The Power of Three- Lo'ak x OC x Neteyam

Chapter 3

Tuk looks up at the sky fearfully, night falling swiftly over them as the sun disappears behind the planet. Out of the bushes the sound of a bird trilling has all of the children turning, exchanging looks to confirm what the noise meant. Lo'ak steps as close to Ava as he can get, ignoring the pain in his scalp to check over her still oozing wounds. He'd done this almost every hour they'd been held captive, refusing to be separated from her. She offers him a weak smile. The noise echoes through the trees again.

High above the group, Neytiri searches for a way to free Kiri and Spider, her adopted daughter and her friend the closest to where she was. Catching sight of her, Kiri begins muttering a nonsensical prayer to Eywa, expecting and receiving a rough shove from her current captor. She continues speaking, and the next push leaves Neytiri with the chance to take the Avatar down. All hell breaks loose, and in the panic the Sully children use every means possible to escape, prompted by Neytiri's shout to her youngest son.

Ava shoves Lo'ak in front of her, scooping up a crying Tuk and heading into the forest. A gas-lit explosion throws the child from her arms, and Ava careens around a tree smack dab into the waiting chest of Neteyam. He steadies her, looking straight into her eyes.

"You're okay now, I've got you."

The two make their way through the forest to where Kiri is sobbing in her mother's arms. Jake hugs Lo'ak close to his body, offering the other arm to his equally scared eldest son. Not for the first time, Ava stands to the outside of the group, looking at the connected family in front of her.

The girl turns around, promising to meet the Sully group back at home. She calls Yryni to her, the teal-and-black ikran's rare bio-luminescent patterns lighting up in the dark. Connecting her soul bond, the pandorian reptile chirrups once before lifting off, flying close enough to satisfy the Sully parents but still keeping her distance. At the back of the pack, the two brothers glance at each other in silent communication, wishing to go to her but respecting their father's orders to stay together.

Back at the high mountain camp, Ava, Kiri, and Tuk crouch outside their family's tent, listening to their parents' ongoing argument. Neteyam and Lo'ak step up behind the girls, warned to silence by Ava setting a hand over her mouth.

"This thing, it's Quaritch. He'll walk right in and take what he wants." Jake says fearfully.

"This is our people, this is our home." Neytiri protests. "I cannot, you cannot ask this. I cannot leave my people. I will not."

"He's hunting us," Jake reasons, his voice low with fear and anger. "He's targeting our family-"

"You cannot ask this!" Neytiri interrupts. "The children, everything we've ever known, the forest, this is our home!"

"He had our children, he had them under his knife." Jake whispers weakly.

The sounds of shuffling feet can be heard by the children, and a brave look from Tuk reveals their mother picking up her father's bow.

"My father gave me this bow as he lay dying. And he said protect the people. You're Toruk Makto!"

"This will protect the people! Quaritch has Spider, that kid knows everything! He knows our whole operation. He could lead them right to us!" At the mention of their friend the kids outside the tent glance among themselves, a sad darkness shrouding all of their faces.

"If the people harbor us, they will die. Do you understand?"

Neytiri looks down at her hands as her mate continues.

"Look, I've got nothing, I've got no plan. But I can protect this family, that I can do." All of the anger gone, the Avatar takes his wife's hands, wiping away the tears streaming down her face.