CHAPTER 5
"You're alright!" Aok cried as she ran over to the group who had just arrived. She threw her arms around Erìhe and hugged her tight, "You're usually back before eclipse! What happened?"
Aok was forced to release her when Nupxa suddenly swooped in, embracing Erìhe too. They were both relieved to see her. Nupxa let go of her pretty quickly though, "Ew! You're wet!"
"It's rain," Erìhe rolled her eyes, "And dirt." She laughed at her friend's expression, "And you're supposed to be Na'vi - how does this brother you?"
Nupxa waved her off, "Where were you?" She glanced at the Sullys. They all seemed to be exhausted and shaken up.
Erìhe looked back at the family behind her as well, "You'll find out soon enough," she sighed and pet her ikran. The chief would have to tell the clan what happened, and she thought she'd let him do so himself.
After everyone got washed up, Erìhe was on her way to her tent when Neteyam blocked her path.
"Glad to see you're alive," she told him, attempting to get past him so she could go to sleep.
Neteyam merely stepped in front of her again.
Erìhe groaned, "I want to go to sleep. Move," she tried pushing past him again.
Neteyam placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. Erìhe stepped back with a confused look on her face. She glanced down at his hand and he immediately drew it back, as if he had been burned. "Why would you take them with you to the battle site?" He finally said.
Erìhe scoffed, "I didn't take them anywhere. I went along to keep an eye on them."
Neteyam crossed his arms, "How did that go?"
"I'd say it went pretty well," she replied, sarcasm evident in her voice, "We only came back one short. It could've been a lot worse."
Neteyam glared at her, "Do you find this funny?" He demanded, "You should have told my mother that Lo'ak planned on going to the battle site!"
"Don't stand there and pretend that you would have told her," Erìhe raised her brows at him.
"I would have-"
Neteyam was cut off by Tuk, who shushed them and beckoned them to come closer. She was peeking through a gap under the tent in which Neytiri and Jake were having a conversation.
Erìhe shot Neteyam a glare before she hesitatingly stepped toward the tent.
She crouched down to press her ear against the opening. When she did that, she thought she saw Neteyam looking at something that was not her face.
As soon as this had registered, she reached her leg out and kicked him. Neteyam flinched and held his foot where she had kicked him, "What the hell?!" He demanded in a hushed voice.
"What were you looking at, perv?" Erìhe hissed back.
Kiri smacked her brother, "Will you two shut up?"
The two were quiet after that. Neteyam had squeezed in next to Erìhe and Tuk, which caused him and Eríhe both to shove at each other. When he suddenly pushed her with more force than required - causing her to crash into Tuk - Lo'ak hit both of them, "So childish! Be quiet!" He told them.
The group fell silent and listened, scared that the adults had heard. When they heard their conversation resume, they all pressed in closer to listen.
They all heard Neytiri loud and clear. "I cannot - you cannot ask this," she said, "I cannot leave my people."
Erìhe's eyes widened and she shared a shocked look with Neteyam.
"I will not," Neytiri was saying.
"He's hunting us," Jake told her. Erìhe could not see the two inside so she had no idea what they were doing. "He's targeting our family."
"You cannot ask this!" Neytiri raised her voice. Erìhe had seen Neytiri furious enough times to imagine her face - she felt sorry for Jake. "The children - everything they've ever known. The forest - this is our home!"
Erìhe stumbled slightly. Jake wanted them to leave? If the Sullys left - what would she do? They were the closest thing she had to a family - Lo'ak and Kiri were her best friends. She would miss Tuk so much.
Her life would be empty without them. No Lo'ak causing trouble, no Neteyam picking fights, no Tuk to take care of and no Kiri to hang out with.
It would be horrible.
"He had our children - he had them under his knife," Jake said, trying to make Neytiri understand his reasoning.
Neytiri fell silent and Erìhe could hear her walking across the tent. "My father gave me this bow as he lay dying," she told Jake. Erìhe could imagine her holding her most prized possession, "And he said protect the people." They could her taking in a deep breath before speaking again with a broken voice, "You're Toruk Makto!"
"This will protect the people!" Jake told her, "Quaritch has Spider. That kid knows everything! He knows our whole operation! He can lead them right in here!"
The group outside shared looks with each other and Erìhe breathed out shakily. She did not want to cry in front of them so she blinked back her tears. She did not want them to leave her.
"If the people harbor us - they will die," Jake said gravely, "Do you understand?"
There was a moment of silence. Erìhe could hear Neytiri's breaths as she contemplated this all.
"Look, I got nothing," Jake said after the silence, "But I can protect this family. That I can do." There was another moment of silence. Erìhe could hear him shuffling closer to his wife. "But I know one thing. Wherever we go - this family is our fortress."
Erìhe got out of her crouched position and stood up. When she looked back down at the others she could see them all looking back up at her. She offered them a smile.
Tuk stood up as well and wrapped her arms around her waist - hugging her, "I don't want to leave you behind," she said sadly.
Erìhe chuckled, despite none of this being amusing. She wrapped an arm around Tuk's shoulders and the other rested on her head, "I know," she smiled, "You will be okay."
After a moment they could hear Neytiri and Jake starting to head out of the tent. Erìhe wanted to escape, but Tuk was set on not letting go of her. And that was how the adults found them.
Kiri, Lo'ak and Neteyam sat by the tent, giving away the fact that they had eavesdropped while Erìhe and Tuk stood next to them, watching the adults with wide eyes with their arms still wrapped around each other.
Jake was the first to speak, "Did you hear all that?" Tuk nodded slowly and Jake sighed, "Well - that's good, I suppose. We will have to leave as soon as possible." Neytiri looked heartbroken.
"But dad-" Neteyam started to say.
He was cut off by his father, "You lot should go pack up."
Erìhe pried Tuk's hands away from her and stepped back. She tried to not seem too effected by this all but everyone could tell how sad she was.
Lo'ak stood up, "Dad," he said, "What about Erìhe? The avatars saw her."
"It doesn't matter. She's not a target," Jake told him as Tuk walked over to hug her father. "Erìhe can continue living here if she wants."
Erìhe's ears twitched. Neteyam frowned and looked up at the chief, "If she wants?"
Neytiri and Jake shared a look and the woman nodded slightly. "If she wants - she can come with us. I think it's the best thing to do. But we can't force her to leave her home. She's known this place all her life."
"I could come with you?" Erìhe asked carefully. Jake nodded again and despite everything, a smile spread across Erìhe's face.
It was not even a question - of course she would go with them if they'd take her. She would obviously miss the forest, the people, and her friends - but she felt closest to the Sullys. Erìhe would forever be sad to leave the clan, but she knew she would be sadder if they left her behind.
Tuk turned her head to smile at the girl, "Will you come with us, Erìhe?" She asked hopefully.
Erìhe glanced back at Neytiri, who was smiling at her. "Yes," she said, "If I'm allowed to - then yes."
Kiri got to her feet and hugged Erìhe tightly, "At least you'll be coming with us."
As Eríhe hugged the girl, she looked over her shoulder and caught Neteyam's eyes. For the shortest moment, she was sure she had seen him crack the smallest smile.