𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 - 𝕷𝖔'𝖆𝖐

𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

Naya had rushed after Lo'ak to the ship, already losing the boy somewhere in the water.

She quietly boards the ship, looking for the boy.

"Lo'ak?" She hisses, angry at his impulsive decisions. The metal creaked beneath her, giving up her spot as some soldier grabs her and drags her to Quaritch.

"Let me go, Skxawng!" She snaps at the man, trying to get loose.

"Look what the cat dragged in." The man smirks down at the girl and looks back at Quaritch. Quaritch also smirks, grabbing the girl by her arm.

As soon as she was given to Quaritch, an arrow came whizzing down, shooting the previous soldier right in his eye.

Alarmed, Quaritch drags Naya along with him, knife at her throat. He takes her with him to the deck, where Jake had freed both Tuk and Kiri, Kiri running to Spider and Tuk behind Jake.

"Hello Jakey," Quaritch taunts, bringing Naya along with him. Jake held his gun pointed at Quaritch and in return, he chuckles.

Tightening the grip on his knife, Quaritch speaks. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Jake. You want another child's blood in your hands?"

"Just kill him, Jake!" Naya yells, scared for dear life, yet trusting the older man.

Jake doesn't budge, considering his options.

"You let her go." Jake shouts which only causes Quaritch to press the knife a bit against Naya's throat.

She yelps as blood begins to drip slowly down her neck.

"Last chance, Jake. You don't want another family to lose their child, now do you?" Quaritch says and Jake lets out a frustrated shout after dropping his gun and kicking it towards the old man.

"Good, now cuff yourself to the rail." He commands, throwing it at Jake's face.

"Fuck you, asshole." Jake shouts, placing the cuff on his arm.

Suddenly, an arrow was fired and Spider was pulled into someone, knife also placed at his throat.

Neytiri.

"Release. Or I cut." The woman spits.

Quaritch scoffs, "He ain't even my real son. Go ahead."

"Release, or I cut." Neytiri repeats, being serious. "Son, for a son."

Quaritch swallows as Spider speaks up.

"Just let her go, okay?!" Spider shouts at Quaritch. "Don't hurt her!"

Quaritch doesn't budge.

"I cut." Neytiri brings the knife to kill Spider but before she could, Quaritch stops her.

"Stop! Okay!" He throws Naya out, leaving her in a coughing fit, holding her bruised neck. Spider and Kiri both help the girl up and put her behind them.

"Come on, ma." Kiri softly says to Neytiri, holding her hand as they all begin to leave the ship.

"You asshole!" Quaritch calls out after Jake. "I'll find you, and I'll kill your whole family, every single one of your children!"

Jake stops for a moment and looks back.

" 'Right, let's get it done then." Jake charges towards Quaritch as the two begin to fight.

"We have to go!" All five of them swum away but not until something exploded before them, causing a ring of fire to develop around them. The fire trailed on gasoline in the water, advancing towards the group.

"Swim, swim!" Spider shouts as all of them swim back to the ship, nearly being burnt to a crisp.

"Now what?" Kiri questions, tired.

"Stay together." Neytiri says and quite ironically, Tuk is swept into the ship with the current.

"Tuk!" Neytiri screams before diving after her youngest.

"Mom! Tuk, no!" Kiri shouts after them but Spider and Naya pull her back.

"We need to move, Kiri!" Spider says as he takes both Naya's and Kiri's hand.

Spider leads the girls through a different exit until the ship began to tilt over.

"We're moving!" Spider shouts, warning the girls as they continued to the now surfaced bottom of the ship.

The sound of a low groan was heard by Naya, making her stop.

"Naya, come on!" Spider shouts at his sister.

"Shut up for a second!" She shouts back and looks around.

Submerging from the water was Payakan with Lo'ak riding him, which made Naya let out a grateful laugh.

"Guys! Come on!" Lo'ak shouts as the three slide down the boat and into the water.

Lo'ak grabs Naya's hand first and helps her up onto Payakan and then his sister with Spider.

"Are you okay?" Lo'ak asks, placing his hands on Naya's shoulders.

She nods at him, holding his hands.

"Mom, Tuk and Dad are still on the ship," Kiri informs her brother.

Lo'ak nods and says, "Let's go get our family. We'll find dad and you find mom and Tuk."

Lo'ak then turns to Naya, "Please, don't come running after me, Naya."

"How could I not, Lo'ak? I can't let you get hurt." She answers.

"Yeah, and I can't let you get hurt. You need to stay here, where it's safe. I'll be back, I promise." Lo'ak says, placing his hand on Naya's cheek, wiping away the tear.

"Go and save your family." Naya says, sternly to him, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Lo'ak smirks as they all get on their Ilus, riding back to the boat.

Naya let out a shakey sigh as she sat down onto Payakan.

She had lost so much today, yet one question remained in her mind.

When would the killing ever end?