Where's My Love? - Lo'ak

prologue

Before the sky people returned, Esmyrie's mornings consisted of her father waking her up, and then having breakfast, where Nilar would tell stories of Esmyrie's mother.

Esmyrie remembers one story in particular.

"Esmy, when I first met your mother, I was scared to death... You see, it is very uncommon for forest people to visit the sea, and vice versa. When Illa'oke saw me, I swear I was going to get murdered then and there.

We were young. Gosh, I bet I was about 16 when I fled home to travel. Of course, my mother was worried, but she trusted my judgment.

I was still just a child, and so, when I, a forest boy, showed up to the sea, unexpectedly and without parents, there was fear that I was dangerous.

And your mother, gosh, she put me right in my place. Literally. She kicked my feet out from under me and had a knife to my throat.

I was scared, yes, but I sadly also found it very attractive.

Illa'oke will always be attractive to me, even when she had a knife to my throat.

Anyways, she threatened me, asked why I was there, and when I told her I was just travelling, she thought it was a load of shit.

I was actually locked up for a few hours, her taking me to a tree and tying my hands up to a branch, saying I had to stay put until her father, the leader, returned.

Luckily, I was able to stay after some convincing, more so because they thought I would be an excellent fisher, as I was a hunter.

Illa'oke was the one who taught me of the sea. She taught me their language, how to bond with the sea creatures, how to fish and call for the fish. How to breathe underwater. All of it. I know you know some of those things, specifically breathing underwater and calling to the fish.... I hope one day I'll be able to take you to the sea, show you where my love, your mother, grew up.

She is beautiful... I wish she was with us, but I'm glad she is safe with Eywa."

That story was one of her favorite, especially when her father would go into detail about how strong her mother was, and how she kicked Nilar's ass to the ground when they first met.

She liked to think that the stories helped her father with his grief, but still, there were days when he would take Esmyrie to the Sully's and then he would vanish.

When the sky people returned though, her morning routine changed.

Now, instead of family breakfast and stories of her mother, it was now Na'vi meetings, Jake taking charge of the attacks and strikes they plan out on the sky people.

Nilar is one of Jake's right hand mans. He would go to every planned attack, for Esmyrie believes it takes her father's mind off of things.

While meetings happened, Esmyrie would sneak off to hangout with Neteyam.

Neteyam and Esmyrie have a very strong friendship, Neteyam would say he even see's her as a little sister.

They are best friends, and morning meetings meant morning fighting for the two teens.

Neteyam knows how to fight and protect himself, something both parents taught him. His knowledge of how to fight became something Esmyrie was interested in, and now has become a ritual. Every morning they would practice self defense and fighting... Although most mornings it ended with them laughing at each other's inability to stay coordinated.

Both Neteyam and Esmyrie would attend some of the morning meetings, but only if ordered. Those meetings are for more dangerous strikes, and are meant to tell the kids that if something happens, they will be put in charge of looking after their family.

So, when Jake asks for Neteyam, Lo'ak and Esmyrie to be apart of this meeting, they get a little suspicious.

"My people, we have fought so well these last couple of months. Success in the attacks, weakening the enemy and getting valuable resources. We are strong, smart, and ruthless." Jake speaks out, his speeches always encouraging the people.

"I expect this strike to end no differently! We will raid the train, and with this transportation being on land, we can have land teams as well!" Jake explains.

"You have all fought so violently and strong... I ask for you all to do it once more. We will have people in the sky, as always, taking out the enemy gunship aircrafts out. I also want a group on the ground, they will be there to damage the rails the train moves on, making it impossible for the enemy to get there resources. With additional help, we will have look outs, there to provide us eyes when we raid the train after it's destroyed. If we do this, we will have resources strong enough to eventually fight back and to send the sky people away once more! Who's with me?!" Jake asks out, the Na'vi responding with yells if agreement.

Jake gives Nilar and Neytiri a look, with gives them the order to gets teams ready for battle.

Neytiri was always apart of leading the air attacks and so Nilar was in charge of informing and leading the ground teams.

When the meeting ends, Lo'ak, Neteyam and Esmyrie take it as their sign to leave, but before they can, Jake pulls them aside.

"Kids, I know how much you have wished to be in battle, and although I can't and won't yet allow you in the heart of it all, I can ask you a favor, which will allow you to be alongside us during battle, but away from danger. If you would look like, you could be our lookouts... You can take your Ikran, and if enemy aircrafts come in, you call it in. This is only a request though, for if you wish not to, I will find someone else." Jake says, telling the kids the reason for why they even attended the meeting.

"Wait, really!?" Neteyam asks excitingly. He has always wanted to be like his father, fighting, and protecting his people, so now, to go into battle, even as just a lookout, was very meaningful to him.

"I trust you, sons... And Esmyrie, I know your father has taught you well. And with the way Neteyam has helped you fight, I know you can hold your own. But I must know, and you must all three promise me that you will just be lookouts, nothing more." Jake kneels down slightly, getting to the three teens eye level.

"I promise da- sir? Dad." Neteyam says, standing tall.

"Me too dad! I promise." Lo'ak says, giving Jake a big hug in excitement and thanks for trusting them.

"Of course Mr. Sully, I promise." Esmyrie says, smiling warmly at the man.

Jake gives the girl a teasing grin, knowing how many times he has told Esmyrie to call him Jake, and yet she never listens.

"Good, I trust all of you. You boys know how to call something in, and I expect you to do so. We leave in twenty, for we don't want to miss our opportunity. Get your Ikran's ready. Esmyrie, I would prefer if you road with Lo'ak or Neteyam, as much as I love your Ikran, but he happens to be a bit.... Colorful " Jake adds on, to which Esmyrie laughs out.

It was true, her Ikran is beautiful but very brightly colored. He sticks out like a sore thumb, aircrafts would very easily be able to spot him.

Her Ikran, named Ezar'te, is bright yellow, with pink spots on his wings. His yellow skin fades to a red on the tail, and has bright blue eyes.

Very beautiful but very colorful, too colorful for missions like this.

Neteyam and Lo'ak share a glance with each other at their fathers request, an unspoken agreement that Esmyrie will ride with Lo'ak, for if something went wrong, Neteyam is the older brother and needs to protect his family. If needed, he could be the distraction needed to have Lo'ak and Esmyrie escape, and Neteyam has no guilt for having that role.

Esmyrie misses mornings with her dad, but she knows there will be many more. And although she hates the sky people, she must admit, the humans have made her, and all of Na'vi stronger, smarter, and warriors.

She is excited to be into battle, she is excited to help out.

She just has no idea how this strike, along with the humans returning will flip her world upside down, and force her to change completely.