Flood of Ashes [sequel to 'Not So Perfect']

9

Warning: gore and mention of death! You have been warned!

Miyara's pov:

Tears streamed down my face as I was tending to Kaoru's burn woods. They covered the entire right side of his body, his arm was entirely burned. The burn marks trailed all the way down to his knee, it covered a part of his chest, his side and even some parts of his back. His face was luckily unscathed.
But despite me having the abilities to treat his wounds he still hadn't woken up. His chest was slowly heaving up and down but he had been out of it for a few hours nowas a battle was ongoing outside. Had Aonung not duck into the water after him so soon as he did Kaoru surely would've drowned.
"Mommy," Na'aila asked as she helped me with the supplies as she always watched me work, "will Kaoru be allright?"
"Of course he will be, sweetie," I said as I looked up at my daughter with worry in my eyes, "why don't you help your sister now? She's scared, can you help her with that Na'aila? I know you're a brave girl, can you be brave for your sister for me?"
"Of course I can be mommy!" Na'aila said, "I'm scared too, but don't worry! I'll not show Zani that! I'll be brave!"
"Good girl," I said as Na'aila ran into Zaniyah's room so I could continue taking care of Kaoru.
"Still nothing?" Tsireya asked as she stormed in with more herbs in her hands to make an ointment from, dropping down on her knees besides me and looking down at her nephew.
"No, I-I don't know what else to.." I stuttered as my voice got lost in my throat and I weeped for my son, "I can't.. I can't lose him.. not my son."
"He'll wake up," Tsireya said as she prepared more ointment to apply on his wounds, "he's strong, like his parents. Kaoru will be fine, Miya."
I nodded as I continued working with Tsireya, applying the ointment together so we could tend to his wounds quick. We had to clean them carefully, we had to make sure not to use cold water on them since that would make it worse, we had to gather so much more herbs and make sure the wounds stayed clean, there was so much of it to be covered. Now that the wound itself had cooled a bit more down we could apply the ointment. He would be scarred for life, although I could see Kaoru give a positive turn to this. That was who he was, a positive person.
"Is he awake?" Asherah asked as she ran into our home, blood covering her face, her body and the spear she clutched in her hand.
Before I could even answer her older brother ran in after her, looking quite the same. Asha had always been the quickest one, she was naturally fast.
"How's my brother?" Araoukai asked as he walked over to me, "will he be okay?"
"Yes," Tsireya answered for me as I was at a loss for words, "he will be okay, let your mother work please."
In that moment Aonung walked in, he was red with anger, his muscles were tense as he clutched his spear so tightly that his knuckles were white. He paced around the room and stopped before Asherah and Araoukai, dropping his spear and looked at them with worry as he cupped their faces.
"You two have fought bravely," he said softly, "I'm proud of you both."
"Thanks, dad," they said in unison as they turned their gaze to me but I was stunned, all I could do was tend to Kaoru's wounds. To take care of him, I didn't have it in me to focus my attention on anything else.
"Miya, that's enough," Tsireya said as she took ahold of my wrist when I went to add more ointment to the wounds, "too much isn't better, you know this. Now we must wait."
I nodded as I pulled my hands away, Tsireya sighed and got up.
"Come on, let's check on your uncle Mo," Tsireya said as she pulled Araoukai and Asherah with her.
I could sense that Aonung was angry, angry with me. But I didn't know why, I was also in too much of a bad state to really care, I was too worried about Kaoru.
"Did we win?" I asked him carefully, my voice sounding hoarse and distant.
"Barely," Aonung announced, the anger in his voice was eminent, "this was not all of their forces. This was their way of teasing us. They just announced that we're at war and that they can humiliate us."
"I'm glad you're all okay," I said, "I will see to the wounded soon.. Kaoru.."
"Kaoru told me the truth," he said and I could feel the hairs in my neck stand upright, "do you have anything to say for yourself? For why you're not only lying to me but for making our son lie to me?"
"I did what I thought was best for Araoukai," I admitted, I knew what he meant, "if you found out, you would've forced him to mate with her. I'm not happy with the way he handled himself with that girl but it happened and I can not undo it. I asked him if he wanted to mate with her and he told me that he didn't. So I kept it a secret and I made Kaoru keep it a secret too when he told me he had seen them."
"Do you think so low of me that you would hide that?" Aonung asked me as I still kept my gaze upon Kaoru, "look at me, Miya. Do you think so low of me?"
"No," I said as my eyes locked with his and I got up to my feet, "I made a mistake and I'm sorry, but I did what I thought was best for our son. You had already expressed your feelings on Spider's daughter and already forced him to meet with Eraya in Ta'unui. I was afraid of what you might do if you found out they had been together."
"You were afraid I'd force them to mate?" Aonung whispered as he looked down at me, "they will be betrothed now. Miya."
"Please don't, for Araoukai," I said and he scoffed.
"I'm Olo'eyktan! It is my duty to provide for the clan, to lead the clan and to make sure the clan is left in safe hands!" Aonung shouted at me, making my ears lower in fear as I briefly squinted with my eyes.
"You are Olo'eyktan," I said, "but you're also a father! And I will not let you become mine by controlling his life, I won't allow it! Not like my mother allowed my father to control everything my brother and I did!"
"You actually compare me to your father?!" Aonung asked in disbelief, his ears lowering as I could tell he felt betrayed and I regretted what I said immediately, "so, you do think that low of me."
"I don't," I whispered but it was too late. The damage had been done.
"I have to make an announcement to the clan, you have to take care of the wounded," Aonung said, "I'll get Reya back to look after Kaoru."
"Aonung, please," I pleaded as I grabbed his hand but he quickly pulled away as he looked at me with a disgusted look upon his face.
"I've known you since we were kids," he spat out, "and you've never hurt me before like you just did, Miya."
And with that he stormed out of our pod and left me.  I stared at the entrance of our home, waiting for him to return but he never did.
"Didn't expect to see that when I'd finally wake up," Kaoru chuckled from behind me as I carefully turned around to him, "I just had the strangest dream, mom."
"Kaoru!" I exclaimed as tears streamed down my face as I tried to hug him but he grunted in pain.
"Ow! Why does that hurt?" He questioned as he pulled away and looked at his burnmarks in disbelief, "it.. wasn't a dream? I actually got blasted of my canoe by a flying salamander?"
"I have no idea what a salamander is but Eywa am I happy to know you're okay!" I exclaimed as I kissed his face multiple times, "thank you, great mother."
"Kaoru!" Na'aila and Zaniyah shouted as they ran out of Zaniyah's room, "you're awake!"
"I am!" Kaoru exclaimed as he allowed his little sisters to hug him despite the pain it made him feel, "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"We are," Zaniyah said and she pointed at his wounds, "you look pretty beat up though."
"Don't you think it makes me look cool?" He joked and I chuckled, "I mean I got some pretty cool scars, battle scars, little sis!"
"Why should that make you cool? It just proves you can't fight," Na'aila added, "if you were a good fighter  you wouldn't have scars."
"Why are you so smart?" Kaoru chuckled as he kissed them both on top of their heads.

***
Lo'ak's pov:

"Dad," Naeyi said as she walked over to me, "I've been trying to reach mom but I can't get ahold of her. De'iya said that she can't reach aunt Seyza either."
"Strange," I said as I got up to my feet, ready to show my kids the tree of voices, "maybe the communication just sucks right now, I'll try it later today. Get your brother, I have something to show you."
"He's swooning over a forest boy," Naeyi chuckled and I frowned confused, she noticed my gaze and her eyes widened in shock, "why do you look confused?"
"Because I am?!" I stated as she awkwardly chuckled.
"Oh, well," Naeyi coughed, "I better go get him, bye dad!"
Naeyi ran off to find her brother as I scoffed in disbelief, what I understood from that statement it means that I will never get a daughter-in-law. Not that I cared all that much, as long as my children were happy so would I be.
"Lo'ak," Kiri called as she ran over to me, "it's time."
"Is she?" I asked my sister. I had spoken with my grandmother already and allowed my mother to have more time with her but my grandmother could pass away at any moment now.
"Not yet," Kiri said stern, "but it won't be long."
I sighed as I followed after my sister with a heavy heart. The entire family was in there, Naeyi and Emra'o as well, De'iya must've alarmed them.
"How happy I am to see my family one last time before I join Eywa," my grandmother said, "and to have so many great grandchildren;
De'iya, so wise and pure like your father.
Zaria, I'm only assuming that you got your curious nature from your mother, she sounds like a wonderful woman for my grandson.
Yalío, a little shy like your dad and also with a big heart. Eyrae, I'm not quite sure if Lo'ak's not your father with your natural nature of mischief. But you actually remind me of your grandfather Jake a lot.. he also has a natural act for trouble-" my father chuckled as he softly squeezed my mother's shoulder who held my grandmother's hand, "Naeyi, you are so much like your father. Don't ever lose that side of yourself. Emra'o, you're calm and yet you too remind me of your father so much.  It's that twinkle you both have in your eyes. Your father has it too.
Aoran, you're special like your mother, I can sense it. You will have a strong connection with Eywa, just like her. Izan, I've been told you are your father's son and from what I've seen you are extremely kind and generous, so I'm sure that my granddaughter's husband treats her just right. Tissaia, such a sweetheart, but also shy. You remind me a lot of your mother, both so innocent and kindhearted. I wish I had the chance to spend more time with you, but I'm glad I got to meet you before my time comes, don't be afraid to visit me!"
I looked around the room that contained so much love and I wondered what would've become of us if we never left? I never would've met my beautiful wife whom I love so much. In a way I was glad that we left for what I gained but I was also saddened by all the things I lost and missed out on. I was saddened for my grandmother who hadn't seen us in so long only to see us one last time.
"Tuk, you've  grown into such a beautiful woman, you look so much like your mother," my grandmother continued, "Kiri, how I would've loved to see you be Tsahik some day! You would've been so much better than me. Lo'ak, you might be a father now but I can see the same mischief in your eyes that you had the day you left-" I laughed at that statement and so did she, I was glad she could laugh, "Neteyam, how good you would've been as Olo'eyktan, I can still picture you as a strong leader. I'm so proud of all of you!"
My mother sobbed as she clutched my grandmother's hand so tightly.
"I knew I was right to trust you, Jake," my grandmother said as she turned to my father, "you were such a good Olo'eyktan, despite your Sky people blood."
They chuckled together as they remembered a time that was even before me and my siblings and then my grandmother made one last call, to her daughter.
"Neytiri, my daughter, don't cry," she said as she lifted her free hand and wiped away her tears, "I am the most proud of you! You have provided such a beautiful family, you have a strong heart. Eywa has blessed me with all of you."
My grandmother looked around the room and smiled before turning to her daughter one last time. Suddenly her gaze froze and her smile faded. She was gone, but her wish to see her family one last time had been fulfilled and now she was with Eywa.

Did I freak you out at the beginning with the warning? Were you scared I was talking about Kaoru?
I'm sorry if you did.