𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙈𝘽𝙊𝙍𝙉. 𝘼𝙊'𝙉𝙐𝙉𝙂 [on hold]

𝙤𝙣𝙚. 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙖𝙯𝙚

Jake's first thought when seeing a new star in the sky was not anything he could have predicted. He did not think to prepare the warriors and hunters of the Omaticaya or to warn anyone.

His first thought: His kids were now children of war.

And holding Neytiri as she wailed over the loss of life in the clearing the Sky People made of ash and fire, he couldn't help but feel like all of this had happened before. The way he held Neytiri years ago when bulldozers cleared the Tree of Voices, his anger, his worry, all of it. He's been through this one too many times to feel organic.

War was coming again, and there was no stopping it.

After going back home and alerting the rest of the Omaticaya, Jake sat on the edge of their little treehouse. His legs dangled over the edge with his back slouched over. His eyes felt so heavy to keep open. Even if he wanted to sleep, he couldn't. War was keeping him awake and alert, just as he was taught in the Marines.

"Dad?" One of his kids asked from behind him. Jake craned his head to find Sersei standing awkwardly, shuffling her feet. Of course she didn't know how to act, especially after hearing only bits and pieces of what situation presented itself. The only fact she learned was everything was bad.

"Serse," Jake breathed out, brushing back a few of his thick locs and letting his hands fall to the edge of the wood. He squeezed until his hands hurt, sighing heavily. He turned his head back to the unknowing girl and nodded his head toward the spot next to him. "Get over here, sit."

She slowly crouched down and stilled her legs spilling over the edge, only giving a quick glance down to see. "What's wrong? Mom won't tell me."

If only Jake had the option to keep her in the dark, to pretend like everything was fine and persuade her to go to bed by a simple bedtime story of his days as Toruk Makto. But keeping war away from Sersei wasn't possible, not ever. She was now a hunter, a warrior with an ikran, an adult. She was of age to do whatever she wanted, however much it hurt Jake to think his little girl wasn't so little anymore.

He could still keep her young in his heart. That was it.

Jake patted her head and bit the inside of his cheek to hold back the tears threatening to escape his eyes. He was unsuccessful in masking them. "I tried to keep all this from you, I swear," his face contorted in pain, words choked in his throat. Clearing his throat, he spoke softer. "I don't wanna scare you,"

Sersei bit her lip and placed her hand gingerly on his arm. "Dad?" She furrowed her faint brows. "It's okay, I understand." She nodded. No, she didn't understand. Not the full truth. But she knew enough, and that was what mattered.

"The Sky People are back," Jake croaked out, holding his head down so his daughter wouldn't see his tears. She needed to be strong. She didn't need to see his weakness. "They're back and you're gonna be part of the fight now. As a warrior, you have a role in battle, and I'm not gonna hold you back from joining the fight, Serse, I'm not."