~~~Superstes~~~UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING

Obsidian skies.

My mind flashed to Fe'ya, injured and barely alive. Or anyone.  

As I was running across the bloody battlefield, I heard the screams become louder and more distressed. Among the terrorized cries, I heard something about bombing from above. I sucked in a realizing breath, "Lo'ak, go, go go--" 

Whistling. A too-loud, too-close, devastating detonation that fell from the obsidian sky and the second it hit the ground, it surged me and everything around it into the blood-soaked dirt, sent me skidding across the mud, and that was it. I felt no pain, no burn, just pure shock that caused me to feel a steady buzz deep inside my bones, whistling, more hollowed out noises, explosions, hair-raising cries, then nothing at all. 

                                                                                     ~~~

Darkness was a sad thing. You saw nothing, and without sight, it was just blind faith that you would make it out alive. Maybe you were already dead, and the pitch black was the only thing you talked to for the rest of eternity. I saw a lot of darkness during my time in a coma, but I woke up and saw my family, the sun, and the crashing waves against the shore. 

One of the first things I saw when Dad finally let me leave the mauri was Lo'ak and Tsireya, lazing in the shallow lagoons, conversing happily while they weaved purple fishing nets. I noticed how elated Lo'ak looked, and how ecstatic the sea princess was to have such a friend like my brother. I watched them for hours, simply to see the joy on their faces. I already knew the two would one day be a couple, because you couldn't love someone like that and just forget about them. 

Day after day, there was night. Night after night, there was day. The sun, the moon and the shadows all shared an odd relationship, because the light was just there. The light appeared when needed, and for some reason, we all hated the dark. But really--in the shining forest, we wouldn't be able to see the fluorescent foxfire of the plants and the stars, without darkness, they can't illuminate the universe. 

I woke up with a palpitation in my heart. Everything was silent, the entire world was hushed. I wiped the blood out of my eyes, it seemed to trickle down my forehead. It was phantom black outside--other than the various fires still burning in the gruesome, jungle. Every bone in my body ached--I groaned as I dragged myself into a sitting position. 

At least, I thought I groaned. I heard no sound come out of my mouth. But I'm positive I opened it--what was happening? No, no, no, no.

I slapped myself across the face continuously. That did not help, and only made my bleeding head pound more. 

Then I saw him: Colonel Miles Quaritch, standing right in front of me. How long had he been there? Instinctively, I hissed at him, only for him to reach out and grab my queue. I screamed and clawed at his hands, but he just smirked as he lifted me into the air. I saw the fight was still going--it hadn't slowed, and to my surprise, there were more Na'vi than Sky-people. I also saw something that made my heart lurch--Tonowari? 

Many, in fact, an entire war party of Metkiyana were racing across the dirt, fighting alongside my Omatikaya tribe. I even saw Aonung, who met my eyes, and he raced towards me, letting his fist anchor into Quaritch's jawbone. The older man fell to the ground with a groan, dropping me in the process. 

Aonung was speaking urgently. I didn't hear him. Panic rose in my throat, threatening to suffocate me. Confused and impatient, Aonung grabbed my arm and dragged me away, into the middle of the conflict. I spotted Dad among the warriors, standing proudly atop a crashed ship. I yelled his name, and his eyes snapped towards mine. Instantly, fear flashed in his yellow irises. He jumped off the old ship and ran to me, taking both my shoulders in his strong hands. 

Again, he was speaking. His mouth was moving. I couldn't hear a thing. I yelled his name again, in his face, and his ears flipped back. He heard me, but I didn't. Why? Why couldn't I hear him? I knew war wasn't silent. I should be grimacing because of the noise, not because I couldn't take heed of it. 

I placed my hands over my ears, shaking, covered in dried mud. I was sure the paint on my face had washed off by now. Dad stood rigid--as if he was unsure of his next move. Steadily, he raised his arms and began to demonstrate the Na'vi sign language. In the Omatikaya clan, the signing was limited to only a certain number of phrases and words, but this one was simple. 

"Can you hear me?" Dad signed. 

Gasping, I shook my head vigorously. I had so many questions. If the Metkiyana had gotten here to help, it would have been many hours before they had arrived, since the reef wasn't exactly close to the forest. And they didn't even have ikrans. 

Dad removed my hands from my skull and examined my ears, pricking them forward. I hissed at the motion. 

When Dad removed his hands, blood tinted his fingertips. 

But we had no time to stand around as pushed me aside, pointed his gun at a risen Quaritch, and fired. 

                                                                                       ~~~

AN: Hellooo! I thought the picture above was funny, so I put it on here. I'm still in a crisis because I wanted Neteyam have issues with his spine, like his father, and it's too late. I will still somehow add it to the story, but it will be bumpy and inaccurate. I'm so sad I didn't catch the detail before I started this freaking story. 

I went back and read the first few chapters and I was like.... 😭🫥😑😫😔

Psalm 37: 5~Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.