Family

Neteyam

Panic. That's all I feel. Every time they go out for raids or to fight, I have this fear that something is going to happen to Joey. But this time, she was just out hunting. She was going to get dinner. And she promised to bring some of my favorite berries. And now she's in serious danger. All of my siblings are. They're all just there, in danger, and I can't go any faster than I am now. 

My mom and dad are following closely behind me. We're going to the old battlefield, to the trailer where my dad fought Miles Quaritch, Spider's dad. My heart is pounding in my chest. And I'm angry. So incredibly angry. We all hate the Sky People, for obvious reasons, but this is a new level of fury I have never felt before. Now, they're messing with my family. My woman. I'm prepared to make them pay. 

We land in a tree a little ways away. It's just about to be eclipse. Dismounting, we grab our bows, and I go to follow my parents. 

"No, no, you stay with the Ikran." Jake stops me quickly. 

My frustration iis immediate. "Dad, I'm a warrior like you, I'm supposed to fight."

"Neteyam," Neytiri tries to comfort me, but Jake continues. 

"I'm not gonna say it again."

"They have Joey!" I am desperate. This isn't just a run of the mill raiding party. This is the love of my life. 

"And we're going to get her out of there. And you're going to stay here." Jake snaps. "Do as you're told." 

"Yes sir." I sigh, petting the Ikran halfheartedly. This is wrong. I know it is. I need to be there. 

It's quiet in the forest. But I know that nearby, Joey is being held hostage. I hear my parents yipping to communicate. They have eyes on target. Joey and my siblings must have heard them too. They know help is on the way. 

At the sound of gunshots, I lose my patience. I'm going. I leave the Ikran and start running through the trees. The gunshots get louder, but I have no fear of getting hurt. It's just adrenaline coursing through my veins. My dad is going to be pissed at me, but right now, I don't care. 

I see through a clearing, the five of them, hands tied, surrounded by avatars that are shooting into the trees. 

Joey uses the chaos to her advantage, and pulls the pin to a smoke grenade on one of their vests. That's my girl. 

I can't see them now through the smoke though. I have to move closer. I have to be sneaky now. They're looking for Na'vi in the trees. I move to the ground, silently moving through the shadows. It helps that it's eclipse, and the rain that has started makes seeing movement more difficult. 

"That you, Mrs. Sully?" I hear a rough, unfamiliar voice. "I recognize your calling card."

I don't know what the voice is talking about, but I spot my mom, hiding behind a tree. She looks confused, then scared. She recognizes the voice. 

"Why don't you come on out Mrs. Sully? You and I, we've got some unfinished business."

"Demon!" My mom calls back. "I'll kill you as many times as I have to."

"I guess you and the Corporal have been pretty busy, haven't you? Got yourself a whole litter of halfbreeds." The voice is distracting my mom. Whoever it is, he caught her off guard. I notice two avatars approaching, pointing their guns at her. She can't see them. "And a daughter-in-law too. How time flies, huh?" 

I don't think twice, I just shoot. The man with the gun falls to the ground. The second one has a much bigger gun, and he quickly points it at me and screams "Na'vi!" I'm rearming my bow when out of nowhere, a force knocks me to the ground, right as a spray of bullets flies over my head. 

"Come on!" Joey's voice is unmistakable. 

She pulls me behind a large tree, where my dad is also taking cover. 

"You okay? You okay boy?" He's not angry. He's just worried. 

"Yeah." I nod, ready for his command. 

Joey nocks an arrow and nods at Jake. 

"Okay, with us, you ready?" My dad looks to me. "Ready?"

"Yes sir!" 

On my word, they peel away from the tree and try and take some shots. However, they have a giant machine gun pointed straight at us. "Move!" Joey nods her head, and the three of us sprint through the trees, ducking and weaving as enormous bullets fly all around us. 

Eventually, the bullets stop, and we run right into Neytiri with Kiri, Lo'ak, and Tuk. 

Everyone quickly checks on each other as a heliplane flies off. 

"Okay we're clear. We're clear. Everyone okay?" My dad is going around, checking that everyone is safe. 

"Jo," I throw my arms around her, squeezing her tight. She hugs me back as tightly as she can. She's trembling. I force my forehead to hers, pressing harder than normal, with my hands glued to either side of her face. My breath is shaky, but I manage to speak. "You're okay, It's okay. You're okay." 

"Thank you Great Mother, thank you!" Neytiri is sobbing as she holds Kiri and Tuk in her arms. 

"Joey, let me take a look at that." Jake nods down at her leg, which I notice is bleeding heavily. When he wipes it away, I see she has a deep gash on her thigh where a bullet grazed her. 

"I'm fine." Her voice is incredibly quiet. She's never that quiet.

"We need to get that patched up. Now." I grab her arm to go. 

"Where's Spider?" Lo'ak is looking around for him. I feel bad that I just now realize he's not here. 

"They took him." Kiri is crying. "They took him!" 

"It's alright babygirl." Jake crouches down to hug her. "He's a tough kid. Alright? He's gonna be okay." She sobs in his arms as he tries to comfort her. "We're all gonna be okay."