Day 40

                                    

                                          
Lo'ak
Those fucking sky people. I had persuaded my friends to help me save Payakan, but noe Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk were held hostage on Quaritch's ship. I was so fucking angry with myself and now had ro explain the situation to dad. 
With shaking hands I pressed on the small button on my collar and said: "Dad, can you hear me?" I almost immediately got an answer. "Yes. What happened?" 
I told him as quickly as possible what had happened. He sounded furious as he was telling me to stay where I was. "That is your fault. But we're going to save them, alright? Listen to me and follow my orders." "Understood, sir." 
We were waiting for him impatiently and were astonished as we saw him approaching us with our ilus and the entire clan behind him. 
My still nameless ilu came over to me and let me and Tsireya mount him. Ao'nung slid onto Rusu's back and Rotxo took a seat on his skimwing. 
Together we made our way to the gigantic ship. 
I held onto Tsireya firmly and made sure that I hid her with my body from the eyes of the sky people. 
Dad was talking to Quaritch, wo had taken Neteyams necklace and earpiece. He told him to come on his own. 
Eventually, dad gave in and his skimwing swam forward slowly. 
In that very moment, a tulkun broke through the surface right next to the smaller ship and shattered it into pieces as his massive body crashed down onto it. 
"Payakan!", I yelled happily as I recognized my exiled brother. 
During his appearance, Quaritch jumped onto his ikran and fled - at least he tried to. Mom suddenly appeared yelling and firing arrows at him from the back of her own ikran. Dad followed them and tried shooting him with his machine gun. 
The entire clan let out a horrifying battle cry and together we attacked the crew and the main ship. 
Soon enough, we split up. Tsireya, Ao'nung, Rotxo and I jumped down from our anomals and climed aboard the ship. In a hurry, we freed Neteyam, Kiri and Tuk. 
Rapid firing was audible from everywhere around us and just as we wanted to leave, Neteyam held me back. 
"They have Spider." 
"Fucking shit!", I hissed. "Tsireya, please bring Kiri and Tuk back to safety. And stay with them, alright?" She nodded and took my ilu. Together with my sisters, they swam away and I prayed that nothing would happen to them. 
Ao'nung and Rotxo seemed confused. "What the hell are we still doing here?" "Our friend is somewhere on this ship. And we can't just leave him here", my brother explained in a hurry. Ao'nung nodded. "Alright. Let's not wait for the grass to grow." 
Neteyam led us directly into the main part of the ship and after some searching and a few smaller fights, we found Spider chained to a railing. "Neteyam! Lo'ak!", he cried out in joy and instantly checked our surroundings wether someone has heard us. I cut him free with a quick movement. "This pool is a direct connection to the ocean. We can escape trough it. Hurry!" He pointed to the square hole which the railing he'd been chained to was surrounding. 
Rotxo didn't need to be told twice - he dove head first into the water and disappeared. 
" Go!", I shouted at Spider who didn't hesitate for one more second. Neteyam moved his head and I followed Spider into the clear water. 
He was right - only a few strokes later I broke through the surface and caught my breath. 
Impatiently we waited for Neteyam and his boyfriend. 
Finally, they appeared. 
Ao'nung's eyes were filled with tears and he was shouting Neteyam's name over and over. 
I helped him carry my brother to the closest island and I almost puked as I saw what had happened to him. 
"Dad!", I screamed and pressed the button on my collar at the same time. "Neteyam was hit!" 
It probably weren't even two minutes until he and mom showed up, but it felt like hours. 
He took a look at the gunshot wound on his shoulder and turned the boy around to check out his back. "Neteyam. Stay awake, okay? Stay with us, my boy."
He nodded softly and his eyelids were closing hesitantly. Ao'nung was shouting that he should keep his eyes open. He didn't react at all, so dad slapped him. Neteyam was breathing heavily and looked at dad, obviously in agonizing pain. 
"Ao'nung, he must stay awake. Ensure that", he commanded. The boy just nodded in fear. "Dad, is there anything I can do to help?", I asked desperately. He sighed. "Apply as much pressure to the wound as possible." I did what he said. "And now?" He looked down on hos son. "Pray to Eywa that she won't take him." 
I couldn't loose my brother. Not now, and not like this. This was all my fault. Just because I had to help Payakan. 
Tears were streaming down my face and my lips were moving in a silent prayer. 
[a rather short chapter to keep up the tension]