Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

060, Prisoner.

♯┆calm before the storm .ᐟ
━━━━━━━━━━

     The night seemed calm. Denahi sat with Malhua and Tuk, within the marui, refreshing their braided hair. Spider and Kiri explored the mangrove behind the village, Jake keeping up outside the marui, regretting his previous conversation with Lo'ak. Regretful of what he had mentioned— that Lo'ak hadn't said goodbye to him before leaving. Hoping it wouldn't be the last conversation that the two would have.

That was until Denahi heard the horn blow. She rushed outside the marui, making sure that Malhua and Tuk kept inside. "What happened?" Denahi questioned.

And then she saw it. Demons. Quaritch. Mangkwan. Everything that had ruined her, coming to the one place she thought had been safe for some time. "Stay inside!"Denahi shouted to Malhua as she ran outside to follow her mom. Malhua's ears fell, running back into the marui.

"Dad!" Kiri shouted as she walked into the village, Spider wasn't at her side. Denahi rushed to her daughter, reaching out to grab her shoulders. "Where's Spider?" Jake questioned. "They took him. The blue colonel took him..." Quaritch has took him.

"Take the girls and you go, now!" Jake exclaimed and ordered Denahi. The three of them running towards the commotion as distant shouting of Jake's name was heard. Denahi stopped in her tracks, "I will not leave you, Ma'Jake." He turned around to her, weapon held tight within his grip.

"He's got Spider. There's nothing holding him back. You've seen what they can do. These people will die! You don't want that," He mentioned. Denahi looked back at Kiri, noticing Malhua and Tuk had made their way out of the marui and towards them.

"No, Ma'Jake. You are not going this alone..." He then dropped his gun. Denahi looked towards the metal on the ground. Was he giving up? What was he planning on doing? "This is the only way. You gotta go, you gotta go right now!" He was desperate to keep Denahi and his children safe. But this, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Denahi turned to Kiri, "You take Mal and Tuk. Go and hide. Go!" Kiri took Malhua in her arms and carried her, Tuk holding tight on her hand before the three ran.

Denahi watched as her daughters moved in too much fear. Such young children holding so much fear shouldn't be allowed.

"I have told you, Ma'Jake, I will not let you do this alone..." Jake looked at Denahi before shaking his head. He couldn't stop her. He learned that before. When Denahi had her head set of something, it would be completed. No matter the circumstances.

"Whatever happens... do not raise that bow! You hear me? Don't do that. I'm not losing you too, baby," Jake whispered to her, forehead touching hers. Denahi breathed onto his chin, fear consuming her. But, the Mangkwan and Quaritch had formed an alliance. And from the past, the Mangkwan wouldn't hold back on harming her.

"I promise," Denahi whispered. He looked at her one more time before the two ran towards the loud commotion. "I want Jake Sully!" Quaritch then shouted. Denahi glimpsed at the fire burning the beautiful village— her second home. She reached Ronal and held onto her arm, knowing that her home being in flames would hurt her. "Stop! Hold your fire. This is my path, brother," Jake told Tonowari.

The Metkayina's fell to the ground, the only person standing being Denahi. "Colonel," Jake shouted out to the man. Quaritch ears twitched at the sound, "Corporal."

"You take me. You leave my family and these people alone," Jake offered him a solution towards the situation. Denahi's chest grew tight at that chance— the chance that the RDA can capture her husband.

"Not good enough! Gonna need the missus, too," Quaritch told Jake who immediately shook his head. He wasn't going to allow them to take Denahi. He needed her here.

"You get me!" Jake then shouted back. "Both of you, or I hammer this place flat. Pregnant ladies, kids, I'll blow grandma's skinny shit through the back of the hooch 'cause I just don't care. And my pals here, well, they're just dying to waste everybody and take some scalps," Quaritch spoke. Denahi looked down at Ronal after pregnant ladies had been mentioned. Ronal looked up at her, begging for Denahi to do something.

Denahi's fingers tightened around her bow, but she promised Jake. The Mangkwan yipped around him, excited to take and kill some of the Metkayina people.

Jake then stood back, holding him arm in the air, and on command, the clan stood and raised their weapons alongside him, "When I drop my arm, you and your new girlfriend die. You in particular die a lot!"

"I die. Everybody here dies!" Quaritch responded, Denahi watched as the Mangkwan raised their weapons as well. There was no fighting them. Nothing the clan could do would defeat them.

Jake looked at Quaritch, "Maybe. I think you can get some of us, but not all of us. Maybe we bum rush you, and your gunships hesitate because we all look the same. And then when you're begging for your life... I'll scalp you." Denahi couldn't help but smile at Jake's sentence. Defeating Quaritch once and for all would be the end of this fight.

"Damn, Corporal. I don't know if you're smart or just shit nuts. You never struck me as all that smart," Quaritch spoke.

Denahi held her bow high and strong, capturing the moment Varang looked at her. A look that hadn't had much emotion but pure want to kill her in cold blood.

Her skin ran cold. The first time someone had made Denahi afraid. She had been scared before. That was the truth. But how Varang looked at her— a ravenous Palulukan looking at their first meal, had Denahi terrified. Varang was too smart. Too strong. A woman who turned her back. The one person who had physically wounded Denahi.

But, Denahi wouldn't show the fear. Her chin cocked up, head held high. Attempting to calm the pace of her heart, the motion of her heaving chest. She was scared.

Not just for herself. If Denahi couldn't handle Varang. Neither could her children or the Metkayina's. "I need your word. Marine to Marine. Safety for these people," Jake mentioned. "Burn them all, Quaritch," Denahi heard Varang speak. Without hesitation, if Varang had been in charge, the village would be extremely close to looking like her ash-filled home.

"Do we have a deal?" Jake asked as the tension became stronger. "Done..." Quaritch then replied. Denahi felt herself breathe again. Quaritch then held his pinky out to Jake, "Wanna pinky swear?"

Jake flung his other hand into the air and the clan fell to their knees once again.

But, Denahi stood strong. She had promised Jake, but her guard wouldn't be let down. Varang was too much of a threat.

Jake walked towards the RDA, holding his arms out to them as Lyle captured him. Denahi looked at Varang, noticing the smirk spreading across her thin lips.

And when Jake turned around, that look on his face made Denahi's stance stagger. Quaritch laughed at her sudden reaction. He had her where he wanted her. A moment of weakness and frustration. "I'll be back for you, Mrs Sully!" Quaritch shouted out.

He had Jake. He wanted Denahi. The woman who had killed him in the first instant. Denahi's hiss filled the air as the arrow flung into the surroundings, landing at his feet.

Denahi watched as Jake was forced into the helicopter, her heart wrenching. This was their first time apart in fifteen years.

And it wasn't left of good terms. Weeks of tension and moments of arguments. Anger and resentment towards each other. Something the two wouldn't let overcome their love for each other, but something that lingered in the air after Neteyam.

"Daddy!" Malhua shouted as she ran out. Denahi whipped her figure around, capturing her daughter within her arms. The two watched as the helicopters flew— Jake sitting within the back, looking down.

Ronal stood and rushed towards Denahi. Although, she hadn't taken much of a liking towards Jake, that was her friends mate. Her husband— her everything.

"I will get him back..." That was all Denahi had mentioned. Retreating back to her marui and collecting that poisoned metal.