𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞- 𝐧. 𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲

the chase

"What happened? Where's Lo'ak?" Tsireya says, the others have followed to stop Lo'ak after they saw him leave

"He's going to Payakan!" I say to them, Neteyam motioning for the others to follow, "come on! We need all the help we can get."

Everyone started calling their ilu's, I dove in after Neteyam as I held on to my Ilu for dear life. The rest of the group followed behind Lo'ak

From far I could see Lo'ak come up from the surface, "You don't have to do this!" I called at him, wiping the water out of my eyes. He ignored me regardless and sped up even more

I could see Kiri and Tuk from a distance as I passed them by, it wasn't such a smart idea to bring Tuk into this situation. I had no time to go back and tell them to go back, the plan right now is Lo'ak

I began catching up to Lo'ak, until we were side by side with our ilu's

"So you're just going to jeopardize everything? Your safety all for your friend?" I asked Lo'ak who was still in his own mental state of ignorance

"It's more than that, I need to save him. Because if I don't, no one else will." He confesses, that's how I felt throughout all of this. I understood now that what Lo'ak feels towards Payakan is what I feel about saving Neteyam

"Okay," I say, " let me come with you." Lo'aks face was shocked by the sudden change that I took on, but we now raced along side each other as we headed towards Payakan

I could make out the outline of the massive animal that was the Tulkun swimming in the water. The others had been close by and we both turned our heads to look back at them as they heard Lo'aks name be called

"Lo'ak! Wait up!"

Lo'ak turned away as he mouthed to me to follow him into the water, approaching the Tulkun

Payakan made his way over,meeting us half way until we both came back up to the surface. "What's wrong?" Lo'ak asked concerned as he signed to Payakan. At least his signing got good, Tsireya must have taught him well

Payakan turned around in the water, as he lifted up his fin and showed us the same tracking device that Jake was warning everyone about. "we have to take it out." I tell Lo'ak

"Shit!" Lo'ak panicked as he jumped off the back of his ilu, "how do we manage to take it out?!" He said as he leaped on the fin of the Tulkun

I followed Lo'ak into helping him remove the device, we both tried pulling it out but figuring it was truly stuck we would have to take more strength than the both of us combined. I began to look around to see if Neteyam had caught up to us, maybe he could be able to help us pull it out

But once my eyes landed on the human ship, it felt like my soul left my body.

"Shit— Lo'ak! We have to hurry now!" I yelled, desperately trying to pull the tracker out. Lo'ak looked up in confusion as to why I was panicking so much, " what's going on?"

" the sky people! They are here!" I say as I point to where I last saw the ship, Lo'ak turned his head to look at what I was pointing too. His eyes widened

"Don't panic," I say, " the more calmer you are the better chance we have of taking this off." I could tell he was panicking, and yet he ignored my suggestion

"No-no! We have to take this off now! We're running out of time! Damn it!" Lo'ak yelled, as he began to desperately try and pull the device harshly

"Naya!" I hear Neteyam say as I look up to see him coming towards us with his Ilu. The others came swimming behind him

"Quick! Help us take this off!" I called out

Neteyam jumped off his ilu and onto the back of Payakan. Everyone else followed behind and scrambled to reach us to try and help us take the tracker off of Payakan. Neteyam's eyes widened as he noticed the ship of sky people. The ship had been coming towards us in a faster manner

"Call dad!" Neteyam said suddenly. Lo'ak stopped pulling at the device to look up at him.

"Just go! Do it!" Neteyam urges Lo'ak once more. The device started to beep and everyone started to panic

"Okay! I have an idea!" I say as everyone looks up to pay attention, including Neteyam. "Let's all pull together on the count of three, but this will only work if we are all calm."

Everyone put there hands simultaneously on the device, awaiting for me to start the countdown. "Three.. two—one pull!" I chant along with everyone else, we pulled with all of our might

"It's coming!" Tsireya called despite that everyone was aware of the big ass ship coming and having to calm down at the same time

Neteyam quickly let go of the device and dove into the water to swim to his Ilu.

"Bro hurry up!" Lo'ak called to his brother from over his shoulder.

Ao'nung had an idea to tie a thick rope from the ilu saddle around the tracking device to be able to pull it off and see if it could work that way

"Everyone— together!" Tsireya called and placed her foot on the device to push it out. Lo'ak and Rotxo pulled on the rope and tried to help.

"Hurry up!" Tuk said, who I hadn't even noticed was still here with us. I turn to Neteyam with a frightened expression

"Neteyam!? Why is tuk here?!" I snap at him, Neteyam shrugged it off and kept on pulling at the tracking device

"I didn't mean for her to come— we'll just have to make it through like this." He says as he is struggling to pull on the tracking device

"Don't worry. I'll take care of her." Tsireya says as she puts her hand on Tuk's shoulder. I give her a thankful look and keep on helping the other with the device

we werent far from freeing Payakan, as we pulled once more- the device was finally out of the Tulkun

Everyone had been shocked and stunned to see the tracking device off of the Tulkun. I looked around to see everyone start to swim over their Ilu's, I tried looking for Buddy but he was no where to be found.

I started to call out to him but he wasn't coming, frantically I began to scan the area and I was worried I wouldn't be able to leave before the ship comes

Neteyam comes swimming with his ilu towards me, "let's go Naya! The ship is coming!"

I look at him worriedly, " Buddy hasn't come back." He gives me a confused expression, " who is Buddy?"

"My ilu..." I had forgotten that he hadn't known that I named my ilu.  Amazing timing

"... we have no time to look for him— just come with me." He says as he held his hand for me to take, as I hold on to his hand he pulls me up so I can adjust myself behind his ilu

"Hold on to me," he said as he connected his queue, I wrapped my arms around his waist as I leaned against his back. Neteyam rested his hand on my thigh which held tightly so that I wouldn't slip off.

"Here, take this." He says as he hands me the tracking device, " we're going to try and hold them off."

My eyes went wide with concern and a bit frightened that we could just hold off a ship full of humans that want to take over, " what?! What if- Neteyam this is dangerous—."

"It's okay," he said, " you're strong, I know you can do it. We'll be fine."

For now

I nod as I held tightly to him while my other hand held the device, I tried to embrace his touch one last time incase everything falls apart