NIGHT HAD FALLEN AND THE SKY was dark, the only sound that could be heard was the gentle patter of rain slapping against the leaves.
Ivy was standing deadly still next to Lo'ak she could feel the cold metal of the gun against her head, looming over her threatingly, Harriet didn't make eye contact with Ivy at all, ignoring her nieces death stare as the young girl plotted of ways to murder her slowly and painfully, feeling a tad bit unhinged, but rightfully so.
"Blue one, we'll be there in three minutes" a voice poured out of the radio and Ivy muttered a couple swear words to herself, their options were running out. nobody was coming to save them.
What would the sky people do to them? Would they torture them? Wrack confidential information from their brains using painful devices?
Ivy would quite literally rather die than be held captive by them, in a cold white room, no connection to Eywa or Pandora, she shivered just thinking about it, she couldn't let this happen, she wouldn't let this happen.
Ivy was struggling to comprehend that it was her mothers Avatar and not her, though her mind kept wondering to the face, still the same, but the Avatars eyes.
When Charlotte inhabited it the eyes were bright, playful and joyful, but with Harriet's conscientious planted inside, the eyes were dark, smug and malicious, and Ivy hated this.
Her mother deserved to rest.
Ivy hated how deadly quiet it was, yet so deafingly loud at the same time, a feeling she couldn't explain.
Suddenly out of the blue (no pun intended) she heard a call, her ears twitched and she saw Lo'ak look around, and Tuk gasp and snap her head back.
She could even see Kiri and Spider recognise the sound.
She caught eyes with Lo'ak who gently nodded and her heart skipped a beat, was someone coming? We're they possible going to be rescued?
She could hear Kiri silently praying to Eywa in Na'vi and her heart rate started to quicken, she could hear movement, though she couldn't tell what of, she knew something was about to happen and took shaky breaths.
"Shut up" the man holding Kiri and Spider hostage whisper-shouted.
Kiri countinued talking to Eywa, at this point desperate, "shut up!" The man ordered loudly before Ivy saw an arrow ran straight through his face and gasped loudly as the man tumbled to the ground.
The Avatars started yelling and one by one directs the guns to the direction the arrow had flew from, and opened fire, the bright orange blasts stood out against the gloomily lit forest.
Ivys knew the moment eyes caught the arrow, Neytiris, it was Neytiris arrow.
They were gonna be fine.
Lo'ak moved his hand up to the man holding Ivy hostage and pulled a pin out of a container yelling at Ivy to run as green gas started spurring out infecting the air.
The young girl immediately took advantage of her started captor and wiggled her way out, kicking her leg under the man's leg (who was desperately trying to wave the gas out of his face) and tripping him face first into a rock, she saw Lo'ak and Tuk sinking their teeth into their captors arms to free themselves.
Ivy felt Lo'aks hand drag her towards Tuk, she pulled away and helped the young girl up "come on!" She yelled as Lo'ak ushered the two forward, only just in time to save Tuk from being grabbed.
Bullets we're flying everywhere and the noise was deafening Ivys senstive ears, she clasped her hands over them in pain while she ran forward, she didn't know where she was going, she didn't know if Tuk and Lo'ak were still next to her.
Everything was a blur, a blur of gunshots, green and trips, Ivy couldn't see where she was going.
Escape, escape, escape.
She heard a bullet whiz past her missing her ever so slightly, and nearly tripped over a root but she kept running despite her ringing ear and thanked Eywa silently.
Bullets kept getting shot, but they were getting fainter, ever so slightly, and thankfully the yells and screams were too.
She halted to a stop when she noticed a trunk blocking her way, she'd very nearly collided with it stopping only inches away from the bark, the growth around to was two much to get around, she had hit a dead end.
She spun around, thankful to see Lo'ak and Tuk "ok ok ok" she whispered scanning her eyes over the two to check they hadn't been hit, her breathing was heavy and swift and she'd never felt her heart beat so fast, she looked past Lo'ak "alright ok let's go back"
The boy nodded and started sprinting back every second or so turning back to make sure the two girls were still following "go go go come on let's go!" Lo'ak was yelling as he turned a corner, leading them over a rock with Ivy leaped over.
All of a sudden Jake dropped from above stopping the kids in their tracks nearly sending Ivy into a heart attack for the millionth time.
Neteyam dropped beside him while Jake frantically started asking his kids if they were injured to which they shook their heads, it was a miracle they'd all made it out alive "Tuk!" Jack called for his daughter, immediately bending down to pull the young girl into an embrace as she stated violently sobbing while the father desperately tried to reassure her.
Ivy redirected her attention to the hovercrafts visible through the ferns "get down!" She whisper-yelled while the others did so inching forward to watch it.
She couldn't look anywhere near it, the light was so painfully bright, she was hissing in pain, directed the other way and using her hands to cover her eyes, pressing so hard colourful dots decorated her lids.
The aircraft turned around and started to exit "there we're clear" she heard Jake as she let her eyes adjust back to the darkness as the painful ache from the brightness started to fade away "is everybody ok?"
She saw Neytiri and Kiri slinging towards them, the mother dropped to her knees launching directly at Tuk "mum!" The girl called and returned the embrace while Jake pulled his sons in.
Ivy stood silently and solemnly watching the aircraft dissapear into the distance as the family reunited, she needed to slow her breathing befoe she could even begin to process what the fuck just happened.
"Thankyou great mother Thankyou!" She heard Neytiri call out to Eywa sobbing as she held her daughters.
Ivy felt awkward off the the side, as a million emotions rushed through her, jealousy.
She was so godamn jealous right now she couldn't even think about the near death experience.
Jakes eyes flickered up still holding his children tight "Ivy are you hurt?"
Ivy hesitated before answering breathily her chest heaving "no, no, I am alright"
Truth is she was aching all over, but she would have time to assess her injuries once she got out of here.
She collapsed to the ground and sat back on a rock trying to catch her breath "where's Spider?" She heard Lo'ak question.
Her head snapped up.
Where is Spider?
He attention shifted to a tearful and shaky Kiri, her watery eyes reflecting off the moons "they took him" she informed them before repeating it.
As if her day couldn't get any godamn worse.
Jake quickly pulled a now crying Kiri into his arms "it's alright baby girl" he held his daughter "he's a tough kid alright...he's gonna be ok"
Ivy had an excruciating pain on the side of her head and a couple stinging pains all around her body, but she wasn't focused on that right now.
Harriet.
There was absolutely no way that just happened, it felt too quick, too sudden, but it did happen, and Ivy had very mixed feelings about it.
"We're all gonna be ok" Jake said, though Ivy could tell by the tone he didn't believe it himself one bit.
"Come" Neytiri ordered standing up, holding Tuk close to her, the burying her head into her mothers arms "we must go"
Jake nodded "alright alright, go"
🐚🌿
Ivy landed Zo'an at the Ikran docking bay, a couple healers, Mo'at and family friends sprinted forward to the Sullys, while Ivy detached her queue and hugged Zo'an who cooed quietly and snuggled into her neck.
At least Zo'an cared for her.
"Ivy!" She turned and saw Lo'ak striding towards her, she turned on her heel and tried to make a runner for it but the boy caught her shoulder "Ivy your ear"
"W-what?" She asked lifting her hand to her right ear where she could feel throbbing, sure enough she felt her fingers touch a warm liquid and her lips parted, bringing her hand down she saw her fingers were now coated in fresh sticky blood "shit" she muttered squeezing her eyes shut in pain.
"Dad!" She heard Lo'ak call, heard? Why was it quieter than usual, still loud enough to easily hear, but slightly quieter.
"Yeah son?" Jake answered and it hit Ivy, her right ear, she couldn't hear out of it, she couldn't hear out of her right ear, this day really wasn't working out for her.
She mustn't of noticed it with all the adrenaline and thoughts running through her head "well this is just great"
Lo'ak turned back to her as Jake trudged forward and she countinued "I cant fucking hear out of it"
"You burst your eardrum" Jake leaned forward to inspect her ear "you didn't notice?"
Ivy shook her head trying to ease out the throbbing "Will I get my hearing back?" She questioned, her luck had completely diminished , she wasn't expecting good news, all her hope had run out.
"Hopefully" Jake answered leaning back "50/50, we'll get you something for the pain"
"I'm good" Ivy quickly answered and turned on her heel shoving Lo'ak off.
She needed to get away, she couldn't be here right now, she didn't to calm down, she needed out, her brain wasn't properly functioning with all the chaos.
Even without her right ear her hearing was still impeccable "Ivy wait" Lo'ak called out.
"Leave me alone" she spat making a beeline to her tent wiping the bloody mess off her neck and face.
"No Ivy" he caught up to her and grabbed her shoulder spinning her around, it was then she caught his eyes, full of worry, overflowing with worry.
Why did he care, he hated her right?
"Please Lo'ak" She groaned scanning her arms revealing a couple of grazes, nothing that would scar.
"No Ivy" Lo'ak said firmly looking down at her "there's no way you're ok after that"
Of course she wasn't, of course there was no way in hell she wasn't ok, in fact, she had never been this not ok since watching her father die, and that was saying something, but like hell was she going to let anybody know that, Ivy didn't show weakness and she mimicked his words in a high pitched voice which pissed him off even more.
She hissed and countinued walking praying he would just give up, but the boy countinued following the stubborn girl much to her disappointment "Lo'ak please!" She groaned "stay with you're family, they need you"
"And you need someone"
"No I fucking don't"
She'd survived the last year and a half alone, she could survive this night.
"Why are you so stubborn?" Lo'ak squeezed his eyes shut in annoyance while Ivy mocked him in a high pitched voice "why can't you just accept help for fucks sake"
Ivy swallowed looking down ashamed, she couldn't help it, she raised her head up to look Lo'ak in the eye and spoke strongly "I said I'm fine Lo'ak"
"god fucking damit" he growled and stormed away, immediately regretting his decision after, he can't just leave her alone, that was stupid why would he say that?, he swung around to stay with her, but the girl was already long gone, it was no use trying to break down the walls she had built around herself.
Ivy watched him through a crack in the rocks, finally he gave up and turned back to his family, the girl let out a sigh of relief.
She crawled out of her hiding spot and made a beeline for her tent, eyebrows furrowed deep in thought, oh how much she was thinking.
She had more questions than answers and she hated that feeling.
She felt a lump in the strap of her top and moved her hand, she pulled the amber she had found earlier by the stream in the rockpools, reminding her of the strange conversation she'd shared with Lo'ak.
As she entered her tent she made a beeline to the healing ointment in her corner of belongings.
Sure she was exhausted, her eyes were drooping, but she wasn't risking one of these cuts getting infected, she'd learned her lesson last time she forgot ointment, it was excruciating.
As Ivy applied the medicine she wondered how she could be so exhausted, yet wide awake at the same time, she was on the verge of collapsing but her mind had never felt more alive with thoughts.
"Ivy?" She heard a voice from outside, deeper, she silently sighed when she realised it was none of the Sully kids, for she was absolutely mortified that they'd seen her little family reunion with her auntie.
Another thing Ivy hated, pity, and the way her life was going she received alot of it, she despised it, it made her feel so incredibly embarrassed it felt physically painful.
She pushed herself off the ground and moved to the entrance of her tent, Jake Sully was standing there, a usual serious look plastered on his face "yes?" she asked looking up to the Olo'ekytan.
"You're not going to like this" he sighed, Ivys chest tightened and her brain came up with every possibility, but it wasn't what she thought.
"...well?" She asked nervously.
"We're leaving"
That confused Ivy leaving? Who? When? Why? "Imma need you to be a little more specific" Ivy placed her hands on her hips with furrowed brows.
"I mean we're leaving the clan" Jake sighed, as if he himself did not want to admit it.
Ivys eyes momentarily widened "the fuck?" She tilted her "but you're Olo'ekytan? Why—I—don't understand"
Jake sighed again "we've got to leave, for the safety of the clan, Ivy they're after my family, Quaritch-Quaritch the Colonel-"
"Wait as in Spiders dad!" She blurted out, it all made sense now, how the Colonel-Quaritch had softened at seeing the human boy, she'd heard storys of his maliciousness, at how he nearly killed Jake and Neytiri, how he destroyed Home tree, the man was apparently pure evil, and Ivy had seen enough to confirm it.
"Yes—anyway" he countinued whike Ivy swallowed and pursed her lips "Quaritch wants my family, I'm not putting this clan in danger anymore, and neither are you" he dropped the words like a bomb.
"Me?!"
"Harriet wants you" he countinued, looking even even more and more ashamed "and Quaritch wants your dad"
Damn bastards told him about Harriet "b-but my dad he's—
"—They don't know that" Jake interrupted "I'm sorry Ivy, you can't stay here, I won't let you stay here"
"B-but-"
"Look I know I can't force you to come with us Ivy" he sighed "it's your choice, come with us, or go somewhere else, but either way Ivy, you need to leave the forest.
Ivy could actually not believe her ears-or currently ear, how could Jake ask this of her? How could he expect her to abandon everything she'd ever known-again, she was 15, 15 fucking years old and he expected her to just go, just fucking go.
Where would she go? Would she live alone, clanless in the forest once more? Would she even survive? Of course she could, if it was the forest, but leaving the forest? Ivy couldn't survive alone in unknown territory, she knew nothing of the world outside the jungle.
But Ivy knew deep down, that this was the right thing to do, she just didn't want to admit it.
She was only 15.
"Y—you can't just" she stuttered angrily looking to the ground then up at Jake "you can't expect this of me!"
Jake squeezed his eyes shut ashamed, guilt absolutely drowning him, he knew it was wrong, he knew it was unfair to her, but when had life ever been fair to her?
"I'm sorry" he told her weakly "we leave first thing tomorrow, make your decision" he couldn't stand looking at the pain in her pale eyes any longer, and turned on his heels to leave.
The girl stood like a statue, once again, her life had absolutely been destroyed in less than an hour, with less than a two minute conversation, with one trio out to the forest, everything she'd found peace in since that night, was being taken from her.
"Ivy" her head snapped up to see Kiri striding towards her, the Sully girl had swollen and puffy eyes and a tear strained face.
Ivy let Kiri hug her tightly, she didn't know how long they stood their for, but there was a mutual understanding that whatever was going to happen, wherever they were going to go, they would be doing it together.