Moonchild | Neteyam

45

Erìhe only had time to nod before the two of them ran to the edge of the path, diving headfirst into the clear water below. Neteyam effortlessly slid onto the ilu's back, connecting their queues before he tugged on Erìhe's hand, pulling her on behind him.

In a matter of seconds the group was off to follow Lo'ak as he swam up ahead.

Erìhe wrapped both arms around Neteyam's waist, leaning against his back as they returned to the surface. Neteyam's hand rested on the girls hands which held tightly onto each other so that she would not slip off.

"Come back!" Tsireya called to Lo'ak.

"Bro, get back here!" Erìhe added as she looked past Neteyam's shoulder to see the boy in question swimming ahead.

Tuk and Kiri had been out by the water on their ilu all this time, and they saw as Lo'ak passed them. "There's Lo'ak!" Tuk exclaimed, pointing to the boy.

"Lo'ak!" Kiri said loudly. However Lo'ak would not listen to anyone - afraid that they too would try to stop him from warning Payakan.

"He's going to find Payakan," Neteyam told his younger sisters as the group swam by them.

"Wait up!" Kiri said just as Neteyam tapped Erìhe's thigh, signalling for her to take in a breath before they dove under water. "Hold on," Kiri told Tuk and followed the others.

Every now and then Erìhe could see Lo'ak glancing over his shoulder to see if the others were still on his tail. Every time he did, he would speed up and try to swim forward faster than before. Erìhe knew that he was trying to get rid of them, but it was hopeless.

"Payakan! Brother!" Lo'ak yelled as he returned to the surface, waving toward his Tulkun friend who was swimming some distance away.

"Lo'ak!" Neteyam called to his brother as they jumped above the surface before returning under the water once more.

"Wait!" Níawi and Tsireya added as they did the same.

It was then that the Tulkun approached Lo'ak, letting out a desperate sound as he neared the Na'vi.

Lo'ak lifted his hands to sign as he spoke, "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked. Payakan turned to show his side to Lo'ak. Upon seeing the beeping tracking device lodged deep into the Tulkuns skin, the boys eyes went wide and he hurried to get off his ilu. "Shit!" He swore as he jumped onto Payakan's fin. "Stay calm! Stay calm!" He ran over the Tulkuns back to reach the device, "I got this," he assured him.

When the others finally arrived, Lo'ak was already desperately pulling at the harpoon, trying to get it to budge.

Neteyam and Erìhe came to a halt next to Payakan, and Erìhe looked around wildly. When her eyes landed on a ship headed toward them, the colour from her face drained.

It had been so long since she had last seen sky people, and honestly the sight of the huge ship coming right at them at a steady pace panicked her.

"You okay?" Neteyam asked, concern in his voice and eyes. Erìhe tore her eyes from the ship to look back at him.

"Yeah," she said bluntly, "Fine," she assured him before placing a hand on top of his - which rested on her shoulder - and pried it off. "Come on! We must help." Erìhe slid off the back of the ilu and swam over to the Tulkun. Tsireya, Rotxo and Ao'nung were already there with Lo'ak, helping him with trying to get the device out.

When Erìhe reached Payakan, she pulled herself onto his back - Neteyam right behind her,

"Come on, bro!" Lo'ak ushered them as Erìhe crouched down beside Ao'nung and placing her hands on the harpoon to help with pulling it out.

"Call dad!" Neteyam said to Lo'ak when he was crouched down beside Erìhe. "Just go - do it!"

The beeping of the device and everyone's panicked yells and orders were enough to stress engine out. Erìhe was definitely feeling the panic as she mustered all her strength, pulling at the device together with the others.

Tuk, Kiri, Aluva and Níawi stood on Payakan's back, not knowing what to do or where to look. Tuk slowly walked closer to Lo'ak to see the ship steadily making its way toward them. When the little girls eyes widened, Erìhe whirled her head around to see how close the sky people were.

"Tuk - come here!" Erìhe extended a hand toward the girl while yelling over everyone else's desperate screams. Scared, but strong enough to not show it, Tuk allowed herself to be pulled closer to the older girl and remained there - standing next to Erìhe while she went back to trying to pull the device out with the others.

Lo'ak stepped away to press his fingers against the comms on his neck, calling his father. "Dad! I mean - Devil Dog. Do you read me?"

"Yeah, Lo'ak?"

"Yes," Lo'ak breathed in relief when he heard his father respond over the comms. "We're with a Tulkun who is under attack. Killer ship's in bound - it's two clicks out."

"Who's with you?" The concern in Jake's voice was masked by his harsh tone - but Lo'ak knew his father was afraid for them.

"It's all of us," Lo'ak replied, "Ao'nung and Tsireya are here - Erìhe, Aluva and Níawi too. We're at Three Brothers Rocks."

"Get to cover. Do not engage, alright?" Jake said sternly, "You hear me? Do not engage. We're coming."

"Yes, sir," Lo'ak said before hurrying back to help the others.

"It's getting closer!" Tsireya called.

Erìhe looked over her shoulder and began pulling at the device harder than before, desperate to free Payakan. She felt the panic rise in her throat, but she fought to push it down. They could not afford for anyone to have a meltdown.

"Your dad's coming?" Erìhe asked the moment that Lo'ak crouched back down beside her.

Lo'ak nodded as he placed his hands over the device to help the others.

Erìhe let out a sigh of relief.

Jake and Neytiri were coming - everything would be alright.

-
A/n:
I've never really followed the eurovisions and I don't know how the artists get picked for each country but it is so important to me that Marcus and Martinus get picked for Norway and that Robin gets chosen for Finland