Intangible

14:Kxitx te 'eylan

"Lu hasey!" Mo'at commanded, we all stopped. I stood up quickly. She's my best friend. The last friend I have who is connected to the human world. I sat by her side. 

"Grace!" I rasped. 

"Jake." She called him over.

He took her hand, "Grace."

I'm with her Eyo, Jake, she's real!" She was spaced out and weak. Her eyes went glazed over and I knew she was gone. There was a hole torn through my heart where she once was. I felt the tears coming, the rage. 

"Grace! Grace please. Grace." Jake looked around at our sad faces, "What's happening? Did it work?" Jake asked exasperatedly. 

"Her wounds were too great. It was not enough time." Even Mo'at was saddened, "She is with Eywa now." 

We sat in silent mourning until Jake had something to say. I wasn't done yet, I kept seated near my friend. And I listened.

"With you permission, I will speak now." Jake asked Tsu'tey, "You would honor me by translating." He asked. Tsu'tey nodded with a blink and stood to the left of Jake. 

"The sky people have sent us a message."

"Fpole' sawtutel 'upxaret." I began listening less of Jakes voice. I heard his meaning in Tsu'tey's voice.

"Ayoeri tsat new." He waited for Jake's next words. "Tsun mivunge." He said while lamenting the death of his home.

"We will send them a message." My ears perked up and I turned to look at the two, "You ride out as fast as the wind can carry you." Tsu'tey's face lit up with determination and mild joy. He stared at this betrayer, this alien that he had grown somewhat fond of, and they were sharing one thought in this moment. Vengeance. 

"You tell the clans to come." He was excited now. He always was the warrior type, "Tell them Toruk Makto calls to them. You fly now, with me!" His face lit up in a war/adrenaline filled joy, and I knew who I would follow. Not the "savior", the friend he once was. I would follow that boy, my friend, my student and teacher, the man I am beginning to love.

"My brothers! Sisters! And we will show the sky people that they cannot take whatever they want!" He relayed, "And that this!... This is our land!" 

"With that!" He ordered his warriors to fly. I cheered as they began their journey. While they were traveling, I stayed to be with Grace and the clan. I buried both of Grace's bodies with Tsu'tey and Mo'at. Tsu'tey, Saeyla, Ka'ani and I had to hunt for the clan. I had gotten used to killing. I was going to have to be ready. War was on the horizon. 

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The clans had gathered here within days. The whole valley was full of warriors. Jake and Tsu'tey were planning the strategy because Jake had caught wind of Quaritch's attack. 

"The sky will be covered by the Tayrangi and Kekunan clan, anyone who can fly well will be there."

"The ground should be covered by the Olangi, Tipani, Kxaylu, Walprra, and Owami clans."

"For open battle? Jake, that's suicide!" I rejected the idea, "We should have small parties of experienced warriors use guerilla tactics, and sweep them with calvary." 

"That's a good idea, but where would they be?" He referenced to the map.

"They can only drop ground forces here and here." Trudy joined.

"We could surround them." Tsu'tey offered. We agreed on it. I knew Norm only had the right to use a Pa'li, so I'd join him. He's alone down there besides Akwey and the other clan leaders. I knew I might need to take to the air so I prepped Hiyìk for battle. 

I was most concerned with Tsa'kinam. He's my first friend who isn't a human or na'vi. He's a big target. I told the parties to aim for the people in the machines and stay scarce. Stay immobile and spread out, they can't detect individuals, only big groups. So, we'll be up against humans with guns. He had arrows. 

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Tonight, there was music. We were celebrating because we were facing our mortality. We were dancing to gain Eywa's blessing. I painted Tsa'kinam in red and black he was confused about my choice of color but didn't question why. He knows. He knows why we're fighting and he believes in it.

Trudy taught the clans what a scorpion was and how to take it down. The driver, or the blades. She had Jake take the gun off of the scorpion.

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When I had unlinked Trudy made the statement that we were going up against gunships with bows and arrows. We all knew, but there's no stopping it now. No matter how much I wanted to go back the way things were, it would never be the same.

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"Eyohi, we must talk." Tsu'tey motioned for me to follow him. We stood on the cliff above the clans. I had just finished painting Hiyìk yellow in spots around her wings and neck. 

"I see you, Olo'eyktan" I greeted and bowed my head a little. He reached out and caught my chin and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"There is no need for that here. We are friends, Ean. We are the last of the massacre." He referred to the event which started this all, the day I lost everything. 

"Tsu'tey, you have grown wise in your years away from our school. I cannot believe that you were that same boy who thought that we came from polyphemus!" I smiled. 

"You have also grown. I see the way your eyes wander when lost in thought. You can hear Eywa, can you not?" He took my hand where it rested comfortably between us.

"I can sometimes. All one has to do is listen. Is that what all The People can hear?"

"To some form, yes. We all hear her. But not as often as you." He sat down with me, "I must ask, what can you hear now?"

I shut my eyes and opened my ears to the gentle wind. I heard whispers of war and terror with the promise of love and life.

"I hear whispers, not of Eywa. Eywa is silent to me now. Her cries have dimmed." He gazed into my eyes. He was deep in thought.

"Eyohi. I have been blind to your feelings. Not blind, I have ignored them. I have not seen you. But today, I see you. I see your pain, sorrow, and anxiety. But I can see your freedom and hope. I see how you feel about me too." He placed a hand on my back near where my heart is, I perked up at his words and my world became bright. 

"You can see how I feel for you? What do you see?" He drew back his hands and placed them on the ground at his sides.

"I, well... I see admiration, and love." He said awkwardly, "The same things that I have hidden from you." He caught my eyes with his green gaze. 

"Tsu'tey?" He was more like that boy I knew now, than the man he had become.

"I admire many things about you, Ean. You are smart, knowledgeable, and stubborn. But I love you too. I love the way you talk, your kindness, your heart and it's capacity for love, I love you." He began to smile with his whole body, he was truly happy to tell me this, to admit his feelings.

"Tsu'tey, I love you too." I kept it short and sweet despite the many things I had to say. He pulled me into his arms. He smelled like the flowers his warpaint was made from, he smelled like the moss on the ground and trees, he smelled like the A'o flower which holds water. I never thought I'd be held by him. I never thought I could get this close.