I tripped and accidentally wrote the whole next chapter after posting the last one O-O
I hope you guys like it! I'm loving this story so much! I haven't sat down to write this much in years!
Thank you all so much for reading this! It makes my day so much better knowing my stories entertain people.
My heart races as the thundering footsteps come closer and closer until suddenly one of the huge hammer headed creatures, a Hammerhead Titanothere comes bellowing out from the brush, slamming trees down around me as a few more follow the first, crashing toward the soldiers, I sigh shakily as they get scared off, a few of the soldiers try to shoot but that only angers the beasts and they move faster, crushing a few of the soldiers, I sink to the ground shakily, my vision starts to blur and the edges turn dark but I slap myself, trying to stay conscious.
Soon one of the younger hammerheads comes over to me, snuffling me and huffing, I shakily lay my hand on its nose gently "help me...please..." I murmur shakily, looking into its eye and after a moment it relaxes lowering its head more, I struggle to my feet and lean against it before basically flopping onto its back just behind its hammer shaped head, it slowly stands and starts off deeper into the forest with the rest of its herd, I lose consciousness not long after, laying limply on its back as it continues on, I don't start to wake back up until I feel cold water on my hand, I sit up frantically and look around, I'm still on the creatures back and its swimming through the large river, my heart sinks seeing we are right next to the remains of Home Tree, I gently stroke the creatures head softly "thank you" I say softly before carefully sliding into the water, wincing as my leg hurt like hell and my whole body ached but I swim to the shore, the oxygen pack and gun strapped to my back now, I struggle up the river bank and head up toward Home Tree, praying I'd find someone to help, I wander the ash covered ground for hours, frowning when I see my avatar body laying against the side of the fallen home, I grab my knife from its holster on my side before continuing on, when I find no one I decide to try and make my way to the tree of souls, knowing that was the first place the clan would go, it takes me a few hours but I get there only to see the whole clan, kneeling around the tree, many helping wounded and others resting.
I hesitate as I watch them, knowing I was the enemy now, knowing it was extremely dangerous for me to be there, but I had no where else to go, I couldn't get to the research lab up in the mountains as I wouldn't be able to climb that high, and I was still bleeding pretty badly, I take the gun off my back and toss it away, keeping only my huge knife at my side, I slowly stumble my way down toward the clan, tripping a little but I catch myself on a root, but it knocks down a few rocks causing a loud noise, I flinch and shakily sit on one of the huge rocks as many of the Na'vi stand, the warriors grabbing their bows, I quickly raise my hands in surrender, not realizing my hands were covered in blood, I see Neytiri and Mo'at standing just at the base of the tree, I glance around nervously at them all before I see Zey'wa, relief floods me and I struggle down another rock "Zey'wa! Please help! It's me, its Rose" I plead shakily, the warriors pause a moment and look to her then back to me, Tsu'tey glares and comes up to me before Zey'wa could even stand, I flinch back shakily as I look up at him, he glares down at me and pulls his knife, my eyes widen "Tsu'tey! Karyu! Please, I'm not here to hurt anyone" I plead, pulling my knife from my belt and dropping it shakily before looking up into his eyes "please...I dont want to cause any more harm...I just need help" I say shakily, unwrapping the gunshot wound, whimpering in pain as fresh blood drips from the wound, he hesitates, his hand holding the knife lowers a little, Mo'at stands "bring her here" she calls, I sigh shakily and try to make my way down to the bottom but Tsu'tey suddenly scoops me up and moves down toward the tree, I tightly hold the exo pack, knowing I would be out of air soon.
Tsu'tey sets me down infront of Mo'at, I fall to my knees shakily and she crouches down, I keep my head low in shame, knowing I didn't deserve any help from them, and I shouldn't even be here, but it was my last hope, Mo'at pulls out her knife and cuts off the leg of my pants to look closer at the wound, I hiss in pain as she touches around the wound "I-it's a bullet wound, I was running so I couldn't wrap it for about an hour" I say shakily, she nods and has someone go and get some bandages and medicine, I keep my head down shakily, too ashamed to meet her eyes "I'm sorry...I never thought the other sky people would do this..." I whisper shakily, trying to keep from crying "I never thought they would be so heartless...so evil...I tried to do everything I could to stop them..." I whisper, my hearty racing, knowing all the other Na'vi were watching us, I clench my fists in my lap "I shouldn't have come" I say, shaking my head and struggling to my feet "I'm not going to waist your aid, there are others who need it more" I murmur, Mo'at watches me sadly "b-but I must warn you...they wont stop attacking, they know your strong and may fight them again, th-they know about this place, they know how special it is to you and your people, please...please be ready, I cant let more of you get injured because of us, I...I'm going to try and find a way to lure them away..." I babble, really out of it from the blood loss and pain, my vision starts to blur and I lean down on my hands and knees shakily, panting as I try to stay awake "th-they have dangerous weapons...bigger guns than you've seen, bombs and explosives...they wont stop until they are all gone" I mumble, the last thing I see as I fall to the ground is the beautiful tree of souls above me, then I fall unconscious, the blood loss and pain having been too much.
The next thing I know I'm waking up in a small bed like spot made of large leaves, I sit up shakily and grab the exo packs mask to make sure it was still on my face, I sigh shakily before looking around, I was laid near the tree of souls, I frown seeing the bandages around my leg, slowly I stand shakily, picking up a small branch and using it as a small walking stick, I move toward the tree, gently laying my hand on its roots sadly before moving over toward Neytiri and Mo'at, as I get close I lower my head "thank you, I do not deserve your kindness, but I must go...I'm not sure where yet, but I cannot be a burden any longer, I plan to try and stop the sky people from attacking again, so I will try and make my way back to their base, and try to sabotage their gunships" I say softly, glancing to my exo packs oxygen meter, noticing I only had maybe 15 minutes left, but I couldn't tell them, they had already done too much for me.
Neytiri frowns a little but I smile a little as I look up to them "I cannot thank you enough for opening my eyes and showing me the beauty of your world, I only wish I could stay, make this place my home as well, but that cant happen, so I'm going to make sure your home is safe again, I'm going to protect this garden, this home, even if it costs me my life, because that's what I owe you all, my life, many many times over" I say softly and bow my head again before making my way toward the ramp up and out of the area, using the stick to keep most of my weight off my leg, what I dont notice is Tsu'tey steps down to go after me but Mo'at stops him quietly "she will not survive..." she tells him softly "she is too injured...but we cannot stop her, she has decided her fate" she murmurs sadly and he looks back to me as I struggle my way up the ramp, in pain but I dont stop, continuing until I'm out of sight.
I shakily grab the gun I had dropped and I make my way away from The Tree of Souls, praying I'd at least run into a few of Quaritches men before I ran out of air so I could at least kill a few of them, maybe helping the people fight, but my hopes start to disappear as the exo pack starts beeping to warn of low oxygen, I keep pushing myself to move away as far as I can, not wanting them to see my body when I died, tears start to fall down my face now, I hadn't been able to help them, I couldn't help protect them now and I'd die out here alone just as a traitor should, not long after I slump against a tree, sliding to the ground below, I tighten my grip on the gun as I try to keep from sobbing, knowing it would just take up more of my oxygen, but after a while I cant help it, starting to sob quietly as I drop the gun into my lap, I'd never see my friends again, I'd never see Grace, or Norm or Jake again...I'd never see another sunrise from Home Tree...I'd never see Tsu'tey again, I smile sadly at that, I guess it was good he hated me now, he wouldn't miss me then, none of them would, and maybe they'd never find my body, maybe they'd think I went out fighting rather than just sitting here crying myself to death, I laugh heartbrokenly, knowing if Tsu'tey saw me like this he would make fun of how cowardly and weak I am, teasing me about crying and saying I should just train more, I look up to the sky shakily and see a huge shadow pass over the trees almost silently, it must be Toruk flying above looking for its next meal, I glance to the tree above me, wondering if I'd be able to climb it and maybe get the beasts attention, it would surely eat me pretty quickly, maybe it would be a faster death, but as I try to stand I collapse and sigh shakily, realizing I didn't have the strength to climb.
I look down despairingly at the exo packs meter, one minute...one minute left of my pitiful life, Ive heard that in the minutes before death people think of their life, like seeing their whole lives flash before their eyes, but all I see is warm beautiful forest around me, the beautiful world I got to call home for a few short months, oh how I wished it would have lasted longer, how I wish I hadn't been born human, my soul was born for this world, but it only knew it for barely four months, how sad is it that a souls true place in life always seems to be found too late...like a flower blossoming too late in the season only to die the very next day.
Soon the beeping turns to a loud siren sound, alerting that my oxygen had finally run out, I had started gasping and shivering shakily, my whole body starting to seize and my lungs starting to hurt, with one last motion I take off the mask, wanting to breath Pandora's air one last time, I toss the exo pack away as the rasping gasps only get more painful and my vision starts to blur badly, tears streaming down my face as I face the sky "f-forgive...me..." I whisper shakily but just before everything goes dark I hear yelling in the distance, I use my last remaining conscious strength to pull the trigger of the gun, shooting into the ground but making a loud noise, subconsciously hoping I'd be found, then everything goes black.
When I wake up next I look around in confusion, I'm in a bright white place, warm and comfortable, I look down at myself only to find I'm in my avatar body, I jump and look around as a loud but gentle female voice speaks "You are finally home, but it is not your time yet, you must return to save our people from the aliens" I look up toward the brightest part of the light, my heart sinking "Eywa...Mother I am not one of the people...I am one of the aliens" I say, looking down sadly "I am one of the traitors, not a Na'vi..." I kneel down, my hands in my lap as I stare at them "I should be dead alone in the forest, I have done nothing to earn my place here" a warmth suddenly flows around me, making me shiver a little as she speaks again "if you are not one of the people then why help them? Why risk your life for them? No, you are one, you have always been one of them, your soul was lost on its way here, you were born on a different world but your soul is Na'vi, that little fire inside of you, that light that has never been stamped out, that is who you are, you were simply born in the wrong place, but you found your way home, and now you must return to protect it, protect our people, your people, protect them and show them who you truly are, that you are one of the people and always have been" my heart leaps as she speaks, I look up to her, tears streaming down my face "what if they reject me? Ive brought them so much anger and pain" I whisper, my voice shaking "then you will return to me here, you will return to join me and the rest of your people in peace, but they will not reject you, not after what you will accomplish. Now return to them, return and save your friends and family" she says and a soft wind starts to blow over me, I close my eyes and relax a little and soon the lights fade to darkness around me...
I gasp for air, sitting up and looking around, I'm back beside Home Tree, I look down and I'm back in my avatar body, I frown in confusion and slowly stand until I remember what I thought was a dream, but my eyes widen as I realize it wasn't, Eywa had spoken to me, she brought me back, back in my true body, she said my soul was Na'vi, does that mean this was always meant to be my true body...? And suddenly everything hits me at once, my memories from just before my human body must have died, the clan being in trouble and Quaritches plans to attack the people again, a new urge suddenly rises in me, I have to go home, go home to the Omaticaya, whether they accept me or not, I was going to fight for and with them, I take off running toward The Tree of Souls, my body felt renewed with a new strength, new fire, like I had never really been living in this body fully until now, I smile and whoop as I run, running faster than I ever had before, the bruises and cuts not bothering me as I go, its not too long before I get to The Tree of Souls, it had gotten dark out by now, I stop just on the edge of the tree line looking down over the clan, my eyes widen seeing the whole clan chanting and swaying, their queues all connected to the ground and roots of the tree, my heart sinks seeing two human bodies laying at the base of the tree, and one Na'vi body next to them, I quietly watch, not wanting to interrupt what was happening, I silently sit up in one of the trees.
After a while I can hear Mo'at pleading with Eywa to save someone's life, praying to save her in the Na'vi body, my eyes widen when I realize its Grace laying there, but I cant see the other body yet, I look to the sky "Eywa, please hear their prayers, save Grace" I whisper before looking back down, soon Mo'at silences everyone and Jake and Neytiri move up next to Graces human body, my heart sinks as Mo'at says her wounds were to bad, and they didn't have enough time, I lower my head, half in respect for Grace, half in sorrow for her loss, soon Jake stands, his eyes full of despair before it turns to anger, he takes Neytiris hand and turns to Tsu'tey, quietly asking him to let him speak, and to translate for him, Tsu'tey nods and steps aside, I tighten my grip on the branch as I watch.
Jake faces the silent crowd "The Sky People have sent us a message" he says loudly, my heart sinking as he does, Tsu'tey translating every word "that they can take whatever they want, and no one can stop them...Well, we will send them a message.. You ride out as fast as the wind can carry you!" Tsu'tey looks to him curiously and I smile, my heart leaping "You tell the other clans to come" the clan starts to stand up, a few starting to yell in agreement "You tell them Toruk Macto calls to them. And you fly now with me! My Brothers! Sisters! And we will show the Sky People that they cannot take whatever they want! And that this! This is our land!" The entire clan stands now, whooping and yelling in agreement, Jake and Neytiri then run toward Toruk who I hadn't even noticed yet, my eyes widen as I see them both jump onto its back, the rest of the warriors running and jumping onto their Ikrans now, flying up and away to reach the other clans, I stand on the branch and yell happily with them, I laugh as I accidentally scared a few of the Ikran riders, as they fly off I climb back down the tree, looking to the Tree of Souls and everyone left under it, I couldn't help from the ground, and I didn't know where Jake had hidden the research station so I quickly make my way toward the Hallelujah mountains, hitching a ride on a a Hammerhead, it takes me a few hours but I get there and start climbing up the huge vines, making my way up to the Ikrans home, after nearly the whole night I finally make it to the top, panting and trying to not pay attention to how high up I was, I slowly make my way out into the open, glancing around nervously at the huge beasts, after a few minutes of me moving between them, most moving away I finally meet eyes with one, a dark blue Ikran with red stripes, it hisses at me and I take a deep breath before I lunge forward and start to wrestle with it, remembering what Jake said he had to do when he found his, I grab one of its antenna and try to grab my queue but I'm suddenly thrown off and over the edge, screaming for a moment but I manage to grab onto a root, the Ikran comes over and starts snapping at my arm, I get an idea and grab its wing, pulling it down with me and it slips, toppling over the edge of the cliff dragging me with it, I grab its antenna again and pull myself onto its back as its screeching and flailing trying to get me off, I manage to grab my queue and bring it up, attaching them together and I gasp, that same white hot pain shooting through me and my eyes going white for a moment before the pain fades and I'm able to see again, I quickly grip both its antenna "fly straight!" I yell desperately as we were getting dangerously close to the ground, but it only takes a moment before the beast below me catches itself and unfurls its wings, slowing our decent and leveling us out, I sigh in relief, my hands shaking but I smile and yell happily, I managed to do it, I had fought and gotten my own Ikran, even with my injury, my smile only grows as we fly back toward the Tree of Souls and I see the huge number of Na'vi pouring into the area, I keep us hovering up a bit above the tree, looking down to see Jake, Tsu'tey, Neytiri and Mo'at standing next to the tree and standing over the three bodies from before, discussing where to bury them, I hesitate after a moment, a wave of worry spreading through me, what if they didn't want me back in the clan...I shake my head, reminding myself it didn't matter, I had to help them, it didn't matter if they would reject me after the upcoming battle, I take a deep breath and fly down to the edge of the area around the tree, my Ikran landing just on the edge of the rock wall and I hop off her, gently petting her head softly before facing the tree.
And chapter 8 is done!
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Love you all!!
~Rose~
