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☄. *. ⋆
I hugged Tuk close to my chest flying away from the smog-filled sky - as I look back humans continued their rampage on the now lifeless rock. Everything was gone; my mauri, the people, our homes and yet the war party still hadn't returned. I started to have that uneasy feeling again in the pit of my stomach - had they been ambushed too? All I could think was that they hit after all the best fighters had disembarked a few hours prior, were the humans now organising attacks on those who are most vulnerable? The only ones left in the stronghold were women, children and elders - nobody to fight back.
Tuk cried into my chest as I lead them to the highest peak of the mountain, where Neteyam had bought me before; further into the sky away from any danger that lurked behind us. Our Ikrans landed, I grabbed my sachel which was draped over Käpxì that stored my cloak, wrapping it around Tuk as she sobbed. I pulled her into an embrace trying to comfort her - just like I did once with my little sister. She looked up at me as tears trickled down her cheeks; I brushed away some of the soot that coated her innocent face. My heart ached as I looked at her, not knowing where her parents were, her siblings - my Neteyam.
I looked around at the others; Spider consoled Kiri as Mo'at stood looking into the distance, she didn't speak - her face smothered in agony.
"Paysyul, you're bleeding-" Spider spoke in a hushed tone as he manoeuvred my arm, only now I could feel the warmth of my blood seep down my bare skin.
"I'm fine Spider-" I felt no physical pain, only emotional.
"No - you're not, you've been shot!" He placed both his palms over the bullet hole in my shoulder, I could feel tears streaming down my ash-covered cheeks as I sit here helpless.
Kiri came rushing over with her grandmother, fear in their eyes as they inspected my wound - only Kiri would carry a medicine pouch wherever she went as she clasped it between her fingers. She emptied it onto the floor grabbing a small leather pot - scooping up the contents and smothering my open wound with it. I winced as the stinging sensation radiated through me - my skin was on fire.
"Do you thin - think they are alive?" I uttered, tears pooling under my chin.
"Of course they are - they all are-" Spider whispered, his face saying otherwise. He was as unsure as the rest of us, we had no idea and if they were how would they find us?
"Sister - we need to focus on you right now-" Kiri uttered wiping the tears from her eyes, we were helpless up here with, no weapons - no food or water. All we could do was wait and hope.
༉‧₊˚.
𝙽𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚢𝚊𝚖
We had been circling the sky for what felt like hours awaiting the train, my father seemingly nervous to bring up the topic I knew he wanted to discuss with me.
"So- are you?" He stuttered, his eyebrows raised as we waited for my answer.
"Yes - we are -" I smile, not really wanting to discuss it any further - it was too personal.
"Congratulations Son,"
"Thank you - sir." My heart swells thinking about it, last night had been one of the best experiences in my eighteen years - something I would cherish with her for as long as we breathed.
The train finally came into view, metal birds following close behind - my mother took them out swiftly as the warriors below blew the train into the air causing it to spin and explode against the rock face. This was something we had done hundreds of times over, halting their supply line and bringing back weapons for the clan. We landed, blasting open the doors -
"This isn't right..." my father uttered clambering into the carriage, his ears fall flat to his head as he turned to me, distress in his eyes.
"What is it?"
"It's empty-" he looked up to the sky looking for any stragglers - but there was only eerie silence.
"Dad? -"
"We need to get back now!" He hollered to everyone, waving for me and Lo'ak to follow closely.
"Talk to me Dad-" I utter, his head quickly turning to face me - my mother running over to us, her face full of confusion as we all looked to him for answers.
"This was a distraction - they are targeting..." He stopped, his voice fell to a whisper as he leapt onto his Ikran - "They know where we are." He flew into the air yipping at the others, the flock of Ikrans following close behind - Mother ushered me onto mine urging for us to follow her. I felt my heart sink, I didn't fully understand what he was trying to say but I knew our people were in danger.
As we got closer to the stronghold a huge cloud of smoke filled the air, rumbling of engines carrying through the wind - my body filled with panic as I yipped at my Ikran, flying swiftly in front of everyone else. I could hear my mother hollering at me but I didn't stop. We banked around the corner - I saw our village up in flames, gunfire and demons. I dove straight at a metal bird, Daisy sunk her talons into the top as I roared, throwing the machine into the cliff face - an explosion followed as we continued to fight our way through. My father landed in the middle of camp - his tomahawk impaling one of the sky people in the back of the head - I followed close behind, retrieving the weapon and taking down two, three, four more.
"Paysyul - Tuk -" I yelled out between coughs - sinking the tomahawk into another three demons - inhaling smoke as I rushed through, searching camp. I only saw red, Na'vi lay lifeless on the floor riddled with bullet holes and burns - my rage consuming me from the inside as I ripped apart a few more, my hiss becoming feral. The sounds of battle impaled the once peaceful air - a few remaining warriors had taken down the last of the hovering death machines, as I lifted pieces of Mauri looking for my family - my Paysyul. I called out repeatedly but nothing - only the roaring of flames as it burnt through everything in its path.
"Neteyam!" Lo'ak grabbed my arm turning me towards him, his eyes wide - flooded with sorrow.
"Did you check everywhere -" I stood in silence now, melancholy hitting me - hard.
"I -"
"Neteyam - we have to go before more show up," Lo'ak dragged me with him, I felt numb - my anger washed out by grief. I saw my father rushing over, his hands harsh on my shoulders - he was yelling but I couldn't hear him, I couldn't drown out the destruction that surrounded us. How was I supposed to know if she was here - there were bodies that were solely ash.
"Do you hear me son? Is there anywhere they would go - anywhere Paysyul would go where she felt safe?" He shook me out of my haze - my eyes met his - "Neteyam!"
I tried to think, racking my brain for answers - my mother's cries echoed above the flames.
"The mountain peak!" I shook their hands off of me, calling for Daisy - my heart about to burst through my chest. "Let's go!"
They followed close behind - half of the warriors we bought back had been killed along with their mount, only a few had survived - only a handful of us remained now.
