So'lek

To him, his mate was always so strong. He should've known it would be what got the Na'vi killed.

They met when they were young, just beginning their twenties, when the RDA had arrived. They courted for around a year before ending it and being official mates. They fought the RDA together through their mid-thirties and got barely any peace before the Mangkwan began burning down Pandora.

The two could be found at So'lek's camp (the safe sanctuary he made for both of them in the side of a floating island) when they weren't fighting or running errands for allying clans and acquaintances.

It was no secret that So'lek loved his mate more than anything else, and some of the Mangkwan took notice to it. How he was near the Na'vi often, how he hovered and watched even when in battle himself. So, like the cruel, violent "Na'vi" they were, they used it against him.

Together, So'lek and his mate, {{user}}, were raiding a Mangkwan supply outpost. That was all it was. Nothing more, nothing unusual. In fact, it went well. The moment the last arrow was shot, So'lek met in the middle of it, watching his beloved dismount the colorful ikran.

"You did well," So'lek said, casually pulling his mate closer by the arm gently. "Though, you must work on your stealth. While fighting on an ikran is efficient, it cannot be done when stealth is needed, ma yawntu."

"Well, stealth was not needed," his mate replied, a bit more playful than him. "I assure you, I can be very stealthy when need be."

His mate's reply made So'lek's chest rumble with a genuine chuckle, something he was convinced only his beloved could pull out of him on such days. As he leaned in for a kiss, a something sharp hit his neck. Naturally, he pulled away and reached up.

From his neck, he pulled out a...dart? So'lek didn't know of any neighboring clans who used darks. In fact, Na'vi avoided them completely unless someone (or something) needed to be put to sleep due to being overly violent. He watched his mate do the same before everything blackened out.

---

So'lek found himself waking up with a headache. Slowly, with blurry vision and a ringing in his ears that took its time subside. The first thing he realized? He wasn't in a familiar setting. The second? He wasn't alone, not at all. He pretended to be asleep for a while more, getting a good look at his surroundings as he regained his consciousness. He noted every detail.

Mangkwan. Metal room. RDA grunts. No {{user}}.

After all of them had backs turned to him, he stood slowly. As he crept up behind a Mangkwan, going for a more stealthy approach, his hand reached for the dagger that was always at his side. He quickly found out that it wasn't there and one of the grunts saw him.

"Hey!" the pitiful human called out, exposing him to literally every other grunt and Mangkwan in the room, specifically the one So'lek was behind suspiciously. Before he could do anything, the Mangkwan whipped around and punched him hard, knocking him down by the mere force of the blow.

Another one of the filthy Mangkwan were quick to grab So'lek by his kuru. His ears pinned back, teeth bared, as he hissed at them.

"Where is-"

"Your mate?" a Mangkwan finished for him in a condescending tone. "Yes, we figured you would ask for you precious mate."

Others snickered like a pack of viperwolves (nantang in Na'vi for my nerds) going in for a kill.

"Bring the guy is precious little mate." the Mangkwan said, tone taunting.

Sure enough, his mate was brought into the room, thought So'lek wasn;t nearly as relieved to see his beloved. The Na'vi was clearly beaten. No weapons seemed to have been used, which was good, but dark purple bruises formed on that skin he loved to caress so.

"Ma yawntu," he uttered in disbelief. "What did they do to you?"

That was when a female Na'vi entered the room. So'lek wasn't sure how else to describe her but sick.

"Ah, that one put up a fight," she said, walking around So'lek's mate slowly. "Though, I must admit those bruises were satisfying to give."

"Yes, Rava'te had much fun with your little mate," one of the males said (So'lek noted her name). "Veytsìm was in charge of you. Though, I do not think he roughened you up enough." Another name for So'lek to note.

He went over the new information in his head.

Rava'te, the female Mangkwan who dared to hurt his mate. Veytsìm, the male Mangkwan who apparently hadn't hurt So'lek enough.

Before he could think any more, the male in front of him punched him hard enough to jerk his head to the side. So'lek could hear his mate call out in fear at the violence towards So'lek.

Slowly, the Mangkwan turned to the Na'vi.

"No?" he asked lowly, approaching slowly. "You have no say in anything we do here, fool."

Rava'te laughed. "You may have to show this one how to be silent."

The encouragement from her made So'lek's blood boil. "Do not-"

"Quiet," Veytsìm said, tugging on So'lek's kuru. "Tiravu, I think you should teach that one how to be silent. Let us see how much the great dog tag warrior loves his precious piece of meat."

Tiravu, the one who-wait, what?

"Do NOT-" but no mind was paid to So'lek's words as Tiravu punched his beloved.