War of Hearts

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"OW, OW!" Neteyam whines. "Aww, want a kiss on the boo-boo?" Spider teases. Neteyam and Neyira are getting treated. Mo'at being harsh on Neteyam, while Kiri is using gentle methods on Neyira. "I would use Yalna Bark." Kiri suggests  "Oh u would? And who is Tsahik?"  "You are- move!" She grumbles as she pushes Lo'ak out of the way with her elbow. "You are grandmother but Yalna bark is better-" Kiri says but not before getting interrupted by neteyam's whining. "It stings less."

Neytiri and Jake are outside the hut. Jake tending to some weapons, and Neytiri slightly pacing. The father noticed and sighed, looking over his shoulder to glance at her before turning back to the weapons he was cleaning. "What?" Jake says but knowing why the mother was acting this way. " Neteyam, Lo'ak, and Neyira try to live up to you .." Neytiri says in a slightly worried tone. "It is very hard on them.."

"I know." Jake replied, the irritation clear in his tone, not wanting to hear this. "You are very hard on them." Neytiri says while crouching down beside him, trying to get her message through. "I'm their father, that's my job." Neytiri clicked her tongue impatiently. "This is not a squad, it is a family.."

Jake's eyes soften as the guilt starts to eat at him. he sighs then puts the gun he was holding down and turned to Neytiri. "I thought we'd lost them.." Jake says quietly as his eyes start to water at the thought of losing their children. Neytiri just stays silent as she puts her hand on top of his.

                              • • •

Kiri, Neyira, Spider, and Lo'ak are all on their way to the lab. "Hey spider!" Norm calls out as spider turns around and Norm smacks the back of his legs with a rag. Spider yelped and spun around, pointing a finger at him. "Your ass is mine!" Spider says to him jokingly. Norm throws his hands up in a surrendering position. "I'm right here." Norm teases.

"Avartars only, go around!" A scientist says while Neyira just mocks her. They're now finally in the lab. "You know what sucks though? Is that You can breathe earth air for hours, and I can only breath your air for like— 10 seconds." The human boy complained. "Yeah, Monkey boy that really sucks." Kiri says teasing spider. Kiri goes and jumps to the tank hers and Neyira's mother is in. Kiri sits on top while Neyira stands to the side of the tank, admiring their mother. "Hi, ma." Neyira says with a sad smile as she knows the woman can't hear her. Kiri just hugs the tank.

The twins now sit down watching their mothers old videos with smiles one their faces. "I wish we could've met her.." Neyira says turning to look at Kiri, her smile faltering. "Hey..Don't worry. We could always talk to her at the spirit tree." Kiri reassures, but it doesn't really help "I know, It's just not the same.." Neyira turns back to the video of their mother and smiling sadly. Kiri understands but doesn't reply and just turns back to the video as well, putting an arm around Neyira's shoulder.

Their sad moment is interrupted by Lo'ak. "So, who do you think knocked her up?" Lo'ak asks but it's more to tease the girls. Neyira rolled her eyes and took a breath from the mask around her neck. "Pretty sure it was Norm." Lo'ak says trying to get a reaction out of the twins. "You do not deserve to live." Kiri says as Neyira just nods. she wasn't usually quiet but being around her mother just made her sad. "No no no, think about it, right?" Lo'ak says "I mean he's the teacher's pet, he's out at the lab with her all the time." the boy explains as Kiri and Neyira just get more annoyed with him. "I would kill myself. I would drink acid." Kiri says because lord knows she definetly would. No offense to Norm of course.

"Bro you're right, he's like in every shot!" Spider joins in now wanting to make fun of the twins as well. Neyira isn't finding it funny "Kiri, I'm just gonna head back." Neyira said, ignoring the boys and their foolish behavior. She didn't wait for a response from any of them but she could hear Kiri protesting.

                                  • • •

Lo'ak decided since he made Neyira upset earlier he would ask her if she wanted to go exploring more of the forest. She had said yes but then Tuk overheard them and threatened to tell their father if they didn't let her go, so they decided to also invite spider and Kiri. They were running to their destination. Suddenly, Tuk sees a cool plant and gets distracted. "Tuk! Keep up!" Lo'ak yells to her annoyed because he had not wanted her to join them. "Bro, why'd you bring her anyway?" Spider asked. "She's such a crybaby, she's all 'I'm telling, you're not supposed to go to the battlefield I'll tell mom if you don't let me come.'  Spider and Neyira just laugh. "Don't pick on her!" Kiri scolds as Tuk hides behind Neyira and sticks her tongue out at Lo'ak.

Kiri and Neyira find a beautiful area and lie down in a patch of grass. Them closing their eyes as the grass moves in a motion that looks like a heart beat. Kiri was always the spiritual twin, while Neyira wasn't, but she loved to join Kiri because it meant peace and quiet and she felt even closer to eywa. They lay there for what felt like hours until Spider comes and shakes them awake. "Kiri, Neyira. Wake up, cmon." Neyira was never asleep but was close to it so she got up with no problem. "I was doing that thing again, wasn't I..?" Kiri says sheepishly as she feels like she's out of place when she does it.

They're all now on their way back again as they didn't want to get in trouble for staying out past eclipse, when suddenly Neyira sees a footprint. "Lo'ak! Come." She calls. "It's way to big for human." Lo'ak says getting suspicious. "Avatars?" Spider says coming up next to Neyira as Kiri and Tuk are behind them. "Maybe." Lo'ak says getting up slowly and walking away. "What are you doing?" Kiri says "Shh, he's tracking." Neyira says.

Avatars come up to the old shack as they look around. The kids coming up and watching them behind some bushes. "We are never supposed to come here." Kiri says "Dad is going to ground you," Kiri scolds while Lo'ak tries to shush her. "For life." Neyira says now making fun of him. Lo'ak, Neyira, and Spider come up to different bushes hiding closer to be able to see the avatars. "Bro, that's where your dad, and my dad..fought.." Neyira just stares at the avatars not wanting to be there anymore knowing that they could do terrible things. "Lo'ak we should call this in." Neyira says wanting to leave as soon as possible. "No, we'll get in trouble!" Spider whisper-shouts to Lo'ak. "Please." Neyira says in a scared tone.

Lo'ak could tell that she wasn't too amped up about being there and gets up to a different spot to call their father so they wouldn't be heard. "Devil dog. Devil dog, this is eagle eye, over." Lo'ak radios to his father. "Eagle eye, send your traffic." Jake calls back. "I got eyes on some guys. They look like avatars, But they're in full camo, carrying AR's." Lo'ak says. "What's your pos', over." Jake says now worrying for Lo'ak. "Uh-..We're at the old shack." Lo'ak says but not before hesitating. "Who's we?" Jake says getting more worried and angry by the second. Me, Spider, Kiri, Nelyira....And Tuk.." Lo'ak responds knowing his mother would be upset about him dragging her youngest into this.

                          • • •

Neytiri and Jake give each other a look. "Son, you listen to me very carefully. You pull back right now, Do not make a sound. You get the hell outta' there." Jake says the anger now being very clear in his voice. "See, I told you." Kiri whispers now knowing they would all be in trouble. Neyira was glad she had her mother's old bow and arrows she never used them unless she was hunting for fish but since the war started it made her feel safer to have it around.

They're now running back trying to get back home quick. "It's almost eclipse come on!" Tuk calls out a little too loud. And all of a sudden an avatar comes out and grabs her.

"TUK!"

Thank you for reading!

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