Avatar: What if you were there?

10: Taronyu

You were panting. You had been climbing this tree for what felt like forever. Tsu'tey had something to take care of that day so it was you, Jake, and Neytiri.

Once there, Neytiri made some kind of bird call, and then an ikran appeared. "Do not look in her eye," warned Neytiri and fed Seze something. "Ikran is not horse. Once tsaheylu is made, ikran will fly with only one hunter in the whole life." She mounted Seze. You and Jake and smiled in awe. "To become taronyu, hunter, you must choose your own ikran and he must choose you."

"When?" asked Jake.

"When you are ready," she replied, flying off. You and Jake watched her with wide eyes, wanting to do the same.

_ _ _

You started falling into a routine. You would wake up and Tsu'tey would appear. He would instruct you on what to do. The language was not hard but Tsu'tey demanded perfection.

When holding a bow you would have to make your arm straighter, tighten a certain muscle, and shift your position. He would slap your arm or shove it.

Neytiri has taken to calling Jake a moron and Tsu'tey tried to but you shut it down. He looked at you sternly for that but then laughed. It took you by surprise since you hardly see him smile.

Norm was a major help in understanding how to live with the people. Every day he would tutor you in anything you needed help in. With time, he started helping Jake too. Jake was a little dense though. He didn't understand why they said "I see you."

"But it's not I see you in front of me," explained Norm. "It's 'I see into you. I see you. I'm accepting you. I understand you.'"

Jake just smiled cluelessly. Neytiri was right in calling him a moron.

Tsu'tey pushed all your limits, making your run farther and faster everyday. He rarely instructed you verbally, simply showed you, and you followed along. He taught you to trust your body to know what to do.

You perfected riding a direhorse, to which he was very pleased. Jake still sucked though.

He insisted you learn to sing which you were mediocre at. He always had you stay in a certain pose to reach a certain note. You would have to cook for him as well. He would give you certain ingredients and tell you how each is prepared. He would watch your every move and was a harsh critic.

You would read trails with him in the rain. You felt like Sherlock Holmes, picking up the tiniest scents and sounds.

You would watch baby viperwolves with their moms and Tsu'tey would talk about the flow of energy, the spirits of animals. He tried to explain this network of energy that flows through all living things. He says that all energy is only borrowed, and one day you have to give it back. There was such a deep connection between the people and the forest. You listened everyday, trying to see the forest through his eyes.

One day he got you a present. It was your sketchbook. They had been looking over all your drawings this whole time and wanted you to draw for them. You obliged and they went around, showing everyone what you could do. In return, Grace was allowed to visit the clan. It was her first time since the school was closed down.

The food in the base was nasty, though. You hardly ate and wouldn't at all if Norm hadn't forced you to. He was still your closest friend but he had begun talking more to Trudy. It was fine, you weren't jealous. You had Tsu'tey to please now.

You loved going out at night, finally allowed to record what you see. Tsu'tey would watch you silently. You would touch every plant and animal you could. You touched the cold water and followed Tsu'tey in. You splashed the water at him and he did the same in return. Laughing, you would hop onto his back and fool around. He had loosened up a lot since your first lesson. Still didn't like Jake though.

Sometimes you would fall asleep writing on your desk and Norm would carry you to bed. Grace would wheel Jake to his.

Then came the glorious day that Tsu'tey did not correct you on anything when you held the bow. He looked at you curiously but you just looked up with wide eyes. He realized how close you were and retracted.

You were stalking a hexapede one day one day with Tsu'tey right behind you. You held out your bow and shot it. You rushed over to it's moaning body and took out your knife.

You looked at it and softly said, "I see you, brother, and thank you." You stabbed it, Tsu'tey kneeled beside you. "Your spirit goes with Eywa. Your body stays behind to become part of The People." You put your knife away, took out the arrow, and slowly looked up at Tsu'tey.

"A clean kill,'' he said. "You are finally ready." He patted your shoulder in congratulations but then hugged you.