Still Breathing

Chapter 31. Believer

"I'm the one at the sail, I'm the master of the sea." ~ Imagine Dragons

It was early in the morning when Neytiri, Jake, and Quaritch all woke up their children and Aonung. Tsireya decided to tag along as well in support of her brother. "Come on! Up you get!" Neytiri clapped her hands together, shouting to wake up her children.

"Really, mother? Must you be so loud?" Erica complained as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes before stretching slightly and letting out a deep exhale. Her stretch was quickly interrupted by an excited Tuk who jumped into her lap.

"Come on, Erica! We get our Ikran's today!" The little Na'vi squealed in excitement, shaking her sisters shoulders. If Erica wasn't already awake, she sure was now as she blinked several times before cupping her sisters face and squishing her cheeks together.

"Tuk, enough." Erica gave her sister a warning look to which Tuk quickly apologized and jumped off of her sisters lap and ran over to her father instead, jumping into his arms as she shouted in his face how excited she was.

Slowly, Erica made her way to her feet and ate some of the fruit that Neytiri had left out for them. "How are you feeling about this?" Erica asked Aonung with a mouthful of fruit.

Aonung let out an exhausted breath as he also grabbed one of the fruits laid out. He shrugged, taking a bite as he thought about how he really was feeling. "A little nervous, not gonna lie."

"Same." Erica nodded in agreement.

Tsireya ran up to her brother, wrapping her arms around him as she looked up at him. "You'll do amazing, brother."

Aonung patted the top of his sisters head in thanks, a small chuckle escaping his lips as Lo'ak and Kiri approached the three of them slowly. "It's really not that bad, you just have to be smart." Kiri spoke up.

Lo'ak scoffed at her response, crossing his arms as he glared at his sister. "Easy for you to say. All you had to do was ask your Ikran to be your friend. I failed the first time and got bit." Lo'ak raised his voice slightly, shoving the hand that his Ikran had bit in Kiri's face.

She quickly shoved his hand away, scrunching her nose in annoyance. "That's because you forgot to tie the mouth shut, you skxawng."

Before Lo'ak could retort, Quaritch interrupted as he entered the tent with Spider following shortly behind him. "I was able to tame mine without tying the mouth."

Lo'ak glared at the Colonel who had a cocky smirk on his face before tuning his attention back to his siblings and the Metkayina siblings. "Great, everyone's better at taming an Ikran than I am. Even Mr. Big Scary Man." Lo'ak spoke gesturing towards Quaritch who let out a chuckle at his new nickname.

"Okay, enough." Jake broke up the argument, still holding Tuk in his arms. "It's time for us to head out now. Make sure you grab your kits." He continued, placing Tuk on the ground who immediately ran over to grab her satchel.

"You don't wanna end up like Lo'ak." Jake teased his son, ruffling his hair as his son let out a sarcastic laugh, shoving his fathers hand away. Jake chuckled lightly as all of his children, Spider, and Aonung stood in front of him with their kits in their hand.

Neytiri and Jake stared at their children with pride. All of them were turning into mighty warriors, just like Neteyam.

-

Both Aonung and Tsireya were panting heavily as they climbed up the last part of the Hallelujah Mountains. Aonung was leaning forward, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath before pulling out his water.