(DISCONTINUED)Emrey- Survive || Avatar: The Way of Water

007 || You Were Never Supposed To Get Hurt

He hazarded a look down, praying to Eywa that they weren't seen. There, a little ways away from where he and Tuk had practised, were the Avatars. One with a nearly bald head and something reflective and blue covering his eyes like a visor was looking straight at them. Lo'ak heard him say something; the Avatar tilted his head slightly as he raised his gun and took aim.

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Lo'ak urged Tuk to climb faster, trying to manoeuvre himself so that if they were to get shot at, it would hit him and not his sister.

He tried to listen to what the Avatars were saying, but their words got lost in the rustle of leaves and the pounding in his ears. He didn't dare look down again, too afraid of what he would see. He couldn't believe what was happening. Why were there Avatars even here in the first place? As far as he knew, the only Avatars that were supposed to be here were his father, Norm and some of the other scientists.

And the Avatars he knew had never looked so threatening, with the thick padded clothing, heavy boots, menacing glares, and even more menacing weapons gripped tightly in their five-fingered hands.

"...now or never Colonel," the one with the gun pointed at them spoke, never taking his eyes off them. Lo'ak knew enough English to understand what he said.

"Take it."

Lo'ak barely had enough time to swing out of the way before the bullet made contact with the tree, splintering the wood and sending shards flying through the air. The shot barely skimmed past Lo'ak as he twisted his body out of the way. He had managed to shove himself between some of the vines that covered the tree trunk. He looked up at Tuk; he had heard her scream, dread filling his stomach at the thought of her being hit. But she didn't look hurt as she clung to the vines, frozen in place.

"Go, climb Tuk!" Lo'ak yelled, hoping his sister had heard him. But she stayed in place, her small hands clutching the vines beneath her.

"Again."

Another shot rang out; this time, it wasn't aimed at Lo'ak, but instead aimed at Tuk, the bullet colliding with the tree right next to her head. The bullet had splintered the wood, sending tiny shards into her face. She screamed, and Lo'ak's heart nearly stopped as she let go of the vines, falling to the ground below.

Lo'ak didn't think; he just did. Barely remembering to call for Anippe, he launched himself from his perch towards Tuk.

He caught her securely in his arms, pulling her close as they both fell through the air.

Distantly, Lo'ak wondered if this is what Ri'te felt when she jumped from High Camp, this weightlessness as the wind rushed past her. He wondered what she thought as she fell. Did she think of their family? Of the time they spent together. Did she mourn the end of her life? Or did she accept it? Like there was nothing she could do but accept her fate as she hurtled to the ground below.

He heard the powerful wing beats of Anippe before he heard her shriek, ducking underneath them to catch them on her back. Quickly as he dared, he bonded with his beast, his mind urging her to get them away. The wind whipped past them as Anipped pulled up from her dive and swerved narrowly above the Avatars' heads.

"Don't just stand there, shoot it!"

Soon Lo'ak's ears were assaulted with the deafening sound of gunfire. In his mind, he urged Anippe to dodge the bullets; he didn't need to remind her that getting shot was a painful thing; the several small holes torn in her wings were a reminder enough.