● The war party was getting ready to take off. Tonowari led the pack with Ronal and Jake by his side. Nayliä was onside Jake with Rey'na flanking her. Aiyakan decided to ride father in the back to watch over the others. Neytiri flew high above them, she would be their eyes and air support.
The air surrounding them felt dense with anticipation and animosity. Tonowari yipped to them and gave the signal for them to move. They all almost began to move in sync and cut through the waters at high speeds. Neytiri kept up with their pace in the clouds. She rarely let her eyes stray far from her mate's bodies and prayed to Eywa for their safety.
♡
The young Na'vi group were trying their best to remove the tracker embedded into Payakan's skin.
As the ship got closer, the teens began to panic.
Neteyam got an idea and jumped onto his ilu, "Ao'nung!" He threw the ocean boy a rope to wrap around the tracker.
Once it was secured, they began to pull again.
"Hurry, it's getting closer!"
It finally gave way and Neteyam sighed in relief but his moment of peace was cut short. He knew what he had to do to make sure everyone else stayed safe.
Tuk and Towon cheered that it was finally out and Kiri rushed them both onto their ilus.
"Go that way! I'll draw them off!"
Lonia wasn't too excited to leave him and he noticed her hesitation.
"It'll be alright, now go!"
The group split up with Neteyam going the other way, carrying a death sentence with him.
The first decision regarding their fate, had been made.
♡
The teens were forced to split up when they were attacked in different directions.
Tuk and Liia were together after being thrown off the ilu that Kiri was currently riding. They barely were able to avoid the crab suit that was chasing them.
Liia pointed out an air bubble and they both swam to it as fast as possible.
Liia gasped when they broke the surface.
"Tuk! Are you okay?"
Tuk nodded at her and they began to check each other over.
"Liia?"
Her voice was hushed and she looked at her sister worriedly.
"What is it, sis?"
"I'm scared."
Liia was still breathing heavily from the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her hair was flat against her head from the water and her freckles glowed slightly from the dim lighting.
The young girl reached over and hugged her little sister.
"I'm scared too but it's gonna be okay! They will come back for us."
Lo'ak and Tsireya had popped their heads up, scaring both girls.
"Liia, Tuk! You're both okay."
The relief he felt showed on his face and he reached for them both. The girls felt extremely happy to see their older brother but they were still worried about their other siblings.
Tsireya smiled at their reunion but then poked her head out of their little pod. Her small smile dropped when she saw the headlights of another machine. She hurriedly came back up to warn the others.
"It is coming!"
"I'll look after you, just follow us okay?" Lo'ak looked to his sisters and they both nodded at him.
All four of them took deep breaths before leaving their air bubble.
Liia noticed the headlights coming from a different direction, but she didn't have time to tell the others when a huge net came over her.
Lo'ak was the only one that was able to get free.
Both Tsireya and Liia tried to get Tuk out first but the panic settled in and they couldn't think straight.
The net was then raised out of the water with Lo'ak hanging on. He tried his best to cut the net but it wouldn't budge.
They had all landed on the ship and scrambled around frantically trying to escape.
Lo'ak stood in front of them with his teeth bared, threateningly. He hissed at anyone who got to close but with the guns pointed at them, he was becoming cornered.
♡
Kiri was currently trying to patch up a bleeding Lonia who tried her best to stay quiet.
Towon was holding Lonia's hand with a frightened expression, she hated seeing her big sis hurt.
"We need to get you back. I don't think this seaweed will stop the bleeding for long."
Lonia winced with each movement.
She had a deep wound into her leg from a close call with a sky person.
A few times she felt as if she was disassociating from the pain because she mentally couldn't handle it. She had never gotten hurt this bad before and she missed the happiness that surrounded them hours before.
She turned to Kiri with clenched teeth "My mom is good with these things. We have to go home."
Kiri felt conflicted.
Her siblings were still out there but Lonia was bleeding out. She didn't feel comfortable with allowing the two sisters to go back on their own. But she couldn't just leave her family.
As an older sister, Lonia knew what Kiri was thinking and understood her train of thought.
"Go help the others, Me and Towon will go back."
Kiri shook her head, "I'm not leaving you like this."
The teen felt an instinct that felt unnatural, come to her. She shakily lifted her hand to the wound.
Gasps from all three girls filled the small pod.
♡
Lo'ak, Tuk, Liia and Tsireya were handcuffed to the railing and they all struggled to get free.
Both the younger girls were filled with fear and Lo'ak felt his heart break and tried calming them down.
"Be brave." The longer they spent away from their family, the more Lo'ak felt guilty. This was all his fault.
♡
Tonowari raised his spear up as a signal to the others to hold their positions.
Jake looked through the eye glass of his gun and told the others what he saw.
"They got our kids, your daughter," Tonowari let out a sound of anger and worry.
"Liia, Tuk and Lo'ak..."
Ronal and Nayliä hissed almost in sync.
Jake heard Quaritch's voice come over his radio.
"Jake, tell your friends to stand down. If you want your kids back, you come out alone."
The man then pulled out his gun and placed it against Lo'ak's head. The boy tensed but tried not to allow his fear to show.
"You know better than to test my resolve."
A sound of pure frustration escaped Jake and Nayliä looked to him in concern.
"What is it?"
He couldn't answer her because Quaritch was still talking in his ear.
"I took you under my wing Jake, and you betrayed me. You killed your own. Good men and women. I will not hesitate to execute your kid."
Jake couldn't stop staring at the gun pointed at his son's head and he was ready to accept the consequences of saving his kids.
"Just wait one."
He turned to the group of Na'vi beside him.
"Hold here."
Tonowari gave him a look of determination, "They are killers of tulkun. They must die here. Today."
Jake's resolve didn't waver, "It's me that they want. That's what all this has been about, right?"
Nayliä frowned at him and tried to follow his thought pattern.
"The hunting of the tulkuns, the taking of our kids."
Ronal snarled at him, "You brought this upon us! You!"
Jake's ears fell against his head and he nodded, "Then it's me who has to do it."
The air became tense and Nayliä stared at her husband in disbelief.
"I won't let you do this."
Jake exhaled shakily and moved a little closer to her. She instantly moved to cling to him but he held her by her shoulders firmly. The fear in her beautiful eyes almost made him cave but he knew this was their best option. He just hoped this wouldn't be the last time he was able to see her.
"I'm sorry but I don't have a choice. Not this time, love," He placed a gentle hand to her stomach.
"Tell them how much I loved them alright?"
Nayliä shook her head rapidly and multiple sounds of protest came from her. She couldn't let him do this.
"Offers fixing to expire. What's it gonna be?" Quaritch pushed the gun closer to Lo'ak's head.
Jake gave his wife one last glance and faced Rey'na and Tonowari.
They both got the idea of what he wanted and nodded at him.
"Don't let her watch."
With that being said the duo pulled Nayliä away from her mate and she fought against them every step of the way.
Jake did his best to ignore her, "Check your fire, I'm coming out."
He steeled his nerves and willed himself to move.
"Ma Jake! Don't do this!"
High above them, Neytiri witnessed Nayliä being held back while Jake moved on his own. She didn't understand what was happening.
"Ma Jake, what is happening?"
She waited for a response that would never come.
"Ma Jake?"
When she didn't get a response, she let out a high pitched keening sound.
Jake felt his heart ache at the sound of both his girls calling out for him. He knew there was a high chance that once he got on the ship he would either be taken or killed. He didn't want to leave them, not like this. But he would do anything for his family.
Nayliä still struggled against her closest friends and felt a high level of betrayal.
"Let me go! He's going to get himself killed!"
She couldn't believe her eyes and she prayed to Eywa constantly in her head for a miracle.
Underneath the surface, Payakan had seen what was happening and dove deep into the water. He would not allow the sky people to harm his newfound brother. He rushed back to the surface and surprised the hell out of everyone when he started to attack those on board the ship.
Jake and the others launched into action at Payakan's distraction.
Loud war cries filled the air.
The battle had begun. ●