Towards Love

12.raid

"You know how to fight, you have an ikran and you know our ways. You can join us in a raid now." 

After getting her ikran, Lola assisted to a ceremony where she officially became an Omatikaya and a Na'vi. As jake said, Neytiri did not have as much animosity towards her as before. She was not particularly nice but she tolerated her. Tuk was the one who painted her body with white paint to symbolize Eywa running through her. Kiri braided her hair, Lo'ak gave her a new bow and Neteyam offered to be there for her first bond with the tree of souls. Something that would happen after her first raid. 

Jake and other warriors discovered that the next human-initiated transport would contain equipment to communicate with Earth. This was the perfect opportunity to try to get it and allow Lola to send her message. "It will be located in a specific car. We will make sure to separate it to derail it. While we take the weapons, you can take all the communication equipment. Neteyam will accompany you and Lo'ak will wait on his ikran and alert you in case of danger." Lola nodded her head understandibly while preparing Hapi.

They were soon in the air, riding towards the railway the humans had built to connect several military bases. The Sullys had given her one of the necklaces they used to communicate. She could hear them talking in her ears. "The train is coming, be ready." Just after this, a thud grew. They saw the train grow and when it reached them, the rails exploded, tipping it over on its side. "Now!" The ikrans dove toward the overturned cars and the Na'vi jumped to the ground once they were close enough. 

Lola ran to the door to force it open. Neteyam was quickly at her side and helped her to open it. She snuck inside while the boy stood guard. The equipment was locked in labeled boxes. Quickly, she scanned them. Five boxes matched what she was looking for. She quickly pulled them out. When she reached the fourth box, a new explosion was heard. She turned around in horror. Black smoke was entering the car through the broken door. She took the last two boxes and quickly got out. "Neteyam!!!" He was no longer standing at the entrance ready to receive the material. She put down what she was holding and began to search around. "Neteyam!" It was like being blind. She could not see a few feet. 

She quickly attached her findings to Hapi before moving forward into the smoke. She could hear screams around her, panic being felt in the ranks of the Omatikayas. She then had the idea to communicate with the Sullys thanks to the necklace. Pressing her hand on it she spoke in a jerky way. "Neteyam... you... can you hear me?" Someone else answered. "Lola? Where is Neteyam?" Jake's voice was anxious. "I ... I can't find him!" 

"Okay. Stay calm. Where are you?"

"I ... I guess next to the communication railcar. I can't see anything!" She stumbled and fell in surprise. She turned around to see the source of her fall and realized horrified that it was an inanimate body. She rushed over but it was not Neteyam. She decided to crawl forward to avoid falling. She then spotted a recognizable haircut.
"Neteyam!!!" She moved forward quickly to find herself at his side. He was conscious and coughing his lungs out. She took him by the shoulders to straighten him up, turned him around to see if he was wounded and help him catch his breath. "Hey ..." He tried to speak but a coughing fit prevented him. "Don't talk. You scared me you skxawng!" The boy smiled as if proud of him. 

She heard something come from behind her and turned around ready to protect Neteyam only to find Jake coming down from his ikran. "Get back to your ikran now, I'll take care of him! We'll meet you home." She ran, whistling Hapi to find it more easily. He appeared quickly and did not have time to land completely that Lola had already jumped on his back. "Go!"

***

"What happended?" Neytiri was already waiting for them when Lola and Hapi landed home. She got down and began to untie the material she had been able to steal. "I don't know. I was in the railcar when a big explosion happened. Neteyam was hit. Jake picked him up, they should be here soon." The woman grolled out of frustration. Lo'ak arrived and help Lola and Spider to move the boxes in the lab. When the last box was settled, they hard Jake's ikran. 

The young woman ran outside to be there to meet them. "How is he?" Jake passed Neteyam to Neytiri who helped her son walk towards the hut. "He's going to be fine. I think that there was a toxic product diplayed with the explosion." The whole family ran inside to see Neytiri and Kiri already taking care of the boy. They were reciting Omatikayan mantras to help with healing, applying ointments to the irritated skin. Neteyam had calmed down and wasn't coughing anymore but Lola could see his chest rise much faster than normal. 

"Is he going to be all right?" Lola took Tuk in her arms to reassure her. "He is, don't worry sweety." The little girl started to cry frightened by the situation. Lola rocked her to calm her down and started to hum a lullaby.

It took several minutes for Neytiri and Kiri to finish their treatment. They stood back and prepared a basin and a wet cloth to apply regularly to Neteyam's forehead in case he developed a fever. Lola came closer and told Tuk to take the cloth to apply it. Involving her would make her feel useful and reassure her a little. The young woman sat next to the boy and took his hand in hers while watching his sister take care of him. 

Jake looked at that move suspiciously, praying for Neytiri not to notice it. Of course, it had not escaped her and she was now looking at her husband with apprehension. She got up and before going outside of the hut she whispered "He really is your son. Walking in his father's steps." Scratching his head embarrassed, Jake followed his wife outside.

Author's note
Lola is definetely starting to get attached to Neteyam, what do you think?
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