●The ride back was long and agonizing but Nayliä had stopped crying. She couldn't let herself grief over the devastating loss, there was too much on the line here. The rage that flowed through her veins made her feel unrecognizable to herself and those around her. Once they arrived, Tonowari gathered up the clan. Ronal stood next to him with her head high but the anger she felt was clear as day.

"My spirit sister and her baby have been murdered by the sky people!"

There were loud outcries and a few hisses.

"This war has come to us! We knew about this hunting of our Tulkun people, way over the horizon, far away! Now it is here!" As he raised his spear in the air and slammed it on the ground, the clan's thirst for war increased.

Nayliä felt herself stuck in an internal debate. She wanted revenge but she also knew the risk that would come with it. So many lives would be lost, so many would never return back home.

"You gotta understand how the sky people think! They don't care about the great balance!"

Multiple Na'vi hissed in his direction but Nayliä snarled back at them. She may disagree with her husband at the moment but she would die before letting anyone step to him.

Liia and Tuk clung to Neytiri while Kiri and Lo'ak stood next to Nayliä. Neteyam was by his father's side and tried calming those around him.

"Listen, listen to him!"

Rey'na gently grabbed his arm and led him away from the hostile people. This was no longer a place for children.

Jake inched his way closer to Tonowari and Ronal, "The sky people are not gonna stop! This is only the beginning, you gotta tell your tulkuns to leave!" He turned to the rest of the people, "You gotta tell all of them to leave!"

Ronal snapped at him instantly.

"Leave? You live among us, mate with one of our own and yet you learn nothing!"

Nayliä stared her down and got between them. Right now her instincts were on overdrive and she would protect what was hers.

Aiyakan and Rey'na looked at each other with hesitation written all over their faces. They knew the death of Ro'a and her calf was unforgivable but they trusted Jake and his judgment.

"We will fight to protect our brothers and sisters!" The people got riled up again but Jake needed them to understand what would happen if they fought.

"No! If you attack, then they will destroy you!" His voice cracked as he placed a loving hand around Nayliä, "They will destroy everything you love!"

Ronal looked down in thought and put a hand on her stomach.

Unfortunately, the clan was too hyped up and fed off each other's energy.

Nayliä looked around with a heavy frown, she still didn't know what would be the best thing to do.

Jake grabbed the red tracker and held it above them all. Everyone quieted down at the sight of it.

"You tell the tulkun that if they're hit with one of these, they're marked for death. "

Nayliä felt an odd feeling rise in her at the sight of it. Something about it made her heart race.

"Call for me. I'll silence it. Saving their lives, that's all that matters, right? Saving your family."

Tonowari looked over at Ronal who closed her eyes and nodded. Tonowari looked to his people,

"Tell the tulkun."

"Go!" Ronal added with urgency.

People immediately started to rush into the water to inform their spirit siblings.

Lo'ak stood off to the side and knew he had to tell his spirit brother. Neteyam glanced at him, already having a good idea of what his little brother was thinking.

♡

Lo'ak called for an ilu as he went to grab a saddle, his mind was made up and nothing would stop him.

"No way you're running off baby brother. I've got to keep your skxawng ass here."

The boy scoffed and glared at Neteyam.

"He's outcast, there's nobody to warn him but me."

Neteyam gave a forced chuckle and placed a hand on his head. He couldn't comprehend why his brother always had to do the opposite of what their parents told them to do. Life would be so much easier for everyone if he just listened.

"Bro, why do you always have to make things so hard?"

Lo'ak was quick to push his hand away, "No you mean why can't I be the perfect son like you?!"

Neteyam's face fell and he nodded his head slightly while stepping back. He was hurt that Lo'ak thought that but he also understood why.

Lo'ak was pissed now and snapped at him, "The perfect little soldier! Well I'm not you, okay?!"

Neteyam had enough and got up in his face with his braids swinging at the sudden head movements. They both were highly upset now and it didn't seem like talking was going to solve anything.

The look on Neteyam's face caused Lo'ak to pause slightly. He dropped the volume of his voice.

"I'm not you. He's my brother, I'm going." He turned to leave once again.

Neteyam scoffed in pure disbelief then yanked Lo'ak's arm, forcing the younger Na'vi to face him.

"Oh, he's your brother? No, I'm your brother." His voice was tense and he spoke through clenched teeth.

Rotxo, Tsireya, Ao'nung and Lonia had arrived and looked at the two in confusion.

Lo'ak took that as a good distraction to get away and dove into the water.

Neteyam hissed under his breath and told the others, "C'mon, he's going to Payakan!"

The teen called his newly bonded skimwing and offered a hand to Lonia, who gladly accepted. The rest followed his lead and along the way, Kiri and the younger girls had tagged along.

♡

Nayliä was currently losing her mind looking for her children. Where would they go at a time like this? She felt her anxiety and panic skyrocket the longer she looked and asked around.

Then she thought about it. She knew her son. Lo'ak went after Payakan. She rushed to find her mates but they met her in the middle.

"We have to go find Tonowari, the kids are in danger!"

Jake gave her no time to process and grabbed her hand to lead her to the clan's leaders.

It didn't take long to reach them and Jake was glad that Aiyakan and Rey'na were also there.

"The kids are under attack! They're defending a lone Tulkun. It's your kids too."

Ronal looked at him in rage and turned to start collecting weapons. As much as she loved her sister and her family, she almost felt regretful for allowing them to stay here. So much had happened and their once peaceful lives had been disrupted. She wouldn't say it out loud but with the emotion clouding her head, she truly believed it was all Jake's fault.

"The demon ship?"

"Yes! We gotta go!" Jake's urgent tone set a fire under all of them. This was their last straw for war and Tonowari called for his warriors and sounded the alarm.

Everyone split ways to prepare for the battle.

♡

Back at their own hut, Jake was loading up his guns and grabbing whatever he needed. Neytiri took a deep inhale and closed her eyes as she picked up her father's bow. She hoped his spirit would guide her family through this. 

They both turned to Nayliä in sync and were hesitant to allow her to join them.

"Baby, I think you should stay back."

Nayliä only continued to gather her weapons and strapped her bow to her back. She walked to the entrance of their home and looked at him over her shoulder. The look in her eye would be burned into both Jake and Neytiri's brain forever.

"You once said this family is our fortress. "

She calmed her mind and steeled her nerves.

"If that is true, then we must all fight to protect it."

She then walked out of the home without looking back. She knew the risks of this, she always did, but she couldn't stay back while her children and mates had their lives on the line. Even her nieces and nephews were out there. She refused to allow her family to deal with this without her by their side.

But unknowingly to her, each step she took brought her closer to her undecided fate.●