered if her weight was too heavy as she clutched onto Neteyam. She did not want to drown them both, but they were not sinking…

A deep laugh rumbled through Neteyam's torso and his lips whispered by her ear, "Open your eyes."

Cracking open her eyelids, Naia expected the pitch black of darkness to greet her once more. However, she gasped at the sight. It was not dark at all; everything around her was glowing.

They had reached the inner dome and what had looked like a giant rock from the outside was in fact a cavern filled with bioluminescent flora. They were floating in a pool surrounded by the ledge of the cavern floor, which stretched back and all around in a ring of luminous moss in varying shades of teal. Overhead, the gravelly walls and ceiling of the cavern were bespeckled with twinkling fauna in a picturesque mimicry of a starry night sky.

Naia realised then that majority of the incandescence was not coming from above her but from beneath the water. Glancing downward, the splendour of the sight stole her breath. Lining all around the rocky sides of the pool and riverbed of the cave system were scores of river clams in the hundreds, their shells gleaming and flickering in a rippling array of bioluminescence as their shells opened and closed periodically.

"By Eywa, they're so beautiful!" Naia avidly cried. Gingerly peeling herself away from Neteyam to tread water on her own, she immersed her face beneath the surface to get a better look and grinned to herself. The river clams almost looked like they were engaged in a chorus of silent speech as their shells opened and shut. Lifting her face to meet Neteyam, she exclaimed again, "There are so many of them!"

Feeling elated at Naia's glee, Neteyam nodded, beaming at her in response, "Don't tell the fisherfolk my secret, but this is how I managed to gather an entire sack full of clams in half the amount of time they normally would." Turning to the ledge behind him, he placed his hands flat on the lip of the cavern floor and hauled himself out of the water to sit on it.

Joining him a moment later, Naia's expression was remorseful as she glanced downward at the spectacle of clams below her, "I feel bad eating them now. Clams are one of my favourite things to eat. They're so beautiful, but they also taste so good stewed in a savoury broth."

"Good surprise?"

Naia pouted at him in mock disapproval, "Apart from having to swim through that dark cave entrance, yes. Very good surprise." The moss on the ground was unexpectedly plush and Naia stippled her fingers through its pleasant softness. Deciding she wanted to have a bit more of an exploration, she lifted her legs from where they dangled in the water and rose to her feet.

Neteyam watched her as she padded further around the ledge, the flicking tuft of her tail a tell-tale sign of her curiosity as she explored. He could not stop his eyes as they trailed in a touchless caress up her lissom legs to her pert bottom. Desire fired low in his abdomen. Her hips swayed lightly as she walked and an image of his fingers gripping into the soft flesh there as he did unspeakable things to her flashed through the forefront of his mind.

The taste of her lips and the feel of her body against his was a new compulsion of Neteyam's now. The past couple of weeks' evenings had been spent getting to know each other again, and while each night had always ended in a meld of mouths and the sear of hot hands against skin, that was as far as they had gone. His fingers tingled now with the need to touch her and his arms yearned to hold her. So great was the compulsion that he barely even registered the fact that he had gotten to his feet to approach her from behind.

The light bounce of the small pouch tied at his hip drew his attention to it. His soul-gift.

Neteyam would not push Naia or rush her into anything, but every fibre of his being very much wanted to make her his in every sense of the word, emotionally and physically. The memory of the council's proposition flitted through his mind once more and he shrugged the thought off. It did not matter what the outcome was. He wanted to mate Naia and he was going to make his intention known tonight.

Naia giggled as the bright orange lizard on the wall in front of her poked its tongue out at her. It was no bigger than the length of her hand, but the creature seemed utterly unafraid of her. She stroked a gentle finger over the scales and ridged fins on its back. It cocked its head back and forth several times, before it stuck its tongue out at her one last time and scampered away. Cheeky thing.

The heat of a warm chest pressed against her back and strong arms encircled her from behind. Naia smiled and leant back against Neteyam, enjoying it as he peppered light kisses over one side of her face. She twisted in his hold to claim his lips with her own in a brief kiss, before murmuring against them, "Thank you for bringing me here. I always thank the Great Mother to be surrounded by such beautiful things."

Anyone who did not know Naia would have thought nothing of her statement. However, knowing Naia as he did, Neteyam caught the slightly woeful inflection of her words. A soft sigh escaped him and he frowned at her, "Why do you say that as if you exclude yourself from the beautiful things you speak of?"

Naia gave a timid chuckle and shook her head, trying to worm her way out of the conversation, "I don't know. I didn't mean that."

"Naia," Neteyam called, tilting his head down to try and catch her downcast gaze, "Naia, look at me please."

Diffidently, Naia's golden orbs lifted to his and Neteyam caught her chin gently to keep her eyes on him, "Out of everything in this cave, out of everything in this world, you are the most beautiful thing in my eyes."

If Neteyam thought she would have a smart comment waiting for him, he was wrong. Naia's feet shuffled nervously and a deep blush stained its way across her cheeks, but she said nothing. Pressing a tender kiss to her cheek, Neteyam breathed softly, "I have something else for you."

Naia blinked up at him in surprise, "You do?"

Neteyam inclined his head in response and though he was not nervous before, the beginnings of anxiety unfurled in his gut now at the significance of what he was about to do. Reaching down to undo the strings of the pouch at his hip, he fumbled with it for a moment before carefully extracting the delicate necklet from within it.

He had carved the pendant from the shell of a giant sea snail, its form twisting together into three vertical loops, ascending in size with the smallest hanging from the length of beast-hide that made up the tie. The pendant's iridescent nacre held hues of deep blue and green, with flashes of pink and purple. Two white pearls sat on either side of the pendant followed by a purple bead at the ends, carved from some rare oceanic flint rock.

Naia gasped for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. The piece of jewellery that sat in Neteyam's palm was stunning. The necklace was ornate and simply extraordinary. It was a gift for her? In her growing discomfiture, her politeness took over and she stammered, "Great Mother, it's a beautiful b-but I can't accept this, Neteyam."

"I made this for you." Neteyam's tone was firm, and his eyes bore into hers, "If you won't accept this necklace then it will never be worn. No other woman will ever wear this. It's yours and only yours."

"What're you saying?" There was a tremble in Naia's voice as she looked up at him. Her mouth had gone dry and her heart was galloping behind her ribs. What did he mean?

"I love you, Naia. I always have."

Naia's breath hitched in her chest and she felt her face contort into an expression that must have appeared like an amalgamation between a smile and a grimace. Moisture beaded in the corners of her eyes and her heart felt so full that she thought it might burst, "I love you too."

For years Naia had dreamt of this; years she had spent believing it was a moment that would be forever confined to exist only in the realm of her dreams. But Neteyam was very real here and now, his strong jaw warm and firm beneath her palms as she rose onto the balls of her feet to kiss him again.

Neteyam returned her kiss with equal fervour, the sweet taste of her like a drug feeding into his system. He would have deepened the kiss and taken her to the ground then if not for his greater desire to actually place his soul-gift where it would lie forever against her chest.

Pulling away Neteyam raised the necklet and placed the loop of it over her Naia's head. She turned around intuitively so he could fasten it behind her. Looking over her shoulder to check the placement of the pendant, Neteyam twisted the cord around his fingers and dead-knotted it, securing his soul-gift around the column of her neck. "Take this gift as a token of my love. I hope you will wear it with pride and may it serve as a reminder always of what you mean to me."

Naia was still emotional when she faced him again, the fingers of one hand toying absently with the new pendant at her bosom, "Thank you. I don't know what else to say."

"Then say nothing at all." His words were a mumble, his breath ghosting over her cheeks.

Eager to show her the depth of his feelings now that he had spoken them, Neteyam crushed Naia to him and his lips found hers again. Her frame was pliant and she moulded herself to him willingly, her hands clutching at his shoulders as the fervour of their kiss bent her backwards. Neteyam cupped the back of her head with one hand and his other arm wound tightly around her middle to support her as he lowered them to the ground.

The mossy ground cushioned Naia's back and she arched up into the cage of Neteyam's arms as he settled himself over her. While his lips paid tribute to her neck, she slid her arms around his back, digging her fingers into shoulder blades and marvelling at his strength. Neteyam was the epitome of masculine beauty. All over his body he was hot skin over powerful muscle. She continued to trace the lines of him, smoothing her hands down his ribs and over his taut abdomen, hearing his breath hitch and feeling his muscles tense where she touched him.

Naia's own want was mounting now. Her skin burned and tingled all over and her nipples were peaked beneath the thin material of her leaf-laden chest covering. Neteyam's hands roved down the dip of her waist, over the flat of her stomach and over the skin of her thighs, but she wanted them elsewhere. She wanted him to touch her in her most secret of places. She wanted to be naked against him.

Emboldened by her desire, Naia shifted to reach behind her for the ties of her chest covering and she pulled them loose. A heavy hand came to rest on her sternum, halting the complete removal of her top.

Neteyam's eyes were cautious as he regarded her. His voice was husky when he uttered her name, in warning as well as in question at her actions, "Naia."

Naia's breaths were coming in shallow pants now. Her lips were parted and a desirous flush was creeping its way along her neck and chest. Grasping his wrist with one hand, she lifted it from her and with her other hand she tugged her top free of her torso, exposing herself to him. Neteyam's next intake of breath was a harsh gasp and a muted curse at the sight of her bare breasts.

Still holding his wrist, Naia placed the flat of his hand over one breast and she gave a soft sigh of pleasure as her pebbled nipple grazed his palm, "I want you to touch me."

The soft rounds of her breasts were tipped with delicately pointed nipples and the vision made Neteyam ache with his desire. It did not help that Naia was writhing gently beneath him, rubbing her centre against the thigh that he had nestled between her legs. Nuzzling the silky skin of one breast, he laved his tongue over her nipple and the breathy moan his action elicited from her went straight to his already stiff cock.

Closing his mouth around her nipple, he sucked, and Naia's fingers flew to twine themselves in the cluster of braids on his head. Neteyam adored each breast in turn before pressing hot kisses over her soft belly and then shifted lower. Her thighs fell apart readily for him when he nibbled at the flesh of her inner thighs. Her loincloth was still in place and he slowly pushed the trailing material aside, watching Naia closely for any sign of protest. When all she did was watch him in return through half-lidded eyes, he trailed his thumb over her barely clothed centre and pressed down when he found the nub he was looking for.

Naia jumped at the pleasure that shot through her. She squirmed under his ministrations, her hips undulating at the delight she was feeling. His fingers continued their assault over the most secret part of her and the thin fabric that stood between his hand and her core was fast becoming a hindrance. With an impatient groan, she fumbled with the ties at her hip and Neteyam helped to support her as she lifted her bottom to undo the strap at her tail.

The garment came off her and she tossed it haphazardly to the side where her top also lay. Bare as the day she was born, Naia stilled when she saw Neteyam sit back on his haunches to look at her. There was an undiluted hunger in his eyes while he surveyed her form. He was panting slightly and he licked his lips to moisten them.

Growing self-conscious at his silence, Naia swallowed and squirmed, "Say something."

Meeting her eyes, he stretched out on his side alongside her on one elbow, his other hand resting gently between her legs again. Leaning toward her, he stole a kiss from her parted lips and purred, "You don't know what you do to me. Has anyone ever touched you like this?" His fingers stroked unhindered at her core, and they slipped easily through her folds with how aroused she was.

Mouth parted in gratification, Naia's head lolled in a lazy shake of her head in response to his question. No one had ever touched her so intimately. He was the first and he would be the last.

An involuntary growl of male satisfaction rolled through Neteyam's chest at the sentiment. Spurred on by her whimpers and moans, he gently speared a finger into the waiting heat of her, then added another when she whined. He alternated between stroking and thrusting his fingers and Naia writhed as he stoked her pleasure toward a cresting peak. Heat was coursing through her in a pleasurable scorch and it was not long before she keened and climaxed.

Neteyam felt the edges of his self-control fraying. Naia was stunning amid her ecstasy and he felt as if his own pleasure would burst at the feel of her core squeezing around his fingers. By Eywa, he had fantasised of seeing her come undone like this many times. He was not innocent in his knowledge of these matters; he had explored intimacy with a couple of other females back in the reefs. But none had ever stoked his heart and his desires like Naia did. He was not ashamed of his desires, but he had always felt guilty when all he ever saw in his mind, even while he was with the others, was Naia.

Naia trembled lightly as she recovered from her orgasm. She could feel Neteyam's lips brushing at her hairline and his musky scent enveloped her. Though Neteyam had brought her to the edge of her pleasure and beyond, she still ached at her core. She wanted more of him. It did not escape her notice either that while she was naked, Neteyam was still clothed and part of her grouched at the fact. Great Mother, she wanted all of him tonight…

Reaching down, Naia caressed his clothed erection, which earned her a startled grunt from Neteyam. Smiling coyly at the pleasure-filled grimace on his face, she purred at him, "Take it off."

With a strangled laugh, Neteyam ground out through clenched teeth, "Naia, you overestimate my self-control."

"I don't want you to be controlled." A kiss against his chin and then a kiss against his chest. Naia brazenly reached for the tie of his loincloth and undid it, loosening the garment.

Neteyam's self-control was rapidly disintegrating as he felt Naia reach tentatively behind fabric to fondle his burning flesh. Her fingers toyed curiously with the sensitive head and she encircled the swollen length of him afterward in a firm grasp. He vaguely registered himself freeing the fabric from his tail to remove it entirely, and her name left his lips in a whimper as she continued to stroke him.

Sensing his diminishing resolve, Naia seized the moment and murmured against his lips, "Take me, Neteyam."

His restraint snapped at her words.

Neteyam surged over her and his lips met hers in a passionate clash. Naia's thighs framed his hips and her tail curled around his thigh in a subconscious attempt to press him closer to her. She rocked her hips, feeling the heavy weight of his erection slipping against her where she wanted him most.

Breaking the kiss for air, Neteyam paused to rest his forehead against hers. The moment felt surreal to him. The woman he loved was lying beneath him, ready to let him into her body and Eywa, he did not want to ruin this by being impatient. He took a slow inhale through his nose and nosed at her cheek, "I love you so much."

"And I, you."

Relaxing under the secure weight of him, Naia felt Neteyam align their bodies. Then, with a slow and measured press of his hips, he pushed his hard flesh inside her and joined them as one. Naia's mouth fell open in mild discomfort at the burning stretch of his intrusion, but the stinging sensation soon dissipated and gave way to a gratifying feeling of fullness.

A sensual groan of pleasure gurgled in Neteyam's throat while he absorbed the wondrous sensation of her wet heat gripping his length and he buried his face into the braids at the side of her face. He would not move until she was ready.

Naia gave a tentative roll of her hips and was glad to find no pain, only pleasure as the length of him stroked inside her core. Repeating the motion more insistently, she urged him on and bliss overwhelmed her when Neteyam began to thrust in earnest. Pleasure consumed them both as they made love, their bodies continuing in a push and pull of hips; a dance of male and female.

When ecstasy did finally find them it was in a tangle of limbs and tails, and in cries of rapture. Breathing hard and with muscles aching slightly from exertion, Neteyam carefully rolled back onto his side so as not to crush Naia beneath him. She burrowed against him, spent, settling her head on his heaving chest and listening to the rapid beat of his heart.

Feminine satisfaction bloomed within Naia when she felt a seeping warmth trickling down the back of her thighs, evidence of Neteyam's own pleasure. She wanted to lie here like this forever in the secrecy of this cavern they had spent the evening in, just the two of them without a care in the world. She remembered the daunting swim into the cavern then and she groaned aloud at the thought.

"What is it?" Neteyam asked and the deep timbre of his voice held a hint of post-coital drowsiness.

Naia chortled quietly, "I'm just thinking of having to swim back through the mouth of this cave again and dreading it."

Neteyam laughed and his warm hand smoothed soothingly over the side of her head, tucking a stray braid back behind her ear, "I'll be holding your hand the entire time like before. Just follow my lead."

Naia realised then that she would be leaving all traces of her girlhood behind tonight. Tonight, she would leave this cavern a woman; led by a man she knew she would follow anywhere he went, to whom she had given her heart to many years ago.

Blessed warmth burst in the depths of Neteyam's soul as he held Naia against him. Tomorrow, she would return to the clan with his soul-gift around her neck. The significance of it might perhaps be missed by the other members of the Omatikaya, but his family would know what the Metkayina tradition meant.

Neteyam had been selfless and dutiful for most of his life, always putting his family's needs and the clan's needs before his own. However, his intention to mate Naia was set in stone now. If the clan council wanted him reinstated as successor then Naia would have to come with him as his intended.

For once, he would be selfish, because for Naia it would all be worth it.

Author's Note:
I have to be honest, one of my reasons for wanting to write more and explore this story plot was to have an excuse to write more sexy scenes with Neteyam. :P
Our boy has made his choice now! All that remains to be seen is whether he will get to reclaim his birthright. What do ya'll think? :)