Kiri dragged me into going with her, Tuk, Lo'ak and Spider to what she said " an adventure in the forest." Adventure my ass, we were just breaking the rules again. I have to admit though,the idea of being back in the forest pushed back any other thoughts. I used to be able to walk the forest for hours and not be in danger, just connecting to Euwa and feeling the connection to the forest.All that changed though.I had to take as much time as I could. I walked out with Kiri and Tuk following behind us, Spider and Lo'ak both stared at me for a long time.They didn't say anything for a while.
" Well, are we going to go or not?"
I put my hands on my hips, impatiently.
" your -
" Your hair."
" What about my hair?"
It wasn't that big of a deal I still looked the same,
" It's gone!" Lo'ak exclaimed
" It's not gone you skwanxgs." Kiri sighed heavily
" its shorter."
" I think she looks pretty." Tuk spoke up and I engulfed her in a big hug causing her to shriek out in giggles.
" I think you're my new favorite person."
" Don't tell Neteyam that." Lo'ak snickered
"He hasn't seen you yet?" Spider asked and I shrugged " haven't seen him"
I haven't seen him that much in a year. Sadness plagued me and Tuk dragged my hand as everyone was already walking away.
" Ohhh, Just wait till he gets a look at you." Lo'ak made kissy faces.
Spider stepped next to me, " It looks good Riti, Neteyam is going to like it."
" Okay why does everyone keep on talking about how Neteyam is going to react?" I questioned angrily.
" Nothing Nothing, don't worry your poor little head about it."
I hissed at Lo'ak and chased him down the green vines, Kiri laughing at us and Spider chasing us to make sure that I didn't actually kill him. Which was a big possibility as of right now.
" Tuk keep up" Lo'ak shouted annoyed
I picked her up and placed her on my back as we ran through the forest. I let the emotions and sounds around me take over my senses .Being back in the forest kept me from thinking the negative thoughts, the feelings that something bad is going to happen soon. It just reminded me of simpler times, times where It was just me in the forest surviving on my own, the first time I met Neteyam. He was running along the forest and bumped into me, I thought he was a newborn thantar that was attacking me so I tried to kill him. He screamed and That's when Jake and Neytiri showed up. Fortunately I realized that he wasn't a thantar in time and that he was just a boy, stupid enough to not look where he was going. He forgave me pretty fast and he said he liked my eyes, I called him a weirdo and we've been friends ever since. The forest brought all things together. It brought me my favorite person, and for that I will always love it here.
Spider started complaining about Tuk which brought me back to reality, " Why did you even bring her."
Lo'ak responded, " She's such a crybaby."
He mimicked her "I'm telling. You're not supposed to go to the battlefield. I'm tell Mom if you don't let me come."
" Don't pick on her Lo'ak." Kiri shook her head
I put Tuk on the floor and whispered, " how about we get our revenge."
She giggled and nodded her head, " later though he has to be caught by surprise."
She clapped her hands together.We passed by a fallen ship that had long since been stranded
" Oh shit."
" That's sick."
" Is there any dead bodies up in there?"
" I was thinking the same thing, Tuk." We high fived
" Your a literal child." Lo'ak sighed.
" Your one to talk. Do we really want to go into your childlike actions right now?"
" Whatever."
"Thats what I thought."
Spider snickered. " Wait where's Kiri?"
She walked off again. Kiri, had a connection with all things living. She was connected to Euwa in that way. She told me how she feels a heartbeat or a breath or something like that? The way she described it I admit I had my doubts but when I saw the spirits around her I knew that she wasn't making it up. She told me not to tell anyone because she doesn't want people to think she's crazy. It was her choice so I left it.
It was almost eclipse and we haven't found Kiri, " Dammit."
" Kiri?!"
" Kiri!"
We all shout, " Found her!" Spider yelled back
" We have to get back" Tuk said worried
We made our way back and I looked at Kiri with a smirk.
" SO you and spider...all alone.....in the forest...."
" Are those spaces supposed to hint at something?" She whispered back
" No." But my eyebrows where wiggling
" Sometimes I wonder who's more childlike, You or Tuk."
I clenched my heart, " Ouch."
Neteyam would have laughed.....I think. Lo'ak suddenly stopped crunching to the floor.
" No no no, we need to get back."
" Were always supposed to be home by eclipse."Tuk added
" what is it" Kiri asked
That's when I saw what he was looking at.
" It's too big for a humans."
" Avatar?"
" Maybe, they're not ours though."
The track was a huge boot print, " We should go."
" We need to see where it takes us."
" No we don't"
I grabbed Lo'ak by the arm as he continued to walk, " This is a bad idea." I said seriously, the feeling in my stomach was getting worse.
He shrugged me off and continued to track. " Goddammit Lo'ak."
I looked at Kiri and she looked back at me with anxiety. Lo'ak wasn't going to leave until he figured out what it was that was making those marks.
We ended up coming to the forbidden place. Even when I lived alone in the forest I stayed away from here. Bad omen.
" We are never supposed to come here."
" I personally agree with Kiri."
" Dad is going to ground you-"
"Kiri stop." Lo'ak rolled his eyes, I hoped they get stuck like that.
" for life."
" bro we have got to check this out, lets go" Lo'ak motioned to Spider and I shook my head
Never listens. NEVER. Bad feeling Bad bad feeling.
" Bad Feeling means to go home" I whispered to Kiri.
Lo'ak came in and he looked at us with wide eyes, " I have to call this in."
" Fuck."
Tuk tapped me on the arm " bad word."
"Sorry."
" Devil dog, this is a eagle eye, over."
We watched the guys who looked like avatars but were dressed in full cammeo and carrying Ar's definitely not Na'vi.
Lo'ak portrayed what we saw to his dad. " Were at the old shack." Loak went on to explain who was there, I winced when he said Tuks name. We shouldn't have brought her. It's not safe, this is my fault. My tails swished behind me anxiously and Kiri put a hand on my arm.
" Lets go" he whispered,
" I told you." I snarled softly scared that the unknown species would hear
" Your going to be in so much trouble" Kiri reprimanded Lo'ak
" Kiri,stop."
" Guys, common." Spider snapped.
I was looking around in the tree's, something wasn't right.
" It's almost eclipse, come on." Tuk let out a scream the demon/avatar was holding Tuk under their knife.
We all drew our weapons. I let out a warning hiss to the one holding Tuk. I would make sure she came back unharmed.
Lo'ak made us drop our weapons, if they killed Tuk then it would be because of me. As soon as we dropped our weapons they grabbed our Queue and Spiders dreads. I told him he should have gotten a haircut but nope.
" Riti! Kiri!"
" Be calm Be calm" I soothed even though my head was being snapped back by a demon in cammeo
They screamed at us in english.
The main guy in the lead looked at each of us individually.
He spoke in a language that I could not understand, it was the language of the sky people. Jake taught everyone how to speak it but I refused, I thought I would never come in contact with one. And if I did it would be me or them dying. Maybe if I got out of this I'd have Neteyam teach me. God I hoped he wasn't coming here.
Lo'ak hissed at the guy, he raised his hands with his middle finger. Kiri told me once that it was an offensive motion, I am so confused on what the hell is happening.
Spider spoke to me rushed, " They're looking at their hands"
" shit."
Their four fingers is what makes them known for being a halfbreed. Neteyam told me once how when his dad was fighting in the war against the sky people that it was unheard of, and that some clans look down on them for having "demon blood".
The guy yanked on my braid too hard and I hissed.
" I promise i'll claw out your eyes and feed them to my Ikran."
The demon avatar smacked me across my face and everyone shouted out. I spit blood from my cut lip out of my mouth and snarled.
" Unfortunately I don't speak English to assholes." Lo'ak spoke in our tongue.
I watched the demon holding Tuk, and kiri. I could kill both of them but not if they had Ar's.
The man asked in our language " where is your father?"
Yanking Lo'aks head back he pushed a knife to his neck. I made a hiss trying to push myself out of the demon's hands. He shoved my entire body on the floor and pushed my head into the dirt.
" be calm, Riti."
I wasn't sure who said it but it did nothing to calm me down. I inhaled the forest scent to calm my fear. My heart beat was fast, so fast it thundered in my ears.
The man walked to Kiri, I snapped my elbow into the thing's face and lunged, then I had a gun pressed to my head.
" RItti! Ritti!" Everyone screamed my name.
I froze, Spider started yelling in english.
The man dropped his gun and my queue was back to be dragged on the floor. Spider was not Navi so maybe they would be curious and let us go.... Even I knew that was horseshit.
" What's going on?" I asked Kiri
" They're using us as bait for my dad."
That was all that was said before we were tugged into silence.
Neteyam pov:
" I am a warrior like you, I am supposed to fight." I grounded to my dad
" Neteyam." Mother spoke sternly
I clenched my jaw. My siblings, my friend, My Riti were being held hostage and they wanted me to stay here and wait with the Ikran. I am a warrior, I might not be my father but I can help protect my family. I can help keep them safe, help keep her safe. Two death instances happening in two days, Riti would probably laugh and tell me it's a sign, I would probably tell her she's full of shit. I held the reins tightly. She'd be okay, they all would.