rayti watched from her ikran, maya, as the flames engulfed the forest; leaving just ashes on the ground. she watched animals rush out of the fire, but the majority didn't make it. the heat from the flames warmed her skin, though they were a mile away.
the cries from nearby omaticaya children, elders, and parents were heard. along with the peoples cries, the animals cries were heard. the cries pierced her ears. they were the kind of cries you would hear in nightmares.
an emotion took over rayti suddenly. she couldn't pin point what it was exactly, but it took over her body. she knew this was only the beginning. rayti thrived to kill every single demon. she thrived to get back every her clan has lost. she thrived for something else to, approval.
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she sat in her families area of hometree. the sound of her blade sharpening under her touch filled the area. once she finished sharpening her knife, she moved onto her arrows. she crafted more than necessary so she could be prepared. she carved them more aggressive than needed, anger taking over her body.
her attention was torn away from her arrows when her family entered the area. yet nobody spoke, all that was heard was kiris faint sniffles along with tuks. everyone stood uncomfortably, not in the room, but in their own skin.
rayti glanced around the area. spider was nowhere to be seen. though spider was human, she accepted him. he was part of the family.
"where is spider?" rayti asked, brows scrunched in confusion. she swallowed the lump that sat in her throat.
nobody answered, nobody even looked in her direction. tears brimmed her eyes because she knew. she knew it was the same demons that took advantage of the beauty in the forest. for what? money.
"it was the sky people, wasn't it?" she said, voice cracking. she stood up, waiting for a response that never came. nobody answered. kiris sobs just grew louder.
raytis heart dropped. they sky people already destroyed her land, now they are taking peices of her family.
she felt guilty that she wasn't there to help. if she was, she would've killed each and every one of those demons with her bare hands.
this was the moment something in her mind switched, rage and anger mixed with sadness; a potent mixture that lead to nothing but pain and war.
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"dad, we cannot leave! i will not." rayti fought against her father, "i will fight for my people and the forest," she paused, contemplating either to add on to her sentence.
"daughter, if you stay, if you fight, you will die." jake argued, grabbing his daughter's shoulders.
"listen to your father, rayti." her mother added, giving her daughter a knowing glance. as much as neytiri didn't want to leave either, she knew it had to happen in order for their family to be safe.
rayti nodded, a sign of compliance.
the next day, rayti stood at the front of the crowd of omaticaya people. though she was standing in a large group people, who were like her, she still felt alone; as if nobody understood her.
she watched her father, the current olo'eytkan, and tarsem, the incoming olo'eytkan. the ceremony was beginning. tarsem has to 'kill' jake by drawing blood by his heart. as tarsem did so, he let out a loud, deep yell that echoed through the crowd.
tears brimmed raytis eyes as it really clicked to her that they were leaving. she looked over at her mother and siblings to see them sobbing. rayti held it together, refusing to show emotion.
she followed behind her father, mother, and siblings through an opening in the omaticaya people. she blinked away the tears begging to be released, but she refused. she needed to prove to her native clan that she was a warrior and strong, one last time.
she situated her belongings on her ikran, maya. she ran a hand on her rough, but comforting, skin. it seemed her ikran understood her more than she did herself.
before mounting her, she admired whats left of the beautiful forest. she never would have imagined having to leave her home. all she had ever known was the forest.
once rayti mounted maya, she looked back at the land. as much as she did not want to leave, she knew she had to.
"you ready, baby girl?" jake said, rubbing a hand on her back. all she could manage to respond with was a nod.
jake was the last on his ikran, he flew off once he was situated. seconds later, the family followed behind him. one by one, everyone looked back at the forest. they mourned the chances they had in the forest, but never took them.
rayti looked back, knowing she probably shouldn't have. she expected tears to fall, but they didn't. she felt numb. the only thing she felt was how she was leaving a peice of her soul behind.
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authors note !
i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
