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It was bad.
There was no other way to describe it.
The Kinglor Forest had never seen this kind of destruction and needless violence. Even when the RDA had first arrived, it wasn't this bad. But, ever since the RDA came back, now aided by the Mangkwan... It got so much worse. And now...
The Resistance was gone. Well, their part of it, anyways. Jin, Raj, Hurit... Alma. The others had fled with Anqa, Priya and Alex, leaving them behind in favor to set up the next Resistance base halfway across Pandora, while the others packed up the last few bits. They were gone... Because they chose to stay behind. Rha'tuul was still dealing with the reality of it, his fist aching with how hard he hit Nor, after finding out the other locked them all inside that stupid cave base.
He wasn't too sad about Alma. She had lied to them all and for what? A residential school, that ended up hurting them more, than actually helping? Being left behind in cryo for sixteen years? Lying some more, to try and bury the ugly, bloody truth? But... No one deserved to die by the hands of the RDA.
Sure, he knew he was a hypocrite, especially after killing Alma's Avatar himself. He wasn't that hateful, though, to just let his allies die, like Nor did. Rha'tuul had his limits, even with his half-gone mind and vengeful spirit. There was still kindness in his heart. Could the same be said for Nor, however? He wasn't sure.
Rha'tuul sighed, running a hand through his braided hair, pushing it all back away from his face, other hand already working a shoelace through the strands to keep them all back. Once tied back, he went about checking all of his weapons. The rifle was fully loaded and he had spare cartridges in his utility belt, as well as shotgun rounds. A few hours ago, he had made more than a handful of explosive arrows and stashed them with his bow. He was fully kitted out, when he grabbed the shock grenades from their designated box.
Rha'tuul checked the perimeter around Survivor's Camp one last time, before tapping Etuwa on the shoulder, motioning soundlessly that she take over. The Aranahe Tsahìk nodded, before quietly murmuring.
"...you better be careful. I know your heart well and the road it walks. Do not let it cloud your sight, when you are out there."
Rha'tuul stayed silent for a few seconds, his ears flicking back with the warning and his tail giving a twitch, before he finally answered.
"This isn't for me. And it won't be for a long time, until we reclaim our home. For now... It's for someone else's sake. I'll keep my wits about."
With that, he turned and began the small treck towards the edge of the camp, which overlooked a large part of the ashen jungle ahead. The cliff where a Tarsyu stood untouched and a body sat in front of it, kuru attached to the bright pink tendrils, desperately listening for a voice that would never appear. Rha'tuul sighed deeply, as he prepared himself for the inevitable conversation. A conversation that needed someone responsible and sensible. A role he didn't find himself stepping into often or... At all. But, he wasn't about to let his sibling be swallowed by the same dark sea, that drowned him a long time ago.
He couldn't.
And so, he walked over, shuffling down to crouch next to them and reaching out to gently grab their shoulder. Tsu'kari took a shaky breath in, ears pinned back ever since they came back from the secondary Resistance base, after the RDA attack. Ever since the slaughter. Their green eyes were bloodshot, having been crying for a long time. Rha'tuul didn't know how exactly they had reacted to Nor doing what he did, but he heard enough from Ri'nela and Rasi.
How inconsolable they had been. How they had banged against Nor's chest, while Ri'nela and Rasi tried to hold them back and calm them down.
Loss was never easy, no matter how many times it happened. It never gets easy.
Rha'tuul opened his pouch and extended a Cloaked Panther sähena to Tsu'kari, moving to sit next to them, as they removed their kuru from the Tarsyu. Shaky hands reached out the hold the meal, a gentle warmth pressing against their palms through the leaf wrapping. Rha'tuul pulled out his own portion and unwrapped it, slowly beginning to eat, light green eyes constantly looking up to make sure Tsu'kari was eating with him.
They'd need the energy for what he had planned.
After a handful of bites, Rha'tuul began.
"Look... I'm not going to try and sugarcoat it for the sake of saving you the grief. Alma's gone."
Tsu'kari's tail whipped around behind them, face screwing up with anger and pain. A face Rha'tuul had seen far too many times on them, but this conversation needed to happen, so he continued.
"And I won't say I understand what you're going through. I can't. We both know of my feelings toward Alma and the fact I stopped listening to her months ago. But, I know she meant a lot to you. I know that, after everything, she was a constant to you and you got attached to her like a child to a mother."
"Did you come here, just to say such things? To point at the obvious? To keep.. saying you had never liked Alma, to make me feel worse for wanting to have family stay and not leave-" Tsu'kari started, voice trembling, but was stopped as Rha'tuul placed a hand on their shoulder. A firm and reassuring touch, a gesture rarely seen in the older Sarentu.
"I'm not making fun of you or your grief, Tsu. I'm a dick, but I'm not heartless. But, grieving-" he'd point out towards the jungle, where Scorpions flew overhead, smoke rising from several far off areas, the bright orange of fire coming from the Waterway Valley viewable, even from this far out.
"Especially here and now, is dangerous. I'm not saying this, to make you lessen your pain or discard your feelings. I'm saying this, because we have people that are relying on us. Relying on us to keep guiding them to safety, to keep the RDA away. Nor is of no help, So'lek's busy with finding Tamtey, Teylan is trying to listen in on RDA comms for crumbs of information and Ri'nela is praying for everyone's spirits, keeping the morale up."
Tsu'kari and Rha'tuul's meals were left to the side, as the younger took in the other's words, before quietly asking.
"...are you worried? For your sister? And if So'lek will find her?"
Rha'tuul breathed out a shaky sigh, showing his soft underbelly for a few seconds.
"Tsu... I'm fucking terrified. I already lost Aha'ri and my mother. With Tamtey being taken, I feel like I'm back in TAPCON 1... Just watching as they stripped us of everything we were, taking us one by one to process us for their stupid files. I'm feeling the same anxiety and dread I felt when they took Na'ran away, when Mercer shot Aha'ri..."
Tears brimmed his eyes, but he blinked them away. He needed to stay focused. Rha'tuul took a deep breath, steeling himself.
"I know you're angry. I know you're grieving and I'll grieve with you, to ease the pain. But, right now... We need to be what Mercer claims he made us into. We need to protect those that are left."
Tsu'kari breathed out a scoff at the thought, but amused Rha'tuul in responding with.
"And how would we do that, bonehead? The RDA is everywhere. We cannot very well sneak into Hometree without being noticed by all the guards. The Mangkwan are there, too. How do we get past them, hm?"
"By not going to Hometree, dumbass." Rha'tuul responded with a grin, before he shifted to point towards the Waterway Valley once more and at the giant ugly structure now occupying the space. Fort Poseidon.
"You know what I like to do, when I'm pissed?" He'd ask rhetorically, but Tsu'kari snickered, giving a sarcastic and witty response.
"Stare at your boyfriend's chest?"
"Well, yeah, but-" Rha'tuul started before realizing what Tsu'kari said. He'd roll his eyes in annoyance and gently flick them on the back of the head, causing them to protest in Na'vi and rub the back of their head, glaring at their older brother.
"Aya, you're impossible. What I like to do, when I'm angry.. is hit stuff. Shoot something." Rha'tuul finished, as his hand reached around and brought up one of his best rifles. All of the parts were scavenged from RDA wreckages and facilities, and he had enough parts to make two of them. But, he always preferred the one he decorated with Sarentu colors and weaving around the butt of it.
The rifle he was currently handing Tsu'kari.
"Wanna go make sure no more RDA come here with that stupid boat? That no more explosives are delivered to them? No more soldiers?"
Tsu'kari breathed out, looking at the gun for a little while. They knew a bow wouldn't be enough for this type of danger they'd be going into, but their feelings about Sky People weapons still kept them on edge. But, seeing the the decorations and the care Rha'tuul showed by obviously giving them his gun...
Tsu'kari took in a sharp breath, grabbing the rifle and loading it before standing up, a newly set resolve in their eyes.
"...when do we start?"
Rha'tuul grinned, standing up with them before whistling sharply for his Ikran Amay to come down from the nearby tree, the fierce and large ikran eager to get some revenge herself.
"Right now."