Blood and Water | Neteyam

Sweet Promises ∼ 5

Tcelia and Kiri kept murmuring encouraging words to Tuk whose eyes were darting around in a frenzy. Tcelia couldn't blame the young Na'vi girl. She was herself, starting to panic on the inside. Her mind kept searching for a solution, a way out, but she came out empty and void of ideas.

To her left Kiri and Tuk were being held at knifepoint by the same man and on her right was Lo'ak. She assumed that Spider was behind her, but she couldn't be sure. She hadn't heard him utter a word, ever since they had discovered that the one leading this entire operation was his father. She still couldn't believe it herself. The man who Jake and Neytiri had fought so long ago, who had ravaged and killed Home Tree, had risen from the dead and come to finish what he had started. It was like something out of a horror story.

Water droplets slicked her skin, plastering her braids to the back of her neck. She could feel the bead she had gotten from Neteyam, pressing into her shoulder, almost providing her with a sense of comfort, and she pleaded to Eywa that he would hurry.

A cry came from somewhere in the forest. Tcelia and Lo'ak shot a quick glance at each other, confirming soundlessly what they both had suspected. Neytiri had come. Tcelia caught Tuk's eye, widening her own, and twitched her ears. Luckily Tuk understood. Clever girl.

Silence. Then, another cry.

Suddenly everything happened at once. An arrow whistled right past Tcelia's face and found its target behind her. The Avatar who had been holding Tcelia fell to the ground. Yells filled the air, as another arrow found its aim and a second Avatar fell. Tcelia grabbed the knife that the avatar had dropped and drove it straight into the neck of the one who was holding Tuk and Kiri.

The darkness was filled by the light that came out of the avatar's guns as they shot at the trees. Over the bullets and rain they could clearly hear Neytiri yell, "Lo'ak!"

Lo'ak pulled the cap off one of the avatar's gas packs and the green smoke engulfed the man, making it impossible for him to shoot. When another soldier reached over to grab Lo'ak, he sunk his teeth into the man's arm. Behind Tcelia, a shout came from the avatar, "You little shit!"

Tcelia grabbed Kiri and Spider, who had gotten free, by the back of their necks and pushed them towards the forest. Lo'ak picked up Tuk and now took a hold of Tcelia's hand, dragging her away. She looked back, searching for Quaritch, but he had jumped for cover. Arrows still whistled through the air as another Avatar jumped out from the large shrubbery, grabbing Tcelia by the arm. Lo'ak's hand was ripped from hers and as she was knocked to the ground, she managed to shout to Lo'ak to keep running and to get Tuk to safety.

A knee was pressed to her back as she lay on her stomach on the wet ground. She had never felt weaker nor more powerless. Her breaths became fast and shallow and tiny dots started to dance before her vision. She had always imagined that there were two possible ways she'd die. Either her death would be tranquil and beautiful. She would die old, and she would be ready to go, ready to return to Eywa. Or, she would die in battle, atop her ikran and defending her people. But this wasn't beautiful nor was it defending her people. This was cruel and too early, and it felt like a twisted joke that her story would end like this, lying defenseless on the ground.

Then, suddenly, the pressure from the knee was gone and her head cleared. She looked up and saw Neteyam, arm still outstretched from throwing a knife at the man who had been above her. He was death from above and his eyes, still focused on the Avatar who now lay dying by her side, was filled with a disturbed look.

A yell came from behind Neteyam, and a figure flew into him, forcing him down to the ground just as gunshots filled the air where Neteyam had been standing mere milliseconds ago. Jake heaved them both up to their feet, "Are you okay, kids?" They both nodded and Jake forced them forwards.

They took off running, adrenalin pumping through Tcelia's body, her heart hammering a million clicks per second. Colliding with the rest of the family, they all watched as a light approached in the sky. It was an aircraft coming to get the avatars. They all stood statue still until the light retreated again. They were safe.

"Hey - we're clear," Jake was the first to speak, "Clear. Everyone okay?"

Tuk ran to her mother immediately and Neytiri embraced her, whispering thanks to their Great Mother. 

Kiri was sobbing, "They took Spider." Jake's face shone with sympathy, and he embraced her murmuring that it was going to be alright. Tcelia felt numb. They had taken Spider. She had known him all his life, but she knew that Kiri had a special connection to him. A fist clenched around Tcelia's heart at the sounds of sorrow that came from Kiri.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked behind her. The relief in Neteyam's eyes was intense and the beautiful bioluminescent stars that freckled his skin were glowing. He cupped the back of her neck and brought his face down to hers, so their foreheads rested against each other. Tcelia squeezed her eyes shut as they breathed each other in for a few seconds, allowing themselves to feel the relief that coursed through their bodies.

Tcelia broke apart from Neteyam first and touched his cheek, rubbing one of his glowing dots with her thumb. Turning around she spotted Neytiri, Tuk and Lo'ak embracing. From above her children's heads, Neytiri made eye contact with Tcelia and reached out an arm for her, taking her hand and bringing her into the hug.

Everyone was exhausted when they arrived back at the cave. But Tcelia longed to be alone for even just a minute, although she felt like her knees could go out from under her any minute. She slipped out, hoping that no one had noticed her leaving, and sat on a ledge overlooking the forest.

She kept seeing the man whom she had driven the knife into, falling to his knees and clawing at his throat. She felt violently ill at the thought of having taken someone's life. Even if it was in self-defense. She dropped her face in her hands, trying to control her rapid breathing. She desperately grasped at something else to think about and thought back to the talk she and Kiri had had on the way back.

Tcelia had sought out Kiri and they had walked behind the rest of the group, talking in low voices. Tcelia had asked how Kiri was doing and Kiri had started crying again. She had taken Kiri's hand and reassured her that Spider was a tough kid and would survive.

"You are right, Lia." Kiri had sniffed, "But I feel as if a part of my soul has been taken away with him," She had covered her face with her free hand, and Tcelia had guided her through the forest in silence for a while. When Kiri had finally spoken again, Tcelia had nodded along solemnly, trying to appear understanding. "All my life I have felt like a freak. All I ever wanted, is to be like everyone else. But when I am with Spider, I never think of those things. He made me forget that I was different, because he was different too, you know?" Tcelia hadn't known what to say in response, so she settled with squeezing Kiri's hand tightly, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.

Someone cleared their throat behind her, pulling her from her thoughts. Neteyam grunted as he sat down beside her.

"Are you okay?"

Tcelia had promised herself not to cry anymore that night, but at the sound of Neteyam's simple question, she unraveled. Tears spilled from her eyes silently, making their way down her cheeks in slow tracks. She wrung her hands and breathed in a shaky breath, trying to stop the tears from coming. She looked up from her lap and met Neteyam's eyes. She was stunned by the intensity of the gaze that met hers.

"I thought I was going to die, Neteyam," her voice broke as she said his name. "I felt so powerless, and I hated it. I never want to feel like that again." Neteyam quickly put his arm around her shoulders, rocking her ever so slightly from side to side. "I'm not ready to die, not yet." Her voice was barely more than a whisper and filled with tears as she swallowed the taste of salt that was forming in the back of her throat. She was vaguely aware that she should have been embarrassed, crying like this in front of Neteyam, resting her face in the crook of his neck. But she couldn't get herself to care. It felt good to share her thoughts and fears with him.

Neteyam stroked her hair, holding on to her tight. "I promise you don't have anything to fear as long as I am alive, Tcelia. I would never let anything happen to you."

Tcelia let herself believe his words.