I sat upon Solros' back, bow in hand, horn quiver full of arrows and face set in pure determination. I looked to my right to see Tsu'tey flying beside me, Jake on Toruk and Neytiri on the farthest side. We took off early this morning to meet Quaritch and his men head on. Scouts reported a large group of fighter helicopters, Samsons, the Dragon and a massive Shuttle flying slowly through the mountains.
We have one massive advantage in these mountains and this is the fact that they will have to do everything manually with the Flux Vortex as it is. They can't have their crazy motion trackers or their fancy automated flight modes. It's also why they can't target The Tree of Souls from a distance. They will have to drop the mining explosives precisely on the tree, which gives us a massive advantage.
I gripped the leather of my bow tighter as I looked back, seeing thousands and thousands of ikran flying through the mountains, the entire Tawkami clan behind me, each of them wearing a quickly made leather quiver holding some arrows after they saw how many I was carrying on my person. The large horn on my back was full to the brim with arrows, moss stuffed into the horn to keep the arrows from flying out. The red fletching arrows, my most deadly arrows, were only partially folded up and hanging by strings I can quickly snap from my bone knife holder. I couldn't fit them in the horn as it was packed full of 30 or so arrows. Luckily the Na'vi made the strings out of some tough stuff, only the speed at which a bow shoots and then hits an object snaps the strings over the arrowhead, so I have no worries of one accidentally blowing up in my horn.
I kept my face carefully blank. Last night proved to be quite the emotional ride. While I did not cry or sob, I knew Tsu'tey was somewhat aware of how much pain I was in emotionally and continued to hold me for a long time till I forced myself to step away and finish putting the arrows together. Even then, Tsu'tey sat close beside and did not move, nor did he comment on how my eyes were a little red from the emotions I went though.
Neither of us spoke a word till dawn came and the scouts reported in.
I looked down and behind Solros' tail at The Tree of Souls, where Mo'at, the children, and the families and older Na'vi sat around the tree. Ca'lil hugged tightly onto my leg before I got onto Solros' back. I hated not giving her any parting words, but I would rather not make her worry so I merely smiled at her before we took off.
I looked across at Jake once more to see Tsu'tey rising his bow slightly to Jake, letting him know that he would follow Jake's words. Norm handed me a neck device he and Trudy put together, which only required for me to hit a single button to talk, Jake controlled the rest, thank goodness. I hid it under my seashells to have it at the ready.
Jake's plan, or what I heard of it from Norm before Norm joined the plain's clan's on the ground, is that we hide up in the higher mountains and wait for the tight knit group to pass below and catch them by surprise as we plummet down on them. Trudy was waiting somewhere on top of the mountains we are aiming for, plenty of Na'vi had fun painting her Samson, Rogue-1, blue and white to show her change of allegiance.
Also to prevent the Na'vi from accidentally attacking her Samson, so they made the colors stand out a lot.
Jake's plan isn't bad, the quicker we catch them by surprise and break up the grouping, the quicker we can push them away from The Tree of Souls. The plains clan's on the ground are going to have a harder time, as the suits on the ground will be able to detect their movements far before they reach them, no matter the Flux Vortex. I can only hope my advice to them proves useful.
Solros released a low, worried sound under me. He has been quiet since I connected my queue with his antenna and detected my sudden change in mood. I was completely focused and determined, my emotions low and somber from the pain I rode through last night, the emotions I forced away and Tsu'tey hugging me brought to the surface.
And yet... I felt lighter as well, as though some of that heavy burden was lifted from my shoulders. So I was actually thankful to Tsu'tey for offering such comfort that I have not felt in so long. The last time I hugged someone was a light hug for Tom and that was days before he died. Solros lighted down on the edge of the highest mountains, Toruk's massive wings blasting down on the other side of Pil as she landed beside me with Tsu'tey on her back.
I looked over the group as the rest of the ikran landed on the top of the mountain or landed on the sides out of view of sunlight to remain hidden. I looked down at Pil, oddly feeling her watching me and was surprised to the usually grumpy ikran was studying me closely. I guess everyone is acting odd today, since Solros is now just as determined as I, waiting grimly for battle.
Everything was silent, not a single ikran made a sound, Toruk was even quiet as we waited. I occasionally heard the silent wings on a few ikran fly in to report how close the Sky People were getting before all scouts returned.
And we waited.
All I could hear was the wind in my ears as I watched to my left, down below the two floating mountains, grimly determined. I have seen battle before, but I was never the one in it causing destruction. I got a small taste of that at Hometree and now? Now I will have to take lives to save many more.
It hurt to think, but it is true.
Finally, I heard the chopping blades of helicopter blades, the sounds bouncing off the cliffs of the floating mountains. I looked behind me at Trudy's Samson to see her nod to Jake. Glad her Samson has motion trackers, I know they were for keeping us safe on going out to test plants but now they help us know how close the Sky People are getting.
Then I saw the tight grouping of fighter helicopters, Samson's, and one massive Shuttle come out from under one of the nearby mountains, the Dragons and many more visible as I gritted my teeth with anger and rage. I kept my eye on Jake though, his hand remained raised, all of us as silent as possible.
I met Tsu'tey's eyes once more, his eyes full of cold rage but not at me, at the Sky People below. Yet, for but a second I saw that softness in his eyes once more, it was almost like he regretted something...
Then Trudy nodded and Jake dropped his fist. I leaned over Solros' back as he dove off the cliff in free fall, balancing out as he flew around the cliff, Jake, Neytiri, and Tsu'tey ahead of me. I looked at the cliffs covered in ikran and those strange flyers from the jungle as Jake released a funny sounding cry. Then again, him and I sound nothing like the Na'vi in tone. I raised a hand to my lips and released a long loud cry, one that once sounded like the cry on an eagle, now... now it sounds like the cry of a White Foot.
"Lets go! Fly! Lets go!" Tsu'tey shouted in Na'vi, hundreds of cries joining ours as the ikran riders drove off the cliffs to follow behind us. I swerved Solros out of the way of a rock as I heard the ghostly cries of the Tawkami behind me. I found in awkward but the Tawkami wanted to follow my lead more than Jake's so I devised a plan that followed with Jake's plan. While they punch in the holes, we fly in around the back side where they least expect it and pluck out as many Samson's and Fighter Helicopters as possible.
I raised my bow as a signal to Tsu'tey, Jake, and Neytiri as I released a loud cry and flew around the mountains, hearing the distant calls of other Na'vi as the Tawkami behind me fall silent, following my lead as we quickly fly and weave through the mountains. I watched the signs closely, looking around fvor the back side and grinned as I spotted the perfect split in the mountains. I released a cry back to the Tawkami as Aw'anyi flew up beside me, nodding behind her Thanator mask as she too released a ghostly cry as we went into free fall.
Solros tucked in his wings tight and did what a White Foot does best as I held out an arrow at the ready on my bow.
He dove like a bullet.
The other half of the ikran riders were already on the attack of the front lines as me and the Tawkami fell like silent bullets behind them. I yelled my anger as Solros roared and crashed down with his amazing speed, thick claws bashing in the glass of a fighter helicopter and sending it spiraling down as I pulled back an arrow and released it at a Samson with a satisfying BANG! that blew out the windows of the Samson and sent it spiraling out of control. The Tawkami released ghostly cries around me as Solros spun fast and twist to dodge bullets, I could sense his mind pull up all the instinctual actions for survival as he flew in ways he only rarely did with me on his back.
I moved with him seamlessly, twisting and turning as I pulled free another arrow from my quiver, holding it at the ready as Solros flew full speed at the back end of a Samson, latching on with his wing claws as I shot an arrow into the side opening, the gunman's eyes widening as he tried quickly to turn his gun from shooting forward as I had Solros let go and plummet, the Samson exploding soon after.
Soon though, the element of surprise from above and behind was getting lost, I gritted my teeth as the gunships broke formation and began to target individuals. The sounds of bullets were everywhere around me as Solros dodged, spun and twisted. But there was also the distinct sound of TULTE arrow's explosive POP!
I ducked quickly as bullets were aimed for me and Solros as I hissed and looked back at the fighter helicopter targeting us. I twisted Solros around a mountain before I tapped his side to have him dive fast and slow down. The fight helicopted came around the small mountain and couldn't spot me as it slowed.
Big mistake.
Solros roared his rage as he brought his wings down hard and grappled on to the underneath as I twisted over Solros' neck, the gunman's shocked shout rang out as I shot him with the arrow as Solros let go, flipping over and catching air as that fight helicopter spun over itself and crashed into the small mountain with a bang.
I winced at the idea of the life I just ended and watched die by my own hands, but for the Na'vi I will even go against all that I am.
O.O This is gonna get goodddddddd!!!! Okay, I do have it planned out. I am writing this chapter Thursday and I plan to release a single chapter a night from the hotel room, should work fine. Well, that's all, Enjoy!