New Beginnings

Chapter One

"Lo'ak your such a jerk!" Laiena yelled as she chased him on her ikran.
"Try to keep up, skxawng!" Lo'ak yelled back as he dove his ikran lower.
"Lo'ak be nice!" Neteyam yelled as he chased after them.

They were all racing back to camp, the loser had to stay home the next mission.

As Laiena was flying something caught her eye so she slowed down, giving Neteyam time to get past her.

"Lia, I'm gonna beat you!" He yelled as he blew right by her.

She snapped out of her thoughts and realized she was losing.
"Augh!" She yelled as she flew after them.

Lo'ak made it back first, then Neteyam, then Laiena last.

"You cheated!" She yelled at Lo'ak as she hoped of her ikran. Her ikran could feel she was angry so she was chirping and making a lot of noise.

"Mawey, Seze. Mawey." She said as she got off. She named her ikran after her mothers.

"I didn't cheat!" Lo'ak teased back, "you're just slow!"

She hissed and then chased him back to their mauri.
"These children." Neteyam scoffed as he ran after them.

"Laiena, Lo'ak!" Jake yelled as he stepped out of the tent and saw them run by.

They both stopped in their tracks and turned towards their father.
"You two come here." They both walked towards Jake.

Jake looked like he was about to start yelling, but they were shocked when he didn't. "So?" He asked looking at them.

"Who's going with me and the war party tomorrow?" He asked. Lo'ak smiled and Laiena rolled her eyes. "I take it you lost, again?" Jake teased Laiena.

"She was so slow!" Lo'ak joked as he playfully pushed his younger sister. "It's cause I'm older so I'm the best."

Laiena hit her brothers arm. "You're only like, what, five minutes older?" She asked Jake who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Kids you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow." Neytiri said as she walked out of the tent with Kiri.

"Yes mom." Both Lo'ak and Laiena said at the same time. They looked at eachother and laughed before going inside the tent.

Jake and Neteyam both rolled their eyes jokingly as they all walked into the tent.

"Hello Mo'at!" Laiena said as she leaned down to kiss her grandmothers cheek.
"Ah my sweet granddaughter!" Mo'at smiled at her as she walked over to Tuk, who was already fast asleep.

"And of course, my little Tuk Tuk." Laiena said as kneeled down and kissed her sister's forehead.

Tuk and Laiena were the closest since Laiena was born before her and Tuk was the youngest. Where ever Laiena went, Tuk just had to tag along.

Laiena stood up and walked over to her sleeping mat and sat down.

"So kids, tomorrow we plan to hit that supply train soon after sunrise. So you all need to get to sleep." Jake said as he sat beside Neytiri.

"You're fathers right, even if it's only Neteyam and Lo'ak going, you all still need rest." Neytiri spoke as she looked at her kids.

"Remember what your father says."
"Sully's stick together." Everyone said at the same time.
"That's right." Jake said nodding. "Now get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow.

——

Even though she lost, Laiena still went with them.

"Bro, we should get down there!" Lo'ak yelled as they circled the train on their ikran.
"No, dad will skin us!" Neteyam protested.
"Come on, don't be a wuss!" Laiena yelled and she and Lo'ak dove down.
"Lo'ak! Laiena! Augh!" Neteyam yelled as he followed them.

Once they landed, Laiena and Lo'ak both rushed over to where some hunters were handing out guns.

Lo'ak grabbed one and held it up in the air.
"You don't even know how to use it." Neteyam said looking at Lo'ak.
"Dad taught me!" Lo'ak said as he checked the clip to make sure it was full.

Laiena looked around and saw fire everywhere from the explosion. She then turned and saw Jake looking at them disapproving.

Just as Jake was about to tell them to leave through the microphone, they saw a ship flying towards them.

"Lo'ak! Neteyam!" She yelled pointing.
"Gun ships inbound! Move! Move!" People started yelling.

The kids took of running just a bomb was launched at them, causing an explosion and sending Lo'ak, Laiena, and Neteyam flying in the air.

Laiena's head hit the ground and her ears began ringing. She put her hand on her head and looked at her fingers, seeing blood.

She felt dizzy so she just laid down.

She didn't know how long she'd been laying there on her side, but she felt someone roll her over on her back.

"Laiena? Laiena are you alright?" It was her dad.
"Dad?" He rolled her over and checked her back.
"What the hell were you thinkin?" He said as he picked her up.
"I'm sorry sir."

Jake took her to his ikran and made the bond. Lo'ak and Neteyam were already on their ikran.

They all flew up and started heading back towards the village.

When they arrived, Jake helped Laiena get off.

Tuk ran to Neytiri, Kiri went to Neteyam then to Laiena and Lo'ak stood beside her.

"What the hell were you three thinkin, huh?" Jake asked. He was very angry. "You're supposed to be spotters. You spot bogeys and you call them in, from a distance!"

He looked at his kids who all had their heads down. "I let your three idiots fly a mission and you disobey direct orders!"

Kiri then walked a circle around Laiena, examining her wounds.

"Kiri go help your grandmother with the wounded." Jake said calmly to her.
"My sister is wounded." Kiri replied.

"I'm sorry sir, I take full responsibility." Neteyam said. He always took the blame for them.
"Yeah that's right. You're the older brother, you gotta act like it."

He looked at Neytiri and she tilted her head.
"Ma'Jake." Neytiri said calmly. "You're daughter is actually bleeding."

Jake looked at Laiena and could tell she was in pain. He sighed and looked at Lo'ak.

"You do understand you almost got your brother and sister killed, right?" He asked.
Lo'ak nodded.
"You're grounded. No flying for a month."
Lo'ak nodded again. "Yes sir."

Jake looked at Neteyam. "And you." He paused, "I expect better than this."
"Yes sir." Neteyam said calmly. "I'm sorry."

Jake then turned back to Laiena. "Go. Go get patched up." Laiena nodded and walked past him.
"And get that crap off your guys faces." He yelled as Lo'ak walked past him to follow his sister.

——

As all the kids were in Mo'ats tent with Laiena as she got patched up, Neytiri and Jake sat outside.

Jake saw her pacing and looked back down. "What." He asked seeing Neytiri stop walking.

"Neteyam and Lo'ak are trying to look up to you." She said turning to face her husband. "It is very hard on them."

She kneeled in front of Jake to meet his eyes. "You are very hard on them."
"I'm their father. That's my job." Jake said as he put the clip back in the gun.

Neytiri looked at the kids then back at Jake. "This is not a squad." She said calmly. "It is a family."

Jake took a deep breath and set the gun down. He looked at Neytiri. "I thought we'd lost them."

Neytiri's gaze softened. "Ma'Jake." She said calmly. She put her hand on his and he looked at her. "But you didn't lose them. Their right here."

Jake looked into the marui and saw his kids all gathered around their sister. He then looked back at Neytiri and nodded.

She smiled at him and she pulled him in for a hug. They stood like that for a few moments.

That was the first time Jake had ever been scared for his kids, and it most certainly wasn't going to be the last.

———