Tanhì

5: Tskxekeng

"Again!" Tsu'tey said, firmly. I was on the pa'li learning to ride and use a bow at the same time. Tsu'tey is a stern teacher who's actually quite attentive to the needs of his students, even if he doesn't like me all that much. I fell off my pa'li when I accidentally got excited when the arrow found the target.
He chuffed and covered it with a scowl. "This fool can't even use a bow on a pa'li." He said grumpily.
"Take it easy, Tsu'tey. I've never done this before. I've only ever used a bow in school." I said, getting up.
"Why would a school teach you to fight and hunt?"  He asked with a scowl.
"It was called an elective class. You got points by taking part in separate learning activities and I chose one which I thought I'd do well in." I explained carefully
"Clearly, you didn't do well." He chuffed.
"I did well enough." I said.
I got back on my pa'li and kept trying until Tsu'tey said we'd move on to other skills.
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We practiced weaving, net fishing, and I learned quite a bit about the history of the Omatikaya clan.
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I woke from what seemed like a dream but I felt the soreness in my muscles and the sores on my fingers from the days lesson.
"Lahela, we'll be moving out of hell's gate soon." Grace said. I jumped since I didn't hear her approach the pod. She gave a look of surprise at my exhausted state.
"Are you alright? Is Tsu'tey giving you a hard time?" Grace had known nearly all the members of the Omatikaya clan as she taught most of them. Tsu'tey was quite the smart ass as a student.
"Not at all Grace, thank you though. He's just a stern teacher." I said, while pulling myself out of the pod.
"Has Jake been acting weird at all?" She asked me.
"That's an odd question to ask me, I hardly know the man." I knew something was up but Grace just shook it off and told me not to worry.
I began packing my things and getting ready to leave. My books, my clothes, snacks, my notes and personal belongings all into two duffel bags.
"So where are we going?" Jake asked.
"Gettin' out of dodge." She said tensly before continuing, "I'm not about to let Selfridge and Quaritch micro-manage this thing. Theres a mobile link up at site 26 we can work out of, way up in the mountains." She stated while putting her cup down.
"The Hallelujah Mountains?" Norm asked with surprise.
"That's right." Grace said.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"Yes!" Norm laughed. "The legendary floating mountains of Pandora. Heard of them?" He asked Jake rhetorically.
We finished packing and Norm and I talked about the Omatikaya's culture and history on our way to meet with Trudy Chacon, she'll be joining us their while getting us supplies regularly.
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I am deathly afraid of heights. So being in the helicopter surrounded by constantly shifting and moving mountains which float terrifies me. I was clinging to Grace the whole flight.
"Easy, Kekoa. We're going to be fine." She laughed.
"It's VFR from here on out." Trudy told Norm.
"What's VFR?"
"Means you gotta see where you're going."
"You can't see anything." Norm replied.
"Exactly, ain't that a bitch?" Trudy laughed.
I screamed internally the rest of the way.
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Tsu'tey continued to teach me as the weeks progressed. I caught the eye of Saeyla, one of Tsu'teys admirers.
"Hey, Alien." She said, catching my attention. "You stay away from Tsu'tey." She said, pointing her bow at me.
"I don't know why you say that but I assure you, I am not after his affections." I said clearly with annoyance in my voice. Atan chuckled at Saeyla's boldness.
"You assume too much, Saeyla." He laughed.
Tsu'tey interrupted to pull me away for further training.
We climbed up hometree via the spiral and went to a branch holding many of the ikrans. Out of breath and jumpy, I clung to the side of the tree.
"Come Lahela. You must face your fear of falling. If you are to be one of us, you must pass the trial of being a hunter." He said less grumpy than usual.
"Well pardon me for being afraid but I'd rather not fall and die."
"I will not let you fall." He said irritated.
I slowly walked onto the branch as Tsu'tey made bird call to his Ikran.
He greeted his friend.
"Do not look in his eyes." Tsu'tey instructed.
"To face your trial and become a hunter is to tame an Ikran."
"When will I learn?"
"When I say you are ready." He said before bonding with his Ikran and taking off. He demonstrated flight before letting me go do some chores for today.