pathway., neteyam x reader

chapter twenty-one

Your leg was weak and you stumbled as you made your way off the deck.

As soon as you hit the water, you grimaced in pain and tightly grasped your injury. The saltwater stung, but you were determined to keep moving.

Tsireya met up with you, and once she realized you had been injured, she was quick to act. "Y/N!" Her ears pinned up, she tried to pull you onto her back, but you couldn't move your leg well enough to properly swim.

Neteyam was also struggling, clutching his chest as his strength grew less. Regardless, he summoned his Ilu and climbed aboard with the little energy he had left. "Y/N, come on!" He urged, reaching out to pull you onto the Ilu. The task was made difficult by his own weakness and the loss of blood from both of you, which dyed the water a dark red.

Tsireya swam closer, and pushed you onto his Ilu, trying to hold you up. "It's okay, Y/N. I got you," She looked at your open wound, hissing as you weakly pressed over your abdomen again.

Lo'ak stepped in to help, propping Neteyam up and adjusting your grip around his waist. He then mounted his own Ilu and swam close by, keeping a watchful eye on both of you. The human boy attempted to lift your broken leg onto the Ilu, but you winced and he quickly let go. You managed to pull it up yourself, but the pain was almost unbearable.

"Come on, bro!" Lo'ak called out to spider, who also mounted his Ilu. With your head resting against Neteyam's back, you felt your breathing slow and your eyes grow heavy. You clung to Neteyam's waist with the last of your strength.

Tsireya held onto the saddle of Neteyam's Ilu, she watched you and Neteyam's weak posture, trying to hold him up more. You too tried to pull him higher up, he was doing what he could but it was obvious he didn't have much strength left.

Still, he stopped applying pressure on his wound to hold your thigh, even if it was a weak grip.

"They have Kiri and Tuk!" Tsireya announced, Lo'ak turning his head to her, "I can't go back."

—

Upon reaching a rock where Jake had rushed onto, Lo'ak called for him. "Dad help!"

Tsireya let go of the saddle and pulled you off the Ilu, Lo'ak, and the human grabbing ahold of Neteyam. They struggled to pull you two onto the rock, the waves were aggressive and you were giving out quickly.

They held you both above the water as much as they could, the human boy held out an arm to Jake.

"Watch their heads!"

"Hurry please!" Tsireya yells, she placed her hand behind your head and pushed you higher up as Jake took Spider's hand and pulled the group onto the rock.

You were held up by your sister and Lo'ak, Neteyam was helped by his father and his human brother.

You were exhausted and coughing up water as they laid you down on the rock. Tsireya knelt beside you, supporting your head and preventing you from choking on the water. She looked at your open wound, tears streaming down her face. She applied pressure to it, apologizing for not being there to protect you.

Jake turned Neteyam over, relieved to see that the gunshot had not gone through.

"They took all the shots dad, they distracted them." Lo'ak spoke, looking to his brother, wishing he had done something to prevent it. Then to you, you looked at Tsireya, heavily breathing. Your face cupped in her hand.