Forest Boy

Chapter 13 - Missing

The next day, Spider disappeared. Kiri has been crying since she found out and Lo'ak has been distancing himself from everyone.

I told Neteyam, Jake, and Neytiri what happened in the forest and I told them about my visions. Jake told Ronal and Tonowari what I told him.

-

"Can you control when you have these visions?" Tonowari sits in front of me. I shake my head and he sighs.

"I've only ever had them when i'm unconscious or asleep. But I know they aren't dreams, they're so realistic." I think back to when I fell off my Ilu and hit my head.

"You can go now to your child." Tonowari pats my shoulder and I get up. I walk fastly to my cot and see Tsireya and Ao'nung with Kal'el.

I smile and sit by Ao'nung who is holding him. "He looks a lot like you." Ao'nung holds Kal'els head up and stares at him.

"I thought he looked more like Neteyam." I stroke Kal'els face and he looks over to me. His arms reach out towards me and Ao'nung sighs.

He hands Kal'el to me and Tsireya pouts, "I didn't get to hold him." She says in a whiny voice. I slightly laugh at her.

"I have a feeling that you'll have to be looking after him way more." My face slightly drops when I say that.

Ao'nung and Tsireyas eyebrows both furrow and they look at me concerningly. "Is everything okay Zaya?"

Rotxo walks in with a smile, but when he looks at all of us his smile slowly drops and he sits next to Tsireya, "All okay?"

I shake my head at Rotxo, then look up at everyone. "If I tell you guys this, you cannot tell anyone else. Ronal and Tonowari already know, so do Jake, Neteyam, and Neytiri." I breathe in and let Kal'els fingers wrap around my pinky finger.

"Quaritch is not dead. Spider saved him." I look at everyone, taking in their reactions.

Tsireyas hands cover her mouth, Ao'nungs teeth clench together, and Rotxos ears go down.

Lo'ak and Kiri walk in the cot, my heart drops. They heard what I said. Lo'aks face is filled with rage and Kiri seems speechless.

"I'm.. gonna go help with the hunt thats coming up." Rotxo gets up and walks out the cot. Tsireya looks up at Lo'ak, who is now crying.

Kiri walks back out the cot. Lo'ak sits by Tsireya and takes her hand. "It'll be okay."

I look down at Kal'el, he's staring up at me. I start to tear up, Tsireya notices and strokes my back.

"We have to train people, to make them stronger warriors than they were before. Quaritch will come back. I don't know when, but I know he will. And he'll be stronger than before." I look up at Tsireya and Lo'ak.

They both nod and Lo'ak gets up and leaves. "Spider can stay with Quaritch. He betrayed us by saving his father, so he can stay with him."

"I'll go see where Lo'ak went. I'll tell my father about training everyone more. See you later." She slightly smiles at me before leaving.

-

Neteyam and I lay together while Kal'el is resting on my chest. I close my eyes and suddenly feel Kal'els weight on my chest getting lighter.

I open my eyes and I'm not where I was. I was having another vision.

I look around and I'm inside a medical room. I walk up to one hospital bed in particular, it caught my eye due to the person in it being too big for the bed.

When I reach the side of the bed there Quaritch is. He has small cuts on his face, but he suffered a deep wound on the side of his stomach.

I hear a door open and I quickly turn around. Two guards are both gripping onto Spider, who is handcuffed and snarling at the guards.

"Let go of me!" He tries to pull away from them but they keep a grip on him.

Quaritch groans and sits up, "Kid, can you shut up?" Spider starts to quiet down and Quaritch gets out the hospital bed.

He rests his hand over his wound and slowly walks towards Spider. "Go do your jobs." Quaritch waits until the guards leave to start talking to Spider.

"Decided to join your dad, huh?" Quaritch rests his hand on Spider shoulder. He gives Quaritch a pissed off look.

"I'm not speaking until you get these handcuffs off me." Spider raises his arms in front of Quaritch.

Quaritch grabs a pocket knife from his bedside table and slices the handcuffs. Spider rubs his wrists then rests them at his side.

"Kid, why are you here?" Quaritch leans down to Spiders height and waits for a reply from him.

"I don't belong with them, I thought I did for so long. But I don't." His face fills with anger and sadness.

Quaritch hides a smile and pats Spiders back. "Don't worry, you'll fit in just fine here."