ʙᴀʀʀɪᴄᴀᴅᴇꜱ: ᴠᴏʟ. 2 | Jake Sully X Reader (Book 2)

| Chapter 16 |

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Italics: (Na'vi language, Metkayina sign language, and Jake's inner thoughts)
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Jake did not waste any time in removing the device from Ro'a's back and immediately took it back to where Tonowari, you, and Ronal were at. He explained what it was, making your face pale at the realization that other Tulkun were going to be targeted. Without another second, all of you and the Metkayina warriors returned to the village as fast as possible. It was clear that the RDA is behind all of this, which means that Quaritch was involved, then this would just be the start of something much worse than they could possibly imagine.

Tonowari had rounded up the villagers, and now, everyone was crowded in a circle with Tonowari, Ronal, and Jake in the center of it. You were staying within the crowd with your children close to you. You tried your best to put up a face of courage and confidence, but your body language betrayed you. Lo'ak, Kiri, and Neteyam were standing beside you on your left with Tsireya standing on your right side. The Metkayina princess had tears streaming down her eyes at the revelation of what happened to Ro'a and what could happen to many other Tulkuns, not just in this pod.

Tonowari and Ronal stood closed together, all the while the Tsahik had grief and anguish written all over her face, but it was also filled with a sense of vengeance. "My spirit sister and her baby have been murdered by the Sky People!" Ronal said with pain laced in her voice. She could barely hold herself together, but she had to be strong for her people.

The villagers started to murmur amongst each other at this news. All warriors were holding their spears and other weaponry, solely to want to fight to protect the Tulkuns from the Sky People. They were outraged, burning with the desire to drive out those demons that have committed the atrocities that they did. Tonowari stood tall before his people, holding his own spear that was so long that it towered over him.

Tsireya continued to cry silently as she closed her eyes tightly and sniffled, but it was enough for you to notice. You turned to her and wrapped your right arm around her shoulders and without a second thought, Tsireya moved closer to you, continuing to let tears stream down her cheeks. To her, you have been an inspiration and an example. She admires you for raising such an amazing family, and for having such a strong heart.

"This war has come to us!" Tonowari yelled, rallying up his people, who replied with yips and calls, ready to fight. Kiri, who was standing beside you, was crying as well with her tears mingling with raindrops. She shook her head in denial, moving her head to tuck on the nape of your neck. You cooed softly in your daughter's ears, soothing her while cradling her head against yours. You couldn't imagine what kind of pain they were going through, especially since they had connected so much to the new environment around them that it hurts them to hear what happened.

"We knew about this hunting of our Tulkun people, but it was over the horizon far away. Now, it is here!" Tonowari said with the strength to his people, making them all start to feel more the feeling of battle coming upon them, but it only made them more willing to fight. All Metkayina warriors, including Tonowari, Ao'nung, and Rotxo too, began to hiss and yell expressing their displeasure towards the Sky People and the fact that they were more than willing to fight for the safety of the Tulkun.

"You have to understand how the Sky People think. They don't care about the great balance," Jake tried to explain to Tonowari, and my adjacent, all of the Metkayina present. Tsireya, you, and Kiri continued to look on in fear, staying close to each other. Neteyam and Lo'ak were more determined and wanted to help their father be understood. The two boys understood that things had escalated way too quickly, and the war was coming eventually.

"Listen! Listen to him!" Neteyam said, backing up his father. With living in the forest, the Sullys had firsthand experiences with the Sky People and how destructive they could truly be. He was on board with everything his dad was saying and wanted people to pay attention to what Jake was trying to warn them about. "The Sky People are not gonna stop. This is only the beginning. You've got to tell your Tulkuns to leave! You gotta tell them to go far away!" Jake said, using every fiber of his being to get everybody to listen. They truly had no idea what the RDA and Quaritch were capable of.