𝖲𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇

     

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄

       AONUNG HELPED TU’AHU OFF THE ILU WHEN THEY CAME TO WHERE NETEYAM LAID. She immediately walked over to where she saw Tsireya, cleaning up her brother’s body. Tu’ahu saw her brother, her little brother, laying still with his eyes closed. She cried almost instantly, falling to her knees beside him.

      Tsireya stood and embraced her brother tighter than she ever had before, grateful to have him there with her. They turned to see Tu’ahu take Neteyam’s limp arm, holding his hand to her chest, crying quietly. Tu’ahu placed her good hand on Neteyam’s face, and then she dipped her head down to rest on his shoulder, hugging him as best as she could.

      Tsireya nudged her brother, and Aonung walked over to Tu’ahu, kneeling behind her. He rubbed her back and pulled her braids into a knot behind her head to get them away from her face. Tsireya knelt at the other side of Neteyam.

      “He asked for you before he died, Tu’ahu,” Tsireya whispered, and Tu’ahu lifted her face up, eyes red with tears cascading down her face. “He said, ‘Where’s my sister? Where’s Tua? I want Tua.’”

      Tu’ahu tearfully chuckled, placing her lips on Neteyam’s forehead. “I’m here now, little brother. I’m right here.” she whispered, hugging him so tight.

      Aonung looked around, noticing a Sully was missing. “Tsireya, where’s Lo’ak?” he asked, and Tu’ahu looked up at hearing her brother’s name.

      Tsireya sniffled. “He went to the ship.” she answered, and Tu’ahu looked to the ship at the wrong time. 

      The ship had sunk into the ocean, with Tu’ahu’s entire family still inside it. “No!” she yelled, watching the ship disappear. Aonung held Tu’ahu’s shoulders gently, his heart clenching at her cries.

      “What’s wrong?” Tsireya asked, alarmed.

      “Her family’s in the ship. We got separated from them, and they’re stuck in the ship.” Aonung explained as Tu’ahu fell back into his chest, clutching Neteyam’s hand.

      They stayed like that for a while, Tu’ahu hugging her brother, and Aonung and Tsireya comforting her. Tsireya had tried to do something for Tu’ahu’s arm, but it was way outside of her skillset. The blood on the cloth was growing, as was Tu’ahu’s pain, and Aonung was concerned.

      Tu’ahu backed away from Neteyam and crept over to the water. She let Eywa into her mind, felt her energy. Before she knew it, a huge number of glow fish had come to her feet. She felt Eywa in them. “Find Kiri. She’ll know what to do.” Tu’ahu instructed the fish, pointing towards the sunken ship. And they all swam away.

      She walked back over to her brother, holding his hand. She should’ve seen the man who shot him before it was too late. She should’ve protected him. She was his big sister, and she had failed. The warrior daughter was no more. How could she protect the People if she couldn’t save her own brother?

      Tu’ahu thought she was hallucinating when she heard Payakan’s trills. “It’s Payakan. It’s Lo’ak.” she said to Tsireya and Aonung, looking towards the sea.

      “Tu’ahu, I think you’re losing blood, and you’re not thinking clearly.” Aonung said gently, trying to talk her off the ledge.

      She ignored him, and then she saw Payakan emerge from the water in the distance, two figures on his fin. “It’s Lo’ak!” she said again, standing and running to the water. She was about to yip for Loran, when she remembered that Loran was gone. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had lost her. She settled for Aonung’s ilu, diving into the ocean and grabbing hold of it. It swam her to Payakan, and as she got closer, she saw her whole family. They were okay.

      “Tu’ahu!” Tuk yelled, laying on Payakan’s fin.

      “My daughter.” Neytiri cried as Tu’ahu arrived at Payakan, holding onto his fin.

      Lo’ak reached for her, eyes widening at her arm. The cloth had fallen away. She held his hand. “Kiri, did the glow fish come to you?” she asked quickly.

      Kiri nodded. “I knew it was you.” she smiled tearfully, hugging her older sister.

      Neytiri embraced Jake, and Lo’ak held Tu’ahu tightly. There was a space on Payakan between Tuk and Neytiri. Tu’ahu knew who it was for. “I thought I’d lost you all.” Tu’ahu said, feeling Jake check her face for injuries. “Thank you, Great Mother.” she whispered to herself and she heard Kiri do the same.

      Payakan trilled, and Tu’ahu and Lo’ak looked up to the sky, seeing the sun begin to emerge. It had truly been the longest night of their lives. Payakan swam them back to Neteyam, and Neytiri and her daughters embraced him, while Jake thanked Aonung and cut the remaining cuffs from Kiri’s hands, and Tsireya and Lo’ak hugged each other.

      Tuk held Neteyam’s hand, crying. Neytiri cradled her son’s head, and Tu’ahu stuffed her face under his head, holding him. Spider emerged from the sea, but Tu’ahu ignored him. “Monkey Boy!” Kiri said as he came over to them.

      Aonung came over to his sad girl, placing his hand on her back comfortingly. Tu’ahu looked up with red eyes on display to see Jake hugging Lo’ak and Spider. She almost smiled, and then she turned back to Neteyam, leaning up to kiss his forehead, brushing his hair from his face.

      Kiri looked over to her sister, seeing her hurt arm with blood dripping down it, the scorched skin red and inflamed. The bone had a dark tint to it from the taser, and even appeared to be cracked. “Tu’ahu, we have to check out your arm.” she said, and Jake and Lo’ak immediately turned to their sister and daughter.

      “It’s fine.” Tu’ahu mumbled, brushing them off. Aonung watched her wince everytime she moved.

      Jake knelt beside her, holding her arm. “It’s not fine. We have to take you to Ronal.” he said, but Tu’ahu shook her head.

      “Tua–” Aonung tried, but Tu’ahu cut him off.

      “No! This is about Neteyam, not me. I’m not leaving him.” she said harshly, willing herself not to react to the pain she felt.

      Jake persisted, and put his hand on his daughter’s forehead. “You’re burning up. We have to take care of your arm. I know you’re trying to ignore the pain, but you could lose your arm.” Jake said softly.

      Tu’ahu’s head was down on her brother’s chest. Aonung nudged her, finding her not moving. “Tu’ahu? Tua, are you okay?” he asked, gripping her shoulders and pulling her up.

      But Tu’ahu was not okay, and she had passed out on Neteyam’s body. Her eyes were closed and she was sweating, leant back on Aonung. “Dad…” Lo’ak said, and Neytiri looked up from her son.

      Jake lifted his daughter with ease and Aonung folded her hurt arm across her chest so it wasn’t dangling. “Tsireya, where’s your mother?” Neytiri asked, standing beside her husband.

      “At her tent.” Tsireya said, holding a crying Tuk’s hand.

      Jake began to make his way to the village with his family beside him and behind him. They would come back for Neteyam as soon as Ronal had looked over their daughter. They already lost one child today, and Jake and Neytiri wouldn’t lose another one.

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄