Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

033, Anything For Them.

Riti landed on the closest branch.

Denahi tapped her neck, "Calm, calm, Riti."

Jake jumped from Bob, and Neteyam jumped from Hua.

Her eyes circled around her.

It had been so long since Denahi had visited this place.

She missed it, dearly.

Missed roaming around in the forest without a care, as long as Jake was by her side.

Now, it had turned into something gloomy and threatening— a place nobody wanted to visit.

Unless, you are her children.

"No, no. You stay here, with the ikran," Jake warned Neteyam.

Neteyam dropped his shoulders, "But, Dad, I am a warrior like you. I'm supposed to fight."

Denahi placed her hand onto his shoulder and offered him comfort, "It is for your safety, Teyam."

"I'm not gonna say it again," Jake replied.

Denahi narrowed her eyes at his harsh tone.

"Yes, sir," Neteyam answered.

Jake sighed before turning to Denahi, "I would tell you to stay, mama, doubt you'd listen."

She chuckled at that.

Jake nodded his head forwards, telling them both where to walk.

As they continued to walk, Jake pressed his finger to his lips— telling Denahi to be silent.

She had already got the memo.

Make noise, they find you.

It was getting darker and rain had began to fall from the sky.

Denahi breathed in the scent of her children, looking down to the ground to find their footsteps.

She tapped Jake's arm, pointing in the direction of their kids before he nodded his head.

They both separated, going different directions.

Denahi exclaimed a sound.

It let her children know that they were here.

Her back pressed against the trunk of a tree, peeping around the corner to witness her kids.

Lo'ak was nodding to Spider.

Kiri had been grabbed by her hair and roughly forced to the ground.

Tuk looked scared as anything.

Malhua scratched at the flesh of the Avatar's hand that bunched her braids in their palm.

Tears whelmed in her eyes at the sound of pained whimpers coming from Malhua.

She balanced the arrow onto her bow and held it to the Avatar that held Malhua in place.

Freeing her would relieve the pain.

But, it was hard to get a good sight of them.

The rain fell harder and her hair began to fall in front of her eyes.

Denahi hissed to herself.

"Come on..." She whispered.

That was when the Avatar yanked Malhua.

And, her arrow was set free.

"Lo'ak!" She screamed to her son, allowing him to set himself and the others free.

But, the Avatar's were quick to attack.

Denahi quickly jumped behind the trunk as rounds of shots were aimed her way.

Cuts graced her skin from the flying bark, "Ow!"

She had to pull through.

For them.

They were focused on the tree and it gave Denahi the chance to run.

Her feet were as quick as they could carry her, trying to dodge every stray bullet.

"Kiri! Kiri!" Denahi repeated.

The sight of her daughter kneeling over a tree sent nausea into her stomach.

"We have to keep moving," Denahi warned.

"Spider is down there!" Kiri yelled.

Denahi hissed as she began to climb down the tree to retrieve Spider.

But, they had gotten to him first.

Denahi was also down there.

"Go, go!" Spider yelled to her, and she ran in the opposite direction.

Silently thanking Spider for sparing her.

Looking behind her, Denahi watched as Spider was picked up by Quaritch.

His injured frame making it clear from the fall.

"Eywa, please..." Denahi whispered.

She continued to run— ignoring the pain from her little wounds.

Until, her body bounced into something hard.

"No, no!" Denahi exclaimed once feeling their hands wrap around her waist.

"It's me, mama, it's me," He comforted.

She stopped her struggling and looked up to find him... Jake.

Denahi fell limp in his arms as she tied her hands around his neck, moving him closer into her chest.

"Momma!" Malhua shouted.

Neteyam let her down from his arms and Malhua quickly stumbled onto Denahi's leg.

She fell to the ground, quickly kissing Malhua and Tuk's forehead, "Oh, my little ones."

She had never felt relief like this.

Knowing they were all safe.

All standing before her.

Denahi stood and dragged Neteyam and Lo'ak into her arms as Jake dealt with the crying Kiri.

"Do not ever do that again," Denahi warned Lo'ak.

He nodded his head before tightening his grip of Denahi's upper arm.