Tsu'tey and I ran into the commons of Home Tree, searching for Eytukan. He must know what has happened. They all must know.
Tsu'tey spots him first, and runs over to him, with me running right behind. Forgetting the greeting, Tsu'tey stops in front of Eytukan, and instantly starts into what happened. "We must fight them!" He shouts, angered.
"I agree with Tsu'tey, but we must think about this. We must plan this out. They have very strong armor, one your arrows cannot pierce."
Eytukan nods his head in understanding. "What do you suggest we do? You know them best."
With a deep breath, I stay silent, thinking of what we could possibly do. "We draw them out. If we attack at their home, they will kill us all. If we can bring them out, much like with hunting, we can get them on our terms. Not theirs." Tsu'tey smiles at me and nods, agreeing with my plan. "But, we still do not have the weapons we need to do damage. They are harder to kill than a Thanator."
"What about the clear masks they wear?" Tsu'tey asks, "If we break those, will they die easier?" I think for a moment then nod.
"The air here, is poisonous to them. They cannot breath it. Break the masks, and they die."
Eytukan nods his head. "Very well." He turns to the people that have surrounded us. "Tsu'tey will lead the war party!" He shouts.
"Please - this will only make it worse -" Grace shouts.
"You do not speak here!" Tsu'tey responds, anger in his voice. I spot Jake and Neytiri walking towards us, hand in hand. Tsu'tey stalks up to them, rage being seen in his every move. "You!" He exclaims, slamming Jake's chest with his hands, making Jake topple over. "You mated with this woman?" Everything is drowned out as I stare in shock. Jake just had to be stupid.
"Is this true?" Mo'at asks.
"We are mated before Eywa. It is done." Neytiri answers. Tsu'tey turns to Mo'at and Eytukan, his face distraught, so many emotions showing on it, I cannot read him. I can,however, feel my heart drop at his pain. I have never know heartbreak. Not until now. My heart dropped into my stomach, the physical pain very real. It felt as though, once it dropped, a thousand knives were stuck in it, being twisted around.
I felt as though I was falling through a deep hole, that was never ending. All my hopes felt as though they had been crushed. There was too much pain today, and it took everything in me to stay standing. All I wanted to do, was sit down and cry from the pain.
"Neytiri was promised to me! Everything is changing! Everything is destroyed!" He shouts, the pain easily felt in his words. Not only did we lose the sacred grove of the Tree of Voices, but the people's culture as well. He turns and points at Jake, his pain replaced with pure anger. "These aliens kill everything they touch, like poison!"
Mo'at just stares at her daughter. "Neytiri! If you choose this path, you can never be Tsahik. Your life will be wasted."
"I have chosen." Neytiri claims, her voice strong.
Tsu'tey, his emotions clouding his judgement, takes out his knife and lunges at Jake. I can only stare in shock as Jake and Tsu'tey fight, not knowing where I stand. Jake and Grace, they brought me here. It's because of them that I can have this second chance at life. But, the Omaticaya are my people now. My human body was gone, dead. I could never go back.
Suddenly, I see Grace faint, with Jake quickly following.
Tsu'tey bends down and grabs Jake's hair, holding a knife to his throat. "You see? This is a demon in a false body! It should not live!" He's about to slice Jake's throat when Neytiri lunges at him, surprising him. She crouches over Jake's body, knife in her hand, her ears laid back like a cat's. She snarls at Tsu'tey with fury.
Tsu'tey, not wanting to deal with this any longer, pushes through the people, calling his hunters while I'm left standing here. I turn to Mo'at, tears running down my face. "This is not fair to him." I whisper, only loud enough for her to hear. "He loved her."
She walks up to me and hugs me tightly. "She has chosen her fate. Be there for him, and he will chose his own in time."
She pulls away, long enough for me to nod, and run off to find the man I have come to love.
I find him sitting on a root by Txur, staring at his hands. "I see you Tsu'tey." I whisper, hoping it would get his attention.
"Go away." He replies, his voice breaking.
"I will not leave you, not alone. But I will be silent if you wish." When he doesn't respond, I sit down next to him, our legs slightly brushing against one another.
After several moments, he asks, "Why does it hurt?"
"Because you love her." I whisper, knowing exactly the amount of pain he was in.
"Have you felt it before?" The innocence in his voice, makes my heart hurt even more.
"Yes. But only recently." I turn to face him, hoping he would do so as well. "But this does not mean that everything is lost. Not everything is destroyed. The aliens are getting closer to Home Tree, your people are in danger Tsu'tey." I hope, that by reminding him of this, would help, if only a little.
"They can fight without me."
"Tsu'tey... Yes, they can fight. But they will not win. You are the best warrior. You are stronger than you know. You are as strong as an 'angtsìk's skin, as smart as a Thanator, and as brave as Eywa herself. You are the kindest person I know. You put others before yourself, always thinking of our people. Toruk would run at the sight of you." At this, I place my hand on his shoulder, a small smile on my face.
He looks up at me, confusion written all over his face. "Why do you think those things?"
"Because I know you Tsu'tey. I have spent months under your guidance. I know you more than you know yourself. You will be the best Olo'eyktan this clan has ever seen."
I can tell my words have finally gotten through to him, his face going back to it's usual care-free self that I'm so used to seeing. "Thank you Kita. You are right. I cannot abandon my people now."
I stand up, and pull him up with me. "Then let's go. We need to finish getting the war party together." He pulls me into a hug.
"You are the best friend anyone could ask for." He releases me and walks back into the commons. I only stare after him, my heart pulsing in pain.
"Yeah... and that's all I'll ever be." I whisper, following after him.
However, when I get inside, I see Jake awake, as well as Grace. I rush up to where Tsu'tey was, hoping he would remember what I told him, to keep him strong.
"Eytukan! I have something to say to everyone." Jake claims, his face filled with guilt.
"Speak, Jakesully."
"A great evil is upon us. The Sky People are coming to destroy Hometree. They will be here soon." I look at Jake in shock, as whispers of fear begin to fill the silence. "You Have to leave, or you will die."
"You are certain of this?" Mo'at asks.
Jake looks down before looking back up to meet Mo'at's eyes. "They sent me here to learn your ways. So one day I could bring this message, and you would believe it."
"Jake? Why... Why would you?" I ask, tears running down my face once again.
"What are you saying, Jake? You knew this would happen?" Neytiri asks.
Jake looks down, avoiding everyone's eyes. "Yes. At first it was just orders. Then everything changed. I fell in love- with the forest, with the Omaticaya People -" He looks at Neytiri, "- with you. And by then, how could I tell you?"
I shake my head, my hand over my mouth as I back away from him slowly.
"I trusted you Jake! I trusted you!" Neytiri shouts, her voice filled with pain and anger.
"Neytiri Please! I only wanted to -"
She cuts him off. "You will NEVER be one of the people! Never!" I fall to the ground, unable to stop myself any longer.
After everything that's happened in the past couple of days, adding the betrayal of a friend overwhelms me, my anxiety starting to take over, making me sink to the floor.
Tsu'tey looks at me for only a moment, before turning to his fellow warriors, "Bind them." A couple of warriors turn to Jake, and begin binding him up. Jake didn't have the energy to fight, not now anyways.
When they went to bind Grace, she fought, not understanding why she had to go as well.
Two warriors came towards me as I sat there watching everything happen. My eyes go wide and I stare up at Tsu'tey, knowing that he will protect me.
"Not Kita. She is Omaticaya." He states, watching my reaction. I don't even notice everyone staring at me as I begin to have a panic attack.
My arms wrap themselves around my legs, my body shaking back and forth. I-I couldn't let them destroy Home Tree. They can't destroy my new home. All of the stress of the day finally hit me, and I couldn't do anything about it. I was useless. After all this hard work, and I was useless.
Mo'at kneels down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Child, what is wrong?" She asks.
"I'm useless. I'm no fighter. I can't help my people when they need me. I couldn't save the trees. I couldn't stop Jake from hurting Tsu'tey, and now? I cannot help fight for Home Tree."
She lifts my face up and stares me down. "Eywa sent you here. You can regrow our trees when the time is right. You cannot stop someone's actions, but you can help the other heal from them. Look at me Kita." I do as she says, the tears rushing freely down my face like a waterfall. "You can protect the children. Take them to the Tree of Souls. Take anyone who wishes not to fight. Bring them there. I will send someone to get you all once it is over. This is how you will help our people."
Taking in her words, and knowing that there are children here, I nod and stand up, the tears drying on my face as they stop. "You are right. They must leave now. Can you make an announcement for me?"
She nods and stands as well. She gathers the attention of the people. "Kita will bring the Children to the Tree of Souls. Any who cannot fight, or do not want to, can join her." Nodding at the people, I begin walking, knowing that they will follow.
As I leave, I look at the place I've called my home for months now. My real home. There is a chance, that it will no longer be here.
When I look behind me, I see many children and parents, waiting for my lead. "Listen carefully. No matter what we hear, we cannot come back until Mo'at or Tsu'tey comes for us. Eywa will protect us there. Are you ready?" They all nod their heads, hands grasped tightly around the children. "Let's go."
I may be leading these people to their death, if the human's decide to hit the Tree of Souls first. However, I am saving them from seeing the destruction of their home, and dying from the fall of the great tree. I only hope that everyone else will make it out as well.