Author's Note: This is to you, anonymous commenter trying to troll me and making me laugh every time. XD
Neteyam didn't even have time to react before the strange Na'vi was right on him. Massive hands wrapped so easily around his upper arms and shook him so hard that he felt his brain rattle in his skull. The grip on his arms was painful and surely to bruise. Someone was screaming in his ear about "find him, find him, find him!" But he was so thrown off by what was happening to him that he wasn't able to discern more of what else was said.
Then, he's released, and he falls backward into the sand as a cacophony of yells and hisses fill his ringing ears. His back hitting the compact sand knocked the wind out of him and his head hitting gave him a throbbing migraine to accompany the disorientation. He's coughing and gasping, trying to reinflate his lungs as he squints into the blazing sun behind the head of the man that had grabbed onto him.
His mom is on him in seconds as she wraps her arms around him, hissing at the male being once more restrained by Tao'su and Tonowari while Neytiri stands between the three and Neteyam and his mom, tail lashing back and forth, her lips peeled back in a hiss. She lowers until her chest is pointed toward the sand and in her left hand is the knife that was once sheathed at her side. She bends at the knees, poised and ready to strike.
"Neteyam! Are you okay?" Ao'nung slides down opposite of Rhalwari, kicking up sand while he does it. He doesn't seem to notice as he's too busy helping Neteyam sit up. He glances wearily over his shoulder at the man, shoulders slumping a bit when he sees his dad there to handle the situation.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Neteyam says through coughs and wheezes, squinting through the throb of his headache. "Just a little disoriented, is all."
"That man attacked you!" Rhalwari gasps, her blue eyes blown wide. "Why would he do that?"
"He didn't attack me, mama," Neteyam rasps, coughing once more before the pain in his lungs finally ease from the wind being knocked from him. His head, back and arms are still throbbing, and probably will for a while still. "He just grabbed me, and I fell down. I'm okay."
Neteyam wraps an arm around Ao'nung and the other boy - with a split second of hesitation - helps him to his feet. Neteyam feels nauseous for a split second, leaning into Ao'nung for a few breaths while he settles his stomach, before looking over at the strange man fighting against the grip his father and clan chief have on him.
"You have to, Neteyam! You have to!" The man says, as two of the three strangers that accompanied him, jump in front of him, moving to hold him in place.
Neteyam's unsure what the men say to Tonowari and Tao'su that get them to let the frantic man go, but they do, and the two strangers push the third further away, toward the water, his crazed eyes pleading at Neteyam, while the two other men wore hard expressions. The fourth and final man, looks after them with a worried frown. He sighs, rubbing at the back of his neck as he walks over to Tonowari, tipping his head respectfully and waves his hand from his forehead to them. Tonowari heaves a sigh and returns the gesture, glancing over at Tao'su with a look.
Tao'su is glaring back at the other man, expression hard. "Your brother attacked my son, Calydor."
"And I am terribly sorry, Tao'su," the man, Calydor, says contritely. It takes a second for Neteyam to realize that he had seen this man before. Neteyam sees so many people when the Metkayina host a gathering for the clans that Neteyam can easily forget all of the many faces that he's seen. The man himself isn't completely familiar, nor is the brother being held back. But he does kind of remember another man that has similar facial features that Tonowari had introduced him to as an old friend, but that was a few years ago.
"Caelum attacked my son," Tao'su growls, glaring now. "Your sorry to me means nothing."
Neteyam tilts his head a bit, ears pressing back. "Dad..."
The man, Calydor, turns to Neteyam, blue eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Tsakarem Neteyam. My brother didn't mean to hurt you. It's our elder brother. He has gone missing, and we can't locate him. We are hoping that you could help us. Caelum is unwell, and he's just scared for our older brother. I am sorry if he has hurt you."
"I'm okay," Neteyam says, straightening out his framing braids. He leans away from Ao'nung, petting down his arm at the worried look his betrothed gives him. "I'm not hurt, he just disoriented me."
Tao'su gives him a look that says he didn't appreciate that either. "He threw you to the ground."
"I fell to the ground," Neteyam corrects him softly, smoothing his hands down his butt and thighs to wipe some of the sand off of him. "And if he's worried about his brother, I understand. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to act in proper decorum if something had happened to Rotxo or Rowee." Tao'su looks like he disagrees.
"Very magnanimous," Calydor says, tipping his head respectfully. "Thank you, Tsakarem."
"Find him! We have to! Neteyam! Neteyam!" the younger brother, Caelum gasps, blue eyes wide and wild. "We have to! We have to!"
"Quiet down brother, please," Calydor says, sending him a worried look over his shoulder. "We will find him."
Tonowari rubs at his forehead as Neteyam walks around Neytiri after pulling from his mother and Ao'nung's worried hands, whispering that he was alright to them before going to stand by his clan chief's side. The older man puts a comforting hand on Neteyam's shoulder while Tao'su shifts between Neteyam and Caelum, despite the two other men still holding onto him and pulling him deeper into the waves, acknowledging the Metkayina closing in a bit, armed with their spears. They aren't openly hostile just yet but the threat lingers in the air.
"What happened to Nereus?" Tonowari asks, turning to Calydor, who greets Neteyam respectfully, which he returns.
"He went out to hunt a few days ago and never came back," Calydor says, jaw working as he studies Neteyam for a moment, a complex look crossing his features before looking back over at Tonowari. "We have gone to all his usual places, but we couldn't find him. Not him nor his skimwing. There is no sign from him. We were hoping that Neteyam could help us." His eyes turn back to Neteyam. "Please, Tsakarem? We are terribly worried about my brother."
Neteyam looks over at Tonowari, who's face is stricken with worry, before he glances down at Neteyam. "You're hurt," he says, quietly.
"I'm fine," Neteyam says, willing the throbbing in his head to cease. "He's your friend, isn't he? Neveus?" Yes, Neteyam remembers him. Faintly, as a loud, but passionate man. He was kind to Neteyam, asking him all sorts of questions about being a forest Na'vi in the reef. Asking him how he managed to do things based on his body type. Asked him for his stories, his exploits. The honor of a warrior is his stories, and Neveus wanted to know his. And him being the Olo'eyktan of the Mau'itani means something too.
Neveus treated him more like a fellow warrior than as Tsakarem. Both are a great honor to be acknowledged as, but Neteyam earned his status as a warrior, a hunter, the title of Tsakarem was simply something that couldn't be avoided being given to him. He was the most spiritually connected to Eywa than probably anyone else in the reef, let alone the clan, so it only made sense. But it was still nice to be recognized for his efforts, rather than what he was born with.
"You have a small frame and skinny limbs and yet you honor your clan in all perceivable ways," Neveus had said, patting him on the back. "A true merit to yourself and your upbringing. And on pure marshal skill alone, the Metkayina are lucky to have you."
He never wanted Neteyam to waste time on him, always encouraging him to go around and meet people, expand his horizons. He had a friendly smile and a big laugh. But their interactions were limited and his brothers - or at least, Calydor - was someone that Neteyam only ever saw in the background. He never left that big of an impression on Neteyam until now.
But Neteyam liked Neveus from what little bit of interaction that they had over the last few years. He was a nice man and it's scary to think that he just went out one day and no one ever saw him again.
"I can see if I see something," Neteyam offers, which Tonowari frowns at.
"I don't want you to force a vision," he says quietly. Ronal steps up between them.
"It's dangerous," she adds, frowning. "You could hurt yourself."
Neteyam is very aware of that. "I won't force myself," he says quietly. "I can just go out there and see if I see something. I won't go to the reef, that's too... direct. I don't think I can handle that again so soon, but I can see if the Great Mother will show anything now?"
"If you don't feel up to it, Neteyam, I don't want to force you," Tonowari says, hand squeezing Neteyam's shoulder. "I don't want you to hurt yourself. We can just help them look for him." He says that, but Neteyam knows that this man was a good friend of his chief and if his vision could find him, he's not so sure he minds the risks. If he can help out, he should, shouldn't he?
"I won't push it," Neteyam offers. "If she doesn't show me anything, I will just accept it. But I'll look if you want me to."
Tonowari hesitates, looking over at Ronal, communicating with one another with just their eyes. Then he looks over at Neteyam and says, carefully, "I don't want you to do something that will hurt you, Neteyam. If the Great Mother shows you anything, I accept it, but I don't want to force you."
Neteyam smiles at him, offering a little nod. "I'll see if I see anything."
Tonowari still looks unsure and Tao'su, who was listening in, looks downright angry. Calydor opens his mouth, blue eyes wide, about to say something but a sharp, angry look from Tao'su makes his jaws snap shut. Neteyam puts a hand on his dad's arm as he walks by, heading for the water, but being sure to keep a bit of distance between himself and the quieting Caelum. Even the two men with him watch carefully, expressions hard.
Two hunters of the Metkayina push past Tsu'tey and Jake, who were glaring, Tsu'tey's shoulders are literally heaving in rage, at the strange reef Na'vi to stand guard by Neteyam as he walks into the water. He lowers down onto his knees and closes his eyes, letting his mind fall blank, despite the dull throb still present. After a few moments, he feels something brushing against his ribs, his feet, his thighs and his hands. He doesn't need to open his eyes to know that the Seeds are swimming around him.
Once his body is relaxed, and while desperately trying to ignore the insistent pain in his arms and the back of his head, he looks down into the water and watches the hypnotic movements of the fish, letting his mind settle into an even blank.
"What are you doing..?" Kiri's soft voice makes Neteyam's ear twitch after almost an entire minute of silence, no one else daring to speak loud enough for him to hear. No one wanting to distract him, which is odd considering his dad is usually the one trying to pull him out of the trance before it goes too far.
He glances over his shoulder at her as she inches closer to the water, her golden eyes blown wide. Lo'ak is beside her, his own eyes wide. He glances over at Caelum and the two guarding him wearily, before looking back over at him and Eywa's seeds swimming around him.
"I'm trying to see if the Great Mother will show me something," he says, turning back around to stare out over the ocean. He holds his hands out in the water, feeling the fish swim between his fingers. "But I don't think she's going to show me anything..."
"Please! You have to!" Caelum calls, voice ragged in terror, sliding down to his knees into the water, face lined with fear.
Neteyam's ears fold back as he looks over at the older man, probably two or more years older than him, yet strangely without any clan tattoos to show his passage into adulthood, yet he rode a skimwing here. Odd. Neteyam hesitates, glancing over at the water again, watching the fish swimming around him. He waits for the feeling, that feeling of falling into a vision for a few moments, but... nothing. The seeds just circle him aimlessly. The Great Mother has nothing to show him.
Neteyam moves to his feet, turning to look at Tonowari. The older man's expression goes from worried to resigned.
"I'm sorry," Neteyam says softly.
"No! No! Please!" Caelum wails in terror, covering his hands with his face, shaking as the two other men follow him down to the water, going from restraining him to just... touching him to show that they were there.
Calydor closes his eyes, face pulling taut as he sucks in a few breaths before turning to Tonowari. "I'm... I'm sorry. We shouldn't have intruded on you like this."
"No, it's..." Tonowari hesitates, because it wasn't fine. No matter his own personal feelings about his friend's disappearance, they invaded his clan and attacked his mate's successor. It wasn't fine, so he wasn't going to say that it was. Instead, he says, "I understand."
Calydor nods, as if able to read between the lines. "Thank you for your understanding, Tonowari. We will return now. Maybe..." he hesitates too. "Maybe my brother has found his way back home while we were away. Maybe the Great Mother showed nothing because there is nothing to be seen. We... we will return now. Thank you."
Tonowari nods. "Before you go back, let us speak. Maybe we can work something out. I may know of a few places that you don't and can check out. We will certainly keep our eyes open as well."
Calydor's shoulders loosen in relief. "Yes, we would certainly appreciate that." He looks over at his distraught younger brother and the two men with him. "One of you, please, see my brother home. I knew he was too fragile for this trip. Ensure he gets home safely. One of you remain here with me."
Both men nod. One taking Caelum's arm and dragging him back to the waters, where their skimwing wait for them, avoiding the circle of the Metkayina's skimwing chomping at the bit to attack the perceived invaders. Luckily Shixo was probably distracted by the new skimwing that he didn't see Caelum's "attack" on Neteyam. If he had, Shixo would have mauled him in the water, Neteyam has no doubt.
They ride off without difficulty once the two Metkayina that were standing guard in the water over Neteyam get onto their own skimwing and escort them out. Calydor takes a moment to thank Neteyam once more, and apologize again, before following after Tonowari and Ronal to their marui to speak. Neteyam moved to join them when Ronal shot him a look and a shake of the head, her expression hard with anger.
Not at him, he doesn't think. Maybe the situation?
"You can see visions from the Great Mother?"
Neteyam glances over at Kiri as she walks into the water until she's next to him, her golden eyes still wide.
Neteyam nods, offering a light smile. "I hear that your grandmother can as well."
Her eyes flare as a smile spreads. Lo'ak also steps closer as Kiri says, "Yes. Grandmother is very connected to the Great Mother. She's a very wise and powerful Tsahik. Had we remained in the Omatikaya, after mom became Tsahik, I would be her Tsakarem."
Neteyam's eyes widen a bit in surprise. He knew that he felt a connection, but that was still interesting to hear. "Do you see visions as your grandmother did?" He couldn't help himself from asking. Tuk moves out of the dispersing crowd of adults to press into Kiri's side, blinking up at him.
"No," Kiri admits, looking down at Tuk, offering a little smile before turning her eyes back to Neteyam. "But I feel her. Sometimes I just know things. I read her signs. Grandmother says I'm a natural."
"And you are," Neteyam says kindly. "I can feel it in you. I knew that there was something familiar about you the moment I saw you. Something about you that made us the same."
Kiri smiles and it transforms her face into something beautiful. "I felt the same thing," she says softly. "We are connected."
"Are you okay, Neteyam?" Ao'nung asks, stepping up to his side, hand on his arm. Rotxo is next to him.
"I'm okay," Neteyam says, placing a hand onto Ao'nung's back in comfort. It has the desired effect. His betrothed leans into his touch, seeming to settle a bit at his affirmation. Over Rotxo's shoulder, he can see his parents talking in harsh whispers. His mom's face twisted in worry, and his dad's in anger. After a beat, his dad pulls his mom into his arms and comforts her.
Neteyam feels bad for worrying them. He's just thankful that Rowee is in lessons right now and didn't see anything.
Just a few feet beyond them, Jake, Tsu'tey and Neytiri crowd together, sparing their little gathered group a few looks. Neytiri reaching out to wrap her hand around his forearm. He returns the gesture, tail lashing behind him in aggravation. Jake is rubbing at the back of his neck, his tail eerily still but tense.
"Who were those guys?" Lo'ak asks, pulling Neteyam's attention back to the conversation and meeting the other boy's golden eyes.
Ao'nung answers, voice short, ignoring the look Tsireya gives him at his tone as she drawls closer to their circle. "They are from the Mau'itani clan. That was the clan chief's two younger brothers."
"Did something happen to the clan chief?"
Ao'nung stares at him. "How am I supposed to know? They came here looking for him, which he isn't here. And Neteyam didn't have a vision of him so he's obviously - " Ao'nung stops. He blinks. Rotxo gives him a sideways look.
"What?" Neteyam asks.
Ao'nung looks at him, opens his mouth, then considers for a moment, then closes it.
"Bro, what?" Lo'ak asks, arching an eyebrow that looked so... strange to Neteyam. He's used to foreheads creasing but to see the hair above his eye arch up was just so... different to him.
Ao'nung glares at him. "I'm not your bro."
"Fine, skxawng, whatever," Lo'ak claps back without hesitation. Rotxo huffs, amused while Kiri rolls her eyes.
Ao'nung scowls while Tsireya moves between Neteyam and Ao'nung, nudging her brother's ribs with her elbow. "What are you thinking about?"
Ao'nung sends her a displeased look as Neteyam pulls his hand back to make room for her. She ignores it and waves for him to explain. Ao'nung looks at a perplexed Rotxo for a beat to see if they were on the same track, but Rotxo didn't appear to know what he was thinking. Finally, Ao'nung looks over at Neteyam. "You had a vision the other night and I'm wondering if that had something to do with the Olo'eyktan of the Mau'itani."
Rotxo looks confused, then horrified as his face drains of color. "Oh, Great Mother!"
"What?" Kiri asks, looking over at Neteyam. "What did you see?"
"I don't know," Neteyam admits, frowning. "I don't remember my visions."
"What was the vision about?" Tuk asks, looking at Ao'nung with wide eyes.
Ao'nung glances down at her, frowning. "It's - " he stops, taking in the reality of the little girl standing in front of him. Conflict wars on his face as he looks around the ground, settling on Neteyam. "Nothing," he says. "I'm probably wrong..."
No one believed that. Lo'ak looks like he's about to call him out on it, when he seems to realize why Ao'nung changed his mind. He looks down at Tuk, pressed into Kiri's side, before his jaw snaps shut in consideration. Then he looks at Rotxo trying to control the horrified look on his face, then to the somber look on Ao'nung and says, coldly, "She doesn't need you to protect her."
"I'm not going to say," Ao'nung states stubbornly. "And I could be wrong anyway. We never saw the full vision anyway."
Judging by how horrified Rotxo is, how troubled Ao'nung had been earlier and even Ronal's insistence of him to try to see something leads Neteyam to trust Ao'nung's hesitance. It sounds like whatever he had seen was really bad. Now if Ao'nung thinks that it's connected to the missing Olo'eyktan of the Maui'itani, then Neteyam also thinks that they should hold their tongue for the moment. Especially if it's something really bad.
"If you think that it has something to do with this missing Olo'eyktan then you should tell your dad," Lo'ak says flatly, staring at Ao'nung, tail swirling annoyed behind him.
"I will," Ao'nung says stiffly. "Don't you know anything, little forest prince? I can't go in there while my dad is in a meeting about a possible vision of a man that went missing days ago. Do you have any idea how that looks?"
Lo'ak flinches, expression hardening at the name Ao'nung used. "Don't call me that," he snaps. "And it looks to me like you're offering information."
Neteyam blinks at the hostility between them, hearing Tsireya sigh exasperatedly beside him. This is making his head hurt even more.
"No, it doesn't," Ao'nung drawls out, glaring at him. "It could look like we are trying to mislead them with a half vision or an assumption at best. At worse, they think we're intentionally withholding. It could create conflict between the clans if we just go in there blurting things we have no idea about," Ao'nung growls. "Did your Olo'eyktan daddy not teach you a thing about politics? You are his heir, aren't you?"
A muscle in Lo'ak's cheek ticks at those words. Kiri glances over at him, her own eyebrows pulling in tightly at Ao'nung's words. Neteyam might still be learning about the Sully children, but there is definitely something there. Because... it looks like, no. No, Jake never taught Lo'ak about politics. But why is that? Maybe the war made it hard for him to find time to teach his heir to take his position? Neteyam's not sure, but it definitely appears to be a tender spot for Lo'ak.
Ao'nung doesn't appear as if he noticed the anger on Lo'ak's face as anything beyond that as he says, "Besides, weren't you listening? I said we didn't see the whole vision. I have to talk to my dad when he's alone so that he can decide if it's even something that he wants to share, because, again, it was unclear. I said it might have something to do with Olo'eyktan Neveus, but there is a very real chance it has nothing to do with him, okay?"
"Fine," Lo'ak grounds out. Kiri and Tuk both look to their brother and Tuk shifts enough that Neteyam can see Lo'ak's fists are bunched up into fists.
Neteyam's not sure if he's about to swing or not, but he's not going to wait for it. He reaches past Tsireya, who was eyeing Lo'ak closely, to press his fingers into his betrothed's chest, pushing him back a bit. "Lay off, Ao'nung," Neteyam says calmly, confused by the look that Ao'nung sends him. "He was just trying to help. He didn't mean anything by it."
Ao'nung's expression hardens. "Yeah, well no one asked for his help."
"Ao'nung!" Tsireya gasps, staring up at her older brother with wide blue eyes. Neteyam recoils, surprised by the callousness of his words.
"What?" Ao'nung says, stepping back. "Reef politics are obviously different from the forest. He needs to keep his nose out of it, especially since he doesn't understand. He's going to get us into trouble for his ignorance if he's not careful."
Neteyam almost flinched with Lo'ak at the stricken look crossing his face. Another insecurity hit dead center. This one, Ao'nung catches. He sends Lo'ak a look that's too complex in its anger and annoyance that Neteyam's not even sure what to call the look as he seizes up the younger forest Na'vi. Quietly, he says, "Used to that, are you?"
"Fuck you," Lo'ak snarls, ears pressing flat. With all the anger there is also a great, deep-rooted shame. Tuk frowns, pressing tighter into Kiri, who is glaring at Ao'nung.
"Ao'nung," Rotxo says, pushing himself between both boys, "that's enough of that, yeah? Neteyam is right. He didn't mean anything by it. He was just trying to help."
Ao'nung opens his mouth to protest, before he decides better of it. He just nods before looking around the group and announcing, "I'm going to wait for my parents to be done with their meeting and then I'll talk to them."
"Come and get me," Neteyam says, keeping his voice even. "I want to be part of this conversation."
Ao'nung looks confused for a moment before nodding, "Sure, but where will you be?"
"On the beach," Neteyam says easily, stepping away and reaching out to grab onto Lo'ak's arm and dragging him across the wave, away from the gathered group. He can feel their eyes on him, but he feels like he has to pull Lo'ak to the side and apologize for this whole situation, feeling partially responsible but he certainly doesn't want to embarrass the younger boy any more than he already appears to be.
Jake, Neytiri and Tsu'tey watch them go but no one attempts to stop them.
Lo'ak, thankfully, just follows without complaint.
They stay without eyesight before lowering onto the warm white sand. Lo'ak folds up as small as he can with his arms wrapped around the knees brought to his chest and Neteyam is brought back to the first day they came to the Metkayina. How insecure he appeared. How small he folded himself like he wanted to vanish.
After a few minutes of silence while they just stare at the ocean in front of them, Neteyam finally says, "Ao'nung was being unkind."
Lo'ak rests his chin on his knees and grumbles, "Ao'nung was being a dick."
Neteyam crosses his legs, digging his hands into the warm sand, taking a moment to think about what to say to that. Yes, he was being a dick, admittedly, but it wouldn't do them any good to admit that. Neteyam has no idea what is going on with him.
"I'm sorry," Neteyam says after another minute of silence.
Lo'ak snorts, rolling his eyes. "Don't apologize for him. I've dealt with enough assholes in my life to know that doesn't do any good."
"I wasn't going to apologize for him," Neteyam says, resting his elbows on his thighs while letting the warm sand slide between his fingers before digging up another scoop and letting is slide through them again. "I know it doesn't matter if he's not the one to sincerely apologize. This is for me. I feel like I could be doing more to help you with the reef boys but I have been so distracted by what I'm doing that I haven't done nearly enough."
Lo'ak glances over at him, surprised. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not that big of a deal, really. They are just some annoying boys. They'll get bored eventually."
That sounds so much like something that Neteyam has said a thousand times that he now understands the pull on the corner of his lips that his dad used to get whenever he would say that. Okay, he gets it now.
"That doesn't make it better," he admits. "I'm here too, Lo'ak. I'll help you however I can, okay? Don't let Ao'nung's words bother you. I'll tell him to leave you alone."
"They don't bother me," Lo'ak says, blatantly... lying. Lying. Wow, he hadn't thought of that word in... in he's not sure how long. It's so strange in his head. Like the word doesn't belong. He can't remember the last time he has ever heard that word be used before. Yet deep in the recesses of his mind, he knows that's what Lo'ak was doing. He was lying.
"They do," Neteyam says softly, leaning in to press his shoulder against the other boy's. "And it's okay that they do. Ao'nung shouldn't be digging at your insecurities. It's not right."
Lo'ak doesn't deny that. He just stares out over the water for a few moments longer before sighing, shoulders drooping before looking over at Neteyam. "Thank you," he says quietly. "Thank you for saying that. I appreciate it."
"Any time," Neteyam says quietly. "Don't be afraid to come to me, okay? No matter what it is, I'll help you however I can."
Lo'ak studies his expression for a long moment, a flicker of vulnerability crossing over his face, and he opens his mouth to say something, Neteyam's not sure what, but seems to think better of it, and nods, lowering his chin to his chest. "Thank you," he mumbles again.
"Any time, Mighty Warrior." Neteyam catches movement from his peripheral, seeing Calydor and the other man climb onto their skimwing and be escorted away. Lo'ak catches the movement, watching with Neteyam for a moment.
"Guess it's time for you to go," Lo'ak says, evenly.
Neteyam nods, moving to his feet, holding a hand out for the other boy to take. Lo'ak hesitates for a split second before taking his hand and climbing to his feet. They wipe the sand off of themselves.
"Good luck," Lo'ak says as they walk back towards where Tsireya and his sisters are waiting, talking amongst each other, Rotxo and Ao'nung are gone. "I hope that they are able to find the Olo'eyktan. I hope your vision is right."
Neteyam nods, not commenting. He just pats Lo'ak's shoulder and makes for Tonowari and Ronal's hut. Judging by the looks of Ao'nung and Rotxo had, and even Ronal's worry from that morning, Neteyam hopes it's the opposite. He hopes that his vision is wrong.