Be Your Guide

An ATWOW fanfic (fem!reader insert)

PART 2

The reader, “Rayti” is taken along with the Sully family as they embark on a journey to find a new home.

“She is strong,” Neytiri mused, attracting glances from her children.

“Yeah, that’s Rayti all right,” Kiri couldn’t suppress a grin towards her siblings, despite the tension that hung still.

“Remember when you tried to convince her to abandon healing duty?”

“Abandon? Aw c’mon, she was bored!” Lo’ak argued, “It was more of a rescue!”

“I doubt she would say that now” Neteyam passed from behind, but not before ruffling the hair of his younger troublemaker, which earned a sharp hiss.

“Remember when Lo’ak tried to play doctor once? He threw her medicine bag off the trees”

“Threw? What-Threw?!”

“And you took some leaves off a random shrub to compensate for the herbs she lost”

“She nearly cried again”

“It was the same thing!” Lo’ak protested fervently.

“Your healing skills are poor and so is your eyesight, they were different leaves”

“You-“

Tuk piped up. “So… is she really coming with us?”

The siblings quieted and glanced amongst themselves. ‘Would mom and dad allow it…?’

They slowly looked to their father, who had retreated from listening to their conversation.

A silence had befallen the pod once again. Flames licked at the tinder hungrily, its snaps replacing the once lively choruses of the siblings.

Neytiri laid a hand on her mate’s shoulder, “She was very eager to come, my Jake. It would make it easier for us, for the children”. Her eyes strayed in their direction. “And you know how much she loves them”

“We could use her skills,” Kiri whispered, “Sister has told me of her many travels”

“She wouldn’t shut up about the plants-“

“You shut up”

Tuk giggled at her brothers.

Jake’s jaw tightened as he looked over his shoulder at his awaiting family. Placing someone else’s life in further peril was the last thing he needed on his list, but they had a point. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, he didn’t want to endanger her. And yet, he knew she felt the same towards his children.

Hadn’t they grown up together? Wasn’t she the little Mommy’s assistant who would run around with bandages and herbs tucked in a makeshift medical kit?

Jake faced his mate, and in her eyes, he gained a newfound strength.

Begrudgingly, he agreed.

“We leave tomorrow morning. Tell your navigator to come prepared”

~*~

And so, they took flight. Against the stiff currents of the morning air, it was hard to hold back a shiver as the view of the jungle slipped farther away from sight. But would it remain in mind?

Nao’yri’s warm touch lingered on her daughter’s shoulders, already fading. Rayti bit her lip as she saw the longing peeks of her friends beside her, as well as the tears their mother tried to hide.

‘Their village, their people, their home’

She gave a silent prayer to the Great Mother that fortune would befall them.

The morning’s radiance had melted into an ocean’s blue when Kiri came forward to join her side. Rayti adored Kiri, she prized her calmness, her rationality. And, in these quiet moments, her compassion.

“So, this is how it feels. It must get lonely, sister”

“I won’t lie, sister. It’s much better when you’re all here with me. I just wish…”

A small grimace.

“…I just wish it was on better terms”

“Everything’s changed now,” Kiri tightened her shawl around her shoulders, “Nothing will be the same”

“I will visit, sister. With every chance I get, I will be with you”

Traces of warmth graced Kiri’s smile, knowing that if they were on land, Ratyti would have smothered her in a big hug by now. It was the kind of embrace that she loved so much. The only one she could find in Rayti’s presence.

“Sister, what troubles you?” Oh, and that too.

“It’s Spider…What if…”

“Spider is a force to be reckoned with. He wouldn’t stay down for long; we will have to trust him for now. But you…we must get you to safety first,” she said encouragingly.

“I miss him,” said Kiri, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Neteyam, being a strong force of his own, appeared at Rayti’s other side. “It will all work out, sister.”

Lo’ak materialized beside them.

“Can’t sleep, little brother?”

“If she can stay up, so can I,” he glanced at Kiri, who smiled in return, until…

“Your monkey boy will be back for you, sis”

Kiri rolled her eyes. “Skxawng. That’s not what I meant”

“That’s not what it sounded like” Lo’ak smirked, earning a sigh from Rayti.

“Go back to sleep!”

“No”

~*~

The waves rolled in tranquil rhythm, sending subdued hushes to the night sky and its many luminary companions. In the moonlight, Rayti searched the shorelines for evidence of her destination. Her ikran crowed softly to alert her.

“How much longer then, navigator?” the eldest brother inquired gently.

“Soon”

~*~