𝖲𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇

      

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄

      JAKE RUSHED HIS DAUGHTER OVER TO RONAL AND TONOWARI’S TENT. “Ronal!” Jake yelled, alerting the couple who were putting their weapons away.

      Ronal and Tonowari stood. “What is wrong?” Ronal asked as Jake, Neytiri and their family came into view.

      “Mother, it’s Tu’ahu. Her arm.” Aonung said quickly, moving beside Jake. Ronal and Tonowari gasped when they saw Tu’ahu’s burned arm and bone.

      “Bring her here,” Ronal instructed, pointing to a mat on the floor of the tent. “Kiri, Tsireya and Tuktirey, help me gather materials.” the girls rushed over to the Tsahik as Tonowari helped Jake lay his daughter onto the mat.

      “The Sky People did this?” Tonowari asked, angry.

      Kiri nodded. “Yes. Six of them.” she said, recalling the incident as she looked down at Tu’ahu.

      She was still passed out, and her face was hot, indicating a fever. Neytiri moved to kneel beside her daughter, immensely worried for her. Lo’ak was beside her, hand on his mother’s shoulder. Aonung was on her other side next to Jake.

      Ronal pushed her son out of the way, holding a bowl of water with a cloth in it. Tsireya helped her kneel down, and together the mother and daughter wiped the blood from Tu’ahu’s arm and dabbed the cold water on her burned skin. 

      Kiri took a cloth and placed it on her sister's hot forehead, while Tuk helped. Tsireya and Ronal touched Tu’ahu’s arm with their cloths again. Tu’ahu winced, beginning to come to. “It is too damaged. The bone has cracked.” Ronal said, taking another cloth and gently wiping Tu’ahu’s arm.

      “What do we do, then?” Neytiri asked, making eye contact with her husband, who held the same worried expression.

      Ronal glanced at Tonowari, who stood behind Jake. “We have to cut it off.” the woman said, and Tuk gasped.

      “Cut off her arm?” Tuk said, glancing at her sister’s arm in fear.

      “Kiri, take your sister.” Jake told his middle daughter, who nodded and handed the wet cloth to Aonung, who continued pressing it to Tu’ahu’s head.

      Tonowari grabbed Ronal’s Tsahik knife from its rightful spot and handed it to his wife, who held it by the handle. “We cut just above the burn.” she said, and Aonung’s eyes nearly fell out of his head as he cradled Tu’ahu in his lap, cloth on her face as she breathed heavily.

      “Ma’Jake,” Neytiri started, hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “You must do it.” she said, and Jake inhaled sharply, nodding.

      Ronal handed the knife to Jake, who glanced down, seeing his daughter open her eyes. “What… What are you… you doing, Dad?” she asked slowly, coughing. She glanced up at Aonung, wincing as her arm moved.

      “Tu’ahu, listen to me, okay?” Jake looked into his daughter’s nervous eyes. “We have to cut your arm off, it can’t be saved.” he said gently.

      Tu’ahu shook her head. “No.” she said firmly, trying to wiggle away, but she was far too weak to even move.

      Aonung placed his hand on her forehead, smoothing her hair back. Jake sighed, glancing at Neytiri, who took over. “My daughter, you cannot keep this arm. It is burned, and your bone is cracked. I am so sorry, but it has to go so you can stay.” she said, voice breaking at the end of her sentence.