Seth, the young boy, slept against her chest. They'd decided to sleep for a few hours since they'd been awake all night, basically. Seth slept soundly as he rolled over, and under one of Ryder's wings. But, Iris couldn't sleep. She was scared. Terrified kind of scared.
While they were flying, right before she suggest they rest to the sleepy-eyed boy, she made a realization. She hadn't gone back to her human body. She didn't wake up in her link. She never said good night to Grace, or good morning to Norm, or hello to the normally snarky Trudy. Maybe, she thought wildly, it was because Sylwanin contacted me. But, then why didn't I still have to fall asleep in my human body?
I'll find out when I sleep now, she finally told herself. This would be the final test: A simple nap.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the most regal, most beautiful, Na'vi woman she'd ever seen. She wore shells, bones, leaves, bark, beads, and pieces from what seemed like hundreds of different clans.
"Yes, child, there used to be hundreds of clans," the woman said, startling Iris.
"But, where are they," Iris asked, not questioning the lady since that was how Sylwanin was. All white, glowy, and regal, that is.
"They killed themselves, infighting," the lady replied, touching a few gemstone beads, each a different shade of blue. "You were wondering why you didn't go back to your human body, correct?"
"How did?.... Yes, I was, miss...?"
"Silly child, I am Eywa."
Iris gasped and stared, then gave a concentrated look.
"Have you been sending Sylwanin to me? Yes, where's my body? How's Jake? Is Tsu'tey alright? Seth is still okay, correct?"
"Now, now, hold on there, Iris. Your human body is gone. I commanded Jake to bring it to me when we talked. They're in danger. They need you and Jake, together, my daughter."
"They're in danger, but why? Is it Quaritch?!"
"Yes, with the mother-ship. Go, now, wake Seth and fly. You have been asleep for around two days already, I don't want anyone else getting hurt."
"Yes ma'am, but, wait.... Why did you call me daughter?"
"You didn't think you had no mother, now, did you?"
She smiled happily, and closed her eyes tight. When she saw the blinding light fade, She shot awake.
She immediately realized she was in danger. She was beside a hissing Ryder. He had scratches and cuts, and some hungry looking nantang awaited for their next meal. She snatched Seth up, scaring the boy awake. She jumped onto Ryder's back, and he flew off without waiting. She connected, and made shahaylu, then commanded him towards the ever-growing cloud of smoke.
She saw it, just in time, the warship. The Na'vi had just been smoked out. She dove, Seth screaming, at the ship. She hit the roof, the heavy creature screeching as it landed with a jolt. Then, they saw they were too late, as the rockets came crashing onto the tree's supports. Gunners on the ship's roof fired at her. With one tail swing, they were sent flying away. The others ran to nearby scorpions, jumping in the windows.
She commanded Ryder down, and they picked up as many people as possible. Kids first, then two women. She caught sight of Tsu'tey's Ikran, it's belly pointing at her. She wondered if her closest mentor was alive. She could only hope.
Time raced against the five or so people on the back of Ryder. She dropped them off, along with Seth, and went back for more people. She picked up about three more, and was going for more, until the tree began to fall. She flew, as fast as her loving companion could carry her. A branch came towards them. In the distance, she saw Seth scream.
Then, Ryder blasted through it. She dropped the people off with the running crowd. Then, she took to the sky once more, but this time towards Quaritch. He made this astonished face as she took down two or three scorpions, the helicarriers. She tore through more, knowing they had at least seven times this at Hell's Gate. But she was pushed by rage. She saw her hair flying around her. But it was.... white? She watched as, in her moment of surprise, the remaining ships sped away. She cursed them. Then she went to find the survivors. Eytukan mouth to her, "my daughter. I trusted you, and I'm glad I did."
She smiled like the sun, and went to find Neytiri. She failed to see him stop running. Or Jake become lost. Or Neytiri crying. Or Mo'at barking orders, going towards the Tree of Souls. She just saw Ryder's beautiful eyes stare back at her. And she felt strength.
Sobbing. That was all she could do. She sat beside Neytiri. Mo'at looked away for one second, and then they darted off to find the man whom called her his daughter. Etukan was left behind somehow in the fire, or maybe he'd told Neytiri to go ahead, but no one cared. They just had to find him. The two equally powerful girls raced and crashed through the jungle, being careful to step over the bodies of their friends. The bodies of children were the most unsettling for Iris. It reminded her that Seth was lost in the crowd of surviving Na'vi. She knew she'd left him. But, he'd be fine... She hoped.
They jumped over logs, through leaves, and slid under low-hanging debris. Then, they saw him. Neytiri screamed out, and for a moment, Iris threatened to faint. She became angry at the darkening figure of Jake, walking into the clearing. He walked and touched Neytiri's shoulder, but she shoved him away. Her ears went deaf to them. A voice, a regal, motherly voice, told her something in her head. "His time is near to help our kind, leave them and go to the place you feel safest."
But her safest place was beside a person she didn't even know was still alive....
She flew, slowly above the crowd, feeling the wind keep them afloat. Seth cried into her midsection, leaning up from the front seat on Ryder's saddle. She saw Tsu'tey below, who looked impatiently around. No one seemed to have noticed her flying above them. The setting sun kept her shadow behind them by a long shot. That, and the cloud of smoke behind them.
She was sad. As they neared the Tree of souls, she soared ahead rapidly, holding Seth with one hand, and Ryder's antennae with the other. They landed on a wall, holding onto the vines. Then, she walked slowly to the tree. The voices of surprised NA'vi, like Mo'at and Tsu'tey, wafted through the air. But the two didn't care.
Seth was raised human, he was more down to earth. Or, well, down to Pandora. And Iris was human, always will be on the inside. But she felt so close to her end. She was twenty three, and didn't care anymore. She never thought she'd ever give up on life this soon. But the things she saw scared her.
The bodies of two twin Na'vi she faintly remembered.
A young man who she shared hunting duty with a lot.
A little girl she'd enjoyed telling stories to.
A mother, her two children, and her mate, dead bodies held in a close position.
Two girls, different, but the same somehow.
An elder, one whom's stories she enjoyed herself.
And her friend, Aton, dead and burning, his fear-stricken eyes glued to the sky, where they met hers.
Seth sat with her at the edge of the tree's roots, hugging her side. She had an arm strewn around his shoulders. For a moment, everything seemed ironically fine. Fine-just-fine, as her father had said multiple times when she was younger. Everything was Fine-Just-Fine. But, it really wasn't.
The sound of thumping footsteps made Iris turn and stand abruptly. Tsu'tey threw his arms under hers, and around her waist, and swung her around with great force. She felt a lone tear hit her shoulder, and it broke her, that one tear from the mentally strongest person she knew.
She sobbed onto his shoulder, her arms wrapped in a near-death grip. She sobbed and sobbed. Every other Na'vi watched in saddened silence as she cried. Mo'at set up a healing center, and Seth's minor scratches were dealt with. But, even though she'd stopped crying, she stayed and took in the all-too-familiar scent of the mentor she'd grown to love. More than a friend, that is. It was no secret to Iris that she'd fallen in love with the stubborn male.
He eventually tried to put pressure against her, to see if she would move. She let go and rubbed her reddened eyes. She sniffed and smiled at him. He gave her a sad grin. His face became angry when Neytiri came up. Neytiri grabbed Iris' hand, and, watching the angering male, took her away slowly.
She took her past some bushes, under the Ikran, and away from the sad people of the Omaticaya people. Neytiri looked like she didn't know what to say at first. But, then, she seemingly gathered herself, and sighed.
"Iris," she said, in muddy english. "I mated with Jake."
With those four words, the weight of her situation, and all the death flying through the forest, she fainted. Hard.