Blood and Water | Neteyam

A Snapping Branch ∼ 4

"Lo'ak, stop asking. I have said no,"

"But, Tcelia, it will be fun! And it is not as if you have anything else to do." Lo'ak caught Tcelia's hand in midair – she had gone to whack him over his head, "You are right, that was uncalled for... How about I make it up to you on the trip?" Lo'ak suggested, grinning innocently, "Kiri and Spider are coming as well, so you have to come!"

Tcelia shook her head in exasperation, snatching her hand back. They had been having this argument since last night, when Lo'ak had learned that Jake, Neytiri and Neteyam were doing patrol today. He had suggested exploring the site where his mother and father had fought the final battle, and what better time to do something that you weren't allowed to do, than when there was no chance of getting caught?

Tcelia didn't exactly share his optimism and had shut down his proposal. And then the little skxawng had gone straight to Kiri and Spider who apparently had loved the idea.

"You know we are not allowed to visit the old shack, Lo'ak," she raised her shoulders in an attempt at looking apologetic, but secretly she wondered why he had to do something that, yet again, went straight against his father's orders.

"Are you going to the old shack? I want to come too!" Tcelia whirled around, seeing Tuk hiding halfway behind the tarp of their home.

"Tuk, what did we talk about eavesdropping?" Tcelia said at the exact same time as Lo'ak said: "What, no way, you are not coming."

Tuk stepped out from where she had been hiding and jutted out her chin stubbornly, "I'll tell dad if you don't let me come!"

Tcelia brought a hand to her forehead, sighing as she said, "Tuk, no. It is too dangerous,"

Tuk narrowed her eyes and made a point out of making eye contact with both Tcelia and Lo'ak before promptly turning on her heel, running away and screaming for her dad at the top of her lungs. Tcelia had to give the little girl credit for actually going through with her threats.

"Shit!" Lo'ak took off after her, catching her before she had the chance to yell for her father again, and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Fine, fine, you can come, just don't do that again."

Tcelia marched over to the siblings, the exasperation in her body quickly turning into annoyance, "Over my dead body! Tuk is not going, it is way too dangerous, Lo'ak, you know that."

Lo'ak straightened up and smirked at Tcelia, "I guess you will just have to come along and keep an eye on her then." Tcelia narrowed her eyes, attempting to stare down Lo'ak, though it was difficult seeing that he was so much taller than her. Tuk was looking from Lo'ak to Tcelia with huge eyes, wearing a hopeful expression.

Tcelia turned on her heels, grumbling something about 'skxawngs' and 'When he least expected it' as Lo'ak's shouted after her that they were leaving in half an hour, clearly enjoying himself immensely.

...

Although Tcelia did not want to admit it out loud, she was enjoying the outing so far. She had enjoyed running through the forest with her friends, jumping atop the roots of the massive trees, all competing with each other by attempting to jump the furthest.

They had leapt from moss-covered stone to moss-covered stone crossing a stream, everyone breaking into hysterics as Lo'ak had slipped and fallen into the cerulean water. He had emerged laughing just as hard as the rest of them and splashed water at them all. They had run from him, shrieking, and laughing as he chased them. He had caught poor Tuk who was the slowest runner, picking her up and twirling her around, her squeals of delight echoing throughout the forest. Tcelia had run back to them, trying to save Tuk, but ended up getting caught in the middle of it.

Now they were laying down in the grass, drying off. Kiri had wandered off on her own a little while ago and Tcelia was starting to get slightly worried. She looked over at Spider who was picking at a leaf he had found on the ground.

"Did you see where Kiri went, Spider?" She questioned the boy. Spider jumped to his feet and glanced around the small clearing they were occupying.

"I think I saw her go that way," he pointed into the tightly packed forest, "I'll go look for her." Tcelia watched his back as he disappeared into the plant life. Faintly she could hear him calling Kiri's name.

"We should probably start making our way home soon," Tcelia said as she looked at the sky, "It is almost eclipse." She had just realized that none of them except for Spider, had brough any weapons short of their knives and she didn't exactly fancy Jake or Neytiri finding out that they had brought Tuk out past dark without any sort of protection.

But Lo'ak was quick to disagree, "No way, we haven't seen the old shack yet," He jumped to his feet and helped Tuk up. "Cuz, you need to hurry up so we can make it to the shack before dark," he yelled in the direction that Spider had disappeared off to. A couple of seconds later, Kiri and Spider emerged. As the boys and Tuk started walking, Kiri made a beeline for Tcelia and grabbed her arm, bringing her lips to Tcelia's ear. "It happened again, Lia."

Tcelia shot Kiri a look of concern and rubbed her arm. "Are you alright?" Kiri nodded tightly and started after the group ahead of them. Tcelia often worried about Kiri. Her episodes had become more frequent than before, and no one had an explanation as to why it happened. Kiri had once told Tcelia what it felt like; like the ground was pulling her down, trying to swallow her whole. But what frightened Kiri the most was the feeling of utter elation as it happened. Kiri had divulged to Tcelia that in the darkest place of her mind, she looked forward to it happening again, because she never felt more at peace than in those moments. And it scared her that she felt that way. Tcelia shivered at the thought of it. She had often wondered what would happen if Kiri became addicted to the feeling and actively started seeking it out. Lost in her own thoughts she accidentally bumped into Kiri's back.

Tcelia forced herself to think of something else and looked at her surroundings. The group was standing in a small circle and Lo'ak was bend over something on the ground. A footprint. She saw Spider and Lo'ak exchanging a look.

"Is it an Avatar?" Spider asked cautiously.

"Maybe, but it is definitely not one of ours," Lo'ak straightened up and started following the tracks that let further into the forest.

"What are you doing, brother?" Kiri asked him, sounding slightly irritated.

"Tracking,"

Kiri rolled her eyes at Lo'ak's answer and Tcelia smothered a laugh. Tcelia took Tuk's hand and made her way after Lo'ak and Spider, who had followed close to Lo'ak. Suddenly there were voices up ahead, and the kids ducked down behind a fallen trunk.

They all slowly raised their heads to see what was going on. Tcelia could spot six Avatars wearing human military clothing – definitely not any of the clan's Avatars then. They had arrived at the old shack and the Avatars were scouting the area.

"Bro, we need to check this out," Lo'ak whispered, disbelief and amusement thick in his voice, to Spider who nodded. Tcelia tried grabbing for Lo'ak's arm to stop him from getting closer to the foreigners, but he was too fast and she grasped empty air. Tcelia and Kiri looked at each other quickly, Kiri's concern in her eyes mirroring Tcelia's. But the boys hadn't been gone long before they came back, worry written all over their face from what they had heard.

"Devil dog, its Eagle eye," Lo'ak was contacting his dad. "I've spotted someone. They look like Avatars, but they are wearing camouflage and carrying automatic weapons. There are six of them." Lo'ak paused and locked eyes with Tcelia. "We are by the old shack," another pause, "Me, Tcelia, Spider, Kiri... and Tuk." He winced. Lo'ak nodded, agreeing with something Jake was saying and then removed his finger from the button on his necklace. "We need to get out of here, guys."

"You are going to be in so much trouble," Kiri hissed at Lo'ak as they hurriedly retreated.

Lo'ak looked pained, "Stop it, Kiri."

A branch snapped ahead of them and suddenly a huge figure leapt out from behind a tree and grabbed Tuk by the neck. Tcelia reached for her knife and hissed at the avatar. She glanced beside her, seeing Lo'ak who was standing in a similar position to her, knife and fangs ready, facing another avatar. Behind her, Spider was aiming an arrow at a third one. They were surrounded.