The Way of the Forest

by Winged Lady Colette

The Metkayina find themselves in the forest seeking the aid of Toruk Makto after their home was destroyed by the Sky People invasion of the moon of Pandora. Where once upon a time the Sully's must learn the way of water, here, the Metkayina must learn the way of the forest. Come to love it, and all the people that call it home.

4. The Climb

Author's Note: Hello my loves! I am so happy with all of your enjoyment from this story. I'm sorry for how slow it is. I promise that we will be at First Base soon. Hopefully by the end of next chapter but I apparently planned out too much in this beginning part, so that's my bad. But I do hope I haven't lost your interest yet. Thank you for taking the time to reach out! I hope that you enjoy!

Warnings: Mentions of stretching wounds and vomiting.

Neteyam will never claim to have a lot of good ideas, but he does have a few on occasion, if he does say so himself.

This, though, isn't one of them. As the storm rumbles ever closer, Neteyam lead them to a large rock formation in a break in the trees about an hour later. There is a very slight incline and natural grooves in the rock face that leads up to the plateau that he spoke of earlier. Forest Na'vi could make the climb easily. In fact, Neteyam already has. A week prior, when he came here with his papa to make sure that the Yarrem was actually gone. He knows that they can make the climb, even with the rock slicken with rain. They just have to move slowly and carefully.

It's nighttime now. The eclipse has fully fallen over the group, bathing them in a deeper darkness with the black clouds hanging over them. The storm is closing in quickly, but thankfully the vines slithering up the rock face give off their own gentle glow, providing them with enough light to be able to see what's in front of them. But climbing in the dark with unvetted climbers, all exhausted, water-logged, and sleep deprived doesn't bode well for them. But they have to get to safety. Even if that means that they have to take some risks. So long as they don't fall from the top, they should survive if they slip.

The reef Na'vi all stare up at the stone face with obvious trepidation. Spider steps up next to Neteyam, turning his blue eyes up toward Neteyam's golden ones. "Bro, are you sure this is a good idea?"

No. "It's the best I've got, Spider," Neteyam says, looking down at his friend and brother. "Let's just be careful and move slowly."

Spider nods. "Sure. We got to do what we got to do."

Neteyam pats his shoulder before pulling Lo'ak's bow off of his shoulder and walking over to his brother, giving a little wave for Spider to follow. Tonowari, Ronal, and Ao'nung move to join him as he stops next to his brother.

"We're climbing, then," Tonowari says, stopping next to Neteyam.

Neteyam nods up to the former Olo'eykton. "Yes, sir. We need somewhere safe to rest our heads for the night. So long as we're careful, everyone should be able to make the climb. We just have to move slow. Spider, Tuk, Lo'ak and I will be able to give you guys help but hopefully it won't be too hard of a climb. It's about thirty-five feet up, roughly. So long as you hold steady, you should be able to make it."

Ronal lets out a long sigh, nodding. "We will be fine."

Neteyam turns to Lo'ak. He hands over Lo'ak's bow back to him. Lo'ak opens his mouth to protest but Neteyam shakes his head. "I need you to carry some things for me. You and Spider."

Both boys glance at one another, nodding as Neteyam begins pulling off the pouches hanging off of himself, removing the corset from around his waist, securing that one to Lo'ak comfortably. But both boys split everything that Neteyam passes to them.

"What are you doing, bro?" Lo'ak finally asks, slinging his bow onto his back once more now that Neteyam only has his hair, neck and arm adornments left.

"I need to not have things obscuring my hold or weighing me down," Neteyam says easily. "I'm going to be carrying momma up the cliff, so I need you both to take my things."

"How are you going to do that?" Ao'nung asks, light eyes wide.

"On my back?" Neteyam responds, voice taking the lilt of a question. He's not sure if there is another way. "Unless you know another way."

Ao'nung frowns, lips pressing together. "No, I mean, do you think you should be climbing, while carrying someone? A full-grown adult, at that?"

Neteyam shakes his head. "Certainly not. I wouldn't recommend it. Such things are reserved for parents and their young. But we don't have any other choice. She can't very well stay down here during the night. So, unless her leg heals in the next ten minutes, someone has to carry her up there." His lips curve a bit in a playful smile. "Are you worried I'm going to drop her?"

"I'm worried your both going to drop," Lo'ak cuts in, glaring at his brother. Ao'nung nods his agreement. "This is a bad idea. Maybe on a good day, but it's dark and raining, bro. This isn't a good idea. We should just stay down here for the night. It'll be fine."

"No," Neteyam says easily, the smile falling from his face. "We stay up there tonight. We'll leave in the morning."

Lo'ak's ears flatten in annoyance. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

"It'll be fine, Lo'ak," Neteyam says easily. "Just trust me."

"Neteyam - "

"What if I carry her?" Tonowari asks, looking between the brothers.

Neteyam shakes his head. "I'm the better climber. I know how to get myself out of sticky situations. I'm the older brother. I'm the better climber of everyone here. I've got this. It's not far and I'll be careful."

"We should just stay down here," Lo'ak insists, Spider nodding at his side. "We shouldn't take an unnecessary risk."

"We can't stay down here," Neteyam says, turning glowing golden eyes back to Lo'ak. "It's not safe."

"It's safer than climbing up a near forty-foot rock at the dead of night while it's raining," Lo'ak protests. "Come on, bro! There has to be another way!"

"No, Lo'ak," Neteyam says, voice somehow both even but gentle. "This is the way it has to be."

Lo'ak hisses at nothing, glaring down at the ground before Ronal, who was watching this exchange in relative silence finally speaks up, "It hunts us still, doesn't it? The beast from earlier? You've been tracking it through the forest."

Neteyam levels her look with one of his own, not feeling like he had to respond to that - his silence answer enough. After a moment, he turns to look over at Tuk and the little boy that she was playing with, chasing him around his mother, who was sitting on a protruding rock that Rotxo placed her on. He's knelt next to her, catching his breath. Both mother and son seem happy to hear the little boy giggling away as he struggles to catch up with Tuk, hands stretched out in front of him.

Neteyam smiles faintly at them, happy to see his sister's fear from earlier is gone once more. They shouldn't know what's hunting them. That'll be his problem.

"Shit," Lo'ak curses. Tonowari, Ronal, and Ao'nung glance over at him, unfamiliar with the word spoken in the language of the Sky People. Their dad will be so happy to know that his children are using their extensive knowledge of the language to curse in secret from perhaps disapproving adults.

Neteyam rolls his eyes before turning to Spider. "Do you still have your blanket?"

Spider nods, reaching into the bag he has resting at his side, opening it to reveal his simple black blanket that he keeps with him whenever they sleep outside. Humans deep a bit more protection from the lowering temperatures than Na'vi. "Yeah, you want it?"

"Need it, actually but hold that thought for a moment." Neteyam gestures for the little group to follow him as he rejoins the rest. "Alright, everyone." He waits until all eyes are on him, Tuk and the boy stop chasing each other. He points up the face of the wall next to him. "We are going to need to ascend this wall. The storm is going to keep getting worse, so we need to get ourselves ready as quick as possible and then start climbing. We want to be efficient but careful. No mistakes. If you need a moment to catch your breath, take it. But we need to get up there. That's where we will rest for the night."

Everyone turned to squint up the darkness of the rock wall to where the light of the vines dim, blending into the shroud around it.

"Spider is going to give you guys a brief lesson," Neteyam says, looking down at the human next to him. He gives his human brother a nod to get started, which he moves to do so without hesitation, before looking at his blood brother. "Lo'ak, I need you to do me a favor. You too, Tuk."

"Sure," Lo'ak steps close as the reef Na'vi gather around to listen to Spider's quick lesson in climbing rock, as it is very different from climbing bark or vines. Tuk makes her way over to him.

"Come with me to gather some more mushrooms while we have a second."

His siblings nod and follow him to the edge of the clearing, and while Tuk and Lo'ak gather as much edible mushrooms as they can find in the short amount of time they have, Neteyam, armed once more with Lo'ak's bow, stands between them and the forest, watching the shifting shadows. Ronal was right. He has been catching the calls of the beasts in the forest, warning that a predator is there. How the din of the forest fluctuates when an unheard noise by Neteyam is caught by the other denizens of their home. Could it be something other than the thanator? Sure.

But it's probably not. Thanator are notorious for their incredible memory and ability to hold a grudge.

After a few minutes, Lo'ak and Tuk load up the small pouches on Tuk's sides full to bursting, before they head back. Neteyam watches the forest, listening to the din for a moment longer, eyes still tracking shadows, searching for anything trying to sneak up on them, but doesn't catch anything. He carefully moves back to the others, thankful that they are all waiting at the ready. There is a rumble in the distance as the storm grows ever closer, practically chasing them now.

"They good?" Lo'ak asks as Neteyam is just about back with the group, giving his younger brother his bow - again - to put onto his back once more.

"As good as me just explaining it is going to get them," Spider shrugs. "They just need to take it slow and steady. Plus, I think I heard from Norm that reef Na'vi have some sort of extra grip on the pads of their fingers that will better help them grip under water, so it might be easier to hold on for them. I think the hard part is just going to be the climbing."

"At least there is that," Lo'ak offers with a little shrug. Another rumble, this time closer than the last.

Both brothers hold their breath, waiting for a moment before Neteyam shrugs back. There isn't exactly a lot else they can hope for. Feeling like they've wasted enough time, Neteyam waves for the little boy to come over to him. Once the boy gets close enough, Neteyam lowers onto a knee to get as close to eye-level as possible to the boy, reaches out for his hand. The boy places his hands into Neteyam's as he pulls him closer.

"I'm going to need you to be strong, little warrior," Neteyam says softly. The little boy nods, face opening up. He appears determined to do whatever it was Neteyam was telling him to do. "I need you to hold on tight to my brother while he carries you up to the top. You can't let go and you have to stay put once you get up there," Neteyam says. The little boy's face falters slightly, looking up the imposing wall, his ears flattening a bit.

"I'm scared," the little boy says, looking back at Neteyam.

The oldest Sully boy smiles, reaching up to take the boy's hands in his own, giving them a gentle squeeze. "I know, little warrior, but we have to be strong and brave. Lo'ak will keep you safe. Trust me, okay?"

The little boy hesitates for a moment, staring into his eyes before nodding. "Okay."

"Thank you," Neteyam says sweetly, squeezing the hands one more time before standing up and pulling the boy up into his arms. He hugs the boy tightly, rubbing his back soothingly for a moment, which makes the boy squeeze him back around the neck before Neteyam passes him over to Lo'ak, who situates him comfortably in his arms. The little boy wraps his arms around Lo'ak's neck and legs around his waist. Thankfully, the boy is smaller than Tuk and he's used to carrying her around.

"I'm going to go up and drop him off, then I'll come down and try to help," Lo'ak says to Neteyam.

Neteyam nods. "Be careful."

Lo'ak gives him a two fingered salute as he makes his ascent up the rock wall with ease using his body to cage the little boy between himself and the wall, just in case with Tuk following after while Spider remains behind to help as the others get started, moving extremely slowly as the human tries to coach them. They seem to forget their anger and fear of him in favor of his guidance and knowledge in a clearly more superior skill. The little boy clings to Lo'ak, face buried in his neck the entire time, as the youngest Sully son makes his way to the top.

Neteyam makes his way over to Rhalwari, kneeling down in front of her and offering her the same gentle smile that he gave her son just a few minutes before. "Are you ready to go, momma? I'll be carrying you up there, okay?"

"I'm sorry," she says, instead of reiterating again how dangerous this idea sounds. She heard his reasoning and understands that they have to get somewhere safe, and that includes being put in this unfavorable situation. "I hate that I'm such a burden."

Neteyam quirks his head at that, genuine confusion crossing his features. "When did anyone say that you were a burden?"

"You're a sweet boy," Rhalwari says softly, letting out a little sigh and a smile. "Your parents must be so proud to have such a sweet boy."

Neteyam's ears flatten and his face ducks in embarrassment, tail whipping around behind him. His hands, that were dangling between his knees as he was knelt before her, cover his face. She lets out a little laugh, leaning forward to pet the top of his head.

He ducks his head more, rubbing at his face lifting his head after schooling his features to look over at Tonowari, who insists on being one of the last to start the journey up the rock face - wanting to ensure that his people are safe. "Would you help me get her on my back?" Tonowari nods as Neteyam turns to Spider. "And I'll need that blanket now, Spider."

With Tonowari and Spider's help, Rhalwari is moved onto Neteyam's back and held in place with the blanket wrapped around the two of them to keep them together. Another just in case. Neteyam knows he's going to be back heavy, and he doesn't want her to slip and drop to the forest floor once more. At least with them stuck together if they fall, he has the chance to catch them. It feels a lot like a swaddle, but no one comments as Neteyam climbs to his feet and steadily tries to readjust his balance with all the extra weight on his back.

The older son, Rotxo, keeps glancing down at them but a hiss from the female warrior keeps him moving up. They are almost a fifth of the way of - so not all that far - before Neteyam begins his own ascent. Tonowari stays close, which is kind of a relief as Neteyam isn't moving nearly as fast as he was hoping and while he didn't say anything, Rhalwari's arm over his right shoulder was already aching something terrible. Unlike most in the Omatikaya, Neteyam was right-handed - like his dad - and that being his dominant hand, he tended to climb leading with that hand, but just glancing over at the Metkayina around him, it seems they too were predominantly left-handed.

There is a bright flash of light directly above them, which makes everyone freeze in place. "Everyone," Neteyam shouts, "hold tight!" Then, under his breath, Neteyam starts to count, "One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thousand. Four-one thousand. Five-one thousand. Six-one thou-"

A rumble that hits just hard enough to start shaking the rock that they are climbing. Everyone pulls closer, holding on for their lives. But this wasn't even bad. Neteyam knows it's going to get worse the longer it takes.

"Okay, move!" He calls and everyone starts climbing again.

It doesn't take long for Neteyam's arms to start really protest any movement and his stops are becoming more and more frequent. He can't even lean flush with the wall that he's climbing because Rhalwari is keeping her broken shin straight while having her ankle hooked under that leg and Neteyam doesn't want to risk leaning against it and causing more damage. And to add insult to injury, the rain is starting to pick up, hitting like tiny pebbles against Neteyam's arms, shoulders and face.

But he doesn't complain. He keeps quiet, focusing on moving his limbs and ignoring the pain building up.

Spider is further up, helping the younger girl get her holding, coaching her on where to reach and what to hold onto. How to tell when the stone probably won't withstand her weight. At some point, Lo'ak descends again without the little boy and makes his way down to the slowest moving of them - aside from Neteyam - which was the male warrior. He keeps pace with him and helps him as best he can.

Tonowari seems to have a talent in it, despite climbing not being a common thing for their people, but even he is outshined by his wife as the Tsahik climbs up the wall, while pregnant, as if she's been doing it her whole life. Tonowari sticks close to his son as they climb together, offering one another support. Lo'ak keeps glancing back down at him, and while Neteyam appreciates that his brother is keeping an eye on him, at some point he's going to start calling out to him and he has to focus. He hopes that by blatantly ignoring his brother's gaze, he'll get the picture.

Another flash of light, this time when Neteyam is about half-way up and Ronal crests the top with the female warrior a few seconds behind her. Tuk's little head was peaking over the side but as soon as the lightning struck, remembering their training, she ducks back.

Neteyam starts to count again as everyone else freezes. He only makes it to "four-one thousan-" before he was cut off by the rumble that shook the wall harder. He can see the top of the rocks behind the cave, stretching far up into the sky, almost as high as the trees around it and prays that it would disperse enough energy if lightning were to strike it. He... hadn't fully thought about that. But then again, his papa had said something about the moss that grew in the cave helped protect the Yarrem from... something.

Well, hopefully he's not about to get all of them killed.

Once the shaking has stopped, they keep moving. Neteyam stops for the hundredth time in the last five minutes, huffing loudly as he presses his forehead against the stone, closing his eyes and willing his body to push on. Rhalwari doesn't say anything, but he can feel her hot breath against the right side of his neck. That shoulder is absolutely killing him now.

His anxiety keeps spiking and it's getting harder to force it down, but he manages. After a few long, drawn-out breaths, he keeps going. He makes it up about another three feet when lightning strikes again overhead, making everyone freeze. Movement catches his attention, and he glances over to see Lo'ak put his hand on the male warrior's back, steadying him while the thunder tries to shake them off the rock, but everyone holds on tight. Rhalwari squeezes his right shoulder and left ribs tightly in fear. Neteyam forces his breathing to keep steady as he waits for the shaking to stop.

Finally, unable to bare it any longer, he glances over his right shoulder toward Rhalwari, her light-colored eyes locked onto his as he turned to her. "Momma," he says fighting to keep his voice even, but he can hear the strain in it. "I'm going to need you to switch shoulders. Please."

Rhalwari nods, slowly unraveling her arms until there is a hand wrapped around his right ribs and the other around his left shoulder, connecting across his chest. It's a bit or a relief on that shoulder, which is what he wanted, but this whole thing is uncomfortable regardless. It's not going to get better, but it's going to have to work. Finally, comfortable - sort of - Neteyam continues. By this point, Spider and the girl are now crested over the top and Ao'nung and Tonowari are next, but they still have a few feet to go.

Another flash, and the rumble follows shortly after. Neteyam presses as close to the wall as he dares, arms shaking. He drops his head against the wall as the rain pelts at him harder, making his numb fingers feel like someone is jabbing them with a sharp stick. Once the trembling subsides, he releases one hand and flexes the fingers, trying to work blood back through them, before doing the other, hoping that would help him, even if only a little, before continuing.

The storm has to be directly above them now. It feels like every other minute he's stopping to weather a greater rumble. Eventually Ao'nung and Tonowari both crest over the top with Rotxo and his grandfather, whom he was keeping close to, right behind them until only the male warrior, Lo'ak, Neteyam and Rhalwari are the only ones left. But now, every time he looks up, there is just a line of heads all peeking out over the side, watching them slowly approach.

"You still holding out, bro?" Lo'ak calls.

"Yes," Neteyam says loud enough for his brother to hear him over the rain, just thanking Eywa that it's not super windy right now. It's just enough for the rain to hit them at a slight angle. But that can be dealt with.

Neteyam stops again, shoulders on fire. He closes his eyes and wills his racing heart to slow. He's so close. He's almost there. He just has to push through. Just a little more. He can do this. Then he can rest. Climbing around the forest looking for his two youngest siblings, coupled with the fight with the thanator - to which the cuts are pulling open because of the strain, which is also a lot of fun - and now all this climbing with a fully grown adult on his back? He's going to be in a world of pain tomorrow.

At least, that is if he doesn't fall now that he's almost to the top and kill them both.

Nah, he should be fine. He just has to focus and push on. Ignore the pain in his limbs and skin from the rain and will his forearms and thighs to steady their shaking. Forget all the distractions and get it done.

Focus, he can hear his dad says, voice even, just forget about the rest and focus.

With a level of renewed vigor, Neteyam pushes on. He watches as Lo'ak helps the male warrior over the top before looking climbing over himself to give himself a moment's reprieve before peeking over the side along with the others.

Another flash and all the heads disappear. The shaking of the rock makes Neteyam suddenly feel nauseas. He presses as close as possible, mouth filling with saliva. His heart is hammering against his chest and no matter how hard he tries to will himself to calm down, he can't. Limbs shaking, fingers numb, mouth filling constantly despite how much he swallows down, and his pounding heart is firing blood and adrenaline through his system hard enough that he feels like he's going to pass out.

He's out of time, he realizes. Turning his head up to see the heads peeking over at him once more. He begins to move as fast as he can, feeling his grip on himself start to slip.

Five feet.

He nearly misses a foot hold, but catches himself last minute.

Four feet.

Another flash and boom that nearly shakes him loose. Rhalwari's grip on him is tight enough that he can hardly breathe, but there isn't enough strength in his body to even speak, so he doesn't.

Three feet.

Everyone is reaching out for them and Neteyam's shoulders have fully given up on him. He can barely extend them, his movements so incredibly slow. He stops, he has to. He feels like he's about to black out. His vision is spotted.

Two feet.

Another flash that blinds Neteyam and he almost slips. He barely manages to secure his grip before the shaking starts. It feels like it's dragging on forever. Like the shaking will never stop. It'll just keep going until his limbs finally give out. This is it. It's too late. He's going to fall. The very thing he said he wasn't going to do was about to happen. He was about to fall from the top of this wall.

But thankfully the rumbling stops and Eywa takes a deep breathe.

Neteyam's limbs go numb, his arms fully giving up on him as he launches himself up over the top of the wall and onto solid ground. Rhalwari's hand shooting out was the only thing that prevented Neteyam's face from slamming into the stone. Everyone is talking at once, but Neteyam can't hear them, his ears are buzzing, and his heart is pounding louder than the storm grumbling overhead.

Neteyam takes a few seconds, trying to calm himself before weakly reaching down and tugging at Spider's blanket holding the two of them together. Someone gets the idea and unravels the blanket. Neteyam, with the last bits of his strength, grips under the knee on the injured leg and slowly rolls over, keeping all of his weight off of Rhalwari, making sure she keeps that leg absolutely straight as she lays down behind him. Once she's down on her back behind him, he lowers the leg down flat next to him before he pushes to his feet and moves away to give her space.

He marches toward the cave, which is thankfully about ten or so feet back from the ledge they crawled over. It's a wide enough open space for him to go off to the side, a bit away from the entrance of the cave to vomit against the rocks on that side. Again and again and again, until nothing but spit passes his lips and he's left dry heaving.

Lo'ak's drops down next to him, hands gripping at his braids, pulling them more away from his face and Neteyam had to wonder if Lo'ak had been there the whole time.

"Are you alright, bro?" Lo'ak asks, golden eyes wide in worry.

Neteyam nods, not able to find the strength to even form the words. A small set of hands land on his shoulder, their chill soothing the burn there. But even with that momentary relief, Neteyam's mind registers how cold they all were. Tuk's tiny hands were freezing from the rain. He needed to get her out of the rain. Even Lo'ak's fingers against the back of his neck - which is also burning from the exertion - where he's holding Neteyam's hair, is cold.

"Are you sick, Neteyam?" Tuk asks. "We should get you back to grandmother."

Neteyam's laugh is thin and weak. "Tired, little sister. Not sick. I just need a second to recover. Then I'll be good as new."

Tuk peers over his shoulder at him, her little face scrunched up in concern. Neteyam puts a hand over the two small ones on his shoulder, offering her a thin smile that falls as soon as he looks away. He takes a moment to try and catch his breath, willing his churning stomach to calm. It's not like he can throw up anything else. He just needs to calm down.

"Take a second, Neteyam," Spider says, appearing next to Lo'ak. "That was a hard one."

Neteyam nods, giving a little thumbs up.

He pushes himself up onto shaky limbs and turns back toward the group to see Tonowari has scooped up Rhalwari in his arms and is carrying her into the cave and out of the rain. The Sully siblings and Spider join up with the rest of them following him into the cave, lit up only by the moss lining the walls and ceiling. Tuk runs her hand across it as the go and it lights up even more. An imprint of her little hand in the patch of light.

"Are you alright?" the girl that Spider was helping, asks as they are the last to pile in.

Neteyam nods again, throat sore and limbs both trembling and weak. He rubs at his arms for a moment before turning to Tuk. "Can you pass out the mushrooms for me, Tuk?"

Tuk nods, eyes lighting up. "Okay!" She pulls open her pouch on her side and starts passing out the mushrooms to everyone as they all settle down in the back of the cave.

No one talks about the smell of the predator that makes their skin crawl, even though it's thankfully over a weak old and staling. And no one talks about how Neteyam sank to the ground as the closest to the mouth of the cave, which was thankfully only about fifteen-twenty feet deep that widens the deeper in they go. The back of the cave, where they gathered, thankfully will have enough room for them to all sleep. It'll be shoulder to shoulder, but it'll work.

"Here, Neteyam," Tuk says, offering up a few mushrooms with a big smile on her little face.

Neteyam shakes his head. "I'm okay, Tuk. See if any of the others want any more."

Tuk frowns, staring down at Neteyam's pale face and slumped posture. "Are you still not well?"

"Still tired," Neteyam corrects, smiling lightly when she frowns at him. "Go on now, Tuk. Don't worry about me. I'm okay."

Lo'ak presses into his side, staring at him but doesn't say anything. Neteyam tries to listen to the soft voices of the people around them, but his churning stomach and now pounding headache is making it hard to focus. Thankfully his adrenaline from earlier has fizzled out and his shaking limbs are starting to settle down. But he feels warm all over. He hasn't thrown up like that in... who knows how long? It had to be the stress but man, it's never hit him that hard before in his life. The longer he sits, though, the better he feels. It's just that the thought of eating anything right now makes him feel sick all over again. He saw Lo'ak stuff a few of his mushrooms into the pouch on his side, no doubt for Neteyam, while eating the rest.

Spider, catching Lo'ak as well, does the same as he lowers down on Lo'ak's other side.

And Neteyam loves both of them.

Neteyam opens his arms for Tuk to settle into them, despite how he feels. He cuddles her close, trying to warm up her body, despite how warm his insides feel, he recognizes the cold of his own skin. They'll get sick if they don't warm up. With Tuk on his lap to one side, he slings his arm around Lo'ak, motioning for Spider to come closer. Spider leans into his side and they huddle together for warmth.

Tuk munches away on her mushrooms happily, cuddling close to Neteyam for warmth. The reef Na'vi chew the mushrooms thoughtfully, no one voicing any complaints which leads Neteyam to wonder when the last time it was that they ate. Shame pools in his churning gut that he hadn't thought to get them food sooner.

They sit in relative silence, everyone cuddling together for warmth as the rumbling of the thunder and flashing of lightning persists outside. Finally, Neteyam looks around the group and says, softly, "We should all try and get some rest. We have about an hour's journey left once we get to the ground in the morning. We should be able to talk to our dad by tomorrow afternoon and get to First Base."

Everyone bobs their heads, all worn and tired and Neteyam avoids the hawk-like stare from the Tsahik, who hasn't stopped staring at him since they got into the cave. He knows enough about Tsahik to know that it is in her instincts to take care of those that are injured. And he knows that he's going to be sore tomorrow. But he's okay. She doesn't need to worry about him. He'll be fine.

"I'll keep an eye out for a little while," Neteyam says, despite the exhaustion pulling at his body and how heavy his eyes are getting. He's sure he can work up enough adrenaline to stay awake a few hours longer if need be.

"No, I'll keep an eye out," Tonowari says, his expression soft as he makes eye contact with Neteyam, who's lips part to protest, no doubt the man was more tired than even him. But Tonowari shakes his head. "Please, Neteyam. I insist."

He hesitates ears flattening against his wet hair, saying softly, "But you must be so tired. You all have been out alone in the forest for who knows how long. Let me help you."

Tonowari's expression softens even more. "You already have, little one. You have helped us more than we can thank you for."

Neteyam frowns at that, struggling to swallow through his tense throat. "I haven't done anything yet. You still haven't spoken to my dad."

"And yet you have still done enough for me to be eternally grateful to you," Tonowari says, voice soft enough that Neteyam had to perk his ears to be able to hear it. "So, get some rest. I'll wake you for second watch."

Neteyam's ears dip again but before he can protest, the female warrior says, "I'll stay up with him for the first watch."

With the assured expressions of all the adults in the room, Neteyam's shoulders slump in defeat. He nods as the thunder shakes the cave and the rain picks up again, slamming into the rock around them. He contemplates going to get a drink of water before he dries off too much. Anything to soothe his aching throat.

"Everyone come to the deepest part of the cave," Ronal says, voice calm and even, eyes still burrowing into Neteyam's face. "We will sleep together tonight. We need to warm up. You two stick close and try to dry off," she says, finally pulling her sharp eyes toward the woman next to her and then her husband. Both nod obediently to the Tsahik and her commands.

Okay, well, he'll just wait until morning, then. He's not going to go out and get wet just to curl around others and get them all wet again. He can wait.

As everyone settles as close as they can to the back of the cave with Tonowari and the female warrior, that he learned was named Zestira, sit as close to the group as they can at the widening of the cave, keeping away from the mouth and the rain soaking a foot or so into it. It's going to be a long night. Luckily, the moss on the ground back here offers them some warmth and cushion against the hard stone of the cave.

Since Spider's blanket was utterly ruined and left in the space between Tonowari and Zestira, laid out to dry, along with the rest of their stuff, Lo'ak and Tuk both wrap around the human, using their bodies to keep him warm. Tuk tucked into his arms, both of them already snoring softly while Lo'ak's back was pressed against his. Neteyam, to Lo'ak's other side, turns to see Ao'nung lying beside him, Tsireya, the girl, curled up against his side, her head on his shoulder with her eyes already closed tightly. She has a slight shiver to her, but Ao'nung keeps running his hand up and down her arm to warm her up.

Ao'nung looks over at him with that same look that he's held on his face since they met. This look of trepidation and maybe curiosity? But mostly worry. And something else that Neteyam's not sure about. Admiration? Awe? He's not sure.

But there was a touch of worry, and that's what he chooses to address. He reaches out his hand, placing it on the bridge of his nose, tips of his other two fingers on his brow bone. "Don't worry, Ao'nung. I promised we would be okay. Now sleep. We have an early morning."

Ao'nung huffs but he doesn't disobey as he closes his eyes.

Neteyam rolls over onto his other side, toward his brother, feeling Ao'nung's shoulder just an inch or two from his back before he scoots closer to Lo'ak. His brother doesn't protest - miraculously - as Neteyam wraps around him, pulling his baby brother tight to his chest, relishing in his warmth. He swallows thickly a few times before the quiet of everyone's soft breathing pulls him into a deep, dreamless black, knowing full well that Tonowari wasn't going to wake him for a second watch.