~~~Superstes~~~UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING

Toruk Makto

It had been two days of relentless fighting. The sun went down, and the moon came up. I hadn't slowed down in 24 hours. My bones were coursing with fire and my legs were buzzing with energy. On top of this being my first real war, it had been the longest lasting one I'd ever experienced. Everyone who wasn't killed was fighting. Trees were destroyed, blood soaked the plantation and the tree roots. Hundreds, maybe thousands of dead warriors of both the Na'vi and the RDA had been lying in the dirt for too long. 

I found Lo'ak standing behind a tree, frozen in fear. A wide gash was bleeding across his ribs. He was shaking. 

I ran up to him and I didn't want to stop, because if I stopped, I'd collapse. In a rush I pulled some thread from a pouch attached to my cummerbund, and a needle. "Don't move," I ordered, panting. I punctured the skin and threaded the needle through the wound, in maybe about five minutes stitching it closed. 

I placed my hand on his shoulder and tapped his cheek, "Hey, hey! Wake up, Lo'ak. We have to get back out there." 

He blinked rapidly and nodded. "Okay." 

I grabbed his arm and dragged him back into battle. I'd lost track of Dad hours ago, and I briefly saw Mom brutally driving her arrows into the machine humans. Kiri and Tuk had been hiding along with the children and pregnant women in high camp. I'm not sure where Spider was. 

So far two other clans had come to help us fight. The Tawkami clan and the Olangi clan. 

When I ran to go fight once again, Lo'ak hadn't moved. I took his shoulders and had him face me, "Lo'ak, go to high camp and come back when you're ready. Got it?"

If he was fully aware, he would have argued, but for now he simply nodded. 

More hours passed after my brother left. At one point I felt I was one autopilot, floating through the endless fight like a leaf in the wind. I became numb to the screams and gunshots ringing through the air, until I heard a shout that was all-too familiar to my ears. 

My stomach and heart plummeted. I felt like throwing up. 

Dad was lying against a tree, a spear wedged through his shoulder, sticking him into the base of the trunk. I ran over to him and crouched before him, analyzing the situation best I could. my heart was beating faster than ever.

"Dad," I said, "Dad, what happened?!" 

He coughed. "What does it look like?" 

"I'm pulling it out." 

He grabbed my outstretched arm with his good one. "No, you're not. Leave it there." 

"You have to get up!"

He lifted his head at my desperate tone and pulled my arm closer to his chest. "Remember what Tarsem said." 

"No, no. Stop it, you're being dramatic."

He let out a small snicker. "I know you can do it, Neteyam. I need you to do this for me--lead the clan away, somewhere safe. Treat the wounded. Protect the people. I can handle myself, and when I do, I'll come find you." 

"No. You're Olo'eyktan. You have to get up now." 

"And you're my son, I get to tell you what to do." 

Anger makes my emotions override my senses. I feel hot tears sting my eyes, but I know I can't break down, not here, not now. "Dad, I'm not leaving you here." 

"Do as I tell you. Lead the clan to safety, we're not winning this fight. Not yet." 

With a sinking soul, I turn back to the battle behind us.