Family

Joey

"We need to summon a war party." Jake is pacing back and forth as he thinks. Poor baby Tuk is crying, probably afraid and unable to understand what is happening. I find my hand is shaking. That never happens. I have only heard tales about the sky people. They destroy everything in their path and have no regard for life, both Na'vi and forest alike.

I stare at the cloud of smoke. "I want to come."

"Me too." Neteyam chimes in immediately.

"No." Norm and Jake both speak at the same time.

"No?" I cross my arms, annoyed. "I always come. I want to see what all the fuss is about. I am a warrior, after all." How can they tell me no to this after all the things they've allowed me to do? "If you're calling a war party, I have to be there. I'm a warrior."

"You're a child!" Norm interrupts. "Jo, you have no idea what all this means. Last time the sky people were here, they killed thousands of Na'vi. They destroy everything in their path. I'm not letting you get involved in that. Jake." He turns to the chief for backup.

"He's right. I'm not allowing either of you to be there. Should something happen to us, we need you here."

"What do you mean should something happen to you?" Neteyam is immediately worried.

"Can't you go and speak to them and see what they're doing here first?" I can't help but ask. Maybe it's not so bad.

Neytiri hisses in responses "Speak to them? After what they did to our home. To our people?"

"I'm just saying it doesn't have to be the worst possible outcome." I feel the immediate need to defend myself. She definitely took what I said to heart. "Maybe they're not here to take over this time."

"It doesn't matter. This is our home, not theirs." She snaps. "We made it very clear that they are not wanted here."

I raise my hands in surrender.

"They landed about ten clicks out. I'll gather a group, see if we can force them back."

Neteyam and I exchange glances. We both want to go, but it doesn't seem like we have a choice. Should something happen to Jake and Neytiri, we have to take over. I reach over and squeeze his hand. 

"I'm going to run to the lab, we still have some supplies from last time. I'll meet you back here in an hour." Norm starts rushing off in a panic. 

"You're going too?" I panic now. My father is not a fighter. He couldn't hurt a fly. 

"Yeah, here, come with me. I could use an extra set of hands. And a ride. We have to talk." He grabs the reins to my Ikran and hands them to me. 

Neteyam instinctively calls his Ikran too. 

"No, you stay here with your sisters and your brother." Neytiri instructs. 

"What?" Neteyam sounds so disappointed. "I want to help."

"You are helping. Sullys stick together. You're the oldest, you need to take care of your family." Jake speaks quickly. 

I give Neteyam an "I'm sorry" look before mounting my Ikran. We can get to the lab much quicker this way, that's for sure. I wonder what Norm means by supplies. I am happy to help. But I'm also scared. This has gotten so serious so fast. Just last night was the best night of my life. Now it's all upside down. 

As Norm and I soar towards the lab, the silence is deafening. I can tell he's tense. I know he's worried. But I wonder if it's more about the Sky people or more about me and Neteyam. He was much more upset than I thought it would be. He had to know it was going to happen.