chapter 2: dead bodies

9.8K 291 41
                                    

✧・゚: *✧・゚:*

She shot up from her hammock, feeling the sun on her face as sun rays poured though the cracks of her tent. This was Ikariya's alarm. She knew that it was time to jump out of her hammock and head towards the forest like she'd been doing every day these past three years.

Trying to stealthily sneak past her mother, she slowly but surely made her way over to her ikran. She didn't want her mother asking questions or telling her that she wasn't allowed to go out. It surprised her that she was able to sneak out everyday for the past three years. Her mother knew about absolutely everything that happened in the clan. But then again, it was like her mother just didn't want to know.

'Good morning boy.' Ikariya held onto his chin, her ikran huffing as she did. A smile on her face, she mounted her ikran and rose from the ground. She let out a cry before finally taking off.

☆彡

It felt like he'd been waiting for hours. Lo'ak stood at their usual meeting place, tapping his foot to show impatience. His eyes were glued to the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of a dark blue ikran. But he didn't. Not yet, anyways.

She was late. She was never late. Why was she late? Then his mind trailed off. What if something happened to his best friend? They weren't usually the ones to say that they cared for each other. But he truly did care for her. He'd take a bullet if it came to her.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear obvious footsteps from behind him. Taking a finger on either hand, she pointed them at his sides while waiting for the perfect moment to strike. One, two, three. She poked him in his sides as he screeched like a girl. 'I hate you Ikariya.'

'We both know you don't.' She said while laughing at his ridiculous face. 'So, what are we doing today?' Ikariya let herself fall on the soft grass as she watched Lo'ak's face, waiting for a response.

'I don't know. Any ideas?' He asked, laying down on the grass as well.

'We could go to that pond again.' She suggested as she propped herself up with her elbow, laying on her side to face Lo'ak with her head leaning on her hand.

He shook his head. 'Nah, we did that two days ago. Maybe we could go watch the yerik again.' Lo'ak turned his head to meet hers.

'We already did that last week.' She sighed, flopping on her back again. 'It's official, we've ran out of ideas.'

'That's a first.' Lo'ak said, snickering a little.

'I know. I was dreading this day.' Ikariya grunted, sitting up straight. 'We could always just lay around.' She shrugged.

Lo'ak sat up straight too. 'No that's boring.'

Ikariya turned her head to meet his. So he wants adventure? Ikariya did know what she wanted to explore. It had been on her mind, bugging her for months. Lo'ak told her it was off limits but she was so eager to see it. She bit her tongue trying to keep her idea inside of her, knowing Lo'ak would only get mad if she suggested it. But she can only do that for so long.

The silence was killing her. Screw it, let him be mad at her. 'Maybe, this is just an idea, we could see the weird abandoned sky ship thing?' She squinted, getting ready for a scolding.

He raised an eyebrow, looking up. He was thinking about it. This already made Ikariya exited, knowing this wasn't an immediate "no". Lo'ak sighed. 'Alright then.' He said as he stood up.

Ikariya's eyes lit up. 'Really?' She jumped up, watching as a smile formed on his face.

'Yes, now let's go before I change my mind.'

'Oh my Eywa!' She yelled, already running off.

'Riya! It's that way!' Lo'ak yelled at her before she turned her head to meet him. He pointed to the other direction she was running in.

'I knew that!' She yelled back, turning around and running in the right direction as Lo'ak followed her.

It didn't take long before they made it to their destination. The large aircraft above them was tangled in vines, various plants growing around it showing it's been withering away for a while. Ikariya watched in awe as Lo'ak already jumped up, trying to find an entrance. 'You coming or what?' He asked her, making her jump a little before coming after him. 'What if there are dead bodies up here?' Lo'ak asked her, hoping to frighten her a bit.

'Fun. We could have a little tea party.' She said, smiling sarcastically as she pushed him away to enter the aircraft before he could.

He could've expected such an answer from her.

He followed her inside, looking around. Ikariya was in awe of all of the colorful little buttons inside. She pressed every single one of them.

'There's nothing interesting in here.' Lo'ak said, picking up a piece of cloth with two fingers. 'Let's go. I know a different spot.'

Ikariya's head shot around to look at him as he smirked, already making his way out of the aircraft.

She followed him, swinging onto the vines as she hopped down while almost falling over.

Her ears shot up as she heard a ruffling in the bushes. Her hands clung onto the wooden bow around her back as she turned to the sound. Tilting her head, she stared into the bushes but didn't see anyone.

'You coming or what?' Lo'ak asked her as he stopped and turned around to watch her.

'Yeah.' She said before slowly tearing her eyes away from the bushes as she ran after him. 'Where are we going?'

'It's not too far from here.' Lo'ak said, squinting before taking a left turn.

'Do you even know where you're going?' Ikariya asked him, laughing.

'Shut up.' They walked past some large leaves, when he looked at the ground.

Ikariya was looking around, she didn't see him crouch down. When the two came in contact, she tumbled forward and fell on the floor. She was laughing at her ridiculous clumsiness, thinking Lo'ak would do too. But he was silent, eyes glued to a large footprint in the dirt.

'What is it?' Ikariya asked, crouching down as well. 'Avatars?' She looked up at him. She remembered him explaining something about putting the minds of Sky People in a Na'vi body. They called them avatars.

Lo'ak shook his head. 'Maybe.' He traced the side of the footprint with his finger before standing up, looking around if he could see more of them. 'But their for sure not ours.'

Ikariya frowned, stealthily walking over to the next one with Lo'ak right behind her. 'This can't be good.'

Both of them followed the path of footprints to a weird metal looking tube. Ikariya had never seen something like that before. Before them, avatars wearing full camouflage and gear walked around the site.

'Shit. I've got to call this in.' Lo'ak was about to tell his father about the scene taking place in front of his eyes, when a large hand grabbed Ikariya and pulled her away from him.

Sea of Stars | neteyam sullyWhere stories live. Discover now