Petrichor

Quaritch

hello my lovelies we're going back to bold for English bc wattpad doesnt like bold italics apparently

***

It was a few days after the mission. A few days after Trudy's, and ten other Na'vi's, deaths.

She'd had a relatively okay morning. Jake and the kids had all been awake and out of bed by the time she'd woke up, and Neytiri had made her breakfast. She'd sat with her nieces and nephews, spoke to them about anything and everything.

But it had all went to shit in the afternoon.

She, Jake, Neteyam and Leypa were flying. Stretching the ikrans' wings, but also scouting. Making sure there had been no human activity south of High Camp. It had been tense, Leypa still hadn't fully forgiven his father for what he'd said. Ilhia thought that Jake thought he could speak to his eldest like a child and get away with it, but she'd had to remind him that their son was only a year younger than she had been when they'd first met.

And then Lo'ak had commed them. He was at the old shack, the one where Ilhia had put that scum in hell, and he wasn't alone.

Kiri, Spider and Tuk were with him. Ilhia could only thank Eywa that her son hadn't been stupid enough to invite his cousins.

They had come across Na'vi in human gear. Not the scientists. The scientists never strayed far from the mountain, and if they did, they never went to the old battleground. It may have been close to Vitrautral, but the whole area was a no go zone. Everyone knew that.

Apart from her son.

Scratch that. He definitely knew that. Lo'ak wasn't stupid. He knew where he was allowed and not allowed to go. It was just unfortunate that this time there had been something worth calling in, and he'd been caught.

"Mom, Dad, I know a quick way!" Neteyam had shouted, and the pair exchanged glances before diving after their sons. Leypa was up ahead with Neteyam.

She couldn't help but worry who it was. Jake had been very calm when he'd told Lo'ak and the kids to back up, to do it now and stay as silent as possible. But she had a feeling in her gut that the Na'vi that were there had taken them. Were holding them prisoners, waiting for them to arrive.

Not that it would matter. Any man or woman who touched her sons or daughters would be dead before dawn. Eclipse would soon be upon them, and Ilhia had always worked better in the dark.

Neteyam led them into the forest, landing close enough that it would only take a few minutes to get to the old shack. The scent of humans lingered in the air, making Ilhia scrunch her nose.

"Stay with the ikran," Jake said to Neteyam, who began to protest loudly.

"Netty," Leypa said softly, and the boy shut up, giving his ikran a pat. His glare was fierce, but did nothing to the older Na'vi. He glanced at Jake, and then nodded.

"Yes sir," he said, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice. Leypa gave him a grin and touched the top of his brother's head.

"See you soon, brother."

It didn't take them long to find them. Ilhia turned up her nose at the scent, mixed in with the petrichor of the rain. The three communicated in hand signals, Jake going right, Ilhia going straight down the middle and Leypa going left. Ilhia took her bow from over her shoulder and carried it with one hand, notching an arrow loosely. Just in case.

Eclipse had fallen. She followed the scent, keeping low.

The kids had loved playing hide and seek when they were younger. Jake had introduced them to it, and they'd spend hours playing in the forest hiding from each other. One particular thing that Ilhia used to do when she thought they were getting out of bounds, getting a bit too far away, was call, loudly. Three or four yips, and it echoed through the forest brilliantly. The kids always turned up after that.