The Fire Between Us {Neteyam x Reader}

32.

(Y/n)' POV:

"Step back from my people" Chief Tonowari says. Ronal, Jake Sully and Neytiri are beside him, weapons in hand looking frightening.

"Finally you have decided to join us my friend" Dinraal calls out to him.

"We are not friends, you have broke every bond of trust between our clans" Tonowari replies.

"You were the one who trusted me in the first place. What a fool you were."

"End this now and save any more blood from being shed" Chief Tonowari demands but those words only seem to ignite something powerful in my father. His eyes glisten with menace, his evil stare hypnotizing anyone who looks.

"For the Metkayina!" Tonowari yells. He charges towards Dinraal and they begin to fight, Tonowari's spear clashing with Dinraal's.

Other soldiers are fighting with Metkayina soldiers all around the battlefield. Jake Sully shoots warriors down, Neytiri pierces arrows at the foe and Ronal jabs her spear into the enemies heart. Truly a sight to see.

And then there is me. Doing nothing. So conflicted on who to choose. I don't want to kill because I know when I start, I won't stop. Instead I carry Metkayina to safety and hide them inside pods and pretend to guard them while I watch the two chiefs fight.

Pandora's heart beats in pain and I can see the trees hanging lower, the seas calm demeanour and burnt ash flowing through the air.

I go search for Tehiti to make sure he's safe and I hear his voice coming from inside a pod. I walk towards it but the soldier puts his hand forward and says "no one is to go inside. Dinraal's orders."

"Move" I reply and narrow my gaze in anger. He gulps and looks around before letting me in. "Two minutes" I hear him say behind me and he closes the covering.

I look in front of me to see Tehiti, Tuk, Lo'ak, Tsireya, Rotxo and Ao'nung sitting on the ground. They look up to see me and Tehiti rushes forward and hugs me.

"Hey out of here, traitor" Lo'ak sneers and Tehiti says "she's not a traitor."

"I promise all of you I didn't mean for this to happen. I am so sorry."

"Whose side are you on?" Ao'nung asks and my heart drops seeing them all look so scared.

"Yours."

"Then fight for us" Tsireya says.

"I will try" I reply.

"That's not good enough. Either you do or you don't" Lo'ak states and I don't know what to say.

"Take care of my brother, I will try to stop this war without shedding blood I promise you." With that I kiss Tehiti's cheek and walk out.

"Make sure no one enters. They are valuable prisoners I tell the soldier and he nods. I run to where Dinraal and the others are fighting and stop once I see the sight in front of me.

Tonowari falls to the ground after Dinraal punches him. He slices his arm with his spear and Tonowari holds himself in pain. My father holds and lifts his spear with both his hands aiming for Tonowari's heart. Oh eywa, he's going to kill him.

He raises the spear higher and once he's about to push it through Tonowari, Tuntak ducks and slices Dinraal's stomach from the side. Dinraal jerks back and Tonowari stares at Tuntak. He doesn't know him but what he didn't know is that there are more of us Ash People who disagree with this war.

"How could you" Dinraal asks in disbelief.

"Your way is not the right way, brother. I've watched you change for the worse and it's time I stopped you."

"How dare you speak to me like that? You are the younger brother, what would you know?"

"I know more about love and compassion than you ever will. You have the most amazing kids and all you have done is let them down, let the Ash Clan down. Your reign is coming to an end."

Dinraal bolts forward to attack Tuntak but he dodges. He tries again and this time he ends up slicing Tuntak's chest. Oh my god.

"TUNTAK" I yell and rush towards him. "No no no no please stay with me."

"I'm fine—ah" he groans in pain.

"Get him to a doctor. Someone HELP HIM." But know one moves. No one offers help. Even Jake Sully and Neytiri stand still.

"Hold them down" Dinraal orders his men and they take hold of Jake Sully, Neytiri, Ronal and Tonowari. They hold knives infront of their throats and the rest of the clan watch from behind on their knees.

Im here in the middle of it all, Tuntak in my hands and then I hear someone calling out my name from the right.

I look to see soldiers holding down Tehiti as he screams. "Sister, help! They killed Noatak!!" The second part he says happily but the face my father has on is not so pleasant.

"They did what—" he yells, his teeth grinding with one another and his hand clutching his weapon with anger. Tehiti keeps screaming and fighting from the soldiers' grip but they hold on even tighter, I can tell it's hurting him.

"Shut him up!" Dinraal orders and the soldier whacks the end of his spear onto Tehiti's head.

"NO. What is wrong with you?"

"Noatak was the only one fit to lead. I can't have you stay alive to lead either, you would soften us. So you must go child."

I lift my hand from Tuntak's chest and it's smeared with blood and he breathes irregularly. My father's shadow approaches me but I can't move. This is all my fault. I deserve to die. I let myslef indulge in happiness and now it's time to pay the price. I put my head down as tears fall from my eyes, landing on Tuntak's still body.

My father aims to throw his spear at my heart.

I'm sorry mother, i'm so sorry.

The spear glistens as it's launched and I breathe in a breath. I smell ash. A burnt odour that has been a companion all my life. For a moment I could no longer smell it and feel all the guilt it brought. One person made it go away, all the pain. But alas, the fire between us was too strong to extinguish.

I look up to see the spear coming my way with great force. I close my eyes and breathe out.

"NO" Neteyam yells and shoots an arrow at Dinraal's heart. I open my eyes and see Dinraal fall but someone blocks my view.

No—

The spear pierces through Neteyam's chest and he falls.

...