Prologue
"No, no, it's not time! She is not ready—too young, too young! Ma Jake, please," Neytiri's voice cracked as she sobbed, her cries blending with the haunting sounds of the Pandora night. Another wave of pain tore through her body, wrenching a scream from deep within her chest. Her tail lashed wildly behind her, a primal response to the agony, while her hands instinctively cradled her swollen belly, protective yet helpless.
"Neytiri," Jake's voice was low and trembling, betraying the fear that clung to him like a second skin. It broke his heart to see his mate like this—her strength crumbling under the weight of something they couldn't control. It was too soon. Their daughter wasn't supposed to arrive for weeks, maybe even months. He knelt beside her, his eyes dark with worry. "I know it's too early," he whispered, his hand brushing a stray lock of hair from her damp forehead. "I know, but—"
A soft, strangled cry interrupted him—one that didn't belong to Neytiri. Jake's head snapped around, his instincts sharpening as he spotted Kiri, their ten-year-old daughter, standing frozen a few feet away. Her wide, tear-filled eyes shimmered in the dim, bioluminescent glow of the surrounding forest, reflecting the terror that had taken hold of her small body.
"Kiri," Jake's voice softened, masking his own fear. He needed to stay calm, for her, for all of them. "Babygirl, I need you to find your grandmother. Can you do that for me?" He met her gaze, silently pleading for her to be brave.
Kiri nodded slowly, her eyes flickering from her father to her mother, who was writhing in pain. She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper when she finally spoke. "Is... is she coming?"
Jake's heart clenched, but he forced a reassuring smile. "Yeah, she is."
With a sharp intake of breath, Kiri glanced back at Neytiri, her eyes lingering on her mother's anguished form before she turned and ran. The sound of her bare feet thudding against the earth faded quickly into the dense foliage.
Jake exhaled shakily, his relief short-lived as another anguished cry ripped through Neytiri. The sun had long dipped below the horizon, leaving the forest of Pandora cloaked in twilight, the air cool and thick with the scent of damp earth and distant rain.
"Jake, I can't, I can't—" Neytiri's voice faltered, her strength finally giving way as her eyelids fluttered and her body went limp, collapsing to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
"Neytiri!" Panic surged through Jake as he lunged forward, barely catching her before she hit the ground. "Shit!" He cursed under his breath, his mind racing. He gently lowered her onto the soft, vibrant grass, positioning her head in his lap. His fingers trembled as he brushed her hair back from her face, pressing a desperate kiss to her cool forehead.
And then he waited.
The minutes stretched into an eternity, each second a silent prayer for the help he knew was on its way. The forest around him seemed to hold its breath, the usual chorus of life subdued as if the very world knew the gravity of what was happening.
Finally, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the stillness. Jake looked up to see Mo'at, Neytiri's mother, emerging from the shadows, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and determination. Just behind her, Kiri hovered, her face a pale mask of fear and helplessness.
"My daughter..." Mo'at's voice was a choked whisper as she took in the sight before her. The situation was dire—unlike anything she had faced before, despite having delivered all of Neytiri's children, from the strong Neteyam to the mischievous Lo'ak, and little Tuk. But never had one come so early.
"Mo'at," Jake's voice was rough with emotion, his plea raw and desperate. "Please, I beg you, save them both."
Mo'at took a deep breath, steeling herself against the tide of panic threatening to overwhelm her. She nodded, her resolve hardening as she knelt beside Neytiri. The air was thick with tension, the only sound the distant rustling of leaves and the rhythmic thrum of Pandora's heartbeat.
Time was running out, but Mo'at would fight it with everything she had. To save not only her daughter, but the newest addition to their family.