For the record.... I'm sorry. :P
I was breathing heavily as Solros flew low, flying among the higher trees for cover as his vibrant white stood out greatly on everything. I could hear distant gunshots and missiles being launched, but with Trudy injured and in front of me and the damage both Solros and I have taken, I knew I need to give us a small rest. With the semi clear area and Solros on lookout, I examined my arm as did my best to look over my shoulder, wincing as I noticed the decently painful looking burns, but only a small amount of blood was running down my back.
I could deal with that. I looked out behind Solros ans was pleased to see his tail nor his back is burned, merely the thicker part of his wing, which still looks painful. Then, of course, there's the bullet in his leg.
I looked down at Trudy finally, and found her about to pass out. I studied her arm worriedly, seeing she had torn up the bottom of her tank top and wrapped her arm tightly, but blood was steadily escaping around the wounds. I noticed the her good hand was oddly pressed tightly to her mask, making me frown.
"Trudy, are you alright?" I asked as she looked up. I noticed quickly why her hand was tightly held to her face. My eyes widened as I noticed a crack in the thick plastic protection over her face and she was trying to keep the suction in place for air.
"Are you still getting air?" I asked worriedly as I studied how her hand was held tightly to the crack, wondering if I could use anything to plug the crack in her exopack, I looked around, wondering how far the trailer is away from here before realizing the worst of the fight is very nearby the trailer, I could get Trudy there without exposing it's hidden location. I looked towards The Tree of Souls, thinking of the clay I saw the Tawkami using in bowls the night before, or maybe Mo'at could help?
"I am still getting air, through this mask is a bitch and I can feel a bit of lightheadedness kicking in." Trudy said in her colorful vocabulary as I looked back down at her.
Things just got worse from there.
I heard the approaching loud helicopter blades and looked behind us, my eyes wide with horror as I noticed the Dragon right back on our tail, sticky mix gone. I stared at the clear glass in shock, seeing no sign of the arrow I shot or the nasty mix that is supposed to be near impossible to get off.
"But- how-" I stuttered, eyes widening as I noticed the missile launcher aiming at us.
"Solros, up! Up, now!" I shouted, grabbing onto Trudy again and hoping she can hold her hand over the crack in her mask until we get Quaritch off our tail. Solros roared both in agreement and pain as he forced his damaged and pained wing to blast us up into the sky and away from the missiles being launched below. I looked down at Trudy, seeing here eyelids fluttering, making me increasingly more worried, the exopack may still be pumping oxygen, but the ammonia in the air is seeping through between her fingers and causing her to get lightheaded, I can't trust that she will be able to hold herself up as I fight. That lease me with one arm and I can't shoot with one arm.
I looked down at Solros and could feel the exhaustion in his every move, his wings flapping as hard as he could but his energy was running low and the pain was making it harder and harder for him to making fast maneuvers or fly fast at all. I also can't expect Quaritch to fall for the same move twice and, with the use of my sticky arrow, he will know now that I have explosive arrows on hand and plan accordingly. I glanced back at the Dragon, running out of options as I started to panic.
I looked around as Solros dodged another missile and saw that we were flying too low to use the floating mountains to our advantage and Solros is too big to dodge and weave among the trees just below.
I looked around frantically, not know what to do. I wasn't exactly in the best of shape either but Solros and Trudy are doing a lot worse than me. I glanced back, eyes wide at the missile flying straight at us, I can feel the lack of strength in Solros to dodge this one as I closed my eyes, thinking of Tsu'tey and hoping he makes it through this alive.
BANG!
I gasped, expecting pain and death, yet I could still hear the wind and Solros's thoughts as well as his wing beats. I looked my eyes and stared in shock at Aw'anyi flying beside me, bow in hand and I realized what the Leader of the Tawkami had done. She shot the missile with one of the arrows I showed her. I noticed her quiver was empty though and she held no more arrows in hand.
"Daughter of Eywa! Throw me Danger Arrow!" She shouted over the winds as her ikran flew beside me. I looked back to see three Ikran riders distracting the Dragon, taking damage from the missiles and bullets. I watched in horror as one of them fell.
"Aw'anyi..." I said slowly, looking out at her only to she her mask up and face set in stern lines.
"You still hold purpose, Daughter of Eywa! Life ahead is important! Throw me Danger Arrow!" She said. I pulled one fre with my free hand and studied it for a moment, wondering if what I was doing is right before I threw the half folded arrow into the air, her ikran diving as she caught it, releasing the arrow, leading me to believe she watched me make them.
She watched me break down last night. Her eye's met mine across the distance.
"It be honor to meet and fight alongside Daughter of Eywa, a sight I never thought I would see in my lifetime. I See You, Hetibay, Daughter of Eywa, and may Eywa bless you with many years to come." She said, making my eyes widen as I realized what she intended to do.
"Aw'anyi!!!" I shouted, reaching out in her direction with my free hand as her ikran spun around and flew toward the Dragon, which had no ikran riders around it anymore. The Dragon began to place it's attention on her as I stared back sadly, urging Solros no towards The Tree of Souls. I looked forward, holding my hand over Trudy's on her mask as I looked back once more, and saw no sign of the Dragon or of the brave Leader of the Tawkami.
Tears ran down my cheeks as I mourned for my new friend, who understood me and my ways others did not and did not judge me for who I am, only saw the promise in me. I looked forward as Solros flew on.
<><><><><>
In the battle with Quaritch, we surprisingly got very far from the battle sight. With Solros' damaged wing, we could only fly so fast back towards the battle. I held as best I could onto Trudy's mask, getting more worried by the minute as I had to put my bow around my shoulders and hold onto her with both arms, as she tipped to the side. I looked down to check on her and noticed her eyes were still open, but the ammonia getting through the crack was causing her a lot of lightheaded problems. I how how much the gasses of Pandora can affect human lungs, even in small amounts, so I can only hope she holds on till I can find something to plug the hole.
Several times we can to duck down into the trees for a moment to avoid being spotted by the outlying groups of Samson's and Fighter Helicopters, me worrying my lip with my teeth as I noticed the remaining ikran flyers were starting to fall back, too much damage being taken to our numbers. I finally got close to The Tree of Soul and noticed the Tawkami healers that came below. I flew Solros down, the injured White Foot landing roughly, breathing heavily from his air holes.
"Please! Help me!" I said, disconnecting my queue as I picked up the near unconscious Trudy and ran her up to the group who converged, studying Trudy curiously as I spoke quickly, "Mask she wears, she needs for breathing, she is friend of Toruk Makto and I, the rogue Sky Person, we need to fill in crack in mask, air we breathe not good for her." I said quickly, breathing heavily.
A male healer stepped forward, holding some quick dry clay they usually use to hold large wounds together until the skin can scab over, the clay dry quick and holds it's position.
"We take care of friend of Daughter of Eywa and Toruk Makto." He said, nodding to me as they accept her from my arms, carefully stuffing the crack in her mask with clay. I felt awful doing so, but I ran back to Solros, who looked up with catching his breath and immediately held out his queue. That is what I so love about my White Foot, he can be exhausted and injured and he will still follow me. I connected my queue with his and took off to the skies, needing to do more for the battle as I flew in it's direction, the battle getting very close to The Tree of Souls, making me bite my lip.
My eyes flew over the ikran flyers still in the fight, until my eyes landed on something horrifying.
Even from this distance, it wasn't hard to tell the colors of Pil apart from the rest, flashing in the morning sun. I watched, the world seeming to fall silent, as Pil's rider, whom I could recognize even from this distance, jumped off Pil's back and into the back of the Shuttle. I stared, worried, horrified, scared. I watched what I could from the distance, urging Solros as fast as he could go, but I knew in my heart I would never make it in time. I watched Tsu'tey's dark blue form shoot arrows at a few humans in the back of the Shuttle before swinging his bow out like a baton, taking out as many as possible.
My breath sped and sped in horror as I watched, urging Solros faster, my eyes locked on the horrific sight, watching as a human he knocked down stood, scramble for a gun as Tsu'tey took out the other human. I watched, the world seeming to fall silent and still, as the remaining soldier of the Sky People stood, gunned aimed and Tsu'tey.
And shot him.
I choked, my eyes locked in horror on Tsu'tey's body as it shook from the impact of the bullets. I watched, the world seeming so silent and empty, as Tsu'tey limp body fell back rolling limply off the ramp of the Shuttle and falling.
Falling....
Falling....
I hugged Solros' back as my hand reached out towards Tsu'tey falling body like I could catch it from this distance, my mind stooped, my breathing stopped, my heart curled up and turned cold and emotionless, shattering into a thousand pieces all over me as I stared, broken, at the falling body of the Na'vi warrior I love, and always will love.
A painful, loud and unnatural wailing sound filled the air as I hugged Solros' back, till I realized vaguely the sound came from me, my body nearly falling off of Solros' back as I continued to reach out from Tsu'tey, till his body vanished into the trees below.
My love... my heart and soul...
Dead.
I do not like Sky People. I do not like that I must teach Dumb Twig.
Your Na'vi is awful, you say it in stupid way.
I will not try to kill you again, unless you deserve it.
Your name is Dumb Twig.
You not what I imagined you were, Dumb Twig.
The People have decided, deed was good, you showed pure and strong heart, it is time.
You been most stubborn, Dumb Twig, worst student I have to train, but you learned.
Race? Or you slow, Dumb Twig?
You are more Na'vi than anyone else, Heti, you care with all of heart for all life.
Heart here, is more pure than any Sky Person or Na'vi.
A shrieking, loud, powerful, and unnatural sound escaped me as I banged my head against Solros' back, wailing my anguish to the empty skies as I gripped onto the leather of Solros' saddle tightly, wailing and wailing my pain out as I fell to pieces, broke until nothing remained.
:O Omg, I cried through this part, I actually broken down crying while writing this, oh, I need a minute.... Okay, okay, I'm good. Poor Hettie... Also, yes, those lines are different words over time that Tsu'tey has said to Hettie, from the beginning all the way till now. Well, I have nothing more to say here, not even an enjoy.... this chapter was hard to write....
Edit: Alright, I am back from one exhausting weekend. I got home and slept like 6 hours lol. Then again yesterday was rough, standing outside for hours on end up in the mountains in a dress that more fits the summer than 59 degrees up in the mountains lol. But hey, my best friend got married and she seems very happy to be with the one she loves so I am very happy for her.