Apologies for the long wait everyone. To make up for it, I have made it extra longer. I hope you all enjoy it.
Crashlanding:
The Metkayina prepared for travel and war. They packed up fish and other bits of seafood and Neytiri packed island fruit and strapped it to her Ikran's saddle. "You should stay here," her mate insisted.
"No. I will not stand and do nothing,".
"No, you must stay here with the children," he implored. "I can't lose any more of my family,".
"Our twins need us both. And they may not be easy to persuade to return home," Jake considered her words and realised she was right. Neytiri held his hand. "Only I can talk to them and you will need me to help reconcile with them,".
Her mate nodded and embraced her tearfully. "I just hope they're okay. I'm so frightened for them,".
"As long as they're together, they can do anything,".
"What am I gonna say to them? What if they don't want anything to do with me anymore?".
"Don't say that. They will. They know how much you love them,".
"But my actions have spoken louder than words," Jake heard Tonowari approach from behind.
"They are ready," the chief said. The mates accompanied him to the docks where over thirty soldiers were ready on Skimwings led by Soxato.
"I should be accompanying you," Ronal came to her mate with their son.
"No, you must stay here and protect the village," Tonowari held her hands. "I will bring back our daughter,". He pressed his head to her, and they closed their eyes, embracing each other's warmth. Jake and Neytiri remembered how they did that the night before the Battle of the Tree of Souls. They were approached by their remaining children.
"Take care of your sisters," Jake instructed Neteyam. "You're in charge until we return,".
"But we wanna go with you," Tuk begged.
"No, Tuk," Neytiri hugged her tearfully. "You guys need to stay here where it's safe. We can't lose you three, too,".
"Please bring them back home," Kiri begged, earning a big hug from Jake.
"We will. We will bring your brother and sister back. We'll all be together again,". Their father promised. No matter what the twins would say to him, he would not rest until they were returned.
Aonung bid goodbye to his father and promised Soxato he would watch over Roxto. To Roxto and Tonowari's dishearten, Soxato said no goodbye to his eldest son. And that made him all the more heartbroken and wishing that his brother was back home. The children watched as their parents mounted their Skimwings and Ikran and ventured off beyond the reef to find their missing siblings.
Neteyam wandered off, much to his sister's confusion. Ronal held her belly bump, and her son touched her arm. Losing Tousal was so hard for both of them, but losing Tsireya differently was something much worse. They worried about her day and night, and Ronal at times blamed herself, having come to realise that perhaps by hurting the twins, she had unintentionally hurt her daughter. If only Soxato felt the same way. She always told herself.
It had already passed the eclipse, and it wouldn't be too long until sunset. Betze and Seze were flying slower and already starting to drop from the air. "We have to find somewhere soon. They can't keep it up anymore," Sylwa said, stroking Skeera's weary head.
"I think I see something ahead," Erik said. Lo'ak pulled out a spyglass and passed it to him. He narrowed his eyes through the lens and saw peaks and jungles. "It's an island. A massive island!".
He tossed it to his brother behind Sylwa, and he looked ahead. "There it is. It's much bigger than the other islands we've passed. And we'll find food and fresh water,".
"Come on, boy," Lo'ak encouraged Betze. "You can make it,".
The sight of the island over five miles ahead of them encouraged the Ikran to accelerate their speed and keep above the water. "Think of all the food you're gonna eat when we get there,". Erik scratched Betze an affectionate scratch, and he purred.
Lo'ak smiled. "He likes you,". Usually, Ikran were so hostile to any being who wasn't their rider but having recognised his friendship with the humans, Betze had become rather friendly around Erik and Peter.
Peter was looking at his golden locket again. Erik eyed him sadly and closed his eyes, thinking of his own family. The twins kept silent, knowing words couldn't heal their losses. Sylwa sighed and half-closed her eyes when a silent shrill rang her eardrums. She looked up and saw a pink, golden cloud above them. And a shadow. "There's something up there,". She said.
Lo'ak gazed up, narrowing his eyes. Suddenly, two blue Ikran divebombed from the clouds. "Look out!".
Betze and Skeera steered out of reach. The men looked back and saw blue Avatar riders wearing RDA combat gear and carrying guns, they followed after them. Lo'ak and Sylwa recognised them. "It's them!".
"Who are they?" a panicking Peter asked.
"Bad Avatars! They captured us months ago!" Lo'ak screamed.
"How did they find us out here?!" Sylwa screamed.
"Seems you two are not as good as losing us as you thought!" jeered a cruel voice from above. A blue and orange Ikran swooped in front of them, and the twins pulled back on the reins, and Betze and Seze flapped in mid-air.
Quaritch cruelly cackled on his mount. "You!" Sylwa shouted in horror, unable to hide her fear.
"Care to tell us who this guy is?" Erik asked them.
"We are not hanging around to find out!" Peter shouted. Before they could fly away, the six other Ikran fliers carrying Quaritch's Recoms team surrounded them.
"Are you kidding me?!" Sylwa cried out.
"That is so unpredictable!" Lo'ak retorted.
"What do we do now?" Peter whispered into the girl twin's ears.
"Don't panic," she whispered back.
"How'd you find us?" Lo'ak demanded Quaritch.
"We tracked the ship that went down from space. These gentlemen, Subjects P99 and P100, are precious to humanity's co-existence on this planet,". Quaritch acknowledged the humans.
"We are no one's property!" Erik spat back. "And humanity has no right to colonise Pandora and destroy it like you did to our planet!".
"You should be lucky compared to the rest of your kind,".
" 'Lucky' ?" the former Marine soldier choked on the word. "They experimented on us! Tortured us! Murdered our families! And who may we ask are you since you're clearly on the side of the RDA?".
"Miles Quaritch. At your service," he pretended to sound polite.
" ' Quaritch?' " Peter breathed. Erik was shocked, too. "That's impossible. Earth received the news. You were killed in action years ago,". Lo'ak and Sylwa became more muddled than scared. How could this Avatar be a resurrected version of their father's mortal enemy?
"My comrades and I have been brought back in the form of our enemies by the very same person who made you both perfect to co-exist on Pandora. And it appears you two gentlemen have no idea who these two freaks are. Seems like you'll get your answers once we escort you to the Sea Dragon,". Quaritch raised his gun.
"You can take me and my brother. Just leave Lo'ak and Sylwa alone," Peter begged.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Quaritch challenged Lo'ak and Sylwa. "You know you can't escape us, so don't try and do anything funny,". His teammates raised their guns. "The ship. Now,".
The twins eyed each other intently. It seemed there was no choice. "We surrender,". Sylwa said solemnly.
"That's a good girl," Quaritch smirked. "Move,". The twins steered their reluctant Ikran back south, and with the Recoms leaders surrounding them, they started flying back the way they came. Sylwa, however, had a plan in mind. For the brief amount of seconds that the Recoms had lost eye contact during the steering on their reins, she had managed to unsheathe her small knife. She narrowed her eyes and saw a gas can attached to Wainfleet's camo pack. She just needed one clear shot and …
The blade spun across the air, and the moment it pierced the gas can, a cloud of yellow smoke filled the air, and Quaritch's distracting coughs gave the teens time to steer themselves out of danger.
"Fly!" Peter screamed, begging the Ikran to flap their wings faster than ever.
"Head for the big isle!" Erik urged, knowing it was useless to find somewhere else after hours of flying.
Betze and Skeera flapped their wings faster and faster towards the island, the Recoms flyers pursuing them like mad, Quaritch growling with rage. "Don't shoot them down!" he reminded them. "We need them alive! Activate tranquiliser darts!"
From afar on the SeaDragon, Scoresby and Garvin observed the chase. "Looks like those kids have tricks up their sleeves. Otherwise, Quaritch wouldn't be chasing them to that island. I'd have seen whatever trick they played from a mile away," the captain said arrogantly.
From the wheelhouse, Spider watched intently, praying they would make it to safety.
The teams made it to the aisle, but the Recoms fliers were closing in behind them. They saw sea stacks and tall, jagged cliffs standing like a barrier around the rocky shoreline.
"We're gonna need to split up!" Lo'ak hysterically put forward.
"No!" Sylwa and Peter shouted.
"Guys, he's right! There's no other option!" Erik pointed out, looking back at their pursuers, closing in on them. "Divide and conquer! We'll see you in the jungle!".
"Or hell!" Peter shouted.
Skeera went east. Betze went west.
Quaritch smirked. "So, you both wanna play a game? Let's play a game. You take half east!" he commanded Wainfleet, who nodded without hesitation. "I'll take west!". He led the Recoms: Zdinarsik, Prager and Mansk one way. His number two led Ja and Lopez the opposite way.
Skeera was losing so much energy, though she chose to carry on for her riders' sake.
Wainfleet was closing in behind them. "Prepare the darts! We put the Ikran down, and we pluck them out of the water like fish,".
Peter looked up. "Any ideas, Sylwa?".
She desperately scanned the coastline, spotting sea stacks. "Please give me all you've got, girl. Hang on tight Peter!". He desperately clung on tighter to her, and Skeera flapped her wings as fast as she could still master. She was going to keep her riders safe no matter what.
The Recoms pursued them, getting closer and closer. Wainfleet raised his gun with the dart and pulled the trigger. Quickly Skeera dodged the first sea stack and it bounced off the hard rock. Wainfleet didn't steer quicker enough and his Ikran hit the rock. Ja and Lopez kept on flying after them.
Quaritch pursued Lo'ak and Erik, grinning wickedly. "You can fly but you can't hide, Sully kid!"
The petrified teen steered Betze over the cliff and into the trees. Betze dive-bombed and swerved up into the branches. Quaritch looked back and swerved his finger. The other three nodded and flew in opposite directions whilst he kept chasing Erik and Lo'ak.
Betze dove up and under thick branches. Erik looked back but only saw Quaritch. The other three are not behind us. They'll be circling us,".
"Keep an eye out," Lo'ak ordered.
Erik looked back again and saw Quaritch raising a gun. "Dive Betze!" Lo'ak ordered his Ikran to die and the dart missed them by an inch and hit a branch instead.
Quaritch growled and prepared another dart.
Skeera kept dodging the darts and performing excellent spirals around the sea stacks. But still, they couldn't lose Ja, Lopez and Wainfleet.
"We can't keep this up much longer," Sylwa cried out, feeling Skeera's strength waning.
Peter saw Sylwa's bow and arrows clung to the saddle. "Can't you just shoot them down?".
"I hunt animals, Peter! Not people! And I can't kill those Ikran! It's not their fault they don't know who the enemy is,".
"I hate to say this, but there's no other choice!".
Sylwa took out her bow and arrow. She inserted the notch and pulled back the string. "Make sure you're not the way of the arrow,".
Skeera swerved behind a rock. Wainfleet chuckled and prepared another tranquiliser dart. But just when he and his two teammates circled the stack, an arrow came flying through the air and pierced Ja's shoulder. He screamed and lost his balance falling into the ocean.
Then another arrow shot and this time it struck a chest. Lopez screamed and he plunged into the water. Wainfleet roared and sent more darts flying at Skeera. Sylwa steered her away but as she saw Lopez's body sink beneath the surface, she froze and lost focus.
"Sylwa!" Peter shouted. But it was too late. Skeera's wing hit the stack and crack!
"Skeera! Stay with me! Stay with me!" Sylwa begged.
"Got you know, bitch!" Wainfleet jeered, aiming his gun at them again. Sylwa saw the weapon raised and shot another arrow. His eyes were pieced and he screamed and pulled on his Ikran causing them to spin around in muddled circles.
Skeera tried to keep them up but she was descending fast. "Try and make it to that beach!" Peter pointed to a large sandy beach behind the stacks, Skeera saw it and managed to aim them down and crash!
Erik and Lo'ak still couldn't lose Quaritch. No matter how much they evaded him through the trees, he still caught up to them on his Ikran.
"Doesn't this guy ever give up?" Erik cursed, surprised that this guy who was supposed to be dead, couldn't be outwitted by the flying skills of a Navi-Avatar teen.
"No. He won't," Lo'ak panted, not looking back. "We're what he needs,".
"What are you talking about?"
"You wanna talk about that now?".
Erik just turned his head when he saw Zdinarsik just out of the corner of his eye. "Down!".
The Recoms shot a dart but Betze dived and dodged it. She roared and chased after them with Quaritch. "What's it gonna take to catch them?!" she cursed.
"Patience, Zdinarsik," her leader said. "They'll give up eventually,".
"The girl and the other subject got away,".
Now Quaritch was angry. "What?!".
"The girl shot down Lopez and Ja and blinded Wainfleet. But they crash landed and ran into the jungle,".
Lo'ak pleaded with his Ikran to not give up, but Betze's eyes were closing and his wing flaps were becoming slower and slower. Quaritch cackled. "We've got you now,".
"Fire!" Zdinarsik ordered.
Prager and Mansk appeared from two streets and shot the darts. Betze was hit and his eyes closed. He crashed into a net of hanging vines.
Skeera had made a long mark in the sand, crashing onto the beach. Peter strained to get up. He bent his back a bit. "That is more fun than I ever want to have again,". Sylwa winced, falling off the saddle and crawling onto the sand. "Sylwa! Are you okay?" he knelt before her, but she wouldn't make eye contact.
"It's my fault,".
"No. No. you are not to blame. We're all alive still,".
Skeera couldn't move much. She roared in pain. Quickly Sylwa held her head. "I'm so sorry, girl. I'm so, so, sorry," she cried.
"Is she okay?". Peter asked.
"She's broken her wing. She can't fly like this,".
"I'm so sorry," Peter stroked the wounded Ikran to comfort her, which she deeply appreciated. The loud screeches up above made them look up. They looked up and Wainfleet was still in the air, now half-blinded by Sylwa's shots.
"I'm sorry, Sylwa. But we have to go,".
"I can't leave her,".
He's right. Skeera weakly shoved her away. They'll kill you if you're caught.
"I'm truly sorry, Sylwa, but if we don't go now, they'll catch us both and use us to capture our brothers, too,". But Sylwa remained torn. How could Peter tell her to abandon her noble steed? He spun around, hoping a solution would appear in sight. And then he saw it.
"There's a cave over there. We can hide her in there. We've got to move her,".
Reluctantly, Sylwa mastered all the stretch she could to help Skeera stand up on her lower wing claws and crawl weakly into the dark hole in the cliff floor. Water flowed in from the sea. Skeera finally collapsed and Sylwa pulled out one of the blankets and made a bed for her.
"She'll be safe,". Peter promised. "But we have to go now before more come,".
"I will come back for you, girl,". In tears, Sylwa hugged Skeera's head. "I promise,". Then, without looking back, she allowed Peter's hand to pull her out of the cave, onto the beach and into the jungle. They sprinted as fast as they could over logs and rocks, getting as deeper and deeper as they could.
Lo'ak and Erik were tangled in the vines with Betze. The bag supplies fell onto the forest floor. The teen reached for his knife and started cutting through the vines. "Hurry kid. Hurry," Erik begged.
Snap! Snap!
"Don't even try," Quaritch and his Recoms landed on the branches aiming their guns at them. "The game of chase is over! Might as well give up!".
"Take me but leave the boy alone!" Erik begged.
Quaritch chuckled. "You defend this boy? You're not even the same species,".
"Doesn't if we're not. He saved my life and I will let you hurt a hair on his head,".
The other Recoms just laughed but Erik wouldn't have it. "Why do you guys work for the RDA anyways? You're not even the same species either,".
Quaritch eyed carefully. "Doesn't matter if we're not. The scientist what made you what you are, made us who we are,".
"And you think that matters to them? You think they care about you?!" Erik challenged. "You're all just tools to them!". Lo'ak realised what he was doing. Behind Erik's back, he slowly and quietly chopped at the vines.
"Shut up!" Zdinarsik aimed her gun, losing focus off Lo'ak.
"You're just weapons who will be cast aside once humanity conquers Pandora. And that's all you'll ever be!".
"I'm done with this," Quaritch clicked his finger. "We take them back to the ship and find the other two,".
Snap!
Lo'ak and Erik fell from the vines, their bodies smacking against large leaves. Lo'ak managed to grab one and Erik's hand and with the large leave as support they dropped gracefully onto the grass below where the dropped supply bags lay scattered.
"After them!" Quaritch ordered, getting back on his Ikran already.
"Quickly! Hurry!" Lo'ak grabbed two bags, Erik grabbed another two and they sprinted into the forest, hearing the Ikran flying above them again. "Watch out for the darts!". Struggling with the bags on their backs, they leapt over logs and stumps and rocks but they noticed the trees disappearing around them and the grass turning to rock under their feet. And the sound of rushing water filled the moist air.
"There's a cliff!" Erik pointed ahead and they saw the cliff only 100 yards away. Flowing alongside it was a river leading right to a waterfall. "We have to jump!"
Lo'ak did not approve. "Are you insane?"
"It's our only chance!".
Quaritch saw the cliff from above and realised what they were about to do. "No!".
"One! Two!" Erik countered down. He grabbed Lo'ak's hand. "And jump!".
The two leapt and they plunged into the deep plunge pool, hiding under a layer of thick mist. Quaritch and his team landed and looked down. They saw no sign of Erik or Lo'ak. They looked ahead and saw the thin gorge leading out towards the other parts of the island jungles. The foggy air was so thick that they couldn't hope to find them even with their Ikran.
Quaritch roared in fury. He had underestimated the Sully Twins but he was not going to give up that easily.
"I think we've lost them. For now," Sylwa panted, falling from her feet.
"I need water," Peter still on his feet, crouched in front of the river and cupped a whole mouth of fresh liquid.
"You were running really fast. Faster than any normal human I know," Sylwa said.
Peter stared at her. "I was?". Sylwa nodded. "What about you, Sylwa? Are you okay?".
"I'm fine. I just want us to rest,".
"Here," Peter cupped some water again and allowed the exhausted teen to drink from his hands. "There. There. It's alright,".
Sylwa wouldn't make eye contact with him. "Have you ever been more scared .. of anything else in your life?".
"It's okay to be scared," Peter said gently. "I was scared too. But we're safe now,".
"What if … what if your brother and mine didn't make it?".
"Don't say that. Erik and I didn't escape from that awful space lab just to get captured again. They're gonna …,". He paused.
"What?".
Peter's eyes were over her head. "Look!". Sylwa spun around and they saw Erik and Lo'ak's head bobbing up above the water.
"Brother!" she cried.
Lo'ak saw his twin and tried to swim towards her but the raging currents were so strong.
"We need something long," Peter saw a long vine hanging from the tree above them. "Quickly, Sylwa! the vine!". Together, they pulled the long, thick vine. Snap! It landed like a fallen snake and their feet. "Grab this!". He tossed the long vine end as far as he could.
"Grab my tail!" Lo'ak coughed out water.
Erik didn't know how much longer he could keep his head above the water. "Are you sure it won't hurt?"
"It will hurt but it'll hurt much worse if you pull my queue now grab it!".
Erik grabbed his tail, and Lo'ak grabbed the end of the vine. Together their brothers pulled hard and splash! Cough!
"Thank you, Great Mother, thank you!" Sylwa wept for joy, hugging her twin. She wrapped him in a blanket.
"What happened to you two?" Peter asked, giving his brother a blanket.
"Don't ask," Erik answered darkly.
"Where's Betze?" Sylwa asked worriedly.
"He was tranquillized and we crashed into the trees," Lo'ak said desolately. "We were forced to leave him behind,".
"He's still alive," Erik assured him. "He'll wake up and hopefully find us again. What about your Ikran, Sylwa?".
"She's alive. But wounded. We had to hide her in a cave,".
"So, what do we do now?" Erik panicked.
"Erik, this is no time to panic," Peter tried to sooth.
" 'No time to panic'? We're on an island in the middle of nowhere! Those Recoms are scouting these forests from above! And the RDA ship is approaching us!"
Deadpanned, Lo'ak said: "We're doomed,".
"Guys, we have to keep calm," his twin said desperately. "We still have our supplies, and now we're in our element, brother. Trees. We know everything about climbing and camouflage, so with our skills, we'll stay undetected,".
"You see Erik? As long as we're together, there's nothing we can do," Peter said optimistically.
"I like your enthusiasm," Sylwa complimented. She looked at her twin. "Lo'ak, we can do these. Our friends are counting on us. And if we have any luck, perhaps Tsireya and Atu will find us here,".
Lo'ak nodded. "You're right. We just have to keep going,".
Erik calmed himself down. "Whatever it is, you two say we do, we'll follow you,". He believed in them, especially Lo'ak.
Quaritch stared down, trying to find Sully's twins and the human subjects. But none were to be seen. The forest was just too thick. And the bendy branches and thick nets of lianas and vines would make it extra difficult for an Ikran to fly through. "We're not leaving this island without our prizes," he said to his team.
"Half of us will go on foot in those jungles," he announced. "The other half stays in the air and scouts every hectare of this island. Without Ikran, they can't. And we're gonna need a boat. Scoresby, do you copy?".
The SeaDragon was arriving at the shores of this very island. Spider sat down, watching tensely. Mick heard Quaritch's call. "I take it you caught those subjects and kids?".
"I need a boat for the river,".
"Let me clarify. My boats are for Tulkun hunting. Not island cruises,".
"I asked you once, and I will only ask you once. Send me your smallest boat and head it up the river to the island's centre with your best men,".
Spider kept his mouth closed. He couldn't stay here. He had to think of a way to get off this boat.
The team hiked through the jungle higher up the topography, and Lo'ak and Sylwa embraced walking on green grass and fresh dirt once again. They felt like they were back home in Pandora's forests. They remembered the night they raced to the remains of the Hometree.
"Must feel good to be in your element again, huh," Erik said.
"Absolutely,". Lo'ak said. "We've missed this. For the last four months, we've been swimming and free-diving and haven't enjoyed a single tree to climb or swing from,".
"So long as we keep under these thick canopies, the Ikran won't see us. But they will send men on foot," Sylwa said. "We just have to keep moving until we find a spot to stay the night in,".
"I hate to be the sayer of bad news, but a very dense jungle like this works both ways," Peter said. "We still have no idea where we are or how far they could be behind us,".
"Then we'll have to find a tree to climb up so we can get a better view. Like that one!" Sylwa rushed over to a tall tree stretching right up to the sun with canopies sheltering the thick branches.
"Brilliant," Peter said. "You two can climb up in there in no time,".
Lo'ak gave them a straight look. "You guys are coming too,"
"What? Us? No way," Erik refused. "We are not climbers like you two, and even if we could, we've been in labs for seven years. We'll slow you both down,".
"I've got a plan," Sylwa pulled out a long piece of rope and tied it around each of their waists. "There. That way, not one of us will plunge to our deaths,".
"I'm not sure about this," Erik doubted.
"It'll be fine," Lo'ak said. "Just step where we step,". At the front, he made the first step and pulled himself up from the soil by the grip of a thick branch. Then Sylwa followed him. But they could not go up any further until their human friends followed after them.
"You can do this,". She encouraged.
"Come on, Erik," Peter said. "It's our only option, so we must trust them,". He approached the trunk and carefully pressed his feet against the bark just like he did and grabbed the bits of the trunk that stood out. He saw Sylwa's offered hand and accepted it. She pulled him right. He slipped and nearly fell backwards, but she caught him just in time. "Thank you,". He panted, still a little panicked. "Your turn, Erik. Just step exactly where I did,".
Swallowing his fear of heights, Erik raised his foot to exactly where his brother stepped and pulled himself up. Blocking out their encouragement and feeling the strong vine around his waist, he finally grabbed the final branch, and Lo'ak hoisted him onto the thick trunk. "I knew you could do it,".
"Thanks. I'm not used to heights when you have to do all the work,". Erik's eyes looked past their heads, and they widened. "Just look at the view,".
They all turned around, holding onto branches and stared through the leaves at the jade-green jungles and the jagged hills.
"It's amazing," Peter breathed. "I never knew how beautiful this place was further inland,".
"There's the river," Erik pointed to a fresh stream carving its way into a rocky gorge about five miles from their position.
Sylwa pulled out her spyglass. "No sign of any Ikran or ships. It seems we've lost them for now. Our best chance of avoiding discovering is to sleep up here under these canopies,".
"And how do you expect us to sleep up here?" Erik complained.
"Oh, we'll take care of that," Lo'ak said. "You two stay here on the lookout, and Sylwa and I will get to work on making the comfiest bed you'll ever sleep in in a jungle,".
An hour had passed, and night had come. The biodiversity was glowing with Eywa's energy. "This is so perfect," Peter complimented. Using vines and large leaves, the twins had crafted a big, comfy hammock, strong enough to hold all four of them and their supply bags high above the ground and sheltered under the tallest canopies.
"You two are full of surprises," Erik lied down. "So comfy,".
"Where'd you learn to make such a comfortable hammock? And so strong and high up with no fear of it snapping?" Peter asked eagerly.
"Our grandmother taught us," Sylwa answered. "She taught us how to craft many things using plants and other materials,".
"She's the best seamstress we've ever met,". Her twin said. "Crafting essentials like this is all part of the forest people's cultural customs,".
"Would you look at that?". Erik sat up, pointing upwards. Pandora's moons were shining down upon them through a small hole in the canopy. "Another lovely night sight,".
"If we weren't hiding from these blue Avatars, we'd be camping near the river," Peter said. "And I'd be looking up at every star and planet we could seek,".
"When I was a child, I always had my sketchbook with me, trying to find something new to draw," Sylwa opened her sketchbook again and showed him some night pictures.
Lo'ak noticed Erik had been drifting off into deep thought as they looked through her artwork. "Erik?".
"Is it true that the Navi can see their loved ones by plugging into a scared tree?".
"Yes. My grandmother Mo'aaught us is that even when we lose our loved ones, they never truly leave us. They live on. Within Eywa,".
"For Navi, perhaps. But not for humans," Erik paused when he realised how rude he was speaking. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to help. And I appreciate that,".
"All those you love live on within Eywa," Lo'ak consoled. "When you plug into a Spirit Tree, you can see them just as they were in this life,".
"You know, kid, you and Sylwa are very lucky. You live in this world full of spiritual wonder and on behalf of humanity, I want to apologise for all they've done to Pandora,".
"It's not your fault. Not all humans are bad like …" he paused. "Like … ?".
Erik waited for an answer, expecting it to be who he thought it would be. "Like who?" Lo'ak drifted off, thinking of his dad again, his heart trembling from everything he remembered from that night. "I understand if talking about it makes you sad. But … there's something else I need to ask you,".
"Guys, look!" Peter pointed upwards. "There is a swarm of colourful fireflies. At a slow pace, a ball of rainbow colours descended upon them. The teens narrowed their eyes, and all at once, Lo'ak, his palm burning.
"Lo'ak, what's wrong?" Erik asked.
"Nothing," he lied.
"Lo'ak, I think we can trust them," Sylwa encouraged.
"Trust us with what?" Peter asked. Lo'ak silently conversed with his twin, and they both nodded. He unwrapped his palm, revealing his brand mark to their friends.
"How did you get that?" Erik asked. "Who did this to you?".
"I sort of … did that to myself," Lo'ak winced. "But it's not that bad. And these aren't fireflies,". He focused back on the lights. The bright sparkles surrounded them. The men were dazzled by the rainbow bubbles carrying flowers that shone as bright as jewels.
"They're crystal spirits," Sylwa explained. "Very pure spirits of the sea and apparently the stars. And they're bonded to my brother,". A few danced around Lo'ak in the air. Some became attracted to the men and landed gracefully on their fingers without popping.
"They're beautiful," Peter beamed.
"And look … they've got tendrils under the bubbles. Take a closer look, Lo'ak," Erik held out the spirit to the blue stunned teen.
Looking close, Lo'ak realised these crystal spirits had long crystal tendrils much like the tendrils in his queuer. He pulled out his queue and held it up. The others kept quiet. They watched the queues under his black braid connect with the flowers, and he closed his eyes.
"Brother?" Sylwa asked. "Are you okay?".
Lo'ak didn't speak. He was frozen with his solid, shut eyes. Then, as his queue's tendrils detached from the Spirit's, he opened his eyes very slowly. "It read my memories," he said. "It knows why we're here and who is after us,".
All of a sudden, the spirits left their palms and shoulders and surrounded them, forming a cage of lights.
"What are they doing?" Peter asked, becoming a little nervous.
"Don't be afraid. They're protecting us," Lo'ak assured. They formed a mystical see-through barrier, and then, all at once, the only thing they saw were flashes of colour.
"They're using their light to create an illusion around us. So, no one will find us. How are you connected to them?" Erik asked curiously.
"I'm afraid it's a very long story," the boy twin said. "One which I would like to share another time," he yawned.
"We should get some sleep," Peter said. "Let us hope we have luck tomorrow,". They packed their food and carefully lay down in a row on the hammock, their eyes dazzled by the mystical sparks of their spiritual protectors.
Lo'ak and Sylwa felt their fingers slip between each other. "I'm afraid we owe you both a sincere and abject apology,". Sylwa lamented.
"No," Peter touched her arm, and she turned his face to him. "None of you are to blame. You weren't to know what would happen. The only thing that matters is that we stay together,".
"He's right," Erik patted Lo'ak's hand as he turned to him. "You both got us here. We're still out of danger and everything. And thanks to you, Lo'ak, we'll be perfectly hidden from any fliers. Now, we must rest. We're gonna need all our strength for what's to come tomorrow,". Nodding and feeling no need for more words, they pulled the blankets over their bodies and snuggled up together, drifting off into much-needed sleep.
Meanwhile, a few crystal spirits drifted off into the night, flying away from the island.
The Metkayina and the twins' parents were camping on an island, the father staring up at the stars, thinking about them. He remembered how when they were younger, he would climb up the trees with them, and they would stare up at the sky for hours, trying to search for shooting stars and planets across millions of miles of eternal darkness.
Neytiri held her mate's hand, and he side-hugged her. "I'm sure they're safe," he said.
"Do you remember when we were doing this? On the night the Sky People returned?".
It was the only joy Neytiri could ever recall from that night. "I do,".
"I pray with all my heart that Eywa is protecting the children. What am I gonna say to them?".
"I will talk to them. I'll make them see," his mate promised.
Atu, Tsireya and Tsu'tey were lying on Payaka's back, silent as ghosts. The Tulkun calf was under his saviour's fin, eyes half closed. All day, they had searched but found nothing. "I'm so scared, Reya," Atu sniffled. "They could be dead for all we know,".
"Don't say that. They were on their Ikran the last time we saw them," Reya remembered "If anything, they'll be on an island we haven't found yet and recovered,". Tsu'tey snorted miserably. She stroked his mane. "We'll find him, boy,".
Tsu'tey wouldn't respond. Atu lay against his other side and stroked his mane. "I know. I miss Lo'ak too,".
I miss Sylwa. Payaka whistled miserably. Papuya nuzzled her, hoping his comfort would cheer her up. Understanding her, too, Tsireya sat on her fin and stroked her face.
"We'll find her, Paya,". Tsireya promised and patted her side. She looked again at the stars, wondering if Sylwa was doing it too. But a swarm of mesmerising sparkles were moving towards them. "Atu … ".
All of a sudden, Tsu'tey snorted vigorously and jumped out on their mount's back. Tsu'tey … Paya complained. Not so hard!
"Easy, boy!" Atu calmed him down. "Easy, please!"
It's them. Tsu'tey neighed.
What is it, boy?" Tsireya asked, standing up. "Just calm down,".
"Reya! Look!" Atu pointed forward again, and they saw the sparkles zooming in on them, brighter than ever. Then they saw the gleaming flowers, and their hearts lifted.
"The Crystal Spirits," Tsireya reached out to try and touch one. It flowed towards her in its protective rainbow bubble, and it popped. So did the other ones. One of them had tendrils, and it floated directly in front of Tsu'tey. "What's it doing?"
Tsu'tey sat back down, and as he raised his queue, the Navi children watched intently as his tendrils linked with the crystal flowers. His eyes closed. Then they saw the spirit flowers float in front of them, offering their tendrils too. They did the same thing as their friend did. Their eyes glued shut, and Payaka whistled, wondering what these spirits were trying to tell them.
Atuiko's eyes flashed open and he inhaled deeply. "It's Lo'ak. And Sylwa. They're in trouble,".
And that's the next chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed it very much. Thank you for your support. And don't worry another Dragon Prince Chapter should be on next week. And I'll make sure to continue working on His Dark Materials and Encanto 2. See you all soon.