PROTECTOR

7

By the time they arrived at the battlefield it was already night and even some rain started to pour down. They unmounted their banshees and waited for Jake to tell them a plan.

"Ok this is what we're going to do" he turned to Neteyam "You'll stay here with Laia while your mom and I go understood?" Jake said, praying Eywa that his son would say yes so they could end this quickly.

"But dad, Laia is a soldier and I'm soon to be one too, we want to go with you" Neteyam pleaded "We want to help" added Laia.

"You'll stay here, end of discussion, I can't risk you two too" with that, Jake and Neytiri parted in separated ways. Laia looked over to Neteyam and just by a brief look she knew what to do.

 

Laia's POV

I quickly grabed my bow from Etti's back and run in the direction Neytiri left. Neteyam would go over to Jake, even though they are way more experienced than us they would like a little help, considering the enemy is more in number and they are armed.

After some time running I spotted Neytiri hiding behind a tree. I could see how her eyes had changed from the soft look they usually have to a predator's ones. I thought for a moment about where should I position myself and finally came to the conclusion that it would be a good idea to have some eyes from above.

I started climbing the tree and took out my bow with some arrows. I glanced over where Neytiri stood and heard something.

"Hoo" it was a brief sound that escaped from Neytiri's mouth, enough to make her kids know they were there. The problem was that the avatars also heard it and that made them tense their weapons even more around my friends' necks.

From the corner of my eye I could see an avatar struggling to hold Kiri and Spider. The avatar was telling her to shut up so I assumed she was praying. I noticed how Neytiri wanted to take down that piece of shit but could not really do it without hurting Kiri.

I aimed.

The avatar moved a little to see Kiri's face in order to make her shut up.

I shot.

I got him in his bicep, enough for him to drop the weapon and move away to cry in pain. Before climbing down the tree I heard Lo'ak's voice.

"It's Laia!" I heard no fear in that sentence, and I was relieved to know the moments of tension were gone.

I guess the enemy didn't hear what Lo'ak said because their leader began to talk to Neytiri.

"Is that you Mss Sully?"

"Demon! I will kill you as many times as I have to!" After saying this Neytiri saw me and gave me a small smile as a thank you but it didn't last long before gunshots were heard. I believe Neteyam and Jake had done their part. I looked over to were the rest were and saw green smoke. I started to run as this was our opportunity to escape from there.

I quickly caught up with Kiri and Spider. I could hear Neytiri following behind us. Suddenly, Spider tripped and fell from the tree branch we were in.

"Spider!" shouted Kiri, terrified that her friend was going to fall behind. "Kiri stand up we have to go!" said Neytiri "But we can't leave him here mom!" "Kiri!" I shouted making her to look at me. "I will go get hi mok? You follow your mother!" Hesitating she stood up and began to run. I carefully started to go down and approached Spider.

"Spider, hey" I rolled him over, and began to examine his back for some serious injuries, this gave me a déjà vu and I didn't like it.

"Laia" he said weakly "Yeah it's me, I'm bringing you home to get you patched up ok?" "Everything's moving" he continued not even focusing his eyes on me, he had no critical injuries but the fall could have hurt his head. "I know I know, but I'm here everything is fine-" Before I could even finish I felt a pain in my arm. I got shot.

I turned around and saw the avatars from before with their weapons aimed at me. "Leave the boy or we won't hesitate to shoot" one of them said. I got my knife out and hissed at them only to get another shot very near to my head.

I didn't know what to do. My brain stopped working. If something happened to Spider I could never forgive myself but, I could not die here. Not like this. I started to walk back, if they were avatars they worked for the sky people so Spider would be well attended.

"Yeah good girl" said the one who seemed to be the leader, I hissed again at him. Before going I said something.

"Treat his weapons properly" before turning around I got a glimpse of his amused face, I guessed he didn't know I could talk English.

While running back I looked at my arm. I didn't see a hole so the bullet didn't go inside but the scratch it left when it touched my arm was enough to make it bleed and to hurt like hell.

I started to hear the voices of my friend and I let myself be seen from the shadows. They all tensed up and grabbed their knifes when they saw my figure but when they realised it was me they instantly relaxed.

"Laia!" said Tuk, who run to hug my legs, I placed my hand on her head "Guys you're ok" I could feel the tears built up in my eyes. Lo'ak came to hug me too.

"I thought they got you, what took you so long?!" he said while parting from the hug and grabbing my face. I grabbed his forearms for some support.

"I was trying to get Spider back" I turned to look at Kiri "But I'm sorry, he was fine, just a little disoriented, but then the avatars came and they shot me and I tried to do something but they had all their guns in front of me and I didn't know what to do without getting him more injured and-"

"Laia" said Lo'ak, holding my cheeks a little harder so I looked at him "It's not your fault" he continued.

I started crying. "I'm so sorry I should have done something else" I felt a hand on my lower back and immediately knew it was Neteyam. Kiri stood up an envolved me in a hug.

"Don't worry about it, we'll get him back. I'm happy that you're ok" I knew she cared so much for that little human so I made a promise to myself to rescue him. No matter what.

 

No one's POV

The kids went ahead to go home, arms intertwined with each other, still afraid they would get separated again. Laia picked Tuk up so they could walk faster and to give comfort to the little girl who seemed still uneasy. She looked at Kiri and took her hand while the girl had her right arm around Neteyam's. Lo'ak stood next to Laia with his right arm over her shoulder.

Their parents watched the scene with worry in their faces. They looked at each other, knowing they would have to talk once they get home.