Worlds Apart: Volume I

The During: A Chase

Neyetam was the first one to to actually snap out of the shock. He grabbed the marker and began to pull at it. Ney'ite followed his lead and began to pull. All of the children swarmed around the tracker and did their best to try and pull it out. Ney'ite cursed the Sky People as they pulled. It felt like they were doing nothing. They were making no head way.

"Bro, help me," Neyetam called out to Lo'ak.

"The ship is approaching," Tsireya cried as she looked over her shoulder. Ney'ite peeked over Payakan's back. Her heart dropped. She saw the Sky People's ship. Her eyes widened. It was like she was back in the forest again on the worse days of her life. All she could do was continue to pull.

"Summon Dad," Neyetam said as they pulled. Lo'ak hesitated. "Just do it!"

Ney'ite heard her brother get on the line, but she ignored it. Their father was going to come. All they had to do was wait for him to come. He and their mother had saved them once before, they could do it again.

Neyetam called his ilu and threw a rope to Ao'nung. Ao'nung fumbled with the rope as he tried to secure it to the tracker. Ney'ite looked over Payakan and saw that the ship was drawing closer and closer. She had not doubt that they had been spotted by now. She knew that the Sky People would not take kindly to them defending Payakan.

"Ao'nung, hurry up," Neyetam urged.

"Quickly!" Tsireya said.

Ney'ite looked back as Ao'nung finally got the rope secured.

"All at the same time," Lo'ak said.

Neyetam's ilu moved forward and they were all pulling on the rope. Ney'ite was on Payakan's fin pulling as hard as she could. Others were pushing it with their feet from the other end. Ney'ite put all of her strength into the pull. She wanted this to work so badly. She could hear the others saying something, but she couldn't hear it over the blood that was rushing in her ears. It was like she was back in the forest that rainy night once again. Ney'ite wished that she had something to defend her siblings and friends with.

Ney'ite was pulled out of her thoughts when she hit the water. She turned and saw that Neyetam was pulling the tracker towards him. She called her ilu and got on instantly.

"Go," Neyetam said. "I'll lure them away."

"Neyetam," Ney'ite looked at him with wide eyes.

"Go," Neyetam looked at her. She could see that he was trying to ease her fears. "Keep the others safe. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Okay," Ney'ite nodded. "I'll see you when this is all over."

With that, Ney'ite dived under with her ilu. She started to swim with the others. She saw that they were making a beeline for the under water forest of sea plants. Ney'ite was happy with that decision. It would make it harder for the Sky People to see them. It would make it harder for the Sky People to catch them. However, it also made it harder for them to see each other. Ney'ite's stomach turned as she lost sight of her siblings. The only thing that reassured her was that Lo'ak could handle himself and Tuk and Kiri were together. Ney'ite looked back and saw that a machine was chasing her. Ney'ite urged her ilu forward faster and faster. She took random twists and turns and did her best to shake her pursuer. She dived down quickly into the roots of the forest before jumping off of her ilu and swimming away. She hide in the plants as the machine went by her. Ney'ite wanted to celebrate the small victory, but she could feel herself wanting to take a breath. She swam up through the plants. She saw a plant that had a pocket of air. She saw Ao'nung and Roxto swim into it. Ney'ite looked to make sure no one was around before quickly swimming towards it. She surfaced and took a deep breath.