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Italics: (Na'vi language, Metkayina sign language, and Jake's inner thoughts)

A/N: Don't forget to vote and comment! I love all of your replies so much! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! 🤍 Im half asleep writing this so yeah lmao SHSJS

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It was a couple of days later, and things seemed to be going pretty well. No Quaritch, Sky People, or signs of war, so it started to feel again like it was during those 15 years of peace. So, took it upon yourself to wake up early and have a walk on the beach before Jake and the kids woke up. When you felt early sunshine peer through your eyelids, you knew that it was morning, so without waking up Jake, you twisted your body in the hold he had on you and attempted to slip out of his grasp.

His arms were coiled around your waist while he had his face tucked in the nape of your neck. Your back was pressed to his chest, and his right arm served as a comfortable pillow. While trying to gently get out of his hold, in his sleep, he tugged you further into him and groaned huskily onto your neck. You rolled your eyes at his behavior, and all the while a small smile came upon your lips. He was adorable.

"No...don't go," He murmured in his sleep, and your entire mood softened at his words. You knew his words had a double meaning. He had been constantly worrying that even living somewhere else, far from the forest, It would be inevitable for Quaritch to find your location. He's been scared out of his mind thinking that he might lose you, the kids, and everything he has. He wants to protect his family. Sometimes you wished he didn't take on so much all himself. Everything that he loves and that is important to him in every conceivable way.

You turned around in his arm so you faced him directly, placing a hand against his cheek, which he instinctively leaned into even in his sleep. You exhaled through your nose as you smiled gently at his sleeping face. There's nothing you wouldn't do for him. "I'll be back soon," You said, even if he can't hear you. You didn't want to wake him. He has had so much stress that these hours he slept were vital and there is no way you'd take that away.

By some miracle, Jake's arms loosened around you and the furrow of his eyebrows softened. His breathing became more steady. You knew that he was probably having a much calmer dream now than he was a few minutes ago. Before letting yourself out, you leaned in to press a kiss to his forehead, to which he smiled softly even in dreamland.

After standing up and positioning his arms so that they were in a comfortable position. When you did so, you watched as he sighed through his nose and then turned around on the mat so that his back was facing you. You shook your head with a chuckle and then turned your head to check on all of your kids.

They were all sleeping soundly as well. Neteyam and Lo'ak were all in their mats while Tuk was cuddling up next to Kiri. Your heart melted at the sight. It was still very early hours in the morning, so they won't be up for a couple of hours. Although, Jake might wake up a bit sooner than that. They were all truly so special and you loved them so much.

With a satisfied smile, you walked out of the hut and started to make your way toward the beach next to the village. It had soft and white sand with crystal clear water washing up to the shoreline. The sun was only just rising now so it was truly a beautiful sight. You were walking along the beach and just trying to clear your head. Just like Jake, you worried a lot too, especially for your family. You knew this happiness would be short-lived, so you were trying to enjoy it for as long as possible.

You were just walking along the beach, feeling the sand seep between your toes. The gentle breeze of the ocean blew your hair back a bit, but it felt nice. You closed your eyes and inhaled, then waited a few seconds, and exhaled. Apart from the sounds of water rippling against the sand, you heard footsteps behind you, so you turned around and were met with someone you didn't expect.

Ronal was standing there with her hands laying on her belly, looking at you with an unreadable expression. She seemed to be doing pretty well with her pregnancy. You looked at her and smiled awkwardly, and then noticed she started to walk closer to you until she stopped right in front of you. There was silence for a few seconds until the Tsahik spoke up.

"Miss Y/n. I was hoping I could speak with you," Ronal said, and you nodded wordlessly. After that, you two began to walk side by side along the beach, silence overtaking the mood. "You wanted to talk to me about something?" You asked, and the Tsahik nodded, keeping her gaze straight forward. If you had to assume, she was probably trying to gather her thoughts.

"I wanted to apologize. My behavior towards you and your family was not acceptable and I would like to make amends," Ronal finally spoke up, making you turn to look at the woman with surprise. If she only knew the irony. You wanted nothing more than to try and get to know Ronal and be friends.

"I should be the one apologizing. I have been trying for days to approach you as well and try to make a better impression. You saw a side of me that day we arrived that I never liked about myself. I was feeling protective over my children and my husband. Surely you can understand that" You said, and she nodded. She was a mother of two, with another on the way, and Tsahik as well. There was a lot of tension that day, so things that weren't meant to be said came up in the conversation.

"Thank you for understanding. I assumed that if you and your family were to stay in the village in the long term, then it would be best if we tried to understand each other. If I had to admit, I've noticed how great of a mother you are to your children and a devoted wife to your mate. I respect that," Ronal admitted, making you smile at her words. If you were being honest, you thought the same thing about her. It was so easy to understand Ronal now, just like the woman began to comprehend more about you. It was easy to see that you two had more in common than met the eye.

"I respect you, too. More than you think," You said with a smile, which Ronal hesitantly reciprocated. This felt like a beginning of a good friendship between you too. There was a bit more silence between you two as you continued to walk, but it wasn't awkward anymore. It was comfortable. "You're not as bad as I thought, Miss Y/n," Ronal said, making you quirk your head to the side, then try and figure out in your head if that was a compliment or not. You didn't dwell on it.

When you turned to see Ronal, you couldn't help but start chuckling, which in turn, made her laugh softly along with you. You knew she wasn't much for showing too much emotion, especially gleeful and expressive ones, so it made you happy knowing that making her laugh somewhat would be a new step towards trust and acceptance. The ambiance between you two has changed drastically in just a few minutes, and all it took was to understand each other's perspective and thoughts.

"If you and your family ever need anything, we are always at your disposal. Do not hesitate, because we'd love to help if you need it. The Sky People have taken too much from the Na'vi, so we'll try to do our best to get you through this transition," Ronal smiled softly, and her words managed to ease so many of the worries you woke up with that morning.

"Thank you, Ronal," You said, turning to face her and then looking forward again. Having a better relationship with her already felt like a big stepping stone toward something bigger. As you continued to walk, you began to notice how Ronal was holding onto her belly and gently caressing it. You did that as well when you were pregnant, trying to give your unborn child as much affection as possible even if they weren't born yet. It was just maternal instincts.

"How is your baby coming along?" You asked, and Ronal turned to look at you with a fond expression. She looked back down at her growing belly and sighed. "He or she is doing well. I can already sense that they'll have strong hearts. A daring soul. A dreamer," Ronal explained, and you nodded along, smiling earnestly at the Tsahik. You were glad that her pregnancy was going well. After having 3 children, just like she was about to have her third, you couldn't imagine her discomfort but she was pushing through it with tenacity.

"If he or she takes after their parents, I'm sure your child will be nothing short of exceptional and special, just like Tsireya and Ao'nung," You said, putting your hand on her shoulder. With a gentle smile, Ronal gave you a single nod.

There were a few more seconds of silence, followed by sounds of your surroundings, and suddenly you remembered what you wanted to talk to her about. "Hey, Ronal? You know, I've been meaning to say this, but...you don't have to call me 'Miss Y/n'. It sounds a bit formal and if we're starting to get to new ground of insight then we can address one another in an informal way," You suggested, and at your words, Ronal started to nod thoughtfully.

"Then, how should I call you?" She asked, and you began to think for a few seconds about what felt most appropriate for this level of friendship. "I think Y/n is good for now. And I can call you Ronal. It's simple, but it shows that we have grown to get to know one another better," You suggested, and the woman nodded along with agreement. You noticed that she wasn't much of a woman for expression, but you have gotten her to smile a bit over the last few minutes and you thought that was a good start for just apologies.

You and Ronal continued to walk through the beach, seeing the sun slowly start to rise higher and higher from the horizon line. The Tsahik eventually asked with curiosity how you and Jake met, being incredibly interested in your story. The rest of the walk consisted of you and Ronal laughing together like old friends, sharing stories, chatting, rehashing old memories, and even talking about what life was like in the Pandoran forest.

If anything that she has noticed these last few days has told her anything, is that Toruk Makto was completely and utterly in love with you. Whenever you were in his eye-line, he looked at you as if he had heart eyes. Anybody could see that he would do anything for you and his children, no matter the cost.

-

Later that morning, things had gotten back to their usual routine that they had been those last few days. After your walk with Ronal, you were able to sneak into your family's hut in time for Jake to still be asleep and curl up next to him until he woke up. He must've noticed you were gone and some point because when you went back into his arms, a lazy smile came upon his face and his arms tightened around you. He muttered, 'You're back' with that low morning voice he had every morning.

Soon enough, the kids woke up and they didn't hesitate to make their separate ways along the village to do their own thing that day. Jake and you woke up together shortly after and began your day as well, getting ready and making yourselves presentable. After that, it was smooth sailing the whole morning. You and Jake met up with Tonowari and Ronal to cruise along the reef and talk wholeheartedly.

While the kids were all off doing their own activities, Kiri had taken a walk along the beach and somehow had made it to the point where she was laying face-down, on her stomach, on the shore with her face submerged in the water and her legs bent so that she could move her legs slowly back and forth.

Since she was so close to the beach's shore, she kept her gaze fixated on the soft sand that she was closely laying on. A smile grazed her lips while she continued to look at the small holes that tiny sea creatures were making on the sand, looking for shelter. Her view was even more ethereal and mesmerizing because the clear water from above was reflected by the sun, and because of that, it made ripple patterns that were moving constantly and could be seen in the sand.

Kiri's eyes gazed at every detail that changed about the water's movements, the animals in the sand, the shift of the small pebbles engraved on the surface, and everything that her eyes could see. Her tail swayed with the water as tranquil as can be, her black hair and braids moved with the currents and didn't let that gentle smile leave her face.

Unknown to Kiri, Ao'nung and a couple of his friends were approaching her as she lay on her stomach below the water. She still hadn't noticed their presence, but the boys were all snickering at her. Because of their shadows that loomed over the water and their muffled voices, Kiri could hear below the surface, she was now aware that there were others there.

"What is she doing?" One of Ao'nung's friends laughed, pointing at Kiri as the Metkayina prince crossed his arms with an amused smile. "She's just looking at the sand," Ao'nung laughed, gesturing at Kiri, who finally decided to stand upright, hearing all of their voices and laughter combined. As she stood up, Kiri blinked a few times, pushing her hair out of her face as she looked at them with confusion.

"Huh? What did you say?" She asked, with genuine confusion laced in her voice. Kiri didn't know what they were laughing about, but she had a feeling it was about her. When she was underwater, all she could understand was distorted speech and not many words.

"Are you some kind of...freak?" Ao'nung asked rhetorically, making his friends chuckle, purposefully trying to humiliate her. "He asked if you are a freak," One of his friends piped in. Finally, Kiri understood what was happening so with a sigh, the girl stood up completely and refused to make eye contact, not giving them the satisfaction that they were accomplishing what they wanted by saying those things.

"No," She answered simply as her ears tipped back, beginning to walk away and not wanting to deal with him or any of those boys. She didn't have the energy or time for that.

As she started to walk off, the group of boys continued to follow behind her, not giving up. Especially Ao'nung. "Are you sure? I mean, you are not even real Na'vi," The Metkayina prince said, and Kiri did her best to pretend like that didn't hurt. She continued to walk and ignored them all, but they continued to taunt her. Ao'nung reached to grab one of her hands, but Kiri pulled it away, stepping away from him.

"Look at these hands. I mean, look at them," He continued, trying to make her feel bad. Kiri had an annoyed look on her face, she was not happy with the way they continued to talk to her even when she minded her own business. Ao'nung eventually grabbed ahold of her entire arm this time, making his friends comment as well, following along with his game.

All of a sudden, a familiar voice came from behind Ao'nung. The entire group turned around to see Lo'ak approaching with a displeased expression, and Kiri sighed internally with gratefulness that her brother was there. She could have defended herself just fine, but doing that would just give them what they were looking for, and she would never give them the satisfaction. She was better than that.

"Hey! Back off, Fish Lips" Lo'ak said as he approached Ao'nung, but the Sully brothers' arrival only made the Metkayina prince all the more amused. "Oh, another four-fingered freak," Ao'nung continued to ridicule, only receiving more help from his friends.

One of Ao'nung's friends came up behind Lo'ak and grabbed his tail. "Look at his baby tail!" The boy laughed, prompting the others to do so too. "Don't touch me!" Lo'ak said, turning around and pushing back the boy that was holding his tail. The taunting was relentless, and now instead of Kiri, the Metkayina boys focused on Lo'ak and continued to call him 'baby tail', but Kiri wouldn't have that. Her brother came to her rescue and she wouldn't let him take the fall. Not on her watch.

"Leave us alone!" Kiri yelled, but her words fell on deaf ears, seeing that the boys continued to pick on her little brother. "He's not normal," One of them laughed, followed by the jabs that the boys continued to throw at Lo'ak.

Before any of them could notice, Neteyam came from around the corner. He had seen everything happen and he would not stand by to let his siblings be treated like that. Upon reaching Ao'nung, Neteyam grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Lo'ak with a small push that sent the Metkayina boy backward a little bit. Ao'nung's friends suddenly went quiet at the oldest Sully brother's appearance.

"You heard what she said. Leave them alone," Neteyam whispered lowly with his Na'vi accent clear as day, saying more with his threatening eyes than he ever could with words.

Not getting the message, one of Ao'nung's friends came from behind and continued. "Oh, big brother coming to-" The Metkayina boy started, but didn't get to finish because he was cut off by Ao'nung putting a hand in front of him, not letting the boy continue. Ao'nung and Neteyam looked at each other as if having a wordless conversation.

"Back off. Now," Neteyam said, word for word, pushing Ao'nung slightly backward with his finger. After a few seconds, with a cocky smirk, Ao'nung raised his hands in surrender and took a few steps back from the Sullys.

"Smart choice. And from now on, I need you to respect my sister," Neteyam continued with a stern tone, showing that he was not kidding, especially when it came to his siblings. At what Neteyam said, the boy behind Ao'nung hissed, but even so, he still didn't come closer.

At the hiss that Ao'nung's friend made, Kiri deadpanned at him and stuck out her tongue. "Let's go," Neteyam said, gesturing for Lo'ak and Kiri to come along with him. As they walked and the Sullys had their backs turned to the Metkayina boys, they continued to hear their insults and teasing, and Lo'ak stopped walking altogether at what he heard.

"Bye-bye!" One of them said, dragging out their words teasingly, once again, making the others laugh along. "Look at them. They're all freaks. The whole family," Ao'nung muttered to his friends, just loud enough for Lo'ak to hear and decided that he has had enough. He couldn't let them get away with treating his family like this because they had human genes. It wasn't fair to Kiri, his dad, or Neteyam.

Lo'ak turned around again to face Ao'nung and his friends, which Neteyam noticed. "Lo'ak," Neteyam warned, stopping in his tracks to prevent Lo'ak from doing something stupid. Lo'ak turned back to his brother, holding up a hand to tell him it was okay. "I got this, bro," The younger Sully brother assured, but Neteyam was not convinced at all.

Lo'ak walked back to Ao'nung, who still had his friends behind him. Upon approaching the Metkayina prince, Lo'ak and he stood face-to-face with one another. "I know this hand is funny. Look, I'm a freak. Alien." Lo'ak started, holding up his five-fingered hand and wiggling his pinkie finger at Ao'nung and his friends, which made the prince stifle a laugh. He did not know where Lo'ak was going with this but was amused and interested either way.

"But it can do something really cool. Watch," Lo'ak started, suddenly balling up his hand into a fist, suddenly having Ao'nung invested as the prince had his eyes trained on Lo'ak's fist, unknowing of what was about to happen. "First, I ball it up really tight like this. Okay? And then..." Lo'ak trailed off, taking advantage of Ao'nung's face that had gotten closer to his fist to be able to get a closer look.

Lo'ak suddenly punched Ao'nung straight in the face, leaving the boy stunned for a moment until Lo'ak went in again and punched the prince in the jaw twice. Ao'nung was sent directly to the ground because of this. "It's called a punch, bitch. Don't ever touch my sister again," Lo'ak warned, starting to walk backward and to his siblings.

As soon as Ao'nung was back on his feet, he didn't waste any time in charging at Lo'ak and tackling him to the ground. Luckily, Lo'ak was able to react quickly and push Ao'nung off of him, then standing on top of him and sending yet another punch to the prince's face. It turned into mayhem and chaos in no time.

Ao'nung's friends came from behind Lo'ak and began to tug him back by his tail, dragging him through the sand and water of the shore. Lo'ak let out screams of protest at this, feeling uncomfortable and in pain at the pull they had on him. Lo'ak was about to stand up again, but that was until one of the Metkayina boys slapped him with his fin-like tail. Lo'ak fell back onto the water because of that.

Watching this, Neteyam rubbed the top of his head with annoyance, knowing he had to step in again to save Lo'ak. Kiri just watched with wide eyes. How did things escalate so quickly? She thought to herself. Knowing he had no other choice Neteyam groaned and went over to help. As he was close, he sent a punch to the first one of Ao'nung's friends that approached him first and then proceeded to kneel another one in the stomach. Before Neteyam could move on to the next, he was tackled simultaneously by two of Ao'nung's friends, sending him to the ground.

"Stop it!" Kiri yelled through the chaos, knowing that none of them were listening, but she had to try something. "This is so stupid!" She said, watching the group of boys in front of her pummel each other into the ground. Neteyam was on top of one of the other boys, sending punch after punch.

Soon, the fight evolved into pulling each other's tails, hair, and ears. It was so childish, that Kiri could barely believe what she was seeing. "Ow! My tail!" Lo'ak yelled out, feeling one boy pull on his tail and another on his leg. Even while having his tail pulled, Lo'ak started to pull on Ao'nung's ear. Like an endless chain. "Ow! My ear! Let it go!" The prince yelled out.

Eventually, it got to the point where the fight wasn't concerning, but rather funny and amusing. At least to Kiri that is. The girl started giggling and laughing to herself, smiling at the situation happening in front of her. Part of her was laughing because she couldn't believe a few teasing words led to ear and tail pulling.

As expected, the adults, including you and Jake, eventually heard the commotion and came to stop your sons from continuing. Tonowari and Ronal excused themselves to talk to Ao'nung, making his friends disperse awkwardly at the Olo'eyktan, the Tsahik, Toruk Makto, and his wife's presence. In turn, you and Jake were now walking back with Lo'ak and Neteyam in tow. You told Kiri she could go meet up with Tuk and Tsireya for now.

Arriving back at the Sullys hut, while you stayed back and leaned against the entryway, you watched as Lo'ak and Neteyam stood side by side before their very exasperated and angry father. This situation just spiraled out of control unnecessarily. The best way to handle it now was doing some damage control.

Neteyam wiped some blood off his nose as Lo'ak wiped some of the sand he had on his forehead. Jake sighed, turning around to make sure that they had some space to talk about the issue that just happened. Just when he thought his kids were making efforts to blend in with the other Metkayina kids their own age.

"What was the one thing I asked? The one thing," Jake said, and the boys immediately knew the answer. They had been told the same thing many times since they got to the village.

"Stay out of trouble," Lo'ak muttered loudly enough for his father to hear. "Stay out of trouble. Right," Jake said, his tail swishing with frustration and exasperation. This wasn't how he imagined the day going. As he always did, Neteyam stepped and raised an arm in front of Lo'ak to take the blame.

"It was my fault, dad" Neteyam intervened, but Jake shook his head. "No. I don't think so. You've gotta stop taking the heat for this knucklehead," Jake said, turning to Lo'ak with his ears flattened and nose slightly scrunched.

"Look, dad. Ao'nung was picking on Kiri. He called her a freak," Lo'ak said, making your eyes widen at your son's statement. Suddenly it made sense. Your kids were protecting each other but it just took a wrong turn and ended up in a fight. Jake sighed, looking away from his sons. This was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to happen. He knew everything was too good to be true, but there was still time to salvage the situation somewhat.

"Go apologize to Ao'nung," Jake said, and Lo'ak's eyes widened. "What?" He said in disbelief that his dad could ask him something like that, even when knowing what happened. Neteyam exhaled and turned his head away, the whole situation stressing him out.

"He's the Chief's son. Do you understand?" Jake started, but his sons stayed quiet. "I don't care how you do it. Just go make peace. Just go," Jake said, moving to the side to let his youngest son go by. Lo'ak shook his head in disbelief, not believing that he was the one that had to apologize first. It wasn't fair.

Once Lo'ak walked out and Neteyam was close behind, Jake suddenly spoke up, making his oldest son stop in his tracks and face his dad. You let an amused smile show through your lips, crossing your arms in front of you "Hey," Jake started, getting his son's attention.

"So what did the other guys look like?" Jake asked, curiosity getting the best of him. Neteyam was silent for a couple of seconds. "Worse," He said, making Jake wait for a beat to answer, not trying to encourage it.

"That's good," Jake said, letting a ghost of a smile penetrate the stern aura he had just a few minutes ago. Deep down, he did feel pride for his sons. Even if it wasn't in the most moral way, situation, or scenario possible.

"A lot worse," Neteyam admitted bashfully as he lowered his head and a smile threatened to come on his face. "Get outta here," Jake said, not wanting Neteyam to see the smile coming onto his father's face. The oldest Sully sibling eventually walked away and it was just you and Jake in the hut once again.

Jake sighed and pressed his hand against the roof of his nose, turning to you with a tired smile. You returned it, slowly left your spot by the entrance of the hut, and walked closer to your mate. With no words said, you stood on your tippy toes to wrap your arms around his neck and tuck your head in his neck. Jake sighed and placed his face on the nape of your neck, wrapping his arms around your hips and waist.

He exhaled deeply, feeling that your touch was already easing so many of the worries he had. You knew what he was thinking, and it was clear that it was eating away at him. You two had been directed at a false sense of hope and peace, making it come straight back to bite you.

"They'll be okay, Jake. I promise," You whispered, and he tightened his grip around you at your words, wanting to believe you, but it was so hard. What if the fighting between Ao'nung and Lo'ak was just the beginning? He couldn't let it escalate. "Don't do this to yourself, my love. It's hard, but I'm sure our kids will find their way. I know it," You reassured him, but he continued to stay silent.

You knew that his silence meant more than a thousand words ever could. Sometimes all he needed was a hug, some comfort, reassuring words, and most times, your touch to bring him back to reality. "I know. It's just hard, Y/n. We can't protect them from everything and that scares the hell out of me," Jake confessed, and your mood softened instantly at his words. You felt the same way he did.

Everything was silent for a few seconds as you and Jake continued to hold onto each other. Neither of you would dare to separate. "We'll be okay. We'll be okay..." You repeated it like a mantra, not wanting him to ever forget it.

-

It was soon approaching lunchtime, and while Jake was outside the hut working on something, you and Kiri were inside preparing some food for the family. She agreed to help you work and get the preparations ready, so now here you were, with your daughter by your side. Even so, it was as clear as day that something was bothering her. Kiri was never too open about her problems and tried to sweep them under the rug, but you could always sense when she needed someone to talk to and let her vent about what's troubling her.

Kiri was now folding some food that you had prepared and was ready to be boiled into the long palm tree leaves that you collected. It was evident that she had a frown and slight crease to her eyebrows that told you she was concerned about something. You sighed softly and spoke up. "What is wrong, Kiri?" You asked, knowing it would take a little more than that to penetrate Kiri's barricades.

At your question, Jake's attention was caught from outside by what you and Kiri were talking about. The girl continued folding like she was before, only with a bit more force now. "Nothing. I'm fine. Why should I not be fine?" Kiri replied sullenly, and her tone already told you everything you needed to know.

You watched as she sighed and slammed the food she had just wrapped onto the pile between you too. "Kiri..." You started, moving to sit beside her and raising your hand to cup her cheek and rubbing your thumb against her skin soothingly. She leaned into your motherly touch, feeling her nerves easing a bit.

"Why can't I just be like everyone else?" Kiri wondered, keeping her gaze downward. Your gaze softened at her words, not realizing that this is how she felt. The words of being a 'demon blood', 'freak', or 'alien', were taking a toll on your children. More than you thought.

"Because you don't need to be like everyone else, Kiri. Those kids out there don't know what they're missing out on by just focusing on the fact that you have an extra finger. You're special. Unique. Beautiful. If they can't see that, then they're not worth paying attention to and their opinions don't matter. Their words are just a reflection of how they feel about themselves, so don't focus on the negative. It's easier said than done but I'm certain that you can do it," You finished, tucking her loose hair strands behind her ear.

Kiri smiled weakly and let out a gentle laugh, feeling happy tears pooling in her eyelids. "I love you, Mom," Kiri said, leaning into the touch of your hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes and relished the moment. Kiri didn't know why but you always knew how to find the right words. It has never felt to make Kiri feel better, or any of her children for that matter.

Jake watched this interaction happen with a toothless smile coming upon his lips. He had always noticed how much of a connection you and Kiri had. Those interactions, he always found endearing and something that always gave him hope that everything would be alright. He didn't know exactly know how, but they just did he wouldn't trade witnessing these moments for anything in the world.

-

As his father asked, Lo'ak was on his way to apologize to Ao'nung, as much as he didn't want to. After looking for the prince and his friends, Lo'ak realized that they probably swam further out so he got on his Ilu, and after riding it for a bit, he spotted Ao'nung in the distance.

Ao'nung himself noticed Lo'ak approaching and notified his friends, who also turned to look at Lo'ak riding on his Ilu and getting closer. The prince had a traditional Metkayina bow and arrow in his grasp, so Lo'ak assumed they were going to go hunting. "What's tree boy doing here?" One of Ao'nung's friends asked.

Upon reaching the group, Lo'ak ignored the other boy's comment and turned to the prince. "I'm sorry, I hit you. So many times," Lo'ak said to Ao'nung with a small laugh escaping him at the end, trying to liven up the situation.

After his apology, Ao'nung looked at his friends briefly and gave them a look that they already recognized. His friends smirked and realized what the prince had in mind to do with Lo'ak.

After a few seconds, Ao'nung extended his arm to Lo'ak. "Ah, we should be friends," Ao'nung suggested, making Lo'ak hesitantly lift his hand to shake the prince who had held out to him.

After shaking hands, Ao'nung decided to put his plan into action. "Come hunting with us. Outside the reef," He said, emphasizing to Lo'ak that they'd be leaving the safety of the reef within the village. "It's where the men hunt," Ao'nung added, knowing Lo'ak didn't know many things yet about the culture of the Metkayina, so he could be easily fooled.

Lo'ak immediately felt like he had to deny that request. He was in enough trouble and he only came here to make amends with Ao'nung and the others. "No way. I'm not allowed," Lo'ak said, following his father's orders to apologize and that's it, but his denial made Ao'nung scoff and turn to his friends with a laugh of disbelief.

"I knew it. I must be asking the wrong brother," Ao'nung said, knowing that must trigger something inside Lo'ak, which it did. The Sully brother's face was suddenly overcome with a look of determination.

"Let's do it," Lo'ak replied, making Ao'nung smirk and hand the Sully brother the bow and arrow he had in his hands.

And with that, Ao'nung yipped, prompting his friends to do the same so that they could start making their way on their Ilu's. It was nerve-wracking, but Lo'ak really had no idea what was about to happen to him.

-

I cannot believe that this entire chapter was only 5 minutes of the movie lmao Im sorry Im moving so slowly but I love my stories to have detail, so bare with me :,)

I keep adding scenes of my own but I have no idea if they're actually fitting, so let me know if you guys are liking them or if I should just stick to the movie from now on. I felt like this chapter wasn't a best as I wanted it to be, honestly shsj

As I said before, I'm so, so happy because this week I'll be able to do more updates since I have a long weekend AND I'll be done with most of my work by mid-week so yay! :,)

There's not much I have to say now, but I'll add other news in future chapters if there are any! Anyway, I'll see you all in the next one! 🤍 Have a good rest of your week everyone!

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