𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 | lo'ak x tsireya

𝟏𝟑 - 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

THE DISTANT SOUNDS of celebration float through the trees, a symphony of laughter and music that echoes softly in the warm night air. the village was alive with the spirit of the festival, vibrant with colors and the joyful faces of the omaticayan clan. it was the following night after the first night that lo'ak, tsireya, zo'ile and mekanei had arrived. the celebration for their return continued. tuktirey, the youngest of the sully siblings, was feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety as she watched the festivities from the edge of the clearing. she was put in charge of watching her brother's children for the night, as he had told her there were important matters at hand that he had to discuss with their father. to her disappointment, he refused to tell her what those "important" matters were. tuk turns to her niece and nephew, zo'ile and mekanei, who were bouncing with energy beside her.

"are you sure you want to stay here?" tuk asks, her voice slightly wavering, scratching the back of her head. the younger na'vi were buzzing with excitement, their eyes wide with anticipation. "the party is really fun here..."

"but we want to play!" zo'ile insists, her small tail flicking back and forth like a playful whip. "this place is boring."

mekanei nods vigorously, his little fists clenched in determination.

tuk sighs, glancing deeper into the forest. "alright, but just in the clearing, okay? we can't go too far." she hesitates, unsure if their parents would let them play farther from safety like this. it was unknown what dangers lay in the forest at night, and they were so young... but both parents were occupied at the moment.

"yay!" mekanei cheers, already darting ahead, his sister close at his heels. tuk turns back toward the rising flames of the fire in the middle of the party. she scans the crowd and bites her lip before following after the children.

as they enter the clearing, the moonlight filters through the branches, casting dappled patterns on the ground. the air was fragrant with the sweet scent of night-blooming flowers, and for a moment, tuk allows herself to relax, remembering how she and her siblings used to explore the forest together and play. "okay, how about a game of tag?" she suggests, trying to push her worries aside.

"tag! i'm gonna get you!" zo'ile squeals, taking off with a burst of energy. tuk and mekanei run away from her stretching hand, laughter ringing through the trees. they dart around the clearing, their giggles melding with the sounds of the night. it was easy to forget about everything when they were lost in their game.

but soon enough, the joy fades as mekanei's little face scrunches up in concentration. "can we go a little farther, tuk? just a bit, please?"

tuk, who was sitting down near the bushes to catch her breath, feels her heart quicken again. "just a little bit, okay? try to stay close. i'll catch up with you guys soon." with her chest heaving, she points toward the edge of the clearing. "stick... stick near those trees."

zo'ile and mekanei look at each other with excitement and run towards the trees, where tuk hears their laughter echo. she takes a deep breath and gets to her feet, smiling and shaking her head. just as she was about to take another step forward, she hears the laughter turn to screams of fear.

high on alert, tuk rushes toward the trees, her heart racing faster than her feet were carrying her.

"zo'ile? mekanei?!" she yells, whipping her head around frantically, not seeing the two anywhere. she could have sworn they were just there! suddenly, she sees two, tall, dark figures carrying the small shapes of the children disappear in the distance.

"NO!" tuk screams, her heart shattering as she lunges forward, but it was too late. the two figures were already retreating, their movements swift and fluid, like ghosts vanishing deeper into the forest.