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fourteen. nothing ever lasts forever
JUNIPER REFUSED TO LEAVE THE IKRAN'S SIDE, HEARING JAKE'S VOICE RING THROUGH THE COMMS SHE WORE. Juniper's sobs had dried out, and she felt anger beginning to replace the sadness she felt for losing her best friend. The heavy footsteps of the sky people were nearing the Vespera girl, yet she didn't care. On top of that, Juniper continued to hear Jake through her comms, "Juniper, do you read me? June!"
Finally, she got her head out of Zuzip's neck, and a heavy glare settled on her face, reaching for the comm button to reply to Jake. She reached for her neck, "I hear you," Juniper paused, "they shot us down ... Zuzip, she—" From the other side, Jake could hear the emotions penetrating her voice. A hint of anger underneath a whole load of sorrow, "she's gone, Jake. They killed her."
It was like the whole world went silent suddenly, but the need to say something. Like a word about to be spoken but was stuck on your tongue. The air between Juniper was tense, clasping her bow in her grasp tightly. Jake's voice made her flinch out of her daze, "Juniper, are they near you?" The Vespera girl was hesitant but replied within a couple seconds to answer 'yes', "get out of there, you hear me? Fall back, now!"
Juniper breathed heavily against Zuzip, the hand that was free and not clutching her bow caressed the fallen ikran's head. She sighed, reaching a hand to her neck, "I'm sorry, Jake," She heard the protests coming from the other side, along with Neytiri's voice speaking up, yet Juniper tuned it out. Her eyes solemnly gazed at Zuzip, "it's okay ... I'm sorry."
Juniper reluctantly stood up near Zuzip's side, her bow being held in front of her as she warily saw the distant figures of the sky people advancing towards her. Putting an arrow on the string of the bow, she pulled it back, ready to release. As her breathing hitched and got stuck in her throat at the sight of how many sky people there were, Neytiri yelled out something that Juniper heard clearly, "Eywa has heard you," The woman said. Juniper frowned, her bow lowering as she heard the sound of squawks filling the air.
