~~~Superstes~~~UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING

Mama just killed a man.

Linayin nodded firmly and positioned herself before Neteyam. She cut an entrance for the tube; the long, slim vent was slithered into his lung carefully. The cut-open skin around the tube was stitched closed, and only moments after she rolled him onto his side did the thick, crimson liquid come trickling down the pipe into a plastic bag. 

Jake watched the entire time, his heart not beating until he knew it was over and his son was alright. 

After the quick operation was finished, Jake placed his hand on his head and sighed. While Ronal and Linayin cleaned up, Neytiri placed her hand on Jake's and squeezed it. "After all this, we need to have a new rule." 

Jake raised his eyebrows. "Open to suggestions." 

Neytiri leaned forward and looked him in the eyes. "I am serious, Jake. After today, the kids are required to tell us where they're going."

Jake nodded in agreement. "I'll tell them later. But first--" he looked at Linayin, and she met his eyes. "I need an explanation for all of this. All of it." 

                                                                                       ~~~

"You kidnapped him?" 

Iwa shook his head. "No, no. Quaritch did--the RDA made this secret camp in the forest, where they kidnapped innocent kids from their homes," he gestured to him, Viper, Txana and Linayin, who were all sitting in a circle. "We were those kids, but by the time they got all of us, the operation was cancelled, and all the kids except us were killed."

"How did you survive?" Jake asked. 

"We managed to get on their good side, but only so he would let us live. We've practically been raised by some of those guys." At the mention of those people, Iwa's face saddened.

Txana placed her hand on her husband's knee. "It was for the better--they were murderers, we're relieved they're gone."

"It must have been difficult to kill the people who raised you," Tonowari chimed in, "I am sorry." 

Iwa shook his head, the defeated look on his face vanishing. "Only Fike died. Lyle is just injured, and... we weren't the ones to kill or injure either of them." His gaze wandered to Neteyam, who was still sleeping soundly. "He was." 

Jake almost laughed. "What?" 

"It's true, Quaritch was shaking like a wet cat when he brought this kid to us, he was scared and angry." Informed a younger, but deep voice. Viper, who was sitting close to Linayin.  "Your kid is a wild animal." 

Anger boiled in Jake's veins. "Excuse me?"

Iwa flicked the kid's ear before he continued to speak. "Viper doesn't know anything--Viper, shut up." He looked back to Jake. "Sorry. Yeah, Quaritch had tied his hands up, his arm was broken, that guy even muzzled him, called him a savage animal. Said he bites." 

Jake's mind was turning blank with rage. 

"Quaritch claimed that he killed Fike and, almost killed Lyle. He said that he also killed three other avatars. I'm not sure who, or when." 

Jake looked at Neteyam. He knew his son was capable of killing, and he was trained to do it. But the thing that confused Jake is that when he was little, he had to convince him that killing a fish to eat was okay and not in cold blood. He always felt so guilty for the smallest things, like stepping on a bug. He was always so caring, no matter to who or what.

Jake wasn't entirely convinced he killed four people and gravely wounded one. But he also knew that to protect his siblings, there was nothing Neteyam wouldn't do.