After the trees, the seas | Neteyam

Chapter 3

I'm happy we all made it back to camp safely, but since then, there was a heavy atmosphere, mainly coming between Jake and Neytiri. It was in the after noon when I walked pass our tent, Neteyam, Kiri, Tuk and Lo'ak were crouched. "What are you all d-" "Shhh" Kiri shushed me. I looked at them confused. She waved her hand telling me to come closer. I crouched and approached the tent silently, paying attention to what was happening in the tent.

"I cannot, you cannot ask me this, I cannot leave my people" Neytiri said. My ear lowered as I heard this. Leaving? I kept listening. "He's hunting us, he's targeting our family" Jake said. "You cannot ask this! The children, everything they've ever known! The forest! This is our home!" Neytiri answered screaming, she was overwhelmed. "They had our children..he had them under his knife" Jake said desperately to her mate. I closed my eyes and lowered my ears hearing this. This was all my fault. " My father gave me this bow as he laid dying. He said to protect the people! You're Toruk Makto!" she said with a sad and pleading voice. "Quaritch has Spider, that kid knows everything, he knows our whole operation!" I raised my head and saw Kiri, Lo'ak and Neteyam exchanging a worried look. "If the people harbour us, they will die, do you understand?" Jake continued. Neytiri let out a sight. "Look, I've got nothing, I've got no plan...but I can protect this family, that I can do" he said firmly and confidently. "I know one thing, wherever we go, this family is our fortress".

I looked at Neteyam and he looked back at me trying to read what I was thinking. I got up and walk away from the tent. I can't leave this place, it's all I have. It's where my mom and dad lived, I can't just leave. "Hayla, wait up" he said catching up to me. "Whatever happens, we're in this together" he added as I turned to face him. Lo'ak and Kiri approached us. "I can't leave.." I told them trying to hold back my tears. "I just..I-" I tried to talk but the words died in my mouth. They all had that sorry look on their face.

Jake and Neytiri came out of the tent and saw us, all gathered. Their eyes settled on me as tears rolled down my cheeks. "You heard our conversation?" Jake asked softly. We nodded. "Go and pack up your stuff. Hayla, come with us, we need to talk" he demanded gently. Neytiri guided me to another tent, Jake following us both. I entered and turned to them, keeping my head low. "I'm sorry to ask you this Hayla...You need to come with us, Quadritch saw you and...this place is not safe for you anymore..." I looked at him, eyes watery as I couldn't stop crying. His eyes were filled with guilt and sadness. Neytiri crouched to me and rested her hands on my shoulders. "My dear angel, we promised your parents that we would care for you as if you were our own daughter, we can't leave you here, and we would all miss you too much" she said smiling, as she put her hand on my cheek and wipped the tears. I smiled back to her, and nodded. "I understand, I could never leave you anyways". She took me in her arms and chuckled softly. Jake came closer and kissed the top of my head.

I joined the others in the tent and started to pack my stuff. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at me. "So.. you're coming?" Kiri asked, careful on her words. I smiled "Yes, you guys would be too sad without me". They laughed and all rushed to hug me. "We definitely would" Lo'ak said smiling.

***

We left the next morning after the ceremony where the title of olo'eyktan was given to someone else. I could feel that Jake was sad, but he did it for his family, he had to. We were leaving home, leaving the clan, leaving the trees...I was leaving my parents. We all flew on our Ikrans, heading to an unknown destination. I followed the group behind, incapable of taking my eyes off the forest, as it was getting more and more far. Kiri was also really sad to leave, I could feel her sorrow. I finally turned back to the front, trying to accept that this was part of my past now. I pat my Ikran and followed the group. I noticed that Neteyam was turning around frequently to check on me. He then slowed up to join me in the back. "You're okay?" he asked. "Yeah, I guess" I told him with a smile. "You're sure? Cause I've never seen you fly that slow" he said with a mocking smile. "Shut up" I replied laughing. "You know I'm faster than you" I added. "As far as I remember, I won the last time" he said confidently and smiling. "That was luck" I replied as we both laughed.

We flew for so long, I'm so tired. We've even flown through a thunderstorm. But I knew we were close, we were flying over blue waters and it was so pretty. It didn't take too long before we finally reached the reef, the village.