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TSA'TVAYI
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EVERYTHING SEEMED TO FREEZE as the akula stared hungrily at her, its yellow eyes seeming to glow under the water. Tsa'tvayi watched as the akula opened its mouth, her heart racing in her chest at the action.
Tsa'tvayi didn't hesitate as she kicked off of the rocks and tried to swim away, her chest burning with the effort as she felt, more than heard, the beast give chase. She knew it was faster than her, stronger than her, and wouldn't have her necessity for air.
She wouldn't survive it.
Gritting her teeth, Tsa'tvayi swam harder, her muscles aching. She wouldn't survive it, but she could bond it.
Feeling a shift in the water, she threw herself to the left and felt her heart jump as the akula bit right where she had just been. Tsa'tvayi placed a hand on the rocks and made eye contact with the akula again, her eyes narrowing. She would not die at the hands of a Sky person inhabiting the body of one of her own.
She would make him pay.
The akula reared back and opened its mouth once again before diving forward. Tsa'tvayi waited until the last possible moment, before pushing upwards, the animal slamming into the rocks head on. Everything rippled fro the force of the hit, and she didn't wait for it to regain its senses before she dove back down and wrapped herself over its back.
It bucked and twisted in an attempt to throw her off, Tsa'tvayi gripping tighter before reaching an arm back an pulling her queue forward. She gritted her teeth at the effort that it took to remain on the animal, her thighs aching. Then, she narrowed her eyes and pushed the queues together, the light pink tendrils extending before they connected, the akula letting out a tremor under her.
It calmed as the feelings filled Tsa'tvayi, the strength of a new bond overwhelming her for a moment. Unfortunately, she couldn't take the time to appreciate it as her lungs burned from a need for air.
'Up,' she commanded.
The akula listened quickly, the pair finding themselves grinding on the water as Tsa'tvayi panted for air. Her limbs were shaking with nerves as she looked down at the akula she rode, the size of the animal terrifying against her own.
She had bonded an akula. She had bonded an akula like only Olo'eyktan had done before. Tsa'tvayi felt almost faint as she leant down on the animal completely, her chest pressed against its skin.
She took in a deep breath, then another and noter until she was hyperventilating. Tears coated her face as she buried her face not other akula's back and sobbed. Everything felt wrong, the Sky people and the death's of the tulkun. Neteyam's horrified face and Tuk's screams.
Everything had gone wrong so quickly, and she didn't know how to fix it.
It had darkened completely, her struggle with the akula apparently going for longer than she had thought. Settling herself, Tsa'tvayi ripped the tears from her face and straightened. They had taken the sully's, she had to get them back.
Looking around her, Tsa'tvayi squinted her eyes as she spotted the bright lights and set her jaw. She had to get to the ship.
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THE AKULA WAS FASTER than anything Tsa'tvayi had ever seen before. It almost felt like she was flying through the water. Ean'ora was known to be one of the quickest ilu in the village, if not the quickest, but the akula was something entirely different. They swept through the water so quickly, that it almost hurt Tsa'tvayi's skin.
They were approaching the ship fast, Tsa'tvayi keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of the family. She wasn't sure if Jake and Neytiri had arrived, but she prayed to Eywa that they had; She wasn't sure she could be much help against the Dreamwalkers.
Instructing the akula to rise, Tsa'tvayi narrowed her eyes on what appeared to be the entire family surrounding something on a plank. She didn't hesitate before deriving forward, her heart racing in her chest as she noted the somber expressions.
"Tsa'tvayi," Neytiri gasped out as she turned to her. Jake's head snapped to her his eyes wide as he looked down and noted the akula. "We did not know if you had lived."
Tsa'tvayi disconnected her queue and dived into the water before pulling herself besides the older woman, her heart beating as she noted Lo'ak and Tsireya turned away from her, his eyes stuck to something. "Eywa has helped me," she replied, her voice hoarse. "I formed tsaheylu with akula."
"Where is Neteyam? Tuk? Kiri?" The question lift her lips slowly, her tongue heavy as she continued looking at them, as she noted the way that Neytiri closed her eyes and Jake looked away.
"What is it?"
"Neteyam was shot." Jake swallowed harshly before nodding over to Lo'ak. "He doesn't look good."
Tsa'tvayi blinked harshly before turning quickly to where she assumed the boy laid, her eyes passing quickly over Lo'ak and Tsireya.
Neteyam's eyes here dazed as he looked up, his breath's shallow and quick. She could see the wound on his chest, blood pouring out. Tsa'tvayi's brows furrowed in desperation as she pressed a hand to his face. "Neteyam," she whispered, the boy's eyes flickering to her.
"Vayi," he croaked out, his eyes filling with tears. "I don't want to die, ma'Vayi."
Tsa'tvayi shook her head quickly, a single tear running down her face before she wiped it away. "You will not, Neteyam." She gritted her teeth. "I will not let you. You will not."
She could hear Neytiri letting out a sob behind her, Tsireya tucking her face into Lo'ak's chest. Tsa'tvayi narrowed her eyes on the sky person besides them, the boy flinching back from her glare.
"There is a practice of the Metkayina," she rushed out as she watched Neteyam's eyes fluttered and slapped his face to keep him awake. "I was taught while training for Tsahik when I was to make with Ao'nung."
She turned to look at Neytiri and Jake, her eyes burning with fury for the fate she would not let happen. "It is between mates, to slow breathing while in the water. It will slow his heartbeat and the bleeding enough for me to take him to Tsahik."
Jake's eyes widened at her words, his gaze begging. "Tsa'tvayi," he pleaded.
Tsireya turned to her, her eyes just as wide, but for another reason. "Tsa'tvayi, you cannot mate him. He might still not make it."
Tsa'tvayi lifted her chin defiantly as she reached back and pulled her queue forward. "He will perhaps hate me for it, but he will at least be alive to be upset."
"Do it." Lo'ak leaned closer and wrapped a hand around her arm, the blood of his brother- of Neteyam- staining her arm as it stained his hands. "Please, Tsa'tvayi."
Tsa'tvayi nodded once before leaning over Neteyam and apologizing. Then, she reached behind him and pulled his queue before forming tsaheylu.
She could not take the time to feel the bond, the feel her mate- as he was hers and she was his. She had to assure his survival first.
Tsa'tvayi wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tugged him closer to the edge before calling for the akula. She would not be an able to form tsaheylu with the animal as they rode, and could only prey to eywa for help during the ride.
Neytiri let out a soft cry as they mounted the akula, Tsa'tvayi placing Neteyam in front of her and wrapping his arms tightly around him. His chest barely moved, his breaths small- Tsa'tvayi hoped it was the tsaheylu working and not the boy dying. She would not let him. He deserved better than death at the hands of a sky person.
He deserved to go home.
Tsa'tvayi turned her head to look at the mourning family once more. "I will not let him die," she swore on her life. "Tuk and Kiri were also taken," she warned. "I am not seeing them."
Jake seemed to freeze at her words before her turned to Lo'ak. Tsa'tvayi didn't stop to listen, instead holding onto the Tsa'tvayi and urging it to swim fast, even without a tsaheylu to communicate through.
The akula seemed to smell her desperation, because it did not hesitate to speed up, Tsa'tvayi pressing a hand against Neteyam's neck to feel his pulse.
He had to live.