Eywa's Marines

Chapter 36

Lo'ak stared at me before he realised I wasn't looking at him, he followed my eyes and turned his head and body behind him. Everyone stopped and looked, all ears drooping and eyes dialating. We all saw the giant airship owned by the RDA approaching with three boats protecting it, it was heading towards us.

"NO!" Lo'ak yelled then threw himself back into the water. Panic began to tighten in my chest, I was all too familiar how this would end.

"Come on!" Tsireya yelled and we all began to pull at the tracker again, Payakan whaling in discomfort.

"I'm trying!" Tuk whined as she presses her body against the spear.

"Try harder!" Lo'ak strained as he pulled as hard as he could, his hand slipping down the plastic casing. I frantically look around for something, anything.

Then I looked to the Ilu's that were swimming around us. My eyes drifted towards my leg and I remembered I had a new bandage wrapped around it, securing all the way to my thigh. I let go.

"What are you-?" Kiri began.

"No! What are you doing I need your help!" Lo'ak cried out. I began to unravel the bandage of strong, hardy leaves, my head dunked under the water as I couldn't hold my balance, I began to unwrap it faster whilst I was submerged.

I felt Neteyam's hands hold me steady on either side of my ribs, he seemed to understand what I was doing. I got the bandage off faster with his help then raised my head above the water again.

"Tie it to the Ilu and tow it out!" I told them. They all then splashed over to help as Tsireya called the Ilu, holding it in place and calming it best she could. Lo'ak watched carefully as me and Neteyam began to tie two bowline knots, one on each end of the bandage. He looped his end over the Ilu's head, resting against its neck. I then tightened the knot onto the tracking spear and held onto the spear itself like we all did before. Kiri held Tuk back and out of the way whilst we worked against the clock.

Lo'ak rushed to hold on too, then Neteyam joined in followed by Kiri and Tuk.

"Make the Ilu move on my count!" I shouted over to Tsireya, she instantly connected tsaheylu and waited for our signal.

"Alright one" I began. Mine and Neteyam's eyes glanced over to the boats in the distance, they were a lot closer now.

"They're getting closer!" Kiri panicked out.

"Two"

"THREE!"

Tsireya got the Ilu to jolt off whilst the three of us pulled onto the tracker. I could feel it getting looser as it's steel claws dragged Payakan's skin with it, the sensations giving me stabbing sensations in my fingers as I relieve my trauma.

I feel it shifting slowly. I then lift my feet and push off from Payakan, I tense my leg muscles right away and the spear comes flying out.

*SPLASH!*

I tumble around under the sea, holding the tracker, then rise to the surface.

"YEYAH! Lo'ak cheers and punches his fists in the air. Neteyam grinned brightly in victory whilst Tsireya and the girls cheered too.

"We did it!" Tuk sang.

"How that bandage didn't snap I don't know" Kiri panted, collecting herself as her hands grabbed her hair.

Neteyam glanced at the boats in the distance, reminding us the threat is still beating down on us.

"Everyone split now! Don't lead them to the village!" I order.

"Hold on" I hear Payakan say. Lo'ak and the girls hold on to his fins, ready to dive down. I whistle for the Ilu I arrived on and Neteyam takes Tsireya's.