Don't blame me - Neteyam

Chapter 2

Pandora forest

Omatikaya high camp

*2 hours past eclipse*

RaiRai sat in the loading dock of high camp for over two hours, waiting for the war party to return. The thirteen-year-old drew small patterns in the sand, mindlessly waiting. Next to the girl was her best friend, Tuk Sully. Tuk insisted she wait with RaiRai until they returned home, as three members of her family were out there fighting. Tuk sat quietly, making a new arm bank for Lo'ak since he broke his during training the other week.

"Why aren't they home yet?" Rai whined, destroying the picture in the sand; tears threatened to fall down her small face. Her sister promised she would be home before the eclipse, and she wasn't, and Lei'la never broke a promise. The young girl's mind raced, with the worst scenarios spiralling into overdrive.

"Hey!" Tuk's quiet voice broke her out of her trance. "You know how these missions go".

Rai let out a sigh. She knew they never went to plan, as the party never knew what they were flying into, but they hadn't been this late before.

Yip, Yip, Yip

At the war cry, the two girls stood up, and ikrans began flying into high camp, landing across the entrance to the cave as their riders jumped off, stoking their necks soothingly.

RaiRai ran through the warriors searching for her sister, but she wasn't there. She always ended and took off in the same spot, but she wasn't here.

"No," Rai whispered as the worst slowly came to life. She couldn't be. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Neteyam. The eldest Sully was once again being praised by his mother and father, her little legs sprinting over to him so she was standing in front of his much larger frame.

"Hello, little one," he said, bending down so he was at her eye level. Rai shifted uncomfortably under the future chief's sharp gaze.

"Where is she?"

"Where is who?"

"Lei'la," even saying her voice made RaiRai's voice break, the girl knew of the rivalry between her sister and future Olo'eyktan, and everyone in the clan knew of their rivalry, causing a lot of tension between the Kazumi and Sully kids.

Neteyam's ears perked up at the mention of her name; he saw her leave the battlefield after she had taken down the remaining supporting ships, so why wasn't she back? Neteyam stood up to his full height, holding his hand out for Rai to take. She slowly accepted that her tiny hand was dwarfed by his larger one as he led her towards her tent, away from the commotion.

"You stay here with your brother until she returns," he stated, pushing her inside her tent.

"But...:

"Do you understand?" His voice was firm but soft; he knew his commanding voice would make the girl cry, so he tried to be as soft as possible.

"I understand".

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"Son of a bitch," Lei'la cursed as she slowly sat on the forest floor, the moss beneath her sticking to her back like glue while she tried to move. Her amber eyes travelled down her body like always she was covered in small cuts and bruises, but a large gash swept across her abdomen, leaving crimson with every breath she took. Lei'la let out a wince, her hand applying more pressure to stop the bleeding, but it only seeped between the cracks of her fingers.

Her eyes darted around the forest, searching for any danger, but she could only find the bioluminescent fauna protecting her from the sky above. She knew it was past eclipse by the way the forest lit up. Her coarse voice called for Tìreyä when no ikran fell to her side, and her worry increased. She would never survive the night alone and injured. Thanators could smell fresh blood a mile away, making her the prime target for their dinner. Lei'la crawled over to a nearby tree, leaning her back against it and hiding like a scared child behind it. She tried to call for Tìreyä once more, and thankfully the beast landed next to her, immediately letting out a noise of panic at the state of her rider.