B R E A T H I N G U N D E R W A T E R

2: The Falling

《Korra's pov》
I sat there in the back of the truck, talking to Jinora, wings sprawled out and relaxed as we drove down the dirt road back to the Tree temple. Tenzin drove, while Ikki and Meelo flew above dodging branches and laughing.
"The humans are getting more persistent... I don't understand why they won't leave us alone"
"We could fight them" I mumbled
"We will do no such thing" Tenzin barked from the driver's seat. Although we were training to be warriors, he didn't like violence- ironically.
"Okay but what about the Merpeople? The humans are doing horrible things to them!" I argued back
"There is no reason to make new enemies! We have an agreement with them, and although they are pushing it, we will only defend ourselves. Not attack."
"God those poor Merpeople... I heard a story a while back about a mermaid and a human who had two kids...." Jinora said sitting up. Intrigued, I did the same "the HRR killed them all..."
"I didn't even know they could do that... mate..." I added. "What Does HRR even stand for? I always forget"
"Human re-population regulators" Jinora said.
"Bull shit. It's just a reason for humans to kill us."
"Hey! Korra, my mom- our mom is human"
"Pema doesn't count she's a... wing-less Wingèd, fin-less mermaid." I joked
Jinora laughed, and playfully kicked me.
We arrived at the Temple, it was buzzing with a scared commotion.
"What it all this?!" Tenzin bellowed
"Master, humans, they've infiltrated our territory, we found three dead already. W-" Kai stammered
"Opal?" I yelled at the top of my lungs
"Korra? Jinora?" She responded
We sighed in relief. She pushed
through the crowd to get to us, shoving people out of the way. The three of us are inseparable, it was weird enough go out without her.
"We need to fly north" Kai continued
"No, they would shoot us down with their guns!" Jinora said, frustrated
"The tunnels?" I asked
"Blown up" Opal replied
We couldn't fly, hide or fight, they would blows us up no matter what
"Why don't we stay and fight!" Meelo said tugging at Tenzin's leg
"Where is Mom?" Jinora's voice shook
"In the bunker with the other children and elders. We are all who couldn't fit in" Kai said
"Ikki, Meelo, you need to go into the bunker" Tenzin insisted
"So you can protect Pema" I quickly added "hurry, it's your job"
"ATTENTION" Tenzin demanded
"All masters will stay here, protect our children and loved ones, I will lead the rest of us to safety"
He received a chorus of 'yes sir's from everyone before they all did as he commanded.
~~~
"We will travel along the Panthersnake path, until we get to the Loî Forest that leads to the cliffs, where we can fly down." Tenzin said as we lead all of the trainees through a secret exit.
"Then what" I asked
"I don't know" he said, gravely
"The girls and I will watch the back of the group, we're more trained than them"
"Please, please be careful" he whispered before we stepped to the side to let everyone pass.
~~~
We were in the forest now, and in the distance, we could hear the men getting closer. We all began to get a bit scared.
"Y-you guys... if we're gonna die, I-I think I should tell you something" Opal stuttered shaking her head nervously
"Anything, Opal, but we're not gonna die" I promised "not today... but if you need to get something off your chest..."
"Okay..." she said slowly. "I... I am dating... a human. His name is Bolin"
...
"ohhh, I knew you guys would hate me, think I'm disgusting."
"Mmmhmm I told you Jinora, Opal has been sneaking out for a boy, not for training" I said, trying to break the tension and cover up our shock
"You guys aren't mad? I thought y-"
She was interrupted by what sounded like a bomb, but smaller. People began ruining, screaming and flailing around, when another hit.
A gigantic tree fell right in front of us, separating us from the group. The third went off, and another tree began to fall right above us. "We need to go, Now!" I yelled pulling them as I began to run.
We ran on, jumping and dodging other falling trees, successfully escaping, or so I thought. We came to a cliff, which we could have flew down, but suddenly
A machine started shooting at us, and before we could react,
Opal screamed
Then she fell
A net hit us we and we followed Opal down the cliff.
It all happened so fast...
As Jinora and I plummeted to the ground, I wiggled my arm free and grabbed onto one of the many branches we hit. I yelled out from the sudden weight, but held on strong.
"Jinora!"
"I'm okay," she groaned and I sighed with relief "I think I can free us so we can glide down" she mumbled moving around quickly
"Weird... I don't hear them... they must be go- ah-OW!" A sharp pain hit my left wing as she removed they net
"You wing is hit bad... let me carry you" she said after freeing herself and flapping her wings as she flew to my level. Scooping me up, she glided us down to where Opal laid.
"Opal!" I yelled jumping out of her arms "N-no!" She was shot multiple times in her wings and torso, and her head was bleeding all over
"You are not dying!" I sobbed. I could hear Jinora whispering and crying as she stroked Opals head.
"Hey, do one thing last for me" she sighed weakly "Find Bolin and tell him I love him, and I don't wanna see him up there anytime soon"
"O-okay... I will Opal, I promise" I said in a shaky voice
"I THINK WE CAUGHT THEM" a man yelled
the humans were back,
"Go... please, I'm done here"
"Opal, I love you, we love you and will always remember you, okay?" Jinora said between sobs.
"Go"
~~~
We continued running, tears blurring our vision as web snaked through a narrow path on the edge on another cliff, the beach far below us. The humans were close behind us.
I heard the exploding of other shot as they carelessly and crazily chased after us. Their shouting got closer and closer. They were gaining on us. With great difficulty because of our wide wind span, we continued. The shots got closer and closer, until one hit the cliff right next to my head.
I fell off the side and grabbed on to the edge. Jinora didn't realize what happened until it was too late. She was to far away to get me and the humans were too close
"Korra! I coming!"
"No, stop! Keep going!"
"I will not lose you to!" A bullet hit her calf
"Jinora go! NOW!" She gave me one last look, and I nodded so she would understand. She was the last one of our class, and now that Tenzin just lost one pupil, maybe two, he was going to need her.
"Save our family. Save our tribe"
She took off as fast as her wounded self could take her.
One of my hands slipped, and the men were close enough to shoot me dead, easily.
The was only one thing left to do...
Fall.