What If? (P1) || Jake / Reader || Draft

Thanator Take Two

"No. No way in hell. Absolutely not." Jake outbursts, swinging his arms around.
"I refuse to mess with anything like that."

"Thanator's usually stalk groups of hammerheads." You shortly explain as you both stare out into the distance.
"Look, Jake. Neytiri is watching us. I don't know where, but she keeps an eye on you and the group every time you're out here because of Grace.
Originally, she was watching us out here with her, and then when we separated - she defended us when we got lost in the woods. She saved us."

"How well does she know Grace?" He asks.

"She was like a mother to her, they met when she was maybe.. nine or ten, I think? Neytiris eighteen or nineteen now, so it's been a while. Give or take some time that they lost connection with each other."

"So you're telling me.. that she defends us in an attack, because she knows we're with Grace?"

"Essentially."
You turn back to look at Trudy.
"—Hey, I need you to head back to Grace. Tell her I've got this, would you? I don't want you out here when I have to trigger an attack."

"Don't gotta ask me twice." Trudy looks around as she's still uneasy about all the creatures here. "-Just keep your comms on you, we'll make it work."

"I still don't get why we have to trigger the attack." Jake groans. "Why can't we just go sit somewhere far from here, knowing she's following and watching, and just wait?"

Younger Jake was definitely... something, that's for sure. Much more like Lo'ak or Tuk with all the questions.
"She won't show if we aren't in danger."

"I hate this." He follows up with.

"I hate it, too. But this is how we save Hometree, Jake. I won't let it fall again. We get in, we learn their ways, earn their trust..
It's clear this won't work with just you now that everything's changed."
You step over, and grab his hand.
"- I'll be there with you, for all of it."

He hangs his head and unfortunately sighs.
"Fine.
How do you want to do this?"

"Act like you're my guard, for one. Follow what I do, and we'll make it."
You decide to check through his bag, thankful he's got a good mix of stuff in there. All the same in your own, should anything go wrong and you lose one of the bags.
"Have patience, Jake."

He takes your hand again before you walk off too far, and paces just beside as you two head closer to the hammerheads.
They don't seem to care at first, but a smaller teenager definitely feels threatened.
He's the one who sets things off - and even as Jake backs off a bit, and raises his gun defensively - he watches as you only run toward it and hiss.

Which.. seemingly works as it sounds out to you before escorting off.

You're already out of breath just by that single run, it seems. Probably should have buffed her up before doing this, but you were out of time.
You weren't used to your body being so weak, not after all those years you've spent building her up.

"Now what?" Jake asks.

That hammerhead should have absolutely and unintentionally called for that thanator with its scream. They get defensive when they think another one has stolen it's meal.
Just need a minute or two.

"On my mark, you run like hell in the direction I'm facing. I know where to go, just get a head start then follow."
You make sure he's staring you down and keeping eye contact.
"- You got it?"

He breaks it for a moment, panicking as his ears flatten out. He's staring into the woods, up on the trees, and far in the distance.
No sign of it yet, but he's still scared shitless.
His mouth agape as he turns and twitches.
"Yeah, yeah. Got it."