Ma Lo'ak

2

"Guys, sometimes it's not so great to know who your father is," Spider said pulling himself up to sit on Grace's tube.

I looked down as my ears flattened and turned away. Lo'ak noticed and came over, putting his hand on my lower back and leaning in towards my ear.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yes, fine!" I turned around putting a fake smile on my face.

- - -

I ran on a thick vine floating very high up in the air, following after Lo'ak.

"Wait up!" Tuk called after us, as she trailed behind.

Eventually we ran into the forest, and I frolicked enjoying the beautiful environment.

"Tuk, keep up!" Lo'ak yelled from the front.

"Why'd you bring her anyways bro?" Spider asked.

Lo'ak turned around and replied in a mocking tone, "Because she's such a crybaby. 'I'm telling. You're not supposed to go to the battlefield. I'll tell mom if you don't let me come."

"Don't make fun of her!" Kiri scolded as Tuk stuck her tongue out at Lo'ak.

I hit Lo'ak on the head and he hissed at me in annoyance, I hissed to him as well and we continued our walk.

                                                                                              - - -

We all climbed higher and Lo'ak and Spider went to go investigate an abandoned samson.

"Are there any dead bodies up there?" Tuk called out to them.

"There are many!" I grabbed Tuk by the waist, holding her up as she screamed.

                                                                                              - - - 

I led the way, balancing on vines, and jumping across dangerous plants. Suddenly, Lo'ak crouched down on the ground with one hand tracing something and the other one holding his bow. I stopped and looked back at him, a surge of butterflies going through my stomach. What was happening to me?

"We are always supposed to be home by eclipse!" Tuk whined.

"Those are way too big to be human," Lo'ak examined.

"Avatars?" Spider bent down to get a look.

"Maybe, but they're for sure not ours."

"What are you doing?" Kiri asked as Lo'ak started to follow the trails.

"Tracking," he responded.

I followed close behind Lo'ak, eventually we approached an abandoned site, the shack.

"We are never supposed to come here," Kiri whispered. I noticed a group of Avatars in our eyesight. "Dad is going to ground you."

Lo'ak shushed her, "Can you stop?"

"For life," she stressed.

"Bro, we have to go check this out," Lo'ak said to Spider, looking at the Avatars.

"No!" I whispered urgently, but followed suit when they ignored me, taking my knife out.

We huddled close to the shack, staying hidden in the shadows. 

"Bro," Spider whispered to Lo'ak, "That's where your dad and my dad," he paused. "Fought."

"Bro, that's your dad's actual suit," Lo'ak said.