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Chapter 13: Plagued by Torment.

"What do you mean they have found us? What plan?" Kauri was literally still asleep so whilst his brain was trying to wake up, he was finding it hard to comprehend her words.

"I had a dream…I think. I don't really know but I know that this was a warning. A warning from Eywa, from my brother." She told him, hoping she didn't sound like a crazy person. "The Kutawato, they're coming Kauri and they're planning something. I don't know what but I fear for my people." She told him. Kauri looked at her.

"Okay, Okay. We will figure this out." He said softly, moving his arms around her to comfort her.

"I have to return to the village." She whispered, against his chest.

"I know you do." He whispered.

"You must come with me." She said looking up at him.

"I can't. You know that."

"Kauri, they know where we live. It is not safe for you. The Metkayina will understand." She told him.

"No they will not. They could not understand the situation before and they will not now. I am simply demon to them." He told her.

"But you are not too me." She whispered.

"Your acceptance is the only thing I need, Tuk." he whispered.

"But right now, that will not keep you alive. It will not keep us alive, nor the people." She told him. He loved how passionate she was. He clenched his jaw before looking at her.

"So what is it you suggest?" He asked her.

"Come morning we will return to the Metkayina, we will warn them and prepare." She told him. Kauri hesitated but nodded.

"Okay. Rest, I will hunt food for us, we will need energy for the journey." He told her.

"Be safe." She whispered, moving her hand to his cheek.

Whilst out in the forest, he looked around for anything moving. He was a good hunter, his eyes allowed him to see in the dark like no other Na'vi due to the environment he was born into. He was worried, he knew this was dangerous and if Tuk was right, he didn't know the outcome, he only knew how ruthless his former people could be.

Since the weather wasn't all that great, many of the animals had gone into hiding to shelter from the heavy rain, so hunting wasn't all that easy. He had to home in on every single one of his senses and really focus. He heard shuffles and twigs snapping but nothing worth hunting. When they became more apparent and more tormenting, he was on high alert. Standing tall, his ears perked as he looked around before hearing the menacing war cries and laugh of his former brothers.

"There he is, our former brother, the outcast." One of the male Kutwato members walked towards him as the others surrounded him. Kauri looked around to see 5 of his former brothers circling him.

"We saw Olo'eyktan…now we see is traitor." Another hissed.

"A murderer."

"His own sister…" Another taunted him.

"You attacked an innocent village! The consequence was only right." Kauri hissed at them.

"You brought that upon them. They didn't have to die." Engi said with a grin.

"Engi, this isn't right and you know it." Kauri told him.

"No, what isn't right is that crossbreed demon of yours…" He told him. Kauri's ears perked in defense, hissing at him.

"Oh so it is true?" Sapa asked with a tormenting smirk. "Our brother over here is about to become a father.." He smirked, holding his spear up to him.

"You know we cannot allow this, Kauri…" Engi told him. "It is one of the Kutawato laws." He told him. Kauri held his spear firmly in his hand.

"I am no Kutawato." He hissed. The men laughed.

"Yet you are outcast to other clans…because you look like one of us." Engi smirked, taking a step closer.

"It is not about my looks." He hissed. "But a strong heart!" He said strongly as both him and Engi squared up to one another.

"Is that what your traitor mate told you?" Engi said with a smirk.

"You leave her out of this!" Kauri hissed, pushing him with force. The other male's grabbed his arms and pinned his knees to the ground, as Engi slowly walked back up to him with a laugh.

"How does it feel great Kauri? To betray your own…for someone who will not live to see morning." He smirked. Kauri hissed, before Engi hit him multiple times.

After what felt like a brutal beating - something Kauri could barely defend himself from. 5 against 1, it was not right. He dropped to the floor, all bloody and weak, though he never gave up. Engi had grabbed his hair and pulled his head back, before holding his knife to his throat. "I could kill you right now…" He hissed.

"Then do it!" Kauri hissed.

"Then how will you watch your beloved fish people suffer? Your wife!" He tormented his ear as the other males laughed in the background. Kauri felt rage swarm his body and mustered up just enough strength to flip over and push Engi off him. Pulling himself to his feet he grabbed his own knife and faced his former brother.

"If you lay one finger on her! If you hurt them!" He hissed in frustration. Engi spat and wiped the blood from his lip.

"Do you know what…I think I will just kill you now instead." Engi hissed, grabbing his knife as he launched towards him. As the pair battled it out on the floor, they were met by a war cry similar to Neytiri's and it was coming from above them.

"What is that?!" Sapa asked, looking up as they grabbed their spears. Kauri looked up too and swallowed hard, he knew who that was. Just then an arrow came flying out from above the trees and hitting one of them in the leg - it wouldn't kill them but severely damage them. Then another and another, before a large Ikran had defended them away and Tuk and jumped from Pele, grabbing Engi and forcing him off Kauri, holding up her knife and hissing at him.

"Next time…my arrows will pierce the hearts of your brothers." She warned. Engi hissed at her as he walked to his brothers.

"You're dead! Traitor." He hissed before they all walked away. Tuk stood her ground until they were out of sight before turning to Kauri.

"Kauri!" She called to him, leaning down to help him up. "You are hurt." She whispered out with concern.

"I am okay." He whispered, with a groan as she pulled him up onto her Ikran.

"We have to leave here." She said, climbing on too and holding onto him as Pele took off into the skies.

Arriving back at the Metkayina village, Tuk knew there would be fallouts, disagreements and whispers but right now that was not her concern, her concern was Kauri. Jake and Lo'ak had seen her arrive and had spotted a very injured Kauri. Instantly rushing to his aid, the men instantly grabbed him and called from Ronal. Though it would take some convincing.

"This demon should not be in our home!" She hissed, as they stood in the hut, surrounding him.

"Please Ronal…all I ask is that you heal him, then we will leave. Please." Tuk begged.

"Ronal please." Jake asked, looking at her. Ronal clenched her jaw.

"Mother please…your heart is good, you cannot allow him to die." Tsireya told her mother softly.

"Silence." Ronal said simply. "I will heal but then you must go back to being outcast." She said simply.

"We will." Tuk promised her, Jake looked at his daughter and knew there was more to it. Something was going on.

Whilst Kauri lay resting, asleep after Ronal had done what she could to soothe his wounds. Tuk had gone with Jake and Lo'ak to find Tonowari. "What is this?" He asked.

"Tonowari, listen to her…" Jake said softly.

"I told you, he does not belong here." Tonowari said simply to her.

"I know, I know but we would not have come back if it were not important." Tuk told him.

"Hear her out.." Lo'ak told his father in law.

"Speak." Tonowari said simply, looking between the men and then at Tuk.

"Kutawato, they are planning something. I think they are going to attack again, this time with great devastation. They seek revenge and they have done so through attacking Kauri." She said to him softly but seriously.

"You are sure of this?" Tonowari asked her.

"Certain." She told him. "At first no, but it came to me as a sign from Eywa…from Neteyam. Then after they beat Kauri…I could not lack trust in this warning. Please, you must believe me." Tuk begged.

"And when will this attack happen?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "But please, I beg of you to prepare. I cannot see the Metkayina fall. I cannot see the people hurt."

"Thank you, for this warning, daughter or Jake Sully." Tonowari said simply. "But this does not grant acceptance for your mate." He added.

"I know that…but we could not allow this to happen. Not again."

"Leave us." He told Tuk, allowing the three men to talk.

That evening, Tuk lay by Kauri's sleeping side, holding his hand as she pray to the great mother for good news. For peace. Kauri's moments with his former brothers, tormenting his unconscious state. Causing him to flinch and groan out. "It's okay…I am here.." Tuk whispered to him, moving her hand over his face. "I'm here..just listen to my voice." she whispered as a tear fell down her cheek. "My voice only, that is all that matters." She whispered. "Us against the world, remember?" She whispered, before leaning down to kiss his cheeks softly, a tear dripping down onto his face.

Neytiri watched from the window and swallowed hard, sadly, conflicted. She knew all too well this feeling of love, could she look past her own issues for her daughter's happiness? Could she?